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Since our so-called governance system is hankered on Western style democracy, we shall not shy away from giving the United States of America as an example. Whenever the most powerful nation in the world is faced with situations whereby terrorists are holding its citizens hostage and they want to start making certain demands; officials at the State Department will always a familiar answer: The United States of America does not negotiate with terrorists!”
This is of course a far cry from what we are witnessing happening on our shores. It’s becoming common practice nowadays to see criminals ‘surrender’ whatever they’re suspected to have stolen from our people and walk away scot free! For instance, a radio disc jockey found with staggering amounts of crispy clean Bank notes that she had no reason to keep in a garage is yet to see the inside of prison!
A lawyer that helped himself to money from mining giant Konkola Copper Mines……more than enough to construct schools and hospitals in about 40 constituencies just forfeited ‘part’ of the loot to the state and they him off the hook.
Meanwhile , a former First lady who couldn’t give convincing reasons as to how she acquired certain properties in upmarket areas of Lusaka is as free as a bird!
On the other hand, children of a former head of state have forfeited a massive portfolio of assets to the state – among them impressive fleets of motor vehicles, highly mechanised farms, breathtaking mansions in secluded neighborhoods and staggering amounts in their Bank accounts are still walking around the streets of Lusaka with their heads held high!
Talk about senior government officials – cabinet ministers, permanent secretaries, directors etc that served in the previous administration; near-paupers in tatters and flip-flops who’ve since incredibly transformed themselves into overnight millionaires are seemingly not bothered at all about discarding their designer outfits for the not fanciey orange garbs any time soon rest assured they’d reach an agreement with the state any time soon!
What sort of a message are we sending to those serving in the current administration who may be tempted to steal from our people? That there’s nothing to worry about when you steal public funds, as the state would simply ‘negotiate’ with you to return part of the loot?
President has already demonstrated political will to rid this country of corruption – be it previous or current. Why are are we treating suspected criminals with kid’s gloves?
To the law enforcement authorities; please ,refrain from bungling cases of corruption or embezzlement of state resources. Do you your investigations thoroughly, take the suspects to court in good time, haul the convicts into the Kasalangas enroute to grow Cabbages on our behalf!
Recent weather trends associated with El Niño have decimated harvest prospects and point to rising prices and import needs
Rome – Cereal production prospects in Southern Africa have taken a sharp turn for the worse since last February, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned today.
The foreseen shortfall in production, especially for maize, is expected to intensify households’ food insecurity, push up domestic prices and spur a surge in import needs across the subregion, according to a new assessment from FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System. White maize accounts for almost 20 percent of calories consumed in the subregion.
The disappointing forecast comes after “widespread and substantial rainfall deficits in February,exacerbated by record high temperatures, a particularly damaging combination for crops,” the report said, noting that there are scant hopes of a recovery before the harvest period commences in May.
Acute food insecurity in southern Africa, estimated at 16 million people in the first three months of 2024, could deteriorate in late 2024, FAO warned.Food prices, already rising at annual rates above 10 percent, are likely to rise further and, based on
current projections, South Africa and Zambia, typically maize exporters, will not be able to cover the supply shortfall, and Zambia has started importing maize to meet the shortfall.This combination of reduced harvests and rising food prices is particularly harmful for agricultural households and restoration of production,, as farm incomes are set to be squeezed while more resources will be needed to purchase food, said Jonathan Pound, economist at FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System.
Plan ahead for shift to La Niña
This observed pattern is typical of the El Niño weather phenomenon in the region, FAO noted.Current forecasts however point a high likelihood of a transition to a La Niña phase later in the year,with more beneficial precipitation patterns.
That makes it “imperative” to scale up resilience-bolstering measures enabling farmers to prepare adequately for the next agricultural season starting in September 2024, FAO said.The governments of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe have already declared drought emergencies.Teaming up with the NASA Harvest programme, FAO geospatial observations suggest that key cereal
crops will suffer adverse impacts in parts of Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, with Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique expected to see a notable jump in import needs.
Tool box on left and Matuzi in TumbukaBy Mwizenge S. Tembo, Ph. D.
Emeritus Professor of Sociology
Entendre is a French language word which is a verb which means “to hear “. For example, “Have you heard that your son has come?” “Kasi mwapulika kuti mwana winu mwanalume wiza?” According to the Oxford English dictionary, Double Entendre means a word or phrase which may have two meanings; one meaning may be the good one and the second is often risky and not intended. This article will discuss double entendres or meanings in Tumbuka language which may also apply to the other 72 Zambian languages and dialects.
First the article will describe why as discussed about Tumbuka, almost all Zambians may experience and practice double entendres either intentionally or often by accident when they want to be funny or to practice milangwe. Second, I will discuss examples of several of Tumbuka double entendres. The readers will be free to identify some of their own. Lastly, I will discuss one of the funniest Tumbuka entendres which Tumbuka speakers may understand if they know and practice the malonje traditional village custom.
The vast majority of 19 million Zambians are either bilingual or multilingual. This means in our normal process of life; we Zambians tend to speak and understand at least two languages if we are bilingual. We may speak or understand several or many languages if we are multilingual. Since English is our official language, most of us learn English at school but we will also learn a Zambian mother tongue or just any other Zambian languages such as Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga, Lozi, Kaonde, Luvale and many others of the 72 indigenous Zambian languages and dialects. Double entendres happen when we Zambian mix with each other.
I will never forget this example. I was 18 years old as a first year or freshman student in 1972 at University of Zambia in Lusaka. I had been exposed up to this point to Tumbuka and Nyanja only. I was beginning to be exposed to other Zambian languages as I began to mix with other students at UNZA from different provinces of the country. One Saturday night I was attending a party where there were several young men and women friends from UNZA who were also freshmen. There was dancing, loud music, and drinks were flowing.
Suddenly this Bemba classmate who was also a psychology major Florence Katongo (not her real name) walked up to me, grabbed my hand in a friendly way while she smiled, and pulled me towards the dance floor.
“Iwe Tembo!” she was saying. “Isa tuchinde!!”
I almost fainted with embarrassment while nervously looking around the room just to make sure no one else had heard her. She was saying “let’s have sex” which I later learned means “to dance” in Bemba but “tichinde” in Nyanja means to have sex. This was a horrific double entendre for me. Katongo had meant no harm because it was clear to me then that she did not know either that “ukuchinda” had a different meaning in Nyanja. She was also playing the chimbuya that Bembas and Easterners have between ourselves.
Tumbuka Double Entendres
Tumbuka has many double entendres. I will discuss a few of my favorites that we used to laugh about when I was growing up.
1.In English: “See my cat” Means looking at your cat or Kubeka kachona. In Tumbuka: “Sima yikati” means “The sima or nshima said something”.
2.In English: “See my hen” means “Look at my chicken or female chicken”. In Tumbuka: “Sima yiheni” means “Bad sima or nshima.”
3.In English: “Can you pass me the tools?” in Tumbuka: “Munipileko matuzi abo?” which is can you pass me the urine? One time I was travelling by minibus in the rural part of Lundazi in deep Tumbuka country. The minibus had broken down and the driver shouted to an older man at the back of the minibus. “A mdala mutipileko matuzi!!” The old replied annoyed; “How can you ask me to pass you urine?”. The tool box was in the back of the minibus.
Tumbuke Malonje
Among the Tumbuka, malonje is a very serious traditional custom. When a guest arrives, he or she is offered a seat. Malonje is a formal social process during which the guest speaks for sometime to describe the purpose of his or her visit. The host takes some time also to describe the state of the home; any illnesses, marriages, school achievements, and if there is a good or poor harvest.
Once both the host and just arrived guest have comfortably sat down:
Host: in Tumbuka: “Mutimaso bii, mwatendela?” Literal translation in English as: “Our hearts are dark with worry, what is the purpose of your visit?”
The double entendres or meanings are first: the host is worried about the purpose of the guest’s visit. The second meaning is a bit of an insult the host implies: “The guest has very dark eyes and makes frequent worthless visits, maybe just looking for a meal”. In Tumbuka: “Muti mumaso biiiii mwatendela?” The double entendre is based on “mtima” and “Mutimaso biii” or how the suffix “-so” is enunciated in “mtimaso”.
Copperbelt University’s institute honours late UN chief
Then a sleepy town, Ndola was yanked to global prominence overnight on 17 September 1961, when the DC6-B, the Albertina, crashed there with 16 passengers perishing. Shoks Mnisi Mzolo took a trip to the Copperbelt to go through the encrypted page on Cold War.
The truth is so precious and fragile. So, some people would cover it in layers of lies for their protection,quips a middle-aged political animal, now a Cabinet Minister in East Africa.
My mind drifts to that aphorism when I meet Jacob Phiri, a conservation assistant at Zambia’s Heritage Commission and curator at the Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial National Museum in Ndola.
Notwithstanding its tiny size, the museum’s aircraft-shaped library, made of masonry indigenous to this region, also chronicles Congo’s decolonisation. Hanging on its walls are photographs of United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, revolutionaries and statesmen (from Kwame Nkrumah to Patrice Lumumba).
Sitting in the copper-rich region, Ndola is a sleepy town in Zambia yanked to global prominence overnight on 17 September 1961, when the DC6-B, the Albertina, crashed here with 16 passengers perishing in turn.
Congo’s then-Prime Minister, Cyrille Adoula, blamed “moneyed powers”. Reasons given for the crash included foul play and pilot error. Curiously, European exiles in New York accused Nikita Khrushchev of Moscow.
Twenty-five years later, pilot error was again given as an excuse in the crash that claimed 25 people,including Samora Machel, then-president of Mozambique.
Amid zigzags, the quest to rescue the truth in the 1961 crash has seen the setting up of the Hammarskjöld Inquiry Trust a whole 50 years after the fact, with Lord David Lea as the chair, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Susan Williams and other prominent figures named as trustees.
Patrice Lumumba meets Dag Hammarskjold in July 1960
Journey to Ndola
Ndola sits some 320km from Lusaka. My bus crawls for eight hours. Cars hurtle down the T2/T3 highway. Trucks slog.
Some are heading to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from as far as the region’s bustling Durban port,or Walvis Bay, Namibia. Trucks routinely take weeks to traverse the subcontinent due to stifling bureaucracy.Still, it’s about time the DRC optimised its access to the Atlantic as a trade route within Africa and beyond.
Though 70% of the country’s nearly 100 million population languishes in poverty, the land is endowed with minerals – from diamond to gold and, for mobile phone users, cobalt and lithium – but the mining industry here is gripped by exploitation.
Views of long white charcoal-laden sacks spool past along the T2/T3 highway. Such sights are familiar in Zambia. Savannah and a sprinkle of hills define the landscape. It’s too bland, but the people are warm,as I’ve repeatedly found out.
For me and a few others, the trip ends when the bus hits the drizzling Ndola after 22h30. Passengers’ luggage includes bags, suitcases, bales of clothes, and wooden chairs.
The drizzle does nothing to dampen my Friday mood. I discovered later that dance floors in this tiny city answer to Afrobeats, Amapiano and R&B. The Zambian leg of my heritage sites tour, via Botswana and Zimbabwe, weaves Lusaka and the Albertina crash site – on Unesco’s tentative list for over 25 years.
Home to almost 500,000 people, equivalent to half the population of Ibadan, Ndola is a copper-mining city of low-rise buildings. The nearest DRC border is just 20km to the north. Some 200km, as the crow flies, on the other side of the border, is north-westerly Lubumbashi – once the bastion of Belgian colonial settlers.
I head to the site this Saturday after a morning stroll in the scorching Ndola city centre and a stop at the bustling Chifubu market.
Near the expansive location – home to the museum – are a police station, a school named after the UN chief, and a new airport.
The mood is poignant at the museum, officially opened by Zambia’s founding father Kenneth Kaunda in 1981.The site and its story are as good as an encrypted page on Cold War. The mirage on the road from central Ndola is a tragic metaphor of how the path to the truth has unfolded (or not unfolded): illusive.
“We are still digging, sifting through evidence,” says the museum’s well-versed Jacob Phiri, taking me through the on-off-on search for facts.
Hammarskjöld had travelled to Ndola to meet exiled rebel Moïse Tshombe, Belgium’s puppet. Some
sources say the former’s crime was his stance on decolonisation, angering the West. That is not to affirm the UN’s decision to bring fighters to Congo.
The 78-year-old organisation hasn’t been impartial. Separately, Congo is a victim of its riches, with foreign invaders accused of stoking chaos to enable looting.
From his Lubumbashi base, Tshombe seceded Katanga province into a short-lived republic at the behest of Brussels.
Museum curator Jacob Phiri at work with a Cobberbelt patron
Eyewitness accounts
The crew, soldiers and UN staffers were aboard the plane, including Alice La Lande, William Ranallo and Heinrich Wieschhoff. The victims’ remains were found on 18 September (Monday) afternoon. So was Harold Julien, who died in hospital ten days later.
While on his deathbed, he recalled that Hammarskjöld had moments before the crash shouted to the pilot: “Turn back”.
Alas, explosions followed. Locals from Ndola’s Twapia put the subsequent bang way before midnight.
Edvard Persson’s body (with mysterious bullet wounds) was recovered on Tuesday. The political climate hit new lows when Katanga broke away from the newly independent Congo. A messy near future lay ahead.
The first year of the DRC’s liberation was tragic: the central government had fallen, the country balkanised, millions displaced, and atrocities synonymous with Belgium’s bloody years returned. Soldiers ran the show. Congo was on its third Prime Minister before its first anniversary as an independent state.
Lumumba had been ousted, jailed, and assassinated “by a firing squad under the command of a Belgian officer” in January 1961 outside Lubumbashi, observed Martin Meredith in The State of Africa. Scores of patriots were killed.
Some among the droves who fled their mineral-rich homeland, like Laurent Kabila, joined forces with Víctor Dreke-led Cuban guerrillas, including Che Guevara (known as Tatu or “Three” in Kiswahili, a lingua franca in south-eastern Africa).
Now for a step back.
The nation earned its independence in June 1960 under the baton of Lumumba. The liberation project soon foundered thanks to Belgium, which, after an eight-decade rule of mutilations, displacements, and killings, had left its cash cow, Congo, grudgingly.
By 1961, Hammarskjöld’s attempts to talk peace had gone nowhere. That opened the door to blue helmets – soldiers drawn from Ethiopia, India, Ireland and Sweden.
Nigeria’s contingency was led by Brigadier-General JTU Aguiyi Ironsi, the first African to command a UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC. He became renowned for his bravery.
While Belgium propped Katanga’s rebels and apartheid-era South Africa supplied mercenaries, fighters from Harold Macmillan’s Britain and the John F. Kennedy-led United States of America – countries, like South Africa, accused of foul play – were officially absent.
Back to the Albertina – seven secretaries-general and six decades later – all there is are promises of a new probe when fresh evidence arises. No single soul has been held to account to date.
Digging and siftings have been zigzagging, meanwhile. UN boss António Guterres has recommended that countries “appoint an independent and high-ranking official to conduct a dedicated and internal review of their archives.” Disparities remain seven years into Guterres’ shift.
UN’s zigzag, inconsistencies and false promises
The UN’s former chief Ban Ki-moon had inspired new hope too, ten years ago, when he remarked: “It is my assessment that the documentation presented by the Hammarskjöld Commission includes new evidence.” Where to now? The half-hearted UN’s zigzag continues.
None of that has deterred the families of the Albertina victims and people like Phiri from digging. He describes his discovery of village eyewitnesses as fortuitous as we walk about the sprawling garden towards the anthill where Hammarskjöld’s body was found (100 metres from the wreckage).
That spot is marked by a plaque signed by Kofi Annan in 2001. Today, the wreckage, items and documents from the crash, or official records on it – meant for public viewing – have not arrived in Ndola—cue reluctance.
Just days after the crash, nephew Knut Hammarskjöld, who’d flown in from Sweden, was struck by the British authorities’ unwillingness to hand his uncle’s personal effects over. His uncle’s briefcase “showed no signs of charring despite the inferno that had engulfed the Albertina when it crashed”.
There’s more by way of inconsistencies. “In 2000, still new at the interpretative centre, showing farmers and businesspeople around and telling them about the memorial site and how the Albertina crash had happened,” remarks Phiri.
“I was startled when one of the guests, Mr Ngongo, said: ‘No, that’s not how it happened. I saw the crash”. I’d always thought that the Albertina was by itself, but for the first time now, I heard that there were two planes nearby. I also heard that the Albertina circled three times before crashing. None of that evidence is in the UN report.”
Phiri then made it his task to test John Ngongo’stake through further witness interviews: Margaret Ngulube, Dickson Mbewe and Custon Chipoya, a charcoal burner in the forest preparing his kiln.
“Chipoya saw it all: he was within 500m of where the Albertina hit the ground and saw the second plane.”
Eyewitness accounts align with what the Ndola airport room observed and colonial officer Adrian Begg recollected. He cited a cover-up in his blog in 2011. Airport controls had observed Hammarskjold’s plane flying overhead at 22h10 on Sunday to align with the runway.
Then away it flew. However, a search party was called on Monday morning and stumbled on the scene as late as 15h30 on 18 September. That’s the official line.
Perplexed to be sent home late at night on 17 September, officers asked their senior in charge about the much-anticipated aircraft. Referring to “Supt. Bob Read if memory serves me correctly”, Begg added:
“he just shrugged and said that ‘apparently Hammarskjöld had changed his mind and gone elsewhere’.”
Cuthbert Alport, the British High Commissioner, had set that official line. Begg also questioned the state of the body of a UN soldier. “[It] had what appeared to be bullet wounds, and my recollection is there was a 9mm sub-machinegun in the wreckage nearby.”
For their part, Ndola eyewitnesses had held back out of fear, explains Phiri. Some villagers recalled being driven as far as Salisbury (now Harare, Zimbabwe) and endured “bitter whipping” by the Brits.
“People were still fearful even after so many years,” he adds, then singles Moses Chimema’s account.
“He’d first said that he saw what happened that night but took too long to talk,” Phiri says. In propping
their misrule, colonialists clamped down on outspokenness.
That was then.
Yet, the truth about the 1961 crash remains in shackles. Why would the UN stand that fog? The Cold War is long over but the mist lives on.
Central Province Permanent Secretary, Milner Mwanakampwe is concerned with the increasing cases of Malaria in the area in the last two years.
Mr Mwanakampwe noted that the Province recorded an increase from 198 to 250 per 1000 population from 2022 to 2024.Mr Mwanakampwe who was represented by Deputy Permanent Secretary, Godfrey Chitambala at the commemoration of the World Malaria Day and launch of the 2024 Africa Vaccination week in Kabwe, said the government conducted a mass distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets to 3,369, 265 people in an effort to eliminate Malaria in the Province.
Mr Mwanakampwe added that it is the government’s priority to ensure that efforts made to deliver maximum impacts in the fight against malaria contribute to universal access.
And Kabwe Central Member of Parliament, Chrizoster Phiri cautioned the community against taking self-prescribed drugs saying they should seek professional advice from health facilities.
Ms Phiri appealed to the Ministry of Health to consider giving Community Health Workers (CHWs) allowances to motivate them as they carry out voluntary work.World vision Project lead Manager, Simon Sakwiya augmented the government’s effort to ensure that Zambia’s integrated communication management network for malaria is expanded nationally.
Mr Sakwiya said that World Vision international trained 2500 CHWs, 1200 neighbourhood vigilantes for security stating that Central Province accounted for 60 percent of the total.Ngabwe and Chisamba are the most affected districts in Central Province.
Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana has condemned calls by former President Edgar Lungu for the international community to check Zambia’s record on human rights abuses under the current administration.
Mr Kamwana said it is this government that has brought an atmosphere of peace and the rule of law in the country that many Zambians now enjoy.
The Permanent Secretary therefore dispelled assertions by former President Lungu that the new dawn government is dictatorial.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka, Mr Kawana clarified on the purported harassment of Martin Mbaya saying that no enforcement officer crashed into the church to arrest the suspect, and that the rule of law was duly applied.
Mr Kawana explained that Mr Mbaya had a conversation with the officers before his arrest, and was later given police bond after being charged.
“It is not correct for President Lungu to give an impression that Mr Mbaya was harassed and picked up from church, that is far from the truth,” Mr Kawana said.
He noted that the international community cannot be influenced by anyone because they are able to see how President Hakainde Hichilema is running the affairs of this country, including his global leadership ranking.
And the Permanent Secretary stated that the current administration has scored so far, 80 percent of its assurances to the people of Zambia.
Highlighting some of the key achievements, Mr Kamwana cited employment creation in various sectors including education, health, defence, agriculture and in the private sector, and restructured the debt burden.
He added that the Cabinet has approved the creation of an independent debt management office with support of the Germany government through GIZ.
Mr Kawana noted the reduced year to year inflation rate from 24 percent in 2021 to 13 percent as of the end of January 2024.
The Permanent Secretary expressed confidence that in the remaining two and half years, President Hichilema’s administration will be able to fulfil all the assurances.
In a momentous gathering, distinguished land component commanders from across Africa, Europe, America, and South America convened to discuss pressing security issues on a global scale. Hosted under the theme “Regional Solutions to Transnational Problems,” the conference proved timely amidst the complex challenges facing nations worldwide.
The significance of the conference was underscored by Zambia’s pivotal role as Chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). With a commitment to fostering regional stability, Zambia and fellow SADC member states are diligently working towards collective security objectives.
For President Hakainde Hichilema, the conference provided a platform to exchange best practices, technological advancements, and intelligence-sharing among regional blocs. The goal? To forge collaborative efforts in pursuit of global peace and security.
Each participating regional block brought unique insights into the security landscape, emphasizing the importance of mutual learning and cooperation. As President Hichilema reiterated, the summit’s focus on addressing specific security challenges reflects its critical importance in fostering a peaceful environment conducive to trade and commerce.
Recognizing that security concerns extend beyond national borders, leaders emphasized the interconnected nature of global instability. For them, instability anywhere poses a threat everywhere, underscoring the imperative for collective action.
Former President Edgar Lungu has accused UPND government under President Hichilema of wanton abuses and a break down of the rule of law.In light of this, the Former President wondered under what criteria President Hichilema ranked among the top 5 Presidents in Africa.
Below is the Full Statement
Good morning fellow citizens,
Last Sunday a fellow Zambian named Martin Mbaya, a PF member and known associate of my family was forcefully ejected from a church service at Lusaka’s Bethel Christian Centre in Nyumba Yanga while praying.
The unfortunate incident occurred in full view of his wife, children and other congregants that remain shocked today at the action of unruly DEC officers. From the church they drove him to his house where they broke down doors, stormed into his house and commenced a search, which I understand was for money, that could belong to “Edgar Lungu.”
The search ensued from morning to midnight, but alas no money was found.
My point here is that what happened to Martin could easily happen to any Zambian under the current administration of President Hakainde Hichilema where the rule of law is breaking down fast right in front of our eyes.
You have seen good people like mama Edith Nawakwi and Geofrey Mwamba being frustrated at the airport whenever they attempt to travel out of the country for medical attention.
You have seen people like Dr Chris Zimba, Emmanuel Mwamba, Raphael Nakachinda, Chilufya Tayali being arrested on flimsy grounds while others like Hon Given Lubinda have been dragged to court without enough evidence for conviction.
Sadly, all these wanton abuses are occurring at a time President Hichilema is being ranked as a ´top five leader´on the continent, we wonder what criteria is being used in the light of all abuses in Zambia.
All we ask is that the government of President Hakainde Hichilema march their words with action regarding the rule of law and arrest wrong doers only after thorough investigations have been concluded.
That is what President Hichilema has publicly called for repeatedly after all.
Zambia is a democratic state not a DICTATORSHIP where law enforcement become the law unto themselves, its not the wild wild west.
The international community, the European Union group, Britain and the United States and fellow African embassies should take cognisance of these rising abuses under Mr Hichilema.
In a democratic country governed by the rule of law, how can law enforcement agencies disrupt church proceedings with impunity, forcefully pick out a suspect whom you haven’t established a case against and bundle him into a car and break into his house?
If law enforcement officers can break into houses and churches where will citizens seek protection?
I urge peace loving Zambians to speak out against rising abuses and shrinking democratic space because if we remain silent today it won’t be long before police start attacking people at funeral gatherings and hospitals.
Crimes must be probed but let us remember that everyone is presumed innocent in Zambia until tried and found guilty by a competent court of law. I pray with you that our country doesn’t slide into total dictatorship soon.
Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Sixth Republican President of Zambia.
TP Mazembe president Moise Katumbi paid Rainford Kalaba a visit at the University Teaching Hospital ( UTH).
Kalaba is admitted at the Intensive Care Unit ( ICU) where he is recuperating after a road accident over a week ago.
The midfielder has been making remarkable progress and is able to talk , eat , walk and recognize his guests.
Speaking to journalists after visiting him in the Intensive Care Unit the TP Mazembe President expressed immense gratitude to the medical staff and government for their dedicated care and professionalism.
“It’s a miracle from God for Kalaba to survive,” Katumbi remarked, attributing the player’s survival to divine intervention and the collective prayers of the Zambian people. He extended his thanks to the government, healthcare professionals, journalists, and citizens for their support during this challenging time.
Describing Kalaba as an exceptional talent, Katumbi praised his contributions to TP Mazembe and revealed that the player remains involved with the club, now as a coach mentoring young talents.
In a touching gesture of solidarity, TP Mazembe players honored Kalaba by raising his jersey before their recent match against Al Ahly, sending him wishes for a speedy recovery.
Kalaba, who enjoyed a successful 13-year career with TP Mazembe before retiring last year, continues to hold a special place in the hearts of fans and teammates alike.
Moise Katumbi disclosed that he was angered by the club’s general manager for announcing that Rainford Kalaba had died after being involved in a road traffic accident, which misled multiple news outlets.
By Kapya Kaoma
Is HH making the same mistake PF made by ignoring social media? I warned PF then that how Zambians felt about President Lungu was reflected in social media posts. I told them that if they ignored social media, they must be ready to go to jail since they will be voted out of power! PF cadres insulted me at will. Guess what? I was right! Had PF humbled itself and listened to the people, arguably Lungu would have performed better than he did.
Only fools refuse to learn from other people’s mistakes–this is the case with the UPND and HH. Over 80 percent of Zambians have access to social media, which is almost the entire country. So if politicians want to gauge the mood of the nation, they must pay attention to social media as opposed to rallies. Praise singers will always attend rallies and fill stadiums as long as there is nshima and kapenta. Hunger makes people foolish. But the fact is, HH and his praise singers dread waking up each day. If anything, they hate social media. It makes them so foolish that even amashilu know that HH is nothing but a conman.
They dread the Kwacha whenever they enter the bank or read newspapers–it is dead under their watch! K28 to a dollar isn’t bad–only that it never reached that high under the deplorable PF. To blame the free fall of the Kwacha on Lungu is simply foolishness. HH has killed the Kwacha because of his uninformed economic policies. To him, economic growth means abandoning Zambia to foreign interests. It is not yet 14 hours in Zambia!
As for ubunga, who doesn’t know? K450 is nothing to his praise singers, but they too eat. I don’t see it coming down even after the harvest season. It is HH who made the decision to sell tons of maize Lungu left–blame Lungu. On fertilizers, blame Lungu too. And God is so kind. In the year when things are so hard for most Zambians, drought hits us. This plight will help Lungu for once–HH will surely blame God. Is he not the Church elder? Only that nobody will believe him–the man lies like the son of Lucifer.
HH exploited youth unemployment to win elections. Yet most young people remain unemployed. Today, youth unemployment is higher than when Lungu left. If you don’t know, we have had three High School and University graduations in the time HH has been president. The New Dark Regime may boast of employing about 60,000 civil servants, but that is a drop in the ocean. To praise singers, the youth are simply lazy. They were spoiled by Lungu and must work hard. The truth remains. Things are surely dire, and HH and his praise singers have nothing to celebrate aside from very small unplastered and cheapest toilets to his name.
HH and his Dark Regime can blame Lungu and PF as much as they want but Zambians know who is the President. President HH knew nothing about running the country but presented himself as knowledgeable. His praise singers have not helped him at all–rather they have promoted his narcissistic ego. The ignorant man now believes he is the most intelligent man who has the formula to everything–the results are self-evident; everything he touches dies.
The economy is dead despite many promises of billions of investments from his countless trips abroad. Sadly, with the negative image he now carries in the nation, and the high possibility of losing power in 2026, no investor is willing to make a deal with the dying Regime. So forget about big investments until after 2026!
Zambia’s national debt is not new–it has always been there. In fact, nobody said Zambia didn’t have debts–our development is attached to international borrowing. HH may boast of debt restructuring. But he also borrowed over 6 billion in his short time as president. Unlike PF, however, HH has nothing to show for it.
HH needs to listen to the people and not praise singers. As is always the case, most of those singers will sing for another politician come 2026. As for HH and his cronies, the very police officers and judges who are busy prosecuting Lungu and his regime will knock on his house and arrest him for corruption. Believe me. His appointments of his family members in diplomatic service, his role in the privatization of government assets and his business interests (when he is president–another reason I maintain he must declare his business partners and businesses) will be crimes that will land him in cells. As a human rights advocate, however, I will stand to defend his human rights. He can count on me!
Zambia’s greatest worldwide tourist attraction, the Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi people of Western province is an inspiration story of disaster to victory.
From a major calamity that happened in Bulozi, the Kuomboka, translated as getting out of water changed face from a disaster to a ceremony.
The Kuomboka is said to be one of the earliest, most authentic, most media covered and best known among Zambia’s traditional ceremonies.
In 2017 another disaster to celebration, story occurred as a traffic offence which led to the arrest of the then Opposition Leader, Hakainde Hichilema and slapped with a treason charge.
FILE: 2016 HH at the Police Station shortly before he was arrestedFile :Mr Hichilema consols his wife Mutinta in court during the time he was arrested
However, when he became President of Zambia in 2021, Mr Hichilema was gifted with three hectares of land in Sing’anda Village of Mongu district by Sing’anda Headman Kalaluka Mubiana who is also Induna Kapui.
And to overturn a disaster story to a celebration, Mr Hichilema is building a self-funded Health facility in Kalangu area of Mongu district.
Most people didn’t notice that Mr Hichilema was wearing the old Siziba outfit he wore in 2017 as it speaks volumes about his consistency, love and support of the rich Bulozi cultural heritage.
The latest in a disaster to a celebration story come with the 2024 drought in Zambia which has been occasioned by Climate Change leading to very low water levels in the Bulozi plains.
But, the short route of the Kuomboka from Lealui to Mulamba harbour using the Nalikwanda (royal boat) and then using the Indila (Official vehicle) to Limulunga has left everlasting memories in both local and international tourists.
President Hichilema who attended the 2024 Kuomboka ceremony concluded his visit to Mongu with a church service at Mongu parish Catholic Church and a meeting with members of the clergy.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has announced the arrest and joint charging of FAZ President Andrew Kamanga and his deputy Reuben Kamanga and two other individuals for money laundering offenses.
The individuals apprehended are:
Andrew Kamanga, FAZ President, aged 57, residing in Lusaka’s Mimosa area,
Reuben Kamanga, FAZ General Secretary, aged 52, residing in Lusaka’s Makeni area,
Madalitso Kamanga, aged 53, residing in Lusaka’s Woodlands Chalala, and
Jairous Siame, aged 44, residing in Lusaka’s Mumbwa Road.
They face several charges, including obtaining money by false pretense, obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretense, and conspiracy to defraud, all contrary to the Penal Code of Zambia.
DEC investigations revealed that the suspects collaborated to obtain K341,902.00 from the Government of the Republic of Zambia under false pretenses. This sum was purportedly allocated as allowances for Madalitso Kamanga and Jairous Siame to attend the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The funds were transferred into their personal accounts, with each receiving K170,951.00, and return tickets valued at K99,980.00 were also obtained.
However, it was discovered that neither Madalitso Kamanga nor Jairous Siame held official or executive positions within FAZ. The funds were disbursed to them under the guise of being FAZ officials, intended for their attendance with the advance party for AFCON.
These fraudulent activities took place between 1st January and 15th February 2024, coinciding with the dates of the Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast from 13th January to 11th February 2024.
The suspects are currently finalizing bond processes and will appear in court soon.
Below is the Full Press Statement
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested and jointly charged two Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Officials and two other individuals for money laundering offenses. The suspects apprehended are:
Andrew Kamanga, FAZ President, aged 57, residing in Lusaka’s Mimosa area,
Reuben Kamanga, FAZ General Secretary, aged 52, residing in Lusaka’s Makeni area,
Madalitso Kamanga, aged 53, residing in Lusaka’s Woodlands Chalala, and
Jairous Siame, aged 44, residing in Lusaka’s Mumbwa Road.
These individuals have been jointly charged with several offenses including:
Obtaining money by false pretense contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretense contrary to Section 309 (A) of the Penal Code.
Conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 313 of the Penal Code.
DEC investigations revealed that the suspects, while acting together, obtained K341,902.00 from the Government of the Republic of Zambia under false pretenses. This money was purportedly allocated as allowances for Madalitso Kamanga and Jairous Siame to attend the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The allowances were transferred into their personal accounts, with each receiving K170,951.00. Furthermore, the duo also obtained return tickets valued at K99,980.00.
It was discovered that the funds were disbursed to two individuals under the guise of being FAZ officials, necessitating their attendance with the advance party for AFCON. However, investigations revealed that neither Madalitso Kamanga nor Jairous Siame held official or executive positions within the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).
This fraudulent activity transpired between 1st January and 15th February 2024, coinciding with the dates of the Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast from 13th January to 11th February 2024.
The suspects are currently finalizing bond processes and will appear in court soon.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) underscores its unwavering commitment to combating money laundering offenses within Zambia. The recent joint charges against Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) officials and associated individuals demonstrate the DEC’s dedication to upholding the law and preserving the integrity of financial systems.
As an institution mandated to tackle financial crimes, the DEC reaffirms its stance against all forms of illicit activities, including those perpetrated under false pretenses. The Commission will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in money laundering schemes, ensuring accountability and justice for all.
Issued by:
Sydney Katongo
Assistant Public Relations Officer
Drug Enforcement Commission
On lookers witness the burning vehicle at Chipanga Market in Chikankata District
A Toyota Wish with registration number BAF 1671 was engulfed in flames and reduced to ashes on Monday afternoon around 14:00hrs while undergoing welding at Chipanga Market in Chikankata District.
Maxwell Chiputa, the proprietor of the workshop where the incident occurred, revealed that the vehicle caught fire during welding work being conducted by a mechanic. According to Chiputa, it is suspected that sparks from the welding process came into contact with a fuel tank, which was apparently leaking.
In an interview with Salvation Army Radio, Chiputa expressed his dismay over the unfortunate incident. The owner of the workshop lamented the loss, stating that the vehicle belonged to an individual from Kafue whose identity remains undisclosed. Understandably distraught, the owner was unable to provide any comments as he witnessed his vehicle being consumed by the fire.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with welding activities, particularly when working near flammable materials such as fuel tanks.
Efforts to contain the fire and prevent any further damage were reportedly undertaken swiftly by bystanders and nearby residents. However, despite their efforts, the vehicle was ultimately destroyed beyond repair.
As investigations into the cause of the fire continue, Chiputa emphasized the need for heightened safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for both workshop owners and vehicle owners regarding the importance of adhering to safety protocols during welding and maintenance activities.
