GEARS Initiative Zambia has demanded that Chief Justice Irene Mambilima must appoint a tribunal to investigate whether or not Lands Minister Jean Kapata has breached the law by allocating herself a plot in the controversial Lusaka East Local Forest Reserve number 27.

GEARS Initiative Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act of the Laws of Zambia provides that any citizen can apply to the Chief Justice to appoint a tribunal to investigate if a Minister or Member of Parliament has used his or her position to gain pecuniary advantage in such matters as land allocation.

Mr. Chipenzi has also challenged Former Tourism Minister William Harrington to consider applying to the Chief Justice to appoint a tribunal since he has been on this matter and has relevant experience in land issues.

He said Mr. Harrington should take up the challenge in the public and national interest to seriously request the Chief Justice to immediately appoint a tribunal to investigate the matter of Forest Reserve Number 27 as he has vast experience in tribunals in particular the Dora Siliya and Sylvia Masebo tribunals.

Mr. Chipenzi said if indeed Mr Harrington has any evidence on this matter which he has consistently questioned that Jean Kapata and other senior government officials did allocate themselves agricultural and other plots in the forest reserve, then he has prima facia evidence to warrant appointment of a tribunal to investigate the Minister of Lands.”

He said the issue is of interest to GEARS Initiative as it borders on good governance, transparency and accountability in the management of public affairs by those entrusted to do so.

Mr. Chipenzi is hopeful that the Chief Justice will be magnanimous enough to receive, if Mr Harrington agrees to petition her, to set up the tribunal so that the truth is known to all Zambians on how Minister Jean Kapata allocated herself land in the controversial Forest Reserve as sitting minister of lands.

A consumer of Legana Meat products Luyando Kopakopa has sued the company demanding for damages after consuming their Hangarian sausage, which allegedly appeared to have been packed in a condom.

Ms. Kopakopa, a Medical Student says the alleged used condom also contained some meat which appeared like human flesh.

In her statement of claim filed in the High Court Registry dated July 12, 2019, the plaintiff claims that after consuming the said sausage she developed convulsions, stress and fear and ultimately she vomited excessively.

Ms. Kopakopa wants damages for tortious liability arising from consumption of hungarian sausage allegedly produced by Legana Meat Products.

Meanwhile, Proprietor of Legana Meat Products Edith Nawakwi says she will sue the people spreading falsehoods on social media that Legana sausages contain human flesh.

Ms. Nawakwi said she has since reported Erick Ng’andu and Luyando Kopakopa to the police for spreading falsehoods that Legana sausages contains human flesh.

She lamented that the past 48 hours have been the most agonising in her life after a video went viral that Legana sausages contains human flesh.

And Ms. Nawakwi said her business is still afloat despite the negative publicity and has thanked her customers for remaining loyal.

She has since challenged Erick Ng’andu and Luyando Kopakopa to report to the police.

And the Lusaka City Council through the Department of Public Health has revealed that Legana Hungarian Sausage does not contain any foreign particles.

On 7th August, 2019, the Department of Public Health received a complaint from Erick Ng’andu that he found a “condom” like foreign matter in the alleged Legana sausage.

LCC Public Relations Manager George Sichimba said the analysis was done and the results revealed that there was no evidence of foreign matter identified in the sausage.

Niza Simukonda pays tribute to his father, the late Zambian music legend Ackim Simukonda.

Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

PROS

• Great chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.
• Gripping story line with intense action scenes.

CONS

• The villain could have had more depth, the character felt generic. Idris Elba is capable of much more , he was underutilized.

FAVORITE QUOTE

Brixton: “Look at me. I’m Black Superman!”

Luke Hobbs: “I’m trying to save the world, which, for the record, will be my fourth time. ‘Cause I’m really good at it.”

CONCLUSION

Dwayne Johnsons (Hobbs) star power was evident in the previous Fast & Furious movies, so him having his own spin off was inevitable. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson effortlessly carried the whole movie, that is not to say Idris Elba (Brixton) and Jason Statham (Shaw) didn’t do do a great job as they too carried their own weight in this summer blockbuster.

The best thing about the movie is the awesome banter between Hobbs and Shaw. Their witty jabs at each other gave a great buddy comedy feel.

The films attention is mostly on the lead actors but Idris Elba (Brixton) still manages to steal the show with most of his screen time , bringing entertaining swagger to an otherwise one dimensional character.

The movie has some really intense action and fight scenes including expertly pulled off, creative car chases (it is Fast & Furious after all). All that is balanced out with some emotional moments stressing the importance of family , keeping with the Fast & Furious tradition.

The movie mixes in a good amount of comedy and hilarious cameos that do not distract from the main story line.

I am sure this is not the last we are seeing of Hobbs and Shaw ,as this Fast & Furious spin off has the potential to be its own franchise.

RATING

4 out of 5

BY KAPA KAUMBA

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Youths have called upon faction leaders Dr. Nevers Mumba and Hon. Felix Mutati to reconcile in the interest of the Party.

The Youths through their National Chairperson Mr. Dauzeni Tembo said that the leadership Impasse has paralyzed the party.

“We as the Youths of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy would today like to comment on the State of our party. The current leadership Impasse between Dr. Nevers Mumba and Hon. Felix Mutati has negatively affected our party. Our Members especially Us the Youths are fade up with this because it has paralyzed our party”, Mr. Tembo said.

Mr. Tembo further said that the Party activities had been reduced to the High Court grounds.

“Since 2016, Our party has been in Court trying to resolve this leadership Impasse. We have not participated in any by election since then. MMD was not formed in the Court but was formed at Garden House Motel to provide leadership to the Nation. One of our members was even complaining that our party activities have been reduced to the High Court grounds,” Mr. Tembo said.

Mr. Tembo further called upon Dr. Mumba and Hon. Mutati to reconcile in the interest of the party.

“Finally but not the least, we would like to call upon both Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba and Hon. Felix Mutati to sit down and reconcile in the interest of our beloved Party. As your children, we are asking you our parents to please put your differences aside and reconcile so that our party the MMD can heal and bounce back in power. We are tired of singing songs at the High Court grounds, We want to go back to the Zambian Citizenry and provide the much needed leadership which they are currently in desperate need”, Mr. Tembo said.