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Green Eagles players warming up for Thursday’s game against Proline of Uganda at the 2019 CECAFA Club Cup.Eagles beat Proline 2-1. Pic courtesy of Green Eagles FC Media
Green Eagles rallied to beat 2018 third placed finishers Gor Mahia 2-1 to reach the 2019 CECAFA Club Cup semifinals.
The victory over the three-time champions from Kenya, saw Eagles’ CECAFA debut run extended with their last four qualification at the competition Rwanda is hosting from July 6-21.
Gor took a second minute lead through Nicholas Kipkirui who punished Boniface Sunzu for some sloppy defending before chipping the ball over Eagles goalkeeper Sebastian Mwange.
But Gor’s lead lasted just six minute after striker Tapson Kaseba finally brought his CECAFA draught with the equalizer that he fired in the ball from the edge of the box.
The two sides went into the break tied but Eagles sealed the victory in the 68th minute through Shadreck Mulungwe just eight minutes after he had replaced the teams’ top scorer at the tournament Kennedy Musonda.
Eagles will face KCCA of Uganda in the semifinals on July 19.
KCCA beat hosts Rayon Sport 2-1 on Tuesday in their quarterfinal match.
President Lungu and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta with Ministers after the bilateral talks at State House in Lusaka on July 3,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, has bemoaned the low level of intra trade among COMESA member states in the region.
President Kenyatta observes that COMESA has not fully exploited the existing trade potential in the region.
ZANIS reports that the Kenyan Head of State disclosed that the current total percentage of trade among COMESA member states stands at 77.
“Truth be told, COMESA has exploited less the trade potential in our region. COMESA total share of intra trade of goods currently stand at 77 per cent.
The situation is unfortunate, it requires that we find solutions to remedy it,” he stated.
President Kenyatta said solutions need to be found in order to address the trade challenges hindering increased intra Africa trade.
He was speaking during the official opening of the Source 21 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) International Trade Fair and High Level Business Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
Meanwhile, President Kenyatta says lack of value addition on products in the COMESA region has deprived young people of job opportunities.
He expressed concern that most products in the regional bloc are traded in raw form without value addition.
President Kenyatta has encouraged African countries to take advantage of the continent’s young population by creating job opportunities for them through value addition.
And Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu says Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) should be given space to thrive and to trade within the continent.
President Lungu emphasized that policies should therefore, be implemented in order to support and to favour the growing of SMEs.
The President noted that COMESA has a huge responsibility of ensuring that SMEs are supported so that they participate effectively in intra Africa trade.
“SMEs should be given space so that they participate in regional integration trade. We have a huge stake of ensuring that SMEs fit in the bigger picture of trade,” he said.
He observed that SMEs will only be competitive if they produce quality goods, hence the call to support them.
The President, however, expressed concern that if nothing is done to address the situation, the rest of the world will feast on Africa’s resources while SMEs lose out.
Mr Lungu has also observed that promotion of local SMEs in the region is cardinal if Africa is to prosper and to compete with other continents.
President Lungu said political will has been demonstrated as evidenced by the number of agreements signed by individual governments.
Meanwhile, the Zambian Head of State has advised African countries not to be swayed by foreign investors who complain of policy inconsistency.
He explained that if a particular country feels that the local people are not benefiting from the earlier signed agreements, the country should not shy away from revisiting the agreement.
The President noted that revisiting or changing of policy shows that government cares about the plight of its people.
At the same forum, Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, said fragmented markets have contributed to COMESA not integrating fully.
President Museveni emphasised that intra market fragment is a serious bottleneck that must be addressed.
The Ugandan President noted that other continents are taking advantage of the situation by advancing their trade agenda.
And COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Kapwepwe, thanked Heads of State for attending the high level business summit.
The five days long business summit, which runs from 17 to 21 July, 2019 has attracted high level participation from COMESA member states.
Former Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe during the hand over process to newly appointed Minister of Finance Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu.
Former Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe this morning completed her handover process to her successor and newly appointed Minister of Finance Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu.
Mrs. Mwanakatwe, the Lusaka Central Constituency Lawmaker, wished Dr. Ng’andu well in his new job of sheparding the economy to sustained stability and growth.
And thanking Mrs. Mwanakatwe for her supportive spirit and guidance, Dr. Ng’andu also paid tribute to the former Minister for her resolute stance in developing austerity measures aimed at restoring the economy’s fiscal fitness, stability, and growth.
In the coming days, Dr. Ng’andu is scheduled to hold liaison meetings with cooperating partners, business associations, the Industrial Development Corporation Group, the Zambia Revenue Authority and other economic players and stakeholders.
This is according to a statement issued by Ministry of Finance Spokesman Chileshe Kandeta.
Earlier today, Minister of Finance Bwalya N’gandu said that government wasputting in place stringent measures aimed at addressing all the economic challenges that have negatively impacted on the well-being of the general citizenry.
Dr N’gandu cited the broadening of the tax revenue by enhancing compliance, increasing capacity for domestic resource mobilisation and dismantling arrears owed to suppliers and contractors as some of the positive steps which will be taken to restore confidence in country’s economy.
Speaking in Lusaka today during the quarterly economic briefing, Dr. N’gandu explained that government’s economic target for 2019 remains resolute to reducing the budget deficit to 6.5 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), bringing down debt levels and maintaining the inflation rate between 6 and 8 percent.
He attributed the rise in inflation rate from 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2019 to 8.6 in the second to price adjustments in transportation and food products.
Former Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe during the hand over process to newly appointed Minister of Finance Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu.
And Dr. N’gandu added that the depreciation of the kwacha in the second quarter by 7.6 percent to the United States Dollar was triggered by the high demand of the foreign currency and the changes in the procurement of petroleum products.
Meanwhile, Dr N’gandu disclosed that government has concluded the consultation process with regards to the implementation of the new sales tax.
He explained that currently, relevant stakeholders are reviewing all the submissions before the implementation process can take effect.
He further assured that government wants to avoid any risks that can result into employment loses and possibilities of destabilising the manufacturing industry before making the final decision of implementing the sales tax.
The Minister further noted that government is implementing expenditure adjustments on infrastructural projects which will result in slowing down, cancelling or postponing certain projects amid austerity measures.
Meanwhile, World Bank’s Chief Economist for Africa Albert Zeufack has urged government to expedite the process of implementing fiscal consolidation measures in order to revamp its economic performance and protect human capital.
Dr Zeufack said there is need for Zambia to diversify its economy from being a mining dependent country to another sector that can enhance its economic growth and reduce poverty levels among the people.
He further pledged World Bank’s support in assisting Zambia resolve some of its fiscal challenges and achieve sustainable economic development.
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Mr Hidenobu Sobashima announced his country’s continued support to Zambia in its quest to address economic challenges, further thanking China for offering Zambia a debt relief.
Chipolopolo’s weekly 2020 CHAN qualifier training camp has been extended from three days and well into the weekend.
Zambia are in the second stage of their weekly three-day training camp that began in Lusaka on July 7.
This week’s camp, that started on July 15, was due to end on Wednesday, July 17 but has been stretched with just a week before their 2020 CHAN second round, first leg away date against Botswana on July 26 in Francistown.
Chipolopolo are tentatively expected to depart for Botswana on July 23.
“So far, so good, I think the fitness levels have really gone up from the time we assembled and I think we are now very much ready for the challenges. Next week we will start to work on the tactical aspect of the game because the fitness levels are there now,” Zambia assistant coach Mumamba Numba said.
Numba also gave his first report card on the latest midfield call-ups Larry Bwalya of Power Dynamos and Kelvin Mubanga from Nkana.
“There is massive competition now especially the people we have brought in like Larry. I think it will make our finally selection difficult from what we are seeing, we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” Numba said.
Zambia will host Botswana in the final leg on August 3 in Lusaka that will see the winner over both legs advance to the final qualifying leg to face Angola of eSwatini in September and October for the ticket to January’s finals in Cameroon.
Fred M’membe arriving at Muchinga Police Headquarters for questioning1
Fred M’membe says the provisional liquidation of the Post doesn’t mean he is dead.
The Socialist Party 2021 presidential candidate said this after a seven-hour long questioning at Muchinga Province Police Headquarters.
When Dr M’membe entered the police station at about our 08:25, one of the officers, Oscar Phiri, availed him a statement of complaint by Post provisional liquidator Lewis Mosho.
The complaint states that police were making inquiries in the offence of possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime contrary to section 71 (1), a, b,c (2), (3) of the forfeiture of proceeds of crime Act Number 19 of the laws of Zambia.
“It is alleged that Dr Fred M’membe on unknown dates but between the year 2012 and June 19, 2019 acquired land and build structures in Mwika Village, sub-chief Mwaba Nkulungwe, chief Nkula’s area in Shiwang’andu district of the Muchinga Province of the Republic of Zambia.”
“These structures, the complaint continues, are alleged to be from resources suspected to be proceeds realised from some Post Newspapers Limited shares and Assets which Dr M’membe is further alleged to have concealed and undeclared to the provisional liquidator of the Post Newspapers Limited in liquidation.
Dr M’membe was then asked if he understood the allegations levelled against him.
“You’re further warned and cautioned that you’re not obliged to say anything in answer to these allegations unless you wish to do so. But whatever you say shall be taken down in writing and may be used in evidence in the courts of law,” Mosho told Dr M’membe through the police. You’re also reminded that you have a constitutional right to legal representation.”
Dr M’membe chose to speak.
“Unless, they kill me physically I will still be here smiling, laughing. I came into this world with nothing and I will leave with nothing. As long as I live and in good health, I will be able to feed myself,” Dr M’membe said.
“This year, I produced maize at Mwika, a huge harvest which nobody in the entire history of Nkulugwe has ever produced.”
He then addressed Mosho.
“Mr Mosho is provisional liquidator of The Post Newspapers Limited, he is not a provisional liquidator of Fred M’membe,” Dr M’membe said.
“Fred M’membe has a life separate from and beyond Post Newspapers Limited. The provisional liquidation of Post Newspapers Limited does not mean death of Fred M’membe. Post Newspapers Limited was a creation of Fred M’membe. Fred M’membe is not a creation of the Post Newspapers. But it would seem when they placed the Post into provisional liquidation, they thought that was the end of Fred M’membe’s life; they thought he was dead and buried. They can’t believe he’s still alive today smiling, laughing. And even built a huge house in the village.”
He said they wanted him to die.
“They wanted me to die. They took away my investments of 25 years. I’m in Mwika village not because I have nowhere else’s to go; I am there because that’s the land of my birth. The land my ancestors left me with, collectively with my relatives. It is not land curved for me by some benevolent sub-chief,” Dr M’membe continued.
“I went to Lusaka after finishing my form Five at St Francis Secondary School, Malole, P.0. Box 49 Kasama, Northern Province of the Republic of Zambia in 1976. I went to Lusaka to attend the University of Zambia. After that I started work in Lusaka.”
Dr M’membe said he went to Lusaka from Mwika alone.
“But today I return with a big family comprising of a wife, children and grandchildren. In Lusaka, I am simply a guest of Chief Nkomeshya who has been very kind to give us some land to build on and even settle there. But Mwika Royal village is my home and nobody will take me out of that,” he said.
“My plea to you officers is that search your conscience; do the right thing regardless of the consequences. And the right thing is to vacate my house. Treat me fairly, respect my human rights and my rights as a human being.”
He said he was not asking for any favours.
“I ask for no favours from you but please, please do the right thing by vacating my house. Here I am being expected to legitimise an illegality and an unlawful act. The Police are not there to protect some of us; only God is there for us. If not stopped, the bell tolling on me today will toll on you tomorrow,” Dr M’membe spoke further.
“My response to Mr Mosho’s complaint is that I have not committed any crime and I have not procured any form of proceeds of crime as complained. And any honest investigation will prove that. This is simply a political ploy by Mr Mosho and his political masters to try and curtail my political work for 2021.
Fred M’membe arriving at Muchinga Police Headquarters for questioning
Armed police officers have cordoned off Muchinga Division headquarters in Chinsali to stop people from accessing the police station as Socialist Party 2021 presidential candidate Dr Fred M’membe was being interviewed.
Dr M’membe was recently issued with a call out to report to Chinsali Police in connection with a house he built in his Mwika village in Shiwang’andu district.
Muchinga Police Division issued the call out to Dr M’membe via Police Headquarters in Lusaka where he was summoned to appear last Thursday.
Dr M’membe arrived at the Muchinga Police Division in the provincial headquarters, Chinsali, at 08:15 Hours and the interview lasted for over seven hours.
Police recorded a warm caution statement from Dr M’membe at 14:25 Hours.
Some sympathizers greeting Fred M’membe at Muchinga Police Headquarters after questioning
And Muchinga Police commissioner Joe Njase has praised the Socialist Party and Dr M’membe for not taking along disruptive supporters to the police station during Dr M’membe’s interview.
And Muchinga Police commissioner Joe Njase has praised the Socialist Party and Dr M’membe for not taking along disruptive supporters to the police station during Dr M’membe’s interview.
Mr. Njase praised Dr M’membe and the Socialist Party for cooperating with the police.
“I just wish to commend Socialist Party for not coming with disruptive supporters. I have seen a few outside outside and they are well-behaved. Thank you very much for cooperating,” said Njase who was not part of the interrogating team.
Dr M’membe was ushered inside with only two-party officials while the rest of his delegation were ordered not to come out of their motor vehicles.
On June 22 police officers staged an attack at Dr M’membe’s village in Nkulungwe area of Shiwang’andu district, chased the workers, vandalised ornaments, cooked and ate the food before occupying the house.
As this was happening, Dr M’membe was addressing a Socialist Party maiden public rally at Nsansa Grounds in Kitwe’s Race Course compound.
The Law Association of Zambia has threatened to go to court to stop Constitutional Amendment Bill which they say takes Zambia’s democracy backwards.
In a statement, the Association of Zambia says
proposed reintroduction of the position of Deputy Ministers is retrogressive as it will only serve to divert meager resources from important social sectors to fund the cost of introducing and maintaining the position.
And LAZ has also described as retrogressive the provision creating Parliament but leaving the important task of stipulating the number of members of Parliament to an Act of Parliament.
At its meeting held on 13th July, 2019, the LAZ Council further objected to the introduction of a mixed member electoral system, provisions relating to a coalition government in a Presidential system and Uncertainty regarding the constitution and composition of the Judiciary.
The LAZ Council has since resolved to put into motion a number of interventions with the ultimate aim of achieving a rethink about a number of retrogressive provisions in the Bill.
These include seeking the intervention of the wisdom of the Judiciary by moving the Constitutional Court to pronounce itself on a number of these provisions and strike out all retrogressive provisions from the Bill.
In a statement, the LAZ Council said it will also engage the Ministry of Justice to convey its concerns about the retrogressive provisions in the Bill and will further reach out to other stakeholders in the constitution making process to join hands with it in building consensus on the concerning provisions of the Bill.
Chipolopolo will know their 2021 AFCON qualifiers opponents on Thursday when the draws for the Cameron finals are made in Cairo.
Fifty two countries will go into the draws and will be seeded in five pots according to their standings on the FIFA Rankings as of June 14, 2019.
Zambia are in Pot B and will fortunately avoid their now perennial AFCON nemesis Cape Verde and rivals South Africa after they were placed together in Pot B.
Guinea,Uganda,Benin,Gabon,Congo Brazzaville , Mauritania ,Kenya, Niger and Libya are the other teams in Pot B.
But Each will have to contend with a big gun from the top seeds in Pot A who will lead the respective twelve groups.
Senegal, Tunisia, Nigeria, Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast, Algeria and hosts Cameroon are in Pot A.
Hosts now play in the qualifiers since the 2017 qualifiers but their group stage matches are classified as friendlies.
Zambia’s other prospective group stage suitors from Pot C are Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Malawi, Togo, Sudan and Tanzania.
Pot E has Liberia, Mauritius, Gambia, South Sudan, Chad, Sao Tome e Principe, Seychelles and Djibouti who will face each other in the preliminary round with the four winners to complete Pot D classification in the group draws.
The draws will see the first team picked from Pot A going into Group One and the sequence will be repeated for the remaining eleven teams to determine the top seeds in each group.
That sequence will be repeated in Pot B where Zambia is.
For example, should Egypt beat drawn into Group One and Zambia are the first team drawn from the Pot B seedings, they will join The Pharaohs’ in that qualifying group.
Catholic Bishops of Zambia say when political life is not seen as a form of service to society it can become a means of oppression, marginalization even destruction.
President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and Bishop of Chipata Diocese Rt. Rev. George Lungu has since hoped that as the Bishops meet for their Second Plenary of the Year, they will exercise their prophetic ministry by reading the signs of the time and seriously reflect on the challenges that are facing the nation.
Catholic Bishops of Zambia are meeting in Lusaka at Kapingila house for the Plenary up to Friday, 19th July, 2019.
“Not only that, I hope and pray that as shepherds of God’s flock, we shall endeavour to propose the way forward by providing an alternative route to authentic peace-building and genuine reconciliation. Indeed, from the very beginning when the Church led the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Process,” he said.
“The vision of the Church has always been a conversion of hearts and minds of the Zambian people, leading to a unified, reconciled and peaceful Zambia where all citizens freely participate in governance within a thriving social and economic environment,” he added.
The ZCCB President further said that the Church remains committed and resolved to remain truly non-partisan so as to be inclusive and bring people from all walks of life and political persuasions together in the spirit of ‘One Zambia, One Nation.’
Meanwhile, commenting on the launch of activities for Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019 as announced by Pope Francis in commemoration of the centenary of the Apostolic Letter, Maximum Illude, of Pope Benedict XV (1919) under the theme: “Baptised and sent:
The Church of Christ on Mission in the World,” Bishop Lungu said for the launch has to be a meaningful exercise, there is need for a renewed missionary awareness and commitment.
“Activities have to be carried out in such a way that there is indeed a renewed missionary awareness and commitment, with fresh evangelical impulse to our way of preaching and bringing to the world the salvation of Jesus Christ who died and rose again. With the spirit of courage and fearlessness of our early missionaries and the ingenuity of our present world, we are invited to die to a spirit of self-preservation and be daring enough to venture into the unknown prompted by the Holy Spirit and relying on God’s providence,” he said.
Zambia’s external and domestic debt stock has continued rising with the latest official figures showing it now stood at US$10.23 billion as at end of June 2019.
This is against the end-March figures of US$ 10.18 billion.
Domestic debt in terms of securities and bonds as at end June 2019 also rose to K60.3 billion compared to the end-March position of K58.3 billion.
This was revealed by newly appointed Finance Minister Bwalya Ng’andu during his quarterly media briefing.
Dr Ng’andu said the external debt stock as at end June 2019 was US $10.23 billion compared to US $10.18 billion at end March 2019.
He added that the stock of guarantees is currently US $1.3 billion, unchanged from the end March 2019, and end-December 2018 position.
“During the quarter, subscription rates for government securities declined relative to the first quarter of 2019, due to liquidity challenges, perception and exit of foreign participates in the market. Arrears stood at K16.7 billion at as end March 2019, up from K15.6 billion as at December 2018. The increase in arrears is due to increased disbarments on infrastructure development,” Dr Ng’andu said.
And the preliminary data indicates that the economy shrunk in the first quarter to 2.6 percent compared the 2.7 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2018.
“Growth was driven by the wholesale and retail and information and communication sectors. The financial and insurance sector also performed favourably. Positive growth was also recorded in electricity generation and transport. Mining and Agriculture growth was subdued.
He added, “Looking forward to the rest of 2019, risks to growth include electricity load management being carried out by ZESCO that will affect most sectors. Further, the continued lower investment and subdued commodity prices may affect copper production. Climate change challenges continue to weigh down agricultural production and electricity generation.
“On the basis of these risks, we project that growth will be in the 2 to 3 percent range in 2019, and to gradually pick up in 2020 and the medium term.”
On Sales Tax Implementation, Dr Ng’andu said the timing of the introduction of Sales Tax will be addressed in Parliament.
“Having finalized country-wide consultations on the switch from VAT to Sales Tax, we are now addressing issues that have come from the consultation process. These include the cascading effects due to multiple value chains and the need to avoid loss of employment due to possibilities of value chains dying off including the timing of introducing the tax and the need to protect manufacturers. These will be addressed as the process evolves in Parliament.”
On tax collections, Dr Ng’andu tax said over the first half of 2019, total revenues and grants amounted to K32.6 billion, 8.31 percent above the projection of K30.1 billion.
He said domestic revenues at K32.1 billion were above target by 9 percent.
“This was mainly driven by higher nontax revenues collections, mostly from declaration of dividends. On tax revenues, VAT collections were higher than projected by 17 percent, although refunds have increased to an average of K1.4 billion per month from around K800 million in 2018. This has deprived the revenues required for capital and social sector spending,” he said.
Dr Ngandu also admitted that higher fiscal deficits have been driven, by higher than programmed external project financing.
“Thus, Government has taken measures for management of project disbursements, debt cancellation and rescheduling to bring down deficits to sustainable levels. This is in line with the SADC macro convergence regional targets. This will be supported by measures to postpone and cancel some contracted but not disbursed loans, which is in line with the directive by the President from the special Cabinet Meeting of 27th May, 2019. This is an activity which I intend to actively engage my fellow Cabinet Ministers.”
On foreign reserves, Dr Ng’andu said external Gross Reserves as at end June 2019 remained at the same level as at end March 2019 at US $1.41 billion which is 1.6 months of import cover.
“The Government will continue with policy measures to support the build-up of reserves, which among others, will include payment of mineral royalty in US dollars and buying of foreign exchange from the market by the Bank of Zambia. Measures on gold purchases will also continue,” he said.
File:Minister of High Education Prof. Nkandu Luo inspecting the room at one of the hostel at UNZA
Government is due to introduce a Human Development Levy that will finance the education sector.
Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo says this is among recommendations that came from the National Education Conference that was held in January this year by the two ministries and other stakeholders.
Professor Luo was speaking during a joint media briefing between the ministries of Higher Education and General Education in Lusaka.
She said the recommendations will be sent to cabinet for approval, and priority will be set on the ones to be implemented according to available resources.
Meanwhile General Education Minister David Mabumba said there is need to prioritise investment in the education sector because it has potential to improve the economy.
Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Ronald Chitotela
The acquittal of Minister of Infrastructure, Hon. Ronald Chitotela by Magistrate David Simusamba, and the sentencing of Mwenya Kankunkutula to 4 years in prison for stealing soap worth K18 (about $1.20) illustrates the rottenness of Zambia’s judicial system.
Mr. Chitotela was celebrating his “vindication”, while Mr. Kankunkutula was pleading for mercy; telling the Magistrate that the soap was for washing his children’s school uniforms. Unlike in Chitotela’s case, the court sentenced the poor man to 4 years in prison as his wife “wept uncontrollably.” Imagine the effect this ruling will have on his family. Well it matters not in the Christian nation.
Mr. Kankunkutula is not the only poor person rotting in jail for this petty crime. He joined countless other–a teenage boy sentenced to 3 years in prison for stealing a pant worth K20, and Spencer Mwambula sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for stealing one tablet of Lifebouy. And the list is endless. Yet to claim that the government did not find any evidence that Chitotela stole even a dollar is pure madness! It is for this reason that such unjust court actions must receive wider condemnation–unfortunately not!
I am not condoning shoplifting, but social circumstances matter as well. What kind of poverty can lead a person to steal a tablet of soap? As long as both unemployment rates and the gap between the rich and the poor continue to explode, and political corruption undermines national development, we should expect masses going to jail because of petty crimes like shoplifting.
It is an established custom that the ruling party’s corrupt politicians are innocent until they are out of favor with his Excellency, the Supreme Leader and newly minted President, Dr. Edgar C. Lungu. It was moreover shameful for Mr. Chitotela to celebrate the expected; he simply joined countless corrupt politicians acquited by the same courts. Unless we are blind or suffer from PFamnesia, we know how many millions are uncounted for; we know many cases in which the politicized Anti-Corruption Commission has brought charges against politicians, but such cases always enter the blackhole of justice!
Clearly, Mr. Chitotela cannot be investigated when Dr. Lungu is the law, the judge and the prosecutor–it is like asking the thief to investigate and convict himself. From the onset, President Lungu sided and defended Chitotela. If Chitotela insults the Supreme Leader today, I can assure you that the same ACC will rearrest him and find evidence to convict him. And if by divine intervention PF loses power in 2021, Chitotela will surely be rearrested by the new administration. But like Dora Siliya, his charges will be dropped if he shamelessly kisses the boots of the next president–it is called justice in the Christian nation.
We know the movie–Silvia Masebo, President Chiluba, Sata, Kambwili, GBM, Musenge–you can add to this endless list. It is not long ago when GBM and HH were accused of various crimes–but wait. The moment GBM put his lips on Lungu’s boots–the charges were dropped. As for Kambwili, he abused his power at will. When he lost support from the Supreme Leader, however, he became a criminal. Should he, however, loudly shout Lungu, and pabwato, all his charges will be dropped.
Am l the only person to question the moral basis of such unjust rulings? The poor generally steal out of necessity, but politicians do so out of grand selfishness. Yet it seems courts ignore the ethical relationship between breaking the law and justice; punishment must be proportional to the crime. Is it just for a person to spend 4 years in prison for a $1 crime? Unless it is a diamond dollar coin, such a sentence is unjust. Is a fine or community service not enough? Or is imprisonment the only justifiable sentence for shoplifting? And why are Churches silent amidst such unjust sentences?
We need no reminding that such injustices led to the rise of minor and major prophets in ancient Israel. Courts existed to render justice, but like in Zambia, they punished the poor and rewarded corrupt individuals (Amos 2:6-8).
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
I support the yellow campaign instituted against the changing of the Constitution, but we must not end with presidential powers, the independence of the judiciary, the ACC, the police, and civil society organizations. Amendments are needed on petty crimes like shoplifting too. As it stands, the judicial system only exists to punish the poor while rewarding those connected to the Supreme Leader! We must change!
Workers at Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia in Kafue manufacturing equipment parts in the fabrication workshop
Government has awarded Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia a contract to supply 15,000 metric tonnes of basal dressing fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Program for 2019/2020 farming season.
William Mwale, the Company Chief Executive Officer disclosed the development when Kafue Member of Parliament Miriam Chonya visited him at his Officer.
Mr. Mwale also revealed that NCZ now has a full Board which is chaired by Zambia State Insurance Corporation Life Managing Director Christabel Banda.
He however revealed that the plant is currently shut down due to some maintenance works in readiness for commencement of production of the FISP tonnage.
Mr. Mwale said the company is also facing huge challenge of paying off retirement packages and NAPSA contributions.
Speaking earlier, Mrs. Chonya asked Mr. Mwale if the NCZ management has effected the new Labour Act in relation to actualization.
Mrs. Chonya said she is looking forward to working closely with the new NCZ management.
The Standard Bank Group which trades in Zambia as Stanbic Bank has welcomed the appointment of Bwalya Ng’andu has Finance Minister.
The bank has however cautioned that Dr. Ng’andu’s appointment could be a case of having a different messenger delivering the same message.
In its latest report on Zambia, Standard Bank says Dr Ng’andu’s appointment as is a positive development that the market will probably look favourably upon.
“This is the third Finance Minister in three years. Obviously the country is facing some fiscal challenges that require rather drastic fiscal consolidation efforts. Perhaps there is also a need to restructure some external debt in order to lengthen the maturity profile thereof,” the report said.
“As we have repeatedly argued, there is a significant increase in the amount of external debt that is maturing this year, thereby increasing the government’s external debt service payments. This year the amount of external debt service payments will be nearly as much as, if not more than, the amount of FX reserves at the end of 2018.”
It states that the Finance Ministry expects external debt service payments to be in excess of 1.5 billion dollars per year over the next 2 years.
“Gross FX reserves are already lower than this, having consistently declined since about June 2017 when they were USD2.39bn. Is the change of Finance Minister going to change the advice that the President and the rest of the Cabinet has been receiving from the Finance Ministry?”
It added, “Judging from our conversations with the Finance Ministry over the past 3 years, it seems reasonable to believe that the Finance Ministry has been making calls for fiscal consolidation.”
“We might not know for sure what the new Finance Minister will be communicating to the President and the rest of the Cabinet. But judging from the increasingly strident warnings that the Bank of Zambia’s Monetary Policy Committee has been making regarding the risks to macroeconomic stability posed by fiscal policy, it seems reasonable to believe that he would continue to communicate that message.”
“Furthermore, taking account of the very strong possibility that the senior leadership of the Finance Ministry, besides perhaps the Finance Minister, is not going to change, then the advice that the Finance Ministry will deliver to the President and the Cabinet regarding fiscal matters is probably not going to change. Media reports indicate that the new Finance Minister wants to restart talks with the IMF.”
It says, “Recall that previous talks for a funded program ended in 2017 with the IMF bemoaning the risks posed by the fast pace at which external debt was rising. Additionally, the IMF advised the government to strengthen debt management capacity, improve the project appraisal and selection process and slow down the pace at which it was contracting new external debt, especially non-concessional debt.”
It added, “So, if these new proposed talks are to explore a funded program, then is there really a strong likelihood that the IMF is going to have a better assessment now?”
“Presumably, the President and the new Finance Minister conferred on the state of government finances, fiscal policy management challenges and the Minister’s proposed strategy to deal with them. If so, then this appointment would probably also be an implicit acknowledgement by the President that he broadly agrees about the need for fiscal consolidation.”
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) says it is unfortunate that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has failed to recognize the positive feedback from the financial market following the appointment of new Finance Minister Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu.
PF Media Director Sunday Chanda said in a statement issued to the media on Tuesday following the press briefing by the UPND leader, that it is a shame that the UPND leader spoke ill of Zambia’s economy when the international media had asked for his comment on the appointment of Dr. Ng’andu.
Mr. Chanda said Mr. Hichilema has no shame in describing the positive response of financial instruments such as Eurobonds after His Excellency President Edgar Lungu appointed Dr. Ng’andu as a new minister in charge of finance.
“The UPND leader shamelessly described the positive feedback from financial market as a ‘knee jerk reaction’. Already, Mr. Hichilema is looking down on the new minister,” he said.
On the formation of Anti-Drugs, Economic and Financial Crimes Agency, Mr. Chanda said the UPND leader demonstrated alarming levels of ignorance.
Mr. Chanda emphasized that this was a proposal that the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has been asking for since 2010 to rename DEC and that they made a submission concerning this issue.
He further emphasized that DEC‘s mandate extends to financial and economic crimes stressing that the Financial Intelligence Center (FIC) was never established by the constitution.
Coming to the NDF resolutions, the PF Media Director accused Mr. Hichilema of playing double standards when it comes to matters of the constitution.
Mr. Chanda indicated that the UPND leader has on several occasions described Zambia’s supreme law of the land as a ‘sham’.
He said the PF Government is a listening one and that is why they want to give the peopleof Zambia what they deserve.
“On Wednesday 6th January 2019, when he featured on Hot FM’s Special Programme, Mr. Hichilema said the amended constitution was a sham and a disgrace to the Zambian people. Today 16th July, 2019, during a press briefing at his residence, he said and I quote ‘Here are some of the continued but negative attempts by the PF to mutilate our constitution, our beautiful constitution’ end of quote. Isn’t this comedy? When did the sham and disgrace of the constitution become a beautiful one” he questioned.
He maintained that the National Dialogue Forum was very independent of the Patriotic Front
Mr Hichilema speaking at a news conference at his residence.
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the PF to withdraw the Constitutional Amendment Bill from Parliament immediately.
Mr Hichilema has since demanded that the PF returns to a national dialogue process that is consensus based, inclusive and transparent.
Speaking during a Press briefing held at his residence Tuesday morning, Mr Hichilema said the PF should withdraw the Bill from Parliament because the people of Zambia have spoken.
“A serious government should withdraw the Bill and not merely u-turning and making false assertions,” Mr. Hichilema said.
President Lungu should not assent to the Bill but withdraw it to the expectations of Zambians who have the power as they own the three arms of Government,” he said.
The UPND leader recommends that Zambia goes back to the three Church mother bodies led dialogue process which he said is all inclusive.
He refuted claims by PF Secretary general Davies Mwila that the reasons the PF is u-turning on the NDF dialogue process is because they “cared for the Zambian people”.
Mr Hichilema said the truth is it was as a result of the unwavering pressure from the Zambian people.
He said after feeling the pressure from the people of Zambia, the PF are left with no option but to back down on the NDF resolutions because they have realized that the Zambian people are not interested in this money and time wasting venture.
President Hichilema says the people of Zambia have won the battle against the PF regarding the Bill and called on all Zambians to continue pushing them until the bill is withdrawn from Parliament.
He also directed UPND and independent MPs not to entertain the Bill as it will destroy the country further.
Commenting on the appointment of Bwalya Ngandu as Finance Minister, President Hichilema said the new Minister will not able to fix the economy under the Patriotic Front because it is beyond redemption while his professional career just like his predecessors would be messed up.
And commenting on suggestions by the PF to disband the Financial Intelligence Centre and fuse it into the Drug Enforcement Commission,the opposition leader said the move is a clear indicator that there is no political will to fight corruption.
He said FIC is a statutory body which has done a lot of good works with regards to the widespread fiscal indiscipline, embezzlement and misuse of public resources by PF officials.
Mr Hichilema speaking at a news conference at his residence as Chairperson Mutale Nalumango looks on
