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Public Forum organised by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Samfya Town Council Chambers
Luapula residents have nodded the proposed amendments to the Constitution of Zambia.
The residents have since urged their Members of Parliament, Anthony Kasandwe and Ponde Mecha of Bangweulu and Chifunabuli Constituencies, respectively, to support the amendments the Constitution and resist the temptation to throw away the Bill due to divisive politics from politicians who are opposed to the Bill.
The residents said this during a Public Forum organized by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Samfya Town Council Chambers on Tuesday evening.
The Bangweulu lawmaker Kasandwe assured the people of Luapula that his Constituency will support amendments to the Constitution which are meant to improve the governance system and bring sanity in the country.
“Some opposition politicians and civil society organizations are opposing the recognition of chiefs by Government because they are happy to notice the confusions where imposters who manage to get support from a good number of people in chiefdoms can impose themselves or overthrow Chiefs as Government has no part in refusing imposters who overthrow or impose themselves as Chief,” he said.
And the Chifunabuli Parliamentarian Ponde has stated that even though some cross-section of people are rejecting the entrenchment of Christianity in the country, the National Dialogue Forum recognised that Christians want Zambia to remain a Christian nation and allow other people to practice their faith without hindrance.
Mr. Ponde further said the Constitution has provided for mixed member representation system which if enacted, will be an opportunity for women and people who are disabled to participate as MPs and councillors in governing the country.
Meanwhile, YALI President, Andrew Ntewewe, said the reintroduction of deputy ministers will enhance service delivery and bring policy makers closer to the people.
“The costs for maintaining a deputy minister is insignificant as compared to the benefits in service delivery as backbencher MPs are already getting salaries and allowances which will never be gotten if the President decided to appoint any deputy minister” residents unanimously supported the provision to was given by. We however need to strengthen the office of a deputy minister to allow them to perform the functions of a Minister when the Minister is not in office for any other reason,” said Ntewewe.
Deputy Council Chairperson, James Kapilila and Damson Chalwe, Chimana Ward Councillor, said although they are opposed to the election of Council Chairpersons from among councillors, Parliament must objectively debate this provision by analysing the pros and cons in light of the costs associated with by-elections for mayors.
Another resident, Cephas Mwewa, hoped the current constitution reform process would be the last time the Government is spending money on such processes at the expense of developmental programs in communities.
The majority of residents who spoke said the Government must protect the institution of chieftaincy against imposters by withdrawing recognition of persons who become chiefs through dubious means rather than play remain an onlooker in succession wrangles. They have further called on the National Pension Authority (NAPSA) and Government to clarify whether payment of salaries to retired civil servants is done by deducting monies from the retirement package.
“We understand payment of salaries to retired civil servants is putting pressure on the public purse when it pays retirees at the expense of development in rural areas but Government must commit itself to pay retirement package in a fixed time so that retired civil servants and their families don’t become destitute after civil service,” said Reverend Mubanga
Public Forum organised by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Samfya Town Council ChambersPublic Forum organised by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Samfya Town Council ChambersPublic Forum organised by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Samfya Town Council ChambersPublic Forum organised by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Samfya Town Council Chambers
British High Commissioner to Zambia, Fergus Cochrane-Dyet
Reuters reports that Zambia should show that it is taking measures to fight corruption to unlock donor aid and investments that have been withheld due to graft concerns, the British High Commissioner to the country said on Tuesday.
Britain, Finland, Ireland and Sweden withheld nearly $34 million in aid to Zambia’s social welfare and education sectors in September last year because of concern over financial mismanagement.
Outgoing British High Commissioner to Zambia Fergus Cochrane-Dyet, whose term finishes at the end of August, told reporters that Britain was concerned about the persistent corruption reports in Zambia.
“As I depart with a sense of unease about the direction this country is taking, let me be frank about the UK’s concerns (about corruption),” said Cochrane-Dyet.
“Corruption … (deprives) Zambians of life-saving government resources,” Cochrane-Dyet said.
The British diplomat added that Zambia should examine how its debt soared to unsustainable levels after creditors, including Britain, wrote off the country’s debt in 2005.
And Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya responded on twitter as: “The fact that outgoing British High Commissioner Dyet can speak freely even as he leaves Zambia is a sign of the freedom of expression upheld dearly by Zambians, which extends to freedom of the media,”
“After three political party changes and six presidents, democracy has taken root.”
The fact that outgoing British High Commissioner Dyet can speak freely even as he leaves Zambia is a sign of the freedom of expression upheld dearly by Zambians which extends to freedom of the Media. After 3 political party changes and 6 presidents, democracy has taken root.
Interim Chipolopolo coach Aggrey Chiyangi has given a hint about composition of his team for the September 7 friendly against Bafana-Bafana South Africa in Lusaka.
Chiyangi will head into the friendly without their key European-based trio of Fashion Sakala,Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu who will be on 2019 U23 AFCON qualifying duty against Congo -Brazzaville at home on September 4 and away on September 9 to decide who goes through to the Egypt finals.
“For us it’s very important game because firstly we are preparing for the CHAN. We have a game against eSwatini. At the same time, we are trying to bring together a team that will play in the AFCON qualifiers,”Chiyangi said.
“So that’s why we are trying to bring these players together so that we make sure that at least we have a foundation. We are going to mix players for CHAN and the players that are going to play for the AFCON qualifiers. So, for us, it’s a very important friendly.”
Chipolopolo will play eSwatini in a 2020 CHAN second round qualifier away on September 20 and at home on October 18 before their 2021 AFCON qualifier dates against defending champions Algeria away on November 11 and Zimbabwe at home on November 19.
Police in Chongwe this morning blocked UPND President Hakainde Hichilema from viewing the dried up Chongwe River.
Mr Hichilema, in the company of his party officials had gone to Chongwe to get facts on the ground on the water situation in the area and to work out a plan to ensure water for the people is availed through various means.
The police however moved in quickly and stopped Mr Hichilema from proceeding with his mission stating that he did not have a police permit to view the river.
Mr Hichilema however explained that his visit to Chongwe was to get facts on the ground to enable the party work out possible means of helping the affected people.
He said is disappointed that the Police vehemently insisted that he had no right to visit such places as they are run by the government.
“We couldn’t hold back our compassion arising from widespread reports on how our people in Chongwe district of Lusaka province are suffering due to lack of safe and clean drinking water. Their only source of water, the Chongwe dam has nearly dried up due to drought and other factors related to disturbances of forest reserve recharge areas,” Mr Hichilema said.
“Unfortunately while sympathizing with our people, Police citing the POA stopped us stating that we needed to obtain a police permit in order for us to see how our people are suffering from hunger and thirst. We however advised the officers that we were not fighting them but merely assessing what we could do for the communities which included themselves, to ensure they accessed safe and clean drinking water.”
“Additionally, we stated that our visit was to get facts on the ground to enable us work out a plan to ensure water for our people is availed through various means including sinking boreholes, but the Police vehemently insisted that we had no right to visit such places because they are run by government,” he said.
He added, “Fellow citizens, this is what our country has been reduced to. We would like to state however that no one will stop us from working for the suffering citizens and as such, we will continue striving for the greater good of everyone, including the Police themselves.”
NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili
Zambia Police in Lusaka have summoned NDC President, Chishimba Kambwili for questioning. Police delivered a call-out to Kambwili’s residence this afternoon.
The call-out was signed by Supt Stepehn Nkhowani and was received by Kambwili’s daughter, Chanda Katema Kambwili.
According to the notice, Mr Kambwili is expected to avail himself before the police at Lusaka Central Police Station, Room A22, on Wednesday 28th August 2019, at 10hrs for purposes of interviews on an undisclosed matter.
Yesterday Registrar of Societies canceled the registration certificate of the NDC following a High Court ruling of 16th, July 2019, in a matter where some members of the NDC took each other to court.de-register the party.
However, the NDC Leader said that the Registrar of Societies had no powers to deregister his party, adding that the party had not received the deregistration letter, but only came to know about it on social media.
Mr. Kambwili said that the decision by the Registrar of Societies to de-register his party is illegal and an abuse of authority and that the registrar’s pronouncement is not supported by any law in Zambia.
He also wondered why the Registrar of Societies had de-registered the party without engaging the aggrieved parties as stipulated under section 13 of the Registrar of Societies Act.
Meanwhile, Governance, Elections, Advocacy and Research Services (Gears) Initiative Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi has said that the de-registration of the National Democratic Congress is politically motivated.
Mr Chipenzi said that the de-registration the NDC is an assault on the country’s democracy, adding that the decision of the Registrar of Societies is surprising considering that the same office had given the NDC a certificate of registration, an indication that they met all the requirements.
Mr Chipenzi said that before any organization is issued a certificate of registration, they should have a constitution.
Mr. Chipenzi said that there is no justification that the registrar of societies erred to have issued a certificate of registration to a party that had no constitution as per the requirement of Law.
You ‘ve got to hand it to President Lungu for his resolute stand on government’s decision to grab KCM. He has been decisive and unwavering; at least he wasn’t going to loosen his grip on this asset without securing a deal that puts Zambia’s interests above any other.
As this saga continues to unravel, Vendata’s relentless strategy to blackmail government by conjuring a storm of legal bravado, is floundering. Looking back, its victory in the Court of International Arbitration in Johannesburg was of little significance as the Zambian High Court reciprocated by turning down its bid for stay against a KCM winding up order.
What is remarkable about the government’s approach is that it stood its ground amid threats and intimidation disguised in lawfare. No illusions here, it is precisely why Argawal took it upon himself to travel to Zambia. His mission was clear. He didn’t come to State House for coffee, he came to plead for this asset. Its thus not surprising that whispers of an imminent cessation of hostilities began to do the rounds soon after Argawal left our shores.
Then bang, our President is suddenly off to India ostensibly to honour an outstanding one – year old invitation from his Indian counterpart. The timing of the trip to India might well have raised suspicions but this is inconsequential in the bigger scheme of things. The country is owed a swift resolution to this matter as the prolonged closure of this asset isn’t in the best interest of the economy. So, no amount of speculation should distract from achieving a lasting solution.
Truth is that Vedanta needs KCM and the desperation to hold on to this asset, stems from the reason that KCM is the princely jewel in its stable. Isn’t it ironic that Vendata’s successful global expansion strategy – coincided with its acquisition of KCM in 2002?
It can’t be further from the truth that Agarwal used some of the proceeds of profits from KCM to bulk up mining assets in the holding company thus enabling him to buy a controlling stake in mining behemoth, Anglo American. And today, he is one of the single largest shareholders in Anglo American – a factor perhaps made possible with a bit of money from Chingola. More than anybody, he knows that losing this asset will severely impact his fortunes.
Where to from here?
Now that Vendata is on the verge of capitulation, President Lungu must surely be smelling blood. Not only is he emboldened but he will certainly have a huge say on how this sequel finally concludes. Understandably so, he like many citizens have had enough of dodgy investors taking advantage of the generosity of Zambians. Does he go for a kill? One might advise, this is a period for cool heads and sober minds. After this long disruption in production, nursing KCM back to a stable entity will be a daunting task.
In addition to earning a few Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) which the President signed with his Indian counterpart whilst there, all that government needs to do now is beef up its negotiating team and extract as much concessions as possible before it hands back the licence to Vendata.
This is not to suggest that any of the Russian, Turkish, or possibly Chinese firms that bid to buy KCM in the wake of this saga, should be discounted from the race. It might just well be that discussions with these prospective buyers may have reached an advanced stage.
What are the lessons from the KCM debacle? It’s acceptable that naysayers were possibly salivating that the repossession of KCM would prove to be a reckless gambit; this is because our political terrain is so fractured and polarised along party lines that opposing camps stand ready to capitalise on any misfortune to advance nefarious agendas. And the biggest challenge here is that, the single dimensional focus on the PF government, has blinded us from confronting other deep-rooted challenges facing the country. What happened to the mantra, ‘United we stand, and Divided we fall’?
Need we forget that it’s not PF that sold KCM but the late President Levy Mwanawasa’s MMD, guided off course by Mr Hakainde Hichilema – who now heads the opposition UPND. The deal that handed Argawal this mine and many others pursued in the privatisation of Zambia’s mining assets were rotten to the core. They are littered with greed and this is the reason for the despondency we are now witnessing.
Did we really need to privatise some of our best performing assets such as Zamox, Kafironda Explosives, Mpelembe Drilling and other mining beneficiation and associated entities? Lest we forget, a privatisation exercise that creates a few rich people is not only immoral but is a danger to sustainability of a democracy.
Revisiting the Binani/Ramcoz debacle, the then ruling MMD government chose to look the other way when Luanshya residents took to the streets to complain about the poor working conditions that the new owners of the mines had introduced. Only later did government realise that it had been duped into selling Luanshya Mine to a group of scrap metal dealers masquerading as mine operators. By then, the mine had been stripped off, with all its key equipment sold as scrap metal.
Drawing on lessons from Russia – from where we seem to have modelled our privatisation project – the fire-sale of state assets in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union was dubious and only served to create a new breed of oligarchs such as steel baron, Uli Usmanov, oil tycoon Mikhail Khordovosky, oil and gas merchant Roman Abramovich, among others. Dare we ask? Are Russians better off today than they were prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union? Be the judge.
On the flipside, the British could well argue that their privatisation of state assets including British Telecoms – which was cautiously managed – was the best decision ever. Today, assets sold by the British government are not only fledging but do contribute taxes to the British fiscus. It’s really about the ‘how’.
Off significance though, some of the individuals that gave away our mines for a song are still alive and surely they must be called to account. It shouldn’t be for purposes of persecution but to help the country find closure. As the KCM impasse draws closer to ending, this should mark the beginning of a process that allows government to renegotiate all its contracts with mining investors, just a thought?
The author is an avid reader of political history and Philosophy. He loves Nshima with game meat.
Manfred Chabinga has saluted Green Eagles coach Aggrey Chiyangi for becoming the second Zambian coach to eliminate Orlando Pirates from continental football.
Chabinga made history in 2010,also in the CAF Champions League, with his former club Gaborone United of Botswana who eliminated Pirates at the same stage 2-2 on away goals rule following a 0-0 home draw.
Furthermore, Chiyangi made more history because Pirates had prior to this year never been eliminated from continental competition by a Zambian club after Mufulira Wanderers and Zanaco both tumbled in the same competition to the Soweto giants.
“It shows that Zambian coaching standards are very high, If you followed Aggrey’s comments, a lot of people thought that Green Eagles were not going to beat Pirates and Pirates supporters also thought it would be a walkover,” the Nkana assistant coach said.
“It shows that they (Green Eagles) have a good coach and Chiyangi outwitted Pirates’ tactics.”
Chibanga said he was even more excited because his former club was holding its own in the CAF Champions League after making their continental debut last season in the 2018/2019 CAF Confederation Cup where they reached the second stage under Chiyangi.
“I am a Zambian and I have to be proud of this because early elimination from these continental competitions by our clubs will see our chances of keeping our four continental slots hurt. So it is important that our clubs continue doing well,”Chabinga said.
“Also remember that George Lwandamina at Zesco United eliminated Kaizer Chiefs in January, it shows our coaching standards are improving.”
Zambia’s foremost economic expert, Professor Oliver Saasa has said Sales Tax is a short-term response that will kill the mining industry.
In his interview with the renowned publication MiningforZambia, Prof Saasa bemoaned that Sales Tax will be a cascading [or compounding] effect, leading to a situation where, at every point in the chain, you see the same percentage being added as a Sales Tax — either 16% or 9%, for imports or locally produced goods, over and over again.
There has been vigorous debate about Zambia’s proposed migration from the Value Added Tax (VAT) system to a Sales Tax since it was first announced in September 2018. The private sector has since voiced many serious concerns about the change. That the Sales Tax has been postponed several times since January 2019 suggests that the government must also have concerns of their own.
Below is a full MiningforZambia interview with Prof.Saasa:
What has been the problem with VAT to date, and why has there been such an issue with paying VAT refunds?
The principles of the VAT system in Zambia are, of course, exactly the same as those that pertain elsewhere in the world. Because of the way the tax works, the payment of tax refunds is an integral part of a VAT regime. The biggest problem has been that the government has failed to ring-fence funds from which the refunds that are due can be paid.
For the government, whatever [VAT] gets into the kitty is like a profit, and they tend to consume it. When it comes to their obligation to pay VAT refunds, they have no other revenue source, unless they just go straight to the Treasury. When these refunds accumulate for such a long time, the amounts become atrocious. At the moment, we’re talking about approximately $5-600 million collectively owed just to the mining sector.
We hear a lot about the mining sector for the simple reason that they are the biggest taxpayers in Zambia — and so, in terms of refunds, they are owed proportionately much more than companies in other sectors. Secondly, because they’re such a prime player in the Zambian economy, the amounts that are due to them will have a ripple effect across the economy.
When the government realized that the refunds weren’t feasible, they just waited for the financial year to end, and then announced that they were canceling VAT to avoid paying the refunds.
What are the reasons for the postponement of a Sales Tax since January 2019?
The decision to migrate from VAT to Sales Tax was made in September last year. When 1 April came, there had been very little preparation on the part of the Ministry of Finance, so they pushed it to 1 July. Then, there was the change of Finance Minister, and it was pushed to September. However, the new Minister has now said that the 2019 tax regime — which includes the migration from VAT to Sales Tax — will be opened up for discussion with the private sector and all stakeholders, and it may now only come into force on 1 January 2020. So, the debate is still raging.
I think it’s important to understand what the main motivator is for abandoning the VAT that we adopted 25 years ago: It is all about how best the government can run away from meeting its obligations to refund VAT to the mines. There’s no economic reason whatsoever why we should migrate to Sales Tax.
What challenges does VAT pose?
VAT does have some complexities, and one of them is paying refunds. But refunds themselves are not the problem; the problem is how the government has managed them. Apart from the challenges with refunds, there are hardly any arguments that are convincing to experts as to why the government should migrate to the proposed Sales Tax. In fact, the last Minister of Finance came out openly and linked the migration to avoiding the refunding of VAT.
What challenges are associated with a Sales Tax?
One of the challenges with a Sales Tax is the cascading [or compounding] effect. You have a situation where, at every point in the chain, you see the same percentage being added as a Sales Tax — either 16% or 9%, for imports or locally produced goods, over and over again. The total Sales Tax cost to the mines, for example, could be as high as 37.8%. Of course, this will push up the cost of production — and this is not only for the mines but for almost everybody. This means that a number of the taxes that have been brought in will make reinvestment very problematic.
How so?
The whole idea of migrating from VAT to Sales Tax, from the government’s standpoint, is that they want to maximize tax collection and the amount that goes to the Treasury. But, while the cascading effect of Sales Tax would create a semblance of more money going to the treasury through tax collection in the short term, by introducing Sales Tax, you are going to discourage investment in the mining sector. The reason being: the cost of reinvestment becomes higher.
Investors come here in order to harvest returns on their investment. So, immediately when the tax regime is not sufficiently attractive, they’d rather move out and go elsewhere — or scale down.
Another terrible thing for the mines is that — if you look at the average mining company now, especially the new ones — the ore grade is very low. For example, First Quantum Minerals’ Kalumbila mine is an open-pit mine, and the [copper] ore grade is only around 0.5%. That means that they need to pull hundreds of tonnes out of the ground to get a very tiny fraction of copper. But unfortunately, some old mines are shaft mines and are very inefficient. They are nearing their lifespan. An unfavorable tax regime means they will bypass the lower grade ore and, once you’ve bypassed it [at a certain depth], you can’t go back. When the tax regime is not favorable, the mines’ production becomes very wasteful. And ore that has been forgone can never be recollected.
Some experts say that VAT’s major weakness is its (necessary) collection mechanism. What is your view on this?
This is a problem of mismanagement, in my view. Zambia used to have a Sales Tax system, but we migrated away from it because it’s inferior. Many countries in the world have moved from Sales Tax to VAT. It’s a more modern way of doing things.
If we had to compare both systems, they both collect [tax]. In certain sectors, as a government, you may collect a little bit more. But you have to look at the incentives — you can’t only focus on collection. If you negatively impact the goose that’s laying the golden egg, then you end up killing it. And then you discover that in the medium to long term, you will not collect anything.
A good tax must do two things. Firstly, it must benefit the country that is hosting the investment. These are resources belonging to the country, of course, so there’s no question about whether or not mining companies should be taxed. But secondly, while you are taxing, you must allow those mining companies to invest. In fact, there must be an incentive to invest. And the incentive to invest usually is influenced by the nature of the tax regime. If you are over-taxing them, the incentive to invest will not be there — nor will the ability to invest.
In other words, the government must grow the pie, rather than trying to squeeze out more from a tiny pie. In the medium to long term, as a government, you must build in a mechanism whereby you do not eat the so-called “seed” because you want that seed to multiply, so that in the future you see an expansion.
What are the most likely consequences of the proposed Sales Tax for the mining industry and the wider economy in Zambia?
Whether or not Sales Tax will be implemented is still being debated, but if it’s passed in January, firstly, there will be a short term increase in Treasury collections — but there will be a medium to long term reduction in tax payments. That, for me, is a given.
Secondly, we will not see significant mining development in terms of expansion. And that would mean — because the tax regime is not good enough — Zambia slowly falling backwards on its projected growth in the mining sector, which is not good. You are talking about a sector that accounts for more than approximately 70% of export receipts and revenue. That will disturb foreign exchange availability, interest rates, and it will disturb the value of the Kwacha.
The mines also are a major employer, both in terms of direct employment and also mine contractors. The manufacturing sector, whether it is linked upstream or downstream, will be impacted too, including suppliers. All of those areas will be affected negatively if the mining sector dips.
The more you focus on maximizing tax and the less you pay attention to the incentives that are required to allow mining companies to produce more, the less you support the growth of that sector. And that is really the biggest problem that we have in Zambia at the moment.
We urgently need to address the issues with Sales Tax because a cough in the mining sector will give everybody in the country the Flu, so to speak.
See link for original publication: https://miningforzambia.com/sales-tax-will-shrink-zambias-economy-says-prof-oliver-saasa/
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has arrived in the Japanese capital Tokyo ahead of the Tokyo International Conference On Africa Development TICAD.
The Zambia Air Force plane carrying the Head of State touched down at Haneda International Airport at 10:40hours Japanese time. And several African heads of state have also arrived in Japan to attend the 7th TICAD conference in Yokohama.
The head of state is scheduled to attend the TICAD heads of state summit as well as some side meetings.
President Lungu is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Japanese prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the emperor of Japan Naruhito.
The President will also witness the signing of some Memoranda of co-operation as well as meet some Japanese business people.
Several African heads of state have arrived in Japan to attend the 7th TICAD conference in Yokohama.
Meanwhile Japan has given Zambia about US$3 million grant to procure essential drugs.
The grant is for the Economic and Social Development for the purpose of procuring health centre kits of essential drugs.
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Hidenobu Sobashima says Japan is aware of a serious need for essential drugs in Zambia.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Lusaka today Mr. Sobashima noted that the grant is connected to the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development -TICAD7- which starts tomorrow.
He said deepening sustainable and resilient society which is one key pillar of the TICAD7 requires for health coverage of which Japan is keen on helping Zambia.
And Finance Minister Bwalya Ng’andu who signed on behalf of Zambia assured the Japanese envoy that the principle of equity will be used when distributing the health kits across the country.
Dr. Ng’andu said government will also ensure medicines are taken where they are most needed especially in rural areas.
Shepolopolo coach Bruce Mwape has declared his charges ready for Wednesday’s 2020 Olympic Games Women’s Football tournament, second round, and first leg qualifier against Zimbabwe at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
The marathon run for the Africa zone women’s one- and-a-half places at the Tokyo Olympics comes a fortnight after Shepolopolo collected their maiden runners-up medal at the 2019 COSAFA Women’s Cup in South Africa where they lost 1-0 against the hosts in the final in Port Elizabeth.
“The team is ready, we have actually played Zimbabwe several times and we know them in-and-out. The last game that we played them was the 2018 AFCON qualifier when we managed to beat them 2-1 away to qualify,” Mwape said.
Shepolopolo lost the first leg at home 1-0 at Nkoloma before qualifying on away goals rule in Harare.
“It (Zimbabwe) is not a weak team, they are a good side it is just a matter of being serious, we are able to carry the day tomorrow,” Mwape added.
But Shepolopolo will be without striker and captain Barbara Banda of Logrono in Spain due to injury.
“We will miss Barbara, she is a very good player and she is actually the one who scored in our last meeting in Zimbabwe. We will definitely miss her,” Mwape said.
However, striker Rachel Kundananji and midfielder Misozi Zulu, both of Kazakhstan side BIIK Kazygurt ,have joined the team after missing the COSAFA Cup due to club commitments.
Meanwhile, Shepolopolo and Zimbabwe enjoyed first round byes and winner will play Botswana or South Africa in the third round of the five-stage qualifiers.
Ultimate winner in the fifth round final playoff will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Finance Minister Hon. Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu says the Zambian Government has committed itself to progressively increase the budget allocation for health care services.
Dr. Ng’andu indicated that this year, 13.43% of the budget allocation for health care services is for the primary health care needs.
The Finance Minister said this at the official signing ceremony between Zambia and Japan for the exchange of notes on the project for Japan’s Grant Aid “Economic and Social Development Programme” – procurement of health centre kits.
“Firstly, allow me to express our gratitude to the government of Japan for the continued support to the Zambian government in efforts to uplift the health and living standards of our people. Your support as reflected in this project is yet again a clear indication of your unwavering commitment,” he said.
“You may wish to note that; the government of Zambia has in the past benefited from a similar grant where the Japanese government procured health centre kits for the ministry of health and the support went a long way in addressing the shortages of medicines. I wish to state that the commodities were equitably distributed.”
He further indicated that through the signing of these exchange of notes, Japan will provide a grant of 300 million yen or US$2.82 million to finance, the procurement of health centre kits to respond to the immediate primary health care needs of the citizens.
Dr. Ng’andu stated that the Government recognizes that strong health systems, through use of primary health care approach, is a cornerstone to meeting vision 2030 aspiration.
“My government has further acknowledged that kits are an effective solution to healthcare challenges because they provide a guaranteed package of key essential medicines in the right quantities at the right time for most people especially in rural areas,” he said.
“To adequately carter for primary health care needs of the present Zambian population, about 2,500 health centre kits is required per month. Therefore, the procurement of health centre kits by the Japanese government will assist the Zambian government through the ministry of health to respond to the immediate health commodity needs.”
He reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring that the kits will be put to good use and ensure all provinces benefit.
“I am confident that through this support of health centre kits will make a real socially desirable impact on the health of the Zambian people. The health kits will indeed go a long way in achieving the universal health coverage. Let me simply end by thanking the government of japan once again, and most sincerely for the support they continue rendering to the government of the Republic of Zambia,” said Dr. Ng’andu.
Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has issued a seven day ultimatum to a Lusaka based Chinese company for failure to adhere to labour laws.
Longlihua a company specialised in the manufacturing of iron sheets and ceiling boards has been paying its workers as low as K25 per day and with no proper protective clothing.
This came to light when Mr. Lusambo paid an impromptu visit to the company.
And the Minister has warned that failure to respect the labour laws is a serious offense and it shall not be taken lightly by government.
Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela has warned management at Munda Wanga Sanctuary that he will be forced to close the park if they do not improve its operations in the third quarter of 2019.
Mr. Chitotela says it is unfortunate that there has been no development despite concerns expressed by President Edgar Lungu when he visited the facility earlier this year.
The Minister said this when he made an impromptu visit to the sanctuary and botanic garden in Chilanga.
Mr. Chitotela said transformation at Munda Wanga has potential to generate substantial amounts of income for the treasury if it is well stocked and managed.
Munda Wanga Sanctuary and Botanic Gardens has been well known as a home for ambassador wildlife species and rehabilitation center for injured animals or those recovered from pet traders.
This is according to a statement made available to ZNBC news by Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Tourism and Arts Sakabilo Kalembwe.
Chef187 released two singles from his upcoming album ,Bon Apetite ,which is scheduled to drop on 31st August 2019 .
The singles are One More featuring Nigerian music star Mr P (from Africa’s highly rated singing duo, P Square) , and Coordinate featuring Nigerian music star – Skales.
Malawi opposition supporters march to the Malawian parliament during a demonstration against the re-election of the president, which protestors say was due to fraud, on July 4, 2019, in Lilongwe, Malawi. / AFP / AMOS GUMULIRA
By Aristide Bance
Introduction
Malawi has claimed to be ‘The Warm Heart of Africa’ for decades now. The marketing slogans of countries can be far from the truth, but Malawi’s case is a title that is well articulated and is well deserved. When you visit Malawi, one thing that will strike you most is the friendliness and somewhat timid nature of citizens of Malawi. In my view, these two aspects are what earns Malawi their ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ title because Malawians are naturally humble people.
Malawi held its election on the 21st of May 2019 and a total of ten candidates were contesting for the post with incumbent president Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vying for a second term in office. Other notable candidates were Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi Congress Party) and Atupele Muluzi (United Democratic Front). Former first female president of Malawi Joyce Banda of the People’s Party planned to run but later withdrew and endorsed Lazarus Chakwera as her preferred candidate. Ras Chikomeni Chirwa another candidate was disqualified due to lack of funds and falling to collect enough signatures.
The Electoral system of Malawi
To set the context of this article, it is imperative to understand the electoral system of Malawi. The president of Malawi is elected using the first-past-the-post system or winner takes all system where the candidate that receives the most votes is the winner of the election. The one hundred and ninety-three Members of Parliament (MPs) are also elected by the first-past-the-post voting in single member constituencies.
Countries of the world using the first past-the post
The following countries of the world that practice the first-past-the-post are the following: Antiqua and Barbuda, Azerbajan, Bahamas, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belize, Bermuda (United Kingdom), Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil (Federal Senate), Canada, Cayman Islands(United Kingdom), Cote D’Ivore, Cook Islands (New Zealand), Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, India, Indonesia (Regional Representative Council, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liberia Marshall Islands, Malaysia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanner (Burna), Nigeria, Niue, Oman Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Poland (Senate), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands (United Kingdom and United States of America), Yemen and Zambia (yes, our Zambia).
In my opinion, the first-past-the-post system works better in countries that have a two party system that dominates the political landscape because you hardly hear of election contestations. For example, the United States of America (Republicans and Democrats), Jamaica (Peoples National Party and Jamaica Labour Party), Trinidad and Tobago ( Peoples National Movement and Peoples Partnership) the United Kingdom (Conservative Party and Labour Party), Belize (United Democratic Party and Peoples United Party), and although Canada has a multi-party system similar to many African countries, the first-past-the-post works well there.
Malawi disputed election results and Jane Ansah must fall campaign
The May 2019 election results in Malawi were highly contentious and opposition leaders led by Lazarus Chakwera and Saulos Chilima disputed the results in court. This was followed by nationwide protests in May, June and July with fresh planned protests for August aimed at staging protests at the countries Airports and country borders (So much for the timid nature of Malawians!!!!!). The Government of the Republic of Malawi has, through the courts, ordered a ban on protest action at the country’s airports and border crossings on Friday, August 23rd, 2019.
This makes for interesting reading because for the past three months, Malawi as a stable ‘Warm of Africa’ environment has not been at peace. What the Government of the Republic of Malawi has miscalculated is the people’s intent to remove them and the government relying on the usual Malawian timid nature. They have it wrong and of late, we have seen even the most oppressive leaders over-thrown. A case in point, Omar al-Bashir( Seventh president of Sudan- 1989- 2019) who in December of 2018 faced large scale protests which wanted him out of the presidency and in April 2019, he was removed by the army. So, if you look at the will of the Sudanese people, they started protests in December of 2018 and despite the government harassments and all, in April 2019, they succeeded (Other African Leaders, watch out!!!).
Coming to the case in hand, the chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission Jane Ansah and the incumbent president Peter Mutharika were accused of having rigged the 2019 elections. The Malawian Youth organised a ‘Jane Ansah Must Fall’ campaign. This sends strong signals to other leaders of Africa. Remember, the number of youths in the developing world far out numbers the old rugged leaders we have in Africa. If I am an old president or even a president who has overstayed their welcome, I would be thinking carefully for my next election movements. The women of Malawi on the other hand, held the ‘I am Jane Ansah’ campaign alleging, Ms. Ansah was a victim of gender discrimination.
Lessons from the warm heart of Malawi
The fight in Malawi is dragging on and the youth are demonstrating their power and with enough pressure, they will get to their intended goal. It is becoming an unbearable environment for the people of Malawi and the year is almost over and the government of the day is sweating over protests and using courts to ban them. It is a bad thing because the country is put on hold in terms of developmental matters. Critics may not support the protests based on the fact that nothing is happening in terms of moving forward but if the will of the people is not with the government, then its time to listen. The so-called timid nature of Malawians is what the government relies on and I am pretty sure they are surprised that the people are uprising. I am an avid movie watcher and I enjoy Sci-Fi movies and old Sci-Fi movies used to predict uprisings, mass demonstrations and fighting of limited resources amongst people. I think people should pay attention to movies and learn a lot. As we approach, 2021 and it is election year in Zambia, an awareness of the so-called friendly people of Zambia and their patience with their leaders is a good indication to the leaders on how to handle the situation. The Government of the Republic of Zambia should not rely on the idea that Zambians will never get up in arms. The government will get a rude awakening (Remember: former President Rupiah Bwezani Banda crying on national television after losing in 2011). My fear is that, in Zambia we have an idea that Zambians are peaceful people and fear war and fighting, but remember, we are living in a world where resources are becoming limited and the population is growing. That idea of peace loving Zambians can disappear when people are left fighting for scraps, and we will be left surprised with events that may ensue in 2021. My humble plea is for our leaders is not to be selfish. Look what’s happening to Omar al-Bashir, he is behind bars. Just across the border, in Zimbabwe, though not an appropriate example, we witnessed Uncle Bob (Robert Gabriel Mugabe) taken out and though Mnangagwa is also facing the headache of protest action day in and day out in Zimbabwe of late due to worsening economic conditions in that country. In Zambia, as we approach 2021, the pre lesson we can learn from Malawi is that, the Electoral Commission of Zambia must exercise impartiality otherwise, ‘Electoral Commission of Zambia Must Fall’ will be loaded.
African deposed presidents
Africa is a continent with great potential, but the leadership is a curse. My fear is it will only get worse as the young people have picked up selfish motives and learnt from their selfish leaders. However, I still have hope if we have countries where the youth stand up and show that they will live with the repercussions of decisions and selfishness of old presidents who would have been long dead.
Here are a couple of African presidents that have been deposed of and it should serve as a lesson for modern day presidents that after you are gotten rid of, it’s not all rosy. In Gambia, President Yahya Jammeh came to power in 1994 through a bloodless coup and ruled for more than 22 years amid human rights abuses to silence opponents. In 2017, Gambians elected an opposition coalition candidate Adama Barrow who was at the time in neighbouring Senegal. Barrow had to wait for weeks during a stand-off between himself and Jammeh until Jammeh flew into exile to Equatorial Guinea with his family and has not been heard of since.
Chad’s Hissene Habre’s rule from 1982 to 1990 was marked with Human rights abuses that eventually saw him forced from power by current president Idriss Delby. For more than 20 years, Habre lived in luxury while in exile in Senegal until paramilitary police took him into custody and has been sentenced to life in prison making him the first conviction of a former head of state by an African Court for crimes against humanity. The other African head of state worth mentioning is Ethiopia’s Mengistu Haile Mariam who ruled from 1974 to 1991 and is blamed for the killing of hundreds of students. He has since fled to Zimbabwe and was hosted by former president of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe. Mengistu was convicted in absentia by an Ethiopian court in 2006 of genocide and later sentenced to death, but Zimbabwe has refused to extradite him. One last mention and a good example of a president trying to hold on to power is that of Burkina Faso’s Blaise Compaore who came into power through a bloody coup in 1987 that killed that country’s revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara. After ruling for more than 27 years, Compaore, tried to change the constitution to seek another term in office (Does this sound familiar in a Zambian context: Remember F.T.J Chiluba’s third term bid?). Faced with a popular uprising, he was forced to step down in 2004.
Conclusion
Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Malawi had served one term prior the 2019 elections and despite him being declared winner which enables him to go for a second term, the people are protesting. Mutharika may be delaying the inevitable, that is, his removal from office. The people of Malawi are saying, ‘Mr. Mutharika, you served one term, please go!’ The same message may be echoed in 2021 in Zambia and if the will of the people is not with the government, no matter what you do as a government, it will never be good enough because the citizenry do not want you. Let us be careful as we approach 2021 for ‘The One Zambia, One Nation’ we so love will disappear and that will surely break Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda’s Heart.
