BALLISTIC expert Daniel Banda has told the Lusaka High that it is possible that there were many shooters in the vicinity of National Prosecutions Authority and cabinet offices when state prosecutor Nsama Nsama and UPND’s Joseph Kaunda were shot dead. Banda said he was not sure that the two victims were killed at the same time by the same bullet.
This is in a matter where police officer Constable Phanwell Nyundu, 25, of Matero police camp is facing two counts of murder contrary to the law.
It is alleged that Canda on December 23, 2020 murdered Nsama and Kaunda when he and other police officers attempted to disperse UPND supporters.
The UPND supporters had gathered at Force Headquarters to offer solidarity to President Hakainde Hichilema who, as an opposition leader then, was being interrogated over a farm he acquired in Kalomo district in Southern Province many years ago. During his examination in chief, Banda told the court that Nsama and Kaunda were killed by the same bullet which was discharged from an AK-47 riffle bearing serial No. EN2650. Banda who is an assistant superintendent at Force Headquarters under the forensic department, ballistics unit, told judge Joshua Banda that the bullet lodged in Kaunda’s head and smeared his brain after it exited Nsama’s body.
During cross examination by Nyundu’s lawyer Willis Muhanga, Banda said he did not give the exact direction of the flight path during scene visit.
Banda said he assumed that the victims were in the same line at the time they were hit by the bullet, based on where Kaunda’s smeared brain tissue was found on the road because the latter’s corpse was not at the crime scene. Banda indicated that it was not very important to know the specific point at which the shooting was done to ascertain the flight path in order to draw a conclusion.
Asked who picked Kaunda’s corpse from the scene, the ballistic expert said he did not know as it was not important to establish who tampered with the secondary crime scene and that it remained unknown to date.
Asked if the shooting was from different directions, Banda responded in the affirmative. “It is possible that the source of fire could have come from several directions. No live ammunition was recovered from the scene,” said Banda.
Asked if there was an indiscriminate use of firearms, the witness refused to answer. He confirmed that the cartridge casings were taken to him by crime scene officers. Banda said he therefore would not know whether he was given the correct cartridge casings because he did not know how they were handled.
Asked about the muzzle velocity of the bullet, Band said it was seven to 15 metres. Asked how it was possible for the projectile to maintain a straight flying path after it exited Nsama’s body Banda claimed that the projectile’s speed accelerates when it is discharged, unlike when it is confined in the barrel.
Muhanga further asked Banda the reason he gave specific measurements of Nsama’s wounds in his report and not that of Kaunda, the witness said he did not want to be redundant.
Banda confirmed that nothing was recovered at the secondary scene where Kaunda’s brain tissue was found.
Asked if he was given the DNA results to ascertain whether Nsama and Kaunda were killed by the same bullet, the witness denied. He said the bullet was swabbed by the pathologist and the blood samples of the victims were taken for possible analysis. Banda further stated that the DNA results were not important to him.
He further told the court that Nyundu was among the five police officers whose firearms were used during the shooting and that his fire arm matched with the cartridge casing EX4 from the exhibit AK-47 rifle which ejected the fatal bullet.
Banda added that the firearm was from the Lusaka Central squad. Cross examination continues on November 24.
SUSPEND ALL MANNER OF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, PF ORDERS ITS ASPIRANTS
……as Nakacinda says Zambians cannot wait any longer for a credible, “repentant” PF to take over ‘government of liars’
The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has instructed its presidential aspirants to halt campaigns until the date for the General Conference is set.
PF Member of the Central Committee in charge of Information and Publicity Hon. Raphael Nakacinda said when he addressed the media in Lusaka today that all presidential aspirants and their sympathizers are hereby directed to tone down.
MCC Nakacinda further directed PF presidential hopefuls and other members to focus their energies on reorganising and structuring the party ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The party is expected to go for an extraordinary Convention by June next year in readiness for the 2026 general elections.
“As we rescue the Zambians from the shackles of the government of deceit, a government that was formed by a political party and its leadership on a basis of lying and deceiving with fake promises, the Patriotic Front is at this moment focused on institutionalising itself as a machinery capable of carrying any candidate for the Zambian people in 2026 general election,” he said.
“Therefore, being a democratic right, as it were, any form of campaign and segmentations or factionalism capable of disturbalising the party will not be tolerated forthwith. We are one united Patriotic Front for the betterment of the Zambian people.”
MCC Nakacinda stressed the need for party members across the country to work with the party leadership
He said this should be done for the benefit of Zambians who cannot wait any longer for a credible repentant PF in the opposition to take over “this government of liars.”
“People are watching and waiting for a solution to this quagmire they are in, the quagmire we put them is as a party because of our conduct. The party needs builders other than dependants,” he said.
And Hon Nakacinda said PF will not risk having a big man syndrome in the party. He called on all party members to be disciplined.
As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) we are deeply concerned by the continued regional narrative that is being peddled by the New Dawn administration at every available opportunity. Firstly, about a month ago, the Minister of Finance Honorable Situmbeko Musokotwane issued a statement on the floor of Parliament to the effect that his Government will be getting a loan from the World Bank to build secondary schools in Western, Southern and North-Western province because these three provinces were neglected by the previous administrations. Secondly, a few days ago, the Minister of Local Government Honorable Garry Nkombo issued a statement on the floor of Parliament which presented cherry-picked information that falsely portrayed that Western, Southern and North-Western provinces were neglected by the previous administration in terms of implementation of the feeder road project.
As Patriots for Economic Progress we have noted that these divisive statements that have been coming from very senior members of the New Dawn administration have had the effect of inflaming the emotions of our brothers and sisters from these three provinces of Zambia against their colleagues from other provinces. This is evidenced by the regional nature of discourse on social media. This situation is totally unacceptable and is detrimental to the well-being of Zambia as a unitary state. It is totally unimaginable that the New Dawn administration which was overwhelmingly voted into office by all corners of Zambia can today be in the forefront fueling tribal and regional divisions barely 3 months into office.
As Patriots for Economic Progress, we are fully aware of the fact that the UPND administration constantly seeks to portray the previous administration as having totally failed, so as to eliminate the possibility of a reemergence of the Patriotic Front on the political scene. From a political point of view, the UPND are free to use whatever strategy that they deem most ideal to help prolong their stay in power. However, the UPND administration should desist from peddling a narrative that seeks to divide this country on tribal and regional lines, in their quest to paint the former PF administration with a black brush.
As Patriots for Economic Progress we wish to advise the UPND administration that it was forgivable for them to peddle tribal and regional narratives while they were in opposition, but now that they are in Government, it is totally unforgivable for them to peddle any such narratives. Even if, for arguments sake, the former PF administration did indeed neglect the said three provinces, a mature government is supposed to quietly rectify such an anomaly instead of making careless and dangerous public statements which are inflaming the emotions of our brothers and sisters from the three provinces against their colleagues in the other provinces. President Hakainde Hichilema and his Ministers should make a constant effort to remind themselves that they are no longer in opposition and that they now carry the huge responsibility of managing the affairs of the nation and uniting the entire country. To this effect, they need to desist from issuing childish statements that seek to give them political mileage over the PF party but at the expense of dividing the nation.
As Patriots for Economic Progress it is our further considered view that it is not even in the political interests of the UPND party to drive a wedge between their stronghold in the three provinces and the rest of the country. The UPND must be reminded that for 23 years, they tried to form Government with their three-province stronghold but failed. It was only after other provinces decided to embrace their political party that they succeeded to form Government. Therefore, it is wrong and naive for the UPND administration to believe that now that they are in Government they should only advance the interests of their three-province stronghold.
As Patriots for Economic Progress we wish to remind the UPND administration that national development is delivered to different parts of the country in different shapes and forms and at different times. Therefore it is mischievous for the New Dawn administration to point at one category of development and use it as a basis of peddling the narrative that the previous administration neglected their three-province stronghold. For instance, developments such as the marvelous and very costly Mongu-Kalabo road in Western Province or the Kazungula Bridge in Southern Province cannot be found in any of the other 7 provinces. Therefore, President Hakainde Hichilema and his New Dawn administration should appreciate the national development that was delivered by previous administrations and pick up the baton from here and deliver more national development going forward. He should not waste all his energy pointing at the mistakes of the previous administrations, whether real or imagined.
PF Malole constituency member of parliament Hon. Robert Kalimi says indiscipline among party members cost the PF victory in the August 12 polls.
In a statement Hon. Kalimi who is Northen province PF treasurer said the electoral loss now calls for sobriety and objectivity among all party members.
Hon. Kalimi says it’s not only immoral but a shame too, for those party members calling for outgoing party President HE President Edgar Lungu to immediately step down.
“Every organization needs displine and sobriety for it to function well, unlike this unprogressive culture of unreasonable excitement of insulting the party leadership and it’s decisions. And it’s also unfortunate that even some of those serving in different party structures have deliberately opted not to communicate through the established chain of command and they have allowed themselves to be used as stooges by selfish individuals,” He said.
“In all fairness, of what benefit will it be for the outgoing President to remain into power in a party in opposition. It’s quiet worrying to have people in Party leadership who can not even apply simple logic but chose to feed on falsehood and Malice,” Hon. Kalimi said.
He said as one of the representatives of the Patriotic Front party in parliament and a member of the Provincial executive committee it is his humble request to the secretary general of the party to quickly zero in the matter of gross indiscipline before the cancer kills the party completely.
Hon. Kalimi said going by the current mischief by some party members in the name of democracy and freedom of speech will only ruin the founding principles of our beloved party than doing it any good
He adds that the party needs to rebrand it’s structures at all levels before talking about the party Presidency.
“So far the party and the people of Zambia are been presented so well in parliament and am sure the same is also happening in council chambers. Collegues let us put our personal interests aside and work for the good of our Party and the Zambians as whole,” Hon. Kalimi said.
In the days of Northern Rhodesia, Chiengi was the only Boma closed down because of witchcraft. The territorial officers knew where it was but no one wanted to be posted there.
Chiengi District is right at the north-eastern tip of Zambia on Lake Mweru, bordering Congo DR. It is inhabited by the Bwile people.
In Luapula and Northern Provinces, Chiengi and Mununga have a diabolical reputation of harbouring the most powerful witches, wizards and sorcerers and evil little demons called utuyebela and utumbuma which take up residence in homes spreading nightmares and mischief. Witchcraft, superstition and the supernatural are commonplace.
The wizards and witches of both Mununga and Chiengi are renowned nationwide and considered the most powerful. There is a saying that if you cross a Chiengi native, you will see the buttocks of a snake.
The number of outsiders who died in mysterious circumstances in Chiengi is numerous. In recorded history the first to die after passing through Chiengi was Portuguese explorer and doctor, Francisco de Lacerda. He is reputed to have become sick in Chiengi before dying in mysterious circumstances in 1798 in Kazembe’s kingdom south of Chiengi.
In the district lies the feared village of Mununga coined the heardquarters of witchcraft. Legend has it that the most powerful witches and wizards in the region have an annual coven once a year at the equinox at midnight.
They arrive on air-born reed mats, woven winnowing baskets, broomsticks, on the backs of owls and bats or simply materialise. They bring many wares of the magic kind to sell. If you have an enemy you want to fix, you can buy a bolt of lightning to strike your enemy, an assassin killer bee which can be sent to your foe in an envelope, a bat, owl or cat to spy on your enemies no matter how far they are and protective charms, popular with thieves and bandits who believe the charms make them invisible to their victims and the police and render them invincible to bullets.
The evidence of this belief in protective charms is always found by C5 when they gun down bandits. They have been found adorned with charms and tattoos. You can also buy a hex to put on your rival (popular with women)
British Colonial records documented many of the mysterious occurences.
Chiengi, the ‘haunted boma’ on Lake Mweru, gained an evil reputation after many unexplained deaths, trauma and madness. Chiengi was first established as a Boma by the British in 1895 when Sir Harry Johnstone, based in Based in Blantyre sent two agents, Kidd and Bainbridge to create a fort to strengthen British presence in the area and keep the Belgians out.
Kidd and Bainbridge died in mysterious circumstances. They were rumoured to have been cursed by a wizard they offended but most likely were poisoned.
Kalungwishi boma was built over their graves and villagers reported seeing white spooks there.
One man after another kept dying not only of illness but also in mysterious circumstances. As a result the Boma was closed down during World War 1 between 1914 and 1918. It was reopened after the war and and again Chiengi began claiming “Bwana Victims.” At least two had nervous breakdowns.
-A newly appointed District commissioner, Reardon and his wife went insane and were shipped of to an asylum. It was rumoured that they had a dispute with a local chief who bewitched them.
In 1927, GH Morton, another DC, reported seeing ghosts. He displayed madness and was sent to a Cape Town asylum.
-His replacement in 1929, GH Hoare, fell seriously ill and died delirious with blackwater fever screaming of ghosts.
District commissioners who were sent there kept dying.
After all the deaths, nervous breakdowns and madness they closed Chiengi for good. The official report put all the casualties down to malaria and blackwater fever. Chiengi was only reopened as a district in 1996 after 63 years. A sub-boma had been opened in 1973.
From 1900 to 1909 a ferocious man-eating lion named Chiengi Charlie with half a tail unleashed a wave of terror in the district. It was possibly an albino lion because the locals called it “the White Lion”.
This lion terrorised Chiengi and the hinterland near Lake Mweru in the decade between1900 and 1910.
The locals insisted it was inhabited by an evil spirit because of its cunning and apparent intelligence. Even the most experienced great white hunters failed to kill Chiengi Charlie and a legend was born. For a long time, attempts to hunt down Charlie failed. On one occasion he leapt into the courtyard of Sealy, the District Officer’s house, but escaped before Sealy could get in a shot.
Efforts to bring Chiengi Charlie’s reign of terror to an end intensified with villagers sleeping around fires and keeping watch all night and yet Chiengi Charlie just kept on killing and mauling. The lion was stealthy, fast and fearless and broke through the thatched roofs or mud walls, smashed down doors and on occasion simply walked straight into huts with open doors during the day.
Eventually, Chiengi Charlie was joined by two other lions and the mayhem they caused almost threatened to destroy the local fishing trade. Many villagers fled the district. It was reported to have killed and eaten over 100 people in one year including the gunbearer of a white hunter who he savagely mauled before killing his servant.
Only one person successfully fought off Chiengi Charlie and was in turn regarded with awe. A woman was sleeping in her hut when Charlie smashed his way in. With great bravery she picked up a burning fire brand and whacked Charlie in the face. He turned on his half tail and fled.
Eventually a professional hunting team of British and Belgians backed by villagers managed to corner Charlie and shot him dead with the villagers spearing him for good measure. His two sidekicks vanished, never to be seen again. When the hunters talked to the villagers they discovered that he was actually not Charlie but CHALI.
The British administrators had mispronounced the name. It was believed that Chiengi Charlie harboured the restless spirit of an evil wizard called CHALI who had been killed by villagers a long time ago.
In 2019, five youths, members of a football team, were clearing a field when they were struck dead by a bolt of lighting. There were whispers that they’d disturbed the resting place of a wizard so he zapped them. Any unexplained death is blamed on witchcraft. The western world has occult. Africa has witchcraft. “Same difference.”🙈
There is a witch craft museum at Mwansabombwe. Strange happenings have been reported by some people who have visited it. One journalist claimed that all the pictures he took inside the museum turned up blank.
Much of the stories of witchcraft are intertwined with a deep belief in the dark underworld and many myths have sprung from that to this day. Present day Chiengi is a beautiful rural district which belies it’s dark past. Underneath the serene surface by Lake Mweru, beliefs still simmer. People don’t talk about witchcraft openly and most believe in Christianity.
They can go to church in the morning, take their children to the modern clinic but furtively visit a witchdoctor or traditional healer under cover of the night. People have their personal beliefs. People still come from far and wide to buy a bolt of lightning⚡, an assassin bee🐝, a spy owl🦉, bat 🦇, or cat😾,
The Constitutional Court has concluded hearing of arguments on the appointment of Ministers and firing of civil servants.
In this matter, Governance Activist Isaac Mwanza sought interpretation of the Court on appointment of a minister after dissolution of Parliament and before its commencement.
Mr Mwanza also asked the Court to determine whether persons can be nominated to a Ministry newly created Ministry which has not yet been approved by Parliament.
Mr Mwanza further asked the Court to interpret whether public service workers can be removed from office without good reasons and due process through a hearing.
When the matter came up for hearing, Mr Mwanza argued that the life of Parliament commences when Members of Parliament are sworn in and ends upon dissolution as per provision of Article 81(1) of the Constitution.
He thus submitted that no Minister can occupy office when Parliament remains dissolved and has not yet commenced.
Mr Mwanza also argued that persons cannot be nominated, sworn in and begin performing their functions in a newly created or merged Ministry before the Ministry is approved by Parliament.
And Mr Mwanza has submitted that after 2016, public service workers are constitutionally protected from being removed from office without being given good reasons and subjected to a hearing as required by Article 173(3)(b) of the Constitution and the Employment Act.
Mr Mwanza said the powers of the President and other authorities to hire and fire are subject are subject to provision the authority shows just cause and afford workers a hearing.
But Solicitor General Marshal Muchende argued that the President needed to appoint the Finance Minister because of the budget that was to be presented to Parliament.
Mr Muchende also called for a holistic interpretation of the Constitution and pleaded with the Court to reframe the question so that they focus could be the question on the exercise of executive powers by the President, a suggestion objected by the Petitioner.
The Court has since reserved judgment to a later day to be communicated to parties.
A new lawsuit against Hollywood actor, Alec Baldwin alleges that the film script did not require him to fire a gun when he fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell (pictured bottom left)- who called police after the shooting on the New Mexico film set has filed the suit.
Her lawyer accused the actor of “playing Russian roulette” when he fired the gun without checking it.
New lawsuit against Alec Baldwin alleges the film script didn
Authorities are still investigating the 21 October shooting that took place on the set of the Western film Rust. No criminal charges have been brought against anyone.
Mitchell’s lawsuit claims that the script called for three tight camera shots – one of Baldwin’s eyes, another of a bloodstain on his shoulder and a third of his torso “as he reached his hand down to the holster and removed the gun”.
“There was nothing in the script about the gun being discharged by defendant Baldwin or by any other person,” it says.
In a news conference on Wednesday, November 17, her lawyer Gloria Allred described the behaviour of Baldwin and the film’s producers as “reckless”, as she accused them of failing to follow safety protocols.
According to court records, Baldwin was handed the weapon by the film’s assistant director who did not know it contained live ammunition and indicated it was unloaded by shouting “cold gun”.
The film’s armourer, who was responsible for the guns and ammunition on set, has said she does not know how a live round came to be in the weapon.
Allred said Mr Baldwin “chose to play Russian roulette when he fired a gun without checking it and without having the armourer do so in his presence”.
She added that a range of safety failures meant that it was “a case where injury or death was much more than just a possibility — it was a likely result”.
Ms Mitchell was standing less than 4ft (1.2m) away from Mr Baldwin when the weapon was discharged, according to the lawsuit.
“I relive the shooting and the sound of the explosion from the gun over and over again,” she told reporters.
Her lawsuit is claiming assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deliberate infliction of harm, and is requesting unspecified damages.
Her lawsuit is the second to be filed over the incident, after the set’s head electrician began legal action earlier this month.
BA PF STOP CRYING ONCE YOU ARE ARRESTED; POLICE IS ACTING ON TIP OFFS FROM YOURSELVES
The entire PF leadership should be reminded; it’s themselves that tipped off the Police that they were criminals amongst themselves.
PF crimes were in public domain long before PF was kicked out of office. It’s on record that at one time Mr. Lungu told the Nation that some of his Ministers were corrupt.
Mr. Lungu went on to say that out of 10 Bembas 6 are thieves. As if this was not enough, Hon Chishimba Kambwili went ballistic accusing Mr. Lungu of being too corrupt and a thief.
To crown it all, the then PF Secretary General Davis Mwila openly warned his colleagues that if they lose elections they will go to jail. Criminals are always too forgetful and very bad at keeping secrets. This is a case of self betrayal. Police are merely acting on tip offs from PF itself.
If Mr. Lungu can openly say that he was working with thieves, who are we including the Police to ignore the man who had access to daily intelligence reports even on his Ministers. When the former President said that out 10 Bembas 6 are thieves.
It’s very clear now that the former President knew what he was talking about. The high number of PF Bemba Ministers being arrested confirms that.
When Mr. Lungu said out of 10 Bembas 6 are thieves, the entire PF leadership including Bemba thieving Ministers vigorously defended that statement, some even said he was just joking CHIMBUYA.
Now that the Police is acting on that tip off the same people want to pretend that it’s not their Boss who betrayed them. When some of us protested that Mr. Lungu was putting Bembas on the spot, we were called all sorts of names by PF. So what are these potential inmates complaining about?
It’s not Zambians that are calling for the lifting of former President Lungu’s immunity; it’s actually Dr Kambwili who made that proposal. It’s Dr Kambwili who first accused Mr. Lungu of being too corrupt and a thief. Zambians and the Police have no reason to doubt what Dr Kambwili said because he was an insider and very close to Mr. Lungu.
They say if you want know how a Hippo lives under water ask the crocodile. Therefore there is nothing wrong in removing Mr. Lungu’s immunity because Zambians are merely seconding the proposal on the motion made by Dr Kambwili.
CHITOTELA, CHILANGWA CASE FAILS TO TAKE OFF IN THE KAWAMBWA SURBORDINATE COURT
… date for plea moved to 8th December, 2021.
Kawambwa … Thursday, 18, 2021 (Smart Eagles)
The case involving Pambashe lawmaker Hon. Ronald Chitotela, Kawambwa central lawmaker Hon. Nickson Chilangwa, Kawambwa mayor Chifumbe Kalumba and five others has failed to take off in the Kawambwa subordinate court.
The matter has since been moved to 08 December 2021.
” The reason is that, the police have forwarded the docket to the National Prosecutions Authority who are being awaited to take the matter to court, but they have not done so yet,” Lawyer Benjamin Mwewa said.
Hon. Ronald Chitotela and his Kawambwa central constituency counterpart Nickson Chilangwa, Kawambwa mayor Chifumbe Kalumba and five others were on 2nd November, 2021 charged with one count of arson, threatening violence,malicious damage to property and four counts of assault.
Hon.Chitotela and group have been accused of assaulting UPND members, damaging the windscreen to the Mahindra vehicle and set it on fire and threatening violence on August 12, 2021.
The accused were scheduled to appear before Kawambwa subordinate court today.
They are been represented by lawyers; Jonas Zimba, Benjamin Mwewa and Andrew Kombe.
TWO SOLWEZI MEN TO HANG FOR KILLING FRIEND OVER OPAQUE BEER
TWO men of Solwezi have been condemned to death by hanging after they brutally murdered their friend over opaque beer.
Sitting in Ndola, Court of Appeal judges Kelvin Muzenga, Chalwe Mchenga and Betty Majula resealed Elias Mukala and Major Sindazi’s death sentence.
This is in a case Mukala and Sindazi were convicted of murdering Frank Mutasa.Between December 30, 2016 and January 26, 2017, the duo killed Mr Mutasa after a drinking spree.
The court heard that during the battle over beer, the victim’s house got damaged.In their defence, the convicts told the court that on the fateful day, they had gone drinking, after which a quarrel ensued and they all resolved to go to their respective houses, as the victim held on to a packet of opaque beer.
Mukala said someone later approached him asking why he had beaten Mr Mutasa.He told the court that he was not involved in beating Mr Mutasa because he was very drunk.
And Sindazi told the court that he went to the bar to drink with Mukala and that after a while, Mr Mutasa approached them in a drunken state and asked for more beer from them, but they turned down the request because he was drunk.
He told the court that Mr Mutasa decided to hold on to the packet of beer, but they managed to grab it from him and left.
But the arresting officer told the court that Mr Mutasa was not talking, had a broken neck, swollen head and a deep cut as sticks and bricks were used to injure him.
According to the post-mortem examination result, the victim died of head injuries, which also resulted in blood clots.Unsatisfied with the conviction and sentence, Mukala and Sindazi appealed the matter, claiming that the trial court erred in law and fact with the decision that there were no extenuating circumstances to necessitate a sentence of death.
But judges Muzenga, Mchenga and Majula, who are hearing appeal cases on the Copperbelt, dismissed the case after carefully scrutinising the evidence, arguments by the lawyers and trial judge.
“Although the accused person may have been drunk, they did not in any way reach a stage of incapacity to appreciate that which they were doing for them to claim intoxication as an extenuating factor. Claims of being drunk are nothing but a lie to avoid the matter, they said.
JOSEPHS Akafumba says Shiwang’andu PF member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo should not dare the government.
He has instead advised Kampyongo to shut up if he has nothing to say.
On Sunday, the former home affairs minister in the Edgar Lungu administration said detained PF deputy national chairman Davies Chama was in strong spirits and ready to appear in court.
Addressing journalists at Lusaka’s Woodlands Police Station after visiting Chama who is in detention for attempted murder, Kampyongo said the development should not discourage PF supporters, further claiming that he had run the Zambia Police Service professionally.
“We are concerned but we remain positive that these are matters that will come to pass. We are all not above the law and we are ready to face justice if there is something that the people of Zambia think we did wrong. But we are not going to accept to be trodden upon and make us scared and get to abdicate our duties…We also lent that service to the State and keeping the nation safe. And we made sure that lawbreakers were dealt with through the same institutions; they are not personal, these are State institutions,” said Kampyongo. “And no one should attempt to think that when they have got an opportunity to serve the people they own [them]. I always spoke when I was minister of home affairs that it’s not possible to micromanage State institutions. I never did. And I don’t think the current Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security [Jack Mwiimbu] should. The portfolio functions are so many at the ministry. But my emphasis is that we should not create an impression that there was a time when police couldn’t touch certain citizens, not even me as then minister of home affairs was above the law. If there was anything that was wrong, I should have been visited by the law even as I was sitting in the Ministry of Home Affairs. So, we are yet to see.”
But Akafumba, the interim NDC leader and UPND-Alliance member, warned Kampyongo that he could have been in jail by now if it were not for a reasonable government today.
“So, for him to say that he ran the police professionally, I think he’s joking. He must be a joker. Let him not dare us. Let him not dare this government because we have a lot on what Kampyongo has done in this country,” the former justice permanent secretary warned yesterday. “In fact, if we were as vengeful as they were, Kampyongo would already be in the dock answering for what he did as minister of home affairs. So, let him not dare us. He really brutalised the police. The same police that today he’s complaining about had completely gone – where cadres could threaten [then police Inspector General Kakoma] Kanganja.”
Akafumba reminded Kampyongo about some of the atrocities he allegedly committed using the police.
“Kampyongo promoted cadreism. We also know that it was during Kampyongo’s time when a lot of people were arrested on tramped up charges. I do recall the other time when he was trying to arrest [now PF cadre Chishimba] Kambwili on a matter of treason,” he explained. “And Kambwili had to step in and disturb the meeting which Kampyongo was chairing at the Ministry of Home Affairs. There are many more people. [Current President] Hakainde [Hichilema] was arrested, maybe more than 15 times. And Kampyongo was very proud of that, that whoever says anything against president Lungu kwikata (it’s to arrest).”
Akafumba explained further that under Kampyongo’s reign, police never allowed the opposition to mobilise.
“When you see my sister who became so brutal, [former deputy inspector general of police] Charity Katanga, she was working on the instructions of Kampyongo. Under Kampyongo us in the opposition then we were not allowed to hold any meeting. Kampyogno abused the public order Act to the full. So, for him to get to say he acted professionally…” he said. “Look, Kampyongo presided over the giving of the NRCs (National Registration Cards) where the NRCs were given more to the northern circuit, he has not given an answer to that. That was Kampyongo. Kamyoongo made sure that he took defective machines to the western part of Zambia, and southern to disenfranchise people. Kampyongo was a very arrogant minister of home affairs. And again, it’s his background.”
Akafumba reminded Kampyongo of many other abuses committed when he was in government.
He said Kampyongo should in fact be the last person to complain about arrests.
“Let me make it very clear that Kampyongo has been the worst minister of home affairs from independence. But we understand his background because he knew no law. To him he’s the one who took cadreism to the police, and that’s what Kampyongo is known for,” Akafumba said.
“Kampyongo presided over the police when they arrested Hakainde Hichilema on a tramped-up charge of treason. And you must know that treason, at the end of the day, is that the individual must be hanged. That was Kampyongo’s police – over a traffic offence! Kampyongo was minister of home affairs when a number of people…Vespers Shimunzhila when the police went and used teargas on unarmed students and one girl unfortunately died, Mushaukwa Mushaukwa, Obed Kasongo who was our NDC member, the list is long. A lot of people were killed at the hands of the police and Kampyongo was proud of that.”
And Akafumba proposed that going forward the position of home affairs minister should be given to a sober person.
He said Kampyongo’s reign had brought out valuable lessons on how not to give such power to a clueless person.
“So, this position of Minister of Home Affairs, to me going forward, I think we should not just appoint anybody from the streets. This should be a preserve for people who are sober and most preferably, like what we have now. We have a lawyer as Minister of Home Affairs. Kampyongo was not for that position,” Akafumba said. “It was under Kampyongo where a cadre went straight in a police station, beat up policemen and got their cell phones and left. And he just walked out and Kampyongo was still there. So, when one turned the pages, what could have been the state of this country had Kampyongo and his mafia gang continued? I repeat what I’ve said before, there could have been no Zambia. It’s God in the heavens Who saved us from the hands of Kampyongo because PF now was transformed from a political party to a mafia gang where it’s only them who should be seen and heard whilst the rest of the country should be subdued to silence.”
Meanwhile, Akafumba warned Kampyongo that there was so much revealed about his deeds as minister, “so he should just keep quiet and wait for his time to face justice”.
“Kampyongo and Chilangwa, I know both. But I want to tell Kampyongo that I think it’s better he just keeps quiet because what happened in Mulobezi is well known to everybody. There are so many people, especially PF people who misbehaved but they were protected by the system under Kampyongo,” Akafumba charged. “So many cadres could do anything that they wanted but Kampyongo protected them to the full. So, Kampyongo was the most arrogant and most brutal minister of home affairs that this country has ever seen. Lastly, my advice to Kampyongo is, Sir, it was in Shiwang’andu where a helicopter was stoned and you kept quiet, nobody has been arrested over that.”
He reminded Kampyongo how he abused the police to settle personal scores.
Akafumba also charged that Kampyongo dressed PF cadres in police uniforms.
“Have you forgotten what you did to Fred M’membe? What you did to his Mwika Village where you instructed the police on a traditional land; you go and you occupy somebody’s house illegally – you occupied it! Your people only ran away from there when they heard that Hakainde has won. Just wait until your time to face justice comes,” said Akafumba. “Today you turn round and say I was clean? You’re not clean. You took over somebody’s property. So, we know a lot about Kampyongo. It’ll be better he keeps quiet than to brag that he led the police fairly. We also know that cadres were given uniforms under Kampyongo. And we have proof to that effect, that cadres were given police uniforms authorised… We had Chinese in the police under Kampyongo. So what is Kampyongo talking about? I think for Kampyongo let him just shut up!”- The Mast
PF member of the central committee Davies Mwila says party president Edgar Lungu wanted to leave his position but the central committee pleaded with him to stay on for a while.
And Mwila says the central committee’s decision to hold the general conference in June 2021 is final because the party does not want to end up like MMD.
The former PF secretary general was commenting on PF member Kelvin Kaunda’s remarks that it was not in the best interest of the party for Lungu to continue as PF president and that the general membership of the party was not pleased with the decision to hold the general conference in June next year.
In an interview, Mwila said the central committee pleaded with Lungu to remain president because they did not want to leave a vacuum in the party.
“It is a process, three of us indicated that we are going to leave at an appropriate time. Me and Mr Mukupa have left, so we only have about six months then president Edgar Chagwa Lungu will leave. Actually, it is us who have told him to remain, he wanted to leave, but we don’t want to leave a vacuum.
As central committee members, we pleaded for him to remain for a while. We know politics, Mr Kaunda doesn’t know politics and moreover, they should know that this party has to survive and we are not going to have leaders that will destroy the party,” he said.
“Moreover, let him leave this matter to the provincial chairman, he is not the spokesperson of the province, he is just the vice chairman of the youth. These are policy matters, they should be left to the provincial chairman.
Provincial chairman, he was in a meeting, he represented Lusaka, let him speak out, why is he telling the young people to speak? We have to manage ourselves, we have to manage the party. The decision of the central committee is final, until we meet after maybe two, three months, that is when we will look at this matter.
Every decision that we are arriving at, it is in the interest of the party. We are going to have different views but at the end of the day we have to do the right thing.”
And Mwila said the party did not want to end up like MMD by rushing to hold a convention immediately after a loss of the general election.
He stated that Lungu was actually not actively participating in politics because he was preparing to step aside so that the party could elect a new leader.
“They are just in a hurry. Let us not be in a hurry and we are not rushing anywhere as a party. We don’t want to be like MMD, we have the history, that Kuanda who is talking about not having a convention in June, he doesn’t have the history, he doesn’t know anything.
Because that is how MMD got finished, they rushed to the general conference, they elected a leader and they started going into courts. We don’t want when president Lungu steps aside then honourable Lubinda starts acting. Others will start questioning, ‘who appointed him’?
‘Who did that’? President Edgar Lungu was elected by the general conference, so legally he is in office. Even though he is not even actively participating in politics because he is preparing to step aside so that we can elect a new leader,” Mwila said.
Meanwhile, Mwila disclosed that the general conference in June would cost about K8 million.
“We have to raise money for the general conference, the general conference will cost us not less than K8 million. So let them be patient, 2026 is very far, we still have four years and nine months. It is a long way.
Let us be cautious with the way we do things. They are only interested in the position of president, us, we are not interested in that. We want the party to survive beyond 2026.
As a party we have said that we need to identify someone who is mature, who has integrity, who is sellable, who will win us 2026 elections. We don’t want to have a president then we will be a laughing stock, people will be laughing at us as if we were not there.
We are there to guide, we have not left the party. So let them be patient, the decision of the central committee is the right decision,” said Mwila.
AVOID creating a hate culture regarding the decision to reinstate civil servants that were retired in the national interest because when the President retires someone in national interest it means that the nation’s interest is at stake, veteran politician, Katele Kalumba has advised President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr. Kalumba advised the Head of State to consult with the immediate past President, Edgar Lungu particularly through the security wings of the state to make an informed decision on the matter.
He explained to the Daily Nation that the security wings could review the dismissal or retirement in the national interest and the principal, who is President Hakainde Hichilema, could consult Mr. Lungu.
Dr. Kalumba said it’s in national interest that successful administrations consult each other on matters to avoid reinstating a person that was retired in national interest for failing to serve the interests of the nation.
Dr. Kalumba, who served as Foreign Affairs minister in the MMD administration, said that it is important for the former and current presidents to engage in consultations to have a full understanding of why some civil servants were retired in national interest.
“There are specific instruments afforded to those that are running our state system to consult each other, that is why it is wrong if a President leaves office someone who succeeds him starts throwing mud at him. That does not allow for statecraft to be exercised properly,” he said.
He urged President Hakainde Hichilema to use the channels that are established between him and Mr Lungu to make consultations on the matter he said borders on security and welfare of the nation.
Dr. Kalumba said there is no collective injury because no one would be capable of hating all Bembas, Tongas, Ngonis or Lozis hence the need to tread cautiously in order to avoid creating continuous tension in the country by bringing those retired in the national interest and having others replaced.
“If your friend made mistakes by inclination according to the political support and the rest of the country saw it, equally if you are doing the same, they will see,” he said.- Daily nation
RAY HAMOONGA, COME AND SHOW US THE 10 GUNSHOT WOUNDS ON THIS MAN
Awe bane ine tefyonaba, I don’t just feed on baseless stories. I was taught to ask questions and here I have to ask.
Firstly look at the statement from Police Spokesperson;
“A 58 year old man Goodward Mulubwa of house number 61 Twin Palm Road, Kabulonga was attacked by five criminals armed with an AK 47 rifle and two pistols and robbed him of Fifty Thousand Kwacha (K50,000) and Three Hundred United States Dollars ($300).
The victim sustained 10 Gunshot wounds on the left shoulder, a cut on the right forefinger, two cuts on the back of the head, seven gunshot wounds on the left side of the face and five gunshot wounds on the right arm.
The criminals are reported to have been wearing masks. This occurred on 30th October,2021 at around 23:00 hours at the above mentioned address. Police are investigating the matter”, said Ray Hamoonga.
Now, look at this man, with Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, can you see those scars as the result of gunshots inflicted on him barely almost 3 weeks ago?
Was this man really shot at?
Ray Hamoonga issued a statement in the early hours of Monday, coming from a Sunday.
Who compiled the report that Ray Hamoonga gave to the media?
How did Ray Hamoonga know Goodward Mulumbwa sustained 10 gunshot wounds?
Where is the police report?
Which hospital was he treated at and who doctors?
Any leads on the criminals who allegedly shot this man?
It was reported that Mr. Mulumbwa was supposed to be searched, so what happens to the search?
Will Ray Hamoonga give up an update on this matter?
I am sorry you have to be convincing not just come out with praises that God has performed a miracle when in fact there was no danger or wounds.
TAYALI THE PUBLIC LAWYER OF THE PUBLIC COURT OF OPINIONS!
The man in black is Mr Goodward Mulubwa, seen today with Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba. Interesting that about 2 weeks ago, it was reported that he was shot several times in the head and chest ….speedy healing indeed. What a miracle.
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says already Zambians are complaining because they are not used to orderliness. “They are used to a lot of haphazardness. But we will run this country better and I’m confident that after a year or two, Zambians will begin to appreciate,” he says. President Hichilema says he wants to see so many people making it in the private sector. He also notes that there is a misconception that foreign direct investments (FDIs) connote European, Asian or American investments.
President Hichilema was speaking when United Bank of Africa (UBA) group chairman Tony Elumelu paid a courtesy call on him at State House on Tuesday. Elumelu was in the company of UBA management team and the bank’s chairperson Dr Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula.
Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is also the chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp and the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation. The Tony Elumelu Foundation is a leading champion of entrepreneurship in Africa. President Hichilema said the order of things now, around FDIs, must be that Zambian investments, must be supported here, as it is in Nigeria.
“FDIs must mean to us now that African investors. We must not discriminate African investments. We must look at supplying to each other before we look at outside Africa,” President Hichilema said. “Africa does not need the narrative of war, bandits, hunger, poverty. Africa needs a narrative of opportunity and success! We must come of age as a continent. We must be embarrassed to be called names.” He indicated that he was aware that many African political leaders fear the private sector. “They don’t want to see successful citizens in their own country. [But] this President wants to see so many successful people in the private sector. Success of the country is a summation of the success of its citizens at household, business level.”
President Hichilema reiterated that Zambians would see the country being run differently under his superintendence.
“Already, Zambians are complaining because they are not used to orderliness. They are used to a lot of haphazardness,” he noted. “But we’ll run this country better and I’m confident that after a year or two, Zambians will begin to appreciate.” President Hichilema stressed that the core mandate of the UPND administration is to turn around Zambia’s economic.
“That’s why we set up the SMEs ministry. For the first time in the history of our country’s Cabinet portfolio, SMEs sits as a ministry on its own,” President Hichilema said. “We don’t want the everyday complaints of opportunity, opportunity, opportunity, ‘landlockedness.’ We are a land-linked country and we are strategically located.”
He indicated that Zambia ought to be made a hub of production of various products, including agricultural products. “[We want to be] a hub of processing or value addition. We have a rare opportunity to enhance trade with our neighbours,” noted President Hichilema. “As the government, we would like to actualise this issue of sending goods into Congo and Angola.”
Meanwhile, Elumelu said his foundation would like to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow their businesses. He emphasised that his foundation is ready to support President Hichilema’s economic aspirations for Zambia.
“We would like to support small and medium enterprises. We believe our youth are energetic [and] we think that they are very innovative,” Elumelu said. “I told my people, and they know this. When I see progressive African presidents, I like to identify with them. I would like to see how we can collaborate and work together to fulfill the aspirations, which we believe will help to move Africa forward.”
He pointed out that trade partnerships are: “all about opportunities for our people.” “It’s all about poverty eradication and inclusive growth. I like what I hear about you (President Hichilema),” said Elumelu. “We are ready to give any support that we can provide and help in achieving your economic aspirations.”- The Mast
United Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth Chairman Gilbert Liswaniso says under the new dawn administration there is no doubt that youths are going to be empowered and improve their livelihood.
And Mr Liswaniso has encouraged youths and women to look forward to real change.
He said this when he paid a courtesy call on Mungwi and Senga Hill District Commissioners of Northern Province.
“Youths in Zambia are not interested in political handouts which was a way of life under Patriotic Front administration and few youths benefited from empowerment programmes.
But President Hakainde Hichilema with love for the young people has said no to it and this is where our strength lies.
Right in our communities with common values we are going to improve our lives because we are Zambians and endowed with natural resources” Liswaniso said.
And Mungwi District Commissioner Muma Musonda said his administration will ensure that youths and women are taught ways of improving their lives.
He said is committed to work with District Administrative Office and the civic leadership in the province.
“Thank you for your visit Mr Liswaniso this office is for the Zambian people and l will ensure proper monitoring of evaluation of development in Mungwi district which include managing financial and any other resources.
Otherwise l will fail in my duties if am not available for the people of Mungwi District. What is important for me is service and service for the people .
Mungwi District has great potential of contributing to social and economic development of the country.l will teach my people how to fish” Mr Musonda emphasised.
And Senga Hill District Commissioner Jester Sikazwe is optimistic that with the implementation of the decentralisation policy no one is going to be left out.
“I run the office with an open door policy to ensure that everyone is assisted and enjoys to live as a Zambian.
Am settling down and I want to thank President Hakainde Hichilema for his confidence and trust in appointing me.
ELECTION PETITIONS IN ZAMBIA: A MOCKERY OF ELECTORAL JUSTICE.
In the last General Election, it is believed that over 400 election petitions were filed by losing candidates against the winning candidates at local government, mayoral/chairperson and parliamentary levels.
The law demands that such election petitions must be heard and determined by the High Court or tribunal within 90 days from the date of lodgement but the High Court or tribunal decisions are appealable in the constitutional Court
So far, many of these petitions have been discharged at high Court or tribunal level in favour of the winning candidates and most likely the remaining will go the same way.
What is the problem and is there any prospect for any successful election petition in Zambia? The problem is section 97 of the Electoral Process Act No 35 of 2016 which guides how an election petition is supposed to done and details grounds on which to void an election.
Section 97.(1) guides that An election of a candidate as a Member of Parliament, mayor, council chairperson or councillor shall not be questioned except by an election petition presented under this Part.
Subsection 2 stresses that the election of a candidate as a Member of Parliament, mayor, council chairperson or councillor shall be void if, on the trial of an election petition, it is proved to the satisfaction of the High Court or a tribunal, as the case may be, that—
(a) a corrupt practice, illegal practice or other misconduct has been committed in connection with the election— by a candidate; or with the knowledge and consent or approval of a candidate or of that candidate’s election agentor polling agent; and the majority of voters in a constituency, district or ward were or may have been prevented from electing the candidate in that constituency, district or ward whom they preferred;
This is the biggest obstacle to election petitions in Zambia being successful as it is not possible to prove any candidate’s involvement in electoral irregularities and malpractices.
The Act also guides that any omission by the Electoral Officers cannot be used as a basis to petition an election and void.
So repealing section 97 is key to future successful election petitions and also for rooting out electoral corruption, malpractices and illegalities in the electoral process.
As it stands now, one cannot blame the judges because the outcome is known even before one files in their petitions by the operation of law.
In this regard, elections petitions, though a constitutional right, are proving to be just academic forum shopping expeditions.
They are just a waste of time, resources and energies and just raises unnecessary anxieties to the petitioners and petitioned.
The announcement made by the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Mr Lemmy Kajoba that the Zambia Police Service (ZP) under the new dawn government was actively investigating many atrocities committed by the Patriotic Front (PF) party cadres and officials from 2015 is pleasing.
This is what it should be in a country that seeks many answers to crimes committed by the former ruling party members. The police chief and the new dawn government should be commended for answering many Zambians’’ request to have the PF killers, thieves, thugs, tribalists, and the corrupt investigated.
During Mr Edgar Lungu’s PF government, many crimes were committed and the Zambia Police was unable to investigate and bring to book the culprits. This was because the perpetrators of such crimes were in power, and the police were powerless. The Zambia Police through former Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja was told to look elsewhere. During this period, I had several conversations with colleagues in the Police Service who indicated to me that they could bring law and order to Zambia but Mr Lungu and the PF did not allow them to work independently. The new police chief and the new dawn government should be commended for beginning to look into these cases now. In Bemba we say umulandu taubola; meaning that no matter how long it takes, the time to answer for a crime certainly comes.
Under the PF government, cadres killed many people. A lot of political opponents’ cadres were killed in cold blood by PF thugs and the Police did not arrest the killers because the Service under Mr Kanganja was captured by the PF. The opposition political cadres killed by PF criminals include Grazier Matapa, Lawrance Banda, Mapenzi Chibuulo, and Obed Kasongo, among many others. It is just fair that the Police under the new dawn government investigate all those cases and bring to book the PF thugs who were behind such killings. This will bring closure to these cases and help in healing this country.
Corruption was also rife in the PF government. Public financial resources were stolen through various schemes which include inflated contracts in the construction of roads, airports, and supply of goods and services. Many senior government officials and some ordinary PF cadres accumulated wealth which they cannot now account for. This is because president Lungu and his government paid lip service to the fight against corruption. In the new dawn government, we expect that all those corruption cases that were reported to the law enforcement agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), and Zambia Police Service should be revisited by the security agencies so that people who stole from Zambians should face the law.
Under the PF government, Zambians witnessed tribalism of the highest degree in all sectors of society. The PF and its members shamelessly launched tribal attacks on President Hakahinde Hichilema (HH) and his fellow Tonga speaking people when he was the opposition. In this regard, low and high-ranking PF officials championed tribalism. They campaigned in black and white on tribal lines. They were sure that the tribal card would save them as it saved them in 2016. PF members such as Mr Chishimba Kambwili, Professor Nkandu Luo, Mr Chanda Nyela, and Mr Bizwell Mutale went to length in painting HH and his tribesmen as bad people who should not be given a chance to run this country. Even after losing the August 12, 2021, General Election, PF members have continued to preach tribalism. For example, in October 2021, during the Kaumbwe parliamentary by-election, Mr Kambwili and his newly found friend, Mr Rapheal Nakachinda campaigned on tribal lines.
It is an offense in this country for one to issue tribal remarks. According to Section 70 (1) of the Penal Code, “any person who utters any words or publishes any writing expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for any person or group of persons wholly or mainly because of his or their race, tribe, place of origin or colour is guilty of an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years.” This implies that all those who issued tribal remarks should be investigated and brought to book. The Police and the new dawn government are on the right side of history by revisiting such crimes.
Many civilised Zambians want all these crimes committed by PF cadres, ministers and their sympathisers investigated. Zambians, including the writer of this article, want to see the killings, corruption, thuggery, and tribalism witnessed during the tenure of president Lungu invesitigted. It will set a bad precedence if these cases are swept under the carpet by the new dawn government in the name of national unity.
Some media outlets have reported stories where PF criminal elements and their sympathisers have complained that they were being investigated by the new dawn government because they are Bemba-speaking people. They are claiming that the war against corruption, tribalism, and thuggery waged by the new dawn government is a tribal fight. This is an act of desperation by PF criminal elements and meant to win public sympathy, especially from the Bemba-speaking people. But Zambians and the Bemba-speaking people will not buy into this idea because they know that Mr Lungu’s tribal government committed so many crimes, which have crippled the economy and destroyed national unity. Further, Zambians know that a crime is a crime, and perpetrators; whether Bemba speaking people or not have to face the law. No person should claim that he or she was being targeted in this fight because of his/her tribe. If some Bemba-speaking people who served in Mr Lungu’s PF government dipped their hands into government coffers, they should be arrested. No one should hide under the veil of a tribe. Therefore, the tribal voices by PF members accusing the new dawn government of waging a tribal war are misplaced and will not succeed. The PF criminals and tribalists should man up and face the law.
There is nothing tribal in fighting criminality in the manner the new dawn government is doing. The fight is meant to bring law and order to the country. It is also meant to stamp out corruption and stop the culture of impunity; therefore, this fight should not be deliberately misunderstood. It is time the law enforcement agencies under the new dawn government swiftly investigated all those who committed crimes against Zambians under Mr Lungu’s PF regime.
In conclusion, I wish to urge president HH and his new dawn government not to be destructed by those who have started accusing him of starting a tribal war. The new dawn government should vigorously pursue all those who committed crimes in the past, present, and future as many Zambians are behind this fight. To the Zambia Police and the IG, I wish to urge them not to be intimidated by PF tribalists and criminals with their unsubstantiated accusations. The Police should proceed to investigate them because many Zambians want to see the investigation concluded as soon as possible.
The author is a lecturer in Library and Information Science at the University of Zambia. Views expressed in this article do not represent those of the institution or its union, but the author’s opinion on the fight against PF criminality waged by the new dawn government.
WHY AREN’T WE MILLIONAIRES? Last week I was ecstatic and proud . A brother of mine from SA sent me an article about a certain James Ndambo, a Zambian multi millionaire( in dollar terms) who is setting up a VIP Executive Jet company. I felt my chest swell with pride because James is a brother of mine . James is one of the most astute businessmen I’ve come across. But his most disarming virtues is his simplicity, his humility and generosity. James’s success in business rests on his ability to rebound from setbacks and embrace the most audacious business challenges and environments. When James was frustrated and harassed in his own country he moved to South Africa where he became a successful entrepreneur. Inspite of vicious Xenophobia. When I migrated to South Africa as “an economic refugee” James took me in and organized my papers as he has done unconditionally for many Zambians.
James decided to conquer DRC when it had a very difficult political and economic environment. He introduced digitalized Customs clearance. He has become one of the most successful businessmen in DRC and Africa.
James tried to do the same in his home country , but because he is Zambian we killed his dream and decided to give the same business to those who are lighter than us, it’s a Zambian thing. When therefore I received another call from a Chairman of a big public listed company in the UK who asked if I could introduce him to my brother James Ndambo in Kinshasa because he was such an important man in DRC I gushed with pride as a Zambian and someone who knows such a successful home boy.
The question: Would James have succeeded if he had stayed in Zambia?
The Answer: No
The Reason : James would have succeeded but not to the same extent. He could have been a millionaire but not a multi millionaire because our environment and culture is hard and belligerent on our own. We create more conducive preferential conditions for “bazungus” than ourselves. A foreigner is easier seen or met or listened to than a Zambian entrepreneur. It’s a mindset thing. A Zambian in his own country has to work 5 times as hard to be recognized. A simple business example a Zambian running a first class restaurant will hardly get muzungu clients but a muzungu restaurant with even lower standards will be fulu fulu with muzungus and Zambians . For instance check out Rocky Sombe’s CAPELLOS at Lewanika Mall in Woodlands, it’s first class but no Muzungu. We are our own enemies. We still consider having a million dollars as exotic, a miracle or let alone criminal and the reason is because we DO NOT THINK BIG like James Ndambo . James Ndambo has now set up an airline . The Zambian government has been trying to set up an Airline for the past 5 years . Who is a hero?
The lesson is that as HH said this is now an era for Zambians First. We must allow our own Zambians to built capacity in fuel procurement, in construction , in Farming, in Renewable energy , in financial services , in Real estate development etc. Don’t condemn but encourage don’t pull down but build and those who succeed we must recognize them for making us proud . A Big up to you James Ndambo my own brother. To the young entrepreneur James Ndambo is your icon. Emulate his resilience , his focus and ability to embrace change and technology but importantly you live in a Global village without borders. If you are too far ahead of your society find one where you will be appreciated. Do not let small minds stop you from being Great.
Hon. Justice Dr Mumba Malila SC is a judge of the Supreme Court. He was appointed to the Supreme Court on 28th February 2014. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Zambia, a Master of Laws degree from the University of Cambridge, a Master of Laws degree in International Business Law from the University of Cumbria and a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Pretoria. He also holds a post-graduate Certificate in Human Rights from the Rene Casin Institute of Human Rights, Strasbourg, France. He was admitted to the Zambian Bar as an Advocate in 1989 and took silk as State Counsel in December 2006.
Justice Malila possesses vast legal experience. Prior to his appointment as Supreme Court Judge, he served in various positions in the Zambian legal profession. He was a University of Zambia Law Lecturer between 1989 and 1993, 2002 and 2006, and 2010 and 2011. During his tenure as a Lecturer at the University of Zambia, he served as Assistant Dean (Research) and Assistant Dean (Post-Graduate).
Justice Malila also practiced as a legal practitioner with Christopher Russell Cook & Co and was an Honorary Assessor and Lecturer at the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE). He was appointed Legal Manager of Meridien Financial Services in 1993 and worked as Group Legal Counsel and Company Secretary of the Emerging Markets Investments Zambia Group of companies. He is the founder and was Managing Partner of the law firm, Phoenix Partners, which was later renamed Mumba Malila & Partners.
As a private legal practitioner, Justice Malila once served as the Honorary Secretary of the Law Association of Zambia and as the nominee of the Association on the Judicial Service Commission, the Law Development Commission and the SADC Lawyers’ Association’s Executive Council. He was the Vice President of the Zambia Association of Human Rights. He also sat as a Board Member of Zambia Railways Limited, Sams Medical Products Limited and the NGO, Women and Law in Southern Africa.
Justice Malila twice served as Attorney General of the Republic Zambia and ex-officio Member of the Zambian Cabinet under three Presidents. During his tenure as Attorney General, Justice Malila served as a member of various public institutions such as the Judicial Service Commission, the Council of Law Reporting, the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission and the Public Procurement Authority. He chaired various other public bodies including the ZIALE Council, the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee and the Anti-Money Laundering Authority in the Drug Enforcement Commission.
Prior to his appointment as Attorney General of Zambia, Justice Malila served as Chairperson of the Zambian Human Rights Commission. He was elected as a member of the Banjul based African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and was eventually chosen the Commission’s Vice Chairperson in the last two of his six year term as a Commissioner.
Justice Malila is the past Chairperson of the Zambia Law Reports and currently chairs the Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee on Court Operations.
He is the recipient of various awards including the Transparency International Zambia Recognition Award (2009) for his work in the fight against corruption in Zambia and the Zambian Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Award (2019) in recognition of his human rights work in Zambia and on the continent of Africa.
He has authored six books, namely: Commercial Law in Zambia: Essential Texts (2005), Commercial Law in Zambia: Cases and Materials (2006), Contract Law in Zambia (2008) (co-authored), Imperfect Ruminations Rooted in Hope (2016) and The Law of Business Associations in Zambia: An Introduction (2019) (co-authored) and The Contours of a Developing Jurisprudence of the Zambian Supreme Court (2019). He has contributed several book chapters and is author of numerous articles in peer reviewed journals.
MAFINGA PF member of parliament Robert Chabinga has been taken to court by Mapalo Lodge ‘the hotel’ for non-payment of hospitality services amounting to K62,530 which he accrued five years ago. Hotel manager Noah Mutoti has lodged a complaint against Chabinga before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for leaving a hotel without clearing his bills.
According to the complaint, Mutoti said between March 14, and June 30, 2016, Chabinga requested and received hospitality services at the hotel located in Lusaka’s Chudleigh area, food, beverages, lodging, and accumulated a bill of K62,530.
He said after checking out of the hotel on June 30, 2016, the former Post Newspaper liquidation manager purported to make a payment of K52,000 by issuing cheque No. 000054 at Barclays Bank account No. 0000001008495.
Mutoti submitted that the cheque was however dishonoured by the bank due to insufficient funds and it bounced. Mutoti stated that out of courtesy, he attempted to resolve the matter with Chabinga amicably but all attempts to have him settle the bill had proved futile as he had been elusive while the bill remained unpaid to date. “I made a complaint to the Zambia Police Service regarding the bounced cheque. And when Chabinga was summoned to the police to answer to my complaint, he did not respond personally, but engaged a purported Zambia Police Service official to appear on his behalf; an act smacking of misconduct and irregularity on the part of the police service official,” Mutoti said.
“The accused’s act of leaving a hotel without paying the bill or making arrangements with the hotel-keeper, or his agents or servant that the bill may be left in abeyance is contrary to Section 24 of the Hotels Act and constitutes a criminal offence.”
The hotel manager further said Chabinga’s act of issuing a cheque willfully, dishonestly or with intent to defraud on an insufficiently funded account was contrary to the law and constituted an offence.
Chabinga, who is known for living an ‘exaggerated’ lifestyle, is facing three counts of leaving a hotel without paying bills for board or making arrangements with the hotel keeper or his agent or servant that the bill may be left in abeyance, obtaining pecuniary advantage to incur a debt and evade settlement and issuing a cheque on an insufficiently funded account.
The newly elected law maker also has two pending similar cases before the High Court for non-payment of rentals.
Two female Lusaka residents of PHI and Ibex Hill are demanding thousands of dollars from Chabinga for rental arrears He is expected to take plea before magistrate Faidess Hamaundu.
“PF PARTY DEMANDS THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MR DAVIES CHAMA ON POLICE BOND.”
The nation was meant to believe Mr Hakainde’s hoodwinking statements on respect and return to the RULE OF LAW. But under ground Mr HAKAINDE is doing the complete opposite with many well documented human rights abuses.
For the first time in the history of the country the Inspector General of Police Mr Lemmy KAJOBA was instructed to read out suspected politically charged cases on the national broadcaster and the police command committing itself, as a sign of loyalty to State House, to arrest those on the list immediately.
It’s been five(5) days now we do not know the whereabouts of our senior member of the party Mr DAVIES CHAMA MCC. He was arrested pending investigations and to date no information concerning the case or his whereabouts have been made public.
Mr CHAMA was last seen in full view of members of the central committee being driven to an unknown destination by the police from woodlands police station.
Mr CHAMA is not a flight risk suspect, and cannot be treated away from the dictates of the law, least we conclude that Mr Hakainde is persecuting his political opponents and Mr CHAMA is the latest victim of his witch hunt.
Mr CHAMA has served as Defence Minister for many years in this country and has countless times acted as President of the Republic, the very office Mr Hakainde is occupying hence he cannot either be treated or regarded as a flight risk suspect, when infact he even qualifies to be granted bail in his own recognizance.
As a party we demand that the police firstly give the nation the true facts of his whereabouts, and release him on bail or bond pending determination of the case levelled against him.
Failure to which, the party will take necessary legal action and the entire police command and the State will be held responsible if anything happens to him while in their custody. We are sick and tired of this and many well documented human rights abuses being occasioned on our party members.
Hon. Raphael M. NAKACINDA, MCC Information and Publicity CHAIR. 17/11/2021
PF member Kelvin Kaunda has expressed concern at the decision made by the former ruling party to hold its elective conference in June 2022, saying the general membership is not pleased and would like to see a new leadership take charge sooner.
The former councilor says it is also not in the best interest of the party for former president Edgar Lungu to continue as party president.
Kelvin KAUNDA: “I want to put it on record that the general membership of the party is quite displeased with the decision by the central committee to take the Congress to June 2022. This is unprecedented, this is a move which has not been welcomed. This is something that is not in good taste.
This is unprecedented in history. You know that whenever ECZ are conducting their general elections, when we as a nation have a general election, the campaign period provided is only about 90 days.
But here is an intra-party election being announced with a campaign period of seven months. Is this progressive? The answer is no. This is not progressive. Institutions, nations, organisations and so on rise and fall on the basis of leadership. So you cannot have a situation where you have an organisation which has a leadership which is in inverted commas ‘acting’.
There are a lot of questions that beg an answer as to why president Lungu is still perpetuating his stay in office. Whatever the reason may be, the general party leadership feels that the perpetuated stay of His Excellency the president Edgar Chagwa Lungu is not in the best interest of the party.”
Mr Kaunda may not be a very well-known public figure in the political circles because of the low profile that he prefers to keep. But it is just a matter of time before the country wakes up to realise how much of a great leader he is.
We say this from our experience working with him on several corporate social responsibility programmes that seek to foster good governance, transparency and accountability.
At a time when it was not fashionable to demand accountability from the PF government, this man found a way to facilitate public discussion forums where elected government officials from his party would face the citizens to address public concerns on various issues.
It’s needless to say that he did this fearlessly while holding the position of ward councillor on the ruling party ticket. We know very few people who have a passion for this country more than Mr Kaunda.
It is difficult for anyone to disagree with his observation on the decision made by the PF central Committee regarding the succession plan for the party. How can a leadership that has been disgracefully rejected by the people still want to be running the affairs of the party for another one year after an election defeat?
This is greed! What the Central Committee members are saying, one would assume, is that if they can’t have it, no one else should. They want to take the PF with them to the grave.
There is no way the PF central Committee can justify the decision to keep the party in the hands of someone as discredited as Mr Lungu for that long after his downfall. But we also observe that this dictatorial tendency is not new.
To start with, Mr Lungu was never at any point democratically elected by the party membership to be the presidential candidate. From 2014 to 2021, the man imposed himself with help from a few disgruntled MCCs and lawyers.
Look at what transpired at the 2021 PF convention. No one voted for Mr Lungu and no ballots were cast. They put thugs at the entrance and anyone who showed interest to challenge Mr Lungu was threatened with serious consequences.
Before the convention the PF secretary general issued a statement that the central committee had resolved to endorse Lungu as sole candidate, and at the convention we were told that the President had powers to appoint members of the same party organ that endorsed him.
So in essence, the central committee appointed Lungu and Lungu appointed the central committee. And some narrow minded people in the party were clapping for that as democracy.
After those that benefitted the most from having Mr Lungu as Republican President succeeded in securing a passage for him to the ballot box, and having suffered the humiliating defeat, they have now come to a stage where they need to take a walk of shame, but they are finding that difficult to do.
Instead of giving up, surrendering and walking away with a little integrity, they still want to impose a leader of their choice, and not one whom the party members wish to elect. This is the only explanation why they don’t want a convention until June 2022.
It appears to us that these members of the Central Committee are hallucinating that a time will come when Zambians will forgive them and decide to elect them back into power. They think there is still a chance of bouncing back and they don’t want that opportunity to fall in the hands of a new leadership. That would explain why someone like Mr Lungu would still want to lead the party and even chair Central Committee meetings.
Mr Kaunda and other patriotic members are asking very important questions around democracy in the now largest opposition party. If the president has said he won’t stand in 2021, the secretary general and party chairman have stepped down, what reason do you have for not allowing those who want to take over? It’s greed.
They still want to drink from the chalice which they poisoned themselves.
UPDATE ON HON. DAVIES CHAMA AND BRIAN NYONI Mulobezi, Wednesday 17th November 2021. WE have deliberated and agreed to dispense with the identification parade because our Former Minister, who was also our SG and a well known public figure that can easily be identified as a public figure and will most definitely be identified by any zambian to his detriment.
We have objected to driving to Sichili for the scene visit because the scene was already visited during investigations and a report was done 6 years ago. We await the police to give us a way forward if they will effect a formal arrest so that we press for police bond or if we can get bail from the Magistrate.
Our Second thought is to have them appear in court for mentioning the matter and for bail application. So far the officers appear to be very professional and transparent. The two remain in custody awaiting formal arrests and court appearance or police bond.
As opposed to the recent presidential decree that No one should be in custody for more than 48 hours after detention, Hon. Chama has since spent all the 5 cold nights from Saturday to date. What remains to be seen is if Bally’s decrees will be mere rhetoric as was the case with President Mwanawasa whose word never carried any weight.
We hope Bally will be very forceful to avoid his commands being a talk show. The police need our support to achieve their targets. So far the police have said Bally cannot force them to release suspects within 48 and that’s why Hon. Chama has stayed this long. Lastly, we are yet to see if the police under Bally will receive the motivation required to do their job to the expectations otherwise police work is hard without adequate funding.
In Sesheke Police where Hon. Chama is detained the don’t even have transport as the only vehicle broke down this week. How do you expect the police to walk with suspects in town when going to court.
Please remind Bally that there is more to enhancing human rights than just talking about the 48 hours. Let’s empower our police Bally. His police officers need funding and promotions to get motivated. We are all potential suspects and our rights must be protected before we enter cells.
A 59-year-old police officer has told the Luanshya Magistrate Court how he failed to arrest and detain Bowman Lusambo because he was a sitting Minister in 2019.
In this matter, Mr Lusambo is alleged to have assaulted two National Democratic Congress (NDC) members namely Mr Stanley Musukwa and Ms Mary Musonda on 11th April, 2019.
The PF Kabushi Member of Parliament is charged with two counts of Unlawful wounding and Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm contrary to Section 248 Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
When the matter came up for continued trial, Mr Charles Musamba, Mpatamato Police officer in charge said he refused to listen to instructions from the former Lusaka Province Minister.
“On 11 April 2019, I was assigned by commander to report at 24:00 hours and do general patrols that was the time of the Roan Parliamentary by-elections. On that day, we had officers that were patrolling the elections. We did the patrols in all polling stations, with other officers. Around 02:45 hours while at the station, I heard some noise outside, then I went outside and stood at the veranda to check what was happening, later on I just saw two people coming, the other one was Honorable (Bowman) Lusambo, with three people whom Lusambo was instructing to move and enter the police,” Musamba said.
Mr Musamba explained that the ‘Bulldozer’ instructed the trio to enter while he was carrying a black bag.
He said Mr Lusambo then reported to the officers that he had found three people with offensive weapons.
“….he then opened the bag and removed the weapons and other staff and handed them to the officer on shift. The three people whom he had come with, where made to seat in the front office. Those people looked injured and blood was oozing from the heard others from the hands, but the three disputed, they stated that it was Mr. Bowman Lusambo who attacked them with the other guy who was with Mr. Lusambo, attacked in section 27. They were quite injured when I saw them,” he narrated.
He testified that one of the other members who was injured was missing.
The government in the last 10 years signed road contracts valued at K127 billion without a clear foresight on how these commitments would be liquidated, Parliament has heard.
Meanwhile, as at 30th June, 2021, arrears payable to contractors and consultants accumulated to K9.68 billion.
Delivering a ministerial statement on the debt status of the road sector, Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane revealed that the government further obtained expensive loans from NAPSA and NATSAVE valued at K4.2 billion as a way of raising funds, but these initiatives did not clear all the arrears to the huge over-commitment.
Dr. Musokotwane says the total arrears plus the loans brings the total to K14.7 billion dollars as of 30th June 2021.
He says this approach is unsustainable and that his Ministry directed the National Road Fund Agency in consultation with other road sector agencies to develop a ten-year debt service sustainability plan which will outline how the government will implement road infrastructure in a more sustainable manner.
Dr. Musokotwane said if approved by Cabinet, the debt sustainability plan will ensure that government does not incur debt unnecessarily without any viable repayment plan beginning in the year 2022.
Below is the full statement
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON THE ROAD SECTOR DEBT STATUS AS AT 30 JUNE 2021
Madam Speaker, I wish to thank you for giving me this opportunity to brief the House on the Debt status of the Road Sector. I wish to start by giving a composition highlighting the five main key players in the road sector.
Madam Speaker, the five main players are as follows:
1) National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) falling under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning;
2) Road Development Agency (RDA) falling under the Ministry of Housing Infrastructure and Urban Development;
3) Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) falling under Ministry of Transport and Logistics; and,
4) Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD); and,
5) National Council for Construction (NCC) under the Ministry of Housing Infrastructure and Urban Development.
Madam Speaker, the Road Development Agency is responsible for the procurement and implementation of road works in the country.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Housing Infrastructure and Urban Development, the Road Development Agency (RDA) signs contracts with various contractors for major road works mainly on trunk, main and district roads including bridges.
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is responsible for feeder and urban roads in the country.
The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) is responsible for funding of the road works.
Madam Speaker, funding to the road sector in Zambia is derived from both local and external sources.
The local funding source includes fuel levy, inland and port of entry tolls, road license fees, registration and examination fees, weighbridge fines. The external funding is derived from loans and grants from co-operating partners such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, #European Union, funds from contractors financing initiatives and public private partnerships.
Madam Speaker, during the last ten (10) years, Government signed road contracts valued at K127 billion without a clear foresight on how these commitments would be liquidated.
As at 30 June, 2021 arrears payable to contractors and consultants accumulated to K9.68 billion.
Further, Government obtained loans from NAPSA and NATSAVE valued at K4.2 Billion as a way of raising funds, but these initiatives did not clear all arrears due to the huge over committment.
Madam Speaker, the breakdown of all the contract commitments, debt arrears, and loans as at 30 June, 2021 is as follows:
CONTRACT COMMITMENTS
1) Road Development Agency (RDA) has 690 running contracts valued at K111.46 Billion.
2) Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) has 315 contracts valued at K16.15 Billion.
3) The contract commitments is therefore 1,005 contracts and valued at K127.61 Billion.
A total of K 9.68 Billion is also owed to contractors as debt arrears.
Madam Speaker, the following are the commercial loans obtained by (NRFA) totaling to about K5.06 Billion:
1) NAPSA loan, K 3.8 Billion;
2) First NATSAVE loan, K260 Million;
3) Second NATSAVE loan, K500 Million; and,
4) INDO-ZAMBIA loan: K500 Million.
Further, Madam Speaker, the total of arrears plus loans as at 30th June, 2021 is K14.7 billion.
Madam Speaker, it is clear that this approach is unsustainable and obviously requires serious adjustments. My Ministry has therefore directed the National Road Fund Agency in consultation with other road sector agencies, to develop a ten (10) year Debt Service Sustainability Plan (DSSP) which will outline how Government will implement road infrastructure in a more sustainable manner going forward.
This ten (10) year plan will:
1) Prioritise payments of all debt arrears due to routine maintenance, small and medium contractors and thereafter ensure timely monthly payments to all routine maintenance contractors.
2) propose the refinancing mechanism of the costly NAPSA and NATSAVE I loans within the next six (6) months, which will result in significant savings when all loans are fully repaid within five (5) years.
3) prioritise the planning and provide adequate funding towards implementation of periodic maintenance and rehabilitation road works, before considering the costly upgrading over the ten (10) year period.
4) Prioritise the annual planning and provide adequate funding for implementation of 80% complete upgrading road projects for completion within the first two years of the ten (10) year period.
5) Propose to the implementing agencies, RDA and MLGRD, immediate termination of the dormant road contracts, to stop the intangible costs, such as interest claims on delayed payment of interim payment certificates (IPCS). The termination costs will be part of the debt arrears in the DSSP.
Madam Speaker, the 10 year debt service sustainability plan will in addition propose an overall suspension for the debt arrears, in terms of:
1) The proportion redeemable through the road sector ten (10) year annual work plan;
2) The proportion likely to be suspended now and to be redeemed during the second five (5) years, thus after all the five year loans above have been fully redeemed;
3) The proportion which could be negotiated at sovereign level; and,
4) The proportion which could be a candidate of the medium to long term bonds till adequate funding is available to redeem fully the arrears.
Madam Speaker, the Debt Service Sustainability Plan, if approved by Cabinet, will ensure government does not incur debt unnecessarily without any viable repayment plan beginning the year 2022.
My Ministry will table the debt service sustainability plan for cabinet approval before 31st December, 2021.
Madam Speaker, The Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning has been directed to immediately engage RDA and NRFA to identify potential road projects across the country that could be financed and implemented under the PPP arrangement.
This is expected to create relief on the Treasury going forward.
Madam speaker lastly but not least, the National Road Fund Agency in collaboration with RDA and MLGRD has been guided to develop a transparent, effective and fair payment mechanism for the period October 2021 to December 2021, in line with the National Road Fund Act Number 13 of 2002.
Going forward, with this system in place, I do not expect contractors owed to lobby for payments as this is breeding ground for corruption which the new dawn Government shall not tolerate at all costs.
I THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER
Delivered by:
Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP Minister of Finance and National Planning.
2022 NATIONAL BUDGET A DEATH TRAP FOR OVER 16, 000 CHILDREN IN ZAMBIA-CSO-SUN.
The Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition Alliance is disappointed with the failure by the new dawn government to place any importance to the fight against malnutrition as evidenced by the inadequate allocation to the nutrition sector in the 2022 national budget.
CSO-SUN Country Coordinator Mathews Mhuru says the 2022 National Budget places the New Dawn administration in the same “CLIQUE” of politicians who have not seen the importance of reducing the alarming rates of malnutrition.
Mr. Mhuru says with the findings of his Organisation’s budget analysis, the 2022 National budget is a death sentence to the over 16, 000 children who are projected to die in 2022 as a result of failure by the government to increase resource allocation to the nutrition sector.
Below is a full statement…..
Press Statement
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, 16th November 2021 – Like many other Organisations who have been fighting for justice for the various people they represent, 12th August 2021 presented a lot of hope for the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance regarding the fight against malnutrition in the Country.
On a number of occasions the President addressed the people, he never missed an opportunity to indicate how important it was for his government to ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all Zambians as a bare minimum. During his first Press conference at the Community House, at his inauguration at the Heroes Stadium and during the Official opening of the first session of the 13th National Assembly, the President at all these occasions emphasized that no Zambian under his administration will go to bed hungry.
With these pronouncements coming from the highest office in the land, we were convinced that for the first time in a long time, we had an administration that not only cared about people having access to food but nutritious and safe food.
We were also convinced that for the first time we would see a shift in the allocation patterns in the national budget as a way of guaranteeing delivery on these pronouncements.
However, on 29th October 2021, Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane delivered the 2022 National Budget which unfortunately spoke otherwise about the commitment shown by the President regarding the provision of safe and nutritious food to the Zambian people. Like in the many previous budgets, there was no mention of the word “NUTRITION” in the budget speech, the first indication that there is limited prioritization of nutrition.
A further perusal of the budget speech and the yellow book indicated that key nutrition budget lines including school feeding program, growth monitoring, management of malnutrition among others are not mentioned at all making us wonder whether the current administration is committed to the fight against food and nutrition insecurity despite the President’s commitments.
Other than nutrition and key nutrition budget lines, the Minister of Finance indicated the commitment by the UPND Administration to boost irrigation farming as a way of shifting from rain fed agriculture and yet budget lines allocated for this important activity have been reduced
by over 50 percent compared to the 2021 budget. We wonder how this will be achieved with reduced budget lines.
We have further noted with disappointment, reduced allocation in the agroecology in the 2022 national budget which supports sustainable agricultural practices and is in line with the commitments made at the UN Food Systems Summit in New York attended by President Hichilema this year.
The CSO-SUN is therefore disappointed with the failure by the new dawn government to place any importance to the fight against malnutrition as evidenced by the inadequate allocation to the nutrition sector in the 2022 national budget. This places the New Dawn administration in the same “CLIQUE” of politicians who have not seen the importance of reducing the alarming rates of malnutrition.
We are worried that the 2022 national budget is silent on matters related to food safety. This could mean that institutions mandated to enforce the Food Safety Act of 2019, which include the Ministries of Health and Local Government will be unable to protect the public as far as food safety is concerned. Since enactment, the PF government, and now the New Dawn government have failed to provide adequate resources to food safety, which has led to increased cases of unsafe food being sold to unsuspecting citizens. This has also led to increased cases of unethical practices and falsehood in the marketing of food products which is against the provisions of the food safety act.
With these findings of our budget analysis, we can safely say that the 2022 National budget is a death sentence to the over 16, 000 children who are projected to die in 2022 as a result of failure by the government to increase resource allocation to the nutrition sector.
We are meant to wonder how the New Dawn Government intends to utilize the money given by donors such as the UK Government, the German Government and other cooperating partners towards improving the nutrition status of Zambia when they have failed to place any importance to the nutrition sector in the national budget. We reiterate that donor dependence to fight malnutrition is unsustainable and therefore requires commitment to mobilise resources locally.
Recommendations
Since we have missed an opportunity to adequately fund the nutrition sector in the 2022 National Budget, the CSO-SUN therefore recommends the following to the government;
Prioritize the fight against malnutrition by increasing the funding allocation to both nutrition specific and sensitive programmes.
Ensure that the money given to the country by donors for this cause should be used for the intended purpose to attract more funding that will enable the country to meet its nutrition related needs.
Ensure that the New Dawn Government matches donor funds that have since been committed to food and nutrition.
Allocate more resources to food safety efforts to protect the public from unsafe and unhealthy foods which have devastating health effects.
The food packs given to vulnerable people by both the Ministry of Community Development and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit should be nutrition sensitive to cover up for the dwindling budget to the nutrition sector.
Increase financing to disaster prevention rather that
Restructure the Farmer Input Support Programme to address the dietary needs of the citizens, and not the promotion of maize production.
Make detailed budgets for individual ministries accessible so that stakeholders can provide meaningful support to the government.
DISECTING EMMANUEL MWAMBA’S ARTICLE ON THE LIFTING OF IMMUNITY OF FORMER PRESIDENTS
By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political & Social Analyst
We have taken time to dissect and chew over Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba’s article which was trending on social media last couple of days, entitled – “Stop harassing former presidents.” He spews forth conspiracy theories and draws a myriad of inferences.
In one of the paragraphs, Mwamba offers, “There is a pattern that has emerged where new Presidents engage in trashing the legacy of their predecessors, accuse them of massive acts of corruption, and prosecute them while seeking to consolidate their new power gained.”
Wait a minute……According to Wikipedia, a diplomat is someone who can be sensitive in dealing with others and who can achieve peaceful resolutions or facilitate discussion. A person who doesn’t take sides in a fight but who instead helps others to resolve their differences is an example of someone who is diplomatic.
We therefore find it ludicrous that a seasoned diplomat of Mwamba’s stature elects to spin around issues, as if he’s a party apparatchik, in his feeble attempt to defend past misdeeds, instead of endeavouring to help seek justice as etiquettes of diplomacy dictate, indeed!
If we may take time to school our diplomat who is just arriving from war torn Ethiopia: most of our former African leaders, and indeed some that are still clinging on to power, simply deserve titles as tin-pot dictators.
They’ve been on rampage abusing the very power entrusted to them by poor country folk, and anybody who dared challenge them risked being cut to pieces! From oil rich fields of North to West Africa, despots holed-up in palaces decorated with Persian carpets have been quick to descend upon critics and opponents alike and feed them to the crocodiles. And as you venture farther afield into tourist idyllic jungles of East Africa, you’re likely to encounter leaders who think only them, their families or indeed cronies deserve to be at the helm – those that provoke their ire are constant guests in filth dungeons! In mineral rich central and southern Africa, we’ve had a generation of leaders who’ve recklessly plundered their county’s resources and gotten away with it. Is the ambassador therefore suggesting we should continue on such a trajectory? No bwana! This is the 21st Century, former leaders are now being called to account for their wanton transgressions, everywhere.
In mineral-rich Angola, former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos’ daughter, Isabel dos Santos who is said to have bilked her country of more than $1 billion through unscrupulous dealings has had her assets frozen. She’s now under probe. Equally, her half-brother, Jose Filomeno dos Santos, was indicted for alleged illegal transfer of $500m from the central Bank to a Swiss Bank account! Jose Eduardo Dos Santos himself only returned home in September 2020 after a stint exile for fear of prosecution.
He is yet to have his day in court. Since he previously served there as High Commissioner, we’ve no doubt the ambassador is aware that in 2018, the High Court of South Africa reinstated corruption charges against Zuma from 2009 relating to a $5bn arms deal from the 1990s. Zuma now faces 16 counts of corruption, racketeering, fraud, and money laundering, accepting a total of 783 illegal payments.
As if this is not enough, the Constitutional Court has handed him a 15-month sentence for contempt of court after Zuma defied an earlier court order to return and testify before the Zondo Commission, the very creature he created! Amb. Mwamba goes on to insinuate that while cooperating partners may cheer us on, and even deploy resources in the so-called fight against corruption, they never do this in their own countries, never arrest their former Presidents or Prime Ministers for perceived crimes done while they held office. Wrong!
In France, the 66 year old ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to three years in jail, two of them suspended, for corruption. This concerns a case when relating to attempting to bribe a judge in 2014, after he had left office.
And according to ABC online news, the record of Trump officials who have fallen afoul of the law is unparalleled in the history of the United States of America. In all, 14 Trump aides, donors and advisers have been indicted or imprisoned since the days when the first-time candidate promised that he would only hire “the best people.” What are we saying?
If indeed there’s overwhelming evidence of impropriety on the part of former president Edgar Lungu or indeed any of his ministers or senior government officials, they must be held accountable without further delay to serve as an example to the others
Some places we know differently now had other names. Lusaka’s Kamwala Secondary School used to be Prince Philip. David Kaunda Secondary Technical School was Hodson Technical College, Kabulonga Boys and Kabulonga Girls were Jean Rene and Gilbert Rene respectively. Chawama Compund used to be called Roberts, after a local European settler. An Italian called Marapodi used to run a brick kiln opposite the Independence Stadium. That is how that compound was named after him. Mandebvu is connected to Zimbabwean immigrants who lived there and kept beards (mandebvu) due to their religious practices. The spelling shows the Zimbabwe connections.
Burma Rd used to be called Market Rd and it was renamed in honour of local soldiers who fought on behalf of the british colonialists in Burma (now Myanmar). George Compound was a gift from George Hadjipetrou, an Englishman who actually died in 1995 aged 84 while his wife Yolanda died in August 2010 at the age of 93. Their daughter, Marianthy used to (or still does) run Andrew’s Motel.
So there was a large farm which made up what is now southern Lusaka, owned by a farmer John Laing, hence the compound by the same name. He lived there with his wife and family. He had general workers who lived on different parts of the farm, but his domestic workers lived in what is now known as “Kuku” compound or “Kwa Kuku”. (Not sure if the cook used to come from there). Along came a young man, John Howard, who married Mr Laing’s daughter. John Laing gave John Howard a part of his farm to manage, now known by his name as well. When Mr Laing died, in typical African tradition, his wife moved out of the house to live at a new site. The old home stead is now known as “Chibolya” compound, meaning abandoned place in Nyanja (we call such a place “Matongo” in Tonga). The new place where Mrs Laing moved to became known as “Kwa Mrs” or “Misisi” compound as we now know it. Before her death, the Mrs decided to give her faithful workers some of the land, this area is now known as “Chawama”, to acknowledge the good deed done.
Lusaka comes from the Soli headman Lusaaka the same way Kabulonga comes from Kabulongo village, a Soli village named after the reddish soil in the area. It was located around the place where Kabulonga Round About is today.
Meanwhile, Kabwata Clinic is built on the location of the original Katungu Bar.
Then there is the history which is now gone:
The first Disco in Lusaka was called Dust Bin and was at The Turf Club in Lusaka’s show grounds.The DJ was a Zimbabwean called Joe Pike.
PVC Disco was owned by a Lusaka businessman who also owned the first double decker buses in Lusaka if not Zambia, James Banda (no possible relation to Rupiah Banda?) Bob Samakai, Steven Ngoma and Eddie Manda were some of the crew members of the then popular mobile disco.
Malawian Eddie Manda well known as the ‘ Master Jam’ became the house DJ at Studio 22 owned by the Hickey Brothers Tony and Errol in Findeco House. Lusaka’s Studio 22 was somehow divided. From the lifts you walk in straight on the dance floor face to face with the DJ’s deck. On the right (Europe) you see a different class of revellers. Turning to the left (Africa) you notice a different crowd. It was never a racist division but disco lovers (Africa side) refered to it that way. One was free to go anywhere one wanted. Most black Zambians felt more comfortable on the Africa side. When the 6pm curfew was imposed because of the rebel soldiers were sneaking into Zambia hunting for Zimbabwean freedom fighters, entrance to most disco houses was 6pm. At Lusaka’s Studio 22 and the Q-Stiques in Emmasdale revellers used to go in for the whole night (6 to 6). Studio 22 used to serve coffee or tea free on request. You could doze off on a chair without interference from the bouncers.
Mr Rooster in ZIMCO building ground floor owned by the Hickey brothers became a dealers meeting joint. Next to Mr Rooster was Mwaiseni stores which used to be known as Checkers Retail Store and was the only store in Lusaka with escalators. At the corner of Katondo street and Freedom way was The Lagondola bar and night spot owned by former Bank of Zambia boss Mr Jere became a popular spot because of the teentime shows by The Cross Bones. (The spot now has an unfinished building). Mr Jere also owned another night spot in Makeni called Kilimanjaro Pleasure Resort. Mike Nyoni, Chris Chali and other Lusaka bands were regular performers at both night spots.
Directly across Freedom way from Lagondola was Stanley Bar. Just outside Stanley bar was the main station for transport to Kanyama compound.
Top floor of the Society House was Hanif Adams’ “Room at the Top night club” ( High Lites) which mysteriously caught on fire one early morning. After High Lites Night Club was burnt down, Hanif Adams, his staff and new Disco gear moved temporarily to the American Dome by the edge of the Lusaka Show grounds.
Indians in Lusaka came from Fort Jameson. Indian settlers in Fort Jameson were predominantly Muslim. They originated from Gujarat and entered Chipata through East Africa at the behest of the BSAC.
Wagon Wheels was a popular bar and restaurant situated by the Lusaka International Airport turn-off later to be known as Patelo’s Chicken (I think).
Lusaka always had lots of bars and discos and night spots. Some these were: The Il Bambino in Lusaka Hotel, Mens only Q inn and the Dog Box, Grand Bar, Corner Bar, The Fountain, Ansac Arms, Red Lion, Forum, Africa Bar, City Centre Restaurant, Kwacha Hotel Bar, Mont Matre Bar, Rockwood night Club in Lusaka west (which was owned by the Chelemu Brothers after they bought the farm house from the Vlahakis family), Rocky Gardens (which was popular for lovers), Ba George at Andrews Motel, Pick & Whistle and The Q Sticks. In Kamwala was Hoola Hoop Bar. Lusaka Hotel had a men’s only bar called The Dog Box. Entrance was through Cairo Road. Au Mont Blanc was a cafe next to the Lusaka Post Office. Of course we need to add the likes of Mumana, New Londe, Nkuzyeni, Masiye, etc. There was Woodpecker Inn (present location of Woodlands Mall), Fridays Corner, City club and many others. We cant talk of discos without mentioning Mooncity and Valentino’s. There was Lotus Inn Bar next to lottie House owned by the Late Fundafunda who also had ama tarven kwa George and Green Villa Nite Club in Lusaka West which featured Shalawambe before their eventual retirement placein the 90s…To name all the bars will be hard. Matero alone you have Africa 2000, Nsimbi Yanga, Kariba Bar etc Geoge Compund has the likes of Namwela Zanga (chibuku bar once owned by my best friend) etc. From 70s to date is long time but you can add yours me I end here.
Then there is the interesting history:
Carlton Cafe was in the Central Arcade and had a private ‘Whites only’ bar called the ‘Grill Room’. It became the Forum (Boxers Mess) when the late Lusaka lawyer Mr Folotiya took over the premises. Nearby was Carlton Bar which was popular with South Africans. In the alley behind the bar was a brothel.
Talking of brothels, in the 70’s/80;s Lusaka sex workers used to parade along The Great East Road right opposite the Lusaka show grounds before moving on to Addis Ababa. Stanley bar was popular with Zairean sex workers( Bandumba) in the evening till late. The sex workers used to line up outside for clients to take their pick.
Zambia’s late Zam-Rock icon Paul Ngozi owned a take away food shop in Kabwata called “Chibe Pakapaka” He lived in Chinika compound before moving to Libala stage 2 till his death. He owned a sleek blue Skyline car. His band was called the Scorpions and they jammed in Makeni at a bar called the Pelican.
Now for a fable or urban legend: The ghost of Rosemary, a Lusaka waitress who was said to have died misteriously appeared in three different bars she had worked in. First appearance was at Tambalala bar owned by a Mr Kasanda along Kabwe road not far from Chingwere cemetery where she was supposed to have been buried. Second appearance was at the Independence bar in Emmarsdale owned by The Findlays. Third appearance was at Evening Bar in Matero owned by Saigar Daka where she was said to have kissed a man who lost all his teeth and lived to tell the story.
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says he wants to see so many people making it in the private sector.
He also notes that there is a misconception that foreign direct investments (FDIs) connote European, Asian or American investments. President Hichilema was speaking when United Bank of Africa (UBA) group chairman Tony Elumelu paid a courtesy call on him at State House yesterday.
Elumelu was in the company of UBA management team and the bank’s chairperson Dr Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula.
Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
He is also the chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp and the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is a leading champion of entrepreneurship in Africa. President Hichilema said the order of things now, around FDIs, must be that Zambian investments, must be supported here, as it is in Nigeria.
“FDIs must mean to us now that African investors. We must not discriminate African investments. We must look at supplying to each other before we look at outside Africa,” President Hichilema said.
“Africa does not need the narrative of war, bandits, hunger, poverty. Africa needs a narrative of opportunity and success! We must come of age as a continent. We must be embarrassed to be called names.” He indicated that he was aware that many African political leaders fear the private sector.
“They don’t want to see successful citizens in their own country. [But] this President wants to see so many successful people in the private sector. Success of the country is a summation of the success of its citizens at household, business level.”
President Hichilema reiterated that Zambians would see the country being run differently under his superintendence.
“Already, Zambians are complaining because they are not used to orderliness. They are used to a lot of haphazardness,” he noted. “But we’ll run this country better and I’m confident that after a year or two, Zambians will begin to appreciate.”
President Hichilema stressed that the core mandate of the UPND administration is to turn around Zambia’s economic.
“That’s why we set up the SMEs ministry. For the first time in the history of our country’s Cabinet portfolio, SMEs sits as a ministry on its own,” President Hichilema said. “We don’t want the everyday complaints of opportunity, opportunity, opportunity, ‘landlockedness.’ We are a land-linked country and we are strategically located.”
He indicated that Zambia ought to be made a hub of production of various products, including agricultural products. “[We want to be] a hub of processing or value addition. We have a rare opportunity to enhance trade with our neighbours,” noted President Hichilema. “As the government, we would like to actualise this issue of sending goods into Congo and Angola.”
Meanwhile, Elumelu said his foundation would like to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow their businesses. He emphasised that his foundation is ready to support President Hichilema’s economic aspirations for Zambia.
“We would like to support small and medium enterprises. We believe our youth are energetic [and] we think that they are very innovative,” Elumelu said. “I told my people, and they know this. When I see progressive African presidents, I like to identify with them. I would like to see how we can collaborate and work together to fulfill the aspirations, which we believe will help to move Africa forward.” He pointed out that trade partnerships are: “all about opportunities for our people.”
“It’s all about poverty eradication and inclusive growth. I like what I hear about you (President Hichilema),” said Elumelu. “We are ready to give any support that we can provide and help in achieving your economic aspirations.”
THE Patriotic Front risks the danger of losing all the 60 petitioned parliamentary seats if the Consti-tutional Court allows the lowering of the standard of proof in an election petition as requested by the UPND and supported by the Attorney General.
A petition by the UPND, supported by the Attorney General has proposed that section 97 (2) (a) of the Electoral Process Act no.35 of 2016 be removed from the constitution as it makes it difficult to nullify an election characterised by malpractice.
But Constitutionalism and Legal activist, Isaac Mwanza has opposed that this would have far reaching con-sequences on outcomes.
In an application for joinder submitted by Mr Mwanza, he states that the outcome of the UPND petition had a bearing on the ongoing petitions brought before the High Court where the UPND had petitioned all the 60 PF parliamentary seats.
“This is an appropriate instance for this honourable court to grant the intended interested party’s applica-tion for joinder as the intended party has shown sufficient reason why he must be joined to these proceedings,” the application reads.
When the matter came up yesterday, Mr Mwanza argued that the Court should join him based on the legal duty every citizen has to defend the Constitution especially that the case was commenced on the pretext of de-fense of the Constitution by the Petitioner.
He cited the case in which the Court joined Lewis Mosho as an interested party to a matter commenced by Mr Sangwa in which the case stated that it was sufficient to join a person as interested party based on the legal duty to defend the Constitution.
In that case, the Court had also noted that the petitioner had commenced the case based on defence of the Constitution.
Mr Mwanza also informed the Court that the matter was properly before the Court as it was filed based on Order V Rule 6(1) of the Constitutional Court rules.
Mr Mwanza said precedent before the Court was that the application for leave and order to join has always been granted in single proceedings.
Both the Attorney General and the Petitioner opposed the application to join based on the fact that sufficient interest was not demonstrated. The Attorney General stated that they are capable of defending the matter be-fore Court.
However, perusal of the records before the Court are that the Attorney General has simply agreed with the Petitioner in an attempt to expunge from the statute of Section 97(2) of the Constitution.
The court deferred the matter to a later date.
In this matter, Joseph Busenga, a member of the UPND media committee seeks an order that section 97 (2) (a) of the Electoral Process Act no.35 of 2016 be removed from the statute books as it aids corrupt practices while protecting undemocratically elected public officers.
PF CADRES THREATEN TO BEAT, EXPOSE LEADERS PROPERTIES … if they go ahead to suspend Charity Banda
PF cadres have threatened to beat and expose the properties owned by PF leaders should the party fail to immediately call for a convention, and should they go ahead to suspend Lusaka provincial chairlady Charity Banda.
In several audios posted in several PF WhatsApp blogs, and listened to by Daily Revelation, the cadres let rip on former president Edgar Lungu, who during the elections said the cadres were part of his office, but seem to have turned on him now after he lost the elections, and amid frustration that he and the other leaders are trying to hold on to the presidency.
One of the bloggers posted: “Ba mudala ba Chilangwa, kamudala ka Chilangwa, kambuya ka Chilangwa. Don’t forget that in 2015, Guy Scott gave you chitenges and you burnt them. That is arson. We shall just tell Lemmy Kajoba that here is another one. Elo ba mudala nakwendo, mungachuche ku jele imwe. Elo ningamvele mushe maningi kuti namvela kuti bamigwilani muli pa Central. Ndaba ningafune kuchaya muntu kuti nibwele nimichayeni bwino kwamene uko ku ma cell naka kwendo ako. Very stupid (And you can suffer with that leg in jail. And I would deliberately beat up someone to that I can be arrested along to beat you on that same leg).”
Another warned Raphael Nakachinda not to destroy PF in the same manner he destroyed MMD, saying instead of speaking over PF matters, he should instead go back and re-awaken the MMD.
“Ifwe we respect Chishimba Kambwili he’s the only one who can tell us about PF. Tukakusompola icho chine chi binoculars (We shall forcefully get that binoculars from you if you continue daring us). You know your mistakes that Lungu wasn’t needed on the ground. And what did you find in that same postmortem?” the cadre asked, adding that PF was destroyed under Lungu because he did not have the interest to protect the party, when he brought in the ‘mwankoles’.
“Efilya batila ati umulembwe wachipuba upwila muli tumfwe. Muli tumfwe, tumfwe, tumfwe emulembwe wachipuba (That’s why they say that one’s foolishness is exposed through testing).That’s why UPND naikana ukusenda ifipuba, fikae onaula UPND (That’s why UPND has refused to get fools, so that they don’t destroy that party).”
Another blogger who was posting from South Africa, and started his posting by saying “PF South Africa/Zambia good morning”, wondered why leaders did not want to hear the truth over plans to suspend Banda.
“We are not going to allow Edgar Lungu to put the party as if yakwe or yabana bakwe … and those of you planning to suspend Charity Katongo Banda, the mother of Lusaka Province PF, mwalaloba ilyauma pantu twalamyuma. Nichani imwe muli so kanshi ba imbwa imwe (we shall not allow you to suspend Banda. Otherwise we shall beat you up. Why are you like this you dogs)? Try to write your letter and you will see how we will rise. Atase muletutinya imwe…ba idiot,” said the blogger.
Another one posted that the one intending to suspend Banda should first suspend his wife, by stopping to sleep with her in his bedroom, saying no suspension of Banda will be entertained.
Another one attacked the women leaders who are said to be in the anti-Kambwili group.
UPND deputy secretary general Patrick Mucheleka says some PF members must not push their luck too far, stating that certain crimes they committed whilst in power might be revisited.
In an interview, Mucheleka said he would ask vice president Mutale Nalumngo to reopen a case against PF acting secretary general Nickson Chilangwa who insulted and slapped her during a by-election in Kawambwa.
He said the PF could not reform with people who destroyed the former ruling party still in leadership.
“Let Chilangwa try to find something else to talk about. Is he trying to be relevant now that he is secretary general for the PF? He has succeeded his brother from Luapula, now it is Luapula united, united in defeat. I can imagine what would have been said if it was UPND.
They must rebrand with the right people. How can you rebrand with the people that took the party down and are responsible for all the things that went wrong. They are refusing to change their mindset. They cannot rebrand with people who surrounded Edgar Lungu and misled him.
It is not possible because PF is beyond reform because of people like Chilangwa, Kampyongo and Mundubile, they are all the same,” he said.
“Chilangwa was the one slapping our vice president in Kawambwa when there was a by-election, he thinks we have forgotten? If we want we can reopen. In fact we will ask the Vice-President Mutale Nalumango to follow up on that case in Kawambwa.
We can do that. He was insulting the vice president who is as old as Chilangwa’s mother. He was insulting and slapping her in the presence of the police in Kawambwa. We have not forgotten because there are a lot of things that they did.
You know what Kampyongo did to me, he thinks I have forgotten? Certain things we may even forgive but we have not forgotten. They must not try to push their luck too far. Advise them and let them not push their luck too far.”
Mucheleka said anyone who committed an offence has to face the full wrath of the law.
“There are prominent people in the UPND who were arrested for offences they never committed. President Hakainde Hichilema was arrested 15 times during the reign of PF. He was arrested for a trumped up charge of treason.
He was detained and incarcerated for 127 days until they realised it was just a witch-hunt and entered a nolle prosequi. I am one of the victims myself, I was incarcerated for weeks on end for an offence I never committed until out of shame they entered a nolle-prosequi.
We subjected ourselves to being arrested until the process of law took its course. So even Davies Chama if at all he committed that offence, let the law take its course,” he said.
“Chilangwa should be the last person to talk like that because they once celebrated the arrest of President Hakainde Hichilema. So anyone who commits an offence has to face the full wrath of the law.
If he never committed that offence, he should not worry because he will be proved otherwise by the court. In line with the rule of law, he is being given an opportunity to explain himself. So tell Chilangwa to talk about other things.”
Mucheleka said only justice would bring closure to most of the cases.
“All Zambians are prominent people. When that crime was committed in Sesheke, it has taken six years. How is Mushaukwa Mushaukwa going to get justice? Even those that died at the hands of the PF and their sponsored criminals, their families want justice.
Justice must be able to bring closure to most of these cases. No matter how powerful you may claim to be, at the end of the day, the long arm of the law will get you. Those who were killed even in their graves should be able to get justice,” he said.
“How are you going to move forward as a country if you allow the so-called prominent politically exposed persons to get away with crimes? We are equal before the law. Go and tell Chilangwa that the law is blind and it does not know who is prominent.
At the end of the day, that is why we aspire to ensure that the rule of law takes over in our country. If there is anyone who used their positions in the PF to kill people and engage in illegalities such as corruption, the long arm of the law will get to them regardless of who they were.”
Mucheleka said a lot of things went wrong, stating that justice needed to prevail no matter how long it takes.
“When you own a gun, does it mean you must be killing people? You own a gun if perhaps you want to act in self defence. These are the people who were chasing after a vehicle that was carrying our people in Mulobezi.
One of the accused even ended up being sent to serve in the Foreign Service yet that person was under criminal investigations. Who cleared that person that he even went to Ethiopia? The one fellow named Nyoni. A lot of things went wrong and we must be able to get justice no matter how long it takes.
So no one must cry because that is what we want. The rule of law must take center stage in this country because only then shall we have a sober and stable society,” Mucheleka said.- Newsdiggers
WHILE the political polarisation of the country in the past few years has been well documented, there was a stark admission yesterday by the Zambia Army commander that this also extended to the military.
Zambia Army Commander Dennis Alibuzwi says with the recent past where the men and women in uniform were deeply divided politically, the top brass wants to realign the thinking of the troops to the new environment.
We are speaking to our troops both in town and in the outskirts in order to change their mind-sets having placed the new dawn government to take care of national affairs,” Lieutenant General Alibuzwi said when he paid a courtesy call on North-Western Province Acting Permanent Secretary Beatrice Muyambango at his office in Solwezi yesterday.“
This is important because we want to bring about the new direction in which the military should conduct itself in line with the pronouncements of the President [Hakainde Hichilema].
“We cannot afford to have officers divided on political lines and that is why we are here to give correct direction to our troops so that they can have an understanding that ours is a noble career.”
Gen Alibuzwi, who took over as Army Commander when President Hichilema announced appointments for top military and police positions as part of the re-organisation process since taking office after winning the general election, said the military has to always be loyal to the government of the day.
“The military serves the government of the day whether there is a change of government or whether someone has got special affiliations to one or two political parties,” he said.“We put preservation of the sovereignty of this nation as a prime task that requires no negotiations and, therefore, we want to heal the past divisions that have been noticed in the army where we almost got divided on political lines.”
Gen Alibuzwi said Zambia Army has a clear mandate to protect the President, constitution and citizens and it is one duty it will execute diligently.While Gen Alibuzwi has offered a stark admission, there was previously a hint of the political divisions in the military from his predecessor.
In his last interview as Army Commander, Lieutenant General William Sikazwe said he was going out a sad man because of the deep political inclinations among military personnel.“It’s just the issue of political inclination I’m worried about,” he said.
“I tried to talk to my officers and soldiers that we remain non-partisan but just support the government of the day. I tried but I have seen that we still have people with political inclinations and this is what makes me sad.“This is the trend I have seen and it’s a bad trend.
It is a bad seed that has been sown. I go out as a sad person, especially this election, it has taught me a lot of things. We need to change.”And Gen Alibuzwi said Government has embarked on the construction of permanent structures in all its operation areas to ensure that the troops deployed there live comfortably while executing their duties.
He said it is disheartening that since Independence, soldiers deployed to various operation areas have been conducting their operations while living in tents.
“With the recent past commander, we looked at the aspect of building permanent structures in the operation areas because wherever we are operating from, there is no single chief who is ready to release us because everyone feels safe with our presence and, therefore, we have to find means of making the stay of our troops comfortable,” he said.
Gen Alibuzwi is on a five-day tour of North-Western Province to check on the troops.
He is also expected to commission permanent structures built for the army in Mwinilunga and Zambezi.
Ms Muyambango praised Zambia Army for being professional and helping to preserve the country’s peace.
“We applaud your patriotism and we speak with a lot of pride of your commitment to duty,” she said.
MINISTRY of Justice permanent secretary Andrew Nkunika and his wife Towani Chipeta are demanding K10 million from the Patriotic Front for intruding in their marriage.
The couple has sued former party secretary general Davies Mwila as the respondent in the Lusaka High Court, seeking damages for defamation over a Facebook post published by one of the pages associated to it, questioning Nkunika’s affection for his wife.
The plaintiffs want an order of injunction restraining the PF or whosoever may be acting on its behalf, from making defamatory sentiments about them.
In their statement of claim, Nkunika and his wife said on October 21, 2021, the PF falsely and maliciously published defamatory statements on its Facebook page by way of innuendo, saying: “love or guilty- ministry of justice permanent secretary Andrew Nkunika has continued to post ridiculous love posts dedicated to his new wife on Facebook……love or nichani?”
The plaintiffs contend that the defamatory statement was published on Facebook by the PF for its followers on electronic media platform and at the time the page was followed by 161,129 people.
The duo said the words in their natural and ordinary meaning were intended to mean that they were guilty of wrong doing. They added that the words were also understood to mean that Nkunika’s level of thinking was shallow.
Nkunika and his wife who contested the Chasefu parliamentary seat in the August 12, 2021 elections as an independent candidate said the statement was made in a sensational manner.
“The Patriotic Front knew or ought to have known that the allegations that Nkunika’s writing to his wife were ridiculous is irrational, was untrue,” the couple said. “The PF knew or ought to have known that the plaintiffs were not guilty of any wrongdoing.” The couple submitted that they have been seriously injured in their reputation, and esteem has been lowered by such sentiments and brought into ridicule and public scandal by the statement.
Nkunika and Towani further said unless restrained by the court, the PF will continue making defamatory statements about them. The plaintiffs are further seeking costs at the current bank lending rate and any other relief that the court may deem fit.
FORMER home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo says detained PF deputy national chairman Davies Chama is in strong spirits and ready to appear in court.
Addressing journalists at Lusaka’s Woodlands Police Station after visiting Chama who is in detention for attempted murder, Kampyongo said the development should not discourage PF supporters.
“We are concerned but we remain positive that these are matters that will come to pass. We are all not above the law and we are ready to face justice if there is something that the people of Zambia think we did wrong,” Kampyongo told reporters that had camped outside Woodlands Police Station. “And just to encourage our members that, yes, the acting chairperson honourable Davies Chama is in strong spirits. And we are happy to see him in such spirits. And we are encouraged that he’s looking forward to his day in court. But to you our members, remain steadfast and strong.”
Kampyongo together with PF deputy secretary general Nickson Chilangwa and leader of the opposition in the House Brian Mundubile had gone to Woodlands to visit detained Chama.
Chama is immediate past defence minister.
Yesterday police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed the detention.
“Police have apprehended and detained Mr Davies Chama aged 57 of New Kasama, former defence minister in the Patriotic Front government and Brain Dumisani Nyoni aged 47 of Matero compound Lusaka, a former diplomatic staff at the Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia for an alleged offence of attempted murder contrary to section 215 subsection(a) of CAP 87 of the laws of Zambia,” said Hamoonga. “It is alleged that the two persons on the 6th June, 2015 in Sichili of Mulobezi district of Republic of Zambia jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown did attempt to unlawfully cause the death of Mushaukwa Mushaukwa aged 47 of Shesheke. The two are currently in police custody.”
The duo has since been transferred to Sesheke.
Kampyongo said in a democracy such things were expected.
He however, vowed that the PF would not be trodden upon by anyone, further declaring that the party had enough members of parliament.
“This is a democracy that we have chosen for ourselves. We came from the opposition ourselves to form government and we are back in the opposition. So this is the democracy that we have chosen for ourselves,” Kampyongo said. “But we are not going to accept to be trodden upon and make us scared and get to abdicate our duties. We are privileged that even as much as we are out of government, we have got the right number of people’s representatives; in this case the MPs.”
Kampyongo warned that no one should abuse State power to disadvantage others.
He claimed that during his tenure he was aware of such temptation, which he avoided.
“…but, like my friend said, we are not going to be broken. We also lent that service to the State and keeping the nation safe. And we made sure that lawbreakers were dealt with through the same institutions; they are not personal, these are State institutions,” Kampyongo said. “And no one should attempt to think that when they have got an opportunity to serve the people they own [them]. I always spoke when I was minister of home affairs that it’s not possible to micromanage State institutions. I never did. And I don’t think the current Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security [Jack Mwiimbu] should. The portfolio functions are so many at the ministry.”
Kampyongo further said no one should create an impression that PF abused the police.
“But my emphasis is that we should not create an impression that there was a time when police couldn’t touch certain citizens, not even me as then minister of home affairs was above the law,” said Kampyongo. “If there was anything that was wrong, I should have been visited by the law even as I was sitting in the Ministry of Home Affairs. So, we are yet to see. But we can only encourage the Inspector General of Police [Lemmy Kajoba], we have got every belief that he will be professional and make sure that men and women in uniform under his charge equally conduct themselves professionally.”
Meanwhile, Chilangwa accused the government of forming a pattern just to arrest the former ruling party members.
“For us as Patriotic Front, we are very, very hopeful that the current happenings, the current arrests of our members – prominent members which has formed a certain pattern must be stopped. This pattern is not healthy, this pattern of doing things is not right because during campaigns or before that, are we telling the world and this country that it was only us in the Patriotic Front who were breaking the law?” he asked. “Is that possible that it was only Patriotic Front who were on the offensive? Really? Is that what President Hakainde [Hichilema] and Jack Mwiimbu are telling us? Is this vengeance, is this retribution? It’s not up to me to judge. The Zambians will judge for themselves where this will lead us.”
He also wondered if it was now a crime to own a gun for self-defence.
“I was telling colleagues yesterday I said, ‘I think it’s not worth it to own a gun anymore because we go out there and buy a gun and use it for protection when you are under siege,” Chilangwa said. “But it looks like immediately tables turn in terms of governance, that becomes a crime. Self-protection now becomes a crime. So, there are so many things we are yet to learn from the UPND government and how they want to run the affairs of this country.”
He accused the government of diverting people’s attention from what they had promised when they were in opposition.
Chilangwa described the current arrests as nonsense that will not cow PF members.
“But I just want to assure our people that as PF we shall remain steadfast. We shall remain focused. Our eyes remain on the ball because of one simple reason. The UPND promised the people of Zambia that they’ll change their lives. Mulekutika (are you listening)? 10:00 hours I’m voted into office, 14:00 hours things are happening. 10:00 hours I’m voted into the office, this is happening. Tulekutika (we’re listening) and we are still waiting, ukukutika (listening),” said Chilangwa. “And if you think by doing all these arrests and harassing us and all sorts of nonsense that you are going to silence us, I think you’ve got something coming. So, for me my message to UPND is that keep doing all that kind of nonsense that you have now focused on instead of delivering to the people of Zambia and you think you are fixing us, you’re fixing yourselves. What goes around comes around. That’s my message. Immediately you stepped a foot into State House, the next foot you’re going to step is to go out of State House. It happens. So, watch the space colleagues. We’re not daunted whatsoever. We’re not going to be cowed. We shall remain steadfast and we shall remain focused. We shall offer proper checks and balances to the UPND Alliance government.”
WHY THE AGITATION OVER THE CALLS TO LIFT ECL’S IMMUNITY: ONLY PRESIDENT HH CAN PRESERVE LUNGU’S ALLEGED OFFENCES WHILE IN STATE HOUSE.
Some people have taken it personally and emotionally in the defence of former president EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu immunity not be lifted.
Others have assumed political vindictiveness, malice, politically sponsored and persecution as the drive for the calls to lift his immunity.
But why should a former head of state’s immunity be lifted and how should a president conduct himself during his/her tenure of office to avoid such calls on leaving office?
Art 92 guides those who assume the office of President how to conduct themselves thus;
The president SHALL perform, with dignity, leadership and integrity, the acts that are necessary and expedient for, or reasonably incidental to the exercise of the executive authority
The lifting of former president’s immunity is provided for in the law (Art 98(5) just like the immunity itself enjoyed by a former president on assumption of office, before and after office is provided in Art 98(1-4)
With suspicions awash in Zambia that our former President might not have fulfilled the provisions of Art 92 above, Article 98(5) is summoned to the fore of this immunity debate help guide the debate and avoid its politicisation.
With petitions already flying around and airwaves polluted with calls to lift the former president’s immunity, Art 98(5) guides that
where there is prima facie evidence that a former president committed an offence whilst in office, the incumbent president has a constitutional duty to submit a report to the National Assembly.
Note that a prima facie evidence is soley established not by the courts but the incumbent president who comes into possession evidence of alleged offences.
The presidential report to the National Assembly must outline the grounds relating to the offence allegedly committed by his predecessor, warrantly the removal of the immunity from criminal proceedings.
Once the National Assembly is in receipt of the Presidential report, a Select Committee is constituted to scrutinise the alleged grounds in the Presidential report to determine a prima facie case or not.
The former president has the right to appear, be represented and be heard before the Select Committee so constituted and the committee recommends its decision to the National Assembly.
The former President has this window at select committee stage to cleanse himself before even allowing the National Assembly to vote for the lifting of his immunity.
The vote in the National Assembly to lift his immunity will demand for a 2/3 resolution support from the Members of Parliament (Art 98(😎 and, if garnered, the former president shall stand charged with the offence for which the immunity from criminal proceedings was removed. (Art 98(9)
If acquitted by the courts, the immunity of that person shall, for all purposes, be deemed not to have been removed, without further proceedings (Art 98(10).
Therefore, for people to not to know what former president, EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu did while in office is at the mercy of his successor, President HH who may or may not submit a report of his offences to the National Assembly
However, former president EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu’s preservation of his immunity is at the mercy of the NationalAssembly which may block its lifting after a prima facie case has been established and not AGITATION, emotions and shouts from cadres.
A witness has testified in the Luanshya Magistrate court on how Kabushi Member of Parliament Bowman Lusambo allegedly hacked him on the forehead and on his head, three times using a machete.
Stanley Musukwa, 58, of 3947/27 Mpatamato Township told the court that as a result of the injury he has since lost sight in the left eye.
This is in the case in which Lusambo is charged with two counts of unlawful wounding and assault occasioning bodily harm contrary to Section 248 Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Lusambo is alleged to have assaulted two members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party Stanley Musukwa and Mary Musonda respectively on April 11, 2019.
Musukwa informed the court that, at the time he was NDC Vice Chairperson of administration and was in the company of six others, returning from delivering food to his party agents in Roan constituency on April 11, 2019 by-election when he met his fate around 04:00 hours in Section 27.
He explained that his team was aboard a Toyota Hilux when they found a Toyota Corolla, a blue big car and a canter blocking the road.
Musukwa said the driver of his car started hooting for the cars to clear the way when six people including the accused person approached the car he was in.
He told the court that Lusambo got into an argument with one of the occupants of the car Obedi Chompo when he jumped out of the van to see what was going on.
The witnesses allegedly stated that it was then that two people held him and started beating him using fists and kicks when Lusambo approached with a machete and struck him on the head twice and once on the forehead affecting his left eye.
Musukwa told the court that he sustained two deep cuts on the head on deep cut on the forehead and a dislocated pupil which were recorded in the medical report form which he submitted as evidence in courts.
He further indicated that as a result of the beating he was admitted to the hospital twice and underwent surgery on the head
The matter has come up for a trial and seven witnesses are scheduled to testify as at 12:20 hours only one witness had taken the stand.
EVERY TRIBE HAS WITCHES, THIEVES…no one should use it to hide their wrongs – Nalumango
By Ernest Chanda
VICE-PRESIDENT Mutale Nalumango says there are witches and thieves in every tribe. This was after Mitete UPND member of parliament Misheck Mutelo asked her to counsel the nation on the dangers of tribalism.
“Your Honour the Vice-President, we need to heal as a nation. There’s too much tribal remarks going on in Zambia. What could be your counsel to Zambia, for we are one?” asked Mutelo during the Vice-President’s Question Time in parliament yesterday.
In response, Vice-President Nalumango acknowledged that indeed “we are truly one; we are One Zambia One Nation”. “The last thing you want to hear is to hear tribal thinking, particularly from leaders. We should never be remembered as people that divided our nation on tribal lines. We have an opportunity by being members of parliament today that we can work together to ensure that we unite,” she said. “As UPND in our manifesto and UPND in government [our view] is that it is important, imperative that we unite; we once again feel the oneness. No tribe can be condemned because in every tribe there are witches, in every tribe there are thieves. In every tribe there are everything you can think of. So, there’s no tribe which can be described as bad. Let us accept one another; we are One Zambia One Nation.’’ She said it was sad that the nation had been left to think on tribal lines for too long. Vice-President Nalumango said no one should use tribe to hide their wrongs.
“There is no way people should start thinking tribal and talk tribal. We have left ourselves to think tribal for too long. Let us once more see each other in the eyes of being a Zambian created by God, put on the earth through this nation of Zambia,” she added. “Always what happens [is that] you want to appeal to tribal sentiments. This government sees us as one. You’re using the tribe to hide your own wrongs! Zambians are very much awake and they observe and they know.” Vice-President Nalumango warned her colleagues in government against peddling tribalism, adding that UPND risked being voted out.
“If we choose to go the wrong way, they (Zambians) will not stand with us. We are in government today, let us do the right thing. When you do wrong things they will follow you, even your village-mates will turn against you because you are the one who is wrong, not the tribe. There is no tribe which does wrong, we are all Zambians,” Vice-President Nalumango emphasised.
And as a follow-up, Zambezi East UPND member of parliament Brian Kambita wondered why government was taking long to remove PF cadres from State institutions such as Zesco.
“Your Honour the Vice-President, the PF manifesto is very clear. It states clearly that in senior positions in parastatals and government institutions they will put their members. Therefore, the same management whom we feel could be sabotaging Zesco are PF cadres,” said Kambita. “Why is our government so slow to remove these PF cadres? As we speak, the same managing director at Zesco [Victor Mundende] is still the one in charge. How do you expect load shedding to come to an end if we still keep these PF cadres in these important offices; including many other government offices, including the directors? Why are we not removing PF cadres from senior positions?”
In response, Vice-President Nalumango said the government would act at the right time. “…yes, the concern is out there that there are many chief executives and other senior members in government that could be, as he said, coming from the constitution of the Patriotic Front where it’s clearly stated that to hold certain positions you have to be an uncompromising member of the Patriotic Front; that is in there,” she said. “And therefore, people may have been put there professionally, but that statement simply removes all the confidence in these officials that are running institutions of government because of what is there. So, we are looking at this. Not just to wake up and say everybody go! No, we will not do that. We hear the concerns of the Zambians. At the right time, Madam Speaker, because we want to do everything professionally, they will surely go. I think we did state here, politically appointed, politically removed. So, even when you are sitting in any position you know that you are there because… So, truly Zambians are concerned because it is important that in strategic positions, people are put there that understand the vision; that are not fighting the vision of the government of the day because of the bias towards, may be, a party that may not be in office. So, we will do it.” On the slowness to clean up the public offices, Vice-President Nalumango defended the government.
“On the fact that we are slow, they may have been appointed because of the clause in their own constitution of the previous regime. But for us we want to do everything according to the legal provisions of our own national statutes,” she said. “We don’t want to remove people anyhow. We have to look at what they are doing. We have to look at their contracts, we have to look at their capability and the capacity to adapt.”
And Vice-President Nalumango said it was the responsibility of the Minister of Energy, Peter Kapala to appoint a new board at Zesco which should in-turn hire new management. “He has referred, Madam Speaker, to the issue of Zesco. The appointment of Zesco is not up to the President. Appointing of the Zesco management or director is not done by the President. It is done by the board,” Vice-President Nalumango explained. “And therefore, the responsibility of the Minister is to have the board in place. And we have not been running to just put there, fill these boards with cadres, we want professional work. And therefore, [once] Zesco has had the board appointed, so if there is need to remove the current MD it shall be done and be done properly. That goes for every other official, senior official sitting in government office, they’ll be removed properly; lawfully. We are not going to be lawbreakers.”
She said the government expected public workers to serve the people instead of their political interests. “But surely, we expect people still in offices to function for Zambia and not to act like saboteurs. Because if you do something wrong, you are not doing that wrong thing against President Hakainde [Hichilema]. You are doing something wrong against the Zambian people. So, as long as you remain there, before you are removed if you are to be remove, do the work properly,” Vice-President Nalumago advised.
Earlier, Mporokoso PF member of parliament Brian Mundubile asked why there was load shedding in the nation despite massive investment PF had put in the energy sector.
“Your Honour, the Vice-President, the power supply in the recent past has been very stable owing to the huge investment that the PF government put in the energy sector to ensure that there was sustainable energy supply. This is a fact that even the current Minister of Energy attested to, that there has been indeed huge investment in the sector,” said Mundubile. “Now, Madam Vice-President, we have seen long hours of load shedding in the recent past, something that has disturbed our small and medium enterprises that depend on electricity. My question to your, Your Honour the Vice-President [is], what is your government doing to resolve this problem?”
In response, Vice-President Nalumango said the matter was indeed of national concern. “He premises his question on what he says as heavy investment having been put in place. And that being the case, Madam Speaker, all of us must be concerned as to what is happening. If there is so much investment and assurance that there is enough power being generated, that should be some issue of concern,” said Vice-President Nalumango. “And as a government we are following up, this is a management issue. What we have been told is that we have some upgrading and servicing of some generating machines. That includes Kafue Hydro, that includes Maamba Collieries, and I think in Ndola. I don’t know how that kind…should go on. We are concerned and we intend, Madam Speaker, to have a ministerial statement given so that all the detail is brought out.” S
PF CENTRAL COMMITTEE HAS PUT THEIR PARTY ON DEATH BED
The Candidates’ Comment
Over the weekend, the Patriotic Front (PF) highest organ the Central Committee met at Ndozo lodge in Lusaka to deliberate about the future of the their party. The meeting was chaired by PF President Edgar Lungu and among the resolutions they made was that they will hold a general conference in June 2022. Of course this is retrogressive in all senses one looks at it.
When you look at the challenges that PF faces today, leadership crisis is prominent. The members of the PF countrywide are living like step-children who have an ‘acting’ father in the name of Edgar who is limited in what he can offer them. And since Edgar is limited, he has all these relatives of his whom he has bestowed the responsibility to take care of the children he himself should be looking after.
It is not a secret that many PF members are in disarray. Some are in self-imposed exile while others are in detention over this and that politically motivated charge and vengeance. Some are losing property and dignity at the hands of cold-hearted cadres of the United Party for National Development (UPND). Those relatives of Edgar whom he has bestowed the responsibility to look after the party are not seeing the suffering of the general membership of the party. Since these people are getting funded to represent Edgar, they are comfortable. They are driving all sorts of expensive vehicles and live large. They are blind and can’t see the suffering of the general membership of the party which is desperately looking for a father figure who is going to speak for, and protect them from the ongoing vengeance and retribution of the UPND cadres.
The truth is that, the decision to hold the general conference in June next year for a party that lost power few months ago and is suffering from leadership crisis, is nonsense. But we are not surprised that this decision was made by the PF Central Committee. These are elements that cost their party an election in the first place. The same arrogance and dullness they are exhibiting today is the one they exhibited while they were in power- and they lost power for that matter. We all know that the reason why they resolved that they would choose their leader next year is not because they have no money. PF has all the money they need to hold the conference. This is a party that spent over K100 million to run campaign adverts in the previous election. Where did they get that money if they claim they do not have the money to hold a simple conference to elect a new leader today? If they cannot explain where they got the K100 million while in power, and why they suddenly have no money to hold a general conference, then, we must not fail to agree with President Hakainde Hichilema that PF is an organization of thieves who printed money illegally and stole from public coffers.
We would like to place a big blame of Edgar himself. Edgar is a lawyer and not a dull lawyer. He is intelligent. Why has he allowed hyenas and jackals of all sorts to destroy the party that Michael Sata labored so hard for to create and grow? We do not believe that Edgar cannot find personal wisdom to realize that the hyenas that are misleading him are doing so for their personal benefits and not for the benefit of their party. They are after Edgar’s personal money. The same way they helped Edgar lose power is the same way they are today doing all the stupid things that will kill the PF.
As things stand, PF has been placed on its death bed. There are few hyenas in PF who are going to Edgar to get money for this and that all in the name of being leaders of this and that. It is that small clique of jackals, hyenas who have decided and influenced all others to believe and agree that they should hold a general conference next year. What happens between now and then? Where will the general membership go? Who will speak for them? Who will represent them? Should the general membership of the PF go to Edgar to seek help when faced with this and that challenge? The truth is that decision of the PF Central committee is stupid, foolish and shows how ignorant and arrogant the elements of that organization are.
