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Zesco United’s woes continued on Sunday when they lost away to Green Buffaloes in their top two battle at Edwin Emboela Stadium in Lusaka.
The defending FAZ Super Division champions were beaten 2-0 by leaders Buffaloes who opened up a five point lead at the summit of the log.
Sunday’s defeat came barely 24 hours after Zesco landed in Lusaka from Tunisia where they had lost 2-1 to Etoile du Sahel on May 16 in a 2018 CAF Champions League Group D fixture.
The first half ended scoreless but was marred by Zesco coach George Lwandamina’s sending off midway through that period following a sideline altercation with referee Derrick Kafuli.
Buffaloes then took the lead in the 47th minute through Youremember Banda and Diamond Chikwekwe sealed the victory in the 81st minute.
The Army Men rise to 27 points from 12 games played while Zesco stay put at number two on 22 points with two games in hand.
Meanwhile, Power Dynamos fell short of taking second spot but settled for 3rd on their away trip to Lusaka at Napsa Stars on the same day.
Power, on 21 points, salvaged a 1-1 away draw at struggling Napsa.
Napsa went ahead in the 74th minute through an Alex Mwamba penalty that Lottie Phiri won after he was fouled by Power defender Faustin Bakodila.
But Power equalized from a spot-kick of their own in stoppage time that was converted by midfielder Kelvin Mubanga.
Napsa, though, stay put third from bottom at number 18 on 7 points where they occupy one of the four relegation slot.
WEEK 12 RESULTS
19/05/2018
New Monze Swallows 0-Zanaco 1
Nakambala Leopards 0-Buildcon 2
Kitwe United 3-National Assembly 0
Nchanga Rangers 0-Green Eagles 0
Kabwe Warriors 3-Lumwana Radiants 1
20/05/2018
Kabwe Youth Soccer Academy 2-Nkana 2
Napsa Stars 1-Power Dynamos 1
Red Arrows 1-Forest Rangers 1
Nkwazi 1-Lusaka Dynamos 2
Green Buffaloes 2-Zesco United 0
Nkana have been held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by Kabwe Youth Academy in Sunday’s FAZ Super Division match played at Godfrey “Ucar” Chitalu Stadium.
Kalampa, who lost 2-1 to Green Buffaloes in their last match at home, gave away a 2-0 lead to force a draw against the promoted and second from the bottom team.
Nkana went into the break with a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Ronald Kampamba and Idriss Mbombo in the 30th and 45th minutes respectively.
Kabwe reduced the deficit to 2-1 with a 48th minute penalty converted by striker Patrick Kasongo after Nkana midfielder Yannick Mulenda handled in the box.
Peter Chinyama ensured that his side got a point from this delayed Week 12 match when he poked in an equaliser after 64 minutes to shock Nkana.
Nkana have 20 points, seven behind leaders Green Buffaloes; after playing 11 matches, while 19th placed Kabwe have five points from 12 matches.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6, NKJV)
What’s Chasing You?
In the Bible, David was known as a man after God’s own heart. What kind of attitude did he have? Here in Psalm 23, he says, “Goodness and mercy are following me.” David lived with an attitude of expectancy. One translation says, “God’s kindness chases me everywhere that I go.” David’s attitude was “something good is going to happen to me. Everywhere I go, I know God’s blessings are chasing me. Favor is following me around.” No wonder he saw God’s goodness! No wonder he overcame his obstacles and accomplished great dreams. He knew good things were chasing after him.
Do you know what’s chasing you right now? Not debt. Not failure. Not mediocrity. Not defeat. Not lack. Not at all! You are a child of the Most High God. You have been crowned with favor. You have been redeemed from every curse. God has set you apart as His own special treasure. When you look back in your rearview mirror, you’d better get ready because you have a tailgater! There’s something coming toward you at a high rate of speed. You know what it is? Blessings, favor, supernatural opportunities, restoration, divine connections—God’s goodness and mercy following you all the days of your life!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for Your abundant grace and mercy. Today I look for Your goodness. I look for Your favor and blessings. I set my heart on You. Show me Your love in a new way today in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Expectant mothers in labour at Kalwa health centre in Mkushi are refusing to be attended to by a male nurse during delivery.
According to the random interviews conducted by the Daily Nation in the area, expectant mothers are not willing to have a male midwifery.
Mothers talked to said,they felt uncomfortable to be helped to deliver by a male nurse who was not the husband.
Others said it was a taboo and against traditional practice to be attended to by a male nurse in delivery as opposed to the female counterpart.
Speaking on the same matter, Kalwa health centre neighbourhood health committee chairman Happison Kapengwe confirmed the development and said the matter should be looked into urgently.
He said government should consider deploying a female nurse to the health facility before expectant mothers reverted to old habit of delivering from homes.
“Government should act as soon as possible by sending a female nurse to the centre to arrest the situation. The situation is not good,” Mr. Kapengwe said.
And Chief Mulungwe’s woman advisor Doreen Kalunga said mothers in the area were were not happy about the development which they described as embarrassing. Ms. Kalunga explained that due to the prevailing situation, some pregnant women preferred to deliver at Fiwila Mission health centre where they would cover about 30km to reach the health facility to avert the embarrassment at Kalwa health post.
Efforts to get a comment from acting Mkushi District Health Director Doctor Chisali Lusale proved futile by press time.
Meanwhile Women in Mulungwe in Mkushi have been urged to form authentic groups to benefit from government programmes.
Mkushi north Member of Parliament (MP) Doreen Mwape implored women during commissioning of solar hammer milling plants in the area
Ms. Mwape told women to stand up and be counted by organising themselves in authentic registered clubs for development.
Civil Society for Constitutional Agenda (CISCA) Chairperson John Mambo has said that it was wrong for the United Party for National Development UPND) to shun the pre-dialogue summit as they could have used the opportunity to state their position over the planned dialogue
Bishop Mambo said the UPND should have attended the pre-dialogue summit that was organized by the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) to state their concerns.
“The summit was an opportunity for the UPND to state their concerns on the dialogue, if it was going to be me would have gone there and explained what I expected,” he said.
Bishop Mambo told journalists at a media briefing that the decision by ZCID to organise the pre-dialogue process was welcome but that there was need for the Church to lead the talks as they were more neutral.
He said this was unlike ZCID which was an interested part in the matters and the members were the interested parties to the dialogue process.
Bishop Mambo said CISCA welcomed President Lungu’s pronouncement that the Patriotic Front would not go to the dialogue table with any pre-conditions.
“The Head of State has indeed provided leadership and prevailed over some senior PF members who were insisting on the recognition of President Lungu by the UPND leadership as President, ”Bishop
He said the ZCID could also continue to be part of the dialogue process
Meanwhile ZCID executive director Monica Kajimana said the delegates at the summit agreed to embrace and rally behind all well-meaning local dialogue efforts including those initiated by the Church, and ZCID towards dialogue
She said the delegates where gratified that the constitutional review has been halted following concerns by stakeholders
Mrs Kajimana said ZCID was ready to work with other local and regional stakeholders in responding to critical issues identified for Zambia’s dialogue agenda.
She said ZCID planned to convene a validation meeting on Wednesday May, 23 2018 where the resolutions and recommendations generally set out by the participants will be presented for final consolidation and endorsement.
THE Zambia Medical Association has welcomed the move by the Ministry of Health to withdraw a circular that banned public health workers from working in private facilities.There was an uproar last week from health workers when Government issued a ban on the practice, with the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation arguing that there is no regulation banning health workers engaging in any economic activities.
ZMA general secretary Francis Mupeta said the issue of doctors in public institutions working in private hospitals is a complex one that needs thorough consideration
On Friday evening the government temporarily suspended a circular banning health workers from engaging in extra work in the private sector after it received a backlash.
In a circular addressed to all provincial medical directors, early this week, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kennedy Malama directed that no medical doctor, nurse, midwife, clinical officer or indeed any other public service employee employed in the Ministry of Health shall be allowed to work in any private institution as it was an abrogation of their conditions of service.
However the circular received a backlash from health workers who rejected it, saying there was no law in the country that stops citizens from engaging in extra activities outside their jobs.
But Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said the circular has been withdrawn in order to allow for more consultations with stakeholders.
He said in a statement that a final circular will be issued at the end of this month which will also include views from other stakeholders.
The Zambian minister however said the government will not condone a clique of health workers who were only spending 30 percent in delivering services in public health institutions while they spent 70 percent at private institutions.
And private clinics and hospitals have been warned to get their own workforce in place as required by law or be deregistered.
Health minister, Dr Chitalu Chilufya charged that there were private hospitals calling themselves specialist hospitals that had no staff.
They have created an impression that they are modern specialists hospitals but rely on medical specialists on government payroll, a move he condemned and would not allow to continue.
He has directed that Health Professional Council of Zambia will not issue licences to hospitals that do not have human resource and any institution found wanting will not be given licence to practice.
He has since called on the Health Professional Council of Zambia (HPCZ) to revoke any health practicing licence of institutions without a workforce, as well as deregister any such facility that operate under the pretext of specialist institutions when they had no such experts and depend on part-timers.
“Going forward the HPCZ will carry out inspections and will not issue licences to health institutions that do not meet the set standards,” Dr Chilufya said.
He explained that private hospitals had a requirement to have an establishment of their own expert workforce, and Government would not condone a parasitic relationship were Government pays salaries to health workers while private facilities focus on exorbitant fees for private services and fail to meet the requirements. He charged that most private hospitals flourished on public health workforce even earning themselves false titles as specialist hospitals yet thrived on public health workers.
“Doctors and nurses are paid from a pool of public resources and must pay back to the public by paying attention to patients in government hospitals because they are not inferior to patients in private hospitals,” the minister said. He alleged that some of those treacherous health workers had gone to the extent of recruiting patients from public facilities as though they offered better services at private institutions.
Dr Chilufya charged that patients in public institutions were not being attended to because doctors and nurses rushed through their duties to go for private practice.
He said some professional bodies had submitted reactions to the Permanent Secretary’s circular and others issued statements on social media .
He paid tribute to vast majority of health workers who provide service in hospitals diligently in Lusaka and all parts of the country. Government has put on hold implementation of circular banning medical personnel from working in practice to allow for dialogue with stakeholders on the matter. Dr Chilufya clarified that moonlighting was allowed as long as it was done in medical personnel’s own time when they were on leave or off duty.
Kitwe United thumped National Assembly 3-0 at home in Kitwe on Saturday to end their five match winless run that was punctuated by three draws and two defeats.
Striker Rodgers Mukenge, forward Austin Muwowo and midfielder Lupert Musonda scored at Garden Park Stadium as Kitwe posted their first victory since April 11 when they beat Red Arrows 2-1 in a Week 5 match in Lusaka.
Kitwe led just after five minutes when Mukenge’s strike was deflected into the net by the Assembly backline to send home supporters into early celebrations.
Assembly missed a chance to equalise after 22 minutes when unmarked forward Kennedy Lungu headed just wide in one-on-one situation with keeper Lameck Siame.
Kitwe’s John Sikaumbwa saw his 35th minute effort go over after rounding up advancing keeper Langson Chisi before Muwowo doubled Chingalika’s lead with a close ranger tap a minute later.
Musonda made it 3-0 for Kitwe in the 63rd minute after pushing in Emmanuel Chabula’s pass from the box.
Meanwhile, the win in this Week 12 match has pushed Kitwe from 11th to 8th slot in the FAZ Super Division with 17 points.
FAZ SUPER DIVISION – WEEK 12 RESULTS
Nchanga Rangers 0-0 Green Eagles
Kabwe Warriors 3-1 Lumwana Radiants
New Monze Swallow 0-1 Zanaco
Kitwe United 3-0 National Assembly
Nakambala Leopards 0-2 Buildcon
Sunday – 20/05/18
15:00 Kabwe Youth Vs Nkana (Godfrey Chitalu Stadium)
15:00 Napsa Stars Vs Power Dynamos (Sunset Stadium)
15:00 Red Arrows Vs Forest Rangers (Nkoloma Stadium)
13:00 Green Buffaloes Vs Zesco United (Edwin Imboela Stadium)
15:00 Nkwazi Vs Lusaka Dynamos (Edwin Imboela Stadium)
Striker Mwiya Malumo scored his debut goal for Zambia on Saturday to put their 2019 U20 AFCON first round qualifying contest to bed in a 1-1 home draw with Rwanda at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
The result sees Zambia through 3-1 on aggregate to the final qualifying stage in July as the defending champions continue their battle for a ticket to Niger.
It wasn’t plain sailing at base in the teams’ debut home game in front of their fans after kicking off the 2019 qualifiers away in Kigali where they beat Rwanda 2-0 on May 12.
Rwanda came back strongly after 20 minutes of the first half when Zambia failed to punish the visitors following wasted chances by Lameck Banda in the 6th and 10th minutes while Francesco Mwepu had a glorious one-on-one shot the 14th minute saved by Fiacre Ntwari.
Mwepu then saw his clear penalty denied midway through the first half before the two sides went evenly poised at 0-0 into the break.
But Malumo settled the 2017 champions nerves with a clever goal from an acute angle in the 52nd minute on his way to capping a convincing 90 minutes of football by the 18-year-old.
Malumo repaid the faith coach Charles Bwale put in starting the Wigan striker after making his debut in the away leg as a late substitute in the last five minutes in Kigali.
Meanwhile, Rwanda scored a fine consolation goal through a fine Gueulette Marie scissors kick in the 69th minute off a Christian Ishimwe cross.
But Mwepu then failed to put the result beyond doubt when his 84th minute penalty was parried by Ntwari.
Then visitors were down to ten men in stoppage time when Prince Buegeya saw red to end their interest on the road to Niger.
Zambia will face Sudan or Burundi in July in the last qualifying round.
Burundi visit Sudan on Sunday with the two sides tied at 1-1 from the first leg in Bujumbura on May 12.
Prof Kelly Chibale at the University of Cape Town.
Zambia’s award Winning scientific researcher Professor Kelly Chibale has called on government to invest in scientific infrastructure to enable Zambian scientists realise their potential.
Professor Chibale who was recently recognised as one of 50 greatest leaders in the world for the year 2018 says infrastructure development is the basis on which ground breaking research would flourish.
Speaking at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Prof Chibale observed that Zambia has the potential and talent to produce world class researchers.
He says networking and globally aligned scientific projects were important as science was universal. There needs to be focus on world class research that addresses local problems and challenges with attendant training in the Zambian context and environment.
He observed that Zambian scientists need global partnerships in order to tap into other networks for the things they didn’t have at home.
Prof Chibale noted that a dedicated team of Scientists with integrated skills was also important in the field of scientific research as it complemented the needs of the project.
He has since urged Zambian Scientists to come up with globally aligned projects in order to attract global funding as financial resources were competitive world over.
And Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa His Excellency Mr Emmanuel Mwamba has commended Prof Chibale for the good humanitarian work his doing in improving the lives of people.
He says Zambia was happy that his positive contribution to human lives was recognised globally, hence, flying Zambia’s Flag High.
Prof Chibale is currently leading a team of over 90 researchers in the fields ofchemistry, biology and pharmacology with a focus onthe discovery of potential medicines to treat Malaria, TB and drug resistant infections of bacterial origin in efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.
This research is happening at H3D, Africa’s first Integrated drug discovery and development research centre at the University of Cape town.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has announced Government’s intention to put into consideration the legalisation of Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes.
Briefing the Press at Ndeke House last evening, the Minister stated that Government had been receiving unsolicited proposals for licences to cultivate Marijuana for Medicinal use.
“We have received unsolicited proposals for licences for cultivating Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes. Our position as Government remains consistent. Like I presented in Parliament. Government will only consider issuance of such licences for Medicinal use, there being evidence and assurance that there is an encrypted process from cultivation to the point were the product is being used for Medicinal Purposes without triggering any spike in the recreational use of Marijuana,” he said.
He stated that there had been an emerging body of evidence with regards the use of Medicinal Marijuana.
“We have Countries that have legalized Medicinal Marijuana. Zambia ponders this use of Medicinal Marijuana based on the conditions that I stipulated in my Ministerial statement.” He said .
The Minister of Health revealed that to this effect, a multi-sectoral team had been constituted that would go as far as undertaking study tours in jurisdictions where protected processes from the land to the lab to the Facility, where Medicinal Marijuana was being utilised, was done.
“The Multi-sectoral team shall inform the steps to take . Our position remains the same. That illegal utilisation of Marijuana will not be condoned. DEC and Zambia Police will continue to Police and mate out appropriate punishment to anyone who uses Marijuana illegally.” he said .
He stated that of importance was to note that the laws had not changed and that the multi-sectoral body would study what was happening in other jurisdictions and in line with what was stated in the provisional of the broad statement in Parliament, processes would be looked at that were encrypted from the farm to the point of utilization,” he said.
“To this effect, all the proposals we have received will pend what will be informed by our multi-sectoral team and any emerging evidence, ” said the Minister in conclusion.
Zambia is currently experiencing serious socioeconomic problems. A critical shortage of decent public housing, for example, has compelled so many of our fellow citizens to live in shanty townships nationwide; so many of our fellow citizens have no access to electricity and clean water; the educational system barely meets the basic needs of the citizenry; and the healthcare system cannot meet the basic needs of the majority of citizens mainly due to inadequate medicines, healthcare facilities and healthcare personnel.
Moreover, education and training are not adequately catered for; public infrastructure and services are still deficient; civil servants are still not adequately compensated for their services, and a lot of civil service retirees cannot get their hard-earned benefits on time; crime and unemployment are still widespread; and, among many other socioeconomic ills, taxes and interest rates are still very high.
These problems affect us all, either directly or indirectly, in spite of the different political parties we belong to, the different politicians we support within or outside our political parties, the 73 different tribes to which we belong, or the different languages we speak. Besides, we have similar needs, dreams and aspirations as members of the Zambian family.
And, apparently, we all wish for a more effective and efficient national government, adequate merit-based scholarships for vocational training and university education, low-interest educational loans, an effective and efficient healthcare system, greater access to education and training, greater and sustained food security, lower taxes and interest rates, greater employment opportunities, safer local communities, improved public infrastructure, improvements in garbage collection and disposal, and improved socioeconomic conditions in rural areas.
Moreover, we wish for lower water charges and electricity tariffs, greater participation by women in national affairs, greater care for children and the handicapped, sustained protection of the fragile natural environment, preservation of our cultural values and traditions, a genuine effort to address the scourge of corruption, consolidation of our oneness and common future as members of the Zambian family, and a system of justice that is free and impartial in both word and deed.
Political Views:
[1]
A radical and fundamental reduction in the size of our national government is among the viable ways by which our beloved country can gradually pay off a good portion of the national debt, as well as reduce taxes and interest rates to stimulate the economy and job creation. And it is one of the ways by which the national government can provide adequately for the basic needs of education, public health, civil servants, and civil service retirees, among a host of other worthwhile national projects and programs.
Civil servants who would be affected by the streamlining exercise should be encouraged to seek early retirement with full benefits. Professional and skilled civil servants should be re-deployed in the handful of new government ministries, and/or in executive agencies.
[2]
It would be unrealistic for us to expect our country to attain meaningful socioeconomic development in an economic setting where the labor force is largely composed of sickly, illiterate and starving citizens.
[3]
The youth constitute our beloved country’s future; as such, they do not belong on the streets – they need to be in educational and training institutions, where their minds can be stimulated and enriched.
[4]
The national government’s relevance in matters of commerce and industry lies in its ability to nurture the creation of new, innovative businesses, and to create socioeconomic conditions that are conducive to the long-term success and survival of such businesses. In this regard, there is a need for a government that is destined to act as a potent “catalyst” and “challenger” in providing adequately for various kinds of business inducements, guarantees and essential services and facilities, such as the following:
(a) A well-developed transportation infrastructure and adequate transportation services to industrial, commercial, and residential areas to ease or facilitate the distribution of production inputs and finished products;
(b) Adequate public services (including police protection, fire protection, public utilities, and decent housing), as well as telecommunications, educational, vocational, health, and recreational facilities;
(c ) Equitable sales, corporate, and other taxes, as well as tax concessions and inducements that are more attractive than those in alternative countries or regions which investors are likely to consider for investment;
(d) Political and civic leaders who are fair and honest in their dealings with private business institutions, and stable economic policies (including a formal assurance against nationalization and/or expropriation of privately owned business undertakings by the national government);
(e) Political and civic leaders who are genuine and resolute in their fight against the scourge of corruption in governmental and non-governmental settings;
(f) Less bureaucratic licensing, import, export, and other procedures, and adequate information about investment and marketing problems and opportunities in the various sectors of a country’s economy and in cross-border markets;
(g) A system of justice that is fair, impartial and independent in both word and deed; and
(h) A social safety net designed to adequately cater to the needs of economically disadvantaged members of society that is not subject to political meddling or manipulation.
These inducements, services, facilities, and guarantees, among a host of other things, can enable economic units, for example, to operate more efficiently and eventually deliver economic and social outputs to society at reasonable costs and prices.
[5]
We should all be suspicious of any political party’s Manifesto that provides only an open-ended wish list of projects, programs and policies without giving any time-frames when voters should expect to see tangible results relating to the party’s plans. Besides, there is a need for citizens to support political parties which have designed a pro-poor, a pro-labor, a pro-business, and a practical development agenda – an agenda that is expected to redeem our country from its current bondage to socioeconomic decay and backwardness.
[6]
I believe public officials need to develop leadership qualities that all national leaders need to have in their arsenal of aptitudes, including emotional stability, humility, patriotism, selflessness, impartiality, patience, compassion, tolerance, respect for the rule of law, ability to think of leadership as a temporary mandate to serve the people, ability to conceive of oneself as just another mortal with limited knowledge and aptitudes, and the ability to make compromises with people who have dissenting views.
[7]
I believe that an elected Republican president is given the mandate by the people to form government with the expectation that he or she has to serve all citizens irrespective of their political views, political affiliations, ethnic extraction, and/or religious convictions; therefore, he or she needs to function as the glue that binds members of our beloved country’s 73 tribes together into one Zambian family – which can ultimately contribute to the mitigation of politically motivated violence that has apparently become a major feature in both inter-party and intra-party politics.
[8]
I am aware that sustained peace, stability and national unity are essential in our country’s quest for heightened socioeconomic development, and understand the need for each and every Zambian citizen to actively participate in the creation of a society in which cultural, tribal, racial, and religious diversities are appreciated, tolerated, and celebrated. After all, we are one people – we are members of the Zambian family!
Ultimately, we are Zambians first, and all the other considerations are, therefore, secondary and certainly less important. The real enemies of our beloved country today are, therefore, not any given individuals, political parties, non-governmental organizations, or foreign countries. Rather, they are poverty, hunger, ignorance, illiteracy, disease, widespread unemployment, crime, corruption, and moral decay.
[9]
We should not expect our country to attain meaningful socioeconomic development in the absence of a viable and genuine democratic system of government, the creation of which hinges on meeting several prerequisites, some of which are paraphrased from the conclusions of a study conducted by the Global Coalition on Africa (GCA) on the political transformation of a selected number of African countries. These prerequisites, which the government in power needs to strive to institutionalize, are as follows:
(a) Serious consideration of ethnic and other special interests in the distribution of power, educational facilities, health services, and so forth;
(b) Acceptance and tolerance of independent news media and other local interest groups as important constituents of a functioning pluralistic society;
(c) Maintaining a viable parliament and having regard for it both as a body of people’s elected representatives and as the supreme legislative organ of Government;
(d) Creation of a truly free and just legal system, and impartial, professional and localized civil police units;
(e) Respect for, and protection of, the civic rights and freedoms of all citizens enshrined in the Republican constitution and the rights and freedoms of individuals stipulated in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations (UN);
(f) Existence of political parties which have a sound and long-term national agenda, rather than parties that exist primarily to pursue partisan interests and/or the political survival of their incumbent leaders;
(g) Recognition, by political leaders, of the populace as their ultimate masters and stakeholders;
(h) A military establishment graced with, and run by, a cadre of men and women who are adjudged to be patriotic, apolitical, well-disciplined, and professional in character; and
(i) Citizens who have a profound understanding of the crucial role they can individually and collectively play in the process of creating a more affluent, more peaceful and more democratic Zambian society – such as by putting personal, ethnic, and partisan interests aside during local and/or national elections, and by reflecting more seriously on the goals and policies political parties and contestants pledge to pursue.
There is also a need to put into practice all the elements of good governance, which include the following:
(a) Accountability, that is, availability of a mechanism for ensuring that public officials are directly and fully liable for the outcomes of their decisions and actions, and the appropriation of resources assigned to them;
(b) Transparency, that is, public access to information about the state, its decision-making mechanisms, and its current and contemplated projects and programs – except for state secrets and matters relating to public officials’ right to privacy;
(c) Rule of law, that is, the existence of non-discriminatory laws and law enforcement organs of the government that are efficient, impartial, independent, and legitimate; and
(d) Citizen participation, that is, availability of channels and mechanisms through which the citizenry and non-governmental institutions can have an influence on governmental decision-making processes and the behavior and actions of public officials either directly or through their representatives.
[10]
I believe that criticism and dissent are necessary evils and an intrinsic nuisance in politics and public life that cannot be wished away, and that confrontation against one’s political opponents is counterproductive; only genuine dialogue and consensus can lead to generally acceptable outcomes.
[11]
Corruption, I believe, is a universal problem, and it is a scourge that has tended to permeate countries worldwide throughout human history, irrespective of their levels of development, the nature of their socioeconomic systems, the kinds of their systems of belief, or the make-up of local ethnic groupings.
But be that as it may, the adverse effects of the scourge on fragile economies are perhaps more profound, particularly due to the fact that it has actually compounded the problems of economically beleaguered countries – countries that are overwhelmed by a catalogue of other bottlenecks to sustainable socioeconomic development, including poor leadership, economic mismanagement, bloated national governments, and the debt burden.
These bottlenecks – together with corruption – have diminished our beloved country’s ability to harness its abundant natural and human resources to meet the basic needs, expectations and aspirations of the common people. The abuse of public office for private gain is fostered by a diversity of factors, including the following causes:
(a) An unstable political setting, which can create an atmosphere of job insecurity, uncertainty and anarchy in government institutions – situations which can tempt government leaders and civil servants to engage in unscrupulous schemes in order to amass wealth quickly in anticipation of a sudden change in their employment status.
(b) Regular reshuffles of political appointees, which can make the appointees to feel insecure in their jobs and, like political instability, lead to unscrupulous schemes designed to amass wealth swiftly in anticipation of a possible loss of employment.
(c) A weak legislative system (including parliament and any other law-making organs of a country’s government), which can foster corruption by not being able to enact stringent anti-corruption laws, and/or by being participants in unscrupulous schemes.
(d) A weak judicial system, which can foster corruption by not being able to adjudicate fairly, impartially and professionally in matters relating to corrupt practices by government leaders and civil servants due to inadequate financial resources and/or lack of independence of the judiciary from the executive branch of a country’s government.
(e) Excessive, cumbersome and/or rigid administrative routines and procedures, which are likely to cause delays and inaction in the dispensation of public services and, thereby, create opportunities for public officials and civil servants to seek or accept bribes from impatient and/or frustrated clients.
(f) Inadequate wages, salaries and fringe benefits, which can prompt morally deficient public officials and civil servants to engage in self-remunerating activities in the workplace in order to meet their families’ subsistence. Delayed payment of wages and salaries by a government can inevitably exacerbate the problem.
(g) The desire to fulfill one’s selfish motives and lack of professional integrity can dispose a public official or civil servant to potential abuse of public office for private gain. An inability to live within one’s regular earnings can also compel an individual to seek irregular ways of meeting the demands of his or her lifestyle. And
(h) The general lack of professional integrity partly resulting from inadequate professional bodies and associations to instill professionalism and ethical behavior of members, monitor the conduct of members, and impose sanctions on unprofessional and unethical behavior has deprived civil servants and public officials of professional direction and basic ethical guidelines.
Corruption can have grave effects on a country; it can, for example, subvert political processes, thwart economic growth and stability, undermine honest enterprise, discourage foreign direct investment, tarnish the country’s image, and erode its moral fiber.
The scourge is, of course, not an insurmountable phenomenon; it can actually be brought under control through governmental and private initiatives as follows:
(a) At the national level, corruption can be contained through sustained political will, zero tolerance, streamlining of cumbersome bureaucratic procedures, provision of adequate remuneration to civil servants and public officials, compulsory ethics education, and, among other measures, provision for an anti-graft hotline.
Other remedial measures which can be taken to stem corrupt practices by business executives, public officials and civil servants include the following: (i) passage of strict pieces of legislation designed to prevent conflicts of interest in institutional settings; (ii) limitation of recourse to immunity by public officials and business leaders and their organizations; and (iii) fostering the development of a free press to facilitate the exposure of unscrupulous activities in institutional settings.
(b) At the international level, a country would do well to participate actively in bilateral and multilateral conventions, protocols and declarations designed to contain the scourge, particularly in the areas of prevention, prosecution, asset recovery, and international cooperation in generating rules for extraditing alleged fugitive perpetrators of corrupt practices.
(c) At the individual level, a high sense of morals and self-respect can enable a civil servant or public official, for example, to overcome the temptation of engaging in corrupt practices.
To elicit ethical behavior and professionalism among government leaders, the Agenda for Change will strictly enforce the code of conduct established by the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act (1994) for deputy ministers, Cabinet ministers and members of the National Assembly.
The Act prohibits any of the foregoing from acquiring dishonestly or improperly any pecuniary advantage or assisting in the acquisition of pecuniary advantage by another person by:
(a) Improperly using or benefiting from information which is obtained in the course of their official duties and which is not generally available to the public;
(b) Disclosing any official information to unauthorized persons;
(c) Exerting any improper influence in the appointment, promotion, discipline or removal of a public officer;
(d) Directly or indirectly converting government property for personal or any other use; and
(e) Soliciting or accepting transfers of economic benefit other than: benefits of nominal value including customary hospitality and token gifts; gifts from close family members; or transfers pursuant to an enforceable property right of the member or pursuant to a contract for which full value is given.
The Act also provides for any member of the general public to file a complaint with the Chief Justice concerning any Cabinet Minister, Deputy Minister or Member of the National Assembly suspected of contravening the Act; a tribunal is then appointed by the Chief Justice, consisting of members who have held high judicial office.
The tribunal so constituted has to conduct its inquiry in public, which augurs well for transparency. The tribunal may, after due inquiry, make such recommendations as to administrative actions, criminal prosecutions or other further actions to be taken as it determines fit.
In addition to the enforcement of the code of conduct, there is a need to require all educational and training institutions in the country to provide basic “ethics education” by incorporating a topic on ethical and professional conduct in selected core subjects or courses.
Such a measure is certainly in the public interest because “to educate a [person] … in mind and not in morals,” as the late Theodore Roosevelt of the United States once warned, “is to educate a menace to society.”
In all, corruption, as The Post newspaper has advised African legislators in an article entitled “African Leaders and the Fight against Corruption” of August 11, 2005, “can only be fought resolutely and relentlessly by people who are free from it.”
[12]
I believe that Zambia’s defence and security organs of the government – including the Zambia Prison Service, the Zambia Police Service, the Zambia Security Intelligence Services, and the Zambia Defence Force – should entirely be non-political institutions designed to serve our beloved country and all its people; they must, therefore, never be used by the Republican president, or any other public official as a matter of fact, to silence or subjugate the people or one’s political opponents.
[13]
There is a need to generate a foreign policy that is designed to place a great deal of emphasis on continually working hand in hand with other peace-loving nations worldwide in creating a more democratic, more peaceful, and more affluent global community; and a foreign policy that is designed to continue to maintain amicable relations with all the countries which have already proved to be our reliable and passionate friends.
Besides, there is a need for a foreign policy that is designed to grant special and rare privileges to foreign nationals who would be adjudged to have made exemplary contributions to the promotion – in their own countries and/or beyond – of peace, freedom, justice, democracy, prosperity, philanthropy / altruism, poverty reduction, and other noble causes and endeavors.
In this regard, we should expect the recipients and/or families of the special Zambian residency to visit Zambia whenever they feel like and enjoy the beauty, warmth, friendliness, and rich cultures and traditions of our beloved country and its people. Such privileges should also be posthumously extended to the families of such foreign nationals.
[14]
Our beloved country has the potential to meet the basic needs and expectations of its people, and to become one of Africa’s most successful countries. I believe so mainly because it is blessed with abundant natural endowments, including fertile soil, ideal weather conditions, an ideal system of perennial rivers, a wide range of wildlife, wide stretches of natural forests and grasslands, a wide assortment of mineral resources and a sizeable population of peaceful and hard-working citizens. – May 15, 2018.
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema in Chilanga Compaigning with UPND candidate Ms Musonda
Former UPND party member Edward Mumbi has charged that the party is the most heartless, unremorseful and irrational political party in Zambia that equally lacks morals.
Mr Mumbi went on to warn the people against voting for a party that undermined the plight of women and children.
Mr Mumbi was reacting to the UPND sentiments towards incarcerated Keith Mukata’s family that the party did not have conditions of service compelling it to take care of wives of its former parliamentarians.
Mr Mumbi reiterated that the statement by UPND was careless, irresponsible and proof that the party was heartless.
Mr Mumbi charged that the pronouncement by UPND should be a clear message to women that supporting the party was suicidal and a risk to their own marriages.
Mr Mumbi also challenged UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema to disassociate himself from the statement issued by his subordinates if he was a true leader.
“If it is true that statement is coming from Charles Kakoma, I challenge HH to disassociate himself from it if he is not the one who sent him,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mumbi said that Mr Hichilema should have known that the adoption of Charmaine Musonda as the UPND candidate for the Chilanga by- election was a double edged sword.
He pointed out that the adoption of Ms Musonda, who was the ex-concubine to Mr Mukata and was with him at the time he shoot dead his guard, Namakambwa Kalilakwenda would hurt the Mukata family and also the family of the deceased. He charged that any reasonable grouping could not have adopted a person who almost destroyed the marriage of one of its senior members.
Simon Allison from the Mail and Guardian writes that Zambia’s president is building a house on a luxury golf estate — in eSwatini, the nation formerly known as Swaziland.
The plans for the double-storey mansion were leaked on social media earlier this week, raising concerns about why President Edgar Lungu is buying property abroad, and who exactly is paying for it.
Maybe Lungu just needs a break: according to its website, the Nkonyeni Lodge & Golf Estate offers investors the chance to “rediscover what your life should be about. What you’re passionate about. What you’ve already forgotten. To remember the joy of living in the moment.”
Zambia’s information minister, Dora Siliya, confirmed the planned residence does indeed belong to Lungu, and said the land on which it is being built was a gift from eSwatini’s King Mswati III.
“These are normal practices when the president travels, that various gifts are given in various forms, and in this case it was land that was given to the president, and this land was processed and awarded to the president, so there’s nothing sinister about that, because I do know that people like to create stories when there are no stories … it is very normal,” she said.
Except it’s not normal. In most democracies, gifts given to the president belong to the state, not the individual. In the United States, for example: “A tangible gift of more than minimal value accepted for reasons of protocol or courtesy may not be kept as a personal gift, however, but is considered accepted on behalf of and property of the United States.”
On Wednesday, the plot thickened: the Times of Swaziland reported that Lungu’s plot was not a gift from King Mswati III, but is owned by private company Inyatsi Properties Limited. The deeds registry states the plot was bought by Inyatsi last year. Inyatsi is run by businessman Michelo Shakantu, accused by Zambian media last year of holding shares in Swazi Mobile on behalf of Lungu.
Lungu’s home in eSwatini has stirred up controversy in Zambia.
“My questions are: How can he afford to build such a structure in a foreign country?” said Laura Miti, executive director of Alliance for Community Action, a Zambian advocacy organisation. “With foreign reserves around zero, how is he externalising money? Then, can a small country like Swaziland afford to give away land?
“With no access to information law, we can only imagine what we do not know about this government.”
A high-level delegation comprising cabinet Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Zambia is today, FridaY 18 May, visited Kenani Transit Centre and Mantapala Refugee Settlement in Luapula’s Nchelenge District.
The Minister of Home Affairs Honorable Mr. Stephen Kampyongo, under the auspices of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC), led a delegation composed of the Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Minister of Defence and Luapula Province Minister. Others in the delegation were the Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Luapula Province. UNHCR was represented by the Senior Protection Officer.
The IMSC was established in February this year by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and is tasked to coordinate a country-wide emergency response toward the unfolding Congolese refugee inflow in a holistic and integrated manner.
The delegation, which is currently in Luapula, will meet with Congolese refugees and assess their relocation from Kenani Transit Centre to Mantapala Refugee Settlement undertaken by the government, humanitarian partners and NGOs. The field visit is also an opportunity for the delegation to assess the progress towards the provision of social services as well as construction of infrastructure in the refugee settlement. The delegation will finally meet with provincial and district authorities to discuss matters related to Congolese refugees especially the need to create conditions for a peaceful coexistence and social cohesion between refugees and host communities.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia, with support from UNHCR, humanitarian and development partners and the donor community is seeking to ensure that the Congolese emergency response in the country is comprehensibly addressed by a whole of society approach to alleviate the burden of the host country. As such, key line ministries including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Office of the Vice-President, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Ministry of Local Government and Housing and the Ministry of General Education under the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs, have been mandated to coordinate the Congolese emergency response. From the UN side, a “Delivering as One” approach, led by the UN Resident Coordinator is being implemented involving humanitarian and development agencies. Various local and international NGOs are already part of the emergency response, while international financial institutions and private sector partnerships will be further mobilised to contribute to the ongoing efforts.
Since August 2017, Zambia has been receiving refugees fleeing the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Most of them are arriving through informal and formal border points in Luapula and Northern Province. If the refugees continue arriving, also through the North-Western and Copperbelt provinces bordering the DRC, it is anticipated that by the end of 2018, Zambia may host up to76, 000 refugees from the DRC including an existing caseload.
In view of the current emergency response in Luapula province, and anticipating a possible larger influx of refugees through the North-Western and Copperbelt provinces if the political instability worsens in the DRC, the Government of Zambia, with support from UNHCR, other UN agencies and partners, needs to ensure that appropriate reception measures and conditions are put in place in those locations. This includes providing access to territory, adequate reception centres and registration facilities, access to clean water and sanitation, provision of core relief items, access to food, and health services, among others.
The high-level Ministerial visit is an opportunity for the Government of Republic of Zambia to identify the good achievements and to also assess various operational challenges and gaps in the ongoing delivery of protection, assistance and services to Congolese refugees, using the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) as a platform that calls for a “whole of society” approach.
