Women’s History Museum of Zambia and the National Museums of World Culture (NMWC) have announced a joint collaboration to create a digital platform for museum objects that allows partial open data access to museum artifact collections that are housed in the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm.

The platform will allow access to the collection of Zambian museum objects but also give the opportunity for data sharing and crowdsourcing of metadata of the objects that may have been previously absent.

The concept comes in the wake of widening global discourse on repatriation of African Museum objects and how African populations can access cultural artifacts that are housed in various museums around the world.

The Museum of Ethnography holds an impressive collection of over 650 Zambian objects and 360 photographs in addition to other materials, books and documents. These have been acquired over a period of over 125 years and were brought and donated to the museum by various benefactors that include explorers, anthropologists, missionaries and visitors to Zambia.

Co-founders of the Women’s History Museum Samba Yonga and Mulenga Kapwepwe have just returned from Sweden where the idea was hatched along with the Africa Curator Michael Barrett and the team at the Museum of Ethnography.

“There is currently heated discourse on the repatriation of African museum objects. The digital crowdsourcing platform will contribute to the global discourse on repatriation of African objects. The truth is Africa still needs to build the infrastructure to hold some of these precious objects but at the same time there is a lack of meta data regarding these objects in the international museums. The objective of our collaboration is to increase access to such museum objects by creating a platform where new knowledge can be added
by Zambians about their own heritage. To this end, the partnership hopes to create a digital artifact-sharing platform and consequently a legitimate African knowledge system built by the owners of the objects”, said cultural expert and co-founder of the Women’s History Museum, Mulenga Kapwepwe.

If successful, for the first time, the Zambian public will have the opportunity to examine first hand some of their oldest artefacts and also contribute to new knowledge to the African historical and cultural sector.

Said Michael Barrett, Africa Curator of the National Museums of World Culture, Sweden: “For us this collaboration with the Women’s History Museum provides us with an opportunity to learn more about the contemporary significance of these collections, especially what meanings and values they may hold for Zambians in the present. We are also looking forward to understanding more about the social, cultural and historical contexts of collections that were mostly acquired during the colonial period and which were often poorly understood by museums of the time. Finally, working with WHMZ allows us to develop our capabilities of engaging (digitally and otherwise) with users in southern Africa
as well as learning from our inspiring partners about compelling ways of telling stories about this cultural heritage.”

This presents an opportunity to also explore the value of this knowledge and how it can be mainstreamed into contemporary social, media and academic African discourse.

“One of the key issues with African knowledge systems is there is always a challenge with tracing the ownership or validity. This platform will provide a legitimate source for the knowledge but also provide traceability so that the next time we see an African pattern on a global runway we can recognise it and more importantly trace it back to its origin. It will also give the creative sector and other sectors in Zambia and even rest the of Africa a rich cultural knowledge bank on which to draw on for inspiration,” said content producer and co-founder of the Women’s History Museum Samba Yonga.

The team from the Museum of Ethnography in Sweden will also visit Zambia in November 2019 to meet with experts in the culture space and further discuss how the development of the platform will be organised.

Maamba Collieries says it needs ZESCO to clear outstanding debts owed to the company so it can maintain efficient operations at its 300 MW coal-fired power plant.

Due to a continued shortfall in monthly payments of its power bills by ZESCO, MCL has not been able to keep up a robust maintenance programme at its modern eco-friendly thermal power plant which has been contributing significantly to the energy balance of the country.

The cash flow shortage has resulted in the company being unable to sustain quality proactive maintenance to the 300 Megawatts facility, and the recent forced shutdown of one of its two-generation units, halving its power supplied to the national grid to 130 Megawatts.

“Maamba Collieries makes a significant contribution to the national grid, and provides a vital diversification from the reliance on hydropower that has proved so vulnerable to climate change. We stand ready, willing and able to supply significant base load power to the nation,” said Maamba Collieries Chief Executive Officer, Rear Admiral Venkat Shankar.

Mr Shankar said without payment from ZESCO their sole source of revenue they have insufficient funds to pay for costly spare parts and maintenance as also the project dues to their principal equipment supplier whose expertise they depend on, which is not a desirable situation in these times of energy crisis that the country is facing and may face over the next couple of years.

He said the company confirmed that one of its two units was forced to shut down on October 17, 2019 owing to a technical fault and requires extensive consultations with the equipment supplier.

A statement from ZESCO on October 18, 2019, attributed an additional three hours of load-shedding to the Maamba shutdown.

Typical of the state-of-the-art technology, the power plant requires intensive regular maintenance involving high expenditure for spares, support services from the equipment manufacturers and other maintenance activities.

However, since commencing supplying power in August 2016, there has been a continuous shortfall in monthly payments received from ZESCO against Maamba Collieries’ power bills, explained Rear Admiral Shankar.
The company has not disclosed the amount of funds owed but explained that the payment shortfall has left it with inadequate cash for the conduct of operations and maintenance activities.
“Maamba Collieries considers the emerging situation as being largely attributable to non-receipt of full payments from ZESCO, leading to MCL being cash strapped, which is increasingly beginning to impact the continued running of the plant and its machinery, and its ability to undertake repairs and proactive maintenance.

Under these conditions we are unable to confirm the timeline for resumption of operations of the unit that is shut down or guarantee the continued availability of the second unit currently operating,” said Rear Admiral Shankar.

“We are hopeful of ZESCO’s cooperation in meeting our monthly payments, which would ensure that Maamba Collieries will be able to run its plant at full capacity in these difficult times of acute power shortage,” he added.

By: Anthony Bwalya – UPND Member

From the onset, I want to go on the record and say, that while I am a member of the United Party for National Development (UPND), my loyalty is, has been, and always shall be to my country and it’s people. This is why I have picked a side, that not only stands to form the next government, but also as far as possible, embody my own personal values – people first, and an expanded civic and democratic space for enhanced accountability.

The things I say of the PF today, I would absolutely say if it were the UPND and Mr. Hakainde Hichilema decimating close to 60 years of our statehood with impunity.

Zambians ought to be reminded, that the now failed regime of the Patriotic Front (PF) under the tragic leadership of PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu, has now resorted to cheap propaganda tactics of peddling lies against their opponents; particularly the leader of the main opposition UPND Mr. Hakainde Hichilema.

The latest laughable attempt by a low calibre PF lawyer Makebi Zulu, to try and draw a link between Mr. HH, Afnat, a $14m open market transaction amount and the damage they themselves – PF, have allowed to take place in the Lower ZAMBEZI National Park for self interested reasons.

Zambians may wish to know, that a company called Zambezi Resources LTD, originally listed on the Australian Stock Exchange used to own both Afnat Resources LTD and Mwembeshi Resources LTD, with both subsidiaries registered on the island of Bermuda.

As far back as 2003, Zambezi Resources LTD, through it’s Mwembeshi Resources LTD subsidiary had been exploring for Copper at Kangaluwi in the LZNP, with over $12m spent on both geophysical and geochemical reconnaissance activities in that area. HH has never been anywhere near Mwembeshi Resources LTD or their activities anywhere in the world.

In 2006, for Six (6) months between March and August, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, as part of his normal professional work in the private sector, was appointed as one of Two (2) company directors as the law provides, both here and in Bermuda, entirely for purposes of providing professional services work to Afnat Resources LTD, primarily around the process of raising capital.

Once his job was done, he left his appointed position as director as a matter of standard professional services practice.

Mr. Hakainde Hichilema was never and has never been an active shareholder of Afnat Resources LTD, or indeed any other subsidiary in respect of Zambezi Resources LTD.

In 2010, Zambezi Resources LTD decided to sell Afnat to Axmin of Canada for a total open market fee of $14m. Naturally, this money went to the shareholders of Zambezi Resources LTD.

I have included a list of shareholders in respect ZRL (as best I believe) for Zambians to see where the $14m went:

https://www.change.org/p/president-lungu-prohibit-mining-in-the-lower-zambezi-national-park/u/2076500

Now, if Makebi Zulu was a decent lawyer, he and and the PF could have done their research and realized that Mr. Hakainde Hichilema had neither been a shareholder of Afnat or indeed that of it’s parent company ZRL, and that there was no way a guy who only served as Director for 6 months, 4 years before the sale of the company, could have pocketed $14m of proceeds arising from the sale of a company he never owned or had a shareholding stake in.

Makebi Zulu is a poorly trained lawyer and a very bad liar.

But these are the people PRESIDENT Lungu has surrounded himself with – incompetent men and women of thin intellectual prowess. Little wonder the country is failing.

But of primary interest now, is that in 2017, ZRL changed it’s name to Trek Metals, presumably under new owners, and quickly sold another one of its subsidiary – Mwembeshi Resources LTD, and the license it held in respect of the KCP. The buyer is now known to be a shell company in Dubai called Grand Resources LTD.

Curious enough, there exists a company in China with the same name, with so much secrecy around it. Our suspicions are that this company COULD jointly be owned by a large scale Chinese conglomerate, and the owners of Grandview International, the same company the PF and their business proxies created to defraud us in the $42m Fire Tender scam.

The other curious case is that the courts here in Zambia, have quickly ruled to reinstate the contraversial mining permit only after the sale of the KCP project to Grand Resources LTD has been concluded.

What is clear is that the PF government have yet again cashed in on what they think is the ignorance of our people and sought to divert attention to an innocent man – Mr. Hakainde Hichilema.

The PF and their bunch of poorly trained spin doctors must know this: we are ahead of them. They will not play our people for fools under our watch.

As I end, let me say this: let the PF proceed to cancelling this scandalous KCP permit which is now in the hands of their friends. We know these are the people who fund a huge chunk of of their exuberant party activities and this is why they are dithering.

Zambians must join hands and refuse to be Hoodwinked into another 5 years of failed, corrupt leadership under the PF.

The recent Trump-like HH tweet about the donated fire-trucks left me wondering if he has politic strategists or not. African opposition politicians lose elections due to lack of strategic responses to national issues. The late Movement for Democratic Change leader in Zimbabwe, Morgan Tvangirai is an excellent example. Despite many opportunities to take power from Mugabe, Morgan blew up every chance that came his way. Even when it was evident that ZANUPF was highly divided, Morgan backed the military takeover–calling on Mugabe to resign. What did MDC gain out of the ZANUPF saga–nada.

I fear this is the route HH is taking. HH followed comedian Trevor Noah’s negative characterization of those donated engines. Unlike Noah, however, HH is a politician. “Which museums are they destined to in Zambia? Would like to view them at close range”?, HH sarcastically wrote. He added, “With the amount of money spent to collect this scrap, we could have provided financial aid to over a hundred students at UNZA.” I applaud his attempt to attract the UNZA vote, but Zambia needs fire engines. It is sad that the fire department is arguably the most underfunded. Our fire departments exist, but they are museums–they lack basic fire-fighting engines. Those who do have older engines than the donated ones.

Scrap? U.S. fire engines rarely travel long distances; are regularly serviced, and have lower mileage than hundreds of thousands of cars, mini-buses and trucks on our roads. What happened to the saying, “Don’t judge the book by its cover”? Millions will praise God for owning one of those scraps. And many are very proud owners of second or fifth-hand scraps with “19th century technology.” The only difference is that they are not solicited by the First Lady, but we buy and ship them from Japan.

As for the museums those engines are destined, it is the entire Lusaka. Is HH blind to know that people use buckets to put out fires in most parts of Lusaka? Is he blind to fire-related deaths in the nation? How about the markets? It is not long ago that HH donated bags of 25kg mealie meal. Those who can afford can demean the gesture, but it meant something to a starving mother or child. I will not be surprised if his 2021 opponents cast him as out of touch with reality or simply too blind to people’s daily needs.

With little strategic tact, HH could have used those engines to speak to the need to increase first responders in the nation. No Zambian should watch his or her property go into frame–we need more engines. Rather than sending the First Lady to beg, Parliament should increase funding to the fire department.

He also had an opportunity to tie these engines to his recent trip to the US. To maintain those GMC fire engines, he would have argued, there is need for US investment.Or perhaps he could have acknowledged the donation, and then argue that Zambia should aspire to be a donor nation by increasing production and investment in the motor industry. To reach this goal, investor confidence and good governance are critical–something the PF has failed to deliver. His government, HH could have insisted, will do that. Unfortunately, he missed opportunities to fight PF on policy–his attack went personal.

Millions may dislike Lungu, but to think that the poor economy alone will sink the boat in 2021 is mere speculation. Telling by by-election results, the PF still has a big following in the nation. So HH needs to bring neutral voters into his caucus–but without a sustained message, like those trucks, his 2021 bid is headed to political museums. The good news is, he has money to try again in 2026. Or he is destined to Zambian political museum in 2021.

Rev. Kapya Kaoma

Trippy Hippy released the video for their hit single “Mwah Baby“.

The video was directed by Yung god and Taffy ‘The bad boy T’, For TRIPPY VISION. Edited by Yung god, color balanced by Enock Kauseni.

New Congress Party President Peter Chanda has sued opposition National Democratic Congress -NDC- leader Chishimba Kambwili for allegedly defaming President Edgar Lungu.

Mr. Chanda has sued Mr. Kambwili following media reports attributed to him alleging that President Lungu’s Presidential Plane allegedly couriers’ illegal drugs.

He has filed the complaint and the Affidavit in support of the complaint before the Lusaka Magistrate.

And addressing the media Mr. Chanda said he commenced the defamation action to uphold the respect for the Presidency as an institution.

He told journalists that the Republican President deserves respect from not only the general citizenry but also opposition leaders.

President Edgar Lungu is concerned with the high cost of housing units which he says are beyond the reach of many Zambians.

President Lungu says there is need to provide low cost housing units to civil servants and the vulnerable.

He says the housing initiatives which have resulted in houses being built for military personnel and the police should equally be extended to civil servants.

And President Lungu says building of chiefs’ palaces should be a shared responsibility between Government and the subjects.

He has since directed Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Lawrence Sichalwe to engage traditional leaders on the matter.

The Head of State was speaking during the 2019 Cluster Quarterly progress reporting on reducing development inequalities at state house in Lusaka today.

President Lungu said reducing development inequalities is key in ensuring that all citizens have equal opportunities regardless of where they are located.

He said the PF government remains resolute to take development to all corners of the country and give citizens equal opportunities and access to services for improved socio-economic welfare.

And Local Government Minister Charles Banda, who is chairperson of the Cluster, said the meeting looked at issues such as women in rural areas benefiting from the country’s developmental agenda and taking infrastructure development to remote parts of the co
ntry.

Dr. Banda said Government wants to ensure that development is not concentrated in urban areas but also in rural areas where the major population is located.

Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela says he will engage his counterpart at the Ministry of Mines Richard Musukwa over the impasse surrounding the Lower Zambezi mining license.

Mr Chitotela said he will also be engaging his colleagues at the Ministries responsible for Water Affairs and Environment as well as Ministry of Justice over the issue.

He said although the Zambia Wildlife Act under section 16 permits any person to exercise with a license, their rights under certain terms and conditions as prescribed by the Minister, this has to be done in consultation with all major stakeholders.

Mr Chitotela said an amicable solution must obviously be found which must look at the effects this will have on tourism in the Lower Zambezi valley and the interests of the local people and the nation at large.

He was speaking during a preliminary engagement meeting with the stakeholders opposed to the decision by Lusaka High Court to throw out a petition by concerned citizens.

Mr Chitotela said the Zambia Wildlife Act No 14 of 2015 gives specific instructions to the Minister of Tourism to make sure that before mining activities take place in a national park, the Minister has to give certain operational conditions to be met by the mining operator.

He appealed to the appellant to take judicial notice and appeal to the court considering that there are various interest groups of the matter.

Mr Chitotela said the court might reconsider its decision and considering that the State has every confidence in the judicial system hence there is no need to ridicule the court.

And Zambia Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Forum National Coordinator Noah Chongo said the Civil Society respects the Rule of Law and cherishes the dialogue has had with Government.

Mr. Chongo said his organization is requesting the Minister to hear the public outcry based on real issues and the challenges that will be caused by the Mining projected if undertaken.

He said Minister has powers vested in him to talk to other Minister and push for the revocation of the Mining license so that National parks can accrue it’s maxing benefits.

The Conservationist said other stakeholders like chiefs and communities have cried out and need to be head if need the Minister should escalate to matter to the Republican President.

And a representative of IMPI, a Non-Government Organization working with communities in the Lower Zambezi, Stephen Mulembeta said villagers in the area are likely to experience the worst cases of Human-Animal Conflicts due to the animals that will be pushed the mining activities.