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Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) may be forced out of business as early as March 2020 if a new Bulk Supply Agreement with ZESCO is not signed, company Plc Chief Executive Officer Owen Silavwe has revealed.
And some Ministry of Energy officials have said Zesco has been instructed not to renew the agreement by some “high ranking” government officials on suspicion that CEC funds the opposition UPND.
CEC is listed on the Lusaka Securities Exchange with majority shares owned by Standard Chartered Private Equity Limited and ZCCM IH.
The current Bulk Supply Agreement signed almost 20 years ago between CEC and ZESCO is expiring in March 2020.
But in a recent interview in Kitwe, Mr Silavwe said the delays in finalising agreement with ZESCO is threatening CEC’s existence.
Mr Silavwe explained that failure to renew the agreement with Zesco before March next year would spell doom for the Copperbelt as a whole.
He said CEC currently supplies electricity to all the mining companies with Konkola Copper Mines as its biggest client consuming the largest chunk of power from its network.
“We supply the power to everybody on the Copperbelt so it’s a question of how are we going to ensure that we do this in a way that will not antagonize the sector or the economy, I think that for me is quite critical,” he said.
“And I don’t think we have any challenges in achieving that in a very amicable and efficient way. I think what I would say is there is work that’s going on at the moment and that work is meant to find a solution to this. The Bulk Supply Agreement underpins the supply of power to everybody in the Copperbelt; it’s not just the mines, basically everybody on the Copperbelt. So, my view on it is that whichever way you look at it, a solution has to be found, if renewal is the solution, then so be it. But the critical takeaway is that a solution needs to be found, otherwise come that, day, nobody would want to see challenges on the Copperbelt, and basically challenges to the economy,” Mr. Silavwe said.
He added, “So, we should try, as a country, to avoid dooms day! I don’t think we plan for dooms day. We are working on it, but we don’t have a conclusion today. The fact is process is ongoing, today. It’s not about what I want to see, it what is mutually agreed between the parties at the end of the day, that is important.”
But some sources at the Ministry of Energy have revealed that there is pressure from some high ranking government officials for Zesco not to renew the agreement with CEC.
The sources said the officials have convinced Energy Minister Mathew Nkhuwa to prevail over the Zesco Board to renegade on the agreement and not a renew to CEC on the pretext that CEC bankrolls the UPND.
“You see there is a strong belief that CEC funds the UPND and the people in power are saying that why should ZESCO continue selling cheap electricity to CEC which is making huge profits that is now being used to fund the UPND,” the source said.
Efforts to reach Mr Nkhuwa proved futile by the time of publishing.
President of the Economic Association of Zambia(EAZ), Dr. Lubinda Habazoka
Economics Association of Zambia President Lubinda Habazoka has attributed the recent sharp depreciation of the Kwacha to the venting from some diplomats.
Dr Habaazoka said the statement issued by some Diplomats serving in Zambia has helped create anxiety in the economy leading to the Kwacha weakening.
He said this has been coupled with mines withholding Foreign Direct Investment and production which has hampered the Kwacha.
“I understand that the main contributors to a weak kwacha now is debt service and demand for forex as we enter into the festive season but speculation and irrational factors are also contributing factors,” Dr Habazoka said.
“When you have BOZ maintaining reserves at around $1.5bn for over a year now, the market should adjust and understand that there is no risk. However, venting from some diplomats coupled with mines withholding FDI and production have also contributed to the anxiety,” he observed.
Dr Habazoka charged that Zambia has over $2bn outside the banking sector at the moment hence the resilience witnessed so far.
“In terms of liquidity, there is over K5bn that is outside the banking system in the black economy that is why the wheels of the economy have surprised the IMF who unofficially thought we would be gone by July 2019.”
The EAZ President predicted that in the coming few months especially towards the elections, Zambia shall see reports on the economy which will send people to the grave.
“As citizens, we should be very careful to separate substance from regime change plots that unfortunately affect everyone regardless of political affiliations. This is high time we enhanced citizen participation in the major suppliers of forex. If we had control over mining, just an order from Hon Bwalya Ng’andu to increase mine output could have boosted our reserves.”
He added, “Let’s learn from Chile, Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Russia, Kuwait, Iran and China! We can’t be careless with our resources like that. A law defining economic sabotage can be considered from unjustifiable scaling down of mine output even copper prices make sense can be introduced in extreme cases.”
File:President Edgar Lungu inspects Mukula tree recovered By ZambiaNational Services officers at Lwanshimba Camp in Northern Province
The UPND has challenged President Edgar Lungu to engage his international lawyers and commence legal action against the publishers of the report in which he is implicated in the mukula scandal.
Party Deputy Secretary General Patrick Mucheleka says the allegations are very serious and there are provisions in the Zambian constitution which can trigger impeachment proceedings against President Edgar Lungu.
Mr Mucheleka said if President Lungu’s lawyers are having challenges to locate the contact address of the EIA, they can engage the Zambian Embassy in Washington who will easily locate the address on which to serve the writs of summons.
He said the country needs answers from President Lungu and his daughter Tasila, Ministers Given Lubinda and Jean Kapata.
Mr Mucheleka said a court action will bring all the details Zambians need and if they are innocent, they will be vindicated.
He added that it is interesting to note how the PF are panicking over the Environmental Investigations Agency report which has exposed the Mukulagate scandal in which millions of dollars are allegedly being stolen by named persons.
Allow me to share the following thoughts in view of the storm raised by Bill 10.
How about introducing a law that empowers the citizenry or consumers to hold Utility Service Providers accountable?
This time it’s ZESCO. Next it could be a communication service provider, a water utility firm, a television service provider or a mobile service provider et cetera.
What if Bill 10 could deliberate on and include this issue which borders on consumers rights and not on political power?
At present, ZESCO seems to be an authority on its own. There’s no way we can continue enduring 18 hours of load shedding on a daily basis with the power being restored about 2300hrs and disconnected as early as 0530hrs.
With a certain number of verifiable appellants obtained either online or other, a Service Provider will be given chance to either attend to the consumers needs or face heavy penalties including loss of employment for top management, revocation of or suspending of an operating license for long periods or other deterrent measures.
That to be accompanied by a clause dictating that such matters will be heard and disposed of as a matter national emergency within say 14 working days by the Consumer Protection Unit or Judiciary.
If this is not done, we shall continue to have the likes of carefree service provision as exemplified by ZESCO. At present, ZESCO seems to be an authority on its own. There’s no way we can continue enduring 18 hours of load shedding on a daily basis with the power being restored about 2300hrs and disconnected as early as 0530hrs. The 5 to 6 hours window during which power is available is ill timed as most people will be sleeping. Let this be the last time we are allowing ourselves to be treated so unfairly.
We should consider taking certain powers to the served. This will force Service Providers to improve on delivery. Our legislators should focus on delivering on these essentials than simply worrying about ministers working during elections, government having power to suprintend over BOZ regarding printing of Kwacha, forming a coalition government with an unpopular party etc. These might be important but they should not cause us to lose sight of the other cardinal aspects of our daily lives like power or energy.
Seize the opportunity rendered by Bill 10. Or may this mark the beginning of this debate.
Nkana have announced the departure of Coach Beston Chambeshi after his two and half year reign at the FAZ Super Division side.
The club on Sunday night said in a statement that it had separated with Chambeshi mutually.
Chambeshi’s third stint as Nkana coach started in June, 2017 when he replaced Zeddy Saileti.
Nkana have since promoted Manfred Chabinga to the role of acting head coach.
“Coach Beston is not just a coach; he is a legend at this club. He has given his all to this great club and we are just wishing him the best success in his future endeavours,” club president Everisto Kabila said.
Kaunda Simonda, Tom Kampamba and Joseph Musonda are the other members of the Nkana coaching bench.
The party’s Deputy Media Director Mr. Antonio Mwanza has demanded that the UPND MPs should stop getting allowances from parliament because they always walk out whenever there are progressive motions to be discussed.
“Members of Parliament are elected to debate motions and debate bills … that is the core responsibility of members of parliament, to make Laws,” Mr. Mwanza stated.
He said the UPND MPs have no moral or legal obligation to get allowances if all they do is walk out of parliament when it’s time to debate important motions in parliament.
“We can’t have a bunch of members of parliament who don’t want to sit in the house and debate matters and get allowances. In case the people didn’t know…what they do is the clock in and register that they have reported for work and then they walk out and come back to collect the allowances, ” he stated.
He added that they should, therefore, stop collecting the allowances because it’s corruption and abuse of office.
“So we are saying they should stop collecting the allowances, it’s corrupt and abuse of office, ” he added.
When contacted for a comment, UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said people making such demands are alien to the rules of Parliament.
Sunday Chanda with UPND President Hakainde Hichilema
The Ruling Patriotic Front Party has urged Zambians to judge the truth from what they described as childish and malicious deceit being peddled by the Opposition UPND through sponsored media outlets in its quest to ascend to power.
Speaking during the PF Media interactive forum on Sunday, PF Media Director Mr. Sunday Chanda said that Zambians should expect such negative propaganda towards 2021 because Mr. Hichilema is trying so hard to ascend to power through deceit and funded Propaganda.
He has since described the recent report on Mukula as cheep and childish propaganda by the UPND because it doesn’t have any truth attached to it.
He said it is already in public domain that the UPND is being funded by its sponsors to fuel negative propaganda in Zambia.
Mr. Chanda also shared the view that Mr. Hichilema’s Marketing team on social media is doing it all wrong because they are marketing a wrong person with a wrong image when Zambians know his real personality.
The government has evacuated one of the Mpulungu shooting victims to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka for specialised treatment.
Diency Mwambazi is one of the six PF members who were allegedly shot at by suspected UPND cadres.
The victims were shoot as they were celebrating their victory in one of the Local governments by election which was held in Mpulungu.
Mr. Mwambazi sustained nine bullet wounds from the shooting and was admitted at Mbala General Hospital before been airlifted to Lusaka.
Mpulungu District Commissioner Dennnis Sikazwe and his Mbala counterpart Kedrick Sikombe witnessed the evacuation exercise.
The District Commissioners have thanked President Edgar Lungu and his government for facilitating the evacuation.
Yesterday, Northern Province Police Commissioner Richard Mweene announced that police have arrested four suspected UPND cadres in connection with the shootings and slapped them with various charges among them attempted murder.
Eastern Province Minister Makebi Zulu has accused the opposition UPND of being sponsored by foreign dissidents to frustrate the ongoing constitutional reforms.
Mr. Zulu said that there has been a lot of resistance to Constitution Amendment Bill number 10 among some UPND MPs because of being pushed by their leader owing to foreign interests sponsoring them.
He, however, noted that some MPs like Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa have risen above propaganda because they see the positive aspects of Bill 10.
Speaking during the PF Interactive Forum in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Zulu also wondered why the UPND is not talking about other clauses in the Bill which emphasize on Zambia being a Christian thereby discouraging foreign acts such as homosexuality.
Mr. Zulu has dismissed allegations that Professor Lungwangwa who is Nalikwanda lawmaker has been bought by the ruling PF.
And PF media director Sunday Chanda said the report alleging involvement of President Edgar Lungu and his daughter TASILA in the illegal exports of Mukula trees is part of the UPND propaganda aimed at tarnishing the image of the Head of State.
He charged that part of the UPND propaganda strategy is to collapse the financial markets and trigger a regime change.
Mr. Chanda said Zambians will see a lot of propaganda messages against President Lungu and the government ahead of the 2021 general elections.
When contacted for a comment, UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa distanced his party from any propaganda against the President using some international platforms.
He also stated that his party is not entirely against all contents of Bill 10 and admitted that it has several progressive clauses which are however outweighed by the negative ones.
Zanaco on Sunday restored some respectability on the continental front for Zambia in the 2019/20 CAF Confederation Cup just 24 hours after compatriots Zesco United’s Group A loss in the CAF Champions League.
Zanaco rallied to hold 2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup runners-up RSB Berkane of Morocco to a 1-1 home draw of their Group B fixture at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
The result came a day after Zesco were stunned 2-1 at home by five-time CAF Champions League winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Both goals at Heroes Stadium came in the first half when Djibril Quattara put the Moroccan club ahead in the 15th minute.
Charles Zulu then equalized in the 25th minute for Zanaco to see the two sides share the points.
Zanaco are third on 2 points from as many Group B matches played, two points behind Berkane who continue to lead the pool.
DC Motema Pembe of DR Congo are second also on 4 points but with an inferior goal difference behind Berkane.
They are number two following a 2-0 away victory over last placed ESAE of Benin who have zero points.
Zanaco, who drew 1-1 with DC Motema Pembe away on December 1, visit ESAE in Cotonou on December 29.
THE Fred M’membe literacy programme has received accolades in Southern Province, opposition Socialist Party member Lydia Chifunda has disclosed.
Chifunda, a teacher from Livingstone has said that the people of Southern Province were gratified that those who did not receive adequate formal education were now accorded an opportunity to learn how to read and write.
Chifunda said despite people having a good command of English, some of them did not know how to write.
“So far as you know and can see all the parties we have and those who were created long time ago have never ever come up with such programs. It is only the socialist party which has come up with these good ideas,” said Chifunda.
She said the literacy programme would empower people to make informed choices in society.
“As you know many people have been swindled due to not knowing how to read and write but once they have join the Fred M’membe Literacy campaign it would help them to do things on their own,” she said.
Chifunda added that the program is giving a huge opportunity and benefit for the party and the community to know where they go exactly and to make right decisions.
And Mwiya Siyuni a teacher in Chirundu is elated that the people of Chirundu are responsive to the literacy programme.
“The Fred M’membe literacy campaign is against illiteracy and ignorance, Fred M’membe literacy believes that education liberates us from poverty,” said Siyuni.
Siyuni said he knows and believes that the program would benefit the people of Chirundu and the country at large.
Meanwhile, program National Coordinator Martha Daka has encouraged teachers doing the program to take the campaign seriously.
Daka said the program has to be taken seriously for the liberation against ignorance among illiterate people.
Daka said it is important for teachers to take the campaign seriously to make sure the project was successful.
“ I am calling on the people of Zambia to work together with our teachers in their area so that they can join the campaign and move the country forward,” said Daka.
President Edgar Lungu inspects Mukula tree recovered By ZambiaNational Services officers at Lwanshimba Camp in Northern Province
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
I saw it when it was just released but did not pay any attention to it.
Because there are so many propaganda stories against Zambia, against President Edgar Lungu and his government doing the rounds.
Many are poorly done that they don’t deserve a mention. While others have had a semblance of importance such as one on foreign debt, on corruption, the rule of law and now Mukula.
But I decided to take a second and critical look at this after the story gained traction and was trending worldwide on the back of an original story done by Agence France-Presse (AFP), a global news agency.
A look at the Report titled; “MUKULA CARTEL, How Timber Trafficking Networks Plunder Zambian Forest”, because of its structure, and the depiction of characteristic cartoon figures of the personalities under discussion, one would think it was done by the highly credible International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which released the Paradise Papers.
The Paradise Papers were a set of 13.4 million confidential electronic and banking documents relating to offshore investments for persons and entities avoiding taxes, that were leaked to newspapers worldwide but shared by the ICOIJ which also implicated Zambia’s Opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema.
It is clear that this report was designed to mimic the ICOIJ Report.
But a casual look at this Report immediately revealed that it was done poorly, unlike the Paradise Papers, has no credible and multiple sources, bears no proof of documents to the sensational allegations made and shows no bank accounts, international transfers receipt evidence, or any shipping documents showing any of the persons cited as the cartel behind it.
The entire report seems to rely on two witness personalities, a Mr. D(who sounds like an Asian national) claiming that he harvests the Mukula trees and pays “people connected or close to President Edgar Lungu”.
When he is queried further whether he has personally seen or met President Lungu, he stated that he only deals with those “close to the President”.
Another similar witness, on the same line also implicates Tasila Lungu, the daughter of the President by bandying her name around but without demonstrating evidence of involvement or transactions.
So the evidence is clearly thin and not reliable!
So then, if the Report is not credible, if both the video evidence and written Report have not demonstrated proof to the damaging revelations and allegations being purveyed, why is AFP, News 24, Yahoo News and other international news outlet giving it credence and carrying it as breaking news against the Zambian President?
It became clear that the Report has been carried without being subjected to a verification process because of the credible weight of the agency behind the allegations; Environmental Investigative Agency (EIA).
Allan Thornton, who was recently awarded the Order of the British Empire(OBE) by the Queen, is an environment activist, who owns and is co-founder of the agency.
The Canadian-born Thornton is the founder of EIA, which dedicates its work to covertly investigating environmental crimes with special attention to wildlife trade threatening endangered species and illegal logging.
The agency regularly publishes such reports to expose the alleged crimes.
WHAT HAS PRESIDENT LUNGU DONE ABOUT MUKULA?
In 2017, President Lungu was so alarmed at the threat to hard woods including Mukula that he banned their cutting, transportation and trade.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Jean Kapata was also directed to issue a Statutory Instrument(SI) that barred the transiting of Mukula tree logs in Zambia as neighbouring countries trade in it.
She bemoaned the loopholes in the Forest Act of 1973 that restricted the harvesting of major forest products without licence.
This Act allows local and surrounding communities to the protected forests, to harvest the products for domestic use.
But the communities usually fuel the illegal trade especially in Rosewood, Zambezi tik, Mukula, Mukwa and other hardwoods.
Since 2005, bans (on production, conveyance or export) have been the preferred measure used by the Forestry Department, possibly due to constrained capacity and has regularly placed the mukwa tree — one of the most harvested species — for fear of over-exploitation on the banned list.
And at the meeting in 2017 of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Zambia and President Lungu, upported the total ban on commercial trade of pangolins, the African grey parrot, and strongly upported to restrict the international trade of all rosewood species within the genus Dalbergia — which includes Mukula.
IS THERE ILLEGAL TRADE IN MUKULA IN ZAMBIA?
In 2018, a research paper; “Informality, global capital, rural development and the environment”; Mukula(Rosewood) Trade-in Zambia, supported by the UK Economic and Research Council established that the trade was being fueled because of Zambia’s weak policy and cited factors driving the illegal trade;
(1) rent-seeking behaviour at the political level, facilitated and reinforced by the
legal ambiguity of regulations;
(2) rent-seeking behaviour among decentralised officials at lower levels of government;
(3) And constrained capacity of the Forestry Department (FD) to implement the regulations it is tasked with.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF MUKULA TRADE NOW
Government banned the harvesting, transportation, trading and exportation of mukula tree in accordance with Statutory Instrument (SI) number 94 of 2015, but allowed Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Limited(ZAFFICCO) to sale confiscated Mukula logs.
It is therefore incumbent that ZAFFICCO reports the result of this process in a transparent manner to avoid sensational innuendos like this Report trending.
CONCLUSION
It is clear that President Lungu has shown commitment to fighting Zambia’s deforestation. He has embarked on an ambitious program of planting one million trees per province.
He has also supported the international restriction of Mukula trade through the CITES Convention of COP 17 held in Johannesburg.
He has also banned the illegal sale of Mukula in Zambia.
It is therefore inconceivable, that the person that has protected the Mukula specie through these official actions, could be the one perpetrating the illegal sale as alleged in the Report.
It must be stated that it is admissible that illegal trade in Mukula could probably be taking place because of the weaknesses cited above.
But for a respected agency to allege without proof, without proffering evidence and without supporting the allegations with credible evidence, raises a fundamental question.
What is the motive? What is the reason?, What is the purpose or cause of releasing such a fabricated report?
Is it to expose the illegal trade in an endangered wildlife specie?
Or is to deliberately sully, soil, and damage the local and international image of President Lungu for political reasons? Since the country will be preparing for the crucial presidential and general elections of 2021?
And for Mr. D and the people he allegedly pays that he claims are close to the President, kindly name them, and report this matter to both the media and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) so that the long arm of law can prosecute them.
Because the hazards of the presidency is that, people will steal, lie, destroy, pillage and plunder in his name.
Let us discuss this..
The author is Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(ECA)
Lusaka province Minister Bowman Lusambo has urged people to desist from putting the name of the first family into disrepute.
Mr Lusambo says the accusations that the first family is linked to the illegal sale of Mukula tree is false and merely meant to tarnish the image of the President and government.
Mr. Lusambo says there is a well calculated agenda to falsely accuse the PF of corruption so that Zambians can vote for another Political party.
He told ZNBC politics of lies, slander and name calling should not be allowed to continue in the country.
Mr. Lusambo says it is sad that some politicians in Zambia are serving the interest of some foreign organization and are willing to destroy the country for personal gain.
He says Zambian should expect more accusations against President Lungu from a named opposition party and its foreign funders ahead of the 2021 elections.
Zambia and Malawi meet on Monday to decide the automatic semifinal qualification spot in Group A at the 2019 COSAFA U20 Cup at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Young Chipolopolo head into their final Group A match leading on maximum 6 points following a 5-0 win over Botswana on December 4 and 2-0 victory over Comoros on December 7.
Malawi are second on 4 points and a victory against the tournament hosts will see them through while Zambia will have to wait a bit to know whether they will qualify as the best runners-up.
The three group winners advance to the last four together with a best overall second placed side at the tournament Zambia is hosting from December 4-14 in Lusaka.
“Tough game again, they (Malawi) equally have a chance of playing in the semifinals but we won’t take it lightly and we have a day (Sunday) to prepare,” Zambia Under-20 coach Oswald Mutapa said.
Mutapa will be banking on the form of striker Francisco Mwepu who has scored a goal a game and is now on two goals heading into the final Group A match.
Meanwhile, Malawi coach Peter Mponda said he is expecting a very interesting battle for top spot against Zambia.
“It will be a cracker having watched Zambia the way they play. They have a very good team, strong on the ball, they like switch play, I don’t know if they will switch their tactics but I don’t think they will change,” Mponda said.
“But if we guard against those long balls, I think we can get the three points and qualify to the next round.”
Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) may be forced out of business as early as March 2020 if a new Bulk Supply Agreement with ZESCO is not signed, company Plc Chief Executive Officer Owen Silavwe has revealed.
