By Hjoe Moono
The opposition UPND has won, with a convincing margin the Katuba by-election which saw Jonas Shakafushwa, a man who had ditched the UPND for an MMD job under Rupiah and Mwanawasa’s regimes, regain the seat. He must be a happy man that he is back at Parliament, and Parliament Motel. The PF has lost a vote in parliament, for though held by MMD, like Jonas Shakafushwa, the late Dr. Chikusu of Katuba was in the PF government as deputy Minister of Health.
A heavily contested election which saw the entire PF Machinery camp in Katuba, from the President, Vice-President to most PF Ministers and deputies doing all they could to secure a win. Ultimately, however, the UPND’s Shakafushwa, the People’s Choice prevailed, and the PF failed. The people of Katuba gave the PF a test of their own medicines: Donchi Kubeba! Willa Lila! Indeed, many congratulations to the UPND and its candidate, we can only wish them well as they contribute to meaningful debate and policy discourse in parliament.
We also hear of another fall of the PF in a local government election in Chililabombwe, where, like in Katuba, they succumbed to the UPND. Again, at the grassroots level, the people have spoken, and sent their message of displeasure to the PF and its Government. Many congratulations to the UPND for such a noble win in an area arguably reserved for the PF. To PF, we will continue to say until you heed the cries of the nation, the lies you came on board with will not keep you in power, just as MMD was voted out, so will you, if necessary. The writings are clear on the wall. Need we say more?
That said, it is not only electoral votes that have been going down under the PF, the exchange rate, the kwacha has been losing value each day. Every day we wake up, we have less money in our account (when converted to another currency). The kwacha has each day, in the words of HE MCS referring to his MPs, been useless, worthless!
An economist in Zambia, sympathising with the PF regime told me that the ‘market is at work’. That Zambia is a ‘liberalised economy’ so the forces of ‘demand and supply are at work’, the typical text book stuff we tell our first year students. I am not sure whether my economist friend actually understands the role of government in a free market economy, which is to: Correct Market Failure. My colleague forgot that actually sometimes the market fails, but when its outcomes are ideal, all the market can do is to reflect the economic fundamentals in the economy, period! If the outcome is a continue fall in value of the kwacha, surely there is something not right that the exchange rate is responding to, and we must be concerned, or shouldn’t we?
So if you have the kwacha trading at K5 a dollar in June and seven months later its trading a K6 per dollar, a 20% depreciation, the lowest in 20 years, surely there has to be something going wrong. But my colleague said that most Zambians are just talking and politicising the exchange rate without explaining nor understanding what is happening. I was actually shocked to hear this from the PF economist. Zambians are talking because they can feel the negative effects of the depreciating kwacha. They don’t need to know what is causing the loss of value to know that imports of goods, both final goods and intermediate goods have now become more expensive!
Let’s break this down; Zambians are not interested nor even care about what determines the exchange rate. All they are interested in are the following:
- A stable exchange rate which would make possible the conduct of cross border trade without much risk.
- For import oriented sectors, a relatively strong exchange rate.
Most of our products are imported. From cars to building materials. The rise of the middle class in Zambia which has seen the ownership of cars, luxury houses, designer clothing, shoes, phones, etc all relies on imports. Zambia, besides cement, does not produce most of the goods required for the construction sector which is one of the largest growing sectors of the economy-they have to be imported. The ingredients in all our juices and drinks are imported, including the packaging. The tyres on our cars, the service parts, the oil, etc, even cheap Chinese clothes in Kamwala have to be imported. What this means is that when you have a worthless Kwacha like we are experiencing under the PF, all these imports become expensive. So if in June 2013 you could buy a car from Japan for K5000 ($1000), at the same price of $1000, that car will now cost you K6000!!! Yes, just like that, you pay more suddenly for the same dollar price.
With this, we are in for higher import prices, such as imported fertiliser, imported oil and all that have to cross borders. Ultimately, we will have to pay more for each local commodity we buy—higher inflation—and our money become more worthless—loses purchasing power; and the PF would have succeeded in putting less money in our pockets!
So should we worry about the exchange rate? Yes of course we should. It is a signal of how we are handling our macroeconomics—a downward trend. If the Bank of Zambia’s mission is “to achieve and maintain price and financial systems stability for balanced macroeconomic development.” How is this mission being achieved in the face of an increasingly volatile and devalued currency? Surely the regime has failed us, we should be worried!
Are these the signs of the end of the PF? Has the economy proved too difficult to manage? It obviously has. Its 3 years in power now, should we need more excuses for failure? No. Should we vote in another party in 2016? Of course we should, unless a miracle happens, for God works in mysterious ways!
Brilliantly written article. I hope PF are taking this trend seriously.
The writing is clearly on the wall. Let those with eyes see and those with ears hear. The days of the PF are definitely over. We must however continue embrasing each other whether we belong to diferent parties. We are all one and we need each other to turn around our declining economy.
THE REAL TRAGEDY IN KATUBA IS THE PERFORMANCE OF MMD.
RB KILLED MMD AND HIS SURROGATE NEVERS (PLAY BOY “PREACHER”) CAME TO BURY THE VIBRANT MMD WHICH BROUGHT PROSPERITY TO ZAMBIA.
SHAME!!
Terrible article by a UPND nuthead
Now do an article on the jobs the PF have created, freedom of speech, Universities, investments brought in, road improvements. Given youths jobs and also how the PF is the party we want to form the government.
The Devil you know is better than the one you don’t,
No thanks UPND.
Thanks
@Mushota
So the PF can not even do an article on their achievements? you want a ‘UPND nut-head’ to do an article for you. What then are you (PF) going to do for yourselves? ngati na article yonse simungazilembele,..
He who laughs last laughs the loudest and the best
one of the best articles have seen the last years….am now big time UPND supporter.mr chikwanda has failed even that useless BOZ GOVERNER wat ever is called….
This is just the beginning. Things on the ground are different. PF (Poor Finishers) is finished. 2016 HH and UPND to rule Zambia. We are on the ground and we are working hard to completely annihilate PF. Watch this space, in 2016 PF, mmembe and his pat newspaper will be no more.
Wanzelu,
I totally agree with you, stupendous indeed.
Even rigging PF has failed, constitution and more money in people’s pockets, lambently failed.
Well done UPND. Fantastic lecture by Katuba people and yes, you deserve the best.
Reflections of Donchi Kubeba in their Pathetic First (PF).
its a misnomer to think katuba signifies the fall of PF.
Katuba was and will never be the litmus test for PF. yes PF has lost in katuba but it remains strong, focused and resolute in its unwavering desire to develop the country.
Even with the UPND victory in katuba, its insignificant as this is no new frontier for them. its part of their home base and they still remain a regional and tribal party.
They need to shake off this shameful tag by reforming and cutting off the r0tten head
@Mushota, the devil we knew in 2011 was MMD, the angel we did not know was PF, hence made the mistake and voted them in. Having learnt from that mistake we shall start afresh, vote for HH and he shall remain the “devil we shall know”
Article written by a tonga, blind follower of UPND. PF has improved its performance in Katuba. Remember that Katuba is Lenje speaking area. Your HH told formers to vote for their relative (wamukowa). Wait for the general elections and swallow your bitterness.
2011 Results
MMD, Chikusu 6 388
UPND, Shakafuswa 3 531
PF, Mwewa. 1 622
2014 results
UPND, Shakafuswa 4 781
PF, Chilando 2 747
MMD, Holmes. 731
When the bus of change arrives its difficult not to get on it….
The wind of change is blowing in the world and no man can stop it… oppressed people have awaken in every corner of the wold only Ukwa can not smell the coffee.
2016 is going to end in tears
The is a gravity of democracy and the feel of freedom of expression that has gained root in the people of the world driven by the access to information. No dictator can blind the masses.
The fires of freedom and free will are burning in Ukraine, Venezuela, Egypt and beyond. Africa will not be spared.
The Ukwa’s of this world can not feel the breeze with their UNIP brains and hope the will ride on the horses of yesterday.
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham lincoln
2016 is going to end in tears. Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!
The moral arch of the universe may be long but it bends towards justice ….
Martin L King
This article is very well thought out. Well articulated Mr. Author and please roll out many more. Well, I will share something with you all. “Non matter how good a coach and no matter how good the roads may be, as long as the Driver is drunk, I would not board that coah”. Zambia had a vibrant economy under Mwanawasa but all the gains have been lost in less than 2 years and much more has been borrowed. What does that tell you? A good farm is spoiled by a foolish business – the case for Zambia Does that mirror a drunk driver in a very good coach. Perhaps the kaponyas, the architects of this regime, can answer that for us. Enjoy the Katuba Victory
Time to jump out of boat. It is getting into muddy waters.
the sinking of the ship..viva Shakas..
briliantly written article, time to sit down and rethink for those charged with the responsibility of managing the affairs of this country….
The downfall of PF,well written article,indeed the wind of change is blowing.
Shakafuswa, Recycled! Nothing new.UPND we always tell you having a strong hold southern province and some seat in other provinces will not take you to state house. Katuba in not zambia.
Are you the only jew who doesn’t know what is happening? UPND has won local government seats in Chililabmbwe (Copperbelt), Mpulungu (Northern) and Mpongwe (Copperbelt) in yesterday’s elections. Does that say anything to you? Smell the coffee please.
Kantanshi,
But Katuba it also represents Zambia as a constituency. Please, accept defeat once in your life and make a decision of following the LOST Pathetic First (PF) or the FOUND, UPND.
Wake up from your slumber dear, or else remain in useless.
Sata, Chikwanda are more recycled than Shakas. It painful for you sir what ever
Exodus 3:7-8. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
This is the time that we are being delivered from the hands of anyone who is troubling hopeless Zambians i.e widows and orphans and the poor in this country.
May God bless Zambia.
@VISIONARY LEADER@ AAAMMMEEEN
Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AMEN,AGAIN I SAY AMEN.
THE BEGINING OF THE END OF A ONE TERM GOV.
THANK GOD,
THIS ONE IS FROM YOU.
WHY DID U REMOVE SUBSIDY?WHAT IS CHIKOPA DOING IN ZED?
So that they can continue borrowing gigantic billions of dollars and feed the Pathetic First (PF). Euro Bond gone, National Assembly coffers are empty, more problems in people’s homes. Whilst the UNIP comrades such as Munkonmbwe, Chikwanda, KK and Sata with Panga Family are chewing the debt money. This is why they removed the subsidies.
More money in their own pockets in 90 days but now it’s been 3 years. If you ask them about their promises’, they (patriotic failures) say that, people questioning them are unreasonable. And if you ask them porridge family (PF) about the people driven constitution, they say that, people should first show up the Animal one.
Eeeh! How pathetic and rhetoric PF is?
You, your children and their own children will suffer from absolute poverty. Shame PF.
The Titanic has gone under the water of change!! What a happy day!!
They have the article Sir,the powers that be.Problem niba chumbu
The boss himself went to Katuba to say he has useless MPs. What a message! How could the Katuba people have gone for another useless MP to represent them!
As long as we keep writing articles that are not forward looking but based on emotions we as a nation will get no were. these are the same type of articles Meembe writes about his long term punching mate GBM. no logic, no objectivity, no real analysis, just pure bias. but as usual a certain group of people will give you a standing ovation just like some do when they read the biased meebe articles… it makes you feel useful anyway..
History has always been a teacher of great nation….
No nation has ever progresses without correcting what went wrong in the past…
The future is nothing but the corrected past.
@Matrix. I have gotta agree with you. …….. As long as we keep writing articles that are not forward looking but based on emotions we as a nation will get no were. these are the same type of articles Meembe writes about his long term punching mate GBM and the TRIBE HE HATES (TONGAS) REPRESENTED BY HH.
Matrix, it time for Zambians to abhor and denounce tribalism. The strength of our nation is in the collective whole and wisdom we are. From Mpulungu to Kalabo, Chitanda to Sesheke, Chipata to Zambezi. We are one people with our destinies bound to each other.
Abash sectarianism. Abash tribalism. Abash Watchdog. Abash Po.st M.embe. One Zambia, One Nation.
it might seem fun for some people and it satisfies their mental needs but this is a very dangerous recipe for the future.. wen things are wrong they are wrong, there are no two ways about it. the writing of The Post and ZWD a lot of times are just outbursts of bitterness. even the daily mail and times even look better these days. these two medias and some others have personal battles they fight and the only difference is that they have a platform to do it on and a following that somehow is loyal. the appetite to sell and make money far outweighs any logic for many…
@Matrix
Haven’t you realised that your blogs are just same as Mmembe’s stupid editorials? You are just too emotional when defending PF’s cause because your survival depends on PF.
With most of us anti PF bloggers, blog not because we are hungry like you but because we are just principled men and women who do not subscribe to PF’s stupidity in exchange for bread crumbs.We run our own businesses to feed our families or work abroad where we do not have to depend on Sata for our survival.
Each time I have tried to engage you objectively on national issues, you have always either dodged my questions or only addressed those that you can easily tinker with in your efforts to defend the PF on shaky grounds.
I pity you lot. You defend PF out of need not out of principle for the…
@Wanzelu. I dont depend on PF and am not a cadre like you with nothing to do but observing blogs. its irrelevant to debate with you because of you biasnes. logic doesnt work for you.. ther is no point… we are learned people and not cadres, I dont owe PF anythin or any of the political parties, my debt is only to mother zambia.. and wen PF is wrong, i’l say they are wrong, wen they are ryt , they are ryt. You are the type of people who cant even mention one wrong that the people you support have done , they are like a god to you… i can not sink to your level and i refuse to … like the late president Mwanawasa said; ”if you argue with a f001… people wont tell the diffrence” …
Which party had katuba before by elections if it was mmd , or pf then it is a loss to that prty
Dr. Chikusu was Deputy Minister of Health in the PF. So who has lost a vote in Parliament?
Happy Katuba Day indeed.Excellent article with simplicity for a common man to understand the consequences of wrong economic fundamentals.
Gnashing the teeth is Chumbu Munshololwa, PF have a lesson to learn… In Bemba we say umwana ashumfwa…. Now they have touched Chitimukulu, let them cause an election in Kasama and they will see that even your own tribesmen can disown you!!
Ni Chintonmfwa!
The writer is Tonga . What do you expect?
Sir/Madam may you kindly and honestly tell us what you are doing in that country.Am worried for you with such level of thinking you may be a great danger to the nationals of that country
Is that all you could see? You lack content, and to you, everything degenerates to tribe te?
In 2011, out of 409 000 registered voters in Luapula only 1 750 voted for HH and out of 660 000 registered voters in Northern Province only 2 900 voted for HH whilst out of 643 000 registered voters in Southern Province 25 000 voted for Sata. So two provinces which are Bemba speaking gave HH 4 500 votes from 1 million voters or less than 1%…………?????
The whole truth. And if the writer was Bemba? Kekekekekekekekekekekek!?!?!?!?!/
It is MMD that has lost Katuba, not PF.
Dr. Chikusu was Deputy Minister of Health in the PF.
In all fairness Sata campaigned in Katuba and people have not agreed with him as well. He just needs to fire all his useless MPs so we can have more by elections for him to see what is coming in 2016.
why is it that when UPND win a seat only tongas and lozis celebrate? do northeners and easterners have a say in that tribal sticking party? twebeniko please
Iwe tuta. Dont bring Easterners in your tribalism. Your soul is sick.
I am Chokwe and celebrating hard. I have a surprise for my family today i am taking them to Inters for Dinner celebrating the rise and rise UPND. Just look at the name of the Party, Party of NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
Next is to petition the election. They have already started started by broadcasting falsely on Znbc, daily mail, times and post govt controlled medias. Pf your are already out. If Sata thinks he still command support let him call fresh elections. I see a new part in govt. People are tired of your lies. Mazabuka road traffic satanism sacrifice has not worked. Jesus is in control.
By election victory in Katuba has no meaning to Zambians who believe in One Zambia One Nation but to inferiority tribes who opening campaigned on tribal lines. How can someone aspiring to be the republican president tell electorates in his own very language not to vote for a candidate because he is not a Tonga. Shame on him with his fake dream of being the Rep.President. Come 2016 someone will be crying. The current constitution will still be in place, no 50%+1.
Bitter pill to swallow ka? Just wait…
When you lose popularity the best is to reflect on why. To count on the constitution will not help PF. Watch the movie as it unfolds. Do not forget that SATA told people to vote for GBM in Kasama because he hailed fro there. What is wrong with HH saying the same thing. You have just lost PERIOD.
HH will still win 2016 even without 50+ muzakalila lindilani. Katuba is Lusaka and you have lost shame on PF. Mwaamba nobene Chishi
Very Bitter taste and end for you. Enjoy your medicine of dochii kuku eba Iwe wine.
Have you slept?
“Happy to be back at Parliament Motel?” The comment sums up a lot of fundamental problems. Do people think that’s what government is about? Beer and mahule at Parliament Motel? Shame
“Happy to be back at Parliament Motel?” The comment sums up a lot of fundamental problems. Do people think that’s what government is about? Being happy at Parliament Motel? Shame
Its sweet victory for the UPND but let us not connect it to anything. It was equally sweet victory for the PF in Mansa central. If one would connect the victory to wind of change, then interpret the Mansa victory also
The real problem is that Bank of Zambia is a weak organization. Profits from exports are banked abroad. in 2013, KCM made Profits of over $300million, yet none of that money touched Zambian soil!!! Same applies to FQM, Mopani, Lumwana etc.
Marie-Anne make me understand this, how can the profits come to Zambia when copper is sold outside the country, the mining companies head offices are outside the country? May be by your advice the Boz governor could have an idea of how to do it.
@mushota and @ata, r u dead terrified that your agenda is failing.
dont you know that lies never win. greed and selfishness, pomp and insensitivity are bad.
the pf is simply ripping what it has sowed.
it is a disaster for pf, to lose in lusaka where they got huge margins, and now changed to a party that was third, u have to shudder indeed at the change of things.
i understand your feelings, but take it easy, Zambia belongs to God, not sata.
PF,MMD,NAREP,PF AND THE POST,ALL HAVE LOST.YOU ARE SIMPLY LOSERS PERIOD. ISSUES OF TRIBALISM WILL NOT SAVE PF,JUST GIVE US OUR PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION
Free booze at Shaka’s Kraal tonight. Off I go!
KAPUBA is not zambia. Hh can win in western, north western and bantustan provinces but he can never win a presidential election. The KAPUBA illiterates only voted for jonas because he is lenje. They have said no to development, we shall see.
Why PF is failing? One they have mixed economic fundamentals with family affairs. For sure you cannot have the major consumer of your income or borrowed income in the case of this govt be run by a person who has no idea on economic fundamentals in the name of Willie Sanda. On the other hand PF has also failed the farmers in this country big time, hence food has become expensive, no fuel (food) for people. Economies are run by energy sector and the govt removes subsidies on fuel making doing business, income generation, difficult. The govt is on a borrowing sickness to an extent of rising the debt seal above 1000% in an economy growing at 6%. Shame on PF and end result is depreciation of the local currency
Well done Shakas, democracy in action
You were blogging about booze and mahule at parliament motel now you congatulae him???? make up your mind!
And so starts the fall of the house of cards …
#OneZambia
Katuba Day Indeed
WELL WRITTEN ARTICLE, PLEASE POST IT ALSO ON SATA’s FACEBOOK PAGE
The Katuba loss was expected for the following reasons
1 Tribalism, Katuba is a Lenje land with a very good Tonga population, same is happening in Mpongwe where massive communities have opened up and occupied by Tonga immigrants. Moze was a wrong candidate in there.
2 The Chililabombwe loss is the one indicator which shopuld make the PF sit up but I doubt they will openly acknowledge this loss as a threat to their gravy train.
It can not be explained as a bad choice of the candidate, it is a protest vte and once these start taking a national character, then just know doomsday is fast approaching.
PF must tell MCS in no uncertain terms that his style of leadership and tribalism is losing them votes. He must tone down on his arrogance and the uninformed comments on the…
The problem is when UPND wins, her haters say because they are Tongas and when PF won in Mansa NO one said it is Bembaz, Let us speak the truth. Things are not right in PF. If all the wrangles going on in PF were found to be in opposition party, that part could have been de-registered.
Now coming to the happening today PF losing, is because you can not buy people with cheap politics when they are able to see the problems. Fertilizer supply to the farmers was on the bad note to a peasant farmer, cost of fuel is high, delivery of the Constitution is a problem, school fees which PF said we shall give K0 education from grade 1-12 is high, to mention a few. Things are not okey. Chililabombwe by-election is a sign of failure for PF.
The Fall of KK-PF (Katuba Kwacha-Poor Fellow)
Pf will cry in 2016 becuase Ba sata thinks kabimba can rule zambia.The man is unpopular even in his village.He comes from central province and PF can’t win anything.Please stop harassing GBM and confusing bemba speaking people otherwise 2016 will be for UPND.Don’t expect western,southern,north western,part of central,part of lusaka and part of eastern province to vote for PF.If u people in PF are smart,please don’t cause confusion in northern province.Bemba speaking PF supporters won’t vote in 2016 due the disappointments.I expect voter apathy in luapula,northern,muchinga,copperbelt and parts of lusaka in 2016.UPND is likely to win becuase of large turn out from Southern,western,northwestern,central and parts of eastern in 2016.HH and his people want to rule Zambia.
THE FALL OF KATUBA?
AT A CAMPAIGN MEETING IN KATUBA, A POLITICAL LEADER DECLARES:
“Na Muntu Wafwa Pamunshi, Wa Mukowa Wafwa Pamushi, Mwamana Kulila, Mbutwakalila Kuno Kuli Ba Chikusu, Mulakala Nobamukowa Kubandika… Simulyazhina Saa… Mulabika Mutuba Na Mulabika Wa Mukowa?”
AT THE SAME MEETING, A TRADITIONAL LEADER DECLARES:
“UPND Belongs To Bantu Bo Tatwe.”
Are the Bantu-Botatwe also in Chililabombwe? Isn’t it just obvious that the ‘tribal’ trick has now become old and useless like the PF MPs? Lets accept defeat and move on. We have many by-elections coming, lets prepare for those.
Donchi Kubeba – Dirty Kabbuddula
50 + 1 is in HHs @55, and deep in the colonoscopy…lol
PF needs to worry, if they don’t they will be in for a rude awakening, losses are piling up. borrowing is not going to save them,as it sends bad signal, they put structures, roads before people, no human heart fire nurses, and no regrets they are pushing unemployment up, sending more people on the street.
PF have been punctuated and punctured in Katuba. Condolences.
Unless some one is not thinking , katuba has always been in the hands of either mmd or upnd not pf , see from the past results, pf has been number three in this area however from the votes counted pf is gaining ground.
sometimes you tend to wonder about these sayings like;the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know, the question is why did we vote for PF if we knew MMD better than PF,MMD being the devil we knew at that time?
Ba Moono:
Fantastic analysis and writing! Keep it up as those of us without facts can get some understanding what’s on the ground in Zambia. Many articles appearing in many papers from Zambia are sadly poorly written and lack depth to articulate point on point of fundamentals to the Zambian economy. Even formerly major papers like the Post, trying to beat down an individual into a label of their choice is folly and simply dangerous for our country. Keep the positive vibe and I hope everyone despite political affiliation could articulate their point in such a manner! Kudos to you the author and the editor of this paper!
The writing is “clear on the wall” need we say more? Brilliant article!