President Michael Sata urges Investors in Zambia and ZAMTEL workers not to panic

1. point taken indeed our president, dont b disturbed by these selfish quacks who thot they will continue feasting on the ignorance of the masses. not all days are fridays. bravo

2. DON’T KUBEBA

3. Well said Mr President, clean up the house first, but you can chew gum as well as walk, start looking at woeing investors and creation of jobs side by side with fighting corruption. Wish you the best at time when people have predicted another much worse world-wide economic recession. We shall always support our president, as long as he is on the right track.

4. Sata is paying for the evils of corruption. Unfortunately Zamtel’s price will be paid by Sata.People will hate Sata for RBs corruption

5. MMD left $2.7 billion in the reserves by the time they left govt.A first in Zambian history.I don’t think thieves and plunderers would have accomplished this.The President seems to have a bone to chew with the MMD.tell us what the future holds for Zamtel.We obviously failed to run it.What different strategy shall be employed this time round.

   • Iwe! so what if they left $2.7 billion in the reserves by the time they left govt, you are missing the point, its not what they left that matters but what they did while in office. If they meant well they would have left 3 times more than what they left….but nooo they kept it for themselves which is right to call them thieves.

   • So what even if they left $100 billion in reserves tell someone in the street that, did they benefit??

6. I wish Zambians voted for Sata after the untimely death of Mwanawasa because the late president’s vision of no corruption would have seen Zambia develop more in the 3 yrs the country was taken 50 years backwards by these thieves. Mr President, you have the support of the 99% poor Zambians who wish to have a normal life with families. Go Sata Go!

7. @6 UYU KWENA MUNTU could not agree with you more, it would have been good for our nation had Sata taken over from Mwanawasa,Sata will still achieve alot in 5 years than mmd did in 20 years,,,, as the saying goes you cannot put a good man down, indeed HE MCS muntu, let us support him______________Go Mr President we are behind you

8. #6 Uyu Kwena Muntu its nice to emotionalise things and go with the flow especially on a sunday morning.But lets reason with facts.Zambia was not taken back 50 years.Things are certainly getting better in Zambia, we are not there yet but we certainly aren’t where we used to be.I was in Zambia and didn’t see people queuing for mealie meal and cooking oil,I saw lots of buildings coming up…all my friends own their own houses and are building flats guest houses etc.What crime exactly did the MMD commit? Please list down.Write more words than corruption because you and I know how we got our passports.Corruption is everywhere only hypocritics don’t acknowledge this.and its not going away by going after a few individuals but with a change of systems and mostly mindsets

   • Ii pains me to judge you, but you leave me with no choice. Its possible you or your family have directly benefited from the high levels of corruption during the 3 yrs Banda was president because you dont need to see a list of cases to know that there was corruption during this time. it shot up from the time RB took office because he is a GREEDY person who was put in a wrong place at a wrong time and had no interest to see a common Zambian like you and me have a decent life but his FAMILY and POLITICAL FRIENDS. Maybe its time you opened your eyes. FYI, I got my passport the legal way.

9. Also learn to brush your teeth mr Sata, your ,,,, are coated with tobacco

10. Corrupt investors have the right to be very, very scared! There is a new sheriff in town. One MCS.

11. Wonderful statesman….continue being focussed…focus…focus with a strategy side by side both for development and job creation Mr president. Anti corruption alone is not enough!!

12. @ 8 Mdea, come on we all know what mmd got up to, why waste time on making you a list ,,,just do your own research, as for passports l got mine the legal way, so talk for yourself mate in other words you are saying it is ok to accept theft and corruption

13. Its good to argue like this but surely Zamtel was a security risk to Zambia under Lybians.

14. iam 100% behind you Ba Sata.sort out these mafias.Those who still have doubts just read the Zamtel report and give yourselves time to reflect.You will see that we were robbed in broad daylight.And the robbery was in conjuction with the MMD thieves.

15. @ 5 & 8 Madea: Please don’t spoil our Mood after the Senegal Win. You are evil and very Fo.o.l.ish. What is $2.7Billion for Zambians? We deserve more than that. If your father was one of the MMD Plunders just eat that money quietly before he goes to Jail. People of your caliber are a disease in the ZAMBIAN SOCIETY.
    What PF have done is for Interest of all Zambians. keep Quite if you have nothing to contribute.

16. Excellent intentions Mr. President but completely wrong strategy (decisions without consultations). Some donors who wished their countries had participated in Zamtel will certainly applaud you. Unfortunately, it will be a serious mistake to believe that all that MMD did was steal money. There is so much they did for the economy to their credit (even though I did not support most of them as individuals).

17. Makani yabija.

18. Whether you like it or not Zamtel will be formally ceased soon. Your RB is now getting annoyed when asked for comments even on minor issues.

19. MCS tell them and they should know that you are on the driving seat. Some of the online newspapers are peddled by corrupt people and will not penetrate the GRZ. WE WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH AND MAY GOD ADD MORE YEARS TO YOUR LIFE AMEN.

20.  Sata’s actions on Zamtel are clear that Zambia has no laws that guarantee foreign investor protection especially that our High court Judges seem scared to grant Zamtel a judicial review so that this case is heard in a court of law. The percentage of market capitalisation held by foreign investors in Zambia is so high for the PF regime to destroy without consideration of future consequences for our children. Foreign investors operating in and those intending to invest in Zambia should treat the Zamtel case as a test case for future transactions with the PF government. Can our courts of law protect foreign capital? What is happening at Zamtel is daylight expropriation/sabotage which every patriotic Zambian must resist. PF cannot be trusted with foreign investment and I rest my case. 

    • Ba Sakala Nyongo may agree with your opinion sir; or madam. For us, for the second time in your lives, we are proud to be Zambians. Kaunda made us so proud that his schools made us internationally employable; quality baba. Now Sata is finally showing the rest that “yes we can”; Eat all you plundered though God was clever that he only gave you a single tummy; had you and your RB has a Million Tummies, Zambia would have collapsed even further. Sakala

21. I am appalled by the guy (Mdea #5) saying MMD left whatever dollars in reserve. Why do we behave selectively? Is that why the 10 commandments have been interpreted with weightings when each and every tenet was a breach of the entire code? Zamtel’s procedures to sale were flawed so whether or not MMD left gazillions in reserve, those gazillions would have been more if they didn’t dip into the national cookie jar!

22. Wait a minute and relax! Yes indeed, investors are being requested not to panic. Yes indeed the potential investors will not panic, but rather they will maintain cool heads and opt to invest their resources to favourable destinations elsewhere in African countries that are not polluted with immature & primitive variants of politics. A health economy thrives on healthy political climates. The previous MMD Govt developed a strong economic base that realised large amounts of foreign exchange reserves. Some foreign governments in developed countries a salivating to take a bite on such reserves. Excitement of the PF regime may open the gates to deplete our hard-earned foreign reserves. At the end of PF tenure in office, the guys will grab various citizenships to enjoy the plunder overseas.

23. This will be his undoing!

24. #8, So you got your passport by corrupt means, you ought to be hunted down and brought to book.
    Personaly, I don’t agree with how Mr Sata is handling some issues but I sincerely wish him well for his tireless endevours in mobilising Zambians to remove the corrupt and plunderer Rupiah and his MMD. One thing is very certain, when reading some of these blogs it is clear to tell who benefited from the massive plunder, corruption and theft. I hope time will catch up with them.

25. “Since the advent of the PF administration all donor institutions and Governments have increased their aid outlays to Zambia and the challenge is in fact for Zambia to develop adequate capacity to use the external aid timely and effectively. ”, Mr Sata Said

    Dangerous and irresponsible statement coming from someone who is ‘cup in hand’ to donors. He is in denial!

26. Good clarification done at the right time.Ba chilufya ba mudala mulebomba bwiino sana.u deserve a pay increase n more benefits. We r behind u.

27. Can someone verify the latest information on Wikipedia about
    President Michael Sata. We are tired of these alarming rumours, can these be stopped in Jesus name. We pray for peace to prevail in Zambia and we pray for God’s proctection upon our leaders. Christians please pray fervently for our nation, Zambia needs all the prayers. God bless Zambia, our leaders and every Zambian.

28. One on zamtel SATA is wrong and those arrogant pf cadres are in for it.The major western govements ,which are zambian major donors do not want to see the new libyan gobvernment failing safeguarding overseas libayan investment.These countries indirect thy we fight for the libayans aid freeze,providing legal councel.It very wrong for sata to assume that it is goning to be a easy battle.These are not the 70’s of kaunda where,the government can just nationalize and foreign investor just forget about it.The world as greatly changed,international politics know how to deal with SATA stupityness.SATA is a business risk to zambian investment climate.

29. Sata’s regime needs to be reminded that according to international law, seizure of legal title of property constitutes a compensable expropriation. It is important that Sata knows that there is a cardinal rule in international law that the property of aliens cannot be taken, whether for public purposes or not, without acceptable compensation. Expropriation of Zamtel has occurred through the interference of Zambian state police who have been instructed to seize the bank accounts of Zamtel. Those DEC officers committing this economic sabotage should be arrayed before a court of law.

30. I LIKE THIS STATEMENT VERY MUCH;

    “Therefore, the scare mongering tactics by Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane intended to cover up his crimes is essentially an exercise in futility.

    AND THIS;

    “As Head of State, I will never sideline my commitment to safeguard and superintend the interests of the Zambian people. Zambians with the passage of time will realize that they never misallocated their trust by entrusting me to preside over their fate and destiny.
    WOOOOOW!!!!! THAT’S OUR PRESIDENT, MY PRESIDENT!!!!

31. Bottom line is that Zamtel sale was a corrupt sale and there are no two ways about it. It’s a shame that some Zambians are supporting former government officials. These are people who benefit from tax payer funds and deserve no mercy. The least they can do is defend themselves.

32. @Progressive, the deal was wrongly done from the ward go, I don’t see why it will be difficult for the Government to take what belongs to us by law.

33. Thank God the alarming rumours about President Sata have been removed from Wikipedia. Lord Jesus we pray for protection upon our leaders, may you raise up intercessors who shall not give you rest but will continuosly pray for Zambia until righteousness, peace , wisdom and love prevails over our nation, our leaders both ruling and opposition and upon all Zambians. God bless our Great nation which you are using as a beacon of hope in Africa.

34. You are right, Zamtel should be a test case to would-be-investors that obtaining assets through corrupt officials and channels does not pay in Zambia. If you are a corporate-vulture; stay out of Zambia with your corrupt money. Zambia does not need “corporate pimps”!

    Like the President has said, it is dubious deals and foreign crooks who have contributed to the retardation of genuine development in the third world. Investors whose intentions are to bribe a feel shameless and morally bankrupt politicians to gain advantage should stay out of Zambia. That’s the message Zamtel repossession will loudly and clearly send to the world. It is about time foreign investors realized that at least their are leaders (presidents) on the African continent who will not tolerate corruption!

35. My post @26 above is intended for……..#16, progressive urbanite.

    Thanks!!!!

36. Some of you hate HE MCS too much, everyday your comments are negative, so its nothing new nor skin off PF,s nose. Your hatred being what it is tribal will never amount to much but just that ,,water of a ducks back

37. Does anyone notice how Situmbeko Musokotwane keeps shifting his stories and demands? First he challenged the President to provide proof, then he challenged him to publish the ZAMTEL report.

    He is guilty, and he knows it.

    • You mean the one sided report which clearly lacks a full perspective of what occurred and reads like it was rushed? The report which doesn’t even provide an alternative valuation? What about the Ernst and Young report?

      I’m not an MMD cadre but before you pronounce people guilty it makes sense for all the relavant information to be provided. We still do not know what ZAMTEL’s financial health was like before the privatization. 

38. I totally echo Progressive Urbanite’s views @16. @simple life: repossession of any property, particularly where legally binding documents exist (whether done dubiously or not) should be determined by a court of Law. if this Govt has enough basis and evidence to reverse the sale, they should applied for judicial review on the sale of Zamtel. This course of action is bound to send shivers in the business community.

39. ok it seems no one knows what MMD stole because no-one can provide a list.Maybe MMD stole but all we hear are allegations about bicycles,property etc.surely that can’t impoverish a nation.#12 Sheik are you kidding me $2.7 billion is a lot of money.Which government ever left that much in reserves?They all just left debt.no wonder our country is where it is people just emotionalise,don’t read facts.good luck with your PF govt!

40. @20 Matac0 Yanjoka and @18Kamwendo your parents are MMD and you were direct beneficiallies of currupt activities which they commited. MMD time is over and this is time for Zambians. Continue defending them coz you have a reason, but, you will not change the fact that they will be jailed no matter what you do. Not only that, we will also come and get every peni you stole from Zambians.

41. Oh yes, Idi Amin did. So why should Sata not “did it”.

42. I like this; its nice to SEE people undressing TUMABAMBA in public and assure everyone sane watching that they are not mad. I end here! 

43. Bwana ‘modaleta’ what are you moderating about my two sentence comment which i posted at 4:21 PM jan 22 ? I am dissapointed to say the least.

44. we need lots of proof ,there is so much hear say and propaganda 
    if MMD stole prove it in court, even facts about Zamtel ,why moving
    so fast in seizing ,we don’t want to become like Zimbabwe not using
    our heads but  our emotions

45. Mr. President some of the facts have to put right. Let us not go in the details but would suggest a simple way forward sit across the table with your partners and sort out. It is easy to negotiate and finalize everything sitting across the table and negotiate. Today’s world it is more civilized to sit and discuss and reach conclusions amicably

46. Workers are genuinely concerned, the future of the company is not clear, you can not just dismiss their concerns just like that.

    Just because they will get their salaries this month does not mean their whole future is suddenly now secure, does Sata think using ya banthu osati yanjoka?

47. The president for once has put a re-assuring mark to potential investors and how Zamtel saga is beeing handled. This deserves applauding, for rarely information on a number of national issues has come to the public domain as clearly as facts have come out. This will reduce negative perceptions to numerous COIs set up without definitive outcomes for the public to be well informed. We urge the govt to avail the public such information with transparency so that public support of the goverment’s effort to fight corruption is without excuse. However, divulging expected information to the public is not an end in itself, there is need to see these cases brought to their logical conclusion with the due process of the law. Only then, will Zambians win the fight and not the Chiluba way.

48. President Michael Chilufya Sata, is correct on the reversal of ZAMTEL shares to the rightful owners who are Zambian people. This should make a statement to other corrupt investors who want to come and plunder resources belonging to the Zambian people. I agree with the stance taken by PF government. I only hope that the same will be extended to ZCCM assets that wrongfully taken from the Zambian people. This cause will be diluted if PF government continue to make press statements. What we want is swift action by the investigative wings and expedited judicial process. Criminals must face the full wrath of the law. Unlike Mwanawasa who formed a task force without setting up a tribunal, we want PF to constitute a high court specifically to deal with plunderers.

49. Micheal Satana slow down,we know you a representative of the jesuits who are writing these statements for you .You have thrown yourself in a dip hole ,your pride is at stake if not careful this will send you six feet because your excessive anger won’t sustain you for long.You are dealing with very educated people who surpass your foolish thinking in the meantime we watch and wait for the economy to crush then the people will rise against your minority government sooner than later.by the way how many jobs have you created so far?

50. Just take over Mr President. We are behind you and the whole nation is behind you. Don’t worry about LAP Green. The green colors are going just as Kaddaffi is gone.

51. And I thought RP was paid $2million which was hideously excessive now I hear $12million is beyond laughable …when are the law authorities going to start arresting these crooks!!

52. smoking gun, ulichipuba, on which side are you, on libya or your country , tll me, if you went to libyaould they recongnise you. ulimbushi sana

53. What was RB doing when governments around the world where freezing Libya’s assets?

54. The MMD leadership under RB was very corrupt and selfish. Only those who benefited from such acts can defend these people. I like PF and the approach it has taken in managing our affairs. Good luck

55. The money has gone to Caymen Islands where nobody can get it back.
    R.P capital should never have been allowed to operate in Zambia.

    More dangerous than a Swiss bank account.

56. I think the president needs to act fast on the Zamtel issue. Whatever plans they have they must act fast because what Musokotwane said has started to happen. Today the Post newspaper reports that suppliers are not doing business on credit with Zamtel because of uncertainities surrounding the future of the company. Dec has frozen Zamtel Bank accounts leaving only a salaries account open. Not sure whether they expect money to go into that account from heaven! Its no time to drag feet in decision making. Once the company grinds to a halt there will be more damage done than the one done by those who sold it.

57. #9. Let us not use bad language sir/ madam. This fora is for sharing ideas

58. Zambians should love their country.All people who want Zamtel to remain in the hand of corrupt people are not Zambians.In my life i’ll never support such people.This is why in post Newspaper one white man said Zambian intellectuals are crazy coz they sail their own country.They proud of being intelligent meanwhile they have never invented anything.This is .The president is telling us the truth.Zamtel belong to Zambians.Why should we fail to run our companies when we go to same universities with white people?Libyans are not that intelligent chaps.I was helping some Libyan classmates in Europe to make projects. This is why peeople like HH should not be supported because his interest is power and hatred against other tribes.Any reasonable person would never support the sale of Zamtel.

59. I salute you Mr President. For the second time,I feel like really calling you my president. the first time loved you was when you suspended the copper exports so that BoZ could have a hand in it. I remain deeply disappointed with your decission to reverse that. if I may be heard, it would appear Mr President that you are your own waste enemy. when one embarks on the path you have taken, there are sacrifices to be made. integrity is very important. your assistants may good reports for you but this will not put food on peoples tables. Let me also mention this fact to you…foreigners will never develop our country but ourselves. having said that where do we start? as a person who has embarked on the anti corruption drive, you first need to allow this country understand all the dirty work 

60. Michael, youir vision is right. We voted for you. Dnt listen to fools whose intension is to make you loose direction. The quicker you reposses Zamtel the better. Let LAP green negotiate with RB for the refund.
    Does RB even desrve the Government expenditures he is enjoying?

61. The report can not be respected as Mr.Zulu and group are PF cadres who had already made a commitment to repossess Zamtel. The report lacks credibility as it was just meant to consolidate PF position on the matter. Posterity will judge who is right and wrong on this matter. The good part is that no one cheat the TRUTH! He knows our motives and those who are acting out of deceit and hatred will be laid bare!

62. No investor invests without proper research about where she/he is putting her/his money. Investors know current leadership better than PF Cadres or most of the Zambians! Actions speaker louder than words! Investor confidence is not built by the current prevailing actions!

63. Amazed, depressed and what not with the way people have the guts to support the wrong. Let me say that 2 wrongs do not make a right and if we agree for a minute that the sale process was wrong then forcefully taking back is also wrong. After all the other stake holders have paid a handsome amount of $257Million and they deserve to be engaged. Just reversing the deal means doing a illegal act to undo an act which is unilaterially established as wrong. Please come out the world of 70s and 80s and sit across teh table to negotiate.

    I would say it won’t be very healthy for the economy of the country which is banking on teh sale of Euro bond to sustain the Budget 2012.

64. ZAMTEL…ZAMTEL EVERYTHING CONCERNING THE ZAMTEL DEAL WAS CROOKED..QUALIFIED SKILLED AND EXPERIENCED ENGINEERING PERSONNEL WERE DELIBERATELY LEFT OUT .. MOST OF THOSE EMPLOYED PAID FOR THEIR WAY IN THE BOTCHED NEW LAPGREEN ZAMTEL..WE URGE GOVERNMENT TO ALSO REVERSE THE STAFF REDUNDANCIES AND RE EMPLOY SOME OF THE FORMER EMPLOYEES WHO ARE QUALIFIED AND SKILLED…..RIGHT NOW ZAMTEL IS TOTALLY UNDERSTAFFED…AND MOST SENSITIVE INSTALLATIONS ARE NOW NOT MANNED PAUSING A SECURITY RISK TO THE NATION………COME ON WAKE UP ZAMBIANS ….LETS MAKE ZAMTEL A ZAMBIAN THING

65. If a government can expropriate legally acquired assets without any intervention of courts of law, then Zambia does not respect the rule of law. Sata and his cabinet colleagues have no respect for legal principles and that is why they hired NGOs to fight the chief justice. The President himself has appointed an acting chief justice for 4 days to instil fear in the judiciary while Zamtel is being expropriated by the PF government. Those intending to invest large scale in Zambia will be advised to limit their financial exposure to a country being run by such a PF regime. Until the Sata regime shows that it is has respect for foreign capital (which is borrowed from international markets), they do not deserve additional investments.

66. @Sata is the boss very right actually I get a feeling that Mr. Sata is surrounded by people who slaughter the whole cow for their 500gms of meat. People advising him are not far sighted and have vested interest. Where Zambia was it will not be there shortly it will go down and might end up looking like Zimbabwe. People have to help Mr. Sata to come out of revenge and grievance mode and help country prosper.

67. Test

68. The state has already ‘sourced’ for a buyer of Zamtel in the same way the previous government did. The same are seen coming from the State House, surely one will doubt about the transparency of this transaction. We are now exposing the company to stripping as most of the people are becoming more threatened with loss of lively wood. Alot could have been discussed privately not in the press!!!.

69. Business thrives when there is consistence in investment policies and predictability in governance policies…but consistently bad policies that allow leaders to plunder national resources can only inspire crooked investors. Somewhere along the way a change of policy is required so that the nation can get back onto a decent path. one step backward followed by two steps forward is surely progress when you are headed in the right direction and one step forward with two steps backward is still progress if you were heading the wrong direction. 

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