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The United Party for National Development (UPND) says there is a scheme being orchestrated by some selfish individuals to remove ZESCO Managing Director Victor Mapani from his position.
UPND National Chairperson Labour and Social Security Godfrey Beene says the party is aware of the vicious social media sponsored campaign targeted at Mr Mapani by those who allegedly benefited from the corruption at ZESCO under the previous Administration.
Speaking during a Media briefing in Lusaka, Mr Beene added that the maneuvers to remove the current ZESCO MD is intended to destabilize ZESCO operations.
He said Mr Mapani is a victim of a malicious campaign aimed at denting his professional integrity.
Mr Beene charged that ZESCO under the leadership of Mr Mapani has managed to close loopholes used for corruption activities in the procurement of goods and services.
He said the introduction of transparency in contract allocation in the procurement system has eliminated the widespread corruption and enhanced efficiency in the delivery of goods and services by the suppliers.
Mr Beene explained that ZESCO has established a committee comprising representatives from all relevant departments so as to ensure no individual has the authority to unilaterally award contracts.
Mr Beene said the scheme to remove Mr Mapani who has demonstrated a high level of competence will greatly renege the transformative agenda of turning around the operations of the power utility company.
Meanwhile, UPND Deputy Media Director Cheelo Katambo called on the Zambia Police to deal decisively with cadres exhibiting unruly behaviour.
Mr Katambo said the Police should not look at the colour of the party regalia wearing the unruly cadres but to act decisively.
The first 13 years of my life up to 57 years ago, I lived in the villages and rural schools in the remote Eastern Province of Zambia in Southern Africa where there were no indoor flash toilets. You might not want to read this article any further if you are eating, about to eat or you have a weak stomach. I have lived predominantly in the cities in Zambia and the United States during the last 57 years navigating between use of the flash toilet of the city and rural village toilets or commonly known as out houses in the United States and latrines in the British colonial Northern Rhodesia of the 1950s and 60s. At one point 60 years ago in my rural village, toilets did not even exist. All villages now have toilets. Recently, I spent 2 weeks at my Mwizenge Sustainable Model village in rural Lusaka in Zambia sleeping in my own hut. I was confronted with and contemplated the challenges of using the rural village outhouses which I helped design and directed the building of.
History of the Latrine
pit latrine
I was attending the Dutch Mission Tamanda Boys Boarding Upper School north of Fort Jameson (now Chipata) in the remote Eastern Province of Zambia in 1965. I was 11 years old and in my 6th grade classroom one morning when we heard a loud alarming campus wide commotion. The whole of my class of 40 students and 3 other classrooms emptied of students as everyone scrambled toward one the 6 teaching staff houses’ toilets where a crowd had already gathered. The teacher’s 3-year-old little girl had fallen into the wide toilet hole pit and could be heard crying from deep inside the dark outhouse hole. Some of the taller 17-year-old classmates were urgently summoned to retrieve the girl from deep in the dark filth.
Fortunately for the little girl, a number of the outhouse floor wooden beam floor supports had decayed and collapsed inside the shallow pit. The wooden poles had crossed each other which inadvertently created blockages which broke the girls’ fall. She was wedged just 3 feet below the hole and crying instead of being at the bottom of a ten-foot-deep toilet. One of the taller boys knelt on one knee to reach for the girl with his long arm and lifted her out amidst cheers. She was more frightened as she was not physically hurt. Her grateful mother carried her in her arms and scrabbed her with some clean soap and water. This incident exposed all about the perils of rural village outhouses at the time. The hole of the toilet should not have been big enough for a small child to fall through it.
Use of Outhouse
A friend of mine who was also a lecturer or professor at University of Zambia confided in me that when he visited the village in rural Zambia, he made sure he emptied all his pockets including keys before squatting straddling the hole. In my home village many years ago, I took this advice further. I removed my shoes, my trousers, emptied my pockets of my wallet which had a bunch of credit cards and my Virginia Driver’s license, and my rental car keys.
After living in the United States for so long, I find it a challenge to use the village outhouse for long periods. According to the CDC, I might be among the 41.9% of adults in the United States who are obese. Therefore, I am unable to squat for too long on the village toilet when I am living at the Mwizenge Sustainable model village. Squatting for too long becomes a further challenge if there are too many not just the small houseflies, but especially the large green B-52 green bombers recklessly zipping around.
Outhouse Social Etiquette
There are also the challenges of social etiquette when using the village toilet. One of the most difficult is how do you tell if someone else is already occupying the special house at that same moment you want to urgently employ its services. If you are inside, you cough loudly to signal to whoever is approaching that you are already inside. Both men and women in the traditional Zambian customs have to make sure neither their mother-in-law nor father-in-law are occupying the joint at the time they would like to use it. You need to gather good intelligence before you decide to use the toilet. This problem may be solved by having more than one toilet.
In most cases in rural areas, the toilets may only have an opaque screen structure and not an actual door that you can use to close the toilet. This is how as you are busy using the toilet, often chickens have a tendency to walk in to check you out. When the chickens see you, they emit special alarm sounds.
Chicken one: “Chuc-ru- ru- ru- !!!!! (We are surprised you are here!!!)
Rooster Deep voice: “Cle – kwe -kwe- kwe!!(Man! This is really scary!!!!)
Village chickens make similar sounds when they see a snake or strangers walking around the village.
Since I cannot squat for long any more due to my age, especially weight and poor physical shape, I have sought relief by asking the village carpenter to make me a special movable wooden gizmo box that makes it possible for me to sit like I do when I use a flash toilet.
Stakeholders in the Education sector have called for the revision of the 2013 School Education Curriculum following submissions to the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology.
The Committee heard on its submission sittings in Kalomo district that the two tier ‘vocational and academic’ pathways should be revisited following numerous challenges that do not sit well with both the teaching fraternity and the learners.
ZANIS reports that Committee Chairperson Harry Kamboni who is also Kalomo Member of Parliament observed on behalf of his members that several stakeholders, including the learners and teachers have expressed concern on the bulkiness of the topics in several subjects in the school curriculum.
Mr Kamboni noted that this is coupled with lack of infrastructure and materials to support and implement the existing education curriculum pathways.
And Kalomo Secondary School Practical Sciences Head of Department Constance Mufya submitted that the 2013 curriculum needs to be revisited.
“This curriculum is good but keen consideration to take care of its implementation such as equipping the teaching fraternity with necessary skills, infrastructure availability, materials and apparatus to effectively implement it was not well taken care of,” said Mrs. Mufaya.
She added that there is too much theory as opposed to practicals where both the teacher and learners are not exposed to the actual learning aids and apparatus for quality education delivery.
On the other hand, the pupils during their submissions claimed that some of the subjects they are taking are not useful to real life situations.
The Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology is on a fact finding mission in some selected districts in the country to assess and get views on how the 2013 academic and vocational education curriculum is performing with a possibility to revise it following recommendation to the government.
“To My fellow Zambians, let’s keep perspective and patience during this season of transformation! Zambia’s economic growth and development is a process that takes time, effort, and perseverance. Remember, Rome was not built in a day! Every great nation has gone through challenges and setbacks before achieving success.
Let’s focus on the progress we’ve made so far since independence and the opportunities ahead. Our country is blessed with natural resources, talented people, and a resilient spirit. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, let’s work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and future generations.
Let’s support our leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are working tirelessly to drive economic growth and development. Let us as well respect leadership both past and Present.
Let’s also take personal responsibility for our own contribution to the nation’s progress.
Zambia is not collapsing, but rising like a phoenix from the ashes! Let’s keep pushing forward, and we’ll emerge stronger and more prosperous than ever!”
Let us remain optimistic, patient, and collaborative during the country’s economic transformation, highlighting the potential for growth and success.
Let us not distabilise ourselves, we are one Zambia, one nation and we can only have one government and one President at a time.
By Victor Kalesha Kalesha.
Citygate Christian Centre Zambia
Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
Proverbs 4:23, NCV
What Are You Thinking?
Friend, it’s interesting that as little children we start off with big dreams to be an astronaut, a writer, a scientist, or a singer. As a child, we have no limits. We believe we can do great things. But over time our dreams start to get watered down. People tell us what we can’t do. We go through disappointments, things that are unfair. We let negative thoughts taint how we see ourselves and what we’re capable of. We end up settling for so much less than what God has for us.
Pay attention to the story you’re telling yourself. Go back to what God put in your heart. He wants you to dream again, to believe again, to love again. Don’t let wrong thoughts limit your destiny. Don’t believe the lies that say, “I’ll never get well, never go to college, or never meet the right person.” Tell yourself a new story. You can still accomplish your dream. You can still get well, still meet someone awesome, and still go to new levels. Get rid of that limited thinking. Victory begins in your mind.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I can take back my story and stop allowing negative thoughts to enter and play over and over. Thank You that I can clear out all the thoughts that limit me and tell me what I can’t do. Help me to dwell on what You have to say about me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has won three Champions League titles with Real Madrid, and a further two in charge of AC Milan.GETTY
Real Madrid’s Champions League existence resembles the competition’s version of a high-wire act, where the Spanish giants stumble and threaten to fall so many times, but rarely do.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti claimed a historic fifth Champions League title and Real secured their 15th win in the tournament as the bold challenge of Borussia Dortmund was overcome at Wembley with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
As Ancelotti and his players hoisted the giant trophy amid pyrotechnics and fireworks over the stadium, it was a familiar conclusion to a story that had so many elements of the old plotlines.
It is not quite a case of “if you’ve seen one of these victories you’ve seen them all”, but many of the opponents Real have left broken-hearted in these finals in recent years – Atletico Madrid and Liverpool chief among them – will sympathise with the pain Dortmund felt as they walked forlornly in front of their magnificent fans who illuminated Wembley with their colour and made it echo to their noise.
Real stumbled around in a dreadful first half for Ancelotti’s side, spooked by Dortmund’s pace and the sheer intensity of Edin Terzic’s side, living on their nerves and luck to somehow go in at half-time on level terms.
Karim Adeyemi will wonder whether he should have shot rather than try to go around Real keeper Thibaut Courtois when clean through, then whether he could have done better with another chance that was saved.
Niclas Fullkrug saw his shot bounce back agonisingly from the inside of the post, the striker thwarted by Courtois after the break from a powerful header.
And all the time there was a growing sense of inevitability that Real would survive and prevail when they looked deep in trouble, as they did against Manchester City in the quarter-finals and Bayern Munich in the last four.
Real are quite simply the Champions League’s most ruthless winning machine. And in Ancelotti they have a coach with the Midas touch, in charge of players who have totted up so many wins in this competition and know how to get the job done.
They showed it again when Dortmund blinked 16 minutes from time, Carvajal meeting Toni Kroos’ corner to glance a header beyond keeper Gregor Kobel and the despairing hand of defender Mats Hummels, who was clearly tempted to risk a red card to keep the effort out.
The game was up, Vinicius Jr swiftly adding a second to ensure Real’s supporters were able to enjoy triumph in the competition in which they are the dominant force.
Those of us who have followed Real’s fortunes in the Champions League over the years are now old hands at this.
We can recall watching them steal victory from under the noses of arch-rivals Atletico Madrid with Sergio Ramos’ 93rd-minute equaliser at Lisbon’s Stadium of Light in 2014, going on to win 4-1 to give Ancelotti his first Champions League at the club.
And again in Paris two years ago, when one of the great faultless goalkeeping performances from Courtois left Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, in particular, driven to despair with Vinicius Jr emerging as the match-winner.
The temptation is to label Real lucky, but it simply happens on too many occasions for this to be a justified description. A straw poll among neutrals at half-time at Wembley would have come down firmly on the side of a Real victory, even though they had been abysmal.
Real may have been mediocre for large parts but ended up writing another fresh chapter in their rich history. So Real. So Carlo Ancelotti.
In a press statement delivered on June 1, 2024, Acting Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Hon. Ambrose Lufuma, MP, provided updates on recent developments involving Honourable Jay Banda and the situation at Chipata Football Grounds in Mandevu Constituency.
Update on Honourable Jay Banda
Minister Lufuma addressed the recent discharge of Honourable Jay Banda from Maina Soko Medical Centre on May 31, 2024. Following his discharge, Honourable Banda was invited to the Zambia Police Service Headquarters for an interview, where he was accorded all the privileges of a witness, including the presence of his legal counsel, Mr. Sakwiba Sikota.
The interview focused on Honourable Banda’s disappearance on May 25, 2024. However, Honourable Banda was unable to provide the police with any information regarding the circumstances of his disappearance.
After the interview, Honourable Banda was escorted to the police station concerning other ongoing investigations. He was booked for detention related to alleged offences of attempted murder and assault that occurred in 2016 in Vumbwi, Eastern Province. During the booking process, Honourable Banda developed a medical condition necessitating his immediate readmission to Maina Soko Medical Centre, where he is currently receiving medical attention.
Minister Lufuma emphasized that Honourable Banda has not been formally charged for the alleged offences at this time. The police are continuing their active investigation into both his disappearance and the allegations from 2016. The government is committed to ensuring due process is followed, and that Honourable Banda receives all necessary medical care and legal rights during this period.
Situation at Chipata Football Grounds
Minister Lufuma also provided an update regarding the events at Chipata Football Grounds in Mandevu Constituency. The opposition New Heritage Party (NHP) had been advised not to hold a political rally on June 1, 2024, due to security concerns. Despite this advice, the NHP attempted to proceed with their planned event.
To uphold the rule of law and maintain public order, police personnel were deployed to the area in the morning. At approximately 11:00 hours, an individual approached the football grounds to observe the situation and was confronted by a uniformed officer, leading to a misunderstanding. This misunderstanding resulted in other individuals, under the false impression that their colleague had been arrested, beginning to march towards the football grounds.
The police promptly intervened, advising these individuals to return to Chipata Compound. Minister Lufuma reported that no serious incidents had occurred related to this matter. He reiterated that the Zambia Police Service supports the democratic rights of all political parties and citizens to assemble and express their views, provided these activities are within the bounds of the law. Any actions that potentially endanger public safety or disrupt societal harmony will face necessary regulatory measures.
The Zambia Police Service remains committed to ensuring public safety and upholding the law. They continue to monitor the situation closely and are prepared to take necessary actions to prevent any escalation.
Minister Lufuma appealed to all political parties and their supporters to respect the law and follow proper procedures for organizing public gatherings. Cooperation with law enforcement authorities is crucial in maintaining peace and order within communities.
Minister Lufuma thanked the public for their attention and understanding as the government continues to monitor and address these situations with the seriousness they warrant.
A 40 year old man of Mutondo village in senior Chieftainess Chungu of Lupososhi District in the Northern Province has been convicted to 36 months with hard labour for cutting off his friend’s ear.
Chomba Mupepa appeared before Resident Magistrate Maybin Kapaya for one count of unlawful wounding contrary to section 232 (a) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
When the matter came up for plea, Chomba pleaded guilty to the offence he stood charged with and told the Magistrate Kapaya that he had no right to injure his colleague in such a manner.
Facts before the court were that on April 27th 2024, the complainant Chola who was bathing in a makeshift grass made bathroom heard footsteps coming towards where he was. Chomba entered and directed the axe towards his right ear.
The victim was rushed to the nearby Mutondo rural health centre where authorities also referred him to Luwingu district hospital for treatment after he sustained a cut on the right ear.
The matter was also reported to Zambia police in Luwingu district who apprehended the culprit.Resident magistrate stated that following his own admission he would be convicted accordingly.
In mitigation, Chomba told resident Magistrate Kapaya that he was a married man who is not supposed to be sent to prison because his wife and children will suffer without his care.
Resident magistrate Kapaya said Chomba deserved leniency as he was the first offender but in order to deter would-be offenders the court must impose stiffer penalties to teach others a lesson.He advised Chomba to seek guidance from the village elders when aggrieved instead of resorting violence or taking the law into their hands.
Resident magistrate Kapaya sentenced Chomba to 36 months imprisonment with hard labour effective the date he was arrested in April this year.
With most of the results now in from South Africa’s election, the long-ruling African National Congress (ANC) will have to contend with sharing power after a historic loss of its parliamentary majority.
Counting in over 91% of voting districts is complete and the ANC’s share of the vote currently stands at 40.25%.
Trailing behind are the Democratic Alliance (DA) on 21.7%, the MK party led by former President Jacob Zuma on 14.7% and the EFF with 9.39%.
The final results are expected over the weekend.
The ANC has always polled above 50% since the country’s first democratic elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela become president.
But support for the party has been dropping significantly due to anger over high levels of corruption, unemployment and crime.
One woman who has voted for the ANC in every election for 30 years switched to the DA this time, and said she wanted them out of power altogether because of the cost-of-living crisis and the frequent power-cuts.
“This result is not good. I wanted it out of government. We need to give someone else a chance,” she told the BBC.
Political analyst Sanusha Naidoo told the BBC that although there were a lot of votes still to be counted, there was no way the ANC could reach the 50% needed to form a government on its own. She said the best it could hope for was 45%
So to hold on to power the party will need to form a coalition with one or more other parties.
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe said his party was unlikely to form an alliance with the centre-right DA, which is currently polling in second place with 22% of the vote.
He said there would have to be “policy alignment” between parties to a coalition agreement.
For the ANC, its black empowerment policies – aimed at giving black people a stake in the economy following their exclusion during the racist apartheid era – were “non-negotiable”.
He added that any coalition partner would have to agree to the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, which was signed into law earlier this month.
The DA opposes both the NHI and the ANC’s black empowerment policies.
The DA’s support appears to have grown in this election, with the party having regained the votes of white people who had backed a party to its right in the last election, and some black people who felt it needed to be given a chance in national government.
Despite the ANC’s reluctance to align with the DA, its leader John Steenhuisen hasn’t ruled out the idea.
Mr Steenhuisen said if an alliance with the ANC was reached there would be a few non-negotiables.
“Respect for the rule of law and the constitution, a social market economy that treats the private sector as partners in the growth agenda.
“Zero tolerance for corruption and cadre deployment, and an absolute laser-like focus on economic policies that grow jobs.”
Mr Steenhuisen also told the BBC he would have to consult pre-election coalition partners before considering any negotiations.
But he ruled out the EFF and the MK party, which both advocate seizing white-owned land and nationalising mines, as potential coalition partners.
“I think instability is not in the best interest of the country. A coalition with the radical left in South Africa of the MK party and the EFF will produce the same policies that destroyed Zimbabwe, destroyed Venezuela,” he said.
One possibility would be a coalition between former MK party and the ANC in both KwaZulu-Natal and nationally – but given the fractious relations between the two parties, that appears unlikely.
While Mr Zuma has been suspended from the ANC, he is still a member. He appeared to suggest he would to do a deal with the ANC if it replaced President Cyril Ramaphosa as leader.
“I’ve got the problem with the leadership of the ANC, not with the ANC itself or its membership,” he told the BBC recently.
He was however reluctant to discuss the prospect of entering into a post-election pact with the ANC.
But MK spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela seemed to rule out any deal to keep Mr Ramaphosa in post on Friday evening, telling reporters that his party “would not engage in a discussion with the ANC”, while the president remained in office.
Another option would be to work with the EFF, led by Julius Malema, a former ANC youth leader. The two parties currently form the coalition that runs the country’s biggest city, Johannesburg.
A record 70 parties and 11 independents were running, with South Africans voting for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures.
The DA has signed a pact with 10 of them, agreeing to form a coalition government if they get enough votes to dislodge the ANC from power.
But this does not include the EFF or MK, who would be needed to form a majority.
As the parties scramble to form alliances, Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is leading the African Union election observer mission in South Africa, offered some advice for forming coalitions.
He said coalition governments need to focus on areas of agreement instead of differences.
“I can only wish them well and hope that the leadership will take this decision by the people in a positive frame,” he said.
The inaugural Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) Heads of State Summit was held in Livingstone yesterday, marking a significant milestone in regional conservation efforts and socio-economic transformation.
The summit was attended by prominent leaders including President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, President Dr. Nangolo Mbumba of Namibia, Vice President Mr. Slumber Tsogwane of Botswana, and the Minister responsible for Tourism from Angola. President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia also graced the event, underscoring the united commitment of the five nations to preserve and enhance the KAZA region.
The summit focused on collaborative strategies to develop the KAZA TFCA, which spans the ecologically rich Okavango and Zambezi regions across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This transfrontier conservation area aims to boost conservation initiatives and elevate the region as a premier tourism destination. The leaders discussed harmonizing their efforts to manage and protect the natural resources and wildlife that define this unique eco-region.
President Hichilema emphasized the cultural heritage and traditional values that have long guided the sustainable management of resources in the KAZA region. He noted that these practices have been instrumental in preserving the area’s natural assets, and it is incumbent upon current leaders to uphold this legacy for future generations. The summit highlighted the importance of continuing these traditions while adapting to modern conservation challenges.
A key topic of discussion was the management of wildlife, which, despite being a critical component of KAZA’s biodiversity, sometimes poses threats to the natural habitat. The summit acknowledged that culling, though a difficult measure, is occasionally necessary to maintain ecological balance. The resources generated from culling are reinvested into conservation projects and the development of vital infrastructure for local communities, ensuring a balanced approach to wildlife management and community development.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating socio-economic transformation in the KAZA region. They stressed the need for sustainable development practices that align with conservation goals, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of environmental degradation. This approach aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities while preserving the region’s unique natural heritage.
President Hichilema concluded by reiterating the collective responsibility of the KAZA nations to safeguard their shared environment. He expressed optimism that through continued cooperation and dedication, the KAZA TFCA can become a global model for transboundary conservation and sustainable development.
I begin by providing a brief background on how certain countries became embroiled in tribal and civil strife, leading to thousands, and in some instances millions, of deaths and displacements. I also examine the underlying causes of such conflicts. While there are always multiple causes for strife, it is often a single igniting event that triggers the onset of war or mass killings. Without this spark, many of the atrocities we have witnessed could have been avoided. I will present four examples:
Part One:
1.The 1994 Rwanda Genocide
2.The Gukurahundi Massacres of 1982 to 1987 in Zimbabwe
Part Two:
3. The 2007 Post-Election Tribal Violence in Kenya
4. World War One
1. The 1994 Rwanda Genocide
The 1994 Rwanda has a history that dates to 1950s when the conflict began. For almost a century,the Minority Tutsis ruled Rwanda. They acquired their land and wealth through conquest while the Hutus were regarded as the conquered and the less privileged or poor. Up to 1950s most of Tutsis generally occupied the higher positions in society while the Hutus were always relegated to the lower levels. With the movements on the African Continent gaining ground for independence in the 1950s and 1960s, the Hutus could not wait for democratic rule which entailed a one man one vote universal suffrage and stood to gain from majority rule while most of the Tutsi groupings resisted the democratization of Rwanda lest they lost their wealth and status in society.
In November 1959, came a violent Hutu uprising in which hundreds of Tutsis were killed and thousands displaced and forced to flee to neighboring countries marking the beginning of what came to be known as Hutu Peasant Revolution which lasted for three years from 1959 to 1961 and is reported to have signified the end of Tutsi domination but increased ethnic tensions between the two tribes and hostilities continued up to Independence in 1962. At independence when the Hutus came to power, 120 000 Rwandese mainly Tutsis became refugees in surrounding countries.
Guerilla Warfare and insurgency increased mainly from Uganda causing displacement of people and by late 1980s, there were 480 000 refugees in surrounding countries. This gave birth to the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) which was a Tutsi dominated political and military organization.This movement launched several military attacks on Rwanda from Uganda with the main one being in November 1990 with 7000 fighters and displaced thousands of people.
The igniting moment came in 1994 when the plane carrying both the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was brought down by what the Rwandan Government suspected was a rocket fired by the RPF and both presidents died in that plane crash. It was against this attack that the Rwandan Government allegedly labelled all Tutsis in Rwanda as accomplices to the RPF and all those Hutus who were collaborating with the Tutsi dominated RPF as traitors. It was further alleged that some radio stations aligned to the government joined the campaign in identifying who was a Tutsi and urged the Hutus to kill the “Cockroach.” The rest of the story is known to everyone. An estimated one million people were killed and hundred of thousands fled to neighbouring countries. Between 150 000 and 250 000 women were raped during the upheavals.
The Gukurahundi Massacres of 1982 to 1987 in Zimbabwe
It is not the author’s intention to open old wounds about the events that led to the massacre of people in the Midlands and Matebeleland but history cannot be erased. A brief history: The Gukurahundi massacres were a series of state-sanctioned killings that took place in Zimbabwe between 1982 and 1987. The massacres were allegedly ordered by Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU-PF) leader Robert Mugabe as part of his political strategy to establish a one-party state. The Zimbabwean army’s Fifth Brigade, which was trained by North Korea, carried out most of the atrocities and massacres in Matabeleland and Midlands, killing an estimated 20,000 civilians and thousands more were tortured or disappeared. The army also used the Bhalagwe concentration camp to execute the murders and withheld food aid to punish Ndebele opposition voters.
The similarities between Zimbabwe and Rwanda are that both countries comprise two main tribes and hence the struggle for power before the killings in both countries were between the two main tribes. This is different with Zambia where the country boasts of having 73 tribes and seven main languages. Zambia was blessed at independence because our forefathers did not look at one’s tribe but came together and united to defeat the colonialists. Zambia was also fortunate to have been blessed with Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who ensured that people did not identify themselves by tribe but by nationality. That was why a Zambian whether from West, East, South, North, Central or Northwest is identified first as a Zambian before thinking of knowing where the person comes from. In Rwanda, the killing of their president was a spark that led to the beginning of killings while the Church and the Media played a big role in spreading the killings. In Zimbabwe, it can
be argued that the killings were mainly based on tribal hatred. The main opposition party in Zimbabwe at that time was Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) led by Joshua Nkomo a Ndebele while the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union was led by a Shona Robert Mugabe.President Mugabe was trying to exterminate the opposition to pave way for a one-party state.
Politicians promoting tribal hatred in Zambia.
Any unchecked degeneration of political events in Zambia has the potential to spark some strife.We are lucky that because of the One Zambia One Nation philosophy that we embraced under Kaunda and has continued to be our guiding principle, there is so many intermarriages and cohesion that it would almost be impossible for one region to advocate separation from the rest of the country. Further, calling for other tribes to be cut off from a certain province, region or regions is not possible under our environment. It is a dream of pure tribalists and should not be allowed.
Some individuals and groups have taken advantage of the abduction of Hon. JJ to bring tribal divisions in Zambia with some groupings and tribes expressing being sidelined by the New Dawn Government while some are claiming being victimized on tribal grounds like Lameck Mangani and his Umodzi Kummawa group. Similarly, one MP has even gone to the extent of being a spokesperson for Bembas and Easterners by suggesting a fight between Zambia Police and the Bembas and Easterners. While it is within anybody’s right to express himself over these issues,some of them like Edith Nawakwi just show total hatred towards President HH.
Hon Maureen Mabonga and Hon Munir Zulu’s statements rightly border on Sedition and Hate speech respectively as the police put it. These are straightforward cases for arrest and prosecution. I also listened to and watched the Northwest guy video asking Mr. Lungu to go to Northwest for Circumcision and that Mr. Lungu was an idiot. My view is that Idiot is not offensive if he can prove that Mr. Lungu is an Idiot because the word itself is an expression of opinion. To ask Mr.Lungu to go to Northwest for circumcision is in bad taste but I doubt if it is an offence. It may be offensive, but not an offence under the Zambian Statutes. It is not divisive as it is directed at an individual. I haven’t seen any other audio or video from Southern Province as alleged by Madam Edith Nawakwi which is inciting tribal hatred but if it is there, then the originator should face the law without exception just like Munir.
In Eastern Province, there is an audio calling on all Tongas who are in the province to start packing if JJ is not found which I condemned in the strongest terms possible. We have urged the leadership in the province and groupings to disassociate their parties and groups from Munir Zulu’s and condemn the Audio recording statements.
Just like Rwanda and Zimbabwe, it is very easy for Zambia to slide into anarchy. We have been united as a people since independence and we are now heading towards 60 years. We only have one country Zambia and we have never had Zambian refugees as some of those had criminal cases and ran away from the due process of the Law. Therefore, the police should not only be independent but should be seen to act professionally and independent. It is therefore upon the police command to bring the current political temperature down by:
1) Speeding their investigations and arrest of those who abducted Hon JJ Banda without exception. If JJ Banda committed a crime, they had recourse to report him to law enforcement agencies than abducting him. Those who abducted JJ are enemies of the state and the people of Zambia.
2) Arrest all those who have taken advantage of JJ’s abduction to promote hate speech such as Munir Zulu and issuing seditious statements such as Maureen Mabonga, the man in an Audio from Eastern Province calling for all Tongas to pack and go. I have the audio if the police don’t have it.
3) Avoid engaging Mr. Lungu if he has not committed any offence or if he is not suspected of about to commit an offence as that just gives him unnecessary publicity. However, if he commits an offence or is suspected to be about to commit an offence, do not send officers who will be like they have been thrown into a den of lions. Send officers who will pick up Mr. Lungu and arrest him just like any other citizen and take him to court.
We can surely live as one people in diversity and avoid what happened in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Police should be decisive and act. To be continued in Part Two.
The Author is a Human Rights Advocate, Author, Researcher, Youth and Development Partner and Corporate and Management Consultant. He holds a Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Laws, and Diploma in Human Resource Management.
18 youth groups that were granted loans under the Youth Empowerment programme by the Ministry of Youth and Sport in 2022 in Kapiri Mposhi, Central Province, have not paid back the money to the government.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is disappointed that the loans were not secured as the beneficiaries of the loans were not availed forms to sign as proof that they had benefited from the empowerment programme.
PAC Chairperson, Warren Mwambazi, said this when PAC paid a courtesy call on Central Province Minister Princess Kasune in Kabwe, that the officers engaged in the disbursement of the loans which came in form of buses, agriculture inputs and equipment, have since been cautioned to address the concern.
Mr Mwambazi said the responsible officers could go back to the beneficiaries and make them sign the forms which he said should state the value of the equipment or inputs.
“This will help make it clear how much money the cooperatives are required to pay back,” he said.
He stated that a total of 56 cooperatives benefitted from the empowerment fund in Central Province and that some of the resources were disbursed through Provincial Administration.
Mr Mwambazi said the office of the Auditor General in Central Province would be required to get the documentation for verification to ensure that the funds are secured.
“They are loans and they should be paid back, regardless of how they were disbursed so that others can benefit,” he said.
Mr Mwambazi also highlighted that the committee would also visit Chibombo district where construction of a police station stalled.
And Ms Kasune stressed the need to investigate why the construction of the police station stalled 50 percent below completion stage when the contractor was paid over 60 percent of the contract sum.
“We need to understand why there is a discrepancy because the amount paid is supposed to match the amount of work that was done,” she said.
Ms Kasune also commended PAC for playing its oversight role on behalf of the public which she said helped ensure proper utilization of public resources.
officiated at the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) No. 46 and No. 47 commissioning and Wings Parade, marking the largest number of Air Force officer cadet pass-outs, since independence.
This contigent of 470 new officers, represented the best of our nation’s sons and daughters, hailing from all ten provinces of in Zambia, demonstrating the governments commitment to inclusivity.
President Hichilema commended their perseverance in completing a rigorous training program which encompassed various military skills.
During the ceremony, President Hakainde Hichilema emphasized the critical role that peace and stability play in national development. “Without peace, it is impossible to attain economic transformation,” the President remarked. He highlighted the importance of the Air Force in maintaining sovereignty and security against both external and internal threats.
President Hichilema urged the new officers to embody discipline, promote harmony, and exercise tolerance. He called on them to avoid toxic discourses that undermine fellow citizens and to uphold the principles of “One Zambia, One Nation, One People.”
In his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Hichilema announced a directive to enhance the curriculum of all Armed and Security Forces to include national unity and equality as key subjects. This initiative aims to foster a deeper sense of unity and fairness within the ranks.
Furthermore, the President stressed the importance of fairness and equity in the career progression of military personnel, ensuring that deserving individuals are recognized and promoted. He also committed the government to supporting the integration of technology within the Armed Forces, enhancing collaboration and operational unity across all Defense and Security Departments.
The event was a proud moment for the nation, celebrating not only the achievements of the new officers but also the values of unity, discipline, and progress that they represent.
Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime on Thursday when a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.
After two days of deliberation, the 12-member jury pronounced Trump guilty on all 34 counts he faced.
Trump watched the jurors dispassionately as they were polled to confirm the unanimous verdict.
Justice Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican Party is expected to nominate Trump for president ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Trump faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though others convicted of that crime often receive shorter sentences, fines or probation. Incarceration would not prevent him from campaigning, or taking office if he were to win.
He will not be jailed ahead of sentencing.
Merchan thanked the jurors for their service and told them they were free to speak about their experience on the jury if they wished. “Nobody can make you do anything you don’t want to do. The choice is yours,” Merchan said.
The verdict plunges the United States into unexplored territory ahead of the November vote, when Trump will try to win back the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden.
Trump, 77, has denied wrongdoing and was expected to appeal.
“This was a disgrace,” Trump told reporters afterwards as he proclaimed his innocence and repeated his complaints that the trial had been rigged against him.
“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” he said.
Trump gave a thumbs-up sign through the tinted window of his SUV as his motorcade left the courthouse. Trump supporters stood in a park opposite the courthouse along with journalists, police and onlookers.
Opinion polls show Trump and Biden, 81, locked in a tight race, and Reuters/Ipsos polling has found that a guilty verdict could cost Trump some support among independent and Republican voters.
The jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business documents after sitting through a five-week courtroom presentation that featured explicit testimony from porn star Stormy Daniels about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump in 2006 while he was married to his current wife Melania. Trump denies ever having sex with Daniels.
Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen testified that Trump approved a $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 election, when he faced multiple accusations of sexual misbehavior.
Cohen testified that he handled the payment, and that Trump approved a plan to reimburse him through monthly payments disguised as legal work.
Trump’s lawyers hammered Cohen’s credibility, highlighting his criminal record and imprisonment and his history of lying. Merchan also cautioned jurors to examine his testimony carefully.
The relatively short amount of time jurors needed to reach a verdict was a sign that they thought there was enough evidence to back up Cohen’s testimony, said George Grasso, a retired New York judge who attended the trial.
A source familiar with the Trump campaign’s inner workings said the verdict was expected to prompt him to intensify deliberations on picking a woman as his vice presidential running mate. His campaign website labeled him a “political prisoner” and urged supporters to donate.
BIDEN CAMPAIGN: NO ONE ABOVE THE LAW
Biden’s campaign said the verdict showed that no one was above the law and urged voters to reject Trump in the election.
“There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box,” the campaign said in a statement.
The White House declined to comment.
Trump’s fellow Republicans quickly condemned the verdict. “Today is a shameful day in American history,” House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said in a prepared statement.
The jury notified the court they had reached a verdict at 4:20 p.m. (2020 GMT) and read out all 34 guilty counts shortly after 5 p.m.
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked Merchan to throw out the guilty verdict, arguing that it was based on the unreliable testimony of Cohen. Merchan denied his request.
Trump’s near-certain appeal is likely to focus on porn star Daniels’ salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter as well as the novel legal theory prosecutors used in the case, but he faces long odds, legal experts said.
Falsifying business documents is normally a misdemeanor in New York, but prosecutors in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office elevated it to a felony on grounds that Trump was concealing an illegal campaign contribution.
Trump had complained that he could not get a fair trial in his heavily Democratic hometown.
The case was widely regarded as the least consequential of the four criminal prosecutions Trump faces. Jurors heard testimony of sex and lies that have been public since 2018, although the charges themselves rested on ledger accounts and other records of Cohen’s reimbursement.
It was known as the “zombie case” because Bragg brought it back to life after his predecessor opted not to bring charges.
This case was also likely to be the only one to go to trial before the election, as the others are delayed by procedural challenges.
If elected, Trump could shut down the two federal cases that accuse him of illegally trying to overturn his 2020 election loss and mishandling classified documents after leaving office in 2021. He would not have the power to stop a separate election-subversion case taking place in Georgia.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in all the cases, and has portrayed his various legal troubles as an effort by Biden’s Democratic allies to hurt him politically.
Police in Lusaka have escalated legal proceedings against Munir Zulu, Maureen Mubonga, Edith Nawakwi, and Brebner Changala by filing additional charges of espionage. These charges fall under section 3 (c) of the State Security Act, chapter 111.
Moreover, MPs Munir Zulu and Maureen Mubonga, along with Dr. Dan Pule, have been charged with proposing tribal war, an offense under section 46, chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. All suspects remain in police custody, pending their court appearances.
Danny Mwale, Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, emphasized the gravity of these charges and the police’s dedication to upholding the law and ensuring national security.
These new developments follow the police’s initial actions taken yesterday. Dan Pule, 70, of New Kasama, was charged and arrested for one count of expressing hate speech based on tribe and one count of seditious practices. Dr. Pule was detained in custody, awaiting a court appearance.
In related developments, Lumezi Member of Parliament Munir Zulu and Mfuwe Constituency MP Maureen Mubonga were similarly charged with expressing hate speech based on tribe and seditious practices. Additionally, Edith Nawakwi and Brebner Changala were each charged with seditious practices. All suspects are currently in police custody, awaiting their court appearances.
Danny Mwale confirmed these charges and detentions in an official statement, underscoring the ongoing efforts to maintain peace and order in the country.
