President Edgar Lungu has appointed and sworn in Kwacha Member of Parliament Joe Malanji and Nkana MP Alexander Chiteme as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Development Planning respectively.

And President Lungu has urged the newly appointed ministers to be humble and serve the people who elected them into office.

Mr. Lungu said leaders are the servants of the people and should show humility and not be proud.

He told the two new ministers that they were chosen after a long and careful process from among other equally competent PF members.

The head of state said he settled on the two because as leader he had his own reasons for picking them.

And President Lungu has reminded PF members who do not want to serve under him as party and republican Presidential to leave the party.

He said the PF remains the party of first choice among Zambians.

President Lungu said PF has continued to grow over the years and if the party works even harder, the 2021 general election will be a walk over.

Mr. Malanji replaces Bahati MP Harry Kalaba who resigned as Minister of foreign Affairs while Mr CHITEME takes over from Lucky Mulusa who was fired as Minister of National Development Planning.

President Lungu, Vice President Inonge Wana and Cabinet Ministers are currently in a meeting at State House.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia strongly condemns the storming by Patriotic Front (PF) cadres of Feel Free FM Radio in Chipata in an effort to stop a paid for radio programme from airing which was featuring a National Democratic Front (NDC) official Samuel Ligomo Phiri today 4 January 2018.

MISA Zambia is concerned because these type of attacks show that some of the Patriotic Front cadres (supporters) think no one has the right to express their views about politics or national issues in this country except leaders from their party and strongly hold the view that only good things about the PF should be expressed by all citizens.

MISA Zambia wishes to remind them that Zambia is constitutionally a multiparty democracy and the people of Zambia regardless of political affiliation have the right to express themselves and have the right to freedom of Association. To this end the NDC members have the right to belong to the NDC and are entitled to express themselves on radio.

Further on, the media has the right to feature such citizens as they are promulgating the right to freedom of expression in addition to playing their watchdog role.

We are saddened to state that it is a shame that some of these violent and non-democratic PF cadres can today carry out actions to prevent opposition political party politicians from expressing their views on radio station when their Late founding Leader Micheal Sata often and many of its leaders who are still alive today can attest to suffering the same fate while in opposition.

The PF leaders while in opposition had difficulties to feature on various media in Zambia and they therefore pledged to respect both media freedom and freedom of expression in their manifesto which some of its cadres are wantonly ignoring today.

We urge these PF cadres to desist from this habit as it is against the democratic principles and Law Zambians gave unto themselves through the Constitution. We urge the police to arrest and charge such cadres as this trend seems to be on the increase. Feel Free FM is the third station within a space of three months to have suffered from these attacks but to the contrary no cadres so far have been brought to book; that is being arrested, charged and appearing in court to answer for their actions.

While we are grateful that Police in Chipata made at effort to go to the station to halt the situation, we are unaware and are concerned that there are no reports of arrests as Feel Free station manager has confirmed that the people who stormed the radio are PF cadres and he can identify them.

We hope the PF leadership will take a step to address this matter as this is the third statement we are issuing within three months on the same matter of PF cadres’ intolerance towards divergent views. We wish to state that we have also written to the PF Secretary General to report these incidents and request for his action.

Issued by

Ms Hellen Mwale

MISA Zambia Chairperson

Late President Michael Sata’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah has said that an abridged version of the document was given to the late president for his September 19, 2014 speech because it was decided at the time, by all concerned with the finalization of the speech that the presentation of a lengthy or bulky speech by president Sata would be inimical to his health, and that the late president agreed accordingly.

Reacting to former Finance Minister’s assertions that the late president’s speech was swapped, Mr Chellah said that the abridged version of the speech had full presidential approval and input too.

Over the weekend, Mr Chikwanda  wrote that late’s President Michael Sata was undermined by people around him to the extent of having the speech he ordained for the fourth session of the 11th National Assembly of Friday September 19 2014 removed for one he found was not his speech.

Mr Chikwanda stated that president Sata was alarmed and severely constrained to read that speech and that unfortunately, he just made off tangent jokes.

Below is the full response from George Chellah

IN DEFENCE OF MICHAEL CHILUFYA SATA’s LEGACY

By George Chella

I have read with keen interest the write-up from Mr. Alexander Bwalya Chikwanda, the immediate-past minister of finance, in which he accuses certain “aides” of swapping the late president Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata’s speech and in which he insinuates that there was some sort of foul play.

To begin with, I need to emphasize that I am extremely reluctant to engage people who are much older than me in unnecessary debates because my cultural and religious beliefs compel me to respect our elders. In this instance, I am forced to respond to defend both the government processes that are used in presidential speech preparation and presentation but also defend the honor of the late president Sata with whom I worked very closely for the last 10 years of his life and to whom I owed unwavering loyalty. I believe I owe president Sata loyalty both in life and in death.

Secondly, I am very reluctant to respond to statements that leak internal government memoranda and documents, which are otherwise classified under the State Security Act. But I feel constrained to respond without revealing the actual documents and correspondence that occurred within State House at the time. I strongly feel that the integrity of government correspondence and work requires the maintenance of high-level confidentiality in presidential matters and by virtue of his expansive wisdom, knowledge and experience in state matters, I expect bashikulu Ba Chikwanda to know this better. Having said that, the following is my response:

The write-up by Mr. Chikwanda has one material misconception, which I wish to correct. Presidential speeches are subjected to an elaborate and well-structured process, and to suggest that any one person in a former or the current government can manipulate a presidential speech meant for the legislature, is both an assault on the government process but also on the integrity of the sitting Head of State. Also, to suggest that president Sata’s speech was swapped is being less than truthful and unfair because nothing of that sort happened, and to insist on this claim, is to insult president Sata’s intellect especially that anybody who worked closely with him can attest to the fact that president Sata was a detailed and methodical man who insisted to have his draft speeches two weeks before the event.

Perhaps, let me briefly run through what amounts to be a traditional presidential speech preparation and presentation process. Zambians should know that the president’s speech for the official opening of the National Assembly is drafted by a special committee constituted by the Secretary to the Cabinet before final submission to State House for the Head of State and his aides to have the final input and tailor the document in accordance with the president’s short and long-term vision and plans for his tenure of office. So, insofar as the presidential address to the National Assembly is concerned, the Head of State is the final authority on what is submitted to the August assembly and subsequently, to the nation at large, and I can confirm that president Sata personally participated in these procedures. The Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr. Rowland Msiska and the current Principal Private Secretary at State House, Dr. Simon Miti can attest to this fact.

Now, let me specifically address the issues pertaining the alleged swapped speech. The impeccable truth about president Sata’s September 19, 2014 speech is that as per norm, president Sata wholly contributed in the process and sanctioned what needed to be incorporated or expunged from the final document for presentation to the National Assembly. Also, it was decided at the time, by all concerned with the finalization of the speech that the presentation of a lengthy or bulky speech by president Sata would be inimical to his health and the president agreed accordingly. That was how all concerned settled for an abridged version of the document. Although, I cannot go into the intricate details for reasons of confidentiality and in keeping with my oath of secrecy I can confirm that the abridged version of the speech had full presidential approval and input too. I should pose here to clarify that although president Sata had challenges with his physical health at the time, his mental faculties were intact and that is why Cabinet of which Mr. Chikwanda was an integral part did not trigger the constitutional provision for the removal of the president for mental incapacity.

Lastly, let me remind all those concerned that out of respect for the late president Sata, I have kept quiet about the intrigue, cunning and manipulation that happened during that time and which in certain instances hinged on criminality so unless they want to invite me out of my silence but I can assure them that this is not an invitation I will chicken-out from, as I am more than willing and able to defend my integrity and public service credentials. I thank you!

Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has dispelled rumours that government will conduct a spraying exercise in town today therefore restricting movements of buses.

There was panic among some Lusaka residents who were convinced that movements in the city will be restricted today because government intends to spray some disinfectants in town.

But at a briefing yesterday, Dr Chilufya said; “There are rumours like ‘there will be aerial spraying therefore there will be a shutdown, people should stay indoors and all those things circulating on social media’ that should be condemned and should not be allowed to derail the response and disrupt business. If there are any measures we will put in place, we will announce them ourselves. The only measures are what we have just announced. We have been inundated by too many rumours.”

Dr Chilufya announced that government had imposed a curfew on Kanyama compound to be in effect for seven days.

Kanyama residents are expected to be indoors by 18:00 hours during this time.

Meanwhile, his local government counterpart Vincent Mwale also announced that bars were only allowed to operate from 11:00 hours to 19:00 hours.

Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has blamed the PF government for the Cholera outbreak that has since claimed 58 lives.

Mr Hichilema who visited some Cholera centers on Sunday said had those claiming leadership of our country taken heed to our advice on the need for quality public health care, Zambia was not going to be needlessly losing lives today.

He said Cholera is a preventable disease and that everybody all saw it coming, but there was no political will to tackle the outbreak quickly.

Mr Hichilema said the UPND is certain that funds meant for public health were made available much earlier in 2017 but due to corruption, funds were misappropriated and misapplied to areas not in the interest of citizens.

“When in government, we will listen more to our people and act in their best interest while fighting corruption using our zero-tolerance to corruption policy,” Mr Hichilema said.

He added, “Quality public health will be one of our pillars in ensuring a healthy and productive population. Only then will we be able to walk with our heads up that we are moving Zambia forward.”

Mr Hichilema was in the company ofparty Vice President, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, National Chairperson, Mrs Mutale Nalumango, party Deputy Secretary General, Patrick Mucheleka, party Chairperson for Mobilisation, Ms Sylvia Masebo and other party officials.

“We saw patients and their relatives whom we wished quick recoveries and encouraged to remain hopeful of better tomorrow. At the same time we appreciated the health personnel who are working round the clock at the frontline of combatting the disease,” Mr Hichilema said.

Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, Lloyd Kaziya has said government will continue to provide free water services in cholera prone areas.

Speaking in Lusaka today during the daily cholera brief, Mr. Kaziya clarified that Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) is not providing contaminated water as earlier reported in the media.

He said LWSC water is safe and clean for use adding that the commodity being provided to various parts of the city is treated from the Lumumba treatment plant.

He has since appealed to residents living in cholera prone areas to stop using water from shallow wells even if it is just for washing.

Mr. Kaziya said in order for the country to successfully fight cholera, there was need for change of mindsets and practicing of good hygiene.

And Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Sylvia Chalikosa said government was working hard to ensure that the cholera epidemic is halted.

Ms. Chalikosa has meanwhile commended the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) for donating assorted items valued at K100, 000 towards fighting cholera.

She said the donation, which consists of work suits, wheelbarrows, gloves and spades, will help in cleaning up the city and rid it of cholera.

Ms. Chalikosa said those that are willing to donate towards the cholera fight and are outside Lusaka should do so through provincial centres.

Induna Kalonga made the announcement during a farewell party of outgoing Western Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba.

At the same party, incoming Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba was welcomed.

Induna Kalonga thanked government for enhanced collaborations with the traditional authorities in spearheading socio-economic and cultural development in the province.

He said Western province has recorded a lot of development during the leadership of President Edgar Lungu.

He pointed out that the region has benefitted through developments in climate resilience projects, cashew nut industry, rural electrification projects, health and education facilities and cattle restocking among others.

Induna Kalonga said the Kuta and the Litunga of the Lozi people historically relies on the provincial administration for material and financial resources to carry out most of its developmental programmes.

He has since requested the new Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba to further strengthen the partnership and collaboration with the central government.

Induna Kalonga has meanwhile called on government and the provincial administration to complete development projects which are on hold.

Some of the projects on hold are King Lewanika University, Mongu stadium, Limulunga-Lukulu and Sikongo-Shang’ombo roads.

In bidding farewell, Western Province outgoing Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba implored all civil servants in the region to remain supportive to Mr. Simuchoba.

Mr. Liomba also thanked all civil servants for their loyalty and implored them to rally behind the new PS and help him in the execution of government duties.

And Simuchoba warned some civil servants against spreading falsehoods in the region.

He has since appealed to all public service workers to remain united and contribute to developing the province.

Speaking earlier, Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu called for continued unity and fostering development in the province.

Mr. Mubukwanu expressed optimism that Mr. Simuchoba will interact well with the people in the province due to his well accomplished leadership and wealth of experience in the public service.