Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
The Bank of Zambia has noted that weakening economic growth, load shedding and tightening liquidity in Zambia are threatening financial stability in the market.
And the Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee has maintained the policy rate, a key determinant in lending rates, at 10.25 percent.
BoZ Governor Denny Kalyalya says the committee took into account projected inflation remaining above the upper bound of the 6.8 percent target range, tightened liquidity and reduced production owing to electricity challenges.
Dr. Kalyalya noted that increased food prices owing to droughts in the last farming season have also had a negative toll on inflation.
He says the above factors required the upward adjustment for the policy rate but the Central Bank had to hold it pending some measures by the Ministry of Finance.
Speaking during the MPC quarterly briefing in Lusaka today Dr. Kalyalya noted that global growth has equally weakened with demand for copper by China having reduced owing to decline in investment in emerging markets and reduction in global trade due to ongoing trade tensions between the USA and China among others.
And Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor Operations Francis Chipimo said access to finance has remained a challenge for private sector growth and investment.
Dr. Chipimo however said there are a lot of developmental issues being undertaken aimed at enabling the financial sector mobilize savings and lend money to investors with ideas.
HH and President Lungu meet at late Munkombwe’s burial in Choma
By Chimwemwe Mwanza
Vicious, vindictive and vengeful aptly describes the Zambian political arena. Former Presidents, Kenneth Kaunda, Rupiah Banda and the late Frederick Chiluba all have scars to prove this. In the 80’s, Kaunda locked up Chiluba on flimsy charges that failed to hold in a court of law. After he became Head of State, Chiluba retaliated by sending Kaunda to Mukobeko maximum prison.
The irony for Chiluba is that his handpicked successor, Levy Mwanawasa motivated Parliament to waive off the latter’s immunity thereby exposing Chiluba to several graft charges formulated by the now defunct Task Force on Corruption. With his legacy tainted by a skewed narrative, only death saved Chiluba from possible jail time. To erase his predecessor’s legacy and ensure his humiliation, the late Sata’s PF re-created this trend by consigning Rupiah to a life of court appearances.
Off significance to this conversation, UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema (HH) served time in Lilayi prison on a laughable treason charge – this at the hands of the current PF regime. For a fact, HH has never hidden his disdain for President Edgar Lungu and his stint in a tiny Lilayi prison cell has probably served to reinforce the UPND leader’s contempt for the President.
Just why such vindictiveness and blatant abuse of power seems to gratify incumbents is hard to understand. In the absence of reason, one might well speculate that this show of brutality is all about a naked flexing of political muscle – a bit more like, ‘can I show you who is the boss’. Whatever the reason, the difficulty is that this trend erodes the very democratic tenets and political maturity that Zambia is renowned for in the rest of Africa and the world over.
Which makes 2021 an interesting contest. Other than bread and butter issues, the fore mentioned factors will weigh heavily on the minds of both President Lungu and HH heading closer to the polls.
Who is likely to win?
The tiny but seismic shift in fundamentals on the ground seem to suggest that this will be a closely fought contest. Besides, recent electoral predictions across the globe – even by the most experienced pundits have gone against the grain making it even more difficult to provide an accurate outcome.
For example, in 2012, several analysts predicted an outright victory for Rupiah’s MMD only for the PF to spring a surprise. Suffice to acknowledge that, while characteristics of the Zambian electoral landscape may differ in comparison to mature democracies, there are similarities to draw from – especially in elections where the voter’s desire for change outweighs any other considerations.
Unaware of a groundswell desire for change, an over-confident former British Premier, David Cameroon called a snap referendum to determine Britain’s future in the European Union (EU). He was stunned at the outcome. Against odds, the British electorate voted for Brexit thus paving the way for what has now become Britain’s messy divorce from the EU trade block.
Humiliated by a razor thin loss to Brexit supporters, Cameroon was forced to call his time as leader of the conservative party. In yet one of the biggest election upsets of the 21st century, Donald Trump steam-rolled establishment candidate, Hillary Clinton to become the 45th President of the US. Therefore, the notion that either the PF or UPND might have an edge over the other heading towards 2021 is fallacious. Truth is, this is an election that could swing either way.
Why ECL will be desperate to win
Despite the PF’s public show of confidence, their determined focus on HH and constant whip-lashing of his perceived tribal inclinations, best illustrates their genuine fears and by extention their desperation. Rightly so, they can’t afford to be complacent. 2021 will be a referendum on their ten years in power. Be rest assured that this is one election where the PF’s well – oiled propaganda machinery will likely throw both the sink and kitchen at the UPND bearing in mind what is at stake. In fact, the proposed amendment to the constitution is intended to disadvantage the opposition ahead of the polls.
What troubles the mind is that the current constitution which the PF is attempting to discard was signed into law by the sitting President amid a jam-packed Independence stadium. Three years later, it’s tempting to ask. What has changed to warrant an amendment to this sacred document? By now, PF knows too well that the much-punted humility of their candidate might be a hard-sale more so to an electorate that appears too desperate for change. They can’t afford lethargic arguments such as they being the only party with a manifesto. Need they be reminded that having a manifesto is one thing and delivering on its content is another.
What about the promise that they would lower taxes and put more money in the pockets of the working class? Did they deliver on such including creation of job opportunities? You be the judge. The President is aware that he will be facing an electorate that is weary of rising food costs. A persistent drought over the last two seasons has only compounded the hunger situation – more so in outlying areas of the country. In addition, the policy uncertainty in mining taxation and the stand – off between government and sections of the mining community is taking its toll on economic growth. Perceptions around inaction on corruption might not help his cause either. While some of these challenges might not be, the PF’s making, the electorate always tend to punish a sitting government for their suffering – sometimes unfairly so.
Never mind whether HH has genuine or has yet to formulate charges against the PF, he has consistently warned that the PF leadership will be called to account for wrong doing once he becomes President. The tacit implication of this threat is that, HH is already extending bed spaces at Chimbokaila, Kamwala Remand and possibly Lilayi prisons for use by the PF leadership. And knowing fully well what is at stake, a possible loss is too ghastly for the PF to contemplate. For President Lungu, there will be no better motivation to win the polls than lose to a sworn rival.
Its State House or bust for HH
PF has over-exposed the country to a mountain of debt that will outlive generations to come. It is precisely why the 2021 polls will boil down to the economy. As a businessman, HH knows too well the implications of our foreign debt on the fiscus. Zambia can’t afford to keep borrowing to fund consumption and expenditure on non-productive sectors of the economy.
This is the message he has been selling the grassroots. For a fact, he has the support of the broader investment community, including some global mining giants. Most important though, the International Monetary Fund appears to have factored in his possible victory in 2021 hence their reluctance to engage the current government on a possible economic rescue package.
The question is, has the UPND leader’s message of change found resonance with the electorate? While he appeals to the affluent and middle class in Parklands, Kansenshi and Kabulonga, the grassroots in Mandevu, kwa Nagoli and Chamboli seem to be struggling to grasp his vision for the country. Be reminded that he desperately needs this voting block to win the elections.
Against the backdrop of challenges, this looks like HH’s election to lose. Fact is, he can’t afford a record of 4 election loses on the trot. Such a scenario will certainly cast him into political wilderness and the glue that’s bound the UPND together over the years will finally loosen. Is this what he wants?
It’s entirely up to him and how he manages his campaign otherwise it might just well be that he will once again fall short of expectation and hand the PF another 5 years in power. And him being such a vexatious litigant, our Supreme and Constitutional courts will likely be kept busy. Watch this space.
The author is an avid reader of political history and philosophy. He loves Nshima with game meat. For feedback contact him on kwachaoneATgmailDOTcom
Constitutional Court Declines Direct Appeal in Lungu Burial Dispute
South Africa’s Constitutional Court has refused an application by the family of former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to appeal directly against a Pretoria High Court order regarding the repatriation of his remains. The ruling, delivered this week, underscored that litigants must follow established judicial procedures and cannot bypass lower courts to access the country’s highest tribunal.
In its pronouncement, the Constitutional Court was categorical:
“The Constitutional Court has considered the application for leave to appeal directly to it and has concluded that no case has been made out for a direct appeal. Consequently, leave to appeal must be refused.”
The order further stated: “Leave to appeal directly to this Court is refused.”
Why the Court Said No
The decision was not a ruling on the substance of the burial dispute but a procedural one. South Africa’s apex court allows direct access only in cases of exceptional urgency or questions of major constitutional importance. The judges concluded that the Lungu family had not met this threshold.
As a result, the Pretoria High Court’s earlier order, which directed that Lungu’s remains be repatriated to Zambia for burial, remains standing. However, because the Constitutional Court has declined direct involvement, the matter now returns to the ordinary appeal process. The family must first seek leave to appeal through the Gauteng High Court, and if unsuccessful, they may escalate to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Only after exhausting those routes can the Constitutional Court consider the case again.
This layered process illustrates the principle of judicial hierarchy. By rejecting the direct appeal, the Constitutional Court has reinforced the importance of due process, making clear that litigants cannot simply “jump the queue” when the law prescribes a step-by-step procedure.
What It Means for the Burial Dispute
For the Lungu family, the ruling is a setback. It narrows their immediate legal options and removes the protective shield that a Constitutional Court intervention might have provided. While they can still pursue ordinary appeals, those processes are slower and less likely to prevent enforcement of the Pretoria order in the short term.
For the Zambian government, the decision strengthens its legal position. Officials in Lusaka have insisted that former presidents must be buried at Embassy Park, the official presidential burial site in Lusaka. President Hakainde Hichilema recently reaffirmed that this is both a legal and symbolic requirement, underscoring national unity and continuity. Yet, the government still faces the delicate political task of managing optics and family sensitivities.
Tensions remain visible. On Sunday, the Zambian government announced it was engaging the family in dialogue. But family lawyer Makebi Zulu told reporters that the family was “in prayer” and not participating in negotiations. The disconnect between official statements and the family’s position highlights the mistrust still surrounding the matter.
Wider Context and Implications
The dispute has generated intense public debate, with some commentators warning that legal wrangling may drag on for months. One observer noted that the family “went straight to the Concourt to stop the body from moving,” but the judges’ decision sends a clear message: follow procedure first.
Until every stage of the appeal process is exhausted, the Zambian government cannot act unilaterally. For now, Lungu’s body remains in legal limbo, underscoring the intersection of law, politics, and national symbolism.
Beyond the courtroom, the episode has also prompted reflection on broader priorities. Analysts argue that while the dispute commands attention, Zambia faces urgent challenges in hunger, energy shortages, and economic strain. The Constitutional Court’s refusal serves as both a procedural reminder and a subtle call to patience: justice will run its course, but in the meantime, citizens must focus on pressing national needs.
The Road Ahead
The Lungu family now faces a choice: file for leave to appeal in the High Court and, if denied, pursue the matter in the Supreme Court of Appeal. Should those efforts fail, the Constitutional Court may revisit the case, but only through the proper channels.
For now, the Pretoria High Court order stands, but enforcement remains suspended while the legal process continues. The Constitutional Court has closed one door, but the case itself remains alive , a dispute straddling the lines of law, politics, and legacy.
President Hakainde Hichilema’s reaffirmation that all former heads of state must be buried at Embassy Park has turned a family matter into a national debate about law, tradition, and the balance between symbolism and personal choice. His statement that it is a “legal requirement” has placed the controversy at the heart of Zambia’s political and cultural identity, where precedent often carries more force than statute.
At first glance, the position appears straightforward. Embassy Park is more than a cemetery; it is a national memorial where Kenneth Kaunda, Michael Sata, and Frederick Chiluba rest. It is a site where history is taught, respect is displayed, and the presidency is elevated into permanence. To suggest a burial elsewhere, the state argues, would fracture the chain of continuity that Embassy Park represents.
Yet the legal framework tells another story. Neither the Benefits of Former Presidents Act nor any statute in the Laws of Zambia expressly requires burial at Embassy Park. What exists is a tradition reinforced by successive governments and public expectation. By presenting tradition as binding law, the state risks turning an issue that calls for empathy into one of enforcement. This approach makes a sensitive decision appear bureaucratic, limiting space for dialogue.
Critics see a contradiction. A government that promised to uphold the rule of law now appears to be stretching its authority into the most personal of matters. Families may feel compelled to submit, with unity presented not as respect but as obligation. Instead of healing division, the directive risks creating new fault lines, raising questions about the limits of state power over private grief.
Still, the counter-argument carries weight. National traditions are more than rituals; they are instruments of unity. Many nations set aside burial grounds for former leaders to strengthen collective memory. Allowing one president to be buried outside such a framework could be interpreted as a break from national cohesion. State funerals are not only family events but also moments of diplomacy, security, and symbolism. The government’s interest in guiding them cannot be dismissed.
This dispute therefore raises a broader question: who holds authority over memory? The family, who lived with the person behind the title, or the state, which curates the institution of the presidency? The answer touches both on the meaning of democracy and on the management of heritage.
A way forward requires more humility than the current approach has shown. Rather than declaring what the law does not explicitly require, the government could engage in dialogue that acknowledges Embassy Park’s value while respecting the wishes of families. Persuasion, not compulsion, would preserve both dignity and tradition.
President Hichilema is right to value the symbolism of Embassy Park. But leadership is measured not only by how one defends tradition but also by how one adapts it with compassion. True unity cannot be ordered or legislated; it must be built on dialogue and respect. The legacy of this administration may not hinge on where a president is buried, but on whether it showed empathy while balancing state symbolism with human dignity.
It’s a legal requirement to bury all Presidents at Embassy Park – HH
President Hakainde Hichilema has reaffirmed that Zambian law and tradition require all former presidents to be interred at Embassy Park in Lusaka. He stressed that this provision is not a matter of preference, but of statute and national practice, which the state is duty-bound to uphold.
Speaking during a public engagement, Hichilema explained that Embassy Park was established as the official burial ground for the nation’s heads of state, beginning with the late President Levy Mwanawasa, and subsequently hosting Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Michael Sata, and Rupiah Banda. He described the site as a symbol of Zambia’s collective memory, a place where the sacrifices and contributions of past leaders are honoured, and where future generations can learn the country’s history.
The reaffirmation comes against the backdrop of controversy surrounding the burial of former president Edgar Lungu, whose family members have expressed resistance to a state-led burial at Embassy Park. Some relatives have argued for a more private arrangement, citing personal preference. The matter has escalated into a political dispute, drawing in opposition figures and fuelling public debate on the balance between family rights and state authority.
Hichilema emphasised that while he empathises with grieving families, the state cannot compromise on the legal and symbolic duty attached to the office of president. “This is not about liking or disliking a person. It is about preserving our national identity and the continuity of our institutions,” he said, adding that allowing exceptions would erode the sanctity of the precedent and weaken the symbolism of Embassy Park.
The President also argued that national unity and historical continuity are at stake. He noted that the law mandating presidential burials at Embassy Park was enacted not only as a legislative measure but as a national covenant to honour the highest office in the land. He reminded citizens that leadership is temporary, but institutions and traditions outlast individual lives. “We must protect the dignity of the presidency, not for ourselves but for future generations,” Hichilema said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Mutale Nalumango and other senior government officials have echoed the President’s stance, warning that undermining the legal requirement would set a dangerous precedent. Nalumango stressed that the burial of presidents carries a unifying national character and should not be subjected to private disputes. “This is a matter beyond family choice. It is about the Zambian people, whose history is written in these grounds,” she said.
Embassy Park itself has long been both a revered and contested site. For many Zambians, it is a national shrine, while for critics, it represents state control over private grief. The ongoing Lungu dispute has sharpened these tensions, with political actors on both sides attempting to frame the debate either as a defence of family autonomy or as an assertion of state legitimacy.
Despite this, Hichilema reiterated that government would enforce the law. “Presidents are not buried as individuals but as institutions. Their resting place is therefore a national matter, not a private one,” he concluded.
Mpika District Administrative Officer, Steven Mulenga, says sex workers need to be helped to live normal and decent lives like any other person.
Mr Mulenga said this during the handover ceremony of various restaurant items worth thousands of Kwacha and a K20,000 cash start-up capital given to a group of over 40 former sex workers.
The donated items were provided by Tasintha Programme in Mpika district over the weekend.
He said more concerted efforts are needed to help sex workers get some skills training to start a new life that would sustain their livelihoods.
He has also called for more stakeholders to help sex workers reform and begin to venture into constructive and productive activities.
The Mpika District Administrative Officer said sex workers are capable of reforming if they helped to venture into various income-generating activities.
Mr Mulenga explained that former sex workers must take advantage of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) skills development bursaries and get some training in different courses of their choice.
He said the application for skills development bursary sponsorship is currently ongoing, hence the need for the former sex workers to apply immediately.
“Since you have been given various items to start a restaurant business, you need to do training on catering through CDF bursaries sponsorship,” he said.
Mr Mulenga has since urged the over 40 former sex workers to quickly organise themselves and commence the restaurant business and take advantage of the forthcoming Muchinga Investment Forum and Expo, which will attract thousands of people to visit Mpika and the province at large.
And Tasintha Programme Board Chairperson, Nkandu Luo, said sex workers need to be shown true love and care in order to help them truly reform and become responsible citizens.
Professor Luo said the community must desist from the tendency of condemning sex workers, adding that helping them transform into responsible citizens requires a lot of love and patience from the members of the public.
“Due to condemnation from some members of the public, some sex workers find it difficult to join a normal and decent life,” she said.
She said her organisation remains committed to continue helping sex worker reform across the country
Meanwhile, Mpika District Pastors Fellowship Chairperson, Godfrey Siame, observed that sex workers are a very vulnerable group that needs urgent attention and assistance from various stakeholders in the district and the nation at large.
Pastor Siame said shame and misery are common occurrences among most sex workers in Mpika, as the life of sex work is always a high risk.
He noted that sex workers face various forms of abuse and are at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
“We are very happy that the Tasintha Programme is helping sex workers. We hope more stakeholders can emulate Tasintha,” he said.
And 25-year-old Mary Mwape, a former sex worker from Chitulika area, appreciated the Tasinta Programme for empowering former sex workers in Mpika, adding that sex trading is a high-risk business.
“What the Tasintha Programme has done to us will be remembered for years to come,” he said.
President Hakainde Hichilema has reaffirmed Zambia’s strong commitment to the work of the World Health Organization (WHO), noting the country’s 61-year partnership with the organisation.
President Hichilema noted that WHO’s presence and initiatives in Zambia reflect the value the country places on the organization and the vital support it has provided over the years.
The Head of State urged member states to collaborate in advancing key health issues across the continent, including hygiene, water and sanitation.
President Hichilema also announced that Zambia will secure dedicated office space for WHO within the country to mark the longstanding partnership.
“We must unite and commit to the health of humanity, as has been rightly emphasised,” he stated, calling on member states to make well-considered decisions aimed at improving the well-being of people across Africa.
President made the remarks when he officiated at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa.
The WHO Regional Committee for Africa which is the organisation’s decision-making body in the region that meets annually to discuss and endorse policies, activities and financial plans to improve health outcomes.
ZANIS
What transpired at the UCZ Kwacha East congregation last Sunday as President Hichilema went to attend the Church service was quite embarrassing. When the ever green and indefatigable Copperbelt UPND iron man who also doubles as provincial minister, Elisha Matambo, asked the congregants whether they knew their area MP, Charles Mulenga, who at that stage was upstanding, murmurs of disdain and disapproval swiftly swept around the congregation. However, as Matambo made another attempt to introduce Nchanga MP Derrick Chilundika, the congregation immediately erupted into a frenzied staccato of applause.
What do we make of all this?
Chapwa waya Gloria! Ba Mulenga should start packing his katundu (personal effects) from Parliament Motel. That was a clear vote of NO CONFIDENCE…..a RED CARD! He mustn’t even dare wasting people’s time attempting to give it another try.
According to the research we have conducted across the country for the past 4 years, what happened in Kwacha East that day was an harbinger of worse things to come…..the reality would be the same for most constituencies, let alone for those MPs who have over stayed in parliament whether they are from the ruling party or not. You have received gratuities and SUVs 5 times and you still want to run again in 2026…….hmmm? Are you doing the President any favour?
It would be important to appreciate that during the last elections, electorates were just doing ‘kwenyu’ (voting red! red! red!) after obviously being fatigued and frustrated with the PF regime.
In 2026 it will be a different ball game altogether though. Ifichitwa (deeds) will speak for those aspiring to bounce back to parliament: Did you lobby enough for development in your constituency? Is your voice ever on mute or not in parliament? Were you picking up people’s calls? Did you bother to avail yourself to your people?
We have no doubt President Hichilema is headed back to State House with a landslide margin. However, to avoid a hung parliament as it happened with President Mwanawasa which would make it impossible for the President to govern, the President must take charge of the adoptions, pronto. Ba Levy Ngoma (Political advisor to the President) mulekutika? We don’t want ma bwana Chairmen to be selling adoptions to the highest bidder!
Simply put, it’s high time primary elections were reintroduced at all levels in our party. This way, we may avoid adopting unpopular candidates.
Twapita mukwai….
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
National Coordinator
HH Mpaka 2031 People’s Alliance
In his recent article titled “Unbridled and Unrealistic Presidential Ambitions, An Achilles Heel for Political Cohesion Amongst the Opposition,” Muhabi Lungu paints a gloomy picture of opposition politics, dismissing many as delusional presidential hopefuls. While he marshals statistics to show how difficult it is to win State House, his analysis misses the real point. The crisis in Zambia’s opposition is not merely about ambition. It is about organization. And without addressing that, no amount of finger pointing will change the equation.
As of today, Zambia does not have an opposition leader who can genuinely inspire the masses. That is the blunt truth. The frustration ordinary citizens feel with government does not automatically translate into support for the opposition, because there is no figure or party that has built the kind of ground game capable of turning discontent into votes. People want change, but they also want to see seriousness in terms of structures, mobilization, and presence across the country.
Muhabi is right about one thing: unity is necessary if the opposition is to stand a chance in 2026. But unity cannot be built on air. Parties that come to the alliance table without members, without structures and without clear policies are bringing nothing to the equation. They weaken the collective rather than strengthen it. An alliance of empty shells is not a winning strategy, it is a recipe for ridicule.
And here is where Muhabi must look in the mirror. He is spokesperson of Zambia We Want, a party widely perceived by the public as having no real structures on the ground. How then can it be taken seriously in an alliance? How can it lecture other parties about maturity when it has not yet demonstrated the organizational backbone to stand on its own? Before telling others to tame their ambitions, should it not first prove that it exists beyond press statements and elite circles?
The truth is that alliances work only when parties bring something to the table. Frederick Chiluba’s MMD in 1991 was powered by the unions, real people, organized and mobilized. Michael Sata’s PF was built brick by brick, election after election, with a loyal base that never gave up.
These were not creations of wishful thinking or clever rhetoric. They were organizations rooted in communities.
So yes, the opposition must unite. But first, it must organize. The hard, unglamorous work of building branches, recruiting members and presenting credible policies must take precedence. Otherwise, talk of unity is meaningless. And no amount of condescending lectures will substitute for the structures that actually win elections.
That is why it is refreshing to see figures like Ms. Dolika Banda step onto the political scene. Muhabi dismisses such entrants as mere dreamers, but perhaps it is exactly those dreams that will one day come true. Zambia’s democracy has always been moved forward by men and women who dared to dream against the odds. Instead of ridiculing them, we should welcome new energy and ideas into the national conversation.
Until the opposition produces leaders who combine ambition with real structures, it will remain weak. And until parties like Zambia We Want prove they exist beyond rhetoric, their lectures will ring hollow. Zambians deserve more than statistics and cynicism, they deserve a credible alternative that is serious, organized and inspiring.
United Party for National Development (UPND) Media Director General under the Presidential Support Programme, Frank Bwalya, said the introduction of the free education policy has increased access to education for many children in the country.
Father Bwalya notes that the initiative has been instrumental in improving literacy rates and providing opportunities for young people to acquire knowledge and skills.
Speaking when he featured on ZANIS Morning Blend, UPND at 4 programme, Fr Bwalya emphasised the positive impact of the government’s policies on the lives of Zambians.
He also highlighted that the feeding programme in schools has been helping learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their health and wellbeing.
Fr Bwalya further pointed out that Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has been another game-changer in communities.
He noted that the fund has enabled communities to undertake development projects, including the procurement of desks in schools which has improved the learning environment, making it more conducive for learners to learn and grow.
“CDF has had a significant impact on communities, allowing them to take charge of their development with the increased funding where communities can prioritise their needs and implement projects that benefit them directly,” Fr Bwalya noted.
Israeli humanitarian organisation Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), in collaboration with Zambia’s National Heart Hospital(NHH) has jointly secured a state-of- the-art, heart-lung machine worth US$ 200,000.00 for the country’s heart hospital.
Save a Child’s Heart Executive Director, Simon Fisher says the development will allow Zambia’s cardiac medical team to double the number of the children receiving lifesaving treatment locally.
Mr Fisher told ZANIS in an exclusive interview that this unity in action, demonstrates both Zambia’s investment in it’s own healthcare system and mutual spirit of collaboration with Israel.
“This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to saving children’s lives and highlights the strength of the growing relationship between Zambia and Israel” said Mr Fisher.
The donated state-of- the-art, heart-lung machine was presented to the National Heart Hospital management in Lusaka by Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar , who was accompanied by his Zambian counterpart Mr Mulambo Haimbe.
Mr Sa’ar emphasized that the contribution symbolises the deepening of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in ensuring Zambian children have access to world class medical care.
And Mr Haimbe, has welcomed the partnership between the National Heart Hospital and the Save a Child’s Heart (SACH),
Mr Haimbe noted that Zambia’s active and equal role in this initiative underscores the country’s determination to work side by side with Israel to deliver tangible benefits to it’s people across all sectors.
The presentation of the equipment was witnessed by two young Zambians , Joseph Phiri 18, and Kachese Syapiila 16, whose lives were previously saved through the Save a Child Heart programme, after undergoing life-saving surgery in Israel last year.
Meanwhile Mr Fisher further disclosed that the SACH team, together with Tanzanian partners from Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), has made plans of visiting the NHH next month to carry out a one week of Heart surgery for children through the South collaboration and teaching of Cath procedures.
“This comes after a successful screening mission earlier on, this month in Ndola and Lusaka. 155 children were screened and we should be able to treat about 20-30 children,” said Mr Fisher.
Whenever most folks announce their intentions to join politics, the main reason they obviously give is, “I’ve decided to join politics in order to help develop my country….”
Oh really! Is it only in politics one can contribute to the development of this country?
Simply put…..most politicians are fraudsters; scambugs who can not fully utilise their skills to make a living or help develop this country apart from politics!
After being trained at great expense to the nation as chartered accountants, engineers, economists, physicians, lawyers and architects etc they soon abandon their professions to go and sit in parliament and wait for their gratuities as they enjoy cruising around in impressive SUVs as they draw countless allowances!
If you take stock of any of their achievements before they went to parliament or indeed where they’ve been investing their money, you will be shocked to learn that the only businesses they are capable of running are bars, night clubs and brothels….. lodges or hotels if we may use euphemisms!
Of all these pretenders hankering after State House or Parliament, it’s only Hakainde Hichilema and perhaps Charles Milupi who have made reasonable investments that have created jobs and indeed contributing to the development of this nation outside politics!
While Hichilema has massively invested in ranches that are probably producing the beef you are daily devouring, Milupi is a major shareholder in the Copperbelt Energy Corporation which offers one of the best conditions of service in the nation!
We won’t mention any names for now, but if they come to you asking for your votes as Presidents, MPs, Mayors or Councillors, ask them aboyt their achievements and not just resumes.
Until next time….
Prince Bill M Kaping’a
National Coordinator
HH Mpaka 2031
Zambezi
Numerous incidents happened in June during which mask-wearing United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) goons were conducting raids apprehending suspected undocumented people in Los Angeles. Many of the people ICE targeted were not violent criminal suspects but day laborers at Home Depot, farm workers, children, street vendors and car wash workers. Some public protests happened against ICE raids with some limited violence in one city block near a Federal Building in the large city of Los Angeles of 500 square miles and 3.8 million people.
President Trump seized the opportunity to swiftly deploy 700 marines and 2,000 National Gurd troops. Two months later, a former young Dodge employee in his 20s was apparently assaulted at 3.00am in Washington, D.C. President Trump seized the event to deploy 800 National Guards to fight crime in D.C and to assist the mask wearing ICE agent goons to apprehend any suspected undocumented citizens walking the streets of D.C. who tend to be brown people.
One incident documenting the patrols in the fight against violent crime in DC caught my attention. A resident of Washington DC is shown on the pavement of the city block approaching two National Guards shouting at and berating them. The resident is seen wagging his finger at them when he suddenly hurled an object at the one National Guard troop that landed on the left side of his chest. The 2 guards gave chase as the suspect turned around, crossed the street and sprinted away as fast as he could as the two guards furiously gave chase down the block until they apprehended the suspect and cuffed him. When the report said the hurled object was a Subway sandwich, I could not stop my loud laughter with my chest rocking up and down. I felt awful that I could not stop laughing with tears in my eyes over the serious incident.
However, my laughter suddenly turned into utter dread and fear after watching the former Judge Jeanine Pirro of Fox News video clip. Jeanine Ferris Pirro is now President Trump’s Department of Justice Attorney for the District of Columbia who was bragging in the video clip that throwing a sandwich at law enforcement officers had earned the suspect going to jail. She further emphatically said the suspect was going to be charged with a felony which, if convicted, would earn him many years in prison.
This tragic news sobered me so much that I secretly schemed to save some money by earning some free food since I am a retired poor senior surviving on a limited social security income. I hatched a plan. The suspect was now nicknamed the Sandwich Slinger. The Trump DOJ hauled him to court and as expected charged the suspect with a felony. But the Judge released the suspect on bail under his own recognizance. The trial might be next month.
Since the suspect Sandwich Slinger was out on bail, I intended to travel to Washington DC and scout the Subway fast food places he likes to patronize. My friends and relatives who live in DC were in on the scheme. They texted and updated me on the suspect’s every move up to the last minute. The Sandwich Slinger would be purchasing a sandwich from the Subway fast food restaurant on 14th Street downtown DC at 4:00pm Eastern Standard Time.
I quickly hopped on the Metro underground train, briskly walked 20 minutes and stood waiting fifty feet or 15.00m on the sidewalk next to the Subway Restaurant exit door. I could see through the glass doors that the suspect had just bought the sandwich and was coming out. He walked out about ten feet or 3meters when I suddenly jumped in front of him 20 feet or 6ms away.
“Hey!! Sandwich Slinger!!!” I growled at him. He froze.
“Hear you hurled a Subway Sandwich and hurt a National Guard!! You sun of a gun!! F bomb you F bomb your girlfriend and your mom!!! Explicative you!!” I wanted to really rile and piss him off. He uncorked the Subway Sandwich and seemed unsure whether to hurl it at me.
“Go!! Ahead!!!” I growled with my ugliest Clint Eastwood scowl with intense eyes, twitching nose, and quivering lips.
“Make my day!!!” I growled angrily, jabbing my forefinger on my forehead. “I bet you can’t hit me with a man’s hundred mile per hour deadly major league fastball!! I bet you can’t hit me with a deadly strike right here on my forehead!!!” I angrily jabbed my forefinger on my forehead several times.
The suspect unwinded and angrily threw the 6inch or 152mm sandwich at my forehead. I snatched the sandwich out of the air with my quick reflexes before it could slam into my forehead and I took a swift bite at it.
“You just made my day!!!” I growled as I chewed, squinting with my Clint Eastwood scowl. “Make my day again!!!”
To my surprise, the Sandwich Slinger dashed into the Subway again and this time bought a 12inch or 304mm sandwich which he hurled at me again. I snatched it in midair again.
“Call the police!!!” the gathered crowd was now shouting.
Holding on to my 2 free subway sandwiches, I sprinted escaping to the Metro that took me to Manassas. I jumped into my car and drove for 2 hours back home to Virginia Shenandoah Valley. I learned on the evening news that the National Guard and FBI could not apprehend the suspects in the DC 14th street Sandwich Slinger duel despite numerous 911 calls to the police from the public. The law enforcement officials were too distracted looking at the Epstein Files in the White House.
President Hakainde Hichilema has urged the church to continue promoting unity and moral values among the youths in society.
President Hichilema said the church has a duty to promote unity and speak against social vices such as the abuse of social media.
“Speak against hatred and abuse of people on the social media and bring to the fold the youths and women into leadership,” the President has advised.
The Head of State has further stated that the church also has a duty to guide public service workers in spearheading development.
He said this when he graced the Zambia Baptist Union General Conference in Mpongwe District on the Copperbelt Province, which has attracted close to 10,000 congregants from across the country.
The Head of State noted that the Baptist Church has been a partner of the government in the health, and education sectors and in contributing to the economic growth of the country.
Mr Hichilema said the government will continue partnering with the Baptist Church in improving the lives of people.
He reaffirmed that through the free education policy two million pupils have gone back to school and encouraged the elderly people who failed to complete school to consider returning back for them to benefit from the free education.
“It’s been 120 years since the Baptist Church was established in Zambia and we truly appreciate it, we want to celebrate the 120 years of tremendous works and unity,” Mr Hichilema said.
Congregants during the Zambia Baptist Union General Conference in Mpongwe District
President Hichilema thanked the Baptist Union Conference for inviting him to the General Conference.
And President Hichilema said he will engage the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Management to discuss the challenges with buying maize from farmers.
“I will ensure that I meet all the FRA officials so that we sort out the problems that are there. This is why you elected us into government, to help provide solutions to such problems and ensure your wellbeing,” Mr Hichilema assured.
He further thanked the people on the Copperbelt for contributing to the bumper harvest that the country has recorded.
“Despite the Copperbelt being a mining province, this year it came number two in maize production among the provinces in the country,” he said.
The President also assured the people that the Machiya- lufwanyama road is still on government plans to be worked on.
He said despite the government inheriting an empty coffer, the plan to work on the roads in Mpongwe District is still active.
President Hichilema has since donated a K1, 000,000 towards completion of Church projects and a K200, 000 towards the conference expenses.
Baptist Union Conference President, Lordwell Chinyakasa also called for peace and unity as the country embarks on election preparations next year.
Reverend Chinyakasa said the Church should pray for peace, unity, and counselling as the country prepares for the general elections next year.
He also thanked President Hichilema for initiating developmental activities in the last four years the United Party for National Development (UPND) has been in power.
Reverend Chinyakasa commended government for restructuring the debt which has helped in creation of employment and supporting the social sector.
He pointed out that government in the last four years created employment for youths especially teachers and the nurses.
Rev Chinyakasa said the 30,000 employment of teachers and 11,000 nurses at the same time is commendable.
“If someone cannot appreciate what you have done Mr President, I don’t know what they can support now,” Rev Chinyakasa said.
He further commended the government for increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K1.6 Million to K36.1 Million, stating that the move is another initiative which is contributing to the development of the nation.
Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Permanent Secretary, Subeta Mutelo, says the ministry has since 2021 empowered over 90,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the country.
Ms Mutelo stressed that the government is encouraging value addition among SMEs so that they can be competitive enough for their products to cross borders.
She said the agenda is meant to see Zambian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and cooperatives take their products to different countries.
“When we talk about value addition, we want to perfect the value the SMEs are adding to their products. We do not want a situation where our SMEs remain behind,” states Ms Mutelo.
The Permanent Secretary was speaking when she featured on a ZANIS TV programme dubbed ‘4 years of UPND’.
“In terms of funding, very soon, we will see the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) through the ministry begin to offer loans in a very systematic way,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that the country currently has eight Industrial Yards that are housing over 150 SMEs, while some are operating in their backyards.
“When an SME has the potential or capability to grow themselves, we ask them to write an application for consideration into these industrial yards. All SMEs coming onto the Industrial Yards will soon be funded by the ministry to ensure that we boost their capital injection and also help them monitor their businesses,” she added.
Ms Mutelo also emphasised the importance of the general citizenry to buy local products in order to help SMEs perfect their products.
“I am also happy to mention that the Cabinet through the Secretary to the Cabinet has issued us a circular that is talking about supporting the local products. So, all the ministries have now been directed to buy products from local SMEs just to help them boost their standards, quality, timely delivery and right price,” she added.
Jaja Farms Proprietor, Jacob Chunga, said he is grateful to the government for their support.
Pastor Chunga shared that he is a beneficiary of a CEEC loan which has seen Jaja Farms grow.
“We have partnered with great companies like Proflight, which have our snacks on board and Good Nature, a company that deals in the supply of legumes,” said Pastor Chunga.
Meanwhile, Business Development Service Providers Association of Zambia (BDSPAZ) President, Obed Mbuzi, said the association helps SMEs grow their businesses through capacity building.
Mr Mbuzi appreciated the revision of the SME policy, which is intended to address the needs of SMEs in the country.
“In terms of business linkages, we are working with chains stores, for instance Choppies Supermarket has on-boarded over 100 SMEs to supply various products,” added Mr Mbuzi
Zambia is once again walking itself into controversy. What should have been a simple story of patriotism—the president’s son, Habwela Hichilema, completing training at the Zambia National Service (ZNS)—has instead turned into a scandal. Serving one’s nation is admirable, especially for the children of leaders. But State House’s bungled communication, coupled with the revelation that the president’s son trained under a false identity, has transformed a moment of national pride into a national security alarm.
First came the strange assurance that he had not received preferential treatment during the training. Then, shockingly, came the real bombshell—he trained under a pseudonym. Ops indeed.
The first defense was unnecessary. Who was demanding proof that the president’s son was not favored? If he qualified and passed on merit, that would speak for itself. By rushing to deny favoritism, State House created suspicion where there had been none. But the far graver problem is the second revelation–the very use of a false identity.
This claim undermines the first. To protect its image, the government now claims he trained incognito. If true, how, in a military institution, does one train under a fake name? This is a critical issue of law, democracy, and national security. Military training relies on verified identities, trust, and clear records. If the president’s son trained under a false name, what documents were submitted? Were certificates forged? Was an NRC altered? Were records fabricated? If so, that is not a mistake—it is fraud. Legally, the person who trained and the person who graduated would not be the same. If deception was at play, how do we even know he trained at all? For all we know, he could have trained elsewhere and simply worn the ZNS uniform on Zambian soil. Such secrecy only deepens doubts about the First Family’s dealings, which are already shielded from scrutiny.
The danger multiplies from there. If the president’s son can train under false credentials, what message does this send to military officials—that laws can be broken to meet one person’s needs? And who else is doing the same? Are ministers’ children, party cadres, or political loyalists quietly embedding themselves into our armed forces under assumed names? If so, Zambia may be cultivating a shadow military—one answerable not to the nation, but to a party or even a family.
History warns us what comes next. Across Africa, leaders have used their children’s military careers to entrench dynastic rule. Joseph Kabila inherited power in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Museveni in Uganda and Kagame in Rwanda have carefully positioned their sons in military command. In each case, the family’s grip tightened while democracy withered. Is Zambia inching toward the same script?
Contrast this secrecy with established democracies elsewhere. In the United States, presidential children have no need to hide their names if they serve. In Britain, princes have enlisted in full public view. Their transparency strengthens trust, proving that service is real—not a cover for political manipulation. Why, then, does Zambia resort to concealment?
The danger is not just today’s deception but tomorrow’s consequences. A military infiltrated by hidden identities is vulnerable to corruption, capture, and abuse. Soldiers whose names and pasts are obscured can be mobilized for partisan ends—or worse, for clandestine operations shielded from accountability. This is the architecture of authoritarianism, not democracy.
The lesson is simple. Democracy does not exist in the shadows. If the president’s son wanted to serve openly, the nation would have applauded him. But cloaking his identity poisons that service, casting suspicion not only on him but on the credibility of the armed forces themselves.
Zambia’s strength has always been the trust between its people, its institutions, and its leaders. That trust is now in jeopardy. If our military is politicized, if deception infiltrates its ranks, democracy will not collapse from foreign invasion—it will rot from within.
The president owes the nation a full, honest explanation. Anything less is a national security failure.
