Patriots for Economic Progress has announced its withdrawal from the Opposition Alliance.Party leader Sean Tembo told a media briefing that have taken the decision to withdraw from the Opposition Alliance is with immediate effect.

Mr Tembo said the main reason for withdrawing was because some of Alliance Members hold the belief that they are perfectly capable of winning the 2021 general elections without the need for opposition unity.

“As Patriots for Economic Progress, we are strong believers in the practice of civilized politics whereby we look at our political opponents not as our enemies but as our rivals. Therefore, it is our expectation that despite our withdrawal from the Opposition Alliance, we shall continue to relate well with our brothers and sisters in the Opposition Alliance and possibly even collaborate on other issues of common interest?” Mr Tembo said.

Below is a full statement

STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE PARTY PRESIDENT FOR THE PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP) AT A PRESS BRIEFING HELD AT THE OFFICE OF THE PARTY PRESIDENT IN LUSAKA ON 11th JULY 2019

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, we thank you all for coming this morning.

1. It has been approximately 9 months since we in the Patriots for Economic Progress made a decision to join and be part of the Opposition Alliance which consists of approximately ten opposition political parties. Our decision to join the Opposition Alliance was informed by a number of reasons. Chief among these reasons was the strong belief that opposition unity was necessary to ensure that the opposition wins the 2021 general elections with a landslide so as to usher into office a sober, selfless and committed Government that would redeem our citizens from the shackles of poverty, corruption, economic mismanagement and other evils currently being perpetrated by the PF and its Government.

2. It has been our long held belief that without opposition unity and an electoral pact, it would be difficult for any single opposition political party to win the 2021 general elections with a sufficient enough margin to ensure that the ruling PF and its Government are retired in the national interest. It has also been our belief that other political parties within the Opposition Alliance held a similar assessment and perspective regarding the prospects for 2021.

3. Arising from the above, we in the Patriots for Economic Progress believed that the Opposition Alliance is a vehicle that would benefit all of us, and that since all of us stood to benefit from this vehicle, all of us as individual members of the Alliance would similarly be willing to make certain sacrifices to ensure that this Alliance project succeeds.

4. However as time went by, we in the Patriots for Economic Progress soon came to a realization that our belief regarding the need for opposition unity as a prerequisite for an opposition electoral victory in 2021 was not shared by some of the key members of the Opposition Alliance. It dawned on us that some of our Alliance Members held the belief that they were perfectly capable of winning the 2021 general elections without the need for opposition unity. Their belief regarding the irrelevance of opposition unity as a vehicle for a 2021 electoral victory naturally informed their attitudes towards the Opposition Alliance in general and Alliance members in particular, both explicit and implicit.

5. As Patriots for Economic Progress, it is not our intention to sit here and argue whether opposition unity is necessary for a 2021 opposition electoral victory or not. However, the difference in opinion regarding the necessity of opposition unity as a prerequisite for a 2021 opposition electoral victory essentially renders our continued participation in the Opposition Alliance redundant. We joined and became a part of the Opposition Alliance with the hope and expectation of assisting each other through the creation of synergy. To the extent that some of the key members of the Opposition Alliance believe that they do not require any assistance, we cannot force ourselves and our assistance on them. Accordingly, we in the Patriots for Economic Progress have taken the decision to withdraw our membership and our participation from the Opposition Alliance with immediate effect.

6. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we are strong believers in the practice of civilized politics whereby we look at our political opponents not as our enemies but as our rivals. Therefore, it is our expectation that despite our withdrawal from the Opposition Alliance, we shall continue to relate well with our brothers and sisters in the Opposition Alliance and possibly even collaborate on other issues of common interest. Additionally, if in future the key members of the Opposition Alliance have a genuine change of perspective and adopt a sincere belief that they need us to compliment each other as we walk towards the 2021 general elections, then our doors shall always remain open and we shall be amenable to consider any proposal that shall be put on the table on its merits.

7. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, perhaps this is the right occasion for us to also stress the point that we have an adversarial type of political system in our country. Unfortunately so, l must add. What this means is that in the days, weeks and months ahead, as we seek to advance the political interests of the Patriots for Economic Progress, we may find ourselves stepping on the toes of other political players who may include our brothers and former colleagues in the Opposition Alliance. For that, we wish to apologize in advance.

8. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we wish to take this opportunity to thank our brothers and sisters in the Opposition Alliance for their comradeship and their hospitality during the last 9 months or so. In my individual capacity as PeP President, l must admit that l have learnt quite a lot from the more experienced members of the Opposition Alliance such as President Hakainde Hichilema of UPND, President Chishimba Kambwili of NDC, President Charles Milupi of ADD and President Elias Chipimo of NAREP. To you all, l shall forever remain indebted.

Thank You and May God Bless the Good Citizens of the Republic of Zambia and Our Ailing Nation.

Kabushi Member of Parliament Bowman Lusambo has revealed that pit latrines in Kabushi will soon be replaced with flushable toilets.

And Mr Lusambo has declared that he will recontest his seat in the 2021 general elections.

Mr Lusambo said the project to replace pit latrines across the constituency is progressing well.

The Lusaka Province Minister was speaking on Wednesday when he featured on a live Public Forum radio programme on SUN FM.

He said the installation of flushable toilets is part of the 106 million dollar water and sanitation project which involves the construction of a new water and sewer treatment infrastructure.

Mr Lusambo said Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company who are implementing the project have assured his office that they will start installing new toilets across the constituency.

He said the replacement of sewer and water lines has already commenced in Masala and SkyWays Ward and will be rolled out to all households in the constituency.

Mr Lusambo said the PF government is determined to ensure that the people of Kabushi stop using pit latrines.

And Mr Lusambo has deviated that he will recontest his Kabushi parliamentary seat in 2021 general elections.

He says he remains a household name in the constituency adding that those wishing to contest are free to challenge him.

“We don’t have competition in Kabushi, we only have participants. So they are free to come and participate because they cannot compete,” Mr Lusambo charged.

President Edgar Lungu has directed newly appointed Deputy Chief Justice Michael Musonda to enhance the judicial process and improve on the expedite court cases.

President Lungu also told State Counsel Musonda that he made a careful consideration with thorough scrutiny when appointing him.

ZANIS reports that President Lungu made the remarks this morning during the swearing in ceremony of Justice Musonda as Deputy Chief Justice and newly appointed Northern Province Minister Chungu Bwalya at State House in Lusaka.

President Lungu stated that State Counsel Musonda is a distinguished and well accomplished member of the Zambian legal inner bar, who served as a lawyer, lecturer, and Member of the Chartered Institute of arbitration in the United Kingdom and judge of the supreme court of Zambia for many years.

“You have a rich employment record spanning over a period of twenty-seven years during which you did not only work with leading local and international law firms, but also had professional engagement with leading international management consulting and accountancy firms,” President Lungu praised Justice Musonda.

And President Lungu has urged newly appointed Northern Province Minister Chungu Bwalya, who takes over from Brian Mundubile who has been taken to Parliament as Chief Whip, to develop Northern Province which he said has potential for economic growth.

During the swearing in ceremony both Mr Bwalya and Justice Musonda promised to defend and protect the constitution of Zambia.

Zambia-born, Sydney-based rapper Sampa the Great has announced her debut album. The Return is out September 13 via Ninja Tune. It features the single “OMG,” which arrives with a new video. The video was directed by Sanjay De Silva and shot between South Africa and Botswana, where Sampa was raised. Watch below.

“I got to do something that I’ve never done before,” Sampa said in a statement. “Which is to have my parents in one of my music videos. This is the first time they have been involved in my music at this level and it was important for me to express accepting and flexing my culture with the two people who know me most!”

“I personally feel that people on the continent have a duty to our family in the diaspora, to re-teach our culture, language, spirituality, ways and return our peeps to ourselves,” Sampa added. “To me ‘OMG’ sounds like the songs we heard in our childhood. It’s broadly about flexing your culture! Loving where you’re from and even being shocked at the realization of not knowing how dope it is to be ‘who you are.”

The Return follows Sampa the Great’s 2017 mixtape Birds and the BEE9, which won the Australian Music Prize. It features contributions from Jonwayne, Ecca Vandal, the London jazz collective Steam Down, MsM, Andrei Eremin, Silentjay, Kwes Darko, Clever Austin, Blue Lab Beats, and Syreniscreamy. The album also includes Sampa’s recently shared song “Final Form.”

Source : Pitchfork.com

Transparency International Zambia has welcomed the decision taken by Road Transport and Safety Agency Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko to take leave from his position to facilitate investigations into allegations of money laundering levelled against him.

TIZ President Reuben Lifuka said the decision comes at a time when some people in public service who under investigations lack the moral conscience to do the right thing and step aside to pave way for investigations into similar matters.

Mr. Lifuka said this good corporate governance practice hailed by the Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba should apply right across the length and breadth of the public service.

He has urged all those undergoing investigations in the public service for similar offences to emulate Mr. Zindaba Soko’s example.

Mr. Soko has requested for leave to pave way for investigations in a matter where he is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Commission for alleged money laundering.

He requested for leave to pave way for investigations in a matter where he is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Commission for alleged money laundering.

National Democratic Congress (NDC) President Chishimba Kambwili has maintained that his party will support the United Party for National Development (UPND) in the 30th July Katuba Parliamentary by election.

Mr. Kambwili said although the UPND has chosen to field a candidate in Lubwa Ward in Kitwe, the NDC will support them in Katuba because they held the seat.

He said despite having agreed in a recent meeting that UPND supports the NDC in Kitwe, they have resolved to field a candidate in Kitwe and the NDC is disappointed with the stance taken by their partners.

Mr. Kambwili said it will not look good for Alliance partners to start fighting each other in a by election when they are supposed to support each other.

He said he expected the spirit that started in Roan to continue and is disappointed that the UPND has chosen to betray the agreement.

And Lusaka Province Patriotic Front (PF) secretary Kennedy Kamba has said that Chishimba Kambwili was warned that his newly found “marriage of convenience” with the United Party for National Development (UPND) would not work but signs are now visible that they are not going anywhere.

Mr Kamba was commenting on the differences between the NDC and the UPND over the fielding of candidates in the forthcoming elections.

He attributed the failure by the opposition alliance to Mr Kambwili and UPND president Hakainde Hichilema’s egos and insatiable appetite for leadership. Mr Kamba said while Mr Kambwili was bragging about his association with the UPND, the writing was visibly on the wall and that the reality had finally dawned on the two political parties that they were not going anywhere.

“Mr Kambwili and Mr Hichilema are birds of the same feather. They are both preoccupied with removing President Edgar Lungu from power so that they can lead this country. Therefore, neither of them is willing to be led by the other and we saw it coming,” Mr Kamba said.

“When the PF said it was not spending sleepless nights over the so-called Opposition Alliance, we meant just that because we knew they would soon start fighting over whose decisions must be superior in the alliance,” Mr Kamba added.

“Anything founded on negativity cannot have a positive outcome…He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas.”

By Sunday Chilufya Chanda

INTRODUCTION

The recent News Diggers newspaper screaming headline:
_“I’M DISSAPOINTED WITH HH –KAMBWILI”_ and the related observation: _“the opposition is crumbling”_ just confirms what we had said in the first place; The opposition” alliance” was a union of the erroneous founded on error and destined for a horrendous ending.

*Flash back:* When a group of one-man briefcase political parties chaperoned by UPND leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema were recently paraded at Intercontinental Hotel to “announce the formation of an “alliance” we swiftly saw what many Zambians had also observed.

We said according to UPND, the so-called alliance partners were nothing but my brother Hichilema’s lapdogs and useful idiots.

It cannot be overemphasised that the majority of Zambians also foresaw what we predicted. However, there were a few skeptics who questioned our statement because they thought our understanding of the opposition elements was limited. But we’ve been proven right; the opposition is crumbling right before the public’s eyes.

Where is my brother Mr. Elias Chipimo? Where is my brother Mr. Sean Tembo? where is my brother Mr Chishimba Kambwili? Where are the other stray tag-alongs?

BITTER ENVY, EGOS, SLANDER AND GREED ARE POOR FOUNDATIONS FOR ANY RELATIONSHIP

There is confusion in the opposition “alliance” arising out of many factors, but greed, inflated egos and selfish ambitions lie at the heart of these dynamics.

What is mainly fuelling the confusion is that according to UPND, my brother Hichilema has already won the 2021 elections and their stance as pronounced by some of their parliamentarians and stalwarts is that the so-called “alliance partners” should only be designated as District Commissioners in Hichilema’s imaginary administration.

THE MUTUAL DISTRUST BETWEEN TWO OVER INFLATED EGOS

While my elder brother Kambwili may cry and moan that he met with UPND Chairperson Mrs Mutale Nalumango and they “agreed to support each other in Katuba and Lubwa” the reality is that Hichilema’s UPND believes my brother Kambwili duped them over Roan Constituency. They had hoped that my brother Kambwili was going to support them in Bahati Constituency – but it didn’t happen.

(There is a subplot to my brother Hichilema ignoring what my mother Mutale Nalumango acting on behalf of his UPND had purportedly agreed with my brother Kambwili. It reinforces the fact that decisions in UPND are made by one man empowered by Article 70 of their Constitution, and no matter how senior the positions that people like my mother Nalumango who come from outside hold, they are just there as decorations for image building because they are ignored when it comes to influencing any decisions in UPND).

Looking back to the Roan Constituency by election, UPND believes that without it’s support, NDC would not have won the Roan election. Today, Hichilema’s UPND believes it was duped and beaten pants down on Roan by my brother Kambwili, hence their resolve to hit back by fielding a candidate in Kitwe’s Lubwa Ward.

There is no honour in and among my brothers Hichilema, Chipimo, Tembo and Kambwili. The current commotion in the alliance is just the culmination of the escalated mutual distrust among them.

Is it a coincidence that my brother Kambwili recently publicly appealed to my brother Hichilema to persuade his UPND officials and MP’s not to disrespect the NDC Consultant? Maybe my brother Kambwili needs to hear what is said about him when he’s not with them?

Is it also a coincidence that my brother Hichilema has publicly and in a spiteful way ignored my brother Kambwili’s passionate pleading in this regard?

Added to the chaotic UPNDC relationship is the subtle fixed ethnic quota system that notoriously restricts the leadership of UPND as a party or in any “alliance” only to individuals from a given background.

CONCLUSION

The opposition UPND “alliance” was not founded on the solid rock of honour, patriotism and national interests. It was founded on sinking sand of bitter envy and slandering the Head of State and to follow the agenda of the selfish interests of one particular person and his pursuit of regional hegemony.

We reaffirm what we have said before:

_“Anything founded on negativity cannot have a positive outcome…He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas.”_

Things fall apart, my brothers Kambwili, Hichilema, Chipimo, Tembo and the opposition alliance cannot hold.

_The Author is Patriotic Front Media Director_