Zambian music superstar, Mampi, was featured on CNN’s African Voices. The Award winning Singer shares her Journey into the Limelight.
Beer drinking affecting school results in Senanga
Senanga District Council Secretary Alisinda Nawa has called on bar owners in the district to take an active role in ensuring that teenagers do not patronize their bars.
Mr. Nawa said it is not only the duty of the council to fight under-age drinking but also parents and bar owners should help the council by working together.
The Council Secretary said the passing rate of pupils in schools has reduced due to the number of pupils patronizing bars.
Mr. Nawa said the bars owners are not complying with the rules and regulations of operating a bar making it difficult to completely end under-age district in Senanga district.
And Senanga District Assistant Social Welfare Officer, Victor Walubita said the department will conduct counseling services to the teenagers arrested due to under-age drinking.
Mr. Walubita stated that the social welfare department will be responsible to follow up all the teenagers in homes in order to talk to both them and the parents.
The district council said the patrols in bars will continue in order to reduce the number of teenagers found in bars in order to improve the school performance rates and reduce the spreading of HIV/AIDS in the district.
A team from the council, Police and neighborhood watch are conducting random night patrols in bars in the district in order to curb under-age drinking and about 18 teenagers were captured in the two days patrol this month.
Nkwazi fire coach Mphande
Nkwazi have fired coach Albert Mphande and moved swiftly to replace him with Chris Kaunda.
Mphande has been fired after a poor start to the 2018 FAZ Super Division season that has seen 12th placed Nkwazi collect 7 points from six games.
His last game in charge was on Sunday when Nkwazi rallied to snatched a 1-1 away draw against promoted Kitwe United to see them collect two points in their last three games.
Mphande is the third coaching casualty in 2018 after Linos Makwaza and Gugulielmo Arena were fired over the last two weeks by Napsa Stars and Buildcon respectively.
Meanwhile, Kaunda returns for a third stint as Nkwazi coach.
Kaunda also bounces back to the top-flight just two months after he quit promoted New Monze Swallows in the midst of their 2018 pre-season preparation and barely three weeks on the job.
His first match in charge will be on Saturday at home against Nakambala Leopards.
Essays On Statecraft :Why Is Zambia Broke? Part 1
By Jones K Kasonso
This series of articles attempts to provoke a conversation about the fundamental issues that touch on the current economic problems of our country and how we can utilize the collective genius of all patriots to resolve them. The problem to be addressed in this article is understanding why Zambia is broke. I was alarmed at the beginning of the year when the Minister of Finance at the time (Hon Felix Mutati and Team) was in town and reported to have been denied a credit facility by the IMF here in Washington. Moreover, news has surfaced that Zambia’s external debt stock is so huge that financiers of sovereign credit facilities see our country as being too susceptible to default. In which case financiers in the global economic system have reached a decision that Zambia is a serious risk and therefore not creditworthy. But after reaching the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) completion point under the Levy Mwanawasa government (January 2, 2002 – August 19, 2008) and becoming debt free, how can this be true so soon?
To a simple mind in the opposition, Zambia is broke because the people in-charge of the national treasury are looting the nation and must be stopped. On the other hand, those in charge of the country are keen to persuade us that Zambia has just been dealt a bad hand and we must stand together in prayer to overcome the odds and “develop the nation.” Whereas there might be some truth in either position, I take the view that neither position has paid enough attention to significant details or relevant economic facts. Both the ruling class and the opposition parties don’t seem to show any interest in resolving the current and inevitably future bankruptcy of the republic, if not addressed. Apparently, an exchange of anger and insults over this matter is no longer sufficient to address the perilous problems of the country in this 21st Century. Now is the time to start framing the politics of the nation around this dangerous threat to the future of the country than divide and rule through accusations and counter-accusations of tribalism or imaginary irrelevant religious tests.
I am inviting thinking minds in our nation to discourse why the nation is broke and how we can utilize the collective genius of our 16 million population strong republic. A great son of Zambia, the 5th President of the Republic Michael C Sata in captioning how he wanted to be remembered as a voice of the people once lamented the indifference of highly educated Zambians. He said:
“Zambians to remember me that I spoke for the people of Zambia, I have italanta. Kwalibo lwimbo chila muntu netalanta lyakwe. Italanta kulandilako abalanda, ukundilako abatwa tabakwato utulimba, kulandilako abamwenso ngaiwe. Bonse mwebasambila muliba mwenso sana. You are the worst cowards. All educated people you can’t speak out because you are scared of going to prison. All educated people are the worst cowards.”
Similarly, a bright spot and concerned patriot Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa recently exhorted that:
“Zambia’s intellectuals, though few in number, have a duty to publicly share their knowledge and expertise.”
If I may echo my two compatriots to awaken the consciousness of others to accept the duty of true intellectuals to become a voice of the people, the poor, those without access to media, and those who know something is wrong but have no courage to speak for fear of retribution. Fixing Zambia can no longer be left to those inept in matters of governance, chancers and those who haven’t taken time to understand the human condition through study. Leaders of our country and framers of public policy must be those who best understand what can make Zambia tick, the impact and the functionality of the global economy, and how we can collectively begin to make the efforts to address the deficits of resources and hope in our broken country.
The purpose of this article and similar ones to follow is not to demean our leaders even though some of my sentiments might veer mukanama kabishi (into head-butts or ruffle some skins). But to sensitize readers and contributors and hopefully trigger interest in critical issues and offer ideas on ways and means to ameliorate the financial hardships of our people. So why is Zambia so broke? Why is there no money in the economy to meet the PF or UPND (wish lists) manifesto? There are many ways to understand this quandary and a good place to start is the current structure of the Zambian Economy.
Current Structure of the Zambian Economy
The wisdom of applied economists on the determinants of the financial position of any enterprise in business is very helpful. The financial position of any country or company is determined by the equation A=L+OE, where A=Assets, the value of any company or country is made up of L (liabilities, the money we owe other people) plus OE (owners’ equity or simply our own money). Wise and prudent stewardship that advances corporate growth or economic development is one where OE is always greater than L that way we can use A to improve the welfare of stakeholders through equitable dividends or other direct social investments. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) posits that Zambia’s public debt is estimated at 62.8% of GDP (2017 est.). If the GDP is $25.58 billion (2017 est.), that public debt is at least $16.06 billion. That’s almost twice the $8.7 billion that the Minister of Misinformation Hon Dora Siliya conjectured in her press briefing on Friday, April 13th, 2018 CIA report
Now imagine an A= L+ OE which is 100= 63 + 37. Cash is an element within Assets (A) but was Liabilities or debts (L) is almost two times greater than Owners Equity (OE) it means most of the Assets including cash are owned by debt stockholders. Debt stockholders do not only suck interest and repayment cash out of the economy but restrict the use of Assets (including cash) to safeguard their investments and maximize their returns. This is the first reason why Zambia is broke. The nation has no access to its own assets and cannot spend cash on the social welfare or processes to uplift living standards for the majority poor. That is Zambia under President Edgar Lungu. 37% or even less is our own stake in the economy and 63% is the stake of all sovereign debt stockholders, foreign investors, and other creditors. That is why there is no money for social-economic investments. Perhaps this should also put to bed why the IMF in Washington DC babatanine akapiya (could not advance more loans to Zambia) when government applied for more debt. In short, the financial priorities of the current administration do not make business or economic sense.
Mis-definition of “Development”
There is an improper understanding of the nature of development in Zambia and none of our current crop of leaders and aspirants has defined for us what development in Zambia is or should be. What does a developed Zambia look like and what’s the strategy to achieve that objective? The biggest mistake was for the Zambian government under Mr. Edgar Lungu to double up on Michael Sata’s borrowings to “develop” the country. The latest is the declaration of 7 new districts. Governing by photocopy or Xerox as we put it this side of the world. I have often been dismayed by the President that his goals are to develop Zambia and he has been in power for much longer than President Sata was and yet he has not defined a developed Zambia with specifics.
[pullquote]The nation is in overdrive mode towards achieving an idiosyncratic designation[/pullquote]
The worst indictment of the Edgar Lungu Administration is that in nearly all economic measurement criteria the nation is far worse now than when Sata left it. This is the case from the prices of essential commodities, the foreign currency exchange rates, the rate of unemployment, and FDI. And yet the nation is preoccupied with petty jealousies and jailings of oppositions party leaders on petty or fabricated crimes. The nation is in overdrive mode towards achieving an idiosyncratic designation. Development is not slapping the nation with giant infrastructure on borrowed money with no plan to repay or maintain the road when it is broken. Economic development is placing an economic value on citizens by increasing owners’ equity (OE) so that citizens as participants in the nation’s economic activities have access to the Assets and the cash to spend on short-term and long-term needs at the personal and firm-levels.
There is a need for our nation to revisit the so-called “developmental” projects approach as a mainstay to improve the conditions of living for our people. Economic development is not a project but a process by which a country improves the well-being of its people economically, politically, and socially. Economic development is not a string of disparate “industrialization” “modernization, or “westernization” projects at the expenses of a country’s financial position. Economic development has a direct relationship with the financial positions of people at personal-level, firm-level, and country-level.
Economic development is a public policy initiative to intervene in the people’s welfare to uplift the economic and social well-being of all citizens. So far, the initiatives of the current administration are not achieving this given the damning statistics of $4000 GDP per capita but the majority (60% plus) of Zambian households live on less than $1 a day. This is the case despite the PF government contracting debts for “developmental” projects close to two-thirds of the GDP over the last 7 years. The problem here is insanity in government and please excuse my Greek from my professor who taught me that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. But there is also an elephant in the room.
The Elephant in the Room
The elephant in the room which subsequent administrations have not addressed since the third republic is the externalization of household and national earnings. At the dawn of the third republic our fathers, themselves children of hunter-gathers and first-generation city-dwellers (Abena town) without a proper understanding of the structure of the global economy sought to directly integrate our nation, lacking pre-defined competencies, into the regional economy through liberalization and the botched privatization. They defined liberalization for us as releasing the improvement in the welfare of the people into the interplay of the market forces i.e. supply and demand. So that we can stop queuing up for essential commodities (Akabunga, kasaladi, naka sopo or kaEbu) as well as eat and drink what other nations are eating (utuma Apples, and Coca-Cola in place of our own Tip Top). The result is that the nation now externalizes more than $2 billion a year into South Africa mainly on imports of commodities that we can produce.
Whilst delivering on the promises of higher quality imported products and correctly defining privatization as the transfer of publicly owned enterprises into private ownership, they errored in prioritizing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a manifestation of their privatization program. This meant the private hands owning the critical enterprises formerly held by the government where foreign multinational corporations. Our governments since Frederick Chiluba often espoused and glorified wooing investors knowing not they would be auctioning our future as they invited guest-entrepreneurs to become infesters. A look at the cash outflows versus cash inflows is an eyeopener. We work for the money in Zambia but because the investment community comprises mostly foreign firms they are harvesting these cashflows and it’s a net outflow for Zambia every year. In the last two years, the current account of Zambia has been in the red by about almost $1 billion.
In addition, with an unrelenting appetite to urbanize by copying other countries we are a net importing country that means we are externalizing our own earnings to other countries. That’s why there is no money in Zambia. In short, the structure of the regional economy is such that the economy of Zambia is like a slave hard drive to the regional and global economy. For the last three decades, the nation has been bleeding its productivity, industry and financial resources into the regional and global economy. That’s the elephant in the room sucking all the financial oxygen in our country.
Conclusion
In summary, understanding why Zambia is broke begins with an incisive look at the current economic structure which uncovers government mis-maneuvers and public policy deficits in addition to the impact of the regional and global economy. Zambia is currently a place to take from in terms resources. Lest we are accused of disparaging without offering solutions’, the solutions are: through constructive public policy set up the developmental process instead of sham development projects.
In this case, increasing the Owners Equity (OE) proportion of the accounting equation (A=L+OE) of Zambia must become a new priority in statecraft. For example, instead of borrowing $500m to build another Airport in Ndola where there is already an Airport, spend money directly by putting that money directly into poor and vulnerable households. That’s building ownership equity and uplifting the conditions of the poor Citizens.
Noti ukuya batipwila nachi Airport chapakongole nendeke abengi tabakwelamo ati iyi e development.
Constructing an airport in Ndola will result in most of the borrowed money going out of the country to pay contractors and importing airport contraction materials and devices. As part of government commitment to fair housing and resettlement, the government could give grants to poor families in that same area to claim their own land and build low-cost housing units using all locally produced building materials. Similarly, instead of buying 42 fire tracks for $42 million thereby externalizing every penny, assuming it was a genuine deal from which no Zambian pocketed a penny. Public spending in this should be targeted directly at specific poor or vulnerable households to achieve a broader distribution of economic benefits. Put money directly in the households to alter their bottom-line. This should be done simultaneously with shutting down the outflow of these resources into the regional economy through imports of essential commodities that we can produce at home. That’s how Michael Sata’s lower taxes and more money in your pockets can be achieved. Otherwise, what we really want as a country and the things we are doing about that are symmetrically opposed to each other. That is a serious disconnect.
The author is a Zambian, An Author, A Consultant and Accounting Professor in Washington DC and holds Ph.D., CPA, CGMA, MBA, BSc., NATech qualifications.
Commonwealth nods Zambia’s dialogue process
The Commonwealth has accepted Zambia’s position to have the proposed national dialogue process involving various political stakeholders.
This came to light during a bilateral meeting that Vice President Inonge Wina held with Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland in London. Mrs. Wina said time has come for Zambians to show the world that they are capable of resolving their own internal challenges in an amicable manner.
She confirmed having briefed the Commonwealth Secretary General during the bilateral meeting about the latest developments in Zambia regarding the pending dialogue process.
“Scotland accepted the views of the Zambia’s stance on the dialogue process. We want the dialogue process to be carried through by the Zambia Centre for Inter-party Dialogue (ZCID) and the Commonwealth secretariat will be asked if there is a role they play in the dialogue process,” Mrs. Wina said.
The Vice President said she is hopeful that political players involved in the dialogue process will not come up with a new agenda which may derail the whole process.
“We should be focused on how to resolve our internal issues. Most of the issues that have arisen in Zambia have been solved by ourselves as Zambians,” Mrs Wina said.
The Vice President has since called on political players involved in the proposed national dialogue to put aside their partisan interest but put the country’s interest first.
“The inter-party dialogue is not a PF driven affair but a consensus of all political parties. Even the dialogue will be driven by the political parties,” Mrs. Wina said.Mrs. Wina noted that the Zambia Centre for Inter-party Dialogue (ZCID) was set up a long time ago and all political parties have a stake in it.
“Whenever they have been a conflict they (ZCID) have been able to manage and resolve it. All Zambian political parties have confidence in this institution. And we believe we can solve our own national issues” she stressed.”
Meanwhile, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland described her bilateral meeting with the Vice President Inonge Wina as cordial.
Ms. Scotland said the meeting touched on several issues of common interest to both Zambia and the Commonwealth family such as good governance and protection of human rights.
She expressed happiness that the Vice President assured the Commonwealth Secretariat that Zambia is committed to upholding the rule of law and the commonwealth values including facilitation of the national dialogue process.
“We discussed issues of the innovation hub and creation of the office of the civil justice reforms and all the things that bring us together as a commonwealth family,” Ms. Scotland said.
The Commonwealth has been facilitating the proposed national dialogue among political stakeholders with the view of unity of purpose in the nation.Meanwhile, the Vice President says the Commonwealth is now becoming relevant to the needs of the member states as evidenced by the technological advancement in the grouping.
Construction works of treatment centres in pictures
ZRA dispels allegations that ZRA will tax bank account holders with TPIN
The Zambia Revenue Authority has assured the public that the requirement by all bank account holders to submit their Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TPINs) will not in any way lead to deductions in their bank accounts.
Under the Income Tax Act Chapter 323 of the Laws of Zambia, Section 45B, it is a legal requirement that every Bank Account Holder should have a Tax Payer Identification Number (TPIN).
Government last year, made it mandatory for financial institutions registered under the Banking and Financial Services Act to require all bank account holders to obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number from ZRA.
A TPIN is a unique identification number that is useful to enable anyone deal with ZRA.
The assurance comes in light of some sections of the public expressing concern over the requirement.
“ZRA would like to assure every Zambian that no amount of money will be deducted from their account on the basis of having a TPIN,” ZRA Spokesman Topsy Sikalinda has said.
“Allegations that ZRA is arbitrarily taxing bank accounts are false and must be dispelled with contempt it deserves. ZRA is an organization that has high levels of professionalism guided by fundamental values that include Integrity, Equity, Fairness, and Courtesy among others,” he said.
We’re here for the long term, says MTN Zambia’s Charles Molapisi
MTN Zambia chief executive officer Charles Molapisi has said that the company has long term investment plans for Zambia and will continue to contribute to the economy through its operations countrywide. Speaking in Lusaka during the official opening of the company’s purpose-built and owned facility in Lusaka’s Foxdale area, Molapisi said the decision to invest in new headquarters underlines MTN’s long-term commitment to Zambia.
“As Zambia’s number one network, the move to our new headquarters underlines that we’re cementing our investment and presence in Zambia not just as a business but a corporate citizen. It is the clearest reassurance to our stakeholders that our investment is long term and that we will continue to partner with the people of Zambia,” he said.
He said MTN continues to partner with stakeholders such as the Bank of Zambia in delivering financial services through innovative platforms such as mobile money. This is giving subscribers an opportunity to transact in a safe and efficient manner without incurring risks associated with bulk cash transactions.
On the company’s declaration of 2018 as ‘Year of the Customer’, Molapisi noted that MTN’s growth over the last few years is the result of a customer base that continues to demand relevant products and services.
Molapisi said that MTN, as a corporate citizen, is planting roots in the communities where it operates by investing in community-building initiatives such as health, sanitation and education. Through the company’s corporate social responsibility, MTN supported the Zambian government’s fight against the Cholera outbreak through the donation of bins across the city and are a major sponsor of the local premier FAZ league.
“In order to supplement Government efforts in the fight against cholera we made a donation of bins and other materials worth over K600 million. And as Zambia’s number one fan we have renewed our agreement with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) for the sponsorship of the Zambian Super League and national football team. This is in line with the company’s long-term responsibility to communities where MTN operates, through our corporate social responsibility program,” noted Molapisi.
And Minister of Transport and Communication, Honourable Brian Mushimba said MTN Zambia’s long term investment in Zambia is a testament to the partnership that the company has enjoyed with the people of Zambia.
Citing the thirteen years that MTN has been operating in Zambia, Mushimba noted that MTN’s investment in new, permanent head offices was an encouraging sign that the company is willing to stay in the market even as government has opened up the sector for more investment and players through the recent awarding of a license for a fourth mobile operator.
Installation of Bishop Alick Banda in Pictures
Pictures Courtesy of Jean Mandela
I don’t believe that President Lungu is a Zambian-Msoni
Opposition All People’s Congress Party President Nason Msoni has charged that he does not believe that President Edgar Lungu is a Zambian.
And Mr Msoni says the people of Eastern Province are sick and tired of “aliens” using the Province as a springboard to attain their political ambitions.
In an interview, Mr Msoni observed that he has serious doubts over claims that President Lungu hails from Eastern Province because the Head of State allegedly does not have any footprint in the province.
“Remember we campaigned in 2015 and 2016 for him and all the time we campaigned in Eastern Province, we never went to his village. He never showed us where his village was,” Mr Msoni claimed.
He added, “we have our own doubts whether President Lungu comes from Eastern Province. He has no footprints there. All our investigations and inquiries clearly show that Mr Lungu does not hail from Eastern Province.”
The All People’s Congress Leader said the Eastern Province is now tired of non-Zambians claiming to hail from there for political expediency.
“The province has its grievances of non bonafidd Easterners claiming to be coming from Eastern Province and we are sick and tired as a province, the people of Eastern Province are sick and tired of aliens using the Province as a springboard to attain their political ambitions,” Mr Msoni said.
He has since blamed the security agencies in Zambia for having lapses that he said encourages foreigners to even run for the presidency.
“We think that all these things are happening because of the tragic failure of our security systems to vet and investigate all those individuals who are putting themselves up for the Office of the President.”
Prime TV has not been closed by Government, just facing technical challenges with DSTV link
Privately owned Prime TV, the station that hosted People’s Party President Mike Mulongoti and New Labour Party Leader Fresher Siwale on Monday for a discussion on President Lungu’s nationality has denied reports that it has been shutdown.
Reports emerged on Tuesday that Government had ordered the closure of Prime TV following the programme where Mr Mulongoti and Mr Siwale made astonishing claims that President Lungu stole someone’s identity.
Some viewers reported failing to access the Prime TV channel on pay TV platform Dstv.
But Prime TV Acting Station Manager Makhokwa Khozi said the station has not been closed but merely facing technical challenges with the Dstv link.
“We would like to inform our viewers that we are are currently experiencing a technical fault and our team together with Multichoice are working round the clock to ensure that signal is restored,” he said in a statement.
“We would like to dispel social media reports that Prime TV has been closed. We will soon be back on air. Prime TV values your support.”
Zesco face derby test against Forest
Number one beckons for the champions Zesco United on Wednesday when they host Forest Rangers in a delayed 2018 FAZ Super Division Week 2 Ndola derby clash at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Zesco head into the match in 2nd place and three points behind fellow unbeaten side Green Buffaloes after five and six games played on 13 and 16 points respectively.
The defending FAZ Super Division champions also return to action just four days after they ended ex-leaders Power Dynamos unbeaten start to the campaign whom they beat 2-1 at Levy and sent the latter tumbling to number 3 on 13 points.
But Zesco have endured a poor home record in the Ndola derby against Forest over the last four seasons losing three of their last four league meetings against their 9th placed archrivals.
Forest beat Zesco 1-0 last July but the six-time champions rebounded with a 2-1 away victory in the final leg last November en route to picking up the 2017 title.
The stage is also set for their strikers; Kobe Chipeta for Forest who has two goals, and Lazarus Kambole for Zesco who has three goals, to go head-to-head in this derby where form and affluence means very little and the pride of who will be king of Ndola is all that matters.
Zanaco in do-or-die battle against Raja Casablanca
Zanaco battle the odds on Wednesday night in Morocco when they face Raja Casablanca in a 2018 CAF Confederation Cup last 32, last leg tie in Casablanca.
Mumamba Numba’s sides face the three-time African champions with the massive challenge of overturning a 2-0 home loss they sustained on April 7 in Lusaka.
A defeat or a draw in Casablanca will end Zanaco’s 2018 continental race after they were relegated from the 2018 CAF Champions League in March when Mbabane Swallows beat them 2-1 in Lusaka and 1-0 away in Swaziland in the pre-group stage.
“We have prepared well to face Raja Casablanca although we are 2-0 down,” Numba said.
“But we have come here to fight so that we can qualify to the group stage.
“We have seen Raja, we have played them in Zambia and we know their strengths and weakness.
“We have planned well and will just have to get on the pitch and try and get a positive result.”
Winner will advance to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage that kicks off on May 7.
Mwenya Musenge’s call for President Lungu’s Nationality Probe a waste of Time- Miles Sampa
THOSE calling for a commission of inquiry on the nationality of President Edgar Lungu are misplaced as it is a sheer waste of time, says former Matero Member of Parliament and Deputy Commerce Minister Hon Miles Sampa.
Mr Sampa said National Democratic Congress Secretary General Mwenya Musenge was off side in calling for a probe into the nationality of President Lungu when they should be working at party mobilization to build numbers in their party.
He said the Republican Constitution does not demand that a person must have both parents born in Zambia to be President, a clause that was inserted in the previous constitution to eliminate first President Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
“The current constitution only says one should be a Zambian and by definition and according to the Supreme Court ruling, anyone found in Zambia at independence in 1964 is a bonafide,” Zambian.
“The President may even be more Zambian by any definition compared to those questioning like Mwenya Musenge who is rumored to be Congolese,” he said.
Mr Sampa was commenting on insinuations by NDC’s Mwenya Musange that President Lungu was not qualified to be Head of State as he hailed from a nearby country.
He explained that all this was an indication the opposition party was running out of ideas to keep above the waters, and had resorted to mudslinging.
The former Parliamentarian has accused the opposition NDC of failing to come up with serious mobilization programmes to grow their party, hence their move to try and destabilize the PF leadership.
“If they were serious, they should have been mobilizing countrywide just as the PF is doing.
“PF is growing daily while the NDC bubble is bursting as we saw with the latest resignation of their Lusaka Province Chairman Goodson Banda who rejoined PF,” he said.
The ruling PF has embarked on an unprecedented countrywide mobilization programme for party membership recruitment that continues to grow the party while the NDC continued to concentrate on trivial issues such as the “…the nationality of the President when he has been okayed by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on two occasions, NDC will soon become a ‘nashala neka’ party if not already”.