Thursday, March 28, 2024

Corruption must carry a death sentence in Zambia- Phiri

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File:A Chinese lodge owner with his Zambia workers making preparatory works for the hosting of the UNWTO general conference in Livingstone
File:A Chinese lodge owner with his Zambia workers making preparatory works for the hosting of the UNWTO general conference in Livingstone

The “White man still rules after 50years because of it

As I left Mopani Copper mine in Mufulira yesterday, completing an engineering job there, I could not help getting caught up in the sadness that engulfed the mine after some individuals were handed retrenchment letters. I watched as some knelt before their “white” bosses, pleading for a chance because their families would be thrown into serious anguish if the lost employment.

  1. Why are we always begging the “white man”. It is estimated that up to 12000 jobs will be lost by the year end.
  2. So how did we get here?
  3. Why do we have such little say about how what is ours is run?
  4. We talk of independence, but how many establishments are actually owned by Zambians?
  5. How many times do we see Chinese contractors blasting Zambians at a construction site? Its far too familiar.

We have talked about solutions to these problems for the greater part of the last two decades, but nothing changes.There have been proposals for legislation that allows government some control over the mines but nothing gets done, all because someone somewhere is benefiting.

[pullquote]as it stands, we are more colonized now than we were pre 1964[/pullquote]
We sold the mines because some individuals wanted kick backs, the foreigner knows in Zambia , if you service the right people business is good for you.

The issue of loadshedding, I wouldn’t be surprised that the reason the new Chinese turbines installed at Kafue gorge that require more water to generate an equivalent output as the turbines before is because someone somewhere is benefiting. How disgusting are we as a people? You are willing to put so many individuals at risk just because you want to benefit?

We really need to revise our laws and make CORRUPTION punishable by DEATH so as to deter would be offenders. And we further need to develop legislation that supports indigenous peoples, like the Black empowerment laws in South Africa, because as it stands, we are more colonized now than we were pre 1964.

We talk of malls, mines etc, who owns those things ? Is it indigenous zambians or foreigners ?

The money we used to spend on the tutembas of our fellow Zambians we now spend at these malls. Making Zambians even poerer. How many times have we heard about the need to diversify into agriculture. But have we actually made any effort in that area? We stick to NON INCOME generating ventures like roads because we need to reap from kickbacks? And also for political gain so we can secure another term to make proceeds from CORRUPTION.

People in hospitals are dying because of CORRUPTION. People are dying of poverty because of CORRUPTION. We are still colonised because of CORRUPTION. This cripples our nation and CORRUPTION should be a capital punishment crime. We need to deter people from this vice.

By Niza Phiri
(Munali independent)

21 COMMENTS

  1. Death Sentence in any shape or form is old, archaic and an easy way out for the offender. There are better ways to punish and reform people. We are human and not jungle animals

    • I understand why Mr.Phiri feels this way..he knows that the selfish politicians who sell our land and mineral resources to foreigners are currently untouchable. Meanwhile we Zambians are languishing.Only in Zambia will you find a foreigner shouting at a Zambian with impunity.Our ministers are paid $2million to sell our land to the chinese.These ministers who wield so much power because of our failed constitution. however death penalty is too excessive.

    • I can sentence that Phiri to hell, why he thinks people who are begging for their jobs are useless? Begging is not corruption. I can’t wait for him to finish the money he CORRUPTLY received from his “Engineering” project at Mopani.
      Is he suggesting all those MMD lead by RB, plus who regrouped at State house after Sata’s death should be sentenced to WHAT?

  2. My first thought was “HAHAHAHA, nonsense” but then I was reminded of Demosthenes and the ancient Greek law “Anyone who wished to propose a new law had to do so with a rope around his neck. If the motion failed, he might be hanged with deliberate speed.” So I’m left to wonder whether this Niza Phiri passion to eradicate corruption could have him pronounce such zeal with a rop around his neck knowing the eminent would follow.

    Common sense baba, common sense.

  3. Yes, we should have the Death Penalty.

    And also for LYING POLITICANS, especially those that tell LIES like 90 days, more money in your pockets.

    Those are the MOST CORRUPT OF ALL!

    THE BIGGEST CORRUPTION EVER SEEN WAS JUST A LIE – I AM ALLERGIC TO CORRUPTION!

  4. There is no more room for the death sentence in a society that embraces so-called Christian values. That aside, I agree @MMD Chief Bootlicker (you always the stoic, voice of reason by the way, sir) that we must always recognize our humanness. In fact that death penalty you are advocating contradicts your argument because it came on the statute books of the colonizer anyway.

  5. This is a serious suggestion if you want to control the population of Zambia as the majority of the people will be killed this way.

  6. In a Christian country, isn’t is surprising that we all survive by being corrupt and genuine businessmen can’t cope. Philip is right. To control HIV there is male circumcision, even in a Christian country. Therefore, let there be capital punishment for corruption. The electric chair. This will deal with the current plunder of the country’s resources at the expense of the poor. This is a real proposal that every wealth loving Zambian must support.

  7. When I read Phiri I thought it was that Mumbi cow. She’s been working so hard these days to say the dumbest things.
    I agree with Prof. MMD Chief. The death penalty is a draconian practice. If one man takes revenge by killing a man who killed his loved-one, that makes perfect sense to me. But the State should not be in the business of killing anyone. Not even murderers.

  8. I think we are missing the point. Niza has highlighted corruption & death. Instead of concentrating on the literal meaning of what Niza is saying how about thinking what the effects of corruption on society are. Corruption is killing people. Why not view it as such.
    Niza is trying to raise this. Unfortunately, our people have accepted that getting wealth by whatever means is being clever. The jerabo (jail boy/jail bird) kingpin was recently eulogized as an inspiration in Kitwe.

  9. ba Itizi
    I for one would not want to put words in this Phiri chap’s mouth. He said the crime of corruption should be a capital punishment crime. By definition that is death penalty. I abhor murder and rape and any other horrible crime. But I still hold a conscience objection to capital punishment.

  10. the bleeped word in my last post is that word that rhymes with ape but begins with a ‘r’. Or perhaps I should say ‘vergewaltigung’ in German.

  11. The problem with us blacks is that no respects us because we have been weak and dominated. You can’t beg pepo to respect you, you can’t complain that your dominated we have to be strong. We’ve been weak nd its a shame we are divided people. Some pepo feel there better than others while to the whole world we r the the weakst race.

  12. In China corruption carries the death sentence. Yet when the Chinese come to Zambia/Africa, they become the most corrupt/exploitative businessmen.

    ACC has been reduced to an organization for victimising political opponents. ZRA does not have means to claim tax. Road contracts worth billions have awarded to Chinese contractors yet little or no taxes are paid by the Chinese.

  13. Mr. Phiri is trying to highlight the reality of the cancer of corruption and its effects in our society. We cannot doubt that many ordinary people have actually died as a result of it. Though the solution proposed is harsh, it should form the basis of serious debate on this serious issue.

  14. Zambians are the rest of Africa rely on the WHITE PEOPLE and Chinese because of laziness and lack of intellectual capacity!
    PF government included Zambian constructors in various on-going projects! I am sure you we all know what these stupid Zambian constructors did with roads, schools and other Projects! It is shameful to be black among stupid blacks!

  15. And this guy being an engineer instead of trying hard to reverse the colonialist trends he s complaining about by use of his rare skills acquired at great cost paradoxcally opts to perpetrate the same by joining politics.Why not set up a value addition industry or better still a zambian owned mine?It’s such a big shame becoz politics wont solve the problems you outline if the likes of u and your skills can’t.

  16. Surely to stop corruption you should remove the corrupt and replace them with the uncorruptible.
    Good luck with that.
    I think Zambia as well as many other countries in Africa has so much to offer, but when even tourists have to grease palms to move from one place to another I fear that it is endemic in African society, which is why a blind eye is constantly turned.
    It also makes it easier for “Rich” whites to buy the contracts etc…
    I lived in Zambia as a child (I am white per se) and have taken a great interest in Africa, which actually could be the richest continent on Earth I suspect, but not until corruption has been removed.
    The death penalty though, No! Re-education….

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