Former Zambian Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Chishimba Kambwili, is reportedly showing signs of improvement while receiving specialized treatment at a hospital in South Africa.

Mr. Kambwili was airlifted to South Africa earlier this year for specialized medical attention, and according to his brother, Mutale Kambwili, his health is steadily improving.

In a telephone interview with ZNBC News from South Africa, Pastor Mutale Kambwili expressed gratitude for the positive progress in his brother’s health. He mentioned that Chishimba Kambwili is looking well and responding positively to the treatment he is receiving.

Furthermore, Pastor Kambwili extended his appreciation to the Zambian government, particularly President Hakainde Hichilema, for facilitating the evacuation of his brother to South Africa for medical care. He also conveyed heartfelt thanks to the Zambian people for their prayers and support during this challenging time.

Chishimba Kambwili’s health condition has been a matter of concern for many, and the news of his improving health brings hope and relief to his family, friends, and well-wishers across the country.

The Kambwili family continues to remain optimistic about his recovery, and they express their gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers from all corners of Zambia.

Suspended Mongu High Court Judge Wilfred Muma has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges of willful failure to comply with the law and applicable procedures during his tenure as Commissioner of Lands. The alleged offense, as outlined in the Lands and Deeds Registry Act, has brought Muma before a panel of three judges at the Lusaka High Court.

Facing accusations dating back to his time as Commissioner of Lands, Judge Muma stood before a panel comprised of Judges Pixxie Yangailo, Annie Ononuju, and Ian Mabbolobolo to formally deny the charges levied against him. The case, which centers around Muma’s purported instruction to cancel a certificate of title for a public property in Lusaka between April 01 and December 31, 2018, has garnered significant attention within legal circles.

Earlier proceedings saw Muma challenging the jurisdiction of the Lusaka High Court to preside over his case, asserting that the matter should instead be adjudicated by the Lusaka Magistrate Court as the court of first instance. However, Judges Yangailo, Ononuju, and Mabbolobolo swiftly dismissed this preliminary issue, maintaining that they lacked the authority to overturn a prior ruling that referred Muma’s case to the High Court.

In June 2023 President Hakainde Hichilema removed then High Court Judge Wilfred Muma from the bench The President’s action followed the recommendations put forth by the Judicial Complaints Commission’s report.

In exercising the powers bestowed upon him by Article 143 of the Constitution, President Hichilema made the decision to drop Judge Muma from his judicial position.

Judge Muma’s earlier suspension in May was prompted by the recommendations made by the Judicial Complaints Commission. The suspension was based on allegations of willful failure to comply with the law and procedure in the case when he served as Commissioner of Lands prior to becoming a judge.

Judge Muma was recently embroiled in several high-profile cases involving allegations of misconduct. In one particular case, he was arrested for the alleged transfer of Zambia Army property in Lusaka to the Patriotic Front (PF) for use as party offices. This offense is said to have occurred between April and December 2018 during Judge Muma’s tenure as Commissioner of Lands. During the course of this case, Judge Muma caused a stir when he made an attempt to drown himself in the Zambezi River, although he was later found alive.

The other day, Socialist Party leader Dr. Fred M’membe, took to Social media to cast aspersions on President Hichilema for successfully unlocking rigidities surrounding Mopani Copper Mines and finally handing it over to the new equity partner – International Resource Holdings.

“Mr Hichilema has sold 51 per cent shares of the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) in Mopani Copper Mines, to Delta Mining Limited (Delta) of Dubai without the approval of Parliament as required by article 210(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia,” noted M’membe.

He further asserted that Hichilema knew very well he didn’t have a two-thirds parliamentary majority required to approve such a sale, hence circumventing the National Assembly to get his way.

“This breach of the constitution by Mr. Hichilema is not without very serious consequences; it is an impeachable offence,” warned M’membe.

However, netizens or habitual users of the internet, if you like, couldn’t take kindly to this. They wasted no time schooling and taking a swipe at M’membe, both on his Facebook page and the Zambia Watchdog, for pouring scorn on such a magnificent milestone which stands to greatly benefit the country.

Zandonda was the first one to pry up the can of worms, “Ubukopo ba M’membe.Bushe balakolwa aba bashikulu? – Utter foolishness from Mr. M’membe. Is this old man acting under the influence of alcohol?)”

Others were very harsh and sarcastic in their contributions: “Bitterness pro max! Ati there are stories flying around……Yes, flying around your bitter and evil soul…Your bitterness is really at another level!” chipped in Zed Kay while Mubanga equally wrote, “There’s one patient with a big head missing from Chainama hospital. He’s about 70 years old, bald headed and heavily armed with an annoyed bitter face and a huge frustrated soul filled to capacity with jealous and hatred of HH7. He has ran amock after HH7 successfully handed over MOPANI COPPER MINE to a NEW EQUITY PARTNER. If seen please ignore him completely!”

Others such as Kapenda suggested that M’membe should, “go kuli ba shimaini and say this transaction must be reversed; takabwele ukwabula ka cap (Let M’membe travel to the Copperbelt and say this transaction will be reversed; he won’t come back with his maze cap…” while Chinyama simply advised M’membe to tone down, ” Your hatred for HH will be your own undoing. Soon many people will realise that you have nothing to offer this country. Your motivation for power is not to serve the Zambian people but to spite one individual in the person of HH.”

Lemmy equally weighed in and remarked that M’membe is now feeling ashamed and he has resorted to playing extremely dirty politics. “This is simply a stupid ploy aimed at gaining political mileage!”

Kashepwa added a comment that left us scratching our heads. He hoped that “the Vaseline president is also reading the comments to weigh his popularity.”

Sobingi was somehow quite prophetic. He suggested that, “what M’membe ought to do first is to travel to Kitwe and tell the residents that he is there to reverse what President Hichilema has done on Mopani and see if he will come back alive!”

On the other hand, Markos dismissed M’membe’s assertions as mere propaganda. He maintained that these are simply Facebook stories fabricated to dent someone’s image. “The truth is; us we don’t care! What we know is that international investors have pumped in $130 million into Mopani Copper Mines. Alot of our citizens will benefit, especially on the Copperbelt; business opportunities will be available, while more job opportunities will be created for the youth. So, get used to it ba opposition and emancipate yourself from bitterness.. HH is working!”

Anonymous observed that M’membe is now feeling ashamed of himself, hence resorting to playing extremely dirty politics! He noted that this was a stupid ploy by M’membe in order to bring president HH into ridicule. “Fred M’membe knows very well the two shareholders of Mopani Mine, but without shame, he has twisted the whole issues in order to paint President HH black. All these stupid maneuvers by tribalist Fred Mmembe are baseless, stupid, foolish, idiotic and will never help him get anywhere near State House.”

“There’s no sale that has happened at MOPANI. That is an acquisition by IRH.
IRH invests $130m for suppliers + $90m to ZCCM-IH + $390m
to Glencore = $610m for the 51%,” explained Kaputula, while Mubita emphasised that, “Glenco who were the investors in MOPANI have been replaced by a better investor buying off 51% of MOPANI.’

Thulani lambasted M’membe for making wild allegations, as usual. “May President HH ignore you. Mopani deal isn’t even new for it to seek parliament approval. The same shares of 51% and 49% existed long before yesterday!”

Musonda wondered how M’membe can even afford to “dream of impeaching HH when he doesn’t have a single MP in Parliament,” while Simon mocked M’membe for what he termed, “umungulu (foolishness).”

Someone recalled that “Bitter Fred M’membe specialised in hate speech and demeaning Presidents like he used to do during his time at the defunct The Post Newspapers.”

“When these transactions were first reported, Parliament knew about the happenings and I believe that one Member of Parliament could have gone to court to push for an injunction. Secondly, we have lawyers in this country with good track records who could have persued this issue until all the suspicions regarding this sale were determined by the courts,” explained Zuland, “Thirdly, any concerned citizen could have gone to court in pursuit of justice. Finally, why have we kept quiet all this time until the deal is finally sealed? Are we merely politicking?”

“Namukaba (You’re panicking) ba so-called Mr president after hearing the Good News!” Quipped Kaoma, “You just want to smear President HH with the hope that you can improve your diminishing fortunes in the eyes of the public.”

Kabaso submitted that “Zambians are wise and they know what is good for them and what’s not. Bitter Fred will go down in history as the world heavyweight champion of hate expression!”

“The last time I checked Fred’s total votes in all the constituencies were less than what HH got in just one constituency,” recalled Mundiah. “You’re better off worrying about how you can afford to have at least a member of Parliament in the National Assembly rather than picking fights with a political giant such as HH.”

As can be seen from the comments above; our citizens are well informed and up-to-date with current affairs. It remains to be seen whether M’membe and his minions will from now onwards elect to remain mute or continue on the destructive path of misleading the general public on this issue.

Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst

In the intricate world of debt restructuring, caution remains paramount as recent developments underscore the complexities and uncertainties inherent in international financial negotiations.

Reflecting on past instances, it becomes evident that premature celebrations have often been followed by setbacks. In October 2023, optimism surged when a deal with Eurobond bond-holders was announced as successful. However, this optimism was short-lived as the deal was abruptly revoked mere days later, leaving observers wary of premature conclusions.

The cautionary tone persists as stakeholders navigate through the complexities of debt restructuring. Before extending congratulations or demonstrating unwavering optimism, it is imperative to ensure that all facets of the deal align with the standards set forth by key entities. Paramount among these are the requirements set by the Official Creditors Committee, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and adherence to the guidelines established by the G20 framework.

While progress is being made in negotiations, the road to a finalized agreement remains fraught with challenges. The need for transparency, accountability, and comprehensive evaluations of proposed deals is emphasized now more than ever. Stakeholders, including debtor nations, creditors, and international financial institutions, must proceed with a measured approach, cognizant of the complexities involved and the potential ramifications of premature announcements.

Emmanuel Mwamba, expressing his views on Facebook, emphasized the need for caution, highlighting the conditional nature of such announcements.

“I’ve always expressed caution to these announcements as they are steeped in conditional processes.For example, in October 2023, a deal was announced as successful with the Eurobond bond-holders. However, it was revoked a few days later.Similarly before we demonstrate optimism or offer congratulations we want to understand that all elements in the deal are acceptable to the Official Creditors Committee, the IMF and the meets the G20 framework standards.,” Mr Mwamba said.

The Facebook post by Emmanuel Mwamba serves as a reminder of the prudence required in navigating the turbulent waters of debt restructuring. Before optimism can be fully embraced, ensuring that all elements of the deal meet the stringent criteria set by key stakeholders is imperative. Only through a measured approach and rigorous scrutiny can meaningful progress be achieved in resolving the intricate issues surrounding debt restructuring.

President Hakainde Hichilema has been recognized as one of the top 5 best performing African leaders, according to the online publication Business Day

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt leads the list as the best performing African leader, followed by Samia Hassan of Tanzania in second place, and Paul Kagame of Rwanda in third place. Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles holds the fourth position.

President Hichilema secures the fifth spot, with Business Day describing his performance on the economy as “promising,” particularly highlighting his focus on agriculture, renewable energy, and attracting international investment.

The publication acknowledges President Hichilema’s efforts in addressing corruption and prioritizing economic diversification, despite inheriting a struggling economy. It also applauds his commitment to accountability, transparency, democratic principles, and human rights.

Other notable leaders on the list include President Masisi of Botswana, Roopun of Mauritius, Addo of Ghana, and Tebboune of Algeria. In the tenth position is Barrow of Gambia.

President Hichilema’s recognition among the top-performing African leaders reflects his administration’s dedication to fostering economic growth, promoting transparency, and upholding democratic values, positioning Zambia for a prosperous future.