GOVT MUST COME CLEAN OVER RESCISSION OF SOME DIPLOMATIC RECALLS, CHARGES KAMBWILI

Chishimba Kambwili has demanded that the government should come out clean over information that some diplomatic recalls are being rescinded with regional considerations.

And Kambwili says he will go into Kabwata “where there are plans to harm me” to conduct campaigns for the opposition PF.

Kambwili also said he did not mean to be antagonist towards anyone in his party, taking issue with the use of the word defiant, after he said he will file in his nominations to stand as PF president.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kambwili said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation should come out clean on why some recent recalls have been rescinded, which might seem to portray a picture that other Zambians were more equal than the others.

Well placed sources have told Daily Revelation that the recalls of some diplomats who were recalled with the other over 100 diplomats have been rescinded. Daily Revelation is learning that the recall for the Litunga’s son, Brian, has been rescinded, alongside the other recalls.

“This is in addition to the recent story you carried that the Litunga’s first cousin, Imasiku Mutangelwa has had his diplomatic recall by president Edgar Lungu rescinded by President Hakainde Hichilema. Not too long ago another one from Western Province, Friday Nyambe, was recalled as Ambassador from the Democratic Republic of Congo to be appointed as Intelligence Chief,” sources said. “There is also information that the former vice-president’s son-in-law has had his recall rescinded. Talk to Foreign Affairs as there is information that the recall for press secretary to Ethiopia, Inutu Mupango Mwanza has been rescinded.”

But Kambwili challenged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to remain mute over this matter.

“Let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs come out clean and tell us what is going on. What is going on, why should other people’s recalls be rescinded when other people’s recalls are being actualised?” Kambwili said. “And the people of Western Province I think they are only being put into this quagmire because from time immemorial the people from Western Province have not been tribal in terms of voting. Western Province has been a swing Province. They would vote for this party, they would vote for this party, but I don’t know what happened this year that they voted 80 percent for one party.”

He said if the UPND were complaining that most appointments in the previous PF government were going towards the Eastern and Northern provinces, they should not repeat those same mistakes by filling government positions with people from Southern, Western and North Western provinces.

“That is why when I was discouraging tribal voting, regionalism, people called me a tribalist. It simply vindicates me when I said that this kind of voting will end up giving favour to people from a particular region,” he said

Kambwili said it was in the best interest of everyone to have a united Zambia.

“You need a statesman, a person who is fair like Chishimba Kambwili to come and harmonise this and make sure that all regions are represented,” Kambwili claimed. “I am not a tribalist and I will never be a tribalist. What I just want to see is a united Zambia, where if Chishimba Kambwili stands he must receive reasonable votes from Southern Province, he must receive reasonable votes from Northern Province, Western Province and all other provinces.”

Kambwili said what the country needs is to vote in the manner like President Hichilema won, as he received reasonable votes across the country… http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/govt-must-come-clean-over-rescission-of-some-diplomatic-recalls/

LEADERSHIP WRANGLES IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY: COULD IT BE THE PARTY’S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE PROVISION OF THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AS THE CAUSE?

McDonald Chipenzi

Section 2(1) of the Societies Act Cap 119 of the Laws of Zambia defines an “office-bearer” in relation to any society or any committee or governing or executive body of a society, as any person who is the president, vice-president, chairman, deputy chairman, secretary or treasurer of such society committee or body, or who holds therein any office or position analogous to any of those mentioned above.

Rule 15 (1) of the Societies Act guides that where any office-bearer of a registered society ceases to hold office or any person is appointed to be an office-bearer of a registered society, such registered society shall, within fourteen days notify the registrar of such changes of office-bearers.

The question is, did DP notify the Registrar of societies the changes of office bearers when the party appointed Harry Kalaba as its presidential candidate and Judy Kabemba as Vice president for the DP?

If not, then, DP office-bearers violated the Societies Act under which the party is registered and supposed to charged for that.

This violation attracts a penalty under Rule 15(2) on every registered office-bearer thus If any registered society fails to comply with the provisions of this rule, then such society and every office-bearer thereof shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand penalty units

Since the changes of office bearers for DP were not communicated to the Registrar of Societies within the stipulated timeframe after the party’s convention, the office-bearers reflecting at the time of the convention are the legally recognised office-bearers for the DP and have the mandate to sponsor candidates for elections.

What does the Constitution of Zambia expect a legally registered political party to do during an election?

Article 60 (1) awards a registered political party the rights to sponsor candidates for election or nomination to a state office in respect of which election are required to be held

By constitutional definition UNDER Article 266, a political party means an association whose objectives include the contesting of elections in order to form government or influence the policy of the national or local government

Therefore, the episode of 28 December, 2021 where ECZ purportedly refused to accept the nomination papers of the DP candidates on account of factionalism within the party is unconstitutional and illegal.

In my view, the act by the ECZ violated the DP, as a political party, ‘s right to sponsor candidates for elections as per Article 60(1) and also Article 266 of the Republican Constitution.

All ECZ should have done to avoid itself from directly infringing on the Constitution provision, was to advise the DP factions to come on another time within the nomination period after sorting out its internal misunderstandings on which candidate to field.

Had DP failed to come back on time for filing in nominations which was going to be the case, then, ECZ would have escaped any blame of violation of the Constitution as the DP would have come after the closure of the nominations, thereby, unable to file.

The story would have ended right there without dragging the ECZ into DP internal wrangles.

I submit

McDonald Chipenzi

NGOCC DEMAND FOR A LAW THAT WILL COMPEL POLITICAL PARTIES TO ADOPT WOMEN

THE Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has demanded for a law that will compel political parties to adopt women so as to narrow the widening gender inequalities in the political spheres.

And the NGOCC says it is particularly disappointed with the UPND as a ruling party for not leading by example.

All political parties participating in the upcoming Kabwata by-election have adopted men to represent them and this has not pleased the women’s movement.

In a statement, NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale stated that the women’s movement was extremely concerned by the lack of commitment by political parties to enhance women’s participation in politics and ultimately decision-making positions.
“The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council would like to register our disappointment with the choice political parties have made NOT to adopt women to participate in the Kabwata by election slated for January 20th 2022,” stated Mwale

“As the women’s movement, we are extremely concerned by the lack of commitment by the political parties to enhance women’s participation in politics and ultimately decision-making positions.”

She stated that NGOCC has noted with sadness that all the participating political parties have adopted men to the exclusion of women.

“We are particularly disappointed with the United Party for National Development (UPND), as the governing party for not leading by example,” she stated.
Mwale stated that the numbers of women elected at local Government and Parliamentary levels after the August 2021, elections remain unacceptably low.

“It was therefore, our hope that the political parties would take advantage of these by-elections to redress the gender inequalities in these decision-making spaces,”Mwale stated.

She stated that it was high time that political parties and indeed the Zambian Government started actualizing Zambia’s commitment to gender equality at all levels as espoused in various regional and international treaties that the country has ratified.

Mwale atated that it was becoming abundantly clear that the exclusion of women from the governance process by political parties was deliberate and systemic, further entrenching patriarchy in our society.

“It is against this background that we DEMAND for a law that will compel political parties to adopt women so as to narrow the widening gender inequalities in the political sphere,” she stated.

She also called on the women inbtje country to rise up and demand for their rightful spaces.

“Women cannot be reduced to mere spectators and cheer leaders in the governance of their own country.
The obtaining gender inequalities are totally unacceptable and a violation of women’s rights,”she noted.

Mwale added that the exclusion of women from participating in the governance of the country negates democracy.

By Mwenya Mofya,

THE Public Accounts Committee has heard that the Ministry of Agriculture in 2017 procured 80,000 metric tonnes of urea fertiliser at a total cost of K839,366,520 from Rockliffe Trading FZC, a Dubai-based company without proper establishment in Zambia.

And the Committee has heard that the Ministry debt swapped K839,366,520 worth of urea fertilizer with K160 million debt owed to three fertilizer suppliers in 2017 without the approval of the Attorney General.

According to the Auditor General’s Report, the ministry debt swapped without any documentation and justification on the basis of how the fertilizer procured at a cost of K839, 366,519 by government was swapped for a total debt of K160, 000,000 that was owed to the fertilizer suppliers.

And speaking during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting, Tuesday, nominated member of parliament Likando Mufalali wondered why government signed a contract with a foreign company without proper establishment in Zambia.

“The Companies Act number 10 of 2017 requires that a foreign company must have local Directors and registered offices for correspondence. Is this company registered in Zambia and does it have local directors here? We want to deal with the local directors concerning this matter. We cannot be struggling to find people that have no office in Zambia but went into contract with the government,” he said.

In response, Rockliffe Trading FZC representative Henry Chiyota admitted that Rockliffe did not have employees in Zambia.

“It is true that Rockliffe is a foreign company. There is a company called Sealand Commodities, therefore the shareholders of Sealand are the same shareholders of Rockliffe, the company based in Dubai. Rockliffe company does not have staff per se. We who belong to Sealand Commodities are the ones providing services and running everything on behalf of Rockliffe. From the time the contract was issued to date, this is how we have been running. Rockliffe does not have employees here. In Sealand Commodities, I am one of the directors but in Rockliffe, I am not a director. On the contract that was signed, it was done by the team based in Dubai,” he said.

But Nalolo UPND member of parliament Imanga Wamunyima argued that there was need to avail adequate documentation of the memorandum of understanding between the two companies including the Power of Attorney granted to Chiyota.

Meanwhile, Chavuma UPND member of parliament Victor Lumayi wondered why the Ministry went ahead with the debt swap when it was not approved by the Attorney General.

“This contract was approved by the Attorney General on 26th September 2017 with amendments. However, on the same day, 26th September 2017, [the] treasury had given authority to go ahead to pay out this debt swap. The Attorney General rejects the contracts because it needed to be amended but on the same date, the ST gives a go ahead to give the pay out. It is confusing. This credit facility may even be above the committee’s mandate,” he said.

And in response, the Ministry of Agriculture’s former Director of Finance Fredrick Katulwende revealed that the contract credit facility was being spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance.

“I wish to state that I did not participate in the contract credit facility that is being tabled in the House. The facility was issued at the Ministry of Finance and the payments through the supplier were made at the Ministry of Finance,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Green Mbozi proposed that the Ministry of Finance needed to be present in order for questions to be answered adequately.

“To specifically answer the questions, maybe it would be better if the Ministry of Finance was here. We do not seem to have that information as to who started the process. So I think it would be fair for all of us to be here including the treasury so that we are there as one government to explain to you,” he said.

PAC chairperson Warren Mwambazi adjourned the meeting in order to allow the right witnesses to respond to the issues.

“We seem to be going round in circles because only the Ministry of Finance seems to understand this contract. So we have no adequate people to give us adequate responses. We will also wait for adequate documentation from the directors of Rockliffe so that the right people are granted the mandate to appear before PAC. PS we also want you to communicate to the Ministry of Finance and everyone involved in this contract to come and answer. You make sure to tell them that this is what is at hand and we want people to give us information to that effect,” said Mwambazi.

WE’RE SORRY FOR THE MESS, SAYS PF KABWATA CANDIDATE

Whatever you think we did wrong that made you join or put in power the UPND who have lied to us so much, we ask for forgiveness, Patriotic Front (PF) Candidate for Kabwata Constituency Clement Tembo has said.

Speaking after filing in his nomination today, Tembo said the opposition PF wants to send a message that the party is alive and will bounce back into power in 2026.

The Candidate said with regards to the Kabwata Constituency By-election that people should judge for themselves.

“We want to send a message to the people that Patriotic Front is still alive and we are going to bounce back come 2026. Particularly for Kabwata Constituency, we want to ask the people of Kabwata Constituency to be the judges. They know what is going on, we are aware of the tariffs, the bills, the fares, the bus fares, electricity, we all understand what is going on,”

“These people came and told us lies. The UPND are a bunch of liars. They lied to us, the told the Zambian people that they are going to reduce fares, toll fees, you are aware of what is going on. We just want to ask the people of Kabwata that fumeni mumayanda, iseni mubalange aba bantu that tamwasekelamo. We just want to ask the people of Kwabwata to give us a chance this time around.”

Tembo assured the electorates that there is hope for the people of Kabwata to have a better life.

He called on the church to give PF a chance.

“We want to prove to you that we are rebranding the party. You can just see from the candidate, I have got my senior here (Given Lubinda) who was here for 20 years. He has paved way for a young person……I hope that I can be that appealing image to the young people to draw an example. I was born and raised right here in Kabwata Constituency…..I have never separated with Kabwata. I was raised by a Marketeer, a person that sold in the market,” he said.

“There is hope for our people. Ma marketeers umo muma market monse, there is hope that your children can be better than Clement Tembo, your children can be better than Honorable Lubinda. They can become presidents in this nation. To all the people in churches, we know that the church is the custodian of the people of Zambia. We are asking you, give us an opportunity. Give us a chance. This time around we have come back, we want to do better than we did.”

And Tembo apologized to the Zambians for the wrongs the PF may have done.

“I would like to take this opportunity in front of my seniors that we would like to apologies for the wrongs that we may have done. Whatever you think we did wrong, that made you join or put in power the UPND who have lied to us so much, we ask for forgiveness. This time around we are coming to you as a rebranded party, give us a chance,” he said.

Credit: Daily Star

THE Family to the late second Republican president Fredrick Chiluba have cried foul in the manner in which the state acquired property to his estate.

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 judgement .
Family representatives Darlington and Kaindu Chiluba said the family would appeal using other means despite the Ruling by the Supreme Court ruling against their father’s property.

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

At the time of the forfeiture, the rentals accrued amounted to over K14 million of which over K4million 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 the Capital City, 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 BoZ under suspicious circumstances.
But the two administrators said the judgements 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 further 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.

“We are going to appeal since we are still in the 6 year time frame and despite the Supreme Court ruling not in our favour, we are going to find other means to ensure that we get justice,” he said.

They said court records even showed that the state appealed out of time so it should not have been allowed. The Chilubas said the appeal was not that the assets were bought using public funds, but changed that he did not claim the assets on time…which was erroneous and vengeful, something unbecoming of a state.

“Furthermore, these assets have since been shockingly bestowed to a new owner on the name of Pendulum Estates Limited all this while the family through its administrators and support have made appeals,” he said.
The administrators said it was time people became aware that this was never about corruption but other machinations.- Daily Nation

I WILL FILE-IN PF NOMINATIONS BECAUSE I’M ELIGIBLE TO STAND, SAYS KAMBWILI

I will file-in nominations to stand as PF president because I am eligible to stand, Chishimba Kambwili has said defiantly.

And Kambwili said Zambians have in these past four months seen for themselves the kind of leadership the UPND is, and should therefore start making corrective measures now to 2026.

Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kambwili was asked on his PF presidential ambitions where it may even be possible to block him entirely from standing, as is being advanced by some of his party members that he has not yet cloaked five years since he rejoined the former ruling party from NDC.

“Well, I don’t want to comment on those issues. I have said and I want to say it again, I am going to file my nominations when the time comes, and we will cross the bridge when we get there. Because as far as I am concerned I am eligible to stand as PF president,” Kambwili said. “Whatever has been said (that) I am not eligible is neither here no there. First they started with, on that one I think I will answer. First they started by saying that he has got no position in the party.”

He said but in 2015 Dr Christine Kaseba filed her nomination, together with Bob Sichinga and several others when they did not hold any position in the party, saying when that fell off his opponents moved to another topic.

“Let’s come to article 72, that somebody should have been in the party for five years. If you heard what national chairperson (Davies) Chama said and what Paul Moonga said, they said whoever is saying Kambwili doesn’t qualify is not correct. Because Paul Moonga, Chama he was there when we formulated that provision of the constitution,” Kambwili said. “That provision was meant to deter a completely new comer who may come with money, bribe his way at the convention without understanding what PF stands for. What are the ideologies of PF? What we intend to achieve and where we are coming from.

“Mr Sata said we have to protect the office of the president because in this country politics have now turned commercial…people use money to get the presidency.”

He said the provision was meant to deter a completely new person and not the people who started the party like himself.

“How do you say Kambwili doesn’t understand the party when I am one of the five people that started the party? I was minister for five years, I have been in the party probably longer than almost all those who are vying to be president today. I am longer than them I was involved in grassroots,” Kambwili said.

Asked if he agreed with the decision to have Given Lubinda as acting party president, although Lubinda himself has clarified that Lungu is still the substantive president as he has only taken a back seat, Kambwili said: “I don’t want to talk about those issues, let the other people talk about them not me. I am also an interested party so I don’t want to be misquoted (by other people)…I would rather keep quiet about it. Like I have said you know the situation in which I am at the moment, I don’t want to be misquoted over those issues. I would rather not make any comment on it.”

Asked if he will participate in the campaigns in Kabwata, and if the friction that has emerged over the acting presidency in the party will not affect them, Kambwili said he will campaign as a member of the party.

“Whether the decision is uniting the party, whoever loves PF must just get involved with the Kabwata by-election,” he said.

And Kambwili said people have now seen for themselves “the people they out in office”, saying they were showing the same arrogance which was exhibited by the previous administration. He said current leaders were now going to street vendors and telling them that “I have not come here to negotiate, I have just come here to chase you.”

“You… http://dailyrevelationzambia.com/i-will-file-pf-nominations-because-im-eligible-to-stand-says-kambwili/

OK HH7 IS A SAVAGE, NI MPHETA. BA OPPOSITION BAKOSE

After he removed fuel subsidies and the Clique attacked,
HH the 15 times Jail boy who was promised the 16th jail by ECL in August, has hit the road on his promises to care for the underprivileged (perceived poor, aged, disabled). HH and his New Dawn Government have released Social Security Programme funds. Not only released but with transparency. This is in line with the 2022 budget and moving forward. This is the first of its kind in Zambia.

During the Clique of Thieves in PF, these funds where not announced to the public. These funds were being released only 2 times in a year. People are in arrears of over 6 months and some don’t even know if they are on the list or not. In PF money for the poor was used to enrich pockets not until UKAID opened our eyes.

AND HH WRITES

We have released K402 million for the Social Cash Transfer Programme and K130 million for the Food Security Pack Programme. This will ensure that we safeguard our people’s livelihoods. Zambia is not short of resources, what was missing was leadership to prioritise these resources for our people. A nation’s humanity is judged by how it takes care of its vulnerable citizens.
end of quote

HH and the New Dawn have also released money to pay retirees. If you remember our fathers and fathers braved the heat of October, braved the rains camping at State House and Ministry of Justice pleading with President ECL and Hon Lubinda only to end up being whipped by police. HH is now paying them.

As if that is not enough, HH and the New Dawn government, has paid all council workers their 2021 salary arrears. If you maybe aware, Council workers under PF were reduced to nothing but beggers. Can you imagine in formal employment and you work for 11 months without pay while PF cadres and leadership everyday walk away with our k10,000 council money for evening drinks and beer. Shameless Thieves, heartless human beings.

God what more can we ask from you other than this timely gift you gave us of HH. The HH a 15 times jail boy, the HH we called a Satanist, The HH we called gay.

Michael

THE conditions for Zambians will continue to worsen because the structural adjustments being implemented by the UPND administration are not new and have not worked before, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) President, Andrew Ntewewe has said.

And Gears Initiative executive director, Macdonald Chipenzi says the UPND administration should ensure that things get better in 2023 as promised, failure to which they would create despondency among the people and contribute to voter apathy in the country.
Mr. Ntewewe argued that the situation and the conditions for Zambians would not improve in 2023 but would continue getting worse because IMF and World Bank programmes that the UPND are trying to implement are about citizens sacrificing throughout and not benefitting.

He said in an interview that running to the IMF and the World Bank to improve the economy has been tried before and never yielded any positive results for Zambians because their strategy is always about getting money from citizens and not empowering them.

Mr. Ntewewe said the MMD leadership implemented the structural adjustment programme to the letter but it never yielded results therefore repeating the same thing that has been tried before and expecting different results is tantamount to insanity.
“So I agree with ba Felix Mutati that 2022 is going to be hard but I disagree with him when he says 2023 things will get better because it will worsen. There is nowhere in Africa where the IMF and World Bank programmes have yielded positive results,” he said.

“In 1991, the MMD government implemented the structural adjustment programme to the letter and what happened is that there was massive unemployment, public utility companies were lost and sold to the highest bidder and the conditions of Zambians continued worsening until we had to abandon IMF and World Bank programmes,” he said.
And Mr Chipenzi commended the government for being open about the economic situation of the country but advised that they should also know that they are preparing the minds of the people that things would be better in 2023 and should ensure that is achieved.

He said in an interview that in democratic governance, transparency and accountability on managing public affairs is important because the moment there is secrecy, the government creates resistance in the people.

And New Congress Party leader, Peter Chanda said the ruling party should know that Zambians are discontented because they were not told to tighten belts during the elections campaigns but that they would see immediate change.

He said things would have been different for the UPND administration had they told Zambians the truth that the road to economic recovery would be tough therefore they should tighten their belts.- Daily Nation

By Masuzyo Chakwe

INFORMATION minister Chushi Kasanda says some of the measures taken by the government may be discomforting to people, but they are intended to restore the country on a path to sustainable economic growth and development.

And Continental Leadership Research Institute executive director Mundia Hakoola has urged Kasanda to ensure that the Access to Information bill is enacted because it gives the public a general right of access to official documents and make provisions for incidental and connected purposes.

During a capacity building training workshop for journalists on effective reporting on human rights issues organised by the Continental Leadership Research Institute, Kasanda said the government believes that citizens’ enjoyment of their human rights cannot be complete without access to clean drinking water, education, health, food, shelter, and other social amenities and necessities.

She said it was for this reason that the government had embarked on a wide range of measures to revamp the country’s economy so that Zambians can lead good and happy lives.

“Some of the measures may be discomforting to our people but they are intended to restore the country on a path to sustainable economic growth and development,” she said.

Kasanda said the government was confident that Zambians would soon begin to feel the positive impact of some of the measures such as the record-breaking K25.7 million Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which it would start rolling out to the constituencies countrywide next month to accelerate national development.

She said the government was also on course to implement other landmark developmental targets such as the recruitment of 30,000 teachers, introduction of free education from early childhood to secondary level as well as the recruitment of 11,200 health personnel, among other priorities.

Kasanda said these were some of the benefits from the government’s decision to remove subsidies on fuel so that the money saved is spent on critical sectors to improve people’s living standards.

“The decision is premised on government’s conviction that spending resources on employing more teachers, more health personnel, building more schools and hospitals and provision of free education to our children, is a nobler cause than spending the country’s scarce resources on fuel subsidies which is unsustainable given the country’s huge external debt,” she said.

And Kasanda said the new dawn government was committed to ensure the rule of law was upheld in Zambia and that democratic principles are enhanced.

She said to achieve this, the role of the media was critical to ensure the voice of the people is heard through skilled and well researched reporting.

Kasanda said it gives her immense pleasure to note that the Continental Leadership Research Institute (CLRI) with the support of the United States Embassy in Zambia had embarked on a project that aims at strengthening the voice of rural communities through civic education programmess and also building the capacity of media personnel to effectively report on human rights activities.

“Government highly commends the initiative as it goes a long way in highlighting a number of human rights violations in our rural communities which include early and forced marriages of young girls, domestic violence, gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices. This project is, therefore, timely in supplementing government’s efforts in addressing these and other social vices in our rural communities,” Kasanda said.

She said the media could only contribute effectively to the fight through factual, objective and balanced reporting.

Kasanda also applauded the cordial relations that exist between Zambia and the US.

And Hakoola said the ATI bill was critical because it enables citizens’ exercise their voice to effectively monitor and hold government to account and enter into informed dialogue about decisions that affect their lives.

“The bill also aims to address challenges affecting media freedom of expression. The institute advocates for media freedom if they are to work around issues of human rights abuses and bring culprits to book,” he said. “Today, we send a resounding message that media freedom is not only a national but also a universal value. Free media protects both society from human rights abuse and helps citizens release their full potential.”

Hakoola said the institution had noticed challenges that call for definitive actions to protect human rights violations and that the media plays a pivotal role in combating “these violations”.

He said the most affected were women and children who had become vulnerable to abuse, neglect, exploitation and poverty due to lack of adequate access to economic rights.

“It is imperative that our society today takes extreme necessity to take decisive action by giving importance to journalists as a crucial component of the protection of human rights violations. This calls for media to be vigilant and also intensify efforts to investigate violation of rights and offer offenders to be prosecuted regardless of the offender,” Hakoola said.

He said the maturity of a society was measured by how well human rights violation issues were addressed.

“Looking at the number of abusive and discriminatory cases that go unpunished and unreported – sexual, physical, economic or otherwise, it is plain to see that we have a long way to go in creating an environment fit for all,” Hakoola said.

He said the project would promote and protect the human rights of youths and women in rural communities through sensitisation programmes in eight districts and creation of rural support group meetings and a platform for human rights issues to be discussed at rural community level through community radio programmes.

PF MUST BE SINCERE ABOUT ITSELF BEFORE IT MEETS A POLITICAL CYCLONE OVER ITS LEADERSHIP UNCERTAINTIES.

Listening to my long time friend PF vice president Given Lubinda attacking me and PF acting Secretary General Nickson Chilangwa justifying Given Lubinda’s acting presidency position respectively, i was left to wonder whether the duo truly believed in themselves and the party constitution.

They both avoided to clarify the provision of Article 53(1) which must be clarified on whether or not former head of state, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has resigned or removed from his position as a substantive president of the PF.

If president Lungu has not resigned then indeed Article 53(1) partially does not apply though clause 2 of the same article does and perhaps Article 54 and 61 can come in force.

However, the PF constitution has no provision for a party President taking a “backsit” but only either as a resignee or removed from office (an oustee) which triggers the provision of Article 53(1).

The other provision is when the PF party president is absent due to various reasons such as illness or being outside the country which triggers Article 54 and 61 and not when he is within the country.

ARTICLE 61(g) (POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY) guides that the President of the Party shall empower any member of the Party to exercise any powers or specified functions for and On behalf of the President, Party or the Central Committee.

Are Mr Lubinda and Mr CHILANGWA telling the nation that Mr Lungu is indisposed (sick) to perform his functions and duties as PF president for him to take a “backsit” which is not provided for in the PF constitution?

Or that PF has two presidents (which is unconstitutional) one acting for the “backsit” President in this case Mr Lubinda for Mr Lungu and another President at the “backsit” of the party in this case Mr Lungu?

Is this not political confusion and therefore, if not, is Mr Lungu being negligent of his duties and functions as a party president or he is deliberately cooking confusions in PF before he leaves just like RB did to MMD?

Does Given Lubinda got a letter of appointment of an Acting pilot (President) of PF boat from Mr Lungu until the party’s General Assembly in June 2022 to circumvent the provision of Article 53(1) while Mr Lungu takes a “backsit” in the same boat?

Imagine if today, Mr Lungu drops dead (God for bid) in the absence of a letter of appointment to Mr Lubinda, does Mr Lungu ever envisages the leadership wrangles he would leave behind in PF?

For the Acting SG Mr. Chilangwa, the PF Constitution is clear in Article 56 that In the absence of the Secretary General the Deputy Secretary General shall deputise for Him

Therefore, Chilangwa is firmly in place and discharging his duties constitutionally so the sentiments that PF has no SG to act as PF President are false.

The only institution to resolve this leadership quagmire is the Secretary to Cabinet.

We will be writing to SC to request Mr Lungu to state whether or not he is still involved in partisan politics being still a president for PF from the “backsit” and therefore not eligible to access his former presidential benefits.

More popcorns please

I submit

McDonald Chipenzi

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

My Position on the Divorce Proceedings
(Maria Zaloumis)

As you may be aware, yesterday an article was posted on social media concerning my current divorce proceedings which were initiated through my lawyer.

As you may also be aware, this has caused untold numbers of comments and statements about the said proceedings which have also been peppered by many speculations, rumors, half truths and many lies about myself and the situation at hand.

I would therefore like to categorically state the following
a) I shall not be available to discuss any matters relating to this case as it is in court and shall only issue a statement once all proceedings and a ruling have been concluded by the same courts.
b) I shall not retaliate nor dignify any comments or speculations regarding this matter until point (a) above is realized
c) I am aware that I have been labelled as bipolar by sections of social media – this is untrue. It is in public domain that I have and do suffer from bouts of depression (for which I medicate when necessary – though I haven’t done so for the last three months as at this statement)
d) Discussing and using mental health challenges as a weapon to ridicule someone (like myself) is most unfortunate and displays the levels of stigmatization as a woman and we as society still exhibit – this is extremely unfortunate and should discontinue

I am therefore not going to be discussing this matter until the courts resolve it. I am aware that some pseudo accounts have been created on social media with the express duty of discrediting me. I however shall not dignify them with responses and rebuttals for now.

To all who follow my work (Zed Farmer), please take this as my heartfelt appeal and statement and ask that you ignore what you hear and read for now. I assure you that the truth will come out eventually.

To everyone else, please respect my privacy and allow me to go through this chapter of my life in the most amicable way possible. Please do not be the custodian and instrument used to spread falsehoods and evil about me. I know I can count on you to help me.

To those hell bent on denting and tarnishing my reputation, I can only ask that you be kind enough to remember that these situations happen to the best of us, and today it is I who is going through this, tomorrow it may be yourself or your loved one. Please take a moment to reflect before spreading these false stories or mocking me.

Thank you all and God bless

Maria Zaloumis

STOP THE VIOLENCE BY UPND CADRES
…Protect all citizens regardless of their political affiliation

WHEN President Hakainde Hichilema addressed the nation at his Community House private residence in Lusaka to toast his victory in the August 12, 2021 presidential election he promised that his government would run the affairs of the nation strictly under the rule of law.

Mr Hichilema repeated the promise at his inauguration in Lusaka. But in the last four months Zambians have not seen any serious commitment to the protection of the rule of law. United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres have been terrorising members of the Patriotic Front (PF) party with impunity in a relentless crusade of vengeance.

Many PF members are still in hiding after their homes were attacked by the marauding cadres. There has been no serious effort to curb this violence except feeble assurances and veiled justifications from senior party officials.

Police have been treating the perpetrators of the violence with kids’ gloves because they want to impress the UPND. Most of the cases that have been reported in Lusaka and other parts of the country have either stalled or have been ignored. The victims have nowhere else to go. Where is fairness here? Where is the freedom and the justice Mr Hichilema promised us?
In many instances the suspects are well known but they are roaming freely, going round victimising members and supporters of the PF. Zambia is a democracy where it should not be a crime to belong to an opposition party.
Three weeks ago a horde of UPND cadres descended on a hapless family in CK Marble Village, Garden House, Lusaka, and demolished their house because they are known PF supporters.

The cadres heartlessly smashed household property, ripped off the house’s roofing sheets, removed doors and windows and stole the money the family had earned from their small business. Right now, the family is homeless.
This case has been reported to the police but no one has so far been arrested.

Last week social media was abuzz with a video in which UPND official and President Hichilema’s political advisor William Banda was threatening the PF with violence during campaigns for the forthcoming parliamentary by-election in Kabwata.
Surprisingly, there has been no word from the senior UPND officials condemning or disowning Mr Banda’s threats, which suggests he has the backing of the top leadership.

Recently, UPND cadres went to Chelstone police station and attacked a small group of senior PF officials who had escorted the party’s chairman for information and publicity, Hon. Raphael Nakachinda, who was being interviewed by police.
Seven of the thugs were apprehended but released later in the evening. Nothing has been heard about the case to date.
In Kasama, a committed PF member popularly known as ‘Chanda America’ was abducted by a gang of UPND cadres who tortured and battered him mercilessly before taking him to the police station. The cadres instructed the police to detain the victim, who had been seriously injured and needed urgent treatment.
The police denied the victim access to medical attention and continued keeping him in a cell without charging him for over three weeks.

Many of our members are too scared to come out of hiding because gangs of armed UPND cadres have been going to their homes looking for them.
This is not the freedom Mr Hichilema promised. This is not the rule of law he promised us. He has a duty to protect all citizens regardless of their political party membership from political violence.

We urge him to show leadership by taming his excited cadres. We also urge President Hichilema to publicly rebuke William Banda to stop inciting UPND cadres to attack PF members.
The campaigns for the Kabwata by-election will serve as a serious test of President Hichilema’s commitment to the maintenance of the rule of law and protection of the human rights of all citizens.
EDWIN LIFWEKELO
Deputy media director, Patriotic Front Party.STOP THE VIOLENCE BY UPND CADRES
…Protect all citizens regardless of their political affiliation

WHEN President Hakainde Hichilema addressed the nation at his Community House private residence in Lusaka to toast his victory in the August 12, 2021 presidential election he promised that his government would run the affairs of the nation strictly under the rule of law.’
Mr Hichilema repeated the promise at his inauguration in Lusaka. But in the last four months Zambians have not seen any serious commitment to the protection of the rule of law. United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres have been terrorising members of the Patriotic Front (PF) party with impunity in a relentless crusade of vengeance.

Many PF members are still in hiding after their homes were attacked by the marauding cadres. There has been no serious effort to curb this violence except feeble assurances and veiled justifications from senior party officials.

Police have been treating the perpetrators of the violence with kids’ gloves because they want to impress the UPND. Most of the cases that have been reported in Lusaka and other parts of the country have either stalled or have been ignored. The victims have nowhere else to go. Where is fairness here? Where is the freedom and the justice Mr Hichilema promised us?
In many instances the suspects are well known but they are roaming freely, going round victimising members and supporters of the PF. Zambia is a democracy where it should not be a crime to belong to an opposition party.
Three weeks ago a horde of UPND cadres descended on a hapless family in CK Marble Village, Garden House, Lusaka, and demolished their house because they are known PF supporters.

The cadres heartlessly smashed household property, ripped off the house’s roofing sheets, removed doors and windows and stole the money the family had earned from their small business. Right now, the family is homeless.
This case has been reported to the police but no one has so far been arrested.

Last week social media was abuzz with a video in which UPND official and President Hichilema’s political advisor William Banda was threatening the PF with violence during campaigns for the forthcoming parliamentary by-election in Kabwata.
Surprisingly, there has been no word from the senior UPND officials condemning or disowning Mr Banda’s threats, which suggests he has the backing of the top leadership.

Recently, UPND cadres went to Chelstone police station and attacked a small group of senior PF officials who had escorted the party’s chairman for information and publicity, Hon. Raphael Nakachinda, who was being interviewed by police.
Seven of the thugs were apprehended but released later in the evening. Nothing has been heard about the case to date.
In Kasama, a committed PF member popularly known as ‘Chanda America’ was abducted by a gang of UPND cadres who tortured and battered him mercilessly before taking him to the police station. The cadres instructed the police to detain the victim, who had been seriously injured and needed urgent treatment.
The police denied the victim access to medical attention and continued keeping him in a cell without charging him for over three weeks.

Many of our members are too scared to come out of hiding because gangs of armed UPND cadres have been going to their homes looking for them.
This is not the freedom Mr Hichilema promised. This is not the rule of law he promised us. He has a duty to protect all citizens regardless of their political party membership from political violence.
We urge him to show leadership by taming his excited cadres. We also urge President Hichilema to publicly rebuke William Banda to stop inciting UPND cadres to attack PF members.

The campaigns for the Kabwata by-election will serve as a serious test of President Hichilema’s commitment to the maintenance of the rule of law and protection of the human rights of all citizens.
EDWIN LIFWEKELO
Deputy media director, Patriotic Front Party.

WE HAD LITTLE CHOICE…than IMF way, but the Fund can’t

develop Zambia for us – Panji

By Christopher Miti

COLONEL Panji Kaunda says Zambia has no any other choice other than the International Monetary Fund way.

And Col Panji says if government does not reorganise the agricultural sector, then the country will not go very far.

In an interview, Col Panji said the promises of the new dawn government had given an encouragement to the IMF.

“There was no choice. It was like being on a rock and hard ground whichever way you fall, you get hurt. When you go to the IMF you need to tighten your belts and take the pill. So really, I think we had little choice. Other than to go the IMF way, there was no other way,” he noted. “I am sure even the PF wanted to go the IMF but because of the conditions of the economy, they were unable to come to an agreement. I am sure the promises of the new dawn government have given an encouragement to the IMF.”

Col Panji said the IMF move was good instead of just to keep quiet and hoping that everything will be okay on its own.

“As Zambians, we just have to work hard because the IMF cannot develop Zambia for us. Even if they can give us millions of dollars or whatever it is, unless we Zambians put our back into this country… We need to work hard wherever you are, whether you are a journalist or farmer, we need to bring our country back to normal. Whatever conditions are there in the IMF deal, we must bear with government and work with them,” he said.

And Col Panji said the Farmer Input Support Programme should be revisited.

“Our government should look into agriculture policies. If we don’t reorganise the agriculture sector, we shall not go very far. In my view the FISP programme was designed to help the less privileged people to have access to inputs and marketing,” he said. “Again, the other
arrangement was that after three years of support from government, the beneficiaries are supposed to be phased out and bring in the new ones. But currently, it’s almost the same people that started FISP that are benefiting.”

Col Panji said just like the fuel subsidy, the government was spending a lot of money on FISP.

“In my view, we must relook at this programme. We should see to it that the people that are receiving FISP are the ones that are targeted
for. Secondly, there are many farmers who do not access FISP. The government should put in place institutions like Lima bank where farmers could go and borrow with less interest,” he said. “Government should look at a positive way of subsidising a farmer than to give them free inputs.”

Col Panji said the government should make the bank accessible by poor farmers.

“Farmers should be able to go to this bank, borrow and pay back. This will help people to develop their agriculture otherwise we are going to continue talking about potential until God knows when,” he warned. “We have water and land. Agriculture must be the mainstay of the development of this country. We have got a President who is a farmer and I am sure
he understands this.”

Col Panji said the government should look at FISP the same way it looked at the fuel subsidy and put in place something that would benefit everybody in the country.

By Cecilia Kayaya

17 Councillors out of 21 at Chinsali Municipal Council have accused the Town Clerk, Joseph Zulu and Finance Director, Anthony Chipasha of financial mismanagement and failure to run the council.

The Councillors have since petitioned Muchinga Province Minister, Henry Sikazwe calling for the removal of the two council officials.

They allege that the two officials sold a hill to Kaijee Construction Zambia at K2, 740.599 but informed the council that it was sold at K600.000.
It is further alleged that the two have been awarding contracts to their friends without subjecting projects to tender processes. .

They are also accused of inflating prices such as the construction of a refuse bay which is 5m in length and 4meters width and 1.5m high which is said to have been constructed at K28.000.

The 17 Councillors also claim that the Town Clerk and his Director Finance have been pocketing council revenue as a document shows that revenue collectors collect more than K300 per day but the councils is told that less than that is collected.

Other accusations are that the two are using Government resources with impunity and have paralyzed the procurement unit in order to have an upper hand and control, contrary to provisions of the procurement act.
The Councillors have since resolved to have the Town Clerk and Director Finance surrendered to the Local Government Commission for alleged incompetence, failure to manage the council and for being partisan.

When contacted for a comment the Town Clerk, Joseph Zulu who is on leave has described the allegations as malicious, stating that it is not possible for him to inflate contract sums as he does not give contracts.

And Director Finance, Anthony Chipasha has rubbished the allegations stating that they are baseless.

Mr. Chipasha has accused the Councillors of being bitter with the new way of doing things saying the Councillors’ wish was to continue with the caderism behavior were they were in charge of public facilities like toilets and markets.

He says the allegations are baseless and politically motivated.
Mr. Chipasha adds that the Councillors are also not happy with the computerized system that enables the Municipal council to monitor the database as there is no way of doing illegal maneuvers.

MORE senior Patriotic Front (PF) senior leaders have been searched and others interrogated in the ongoing crusade by investigative wings.

Those searched and interrogated include party stalwart, Alexander Chikwanda, who was questioned at home.
Former PF general secretary, Davies Mwila revealed that a number of individuals who included former ministers Alexander Chikwanda, Michael Katambo and Ronald Chitotela had been visited and searched.

Mr Mwila said the investigative wings ambushed Mr Chitotela’s farm in Kawambwa where they searched thoroughly but did not find anything.

He said it was a similar scenario with former Livestock minister Katambo whose farm in Masaiti was also searched by the investigative wings without yielding positive results.

Mr Mwila said others that were caught in the cross fire included MCC member Kebby Mbewe’s young brother whose house was dug in search of money suspected to have been buried on the premises.

He also said others that were searched included Eastern Province PF Chairperson Andrew Lubusha and Clint Sichamba the owner of Ndozo Lodges.

Meanwhile Mr Mwila said that it was now evident that the ruling UPND were trying to wipe out the PF as they had now unleashed the investigative wings on even the former First Lady.
He said that this was now a normal trend which had started in the Chiluba era after he tried by all means to destroy first republican president Kenneth Kaunda but failed.
Mr Mwila said that President Levy Mwanawasa also did the same with former president Chiluba and indicated that Mr Hichilema was going in the same direction.

‘’The president’s fight against corruption is not genuine and is targeted at wiping out the PF so that they do not have any serious competition in 2026 since they have failed to deliver on their campaign promises.

And Mr Chikwanda in an interview confirmed that he was visited by officers from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) who quizzed him about a number of issues.He said they concluded the meeting and he explained to them that he was not well enough to follow them to their offices.
Mr Chikwanda said that they had gone to his home where they engaged him but said he could not give any further details about the matter.
‘’Yes I can confirm that officers from the ACC had come to my house and I must say it was rather a professional and formal meeting,’’ Mr Chikwanda said. -Daily Nation

IF ACC CAN RECOVER PROPERTIES OF PROCEEDS OF CRIME FOR A DEAD FORMER PRESIDENT, WHAT MORE FOR EDGAR LUNGU WHO IS LOOMING THE CHAWAMA STREETS? JUST WAIT, LUNGU WILL DANCE PELETE AFTER SEIZURE OF HIS STOLEN PROPERTIES.

LATE FTJ CHILUBA’S PROPERTY FORFEITED TO THE STATE

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has forfeited properties of late second Republican President Dr. Frederick Chiluba to the State.

The properties are valued at over K40 million.

ACC Public Relations Manager (PRM) Timothy Moono confirmed in a statement to ZANIS yesterday.

Mr. Moono said the properties in question have been on rent to various tenants from the time the Commission seized them and the rentals have been kept by the Commission pending the outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings.

The rentals accrued so far amount to over K14 million of which over K4million in the Kwacha Account while over $1.2 million in the Dollar Account.

“Dr. Chiluba did not make any claim for the property when the investigations were proceeding and at the time the gazette notice was issued.

” The current estimated market value of these properties is K40m and the judgment of the Supreme Court is that these properties and the money have been forfeited to the State,” he said.

Mr. Moono said the case involved Tedworth Properties Incorporation whose matter had been in the public domain and has over the years, attracted significant public interest.

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 are Plot No. 4828, Alberg Court, located along Addis Ababa Drive, Longacres, Lusaka which also comprises 21 residential flats.

Others are 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 the Capital City, Lusaka.

The ACC public relations officer said the properties were suspected proceeds of crime and thus in the course of investigations, recovered and seized by the Commission.

He revealed that during investigations, it was established that the properties were being managed by local property managers namely Access Financial Services Limited and S.P Mulenga and Associates.

“On 30th September 2010, the High Court ruled in favour of Tedworth Properties Incorporated but the Commission appealed the judgment of the High Court but the Supreme Court overturned the judgement.

On 29th December 2016 the Supreme Court awarded with Costs to the State.

Mr. Moono however, regretted that the matter had taken long to reach conclusion.

Mr. Moono said fighting corruption requires a lot of commitment, patience, courage and professionalism in the face of adversity.

“The Commission will continue and has placed a lot of emphasis on prosecuting and recovery of ill-gotten wealth, regardless of the persons or entities involved,” he said.

Government releases K837million for social protection.

K837 MILLION FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMMES RELEASED

The Treasury has released K837 million for social protection programmes, of which K255 million is targeted at pensioners under the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF), and K50 million for those under the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund (LASF). Of the total released for social protection, K402 million is for the Social Cash Transfer Programme and K130 million for the Food Security Pack Programme.

The action has been done to ensure sustained and continued protection of the poor, the vulnerable, and pensioners.

I take this opportunity to urge all implementing agencies of the released funds to ensure that effective payment systems are deployed so that we do not prolong the hardships experienced by our fellow citizens, especially retires, the poor and the vulnerable.

(File Copy Signed)

Issued By:

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

NOTES:

In 2022, the Social Cash Transfer Programme will be scaled up by increasing the number of beneficiaries to over one million from the 880,539 as at end August 2021. Next year, the transfer value per household will also be increased from K150 to K200 per month and from K300 to K400 per month for households with severely disabled members.

With regard to the Food Security Pack Programme, the number of beneficiaries will be increased to 290,000 households in 2022 from 263,700 as at end-August 2021. The Programme is targeted at the vulnerable but viable farmer households. Other social protection interventions that will be scaled up include the Girls Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihood Programme, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Public Welfare Assistance Scheme, and Child Welfare Programmes.

As at end September 2021, pension benefit arrears for retired public service workers stood at K1.2 billion. This has negatively impacted their livelihoods. To safeguard the livelihoods of retirees, in 2022, the Government WILL DISMANTLE ALL OUTSTANDING PENSION ARREARS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS and curtail the accumulation of arrears going forward.

To make the pension system financially sustainable and provide social security to retirees, Government will also review and amend relevant legislation including Public Service Pensions Act Cap 260 of the Laws of Zambia, Local Authorities Superannuation Fund Act Cap 284 of the Laws of Zambia and the Pension Scheme Regulation Act No. 27 of 2005. The new pension system will enable retirees to access accrued benefits before retirement.

LIFE LEGALLY BEGINS AT FORTY

By Sakwiba Sikota

The question I often ask myself is, “When does life begin?”

Various anniversary numbers are given as special such as “sixteen”, “eighteen”, “Twenty one” and many others right upto the fifties, seventy fives and even a hundred.

One anniversary that is celebrated like there is no tomorrow is forty. It is celebrated like there is no tomorrow even though they say, “Life begins at forty.

I may not look like it but today I celebrate my fortieth. You may not believe me but I have the papers to prove it.

28th December is a date I will always recollect. I am not the only one who gets sweet remembrance of this day.

You may well wonder whether you can trust my reminiscence of events that happened so long ago; especially since I was served with a fair share of sherry that day.

Forty years later I still remember those who share this special day with me. The people I share this anniversary with, though some have since sadly left us, are:-

Mr. J.A. BANDA
Miss. D.K Katebe (Mwiinga)
Mr. S.S. Kakoma
Mr. E.M. Simaluwani
Miss. W. Sithole (Mweenda)
Mr. S.K. Mwenyechanya
Mr. M.S. Molotsi
Mr. B.W. Nyirenda
Mr. S.S. Silomba
Mr. M.A.A. Nsofu
Mr. R.N. Simbyakula
Mr. E.R.B. M’embe
Mr. W.S. Mweemba
Myself

These are the fourteen young lawyers who were called to the bar (no wonder the sherry) on the twenty eighth December 1981. These are the graduates from the class of 1981 at the Law Practice Institute (now Ziale) that passed the exam on their first sitting out of a class of fifty three.

Amongst the fourteen we got a Supreme Court judge, three High Court judges, two chairmen of the Law Association of Zambia, a legal Affairs Minister, a university dean, a member of parliament, a Clerk of the National Assembly, a diplomatic ambassador, four State Counsels and even a mayor.

As I congratulate all those who were called to the bar this day forty years ago (including those not mentioned above but managed to clear their outstanding subjects at the September 1981 examination sitting) I say there is still so much to do.

I toast you with a glass of sherry. Do not stop now or hang up your wig. After all, life legally begins at forty.

Something is not right. Hon Milupi’s announcement that the concession for roads and border points and a bridge will cost $3.7bn simply doesn’t make sense.

By Norbert Mumba

Firstly the so-called Southern African Business Development Forum is just a NGO. Browsing its website, one doesn’t get the impression that it is within their remit to undertake infrastructure projects as the reference to infrastructure, energy etc seems to be in a discussion or facilitation context. I have failed to establish the persona behind it and when one clicks a specific segment on “what we are”, such as infrastructure, all one gets is a picture of a road intersection.

2) it doesn’t end there I also note the average cost per kilometer of the proposed roads flies right in the face of what UPND as a party promised us. Dividing $3.7bn by 2000km gives me a whooping $1.8m/km against the $500,000 UPND referred us when it challenged the Lusaka to Ndola road. In fact given that the proposed concession roads are unlikely to be dual carriage, they will be by far more expensive than the road the condemned.

3. It is inconceivable that this project, whose returns are supposed to be from the roads (presumably toll) as the main infrastructure and not from import duties per se, would be able to recoup in 25yrs for the following reasons; i) you require to raise at least $148m per year or $405,478/day from tolls and duties just to make the $3.7bn. But who will deploy such a colossal amount without profit? If you mark it up at 10% return, interest expected will be way more than what will be invested. ii) obviously the roads will require very good maintenance otherwise at end of concession (25yrs) there will be no roads to talk about. So the collections would have to be very high to the extent that there is nothing in it for the government.

4. The government promised transparency not cosmetic transparency so please publish the full agreement for us to see what is in it for the people. Otherwise this is already a matter for the Anti Corruption Commission. Why would such a mammoth project not be a publicly tendered project? What experience does this Forum, formed a few years ago, have to get a concession that represents over 5000acres of Zambian territory. (to pre-emptive how I arrived at 5000; 2000km x 10m(representing width of roads including shoulders) then converted to acres. This does not include the land area for physical border infrastructure. Hon Milupi owes us an explanation to include who is guaranting this massive undertaking? The so-called Forum doesn’t have assets. Is this in essence another foreign debt by guarantee? If we talk about debt transparency, we can already count that we are already close to an additional $7bn in less than 120 days

NB :Norbert Mumba boasts more than 25 years of senior management experience in Zambia, including 19 years at the Bank of Zambia (BOZ)—a member institution of AFI—where he held numerous positions such as Assistant Director of Regulatory Policy, Licensing and Liquidations, and Director of Bank Supervision. Mr. Mumba has been a member of several technical committees aimed at reforms of the banking sector at national, regional and international levels.

By Emmanuel Mwamba

AN NGO TO DO THE 11 ROADS AT A COST OF $3.7BILLION?

Hon. Milupi has issued a fresh statement on his facebook page.

He says the Southern Africa Business Development Forum will invest $3.7billion for the eleven roads selected under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) 2000km road package dubbed the Western Trade Facilitation Routes.

Who is Southern African Business Development Forum?

Its a small NGO founded in 2017 and registered in South Africa.

This is how it defines itself on its page;

The SABDF is a Non-Profit Company incorporated in South-Africa, working towards the continent’s integration, especially the SADC region with strategic objective of enabling the SADC countries to stimulate economic development and increase their economic growth through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and Rural Development led expansion enabling poor smallholders to take advantage of the market opportunities.

Hon. Milupi further says this proposal was brought to the previous government and was an unsolicited bid.

He says the investor selected the roads too.

Earlier Hon. Milupi had announced that the new Council of Ministers on PPP had approved the project and a 25 year Concession on the listed 11 road projects covering over 2000km.

This disclosure brings to the fore the need to be extremely vigilant with public processes and resources.

This is a $3.7billion project, and a 25-year Concession on the charge of our road network that requires that we scrutinise this proposal closely and seek to understand the source of the money.

Further we must place stringent mechanism to ensure that if funds were secured, they would be spent on the construction of the said roads.

In my view, there are available financing institutions and established companies of good repute the Zambian government can engage to pursue public private partnerships projects.

NGOs should be kept out of the space.

By Walusungu Lundu

BREBNER Changala has charged that former president Edgar Lungu is merely politicking by daring law enforcement agencies who are pursuing his close associates to investigate him instead.

He says Lungu is the safest of all the believed suspects in the previous regime.

This follows Lungu’s challenge on the law enforcement agencies to “come get me if I stole” as quoted by the Daily Nation in its Wednesday edition last week.

Lungu charged that he knew he was the one being targeted by the agencies.

“I know it is me that you are going after. Please come get me if there is anything that that you suspect that I stole. Come to me, stop harassing the people around me,” he said.

But Changala told The Mast that Lungu, who is currently enjoying his immunity, made the said remarks out of anger and in an attempt to sway investigative wings from pursuing his colleagues.

The governance activist explained that only President Hakainde Hichilema can lay charges against Lungu in parliament.

“These are interesting moments in our time. The issue of the former president daring the new dawn administration to go for him and stop harassing his close associates was unfortunate. But I know it was an emotive comment that was given to his own proxy Mr Given Lubinda, the former minister of justice. However, it is very important for one to take note of the very fact that president Edgar Chagwa Lungu enjoys immunity and the police or indeed the law enforcement agencies cannot just go for him. And I bet he was merely politicking and I know very well that that was said out of anger and it’s emotive,” Changala said. “President Edgar Chagwa Lungu as it is right now is the safest of the believed suspects in the last administration whereas his colleagues, the ones he claims the State is pursuing are not protected by the law. They do not have immunity and president Lungu is merely playing politics to sway the investigative wings from pursuing his colleagues. As it were, only President Hakainde Hichilema can approach parliament and lay charges against the former president. And parliament will need to interrogate those allegations or charges and come up with a resolution in parliament whether to strip him of his immunity or indeed to let the status quo continue. So president Edgar Chagwa Lungu is safe but he is playing politics. His colleagues, the closest colleagues are not safe. They will have to face the law as and when need arises.”

And on the issue of street vending, Changala detested the act saying traders have well designated trading places.

He charged that poverty in Zambia is used by those that are disadvantaged as defence when they break the law.

“This is a serious challenge of street vendors. They have littered our streets with merchandise, the streets which don’t have services like toilets for them. The streets are dirty. Now, poverty in this country is used by many, especially the disadvantaged, as a defence when they break the laws. Poverty is a legal defence in inverted commas,” Changala noted. “These street vendors have areas where they are supposed to trade from and these places are designated. These are places which are regulated both by law and by laws that come from the city council. They have abandoned these places to come to where there is a client, the street and they have made our roads and passages impassable. It’s very important when the new dawn talks about the rule of law, that the rule of law must apply to all including the poor, including the disadvantaged. They must obey and observe the law.”

He stressed that Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gary Nkombo is on firm ground to go and organise “a marketing space, designated marketing space and remove everybody from the street.”

Changala lamented that legitimate shop owners have been pushed out of the legitimate businesses because of street vending.

“They pay rentals, they pay support man power in terms of workers and yet these street vendors, they took the law unto themselves. They do what they want. And they defend themselves in numbers because they are overpopulated in their law breaking,” observed Changala.

Vendors have defied the directive to vacate the streets from the time the order was imposed on them.

They seemingly overpowered the Lusaka City Council police on Friday who have been assigned to kick them out of the streets.

The vendors lamented that they feed their families and pay other bills from street vending.

They as well questioned local authorities why they get K5 from every person trading from the streets.

Some claimed that it is not by choice that they are trading from the streets saying they had applied for spaces in the designated markets but the local authority has not given them.

Some sections of society including the opposition Patriotic Front have condemned the UPND government’s move to kick the vendors out of the streets.

The PF accused the UPND of prematurely kicking vendors out of the streets saying street vending is not a crime.

“THE 2.8 CANT GET WHAT GOD GAVE ME” – MACKY 2

BY [ALF]

Prior to the heated 2021 General election Kalandaya Music Promotions signed a lot of talented artists.

While the contractual terms and conditions of these artists remain discreat to the general public , a lot of them received a lot of backlash from their fans for merely offering services to political parties.

And while the lable now still houses musicians such as the Orga Family who have openly sided with political parties, those who received huge verbal and cyber a#$ whooping backlash from their fans was Macky 2 , Slap Dee and Yo Maps until they apologized (After a bit of resistance for business purposes).

The Baclash was coming from the population who by then assumed the artists betrayed them by opting to sing for political parties .

It has been 4 months after the 2021 election and Macky 2 believes some of his fans still treat him with a pinch of salt but he seems to care less in the latest 2021 Mzenga Man end of year Cypher where he has brushed them off .

In the last verse just after upcoming talented hiphop artist Dismo , Macky 2 says “The 2.8 still ain’t forgive me but still they can’t get what God already gave me .”

He goes on to say the National Broadcaster ZNBC still love the way he tells his vision .

“Even ZNBC still love the way I tell a vision (Television).” He raps .

A lay person would think the Kopala Lyrical genius is just playing with words (Bars) , but No! He simply means the National Broadcaster still plays his music despite the post ELECTION cyber fracas.

He has shut down the Cypher with a statement that “There is no love without hate in this hell’s Kitchen.”

Macky 2’s musical career is traced from Chingola at Danger Zone studios where he rose to where he is today .

FOUND THIS ARTICLE INTERESTING?

Like 👍 , Coment , React SHARE

Alf

By Christopher Miti

EASTERN Province deputy permanent secretary Beauty Undi-Phiri says having sex is not fun.

And Chipata Central Hospital has recorded eight Christmas babies.

Speaking to journalists after presenting humpers to Christmas babies at Chipata Central Hospital, Undi-Phiri said she was concerned with teen pregnancies especially in rural areas.

“My appeal to the media is that you should highlight issues surrounding early marriages and teen pregnancies. Talk to the young ones more often on these issues. Let’s not have people having fun with sex. It’s not fun, it’s something that is very sacred in the bible,” she said. “We are Christians, we should be talking to our children. Let’s normalise talking to our children. To our parents as well, we have left the parenting of our children to schools which should never be allowed.”

Undi-Phiri said sex education should start from home.

“From home, the children should learn about the dangers of engaging in early sex. Despite having a child, tomorrow we will be having high numbers of HIV and syphilis. Let’s go out there and educate the public about the dangers of engaging in premature sex,” she said.

On Christmas babies, Undi-Phiri said she was happy that the hospital recorded eight Christmas babies.

She said life will always be celebrated.

Undi-Phiri said the hospital was doing a good job under difficult conditions.

“We are grateful to God that today we can celebrate the birth of these lives. We pray that these young ones will be properly taken care of by their families so that they grow into good citizens. Life should always be celebrated at any particular time,” said Undi-Phiri.

And hospital senior medical superintendent Mbinga Mbinga said six of the eight babies are male while two are female.

Dr Mbinga said the first baby was born around 01:00 hours.

He said four babies were born normally, three were through caesarean section while one was assisted.

Dr Mbinga said the youngest mother to give birth was 16-years-old.

Chipata city mayor George Mwanza also donated 10 hampers on behalf of the local authority.

2 WOMEN SEXUALLY ABUSED, MURDERED DURING CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS IN CHIPATA

By Christopher Banda in Chipata,

Two women were sexually abused and murdered in separate incidences in Chipata district of Eastern province during Christmas celebration, police say.

Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer Davis Simwanza who confirmed the development stated that Margaret Phiri aged 38 of Chinjala Settlement Schemes was found dead after being sexually abused by unknown people at Madzimoyo Trading Centre.

He said a big bottle of Castle Lager containing locally brewed beer commonly known as Kachasu was found close to the body but that no visible injuries were seen, though it was suspected that the deceased could have been sexually abused.

“Brief facts are that female Margaret Phiri left her parents’ home on 18th December 2021 and went to Madzimoyo Trading Centre where she was plating her client’s hair. She had no fixed abode at Mazimoyo and on the eve of Christmas at about 19:30 hours she was seen at a local drinking place socialising. She was later discovered dead by some members of the public,” the Police Commanding officer explained.

He said when police visited the scene, they found the deceased’s body at Joseph Sakala’s tavern with blood stains in the mouth and notse.

Mr Simwanza also confirmed that police picked up the body of another female suspected to have been sexually abused by unknown people.

He said the second body which had not yet been identified at the time was found with deep cuts on the head with poked eyes.

“An unknown sharp instrument is believed to have been used and the body was found completely naked along the ditch within Namuseche Correctional Facility farm in Chipata,” the police explained.

He said no arrests had been made on the two incidences but that the two bodies had been deposited in the Chipata Central Hospital mortuary awaiting further identification and postmortem.

And in a related matter, Police in Lundazi picked up a body of a 69 year old Malawian national who was murdered by unknown people.

Simwanza said police received a report of Murder which occurred on the eve of Christmas where Batton Mwale of Kasungu district in Malawi was murdered by unknown persons.

“Police visited the scene and found the dead body with a deep cut on the head and blood coming out from the same wound”, he stated.

“The body was deposited in Mwase General Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem, and investigations have been instituted,” said Simwanza

Francois Lulendo Matumona would have started the New Year’s Eve with celebration of his 63rd birthday and crowned it all by rolling back the years with Congolese rumba fans in Douala, Cameroon.

But the Congolese musician, aka General Defao gave up on both yesterday.

General Defao passed on from Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, according to Congolese national broadcaster RTNC.

Defao arrived in Cameroon last week and had been engaged in rehearsals for his New Year’s Eve concert when he felt discomfort, according to reports.

Defao was taken to Laquintinie Hospital where he lost the battle, with some sources indicating that his diabetic condition had contributed to his following in the footsteps of his music idol Papa Wemba, who died on stage in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 2016.

While many Congolese rumba fans will struggle to name five of Defao’s songs off their head, the musician stood out in his own way from the moment he decided to step out of the shadows of the four Zaiko Langa Langa products he idolised – Papa Wemba, Nyoka Longo, Gina Efonge and Evoloko.

With his own Big Stars, a band whose name he dreamt would make him the big star he aspired to be, Defao in 1991 won his due respect in Congolese rumba circles as fans got to love him for his voice, dance moves and lively stage presence, especially when he took to selling himself by frequently appearing on RTNC.

Standing at 5’8, Defao was voluptuous but pleasurably so. The weight hardly affected his dance moves and the only things that changed about his life over the course of the years were the transformation from a kinky peroxide hair to dreadlocks, and no doubt the bleaching.

Pictures of a younger Defao in the early 80s show the musician in a fair skin complexion but that was not enough.

“In Congo, bleaching is a symbol of status and every Congolese man worth his name who aspires to be admired has to bleach,” Defao told a friend in Kampala in 2016 ahead of his last concert in the country.

After fleeing Kinshasa in 2001 upon falling out with former DR Congo president Desire Kabila, Defao travelled to Zambia before settling in Kenya where he went quiet for years, only to resurface looking unrecognizable in pale skin that would have made Bavon Siongo (Franco’s brother) and Freddy Mayaula Mayoni envious.

Bavon (died 1970) and Mayaula (died 2010) had for decades stood out as the symbol of bleaching among Congolese men, but Defao more than tripled on the two musicians’ tone for himself alone.

It was his sapeur, where others took to suits, shoes and hats.

What Defao also never changed from was his Ndombolo dance moves. Years before the likes of JB Mpiana and Extra Musica group made a wild bush fire out of the Soukous dance style, Defao had been at it, wiggling his large waist, sweeping his feet and pirouetting effortlessly.

Few Congolese musicians who passed through the hands of Felix Manuaku Waku have failed to make their mark. The guitarist, famous for introducing the “talking guitar” school and helping the three lead (solo) amigos of Diblo Dibala, Dally Kimoko and Nene Tchakou perfect the art, had also taken in Defao to Le Grand Zaïko Wawa in 1981.

It is here that the young Defao was first noticed for his voice and dance moves and he looked every inch back then like one who would take to the same dance floor with the likes of Aurlus Mabele, Alain Kounkou, and Lutchiana Mobulu.

As a dancer, Defao indeed never disappointed and as a singer, his ‘Famille Kikuta’ alone would make many wonder how it is that they never got to know so much about the man behind the song.

The 1994 hit was well received in Congo and marketed Defao across East Africa as the singer brought out the most in a woman abandoned in marriage trying to woo back her man.

Born December 31, 1958, General Defao started singing in 1976 at a time Zaire had more musicians than miners and farmers.

The son of Louise and Ronald Defeo spent 18 years in exile, living mainly in Kenya and away from the Kabila family until 2019 when Felix Tshisekedi took over in Kinshasa.

While he was outgoing and friendly just about with anyone, Defao kept his family life locked in the closet, with information about his children hard to find. However, the singer has been married and divorced three times.

He first married Geraldine Gates in 1989 but ended the liaison in 1993 to take in Barbara Puco a year later. After five years with Puco, Defao called time on the marriage and kept his peace from women until he could not resist Nissa Burkhalter, whom he married in 2012 only to end the union three years later.-The Citizen

EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU RETIRES FROM POLITICS- OUR MEMORIES OF HIS PRESIDENCY

WE are not going to take a convenient path of sounding like we are giving a eulogy (a funeral speech where you always say good things about the dead regardless). We shall say it as it was and plainly what we feel about it.

Truth be told, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu (ECL) served two terms as Republican President during which times he swore to protect the Republican Constitution but he clearly worked so hard against it. His presidency can be described as a vivid example of what never to be done by a Republican President.

In the aftermath of 2016 elections, Mr. Lungu with impunity, refused to allow the Speaker of National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini to take over when his election victory was contested by President Hakainde Hichilema (HH) of the then opposition United Party for National Development (UPND). This was against the Constitution that he said he signed with his eyes closed just months ago. During the same election he defied the advice of the then Attorney General Mr. Likando Kalaluka who asked him to relieve his cabinet from performing Government work following the dissolution of Parliament. He blatantly refused and allowed his cabinet to campaign using Government resources in an election period (in a normal society this election must have been nullified).

Mr. Lungu knowingly and with his blessings turned this country into a tribal paradise where those who championed tribalism were hugely rewarded in his Government and got jobs as campaign frontliners. The non- Bembas and non- Easterners were hunted down from their jobs and those that survived were meant to believe that the Patriotic Front (PF) was doing them a favour. Under Mr. Lungu, hundreds of civil servants got fired in national interest on tribal grounds. Others got transfered to some places meant to frustrate them into retirement. Jobs in Government became for the favoured regions and not tenable on merit! His appointments were an open testimony of his tribal operation. Mr Lungu was very tribal and operated as the Patron of Tribalism in Zambia. For the records 2,694 civil servants were fired in national interest between 2011 and 2021. Compare this with 28 civil servants dismissed between 2001 and 2011 under the Movement for Multi party Democracy reign (MMD). Mr. Lungu in his fear for the UPND championed a tribal cleansing as a way of meting out his anger against his political opponents.

What about the grand corruption that characterised his government. Instead of fighting corruption me. Lungu agreed that his Ministers were corrupt and were stealing from the Zambian people but he only asked them not to over steal. He openly encouraged stealing by saying “ubomba mwibala alya mwibala but tekutila alila pamo nembuto” (loosely interpreted as you can steal but just be able to manage your stealing). Clearly, corruption under the Mr. Lungu’s reign was effectively shielded as the case became so clear when corruption accused Minsters continued to serve in Government.

Government procurements were littered with corruption as they were hugely bloated. Examples included Among others the procurement of the 42 fire trucks at $42 million, the procurement of expired drugs and medical supplies at $20 million by Honeybee, the $1.2 million Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriage way project, the $4 million Michael Chilufya Sata Toll Plaza, the procurement of a Presidential Jet at $380 million, the Ambulances procurement scandal, etc. Everything was overpriced and corruptly so to the benefit of Mr. Lungu who was the Patron of the Corruption Club.

Human rights; under Mr. Lungu the human rights space collapsed. He usurped the constitution and all other laws that guaranteed human rights and liberties. His perceived opponents suffered his brutal attacks using the state Police as they spent more time either in prison or the Court of Law than they even did meeting up their supporters. President Hichilema was arrested 15 times during the PF regime out of which 12 times came under Mr. Lungu’s reign.

During Mr. Lungu’s presidency political opponents were viewed as his enemies and automatically became less human in his eyes. President Hichilema’s brutal arrest and fictitious treason charges suffered after the 2017 road traffic circus in Western province was testimony of Mr. Lungu’s intolerance to opposition. The Pubic Order Act was brutally applied to restrict dissenting voices. Political gatherings involving the opposition were outlawed through abuse of the Public Order Act. Opposition supporters and sympathisers got killed by the police with impunity. The shootings by the Police using live ammunition became fashionable as a way of dispersing opposition supporters, a development that resulted in hundreds of fatalities especially among the UPND supporters.

On the other hand, the PF cadres became untouchable as they were instantly above the law. They haunted the citizens and perceived opposition supporters with impunity. Cadres terrorized the markets and bus stations where they became tax collectors as PF secretary General Davies Mwila openly called for further penetration of markets and bus stations by PF cadres during his Kabwe mobilisation.

Under Mr. Lungu, the dissenting voices were suppressed and those that persisted had to endure the torment from the Police and PF cadres. The labour unions were weakened and divided to support the PF cause even when the conditions of service for their workers became unfavourable. Protesting workers were dismissed, the case of doctors and nurses. Union activities in Public institutions of learning were banned as UNZALARU learnt its fate in the most brutal way when the PF Government through the Ministry of Labour deregistered it. Student unionism was banned too. Meal allowances from public institutions were scrapped off!

The economy fell irretrievably under Mr. Lungu. The kwacha lost against all major convertible currencies. At the time of his exit, US$1 was K22. The debt levels were unsustainable with external debt approximated at about US$ 12 billion. Government lost credibility and could not borrow from credible sources. The IMF denied putting Zambia on its package under Mr. Lungu as the country’s fiscal position was deemed irrational. Not even desperate efforts such as the hiring of Lazard, a French Company to help restructure the national debt could redeem the country’s lost image.

The cost of living under Mr. Lungu’s reign became unbearable and yet cadres became excessively rich as they openly flaunted their wealth. The source of revenue for the local authorities receded to it’s lowest as the councils lost their source of revenue to the PF cadres. Markets and Stations were hijacked by PF cadres.

Agriculture that forms a source of employment and livelihood for about 70% of our population was not spared. The Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) became polarised and politicized. Regions perceived to be opposition strongholds received less and less farming input in a clear case of political exclusion; Western, Southern and North Western Provinces suffered the most exclusion.

Under Mr. Lungu, development became either a reward or an inducement to vote for the PF party. Regions that were perceived to be opposition inclined were excluded from national development. Roads and other infrastructural projects were selectively done, and more so with considerations to punish the people in the regions that were perceived to support the opposition.

Mr. Lungu abused the church during his reign. Whilst his rule was characterised with subjugation, suppression and oppression of those perceived to be in opposition, he assembled gullible Christians who sung his praises and worked tirelessly so hard to paint him as a Saint. Some of them even openly refered to themselves as Christians for Lungu. He marshalled the support of the church to cover his shortcomings. The church sung of his humility whilst his Government looted public resources. The Church celebrated his humble outlook whilst his Government closed down any avenue of expression for those in opposition and everyone with divergent views. The Church prayed for him whilst his Government Minsters stole even social Cash Transfer, the funds meant for the most vulnerable members of our society!

Not satisfied with his two terms Mr. Lungu engineered a back door court process using Pastor Danny Pule who petitioned the constitutional court to interpret whether Mr. Lungu was eligible to contest the 2021 elections. The debate persisted over whether the court had cleared him or not. To make it clear, another sponsored court process was pursued this time using Mr. Bampi Kapalasa a former UPND Katuba Constituency Member of Parliament. Alongside these innuendos, Mr. Lungu viciously pushed for the Bill 10 against the Zambian people’s wishes. All these evil schemes were meant to benefit Mr. Lungu and absolutely not in national interest. Clearly, he is a greedy man that was never content with the privilege to serve this country as allowed by the Zambian people. He disrespected and undermined the intelligence of the Zambian people and took them for granted, perhaps he thought we were fools for him to even think of such an awful piece of legislation like the Bill 10.

Fellow countrymen and women, Mr. Lungu’s emphatic defeat in the August 2021polls was a clear message of the country’s disapproval of his leadership. He definitely goes in our country’s history books as the worst President ever. His resignation from politics is a relief to all well meaning Zambians that suffered his misrule. Let him rest and reflect on his horrible time as Republican President of this great country. There is no time to miss him even when we still keep our respect for him.

Enjoy your retirement Mr. Lungu!

Martin Mushumba ( He worked for Agric before ACC where he also resigned to further his education )

Shalala Oliver Sepiso
RESPONSE TO THE LIES BY EMMANUEL MWAMBA ON PPP ROADS IN WESTERN PROVINCE
By Shalala Oliver Sepiso

1. This PPP program for Western Province was signed on 10th August 2021 by the PF government. The UPND government simply picked it up from there. I can show you the evidence if you don’t have it sir.

2. The person who pushed this programme was Veep Inonge Wina. She had seen how all PF programmes were ignoring Western Province and Northwestern Province connectivity which were key to reduce traffic on the Ndola-Lusaka road which is killing people due to congestion. The people who identified the PPP investors are the Barotseland authorities. Inonge Wina, who had serious connections with the royal family agreed to push the programme. Under PF.

3. Having been the Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa, you didn’t know anything about this sir? Practice the same transparency you are accusing Milupi by telling us the truth you know and that which you knew before.

4. Mr Emmanuel Mwamba (sorry I don’t like putting the title “Amb” after the tour of duty is over) suggested that Western Province was not the only place that needed roads. He even said Serenje-Samfya-Mansa Rd was bad and needed PPP. The question is, “where are the roads you and your government where boasting about if the whole country needs roads?” Further, I suggest that you go out there and find PPP investors for Serenje-Samfya-Mansa Road kaili. The Barotseland authorities are the ones who found those PPP investors in Western Province. You want to move them to Samfya? Awe Western Province has been neglected. These guys also need to feel like they belong to Zambia. Let them enjoy development and they are ready to pay for toll fees. Just find other investors for Samfya. The UPND government is different from the PF. They wont block development in Samfya. Get busy boss.

5. On transparency, please note that transparency has been done. We are currently in the notification period up to 7th January. If there is an issue with the concession you can challenge it. What other transparency do you want boss other that publishing the intention to implement the project?

6. An impression is being made that roads cant be in good shape when 25 years elapses. What matters is the design and specifications of the roads and the supervision when making them to ensure they are of very good quality. Further, the maintenance of the roads will be on the company running the road otherwise the concession can be cancelled. As long as the government is strict the roads will always be in good condition. By the way, the Lusaka-Mongu road was first done in the 1970s. It lasted until the 1990s when it was done by Phoenix Contractors. As we speak here, the section of Lusaka to Mumbwa is in very good condition since 1991. How many years are those boss?

PICTURE: Here is the notice and check the date the concession was signed. This was before the 2021 general elections. As usual Mwamba just loves lies and is good at making propaganda out his lies.

Digging Tunnels that Don’t Meet

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Regional Development, a coordinated Effort

Following my comment on Hon. Charles Milupi’s Public Private Programme initiative, I was taken to a development matter I encountered in 2013.

As Permanent Secretary of Western Province, I visited Shangombo, a far flung area that lies to the far west of the country.

You have to endure a 170km long, dusted, rutted and gravel road, and a pontoon from Senanga to Shangombo.

I had also arranged a bilateral meeting with the Governor of the Cuando Province of Angola.

My journey was designed to tackle the the control or end livestock diseases and embark on joint programme of vaccination and disease control between the two provinces.

Zambia shares one of the longest borders with Angola. Large volume of livestock are informally and freely traded between the two countries using these border areas.

The planning team of the Governor shared with us Angola’s cross-border development plans.

The Government was collaborating with Zambia on a $40million channel across the Rivungo River.

The Shangombo-Rivungo canal is a joint venture project by the Republic of Zambia and Angola through their two border towns of Shangombo and Rivungo.

Angola had also planned a rail-line from Luanda to Shangombo and hoped that Zambia could plan a rail line from Shangombo to Mulobezi, to join the Zambia Railways network.

He also informed us that the neighboring Moxico Province was also planning similar links.

Government with the help of the Chinese revived the Benguela Railway, a major project in Angola done at a cost of $1.2billion, that constitutes the last part of the east-west trans-continental link that connects the Indian and Atlantic oceans, crossing Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Lobito corridor is also significant in a regional perspective. It provides a much
shorter route to a port from the mineral-rich areas in DRC and Zambia.

This brought me to our development agenda as Zambia.

We had invested over $300million on the Mongu-Kalabo road.

We had also planned to do the Kalabo-Sikongo road and build border facilities.

While we were developing our trade routes with Angola through Sikongo border town, 70km west of Kalabo, the Angolan government appeared to have plans for Shangombo and Jimbe and not through Malundu border town at Sikongo.

What was probably feasible and commercially viable for Zambia was the Chingola-Solwezi-Jimbe railway plans to connect both Copperbelt and Northwestern to the Lobito corridor and the proposed Shangombo-Mulobezi rail link.

CONCLUSION

Planning for trade routes and sea access requires that Zambia follows regional planning and transport corridors adopted by SADC and the African Union for development.

This is to avoid digging tunnels that don’t meet as seen by our investment on the Mongu-Kalabo-Sikongo route while Angola has investment on border links through Shangombo and Jimbe.

SADC has approved the Regional Infrastructure Master Plan for the transport sector and contains four major programmes in the SADC region, namely:

1. North‐South Multimodal Corridor;
2. Central Corridor including the Walvis Bay Corridor.
3. Beira and Nacala Multimodal Corridor; and

4.Southern African Hub Port and Rail Programme.

As a landlocked country seeking to be land-linked, our infrastructure development must seek to link us to Lobito Bay, Walvis Bay, Nakala and Beira, Durban and Dar-es-Salaam by developing routes and links that provide the linkages.

CHINKULI PLEDGES FAIR SHARE OF CDF TO KANYAMA RESIDENTS

…as Munkolo ward councillor calls for concerted efforts in fostering development

Lusaka, Makeni-27th December, 2021.

Residents of Munkolo Ward of Kanyama Constituency this morning gathered at the Bayuni Primary School hall to chart the way forward on the utilisation and disbursement of the K25.7 million CDF allocation to Kanyama.

In his speech on the matter, Kanyama MP, Monti Chinkuli, said his party was committed to disbursing CDF to the people of Kanyama irrespective of political affiliation.

Mr Chinkuli, who emphasized that there would be no political affiliation in rolling out development in the area, was quick to applaud President Hichilema’s bold step of ending caderism in markets and other public spaces as well as increasing the CDF allocation from K1.6 million during the previous regime to an historic K25.7 million.

He emphasized that the administration of CDF meant for Kanyama Constituency would be done by the locals, adding that missing expertise in a particular ward would be sourced from other wards in the Constituency.

He charged that he ensures that there was strict adherence to the presidential directive that grassrootd determines how and where their money should be spent in their localities.

“The President has asked us to come here and thank you on his behalf for the large number of votes that he got here. I know that there are a lot of expectations from you people and I can assure you that with your help, we will deliver. Right now, there are a number of fulfilled campaign promises that his Excellency has scored such as an end to caderism and there is such an aura of peace around as people are able to trade freely in the markets. The administration of CDF for Kanyama would be by the residents of Kanyama themselves, ” he said.

Munkolo ward 15 councillor, Evans Kaliko, stressed that he was elated that the people of Makeni had gathered to ensure that they were furnished with the much-needed information on the disbursement of CDF funds.

He stated that he was aware of the community’s expectations to deliver the needed development promised during the elections campaigns.

“President Hichilema cannot develop this country alone, he needs each and everyone of you. Development needs concerted efforts from each one of us. I also want to remind you that CDF is not about us as politicians but that of Government,” he said.

President Hichilema exceeded expectations when he disbursed K1.6 million Equalization Fund to all the 116 councils across the country a fortnight ago.

Constituency Chairperson, Justin Kabwe, UPND Lusaka District deputy Chairperson, Michael Saini were also part of the deliberations among other residents from the ward.

(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM

THE directive for vendors to vacate the streets only affects those in Cairo and Cha Cha Cha roads in Lusaka where the situation has gotten out of hand.

Recently, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gary Nkombo directed the Lusaka City Council (LCC) to ensure street vendors are moved from the central business district to designated trading places.

This infuriated some vendors, including those in places like Choma, who accused Government of backtracking on its earlier promise not to tamper with their businesses.

Speaking when he featured on Cuundu Caitwa programme on BYTA FM, Mr Nkombo said the directive is only applicable to the two streets because of the prevailing situation.“What made us run on with enforcement is that the situation became so bad, people started littering all over, including cooking nshima on the island of Cairo Road.

The whole place became extremely vulnerable in terms of disease control or prevention,” Mr Nkombo said.The minister said the directive should not be politicised because Government is trying to sanitise the places to protect the image of the city.“We are very much aware that the vendors must make a living, and in this advent, we are extremely available to find permanent solutions for our people,” he said.

Mr Nkombo said LCC has agreed that it will allow vending in Freedom and Lumumba roads in line with the Markets and Bus Station Act.He said Government wants to restore order, especially that the entire central business district in Lusaka lacks toilets and people help themselves to packs of Chibuku (a local brew).

Meanwhile, efforts by LCC police to remove vendors from Cairo and Cha Cha Cha roads seem to be in vain, as they (vendors) are returning to the central business district as soon as officers leave town.On Friday morning, council police were enforcing Mr Nkombo’s order for vendors to leave the two streets.

Town clerk Alex Mwansa said in an interview that removal of street vendors from the two roads are in line with the Make Zambia Clean campaign and good environmental management.Mr Mwansa said last year, traders were allowed to trade along Lumumba Road and in Cairo and Cha Cha Cha roads which have banking facilities.