The Release of K324million to Cover 3 months Costs for Schools in Zambia

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The Treasury has released K1.284 billion of which K960 million will be payment made to farmers owed by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

A good thing as farmers were made to go into another farming season without receiving payments for their produce for the 2020/2021 farming season.

The other release of K324million is the 2022 First Quarter Operational Support Fund to public schools aimed at facilitating the implementation of free education.

HOW MANY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO WE HAVE?

As at 2019, we have 1,009 Secondary Schools and 8,343 primary schools.

The allocation of K324 million to cover costs for the first quarter (3 months) translates to roughly K34.644.00 per school to meet administrative costs until April.

WHAT FEES WERE BEING PAID IN THE PAST

Education has been free at both Primary and Secondary Schools since 2011.

It has never been Government policy to charge tuition fees for learners in both primary and secondary schools.

However, learners were required to pay user and boarding fees to meet costs of electricity, water and sanitation, stationery and payment of salaries for Daily Classified Workers (CDEs) such as cleaners, office orderlies (help) and guards to secure school premises.

As seen from the release of funds to cover the first school term by the Treasury, the funds are clearly inadequate.

Government may consider picking up some of the costs such as wages of CDEs as the abolition of user fees and scrapping of the PTA fund poses an immediate challenge to school administrators.

CDF, BOARDING FEES & TERTIARY BURSARY SCHEMES

The Treasury may consider releasing immediately, the allocation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for 2022 where components of education fees such as boarding fees for eligible and identified vulnerable learners and bursary support for those going to Colleges and Universities are embedded in.

The education sector will continue to attract attention this year as the recruitment of 30,000 teachers is expected to take place.

Government has budgeted for K18.1billion to the sector, and of this, K1.7 billion is for recruitment of the teachers.

Clearly the entire 2022 National Budget standing at $10billion ( K173billion ) is ambitious.

It remains to be seen, on the revenue side, if these ambitious goals set, will be met.

By Mwaka Ndawa

THE Constitutional Court has declined to stay the decision of the National Assembly Speaker to suspend nine former PF members of parliament from attending parliamentary sessions and drawing allowances, pending determination of the case in which they are challenging the nullification of their election by the High Court.

This was after Solicitor General Marshal Muchende raised a preliminary issue on whether a single judge of the court has the authority to determine the merits of the petition at preliminary stage.

Muchende submitted that there was a multiplicity of action by the nine seeking similar reliefs.

Judge Judy Mulongoti dismissed the matter to avoid pre-empting the decision of the full bench over the Speaker’s ruling.

In this matter the nine are challenging Nelly Muti’s decision to eject them from parliament pending determination of the cases in which they have appealed the nullification of their election.

Lunte member of parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya, Lukas Simumba, Kalalwe Mukosha, Bowman Lusambo, Taulo Chewe, Chibuye Christopher, Joseph Malanji, Allen Banda and Sibongile Mwamba argued that the ruling by the Speaker was unconstitutional and illegal.
They said Speaker Mutti’s ruling contravened Article 122 of the Constitution as she usurped the power of the Constitutional Court.
Kafwaya and others want an order of certiorari to quash the decision of the Speaker for being illegal, unreasonable, unfair and null and void.
The petitioners are seeking an interim order to stay Speaker Mutti’s decision pending the determination of the petition.

They want the court to order payment of their dues for the period of their suspension.
But in an affidavit in opposition, Deputy Clerk in charge of procedure at the National Assembly Cecilia Sikatele said the ruling of the Speaker was within the confines of the law.
She said Speaker Mutti did not declare the seats vacant but merely directed that the affected members of parliament shall neither participate in parliamentary business nor draw an allowance until final determination of their appeals in the Constitutional Court.
“The Speaker of the National Assembly acted within the ambit of the provisions of the Constitution in ruling on the point of order and applying the provisions of the Constitution,” Siakatele said. “The National Assembly concluded its budget meeting on December 23, 2021 and adjourned sine die.”
She said the constituency offices were manned by professional staff employed by the National Assembly and the absence of the nine at the offices would not hinder their operations.

Sikatele said the applicants would not be prejudiced if their prayer for a stay was not granted but prejudice would be occasioned to the state as the continued participation of the nine in parliament while their seats were nullified would not be in public interest.
The State in its preliminary issue asked the court to dismiss the application for stay with costs because the applicants had engaged in forum shopping, a practice that was frowned upon by the court.

It said the Speaker’s ruling is and was consistent with the dictates of the constitutional mandate as promulgated by Article 77(1) of the Constitution as read with Standing Order No. 239.

“The applicants should be left to fight the main action and get the relief they seek by way under the cloak of a stay,” the state submitted. “The applicants have sought payment of their ‘dues’ during the suspension. This is not the reparable damage for which a stay must and can be granted.”

The state argued that the nine had pending appeals against the judgements that nullified their former seats and they had not obtained a stay of the judgement either in the High Court or Constitutional Court.

“The bone of contention in this action relates to the interpretation of Article 73(4) of the Constitution, with the applicants advancing the argument that the said provision implies that the members of parliament found wanting for electrical mulpractice and whose seats were nullified by the High Court must continue to hold the seat in the National Assembly pending the determination of their appeals in the Constitutional Court,” the state said. “There is yet to be a pronouncement on this issue by the Constitutional Court and in the absence of a stay of the judgement that nullified the seats of the applicants-cum-petitioners in this matter, there is nothing to suggest that the decision of Speaker was unconstitutional.”
The state further said the reliance on the Chishimba Kambwili case should be distinguished from that of Kafwaya and his colleagues as the extent of interpretation engaged into by the Speaker then could not be compared to the ruling on a point of law arrived at by Speaker Mutti.

“We opine that this is one case for which the applicants must wait for the final outcome of their petition as opposed to achieving the final objective at interlocutory stage,” said the state.
And in a similar matter, Governance, Elections Advocacy Research Services Initiative Limited has applied to join a matter in which Bowman Lusambo and seven others have petitioned the court over their suspension.

Dr. Bestone Ngonga writes:

We Zambians have short memories and I wonder where the so called technocrats in climatology are. I don’t want to be a prophet of doom but let me tell you something.

Every second year of a decade Zambia experiences below normal rainfall and this coincides with change of Government every first year of a decade.

In 1991 we changed Govt to MMD and in 1992 we had a drought. Remember yellow maize under Guy Scott as agric minister.

In 2001 we changed to New deal Govt and 2002 we had another drought leading to introduction of winter maize, in 2011 PF came to power and 2012 we had a drought. Maize dried from kabwe to livingstone, but the banning of export of maize in 2010 and 2011 saved Zambia, thanks to the late Sata.

In 2021 we had change of Govt to Upnd and what do we expect in 2022? Of course a drought.

It’s like God tests each new government with a drought to see if these govts can handle crisis.

Mwanawasa government not prepared and he ended up threatening to jail those who were talking about southerners eating tubers.

By then I was Ed of Media Trust Fund. I remember sponsoring journalists on the fact finding mission in Southern province.

The results were terrible.

So UPND must start preparing itself to deal with the 2022 drought or else Zambians should be ready for another calamity.
Even if rains came today, it is too late to plant because by February the itcz will have gone back to Congo.

Normal period for early maturing maize is from 90 days meaning we need continuous rainfall from January to April, which is not possible unless with God’s intervention.

The normal plant season ends on December 15.

So let us not politicize weather.
Those of you who were old enough in the 90s I predicted rainfall patterns in Zambia for the next 20 years in the then Financial Mail. Go back in the archives and prove me wrong if my prediction did not come to pass. Iam not a prophet but technocrats who believes in making projections as basis for decision making.
I am speaking as a climatologist having studied geography at degree level.

TREASURY RELEASES K1.284 BILLION FOR FARMERS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Treasury has today released K1.284 billion of which K960 million is for outstanding payments to farmers under the 2020/2021 farming season, and K324 million is the 2022 first quarter operational support fund for public schools aimed at facilitating the implementation of free education for all learners at early childhood, primary, and secondary education levels.

As Treasury, we can confidently say, with the release of the latter (K324 million), concrete steps towards free education – aimed at abolishing tuition, Parent Teachers Association, and examination fees that learners used to pay in public schools, are now in motion.

To reiterate the announcement by the Minister of Finance and National Planning during the presentation of the 2022 National Budget, the fees charged at public early childhood and secondary schools for a child to be allowed to attend class have been done away with (Free educational services are already provided for learners at primary school level). To this end, grants from the Government to public schools have been increased to meet the operational costs that were previously financed by the abolished fees. The funds will be paid directly to the bank account of each individual school, country-wide, to ensure that proper operational arrangements are made before the opening of schools for the first term of 2022.

Bursaries for vulnerable leaners; to be allocated through the Constituency Development Fund, will also be released as soon as the guidelines are completed and approved by relevant authorities.

We take this opportunity to state that the Treasury has also commenced capacity building programmes on public resource management. The first target are the teaching staff, country-wide, who are being oriented on the handling of the operational support fund for public schools, to ensure that there is prudence in the management of the increased resources.

Concerning the funds for farmers, we urge the competent authority in charge to ensure that a fair and transparent payment system is deployed so that the hardships experienced by our farmers due to delayed payments, are not prolonged. With the release of the K960 million, outstanding payments to farmers for the 2020/2021 season have now reduced by 59% from K1.63 billion to K670 million. Our target is to dismantle the whole outstanding amount as soon as possible.

(File Copy Signed)

Issued By:

Felix Nkulukusa
SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY
MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON EDUCATION

For avoidance of doubt, the fees charged at public early childhood and secondary schools for a child to be allowed to attend class have been done away with. Free educational services are already provided for learners at primary school level. To this end, grants from the Government to public schools have been increased to meet the operational costs that were previously financed by the abolished fees.

Regarding boarding fees for secondary school learners, a bursary scheme will be introduced for vulnerable learners. The beneficiaries will be identified at the community level, through the Constituency Development Fund Programme.

To ensure that the girl child has equitable opportunities to quality education as a boy child, Government will address challenges that the girl child faces such as walking long distances to school, early marriages, menstrual hygiene, and unwanted pregnancies. In this regard, the Government in 2022, will expand support to the girl child through the Keeping Girls in School Programme from 28,964 in 2021to 43,520 girls, this year.

To increase access to education, improve the quality of education provision while promoting equal opportunities for girls, learners with disabilities and the vulnerable, a total of K18.1 billion has been budgeted for the education sector, in 2022. Of this amount, K1.7 billion is for the recruitment of 30,000 teachers and K2.2 billion is for general operations of schools across the country. Further, K694.3 million has been budgeted for the construction and completion of ongoing school infrastructure.

SCHOOLS TO REOPEN ON JANUARY 24 – HON SYAKALIMA
…as the Minister of Education announces a 100 percent and 54.5 per cent progression rates for Grade 7 and Grade 9, respectively, for the 2021 examinations
LUSAKA…Monday, January 03, 2022 (SMART EAGLES)
MINISTER OF EDUCATION Douglas Syakalima has announced a 100 per cent national progression rate to Grade Eight (😎 for the 409, 441 candidates who sat for the 2021 Grade Seven (7) composite examination.

Hon Syakalima disclosed this during the joint release of the 2021 Grade Seven and Grade Nine (9) examination results today.
He said 74, 865 representing 18.2 per cent obtained Division one, 107, 167 representing 26.1 percent obtained Division two, 73, 504 representing 17.9 per cent obtained Division three while the other 153, 905 representing 37.5 per cent obtained Division Four with more girls performing better than boys in the first three divisions.

Hon Syakalima attributed the improved performance of the girl children to interventions by government and its corporating partners on Girl Child Education aimed at enhancing participation and performance of girl pupils.
The Minister said the robust school infrastructure development where space at secondary school level has been created has also contributed to the 100 per cent progression rate to Grade 8.

He however said the Ministry of Education is currently reviewing the policy of automatic progression to Grade 8 so that only learners who display required competencies at this level progress.
And Hon Syakalima has announced that 257, 551 candidates sat for the 2021 Grade 9 examinations and 140, 338 candidates representing 54.5 per cent obtained certificates compared to the 53.1 per cent in 2020.
He revealed that 99, 253 candidates representing 38.5 per cent obtained statements whilst 18, 106 candidates representing 7 per cent completely failed the examination.

Minister Syakalima said the 140, 338 candidates who obtained the full Grade Nine Certificates progresses to Grade Ten (10) representing a national progression rate to Grade Ten of 54.5 percent compared to the 53 per cent attained in 2020.
Meanwhile, Mr. Syakalima has announced that schools will reopen on 24th January, 2021 as opposed to the initial 10th January, 2021.

The Minister said this is in view of the fourth wave of the pandemic so as to facilitate for the vaccination of pupils whilst giving time to the Ministry of Education to assess the effects of pandemic before schools reopen.

GIVE HH CHANCE –MPEZENI

… It’s unrealistic to expect him to deliver all his campaign promises at once – Paramount Chief Mpezeni

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

IT is unrealistic for Zambians to expect President Hakainde Hichilema to deliver all his campaign promises at once but, he should be given ample time to execute his plans for the country, Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province has said.

Paramount Chief Mpezeni has appealed to Zambians to be patient and allow MrHichilema and his team to stabilise the economy, before demanding for the fulfillment of all campaign promises.

Commenting on critics who have accused the new dawn administration of having backtracked on its campaign promises, the traditional leader said there was need to give the new administration time to settle and do their work properly.

In an interview, Paramount Chief Mpezeni said just like a farmer cannot plant a seed and expect to harvest instantly, it was equally impossible for Zambians to expect President Hichilema’s administration to fulfil all its campaign promises at once.

“Kuliye munthu olima munda basi pamene apo kushanga nokolola, tiyenitimupase mpata wosebenza HH tione mwati asebenzele naye (there is no farmer who plants a seed and starts to harvest instantly. Let HH be given chance to work),” he said.

He said much as the citizens remain starry-eyed and feel disenchanted, they should exercise patience to allow Mr Hichilema to translate his plans into reality.

Meanwhile, Paramount Chief Mpezeni has urged government to stick to its promise of starting the payment of farmers this week, who had supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency.

He noted with concern that some farmers were waiting for the payment to buy inputs.

Speaking when he addressed the nation during the New Year’s Eve, President Hichilema also urged Zambians to be patient because rebuilding the economy that was broken would take a bit of time.

He said there was need for collective efforts to rebuild the country’s economy as his administration was doing everything possible to create jobs and business opportunities for all Zambians.

He said some efforts to rebuild the economy would take some time and sacrifices which would be hard to stomach.

Mr Hichilema said the collective effort to rebuild the country and turn it into a multi-model of success for future generations would take some time.- daily Nation

PRESS STATEMENT

In 2022, PF must bring back all what they have stolen from the Zambian people before asking for any forgiveness. Zambians today are full of discomfort because PF collapsed the economy due to theft of public resources.

It’s hypocritical for PF to continue kneeling in front of cameras asking for forgiveness without bringing back the stolen money. When PF leaders are apologizing let them disclose how much each one of them has stolen. Otherwise the current PF leadership should retire from politics.

PF is still being led by the same arrogant, cheeky and pompous leaders. PF cannot win the sympathy of Zambians with such shameless hypocrites. Zambians have the right to accept or reject the apology.

You don’t say Lord forgive me for grabbing my neighbor’s wife who is still living with me. No, it’s morally wrong and it’s highly unlikely that God will forgive you. PF must stop mocking Zambians with their useless apologies.

What the Auditor General revealed in his latest report clearly shows that under PF some people were reporting for work just to go and steal. You cannot have a leader in State House giving instructions on how to steal.

How can one explain the instructions to ignore the right tender procedure but impose a criminal one? Indeed PF started rotting from the head.

What the Auditor General revealed, no normal PF leader can move with his head high. It’s only crooks and thieves that can appear in public and criticize President HH. Even Lucifer in hell is very upset and disappointed with the entire PF leadership.

Zambians kicked out PF because of greediness, theft and brutality. PF must Sober up in 2022 and give room to Zambians to recover from its criminality. PF must appreciate what the New Dawn Government is doing to clean up your mess.

We expect PF in 2022 to take a deep self introspection and stop mocking Zambians. PF must show respect to the Zambian people by retuning those Billions of Kwacha’s instead of waiting to be arrested.

PF cannot pretend to offer checks and balances with blood dripping from their hands and with pockets full of stolen money. Let other political parties offer credible checks and balances not PF criminals.

Percy Chanda

UPND – Chairman for Mines and Freedom Fighter

MINISTERS MUST PREPARE BEFORE THEY MAKE PUBLIC OR MEDIA APPEARANCES

“How will the CDF deliver free education and bursary schemes?”

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The ZNBC Sunday Interview with Grevazio Zulu this week hosted the Minister of Education, Hon. Douglas Siakalima MP.

The Ministry of Education is key among institutions tasked to implement pre-election campaign promises made by the UPND Government.

Because major policy changes have been pronounced including free Education for Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary Schools, and the way education services will be delivered to Zambians.

Although, education services to these category of schools have largely been free since 2011, the Minister was expected to explain the difference or changes that have occurred since his government came into office.

The Minister also missed the opportunity to explain how the new changes will be implemented.

Two key issues I felt the Minister has not understood or failed to explain is how the recruitment of 30,000 teachers would be done and how CDF will be used to support bursary schemes for learners at boarding schools and those pursuing tertiary education.

TEACHER RECRUITMENT

The Minister was clearly sailing at sea and failed to explain the recruitment process of teachers in the public service.

Let me help him as his technocrats clearly failed him.

The mandate of teacher recruitment is now deposited in the Teaching Service Commission(TSC) in accordance with Article 223 of Republican Constitution as amended in 2016.

Further, the Service Commission Act no 10 of 2016 gives mandate to the Commission to delegate some of its Human Resources functions to the Human Resources Management Committees at District level, whose composition of its membership is prescribed in the Act and one of the major functions was teacher recruitment.

THE ROLE OF CDF IN BURSARY SCHEMES

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is established by Article 162 of the Republican Constitution and is operationalised by the CDF Act No.11 of 2018.

Government has since issued the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) guidelines on the management, disbursement, utilization and accountability of the Fund.

The CDF has a Secretariat at the Local Council. It must be emphasized that there are no developmental structures at the Constituency level although government is trying to include Ward Development Committees in the process.

The Fund is divided into four main components;

1. Community-based projects- 60%
2. Youth Empowerment-10%.
3. Women Empowerment-10%.
4. Secondary School and Tertiary Bursaries-20%( K6,425,000.00)

When asked how the CDF will pay for vulnerable children and the selection criteria especially that Schools may open by 10th January, 2022, the Minister just summarized that everything will be ready by then.

He also failed to explain why parents have to pay fees of K1,000 for boarding schools.

He also failed to explain how vulnerability will be determined or assessed for children eligible for free education especially for those located in rural areas.

CONCLUSION

Hon. Siakalima is one of the longest and experienced members of parliament serving Siavonga Constituency and he is a qualified educationist.

He is expected to deliver the policies on quality education and implement the policy of free education.

His appearance on ZNBC Sunday Interview appeared unprepared and unfortunately cast doubt as to whether or not whether he is equal to the task.

Learners from early childhood, primary School, Secondary Schools, Colleges and Universities want to understand how they will benefit from the bursary schemes.

Similarly, school managers also want to understand how this will be done and how the cost of running schools will be met.

The Minister and his technocrats may be required to roll out extensive information on how all this will be done and achieved.

Further a close collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is required and is imperative, especially that 20% of CDF will fund the education needs and bursary schemes of eligible learners.

Further concerns is how equitable the 20% of CDF which is K6,425,000 will be shared as Constituencies are different by size, population and distance.

PROPHET ISAAC RELEASES SERIES OF PROPHECIES FOR THE YEAR 2022.

“This Year You Shall be a Winner and not a loser in Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name!”.

Renowned Zambian Clergyman Prophet ISAAC Praise of Monze has released shocking prophecies for this New Year 2022 to the country of Zambia and Africa at large. Speaking in Monze yesterday after successfully conducting an overnight service, Zambia’s Number One Most accurate prophet disclosed that Zambia is on its way of becoming one of the riches nations in Africa as the Mighty hand of God is on the country.
Here are the prophecies that were released by Prophet ISAAC Praise yesterday on New Year’s Day (1st January 2022).

1. In this New Year 2022, God has revealed to me that there will be a valuable mineral that will be discovered in this country. This mineral will bring a lot of money in Zambia and many people will find employment.
2. The Lord has told me that there will be a New Football Team in Zambia in this New Year (2022) which will bring glory to this country. The cry by Zambians over the poor performance of Chipolopolo Boys has been brought to an end. The New Zambian National Team will be a marvel world wide.
3. This year, the Lord God shall grant all hardworking Zambian youths alot of blessings. God has released wisdom to the New Dawn Government to create millions of employment to Zambian youths.
4. In Botswana, I see a lot of battles against the sitting President of that country from the opposition but God said he should not worry as he will help him conquor all the battles. His opponents will try to bring him down but they shall not succeed.
5. In Nigeria, I see the second becoming the first. The Lord has lifted humble and humbled the pride. This year Nigeria will never be the same again.
6. This New Year, the Hand of God is upon Malawi and that country will experience an economic turn around for the better.
7. In Uganda, God Almighty has counted the days of President Yoweri Museveni and brought them to an end. The rule of President Museveni has been brought to an end this year. Fresh blood will finally lead Uganda.
8. Despite delays in the rains, the Lord says Zambia will experience bumper harvest. No one shall die of hunger in Zambia. God has anointed President Hakainde Hichilema to to take Zambia to the promised land.
9. Zambian State House must triple around President HH and the Community House as the enemies who are still grieved of losing the 2021 August Elections are planning evil, but they will NEVER succeed. The Mighty Hand of God is on President HH and he shall govern Zambia upto 2031.
10. Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia must pray against the increase in commodities. The enemy of progress is in full swing using the opposition to frustrate the government but God shall defeat him. The mentioned countries will prosper.
11. I see a sitting African President dying. All African countries must pray.
12. His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema is chosen and being protected by God and is destined to become the best President that Africa has ever produced but he should not arrested for President Edgar Chagwa Lungu despite many evils he committed against the Zambian People. God will fight President Lungu alone for economic mismanagement and other crimes committed. President HH should leave the battle to God.

These are the prophecies that God released to the nation of Zambia and Africa.

I now decree and declare that anyone reading this shall be a Head and not a Tail throughout this New Year in Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name!

By Oliver Chisenga

ENOCH Kavindele should with all due respect not be economical with truth by issuing unresearched and misleading statements on the controversial Lusaka East Local Forest Reserve No.27 that are meant to sway government on its plans to demolish all illegal structures in the area in the public interest, says William Harrington.

Reacting to Kavindele’s statement that the government will pay heavily if it sends bulldozers to raze structures in Forest 27 before consulting widely, Harrington said it must be made abundantly clear that the court case in the matter of the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Kingsland Project being referred to is a different issue.

Harrington, a former environment minister, said the issue has nothing to do with the 1,100 hectares section where plots have been allocated to senior Patriotic Front government officials and politically exposed persons.

He said in its decision letter, the Zambia Environment Management Agency (ZEMA) ordered that no soak-away should be constructed to prevent contamination of the water system from poisonous and hazardous household chemicals and human faecal matter.

“So as concerned environmentalists who care for the health, welfare and livelihood of the people, we urge our new dawn United Party for National Development government not to bow to threats from any selfish and insensitive quarters that it will compensate heavily for impending demolition exercise,” Harrington said.

He urged the government to stand firm in upholding the law without fear or favour with regards to the illegalities surrounding the degazzetion of FR27 to safeguard the health, safety and well-being of present and future generations who depend on the area as a water source.

“And with all due respect, it is totally unfortunate and regrettable for anyone to threaten local government and rural development minister Gary Nkombo for declaring that all structures in FR27 will be demolished because he is merely exercising his mandate in applying the law on encroachment of forest reserves such as FR27 which falls under the jurisdiction of the Lusaka City Council under his ministry,” he said.

Harrington noted that “sadly”, developers ignored warnings issued by the minister and his counterpart at lands several months ago “but arrogantly and with impunity” went ahead with their constructions.

“Those citizens now expressing interest in the matter of FR27 and issuing threats against the State may wish to be reminded, once again, that in 1994 when I was privileged to serve as minister of environment and natural resources, the late president Frederick Chiluba (MHSRP) signed Statutory Number 161 to regazette FR27 following a petition by over 2,500 concerned citizens demanding that the area reverts to its original 1957 status as a protected forest reserve,” Harrington said.

He said Kavindele, a former republican vice-president, was fully aware that SI161 effectively cancelled all title issued in FR27.

“And, if my memory serves me correctly, one Father Dil of the Anglican Diocese and the former vice-president himself were affected. Father Dil was subsequently only allocated an alternative plot somewhere in Makeni area but received no financial compensation whatsoever. Concerned citizens may wish to note that Section 10 Part III of the forest Act, under Forest Management and Development states that the President may by Statutory Instrument declare any area of land within the Republic to be a national forest,” Harrington said.

He noted that Section 11 states that the President may, on the recommendation of the minister compel, acquire under the lands Act any land for the purpose of a national forest as may be necessary in the public interest.

Harrington further noted that Section 12 provides that subject to other provisions of the Act, “all land comprised in a National Forest shall be (a) the security of forest resources of national importance (b) the conservation of ecosystems and biological diversity (c) improve resource management, sustainable utilisation of forest resources, and (d) the management of major water catchment and headwaters subject to the water movement Act, 2011.

“Similar provisions apply in the case of local forests under Sections 17, 18, and 19 of the Act. It is clear that the Act does not make any provision for compensation by the State for any developments that are demolished in a local or national forest as in the case of FR27. The State would therefore be on firm ground to order the demolition of structures in FR27 in the public and national interest without any compensation,” he argued. “In fact, developers would have no basis to demand compensation because they were advised in good time by the State not to proceed with their constructions.”

Harrington said it is also incorrect for anyone to state that the FR27 residential developments are legal, arguing that on the contrary the whole housing project was “pregnant with illegality” in that procedures were not followed by the former lands minister and developers.

“For example, the Zambia environmental management Act, the water resources management Act, the forest Act, the regional and country planning Act, land use change from forest reserve to residential, and the public health Act were all not complied with,” he said. “They were ignored as developers were in a desperate hurry to beat the August 12, 2021 elections but it has now backfired on them.”

Harrington said it is also immoral and insensitive for anyone to talk about compensation without considering the plight of innocent citizens who are demanding their constitutional right to safe and clean water which would be denied to them by the residential housing project in their water source.

The rebranded Economic Front Party leader Wynter Kabimba has said that he is happy that Mr. Hakainde Hichilema is President today because he wants his incompetence to be exposed.

Mr. Kabimba, who renamed his party from Rainbow Party to now Economic Front Party, said that if Mr. Hichilema had not become President, he would have gone to his grave with the credit that if he had become President he would have turned around the economy for this country.

“I know there are people out there who will think that I am bitter, but I want to tell those people that I am happy that HH is President today because I want his lies to be exposed.

“If he had not become President he would have gone down the grave with the perception that he would have turned around the economy of this country,” Mr. Kabimba said.

Mr. Kabimba said it was important that the lies he promised the people would be exposed.He said this was the reason why the UNPD administration should give space to those who are offering checks and balances to the government.

Mr. Kabimba said he has noticed that so far the UPND was becoming intolerant to those offering checks and balances to them.“They are failing to engage in a competition of ideas, I have read on social media where people insult me when I raise some issues but no account of intimidation is going to discourage us from holding UPND accountable,” he said.

Mr. Kabimba said it was clear that the UPND got into power by false pretenses as is evidenced by the U-turns on the campaign promises it made to the people.

He has cited continued load shedding, the hike in pump price of fuel, student’s meal allowances, and mealie meal prices as some of the factors showing that the new dawn administration will not fulfill its campaign promises.“If there is a criminal offence that the UPND has committed, it is to win an election by false pretense,” Mr. Kabimba said.

Meanwhile, Cosmo Mumba has said that now that the UPND budget has taken effect, the government should stop the blame game that they have been playing in the last few months and concentrate on working for the people of Zambia because dwelling on the past will not help them

Dr Mumba, who is National Revolution Party (NRP) president, said it was high time the UPND administration started working on delivering the promises they made to the people now that their budget had come into effect.

Dr. Mumba also said that the hypocrisy that the UPND government had exhibited last year should not be carried in 2022 because people were not going to tolerate it.

He said that it was highly hypocritical for UPND to have said that they had inherited empty coffers but out of the same empty coffers they were able to release the constituency development fund and pay retirees last year before their budget became active.

Dr. Mumba said the government was not supposed to be spreading propaganda because that mentality should have been had left it in the opposition.

He said that now that their budget had started working he expected them to do more working than talking.

MORE THAN 100 PF MEMBERS IN KABWATA JOIN UPND CITING DISHONESTY AND LACK OF LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE

…as ambassadors toast economic recovery plan; relative peace; debt restructuring and historic K25.7 CDF as mouthwatering, commendable moves

Hundreds of opposition PF members have ditched the former ruling party and joined the United Party for National Development-UPND.

The defectors were welcomed to the party by UPND National Chairman, Stephen Katuka at Kabwata Community Hall this afternoon.

And speaking shortly after welcoming the ambassadors of change who included Suko Habinda and Royd Moonga, the duo who left the party prior to the 2021 general elections, Mr Katuka stressed that the UPND was a party that ran an open door policy and that every Zambian was welcome to join.

Hon. Katuka has since asked the campaign manager, Mr Sulwe to include the new comers in the on-going Kabwata campaigns, warning of stern action against those who will discriminate against the the defectors.

And speaking on behalf of other defectors Peri Miti, Rhodah Chibanda, Eunice Makowane, Roger’s Chileshe, Suko Habinda, Royd Moonga who were both emotionally charged, said the peace that Zambia was enjoying under the New Dawn administration; the robust economic recovery plan that President Hakainde Hichilema’s regime; the debt restructuring; free education and planned employment of more than 31, 000 teachers and 11, 000 health workers in 2022 were too loud to ignore.

The ambassadors for change also asked for forgiveness from both Zambians and the Republican President for betraying the party at a critical time when their services were needed most.

And in response to the plea by the defectors for Mr Katuka to convey a message to the President asking for forgiveness for betrayal, Katuka charged that President Hichilema has a forgiving heart and that he exhibited his forgiving capabilities by refusing to punish those who unjustly incarcerated him in 2017 on a fake treason charge that saw him spend 127 years in prison.

He also promised to convey the message to the Head of State.

This comes at a critical time when the area heads to the polls in slightly more than 2 weeks to elect its MP.

Meanwhile, UPND aspiring candidate for Kabwata Andrew Tayengwa thanked the people of Kabwata for the great support he is receiving.

Earlier this morning Mr Tayengwa visited a number of churches in the area, amongst them ZAOGA.

NMC members, Constituency and Provincial officials witnessed the function.

The Constituency, is one of the 156 in Zambia, that received the historic K25.7 million CDF this month, an amount that will ensure proper drainages, better marketing places and empowerment for both men and women in the Constituency.

UPND MEDIA TEAM

WELCOMING 2022: A NEW YEAR, A NEW PF LEADERSHIP

As we transition from a 2021 that left us shell-shocked to a 2022 full of expectation, our focus remains on the Patriotic Front, a party whose ticket drove me to Parliament on behalf of the great people of Kantanshi Constituency in Mufulira.

Yes, we were left shell-shocked by the results of the August 12, 2021 general elections in which President Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND emerged winner with his party assuming a simple majority in Parliament. That result effectively ended the journey of our leader, president Edgar Chagwa Lungu, as the sixth Republican Head of State.

While the result may have shocked us, it is time to move on! Michael Sata, our founding father spent 10 years in opposition, and his party spent 10 years in power. Yet his dream was not to see the organization he built into a strong unit disintegrate whether in opposition or power. The fragmentation seen after we lost power is unfortunate, but I believe the greater good of our party means well.

And as a PF MP, I wish to set the tone the hangover of our loss is over. The party must rise from this fall and begin to build towards regaining power in 2026. Doing so will not be easy, but remains a huge possibility. The same people that have gave us the mandate transferred it to Mr. Hichilema and can restore us to it.

But this restoration will not be done overnight and through lip-service. The Zambian people can only trust us again when they see radical changes that made them grew apart from us. And this as they say begins with the head. President Lungu has indicated he is no longer available to steer the boat and some among those he worked with closely have equally made way into retirement.

In mind is Hon. Samuel Mukupa (ex-National Chairman) and Davies Mwila (ex-Secretary General). This is a good step in the right direction. The Zambian people grew averse to President Lungu and his inner circle so it will be very key for the PF to do due diligence and ensure that the concerns of the general populace are addressed. The elders of the party that have run their full course can still be useful by retreating to an advisory role and allow for new brooms.

Leaders that tolerated heavy handed caderism and contributed to the fall of the mighty PF should not be among those seeking office to try and rebrand our battered image. That is a faux pas! It will take us nowhere. People must be allowed to speak because that’s what intra-party democracy entails. And speaking unpleasant truths for the love of the party does not mean, and should not mean, that those that express themselves are hired guns.

Like my young brother Hon. Christopher Kang’ombe articulated the issue of leadership overhaul when featuring on 5FM’s Burning Issue program on Thursday, As the MP for Kamfinsa acknowledges, rebranding with the same leaders that plunged us into the abyss of opposition will be a waste of time.

With a mandate from the people of Kantanshi, I appeal to those who know and participated in us being where we are today to speak to their moral conscience and stay away from seeking office of our great party.

Only those with a heart, renewed hope and vigor must be lining up to assume top leadership of the Patriotic Front. The people are ready to trust again but only when we demonstrate that we can win back their confidence.

For this reason, there is no time to waste in 2022. It’s a New Year and a new PF leadership at the helm.

Your faithful servant
Hon. Anthony Mumba (Dr)

GOVERNMENT CLEARED 13,470 CASES OF PENSIONERS AND RETIREES SINCE 2014

The Case of Pensioners and Retirees

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Secretary to Treasury Felix Nkulukusa announced that the Treasury had released K837 million for social protection programmes of which K255 million will go to the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) to help clear cases of unpaid pensioners and K50million will go to the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund (LASF).

The balance of K402 million will go to Social Cash Transfer Programme.

There was jubilation on social-media especially from supporters of the New Dawn Government, who said at last, the suffering of pensioners was being attended to and their money were being paid.

The previous government was cast as a callous and an irresponsible government that failed to pay retirees and pensioners.

Infact, many people replayed the sad video of a distraught woman pensioner, crying at the Ministry of Justice, cursing the PF government and its leaders for failing to pay widows, and retirees, their money.

WHAT ARE THE FACTS?

Government through the Public Service Pensions Fund has consistently paid outstanding cases of retirees and pensioners and has, since 2011 dismantled the number from 22,000 cases of unpaid retirees to a mere 2,200.

Below are the releases of funding since 2014.

1. In 2014, K723million was released to pay 2,353 cases.
2. In 2015, K965 million was released to pay 2,424 cases.
3. In 2016, K671million to 1,817 cases.
4. In 2017, K1.1530 billion was released to pay 3,138 cases.
5. In 2018, K644 million was released to pay 1,205 cases.
6. In 2019, K162million was released to pay 315 cases.
7. In 2020, K1,150 million (K1.5billion) was released to pay 2,218 cases.
8. In 2021, K1.512 million (K1.5billion) was released.

Funding for 2021 has been released as budgeted for where it was paid in tranches of K544million and K456million.

The 2022 Budget has provided K2.1 billion which is expected to clear the 2,300 cases.

BUT WHY DO WE HEAR THAT PENSIONERS ARE NOT PAID?

You and I have seen retirees and pensioners camped at the Vice President’s office, Ministry of Justice or near State House.

These are retirees’ or pensioners’ cases that are protracted and are/were being handled by the courts of law through beneficiaries’ lawyers.

Some of these matters are still locked in courts of law or Judgements were delivered but have not been honoured or where Judgements have been honoured, funds have not been paid to rightful owners or administrators of late beneficiaries’ estate.

Other cases involves pension funds that were previously dissolved or the case details are lost in the bureaucracy.

Let’s take the famous case of Hon. Nelly Mutti and her lawfirm, Lukona Chambers.

Ms Mutti represented the 3,523 retirees under the Voluntary Separation Association of Zambia (VSAZ) in a battle to claim the pensioners’ benefits.

After many years, she won the case on behalf of the retirees and Government started paying the pensioners’ through her law firm.

The money was part of the Government release for 3,523 retirees that left their employment under the voluntary separation in late 1990s.

Her firm made deductions from the benefits of civil servants in three categories namely, 10 per cent legal fees, 10 per cent handling fees and 16 per cent VAT.

This sparked protests from the retired civil servants and legal cases of theft, forgery and fraud charges by the State against her and the lawfirm.

On March 6, 2014 she was arrested and charged with 33 counts relating to theft and forgery in connection with the payment of more than K35 million to former government employees.

The DPP later discontinued the case and the retired civil servants were requested to pursue their claims as a civil case in the High Court.

CONCLUSION

It is heart-warming that the previous government cleared over 22,000 cases since 2011 of retirees and pensioners including those dating back to the 90s and 2000s.

The cases I have been looking at are 13,470 under the Public Service Workers Pension Fund (PSPF) alone cleared since 2014.

The duty of this government is to continue on this path so that we clear all outstanding cases of retirees and pensioners.

Further, reforms are needed to both the Insurance and Pension Sub-sector.

The abolition of a lump-some payment to retirees was imposed on workers without sufficient consultation.

Similarly the case of retirement age that was raised to up-to 65 years is another matter of concern.

Many feel that the monthly payments made to pensioners are inadequate, do not take into account inflationary and cost-of-living factors and leave pensioners destitute.

Let’s debate the reforms we should take to ensure that both retirees and pensioners are not left desperate, destitute and do not end the rest of their lives in despair after making long-time contributions to pension funds.

BE PATIENT, CHANGE DOESN’T COME EASILY – HH

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has urged Zambians to be patient because rebuilding the economy that was broken would take a bit of time.

President Hichilema said there was need for collective efforts to rebuild the country’s economy as his administration was doing everything possible to create jobs and business opportunities for all Zambians.

Speaking when he addressed the nation during the New Year’s Eve, the head of State said some efforts to rebuild the economy would take some time and sacrifices which would be hard to stomach. “Fellow citizens, in 2022 and the years to come, we have a lot of work to do.

Work to turn around the economy that was broken, work to create jobs and business opportunities and to lift the living standards of all our fellow Zambians.

This is the change that Zambians desire and the change we are working to achieve.“Fellow citizens, change does not come easily, it takes hard work, and it takes concerted efforts and sacrifice.

Some sacrifices will be hard to stomach but will pay off in due course. Just as Rome was not built in a day, our collective effort to rebuild our country will take some time,” President Hichilema said Mr Hichilema said the collective effort to rebuild the country and turn it into a multi-model of success for future generations would take some time.

He also said that his administration was working to root out corruption and bring about macroeconomic stability and an inclusive environment for all Zambians.

The President said there was need to maintain peace, stability and the mantra of One Zambia One Nation because it is the foundation of the country’s democracy.

He further called for hard work to be a way of life and a source of the country’s pride and future prosperity.Meanwhile, Mr Hichilema explained that the anticipated International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement would provide the much needed relief and boost the confidence on the market and catalyse economic recovery.

He said the IMF agreement shall benefit the citizens both socially and economically.

Seven Proofs That The Dead Are Conscious
A Study by Rev Walter Mwambazi

In view of the debate that an older status raised (for and against this teaching), let me give seven key reasons why the dead are conscious and backing scripture for this subject!

Now bear in mind that when it comes to any subject or topic in scripture, it’s significance is always seen by how many times it’s mentioned and how many scriptures can be gotten together to prove it’s importance.

Take for instance the subject of the rapture or tithe, you’ll be hard pressed to raise even ten scriptures in the New Testament to prove your case.

However, check subjects like love, forgiveness, redemption, salvation and you’ll find dozens upon dozens of scripture to back them up.

Interestingly, we have many scriptures that back the doctrines of prophecy, miracles, healing, exorcism and even hell, yet the modern church doesn’t really emphasize them except the fringes of Christendom especially the Charismatic Movement.

That does not make them less significant.

Which brings me to the subject of “soul sleep”. I have given enough evidence to prove the dead are conscious. If you are an adherent of the soul sleep doctrine, counter my verses with more against it and that will settle the argument.

If you cannot, then it means you believe dogmatically (belief by loyalty rather than by reason and evidence – a common stance among many blind Christians).

I am a big proponent of the Berea Mindset which admonishes believers to be ardent students of the Scriptures.

Don’t take my word for truth, go study and see for yourself.

Meantime, here they are (and my notes to counter the soul sleep doctrine)

1. God declares Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and states that they are “living” and not dead (Matthew 22:32, Luke 20:38) and the verse below affirms…

Mark 12:27 (NKJV)
”He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

Note: If soul sleep is true, it would mean God is calling Himself the God of dead people, sounds ridiculous if you ask me! Why would the creator of the universe refer to sleeping people? 🤔

2. The transfiguration – Jesus met with Moses and Elijah. Elijah we know never tasted death but scripture declares that Moses died (even his body was fought for) so who is this here? (Luke 9:28-36)

Note: For soul sleep it would mean God “resurrected” Moses, then put him back to “sleep” afterwards. Like seriously?

3. The strange case of Samuel and the appearance at the witch of Endor. Contrary to popular belief, that really was the soul of Samuel that spoke 1 Sam 28:3-20 (not a familiar spirit-the Bible would have clearly said so like it does in this passage 1 Kings 22:22-23, 2 Chr 18:21-22). Below is God’s word declaring exactly that…

1 Samuel 28:20a (NKJV)
20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. It does not say, “words of the familiar spirit”!

Note: Scripture says it clearly and that is what it is. One of the most common errors many make with doctrine is that they read into th scripture rather than letting it speak. We have a precedence where another spirit was mentioned and that is the case of Micaiah the Prophet in II Chronicles 18.

So, it really is the soul of Samuel (God knows why He permitted this very strange thing to occur).

4. Stephen’s stoning – Jesus is waiting to receive him right as he is dying. If he was to become without knowledge, what’s the point of standing ready to receive him and Steven make such a declaration which he spoke under the unction of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 7:54-60)

Note: Stephen’s case is very compelling. Are we to reason that after Jesus receives the dead they go to a place to sleep, or they sleep right at death? Soul sleep implies that Stephen was either hallucinating or lying.

5. Paul’s near death experience – theology teaches that it occurred when he was stoned and left for dead. (2 Cor 12:1-6). The experience he saw in the heavens were as a result of the event quoted below – he had what is known as an NDE (Near Death Experience).

Acts 14:19 (AMP)
19 But some Jews arrived there from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the people and won them over, they stoned Paul and [[a]afterward] dragged him out of the town, thinking that he was dead.

Note: Again, soul sleep implies this was a hallucination or trance, not an actual near death experience because the implication of soul sleep is that one just goes into a state or unconsciousness and awakens at the resurrection!

6. The saints under the altar crying out for justice. These cannot speak if. They are conscious. Who are these then if they are not the dead in Christ? (Rev 6:9-11).

It is seen that they are told to “rest a little longer until the number of their fellow saints who are martyred is complete”. So, when they “rest”, are they unconscious or conscious?

Note: At the risk of being outrightly comical, it implies these “sleeping souls” keep awakening, only to go back to sleep!

7. The rich man and Lazarus – contrary to popular belief, this is not a parable but an actual account (Luke 16:19-31). Parables have different style of beginning. In parables Jesus always refers and interprets, in real events he just recounts (like the sheep and goats story Matt 25:31-46).

Note: Again, these are hallucinations, but since it’s the Lord Jesus telling this story, then it’s a parable. That’s the easier excuse than explaining what this story is clearly stating!

Based on the above, there is overwhelming evidence that the dead are fully conscious!
However, here is the truth and implications of Scripture on the dead…

👉🏾 a) we are strictly forbidden to communicate with them (necromancy) (Deut 18:9-14)
👉🏾 b) they cannot communicate with the living in any way (sorry for all those who believe that somehow the dead are watching over us – simply no truth in this whatsoever) 🥺
👉🏾 c) every living being’s destination is determined by their state at death

• the saved into Paradise (disembodied saints awaiting the rapture)
• the unsaved dead into Hades (disembodied sinners awaiting the 2nd resurrection of the dead to final judgment).

The argument that the dead are unconscious, insinuates that in these cases God “wakes” them up and then after the events described above, places them back into “sleep”? Seriously?

In the words of Sherlock Holmes…
“when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth”

This is the truth as far as the dead are concerned.

PS: Once again, to all of you that use the acronym MHSRIP I also have some news for you. The dead don’t rest, neither to they sleep. They are conscious!

This makes the urgency to preach the gospel of salvation even more important. If one dies outside of Christ, their destination is hell fire (that is what Scripture and even our Lord Jesus taught)

It is not a popular message, but it’s the truth.

PPS: Jesus spoke more about hell and judgment than He did about money, about love, about miracles and even about the Kingdom!

But many modern preachers like to dilute that message or completely ignore it to sound “politically correct”.

Now that is interesting. 🤔

Background and Context

Public Debt in Zambia is a growing problem, perhaps the most pressing economic challenge that the country faces. Domestic debt currently stands at K61.9 billion and external debt at $12 billion, and these figures continue to increase. Years of borrowing on short-term plans with little return on investment has left Zambia with little means to repay its debts – in 2017 interest payments alone cost Zambia K9.8 billion.

High debt weakens the Zambian economy, slowing growth. As money is spent on debt servicing payments, investment in other areas such as skills, research and development and infrastructure projects fall. High debt also limits the Government’s ability to respond to economic shocks such as a fall in the copper price, failing rains or currency depreciation.

Without urgent action from the government to address the high debt problem, the Zambian economy is at risk of toppling into an economic crisis; inflation could increase as the kwacha depreciates, businesses turnover and profits will fall, and jobs will be lost as new wealth is created at a slower rate. However, with a New Dawn Government, this inevitable decline has been halted for the time being.

This debt crisis directly and significantly affects Zambia’s businesses, large and small. The business community are a key stakeholder in the debt crisis, and an influential voice in the debate.

Five impacts on business are particularly worrying:

1. Arrears and unpaid bills: With more and more money being channeled to debt servicing, the Government is short of cash, which leads to mounting arrears. The Ministry of Finance has confirmed arrears had risen to 20.9bn Kwacha. The impact of delayed payments on the private sector can be critical; local companies’ cash flows are hit hard, which can lead to delayed wage payments and postponed investments, reducing the private sector’s contribution to GDP growth.
2. Reduced access to credit: Companies struggle to access credit domestically as high levels of domestic borrowing by the Government reduces access to finance on the domestic market. New lending to businesses between January and March 2018 witnessed a significant decline of 3.5 percent – this stands in contrast to the growth in lending of 8.3 percent that was posted during the last quarter of 2017. This contraction presents a serious threat to private sector-led growth: smaller businesses will find it increasingly hard to obtain the finance they need to expand, or even to cover themselves during periods of negative cash flow, while larger businesses find it harder to raise funds for major investment projects.
3. Falling investor confidence: External investment will also reduce, as Zambia’s high total debt stock impacts investor confidence, leading to higher interest rates on the international market. Investors drive up interest rates in return for greater risk of default, making the components of economic expansion, such as infrastructure, business growth and business loans, more expensive.
4. Pressure to make redundancies: As the economy contracts and access to finance narrows, companies’ risk being forced to make reductions. A weak economy combined with a credit squeeze means less demand for company’s services and products. Ultimately this means many companies risk being forced to downsize and lay off workers. This can include workers; which companies have invested time and money skilling up.
5. Pro-business public spending cut: Government funding which is intended to support the private sector and economic growth will be hit as it struggles to meet high interest payments. Government now spends around 20% of its revenue on repaying debt. Once you also account for spending on salaries, this leave a shrinking pot of funding for other areas. This includes spending which can help boost productivity and growth and help business – for example training, research and development as well as physical infrastructure.

The above factors were also present in the case of Ghana in 2015. The transformation of Ghana’s economy and society was anchored on the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) II, 2014-2017 – Vol I: Policy Framework. This was the platform for development. It provided a consistent set of policy objectives and strategies to guide the preparation and implementation of medium-term and annual development plans and budgets at sector and district levels. It also served as a platform for donor coordination (something that Zambia has lost in the last ten years of PF rule). Consequently, the medium-term priority policies were anchored in the following thematic areas:

• Ensuring and sustaining macroeconomic stability,
• Enhancing the competitiveness of Ghana’s private sector
• Accelerated agriculture modernization and sustainable natural resource management
• Oil and gas development
• Infrastructure and human settlements development
• Human Development, Productivity and Employment
• Transparent, Responsive and Accountable Governance

Ghana’s economy was in trouble, hobbled by widening current account and budget deficits, rampant inflation, and a depreciating currency. Credit dried up as interest rates rose and banks’ bad loans piled up. At the root of Ghana’s woes was out-of-control government spending, largely to pay salaries of an overgrown civil service.

The program

In early 2015, Ghana turned to the IMF for a $918 million loan to help stabilize the economy. IMF advisors, working with the Ghanaian government, developed a three-part program:

• Restore debt sustainability. The government limited hiring and wage increases and eliminated subsidies for utilities and petroleum products. To raise revenue, it cracked down on tax evasion and rationalized exemptions. New revenue sources included a tax on luxury cars and increased taxes on high earners. To put Ghana’s finances on a sounder footing, the new Public Financial Management Act called for improved accounting standards, procedures, and technology.
• Strengthen monetary policy. The authorities agreed to gradually end central bank financing of the budget deficit—a major source of inflation—and to fortify the inflation-targeting regime.
• Clean up the banking system. An asset quality review revealed significant under-capitalization. Some banks were recapitalized, and the Bank of Ghana used its newly enhanced authority to wind down insolvent lenders. The central bank developed regulations to ensure that banks meet sound underwriting and credit evaluation standards. It also paid back insolvent microfinance institutions’ depositors.

The outcome

Ghana’s economy is on the mend. The trade and budget deficits are narrowing. The pace of economic growth rose to above 8 percent in 2019 onwards from 2.2 percent in 2015. The inflation rate fell to 8 percent from almost 19 percent. Cuts to wasteful spending made room for much needed social services, such as free secondary education. For Ghana’s 28 million people, it all adds up to higher incomes, better job opportunities, and more purchasing power.

How was it done – Some key elements

1. The government of Ghana prepared a Shared Growth and Development Plan as a platform for policy reforms and engaging with the IMF and other donors.
2. Allowed full public transparency and published the Debt Sustainability Analysis done by the IMF. This enabled the Government to generate strong public support for austerity measures.
3. They also participated in “Peer to Peer” exchanges facilitated by the IMF with other countries like Mauritius, Cape Verde and Seychelles to understand what it takes to reform successfully
4. An ambitious Fiscal Consolidation anchored on enhanced revenue collection was implemented. On the revenue side, measures included: the imposition of Special Petroleum Tax of 17.5 percent (implemented in November 2014) to bring Ghana’s petroleum taxes more in line with international practice; and the implementation of the VAT on fee-based financial and of a 5 percent flat rate on real estate (implemented in January 2015) to broaden the tax base.
5. On the expenditure side Government agreed with the Unions on a nominal wage increase of 10% and thereafter agreed a 2-year wage freeze. Strict limits on net hiring in the public sector were imposed (which were frozen except in education and health). Moreover, subsidies for utilities and petroleum products were fully eliminated through strict implementation of tariff and price adjustment mechanisms.
6. The government used part of the resulting fiscal space to safeguard social and other priority spending under the program, including expanding the targeted social safety nets—such as the flagship cash transfer program (Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP)) benefitting the poorest households and which doubled its coverage to 150,000 households in 2015—and protecting basic health care coverage.
7. The authorities also cleared the outstanding stock of arrears over the three-year period through cash payments and securitization of arrears to SOEs with marketable financial instruments including liquidating arrears owed to Micro-Finance institutions. About a quarter of outstanding arrears were repaid in 2015. Note that outstanding arrears to suppliers were audited first.
8. To increase control over budget execution and avoid the accumulation of new arrears, the government (i) only recognized purchases generated by the Ghana Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) as valid commitments of Government and (ii) extended the GIFMIS system to revenue and expenditure transactions of Internally Generated Funds (IGFs) to progressively enhance budget comprehensiveness.

Recommendations Moving Forward for Zambia

1. Convene Coordinating Debt Task team led by the Secretary to the Treasury

   The first step would be to convene a small team of no more than seven to nine people to begin the work of putting together a debt management strategy and negotiating framework using the Medium-Term Framework approved by Cabinet. This task team should comprise eminent Zambian technocrats that have the experience and knowledge. For instance, Dr. Caleb Fundanga, Prof. Oliver Saasa, representative from ZIPAR, representative from ZICA and the Bankers Association. This task team would report to the Minister of Finance that would then report to you. The task team should also include as Observers your Economic and Legal Advisors.

2. A private roundtable session with the President, Ministry of Finance, Bank of Zambia and key senior Government officials to discuss possible pro-business policy solutions for the 2021 Budget

   This roundtable should occur once the private sector is properly aligned in terms of the key issues, they would want the Government to act upon. At this stage those business leaders with strong networks and relationships with Government would need to be in frontline in terms of moving the discussions forward. All the main sector business associations and professional associations should be involved in this roundtable discussion.

3. We must also stop all new projects until a full project audit and expenditure review is undertaken.
4. Renegotiate all Government infrastructure contracts, loans from China and ensure that Zambia gets value for money.
5. In addition, Government needs to do the following to grow the economy and create more jobs:
   • Immediately dismantle domestic arrears owed to local Zambian contractors and suppliers of goods and services which will immediately bring liquidity into the economy. Government can issue a domestic bond specifically to pay of these arrears.
   • Revert RDA to Ministry of Infrastructure and allow it to operate devoid of political interference.
   • Fully implement PPP legislation to allow private finance in key infrastructure projects and ensure that PPP projects are assessed independently of political influence and patronage.
   • Initiate a mass housing project through IDC under a PPP using labour intensive technology so as create jobs for Zambians.
   • Maintain wage freeze and rationalise the civil service to make it more performance oriented.
   • Implement a “National Agricultural Development Initiative” that will provide low cost financing for emergent farmers to grow high-value export crops.
   • Facilitate under PPP arrangements the establishment of Cross Border Trade Zones at all the key cross border posts namely; Kasumbalesa, Nakonde, Kipushi, Mwami, Kazungula and Chirundu.
6. More importantly we need to enact a flat tax system across all sectors which would reduce admin costs, improve compliance and enhance the business environment. Government must stop borrowing for consumption. Furthermore, Government must get out of doing business and allow the private sector to drive growth. Zambia can do better but we need a focused Government with competent people allowed to work without undue political influence.

Others have done it

Mr. President, the experience of other countries suggests that Zambia’s ambition is achievable. Between 1990 and 2013, about 40 countries across the world have achieved average growth in real per capita GDP of 5 percent or more (at purchasing power parity).

International experience suggests that Zambia can be even more ambitious and lift its growth rate to 7 percent in the medium term, driven by domestic reforms and foreign investment–generated exports. Although not all countries succeeded in all reforms, countries that Zambia could emulate include India, Guyana, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. African “lion” emerging economies, such as Cape Verde, Ghana, Mauritius, and Uganda, have also begun the journey already traveled by Asian “tiger” economies to move from low-income to middle-income emerging market status. With resolve, discipline, and a strong team it can be done.

Submitted in National Interest

10,000 YOUTHS TO BE EQUIPED WITH SKILLS IN 2022 – MUTATI

The Ministry of Technology and Science has revealed that it targets to train at least 10,000 youths to equip them with skills as part of practical delivery by the end of the year 2022.

Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati said this yesterday at the launch of the National Youth Skills Empowerment Programme in Chongwe district, flanked by five (5) other cabinet ministers.

Those in attendance include; Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe, Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo who is Chongwe Member of Parliament, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Elias Mubanga and Sports, Youth and Arts Minister Elvis Nkandu represented by his Permanent Secretary Kangwa Chileshe.

Speaking at the event, Hon Mutati said the ministry targets to role out this program to all the constituencies across the country which would then have a multiplier effect of creating jobs for many other youths.

Hon Mutati said technology encompasses delivering the skills that are necessary while working with other ministries as one government system.

Hon Mutati assured that with skills acquisition, youths are guaranteed to be permanently employed and to also employ others.

The minister said the ministry intends to be practical particularly for the year 2022, with a philosophy that local jobs should be preserved for the local people so that the monies revolves around the communities.

He said the ministry’s formula for skills development will be government going to the people and not the other way round as President Hakainde Hichilema is delivering the skills which young people embrace.

Hon Mutati said after acquiring the skills, what will be important for the youths is to be ethical and deliver quality within appropriate standards.

Hon Mutati said with the increased allocation of the Constituency Development Fund to K25.7 million, there will be need to have a cadre of skilled youths that will assist in the construction sector and many other aspects that will require local sourcing of labour and skill.

Meanwhile, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Elias Mubanga said the New Dawn government wants to nature a cadre of entrepreneurs with the right skills and mindset to contribute effectively to national development.

Hon Mubanga said this would as a result reduce on government dependence for empowerment schemes amongst the youths.

And speaking at the same event, Minister of Youth and Sports Elvis Nkandu said government has realized that if trained in the right skills, youths can have the capacity to play a vital role to contribute towards the growth of the country by creating technologies that can solutions to socio-economic challenges the country faces.

In a speech read for him by Permanent Secretary in the ministry Kangwa Chileshe, Mr Nkandu said the launch of the national skills empowerment program will explore and facilitate for the provision of smooth training because President Hakainde Hichilema places emphasis on the importance of human and socio-development as an essential tool in having a skilled population.

And Agriculture Minister Hon Reuben Mtolo Phiri who was also speaking at the same event underscored that it is important to equip the youth with the necessary skills and tools and as such, the ministry seeks to encourage youths to look at agriculture as a business.

Hon Phiri said the ministry has since reserved 100,000 hectares of land in each province which will be used as farming blocks, calling on the youths to take advantage of this opportunity.

Speaking earlier, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Hon Paul Kabuswe said the country cannot afford to have degree holders only because those with requisite skills are key in the development of the country.

Hon Kabuswe said with the skills acquisition being promoted, government is already living up to its campaign promises, calling on the Technology and Science Minister to consider rolling out skills training centres to all the districts.

And Hon Sylvia Masebo, Member of Parliament for Chongwe Constituency and Health Minister urged the 50 beneficiary students of the training at the newly launched centre under the Lusaka Business and Technical College to use the skills to their full potential.

KATUKA INTERACTS WITH THE UPND LOSING CANDIDATES IN LUSAKA DISTRICT

___As he calls for calm amongst losing candidates and that UPND acknowledges their support they rendered to the party before, during and after the elections.

31/12/2021

UPND National chairperson Hon Stephen Katuka this evening joined the UPND losing candidates from seven (7) Constituencies in Lusaka district where he emphasized that the party is very much aware of the support the candidates rendered to the party.

Hon Katuka thanked the organizing committee for making it possible to have an interaction with the losing candidates and understand their concerns.

Hon Katuka indicated that the UPND will not deny an opportunity for any candidate who stood on UPND ticket more especially that it was not easy to stand on UPND under the PF brutal regime.

He said it was from such background that PF leadership can’t understand that they are in opposition because they created a hostile environment for the opposition and thought they can’t lose an election but the people of Zambia believed in the UPND.

And speaking on behalf of the losing candidates, choolwe Simunchembu who is kapwepwe losing Councillor, indicated that the team was grateful to be visited by the national chairperson so that they can express their concerns.

She stated that the losing candidates felt neglected more especially that after the elections, the top leadership has never tried to engage them.

And UPND losing Councillor for Justin kabwe ward who is also a committee vice chairperson Mr Ethen Phiri used the opportunity to indicate that the team was humbled to be visited by the National chairperson who has left alot of responsibilities to hear from his children.

And UPND kabanana ward losing candidate Mr Patrick Phiri who is the committee chairperson thanked Hon Katuka for hearing their cries and giving them an audience.

(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

Professor Nkandu Luo, who served in both PF and MMD administration under the leadership of the late second Republican president Frederick Chiluba has come to the support of the late president after reports emerged that the state had grabbed all the property belonging to the late president.

Professor Luo that the treatment the Chiluba family is being subjected to is unfair and the properties that were seized need to be given to the family and that the state needs to honor him by returning his assets which were grabbed from him after his death, adding that a trend had been set in the country where any leader is deemed corrupt even if they were genuine in their dealings.

Prof Luo said the persecution of the leaders was too much and that it had been the case from the Kaunda days to date.

“Nowadays, professional people don’t want to get into politics because people are scared of being dented due to the mudslinging involved,” she said.

Prof Luo said President Chiluba had property he acquired which the children needed to benefit but unfortunately the government grabbed everything from the family and that a bad spirit had been sown and that it was not healthy for the nation.

Prof Luo said such persecutions were painting a bad image of the country in the eyes of foreign countries who would think every Zambian leader was corrupt and that there was a bad narrative that Zambians could not have money except foreigners.

Prof Luo urged the powers that be to consider giving the property to the Chiluba family because he did a lot for the nation.

Family members revealed that the state claimed that the properties were forfeited because Dr Chiluba did not claim the property. Dr Chiluba’s children Darlington and Kaindu who are part of the administrators, said the move by the state was wrong because the former head of State claimed the property. He claimed the property and a judge granted him but the state appealed long after he had died, Kaunda and Darlington Chiluba said.
They revealed that the ACC waited until Dr Chiluba died before commencing legal proceedings on account that he had not claimed the property in good time therefore creating an impression that they were property acquired through proceeds of crime.

The Chiluba family indicated that it was shocking that the investigative wings acted maliciously as they waited for the patriarch who was cleared of all charges to die for them to appeal to the Supreme Court which overturned the initial judgment.

Family representatives said the family would appeal using other means despite the ruling by the Supreme Court.

In 2017 the court forfeited properties valued at over K40 million belonging to Dr Chiluba, on grounds that he had not claimed his seized property on time.

At the time of the forfeiture, the rentals accrued amounted to over K14 million of which, over K4 million was in the Kwacha account while over $1.2 million was in the Dollar account.

In 2002, the ACC instituted investigations into suspected corruption in the manner Tedworth Properties Incorporation Limited, a company incorporated in Panama, acquired properties in Zambia.

The property acquired by Tedworth Properties which was linked to the former head of State were Plot No. 4828, Alberg Court, located along Addis Ababa Drive, Longacres, Lusaka which also comprises 21 residential flats.

Others were Plot No. F/488a/26/C, Horizon House, located along Leopards Hill Road, in Kabulonga, Plot No. F/488a/26/D, Chibote House, located along Leopards Hill Road, in Kabulonga in Lusaka.

But Dr Chiluba made a claim on those assets and won the matter in 2010. The judge was displeased that the TFC failed to account for rentals and transferred management of those assets to the Bank of Zambia under suspicious circumstances.

But the two administrators said the judgments found that no government funds were used in the purchase of those assets and it’s for this and other reasons the family would continue to pursue the matter.

The family indicated that the appeal was done in the most heinous way, while the family was grieving as they waited for him to die and took vengeance on an estate.

The administrators also stated that although the appeal was heard by a quorum of Chief Justice Irene Mambilima, Judges Royda Kaoma and Evans Hamaundu, Judge Jones Chinyama; who was part of the quorum when the judgment was delivered, was not among the judges that heard the appeal.

Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Hon. Charles Milupi has provided more details regarding what he termed as the unsolicited proposal from the Southern Africa Business Development Forum (SABDF) for the establishment of the resettlement infrastructure investment and enterprise support (ARIISE) programme to promote infrastructure development.

In a media post on his Facebook page Mr Milupi said that even if this project was started by the former government, the New Dawn government decided to proceed with it because it has vast benefits, ranging from improved road infrastructure to providing connectivity, which is a catalyst for economic activity and trade, resulting in economic growth and reduced poverty.

Below is the full post

30% OF CIVIL WORKS ON THE NEW DAWN GOVT APPROVED WESTERN CORRIDOR TRADE FACILITATION ROUTES PPP PROJECT TO BE SUBCONTRACTED TO LOCAL COMPANIES

Good morning fellow Zambians, be informed that the New Dawn administration having reviewed the terms and conditions, as well as the associated benefits of the concession agreement for the development of the Western Corridor Trade Facilitation Routes, has given a ‘no objection’ to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.

However, this ‘no objection’ is premised on a condition that the project is done at the correct price, completed within the agreed time and delivered at the right quality. Thus, the Road Development Agency (RDA) has been tasked to review the cost for each road link and ensure that cost reasonableness analysis is conducted to bring the estimated project costs to acceptable values.

Engineers from RDA and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development are, therefore, currently in the field carrying out assessments that will inform the expected cost of the project. Following the approval to proceed by the New Dawn administration, the RDA, by law, issued a legal notice which has since been published in the public media.

Admittedly, even if this project was started by the former government, the New Dawn government decided to proceed with it because it has vast benefits, ranging from improved road infrastructure to providing connectivity, which is a catalyst for economic activity and trade, resulting in economic growth and reduced poverty.

Other benefits include, providing off-take of the domestic produce to be sourced from all existing 93 and new resettlement schemes under the Office of the Vice-President, and exported to Namibia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yet other benefits include, job creation, empowerment of local contractors through subcontracting of 30 percent of the total value of civil works to citizen-owned firms, reduced travel time and reduced vehicle operating costs.

Finally, fellow citizens, the background to this is that, the former PF-led government through the Office of the Vice-President, received an unsolicited proposal from the Southern Africa Business Development Forum (SABDF) for the establishment of the resettlement infrastructure investment and enterprise support (ARIISE) programme to promote infrastructure development.

This was transmitted through their proposal letter dated December 5, 2018. The delegation of the SABDF was facilitated to engage the Zambian government by then High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba. The Office of the Vice – President sent an acknowledgment to the High Commission through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for facilitation.

Now, arising from a meeting held between the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the investor, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on October 16, 2019 and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Council at its 21st Ordinary meeting held on May 7, 2021 considered and approved the unsolicited proposal on the ARIISE programme. To this end, the concessionaire, SABDF, incorporated a special purpose vehicle for the concession, Messrs. Nkhulu Zambia Limited.

Following the approval, the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) under the PF, signed a concession agreement with the concessionaire on August 10, 2021. Under the concession agreement, total project cost means the lowest of the following:

A sum of United States (US) dollars three billion, two hundred and thirty million (ZMW3.230 billion), actual capital cost of the project upon completion of the project infrastructure as certified by the auditors, or total project cost as set forth in the financing documents. But the financing documents are yet to be concluded and when this is done, it shall constitute financial closure on this matter.

Note also that the concessionaire has proposed a concession period of 25 years, which will be firmed up once the final project has been determined. The scope of the project, once more, includes design, build and rehabilitation, operate and transfer of approximately 1,400 kilometres of roads to international bituminous standards, approximately 500 kilometers of resettlement roads to bituminous standards, one major bridge (Shangombo bridge spanning 8.5 kilometres), trade and border facilities at Sikongo and Shangombo borders with Angola as well as Katima Mulilo border with Namibia.

The specific road segments under consideration include:

Tapo-Kalabo-Sikongo-Angola border road (125 km), Sioma-Shangombo road (175km), Lufwanyama-Kankolokolo-Kasempa road (255km), Kasempa-Kaoma road-Luampa junction road (280km) and Luampa Junction-Machile-Simungoma road (340km).

Others are Kazungula-Katima Mulilo road ( 145 km), resettlement roads (approximately 500km, Shangombo bridge, Sikongo border post and trade hub, Shangombo border post and trade hub, Katima Mulilo border post and trade hub.

I submit to you fellow citizens.

MWAMBA LEARN TO TELL THE TRUTH IF NOT SHUT IT

I would like to advise disgrunted Emmanuel Mwamba who is still in shock about PF being removed from power to at least learn to tell the truth. I happen to come across an article talking about one PPP project on 11 roads, he quotes”.. …government has invited the NGO to do 11 roads, border facilities and resettlement schemes.” First of all this project was embarked by the PF government and agreed upon by them which you facilitated ,today Emmanuel Mwamba in the name of Mr Desperado PF presidential hopeful wants to point fingers at the New Dawn government . Why didn’t he not oppose of this when PF was in government!

I further went on to read more desperate pronouncements from him in regards to the auditors report he quotes “The Office has always produced scathing reports exposing mismanagement, misapplication, theft and fraud of public funds. This report ends of to 2020 when PF was in power, why then didn’t he not advise PF government over this when they were in power but remained mute.

What is more disgusting about Mwamba is that he has the nerves of talking about debt owed to retirees and fuel suppliers when it was his government who failed to pay and accumulated the debts we now see. Today HH and the New Dawn Government are fulfilling these promises and will continue to do so .

Mr so called PF presidential hopeful, our new dawn government led by President Hakainde Hichilema do need you hypocrisy or your advice, you were parts and parts of bad governance that brought misery to lives of our people and destroyed our economy.

Sometimes in life learn to shut it ,the Zambian people will never be mislead again by individuals like you who only serve the interest of your pockets. Mark my words PF will never bounce back to power the scares you left on our people are too deep to heal.

President Hakiande Hichilema and the New Dawn Government is on the right path.

Aka
UPND media nation wide network.

By Ulande Nkomesha,

UPND Choma MP Cornelius Mweetwa at Parliament building for the opening of Parliament by President Hakainde Hichilema on September 10, 2021 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala
UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa says it is not possible for the PF to change after exhibiting arrogance whilst in government.

Commenting on remarks made by PF acting president Given Lubinda that the party lost elections because former ministers and other party members became big headed and that was why the party was rebranding, Mweetwa said Zambians had lost trust in the PF.

“PF can never change, it is not possible, it is too late to change. They have been advised for a very long period of time and they brushed off all the advice with arrogance, defiance and violence. That is how they responded to the way they were being advised.

Attacking media houses, shutting down radio stations, shutting down TV stations, shutting down tabloids like Post Newspaper. Such was the impunity and stubbornness of PF. Now if they were advised for such a long time that they had to discover it through the ballot, who can trust them? The people of Zambia have lost trust in them,” Mweetwa said.

He added that there was no salvation for the PF.

“Honourable Lubinda does not need to tell us that they became big headed, no! We told them even on the floor of the House at the expense of putting on the line personal relations, we told them that ‘you colleagues in the Patriotic Front, you have become big headed.

You can no longer listen to the people, you have become arrogant because of the power you are enjoying, and whether you like it or not in 2021 the people of Zambia can vote you out’. Such statements are not new to the ears of PF and indeed to the people of Zambia,” Mweetwa said.

“So to come round now after being removed from office to say ‘we became big headed’, who are they telling? It is us who told them. If they had become big headed, defiant and arrogant, there is no guarantee whatsoever that they can change.

There is no salvation for them. It is like after the day of judgement, then you say ‘I am now ready to repent, so that I can garner for paradise’, it will be too late for all the sinners who have been sinning in the manner PF were sinning against the people of Zambia. PF’s judgement was on the 12th, period!”

Mweetwa said Lubinda was mocking the electorate by implying that they only voted for the UPND to punish the PF.

“Now honourable Lubinda also stated that the people of Zambia did not vote for UPND, rather they were just punishing PF. I think those statements are a clear testimony that the PF are in denial, that they lost elections and lost democratically.

You see those statements are of no substance, they cannot be substantiated whatsoever because his contention has no backing. If the people of Zambia did not vote for UPND for instance, if it was just a punishment for PF, there could have been likely scenarios.

Number one, you would expect that there would have been outright apathy to demonstrate that we are not happy with you, but we still like you to be around leadership. That should have been the attitude of the people,” he said.

“The people would most likely have voted anyhow, with anyone. Sean Tembo for instance would not have been recording zeros. The voters could have just been throwing votes around the political spectrum away from the Patriotic Front. Those votes were put in a basket, let not honourable Lubinda joke around with the people of Zambia. So we think that is a further act of arrogance to the voters, trying to show that the voters do not know what they were doing.”

He said the PF threatened the stability of the nation.

“People of Zambia are very clear, in case they haven’t yet found out reasons, additional to the economy which is biting everyone, number one reason why the PF were voted out of power is threatening the stability of the nation and its peace.

That should be very clear in their minds if they didn’t know. Introducing an alien method to Zambia’s politics and unprecedented political violence, cadreism and then you ice it up with corruption. Lack of freedoms, this is a no-go area, you partition a country into no-go areas.

Then you now come and say we have changed, which Zambian can give a second chance to people who were declaring a country to say this is a no-go area for this individual, for this party?” questioned Mweetwa.

MP REJECTS LIFESTYLE AUDIT….THERE WAS NO NEED FOR ADDITIONAL LEGISLATURE

…. Says Zambia has enough laws to deal with corruption

By GIDEON NYENDWA

AN opposition Member of Parliament has rejected the introduction of the lifestyle audit for leaders, claiming that the country has enough laws to fight corruption.

Nalolo Member of Parliament Wamunyima Imanga has said there was no need for additional pieces of legislation like the lifestyle audit to fight against corruption, insisting that what this country needs is just to properly enforce the already existing laws.

Mr. Imanga, who is Party for National Unity and Progress (PNUP) MP said the country has enough pieces of legislation like Penal code cap 87 of the laws of Zambia, the Anti-Corruption Commission Act of 2012, Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime of 2010 and Public Finance Management Act 2018 all these were aimed at fighting corruption, there was just need for enforcement of the laws.

He said that with all the pieces of legislation that were already in place, that showed that there was absence of enforcement and it was the problem in that case.

Mr. Imanga, who was speaking during a television interview, said that even countries that had the lowest corruption index do not have laws like lifestyle audits.

He said the reason why they had low corruption was because of the way enforcement was done.

Mr. Imanga said that he agrees with the political will to fight against corruption but not with the lifestyle audit.

He said Zambia as a free market economy, people were allowed to run their own businesses and if someone makes money that was not commensurate to their earnings but has not abrogated any law then that was not a problem.

Mr. Imanga said there was need to have strong institutions that fight corruption but that does not mean the President directing who needs to be followed. Law enforcers should be following people who are abrogating the law.

He said he does not think this country had priority for additional pieces of legislation and auditing somebody’s life is something that was too wide.

Mr. Imanga also said that there was a need to do research and see which country had the lifestyle audit worked before this country could even bring it to the fall.

He said the Auditor General’s report reveals a lot of scary things that need to be followed and that is the approach this country needs to take.

Mr. Imanga said one of the reasons the country had poor power enforcement of the law was because of political interference.

Lusaka ~ Thur, 30 Dec 2021

By Brightwell Chabusha

Kamfinsa Member of Parliament. Christopher Kang’ombe says the only way to honour Levy Mkandawire who was until his death a Member of Parliament for Kabwata Constituency is by having a peaceful by-election on 20th January next year.

Speaking when he featured on 5FM’s “The Burning Issues” Program today, Kang’ombe urged candidates in the forthcoming Kabwata by-elections to compete on ideas.

He said this following the violence that took place yesterday in the Constituency as UPND cadres failed to tolerate a political opponent who flashed a Socialist Party Symbol as they conducted their road show.

The Lawmaker said the ruling UPND should take a lead in curbing the vice ahead of the by-election.

“So violence in Kabwata should not be allowed. I actually want to see a situation where the ruling party is taking the lead, controls what happens, the cadres that went there because you see we don’t want to have bloodshed in Kabwata. Not in Kabwata, not anywhere in Zambia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Kang’ombe asked the people of Kabwata to give PF’s Clement Tembo a vote to among other reasons strengthen the voice of the opposition in Parliament.

He boasted that Kabwata got transformed in the past 10 years under the PF regime.

“To honour someone who did not finish his term of duty, one way of honouring Levy Mkandawire is by having a peaceful election, peaceful campaigns, and ideas competing…..,” he said.

“Let us conduct peaceful campaigns and allow ideas to compete. Honourable Lubinda was there for four terms, did his part, transformed Kabwata, opened it up with government, I think we have a strong message of why we are going into Kabwata and why we are asking the people of Kabwata to vote for us.”

Mr Kang’ombe noted that most people in Kabwata depend on small businesses.

He said such people do not need increments in prices electricity tariffs and taxes among other things.

“In my interactions with people in Kabwata, am seeing a residential area where there are a lot of people….there are those in formal but the majority appear to those earning a living from home. If you are earning a living on your own, it becomes necessary that the cost of doing business is low. If you are running a salon, you don’t want a high cost on electricity. If you are running a shop, you don’t want the cost of you of going to get your alcohol from Chinika area in the Industrial area to be high. You don’t want to pay more for your tax,” he said.

“You basically don’t want your business to have high taxes. You want kalya ka business since you survive with your family at your own level…..you don’t want ubuteko ulelunda fyakulunda lunda. So we have a message in Kabwata that we were here for four terms, two terms under the PF…..the idea is that Kabwata was transformed over the past 10 years. We have a candidate who is going to build on what Lubinda left.”-ZR

KAJOBA SENDS STRONG WARNING AFTER KABWATA VIOLENCE

STATEMENT BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ON THE FORTH COMING BY-ELECTIONS AND CADERISM IN MARKETS AND BUS STATIONS

In view of the forthcoming Parliamentary by-election in Kabwata Constituency and Local Government Ward By-Elections in Liangati Ward of Senanga Town in Western Province and Sokontwe Ward of Milenge District in Luapula Province, slated for Thursday, 20th January, 2022.

We wish to advise all Political players to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Process Act No.35 of 2016 and other related pieces of legislation.

As Zambia Police Service, we have the mandate of maintaining law and order in the country. With regard to policing elections, our major task is to create a safe and secure environment for all participating electoral stakeholders irrespective of their political affiliation or organisations.

To the citizenry, it is the duty and responsibility of every individual to see to it that peace prevails at all times. We would like to warn all those that would want to cause confusions that the Zambia Police Service will not tolerate illegal practices such as political violence and other electoral related offences.

We are appealing to the electorates in Kabwata Constituency, Liangati and Sokontwe wards to go and exercise their democratic rights of electing their preferred candidates without coercion. In this regard, we have deployed enough police officers on the ground.

In addition, Kabwata Constituency has been divided into four police operational zones. This step is aimed at easing public access to the police and enhancing quick response to emergencies.

Further, the Zambia Police Service has observed with deep concern the continued reports of illegal land allocation, harassment of members of the public in some markets and bus stations by some criminal minded persons.
To this effect, all Divisional Commanding Officers have been directed to execute the New Dawn Government directives of non-tolerance of illegal acts such as caderism and extortion of money in markets, at bus stations and illegal land allocation by criminal minded persons masquerading as cadres of a political party.

Joint operations between the State and Council Police officers should be intensified in trading and residential areas so that maximum protection is provided to the citizens and property.

The rule of law shall and always be applied firmly and fairly, all culprits found wanting must be dealt with sternly.

LEMMY KAJOBA
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

EX-MURDER convict Keith Mukata denies having sex with wife while in prison, argues that the law does not allow.

Keith Mukata has submitted in the Lusaka High Court that he never had sex with wife Maricoh during his incarceration as the law does not allow conjugal rights to prisoners, this is according to Court records seen by Mwebantu.

But wife, Maricoh Roisin, who filed for divorce, stated in her reply to Mukata’s cross petition that her husband was given chance to have sexual intercourse in the Correctional Facility officer-in-charge’s office at every prison visit both at Lusaka Central Correctional Facility (Chimbokaila) and Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility.

Maricoh stated that because of the privilege, she has a three-year-old child with Mukata from the pregnancy conceived during sexual intercourse act at every prison visit while Mukata was in jail.

Mukata was arrested for shooting dead his security guard in 2017.

In 2018, the High Court convicted him and sentenced to death by hanging but was this year pardoned.

According to Mukata’s answer and cross petition filed in court, he has consented that divorce be granted because the marriage has broken down irretrievably but not because of the reasons given by his wife.

He stated that he was incarcerated at Maximum Correctional Facility in Kabwe in 2017 and by reason thereof, it was not practical for him to avail Maricoh’s demands by way of conjugal rights as the law does not allow for the conjugal rights to prisoners.

Mukata stated that during his absence, Maricoh was irresponsible towards him and the children and that there was no room for healthy communication between them.

He stated that Maricoh spent late nights out of the matrimonial home leaving the children with no one to take care of them.

Mukata claimed that Maricoh attempted to commit fraud by removing his name from contracts for purchase of a property jointly owned by the couple.

He stated that after his release from prison, he has never been in contact with the wife either verbally, in person or through agents.

Mukata stated that the only contact made to Maricoh was through her relatives for the purpose of holding family meetings to look into their problems, unfortunately, her family denied him such audience stating that they would meet him head on.

He wants the court to dissolve the marriage and grant him full custody of the children.

But Maricoh, in her reply to Mukata’s answer, maintained that the husband was given chance to have intercourse with her in the officer-in-charge’s office at prison, which resulted in pregnancy and the birth of her fourth child.

She also prayed that the marriage be dissolved.

(Mwebantu, Thursday December, 30th, 2021)