Police in Lusaka have advised the Joint Action for Accountability in Zambia not to proceed with their planned protest at Parliament this Friday over the controversial procurement of the 42 fire tenders.

Organisation Chairperson Laura Miti disclosed at a media briefing in Lusaka that police yesterday advised them not to go ahead with the protest but put their grievances in writing to the relevant authorities.

Ms. Miti said the police also advised the grouping not to demonstrate as they risk being attacked by rival groups because the placards they will be displaying are likely to have insulting language.

But Ms. Miti go said the organization is going ahead with its peaceful protest at Parliament this Friday because the reasons advanced by the police are unconstitutional.

She has since urged members of the public to turn up in large numbers and dress in national colors.

Below is the full statement

CITIZEN DEMONSTRATION TO DEMAND FULL DISCLOUSURE OF PUBLIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRIOCESSES LEADING TO PURCHASE OF 42 FIRE TENDERS FOR $42 MILLION

Press Statement – 26 September 2017
Alliance for Community Action Offices

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we would like to take the opportunity this morning to introduce to you the Joint Action for Accountability in Zambia (JAAZ).

JAAZ is an initiative that seeks to combine the voices of civil society organisations as well as citizen actors advocating for strengthened public resource accountability in Zambia.
In particular, this morning JAAZ seeks to provide details for its first activity, which is a peaceful demonstration planned for this Friday the 29th of September, at Parliament.

The planned demonstration will demand that the full public resource management processes that led to the purchase of the 42 fire trucks by the Ministry of Local government at a cost of 42 million US dollars, be opened to public scrutiny.

It is the collective view of the parties to JAAZ that the budgetary choice making and procurement process of the fire engines represents the kind of imprudent use and mismanagement of public resources that must be brought to an end if the quality of life of ordinary Zambian citizens is to improve. It is a mismanagement of resources that the country can ill afford.

We would like to make mention of the fact that in accordance with the provisions of section 5 subsection (4) of the Public Order Act, Chapter 113 of the Laws of Zambia, the Alliance for Community Action, on behalf of wider civil society, on Wednesday 20 September, notified the police of its intention to hold the peaceful demonstration.

Yesterday, the 25th of September, the ACA was called to Lusaka Central Police where they were told that the police would not allow the protest for the following reasons:

1) The police were of the view that the matters that were to be raised through the demonstration should be put down in a letter to the appropriate authority or other ways found to communicate with government

2) Citizens could not be allowed to protest at Parliament

3) That some placards could have insulting language

4) Demonstrators could be attacked by counter protestors. The police command were asked to put their response in writing, something which they have not yet done.

JAAZ would like to take this opportunity to notify Zambians that the peaceful protest will proceed as planned this Friday, 29 September for the following reasons:

1) The reasons given by the police for preventing the peaceful demonstration for which they were given timely notification, are all unconstitutional. The law does not allow the police to decide how citizens will exercise their right to be heard.

2) It is the constitutional right of citizens to protest and the duty of the police to facilitate that protest

3) The matter for which JAAZ would like to lead citizens in protest is critical and of public concern and citizens have chosen budget day to call attention to Members of Parliament of their duty to protect public resources. There is no justifiable reason why citizen cannot stand quietly on Parliament road with placards that articulate their concerns

4) Once the police have been duly notified in a timely manner, the law does not allow them to refuse permission for any of the reasons verbally given to ACA.

JAAZ takes this opportunity to call on the police to carry out their mandate to facilitate this citizen protest. The convenors of this protest are not interested in defying the police. Our objective is to carry out our constitutional right and duty to call the attention of elected leaders to an issue in our democracy that we are concerned about.
We further call on the Members of Parliament from both the ruling and opposition parties to speak up and defend the constitutional right of citizens to be heard and to engage them

JAAZ calls on members of the general public to turn out in large numbers for this peaceful demonstration dressed up in the colours of the flag.

The hashtag for the event will be #42for42Demo

This is just to inform ALL site visitors that the some of the key lusakatimes.com servers have developed a fault this morning that has led to very high latency, causing the the website to appear to be down or load very very slowly. Our team has been working to fix the problem caused by migration to new servers over the weekend.

Earlier, we posted a message on our Facebook page stating that the problem will be resolved by 15:00 hrs. However, it has just come to our attention that we might need more time to resolve all the issues causing the site to be intermittently available.

We will update you as soon as we resolve the issues.

We apologise for any inconvenience that these issues have caused.

LT Team

Governance activist Macdonald Chipenzi has called on President Edgar Lungu to immediately suspend Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo to pave way for investigations over the alleged receipt of three motor vehicle as alleged and disclosed by Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili.

Mr Chipenzi said President Lungu, this time around must rise to the occasion in the fight against corruption and allow, if not directing, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe Mr. Kampyongo over allegations levelled against him by Mr Kambwili.

He said the allegations that Mr. Kampyongo received three brand new motor vehicles from the company that was awarded a contract to procure 42 Fire trucks at a cost of US$1million each for Zambia were very serious to be treated with kid gloves by President Lungu.

He said President Lungu should with immediate effect suspend Mr. Kampyongo from discharging his duties as Minister until investigations on the allegations are over and cleared.

Mr Chipenzi said this is so because all investigative wings fall under his ministry and their independence to carry out thorough investigations and convincing conclusions under his supervision is humanly impossible.

“As a serving minister, he may be tempted to interfere with the witnesses, including the whistleblower, Mr. Kambwili and thereby undermine the investigations,” he said.

He added, “The promptness with which the president will act on this matter would complement his earlier statement that he was not corrupt and did not condone and defend corrupt elements in his government.”

He said the nation will be waiting to see what action the president will met on Mr. Kampyongo over the serious allegations of bribery or corruption on him.

Mr Chipenzi added that President Lungu’s action will either pour scorn on the fight against corruption or confidence in the fight.

“If indeed Mr. Kampyongo is clean, he must not sit back but take legal action against Mr. Kambwili, the accuser, because there was no way he can just sweep such serious allegations under the carpet.”

25 year old, Petra Chikasa, is a travel enthusiast. She documents her voyages on her travel blog amply named Girl Can Wander.

She comes from a family of 4, and grew up in Ndola, Copperbelt. She relocated to Lusaka with her family 10 years ago.

Petra has a passion for outdoor adventure, arts and crafts, animals and food. “A lot of people that have known me growing up would probably describe me as somewhat introverted but I think over the last year I’ve become more ambivalent. What can I say, Travel pushes you out of your shell.”

KAPA187: What inspired you to start travel blogging?

PETRA CHIKASA: “I have always wanted to visit every province in the country.  When I decided to get on the road it wasn’t with the intension of being travel blogger, but I took a liking to documenting and sharing my travels and so I decided to start my blog Girl Can Wander to highlight the ease of local travel with my followers.”

KAPA187: Speaking of local travel, domestic tourism in Zambia is not very popular as many view it as being too expensive. What do you think can be done to encourage locals to explore their country?

PETRA CHIKASA: “A lot of people are often discouraged from travelling locally because of the lack of local rates at most holiday destinations in the country, however having spent the year travelling, I have learnt that most places, even though not advertised, do have local rates or are willing to negotiate. It is very important for local tourism companies to make their packages known & affordable for residents and especially young people.”

KAPA187: That is true, they need to get that information out there. How do you prepare for a trip? What are your must have items every time you travel?

PETRA CHIKASA: “It takes me 2 days to pack before a trip. I have to make sure I have everything I need! A few must haves for me are my camera, flashlight, food, my bathing suit, my multi vitamins, mosquito repellant and my headphones. And of course the 5 C’s of outdoor travel; cutting, combustion, cordage, container and cover.”

Petra is an avid outdoor camper, “why pay for 5 star when you can get 200 billion stars for free!!”. She has camped at sites such as Ikithe Luxury resort in western province on the shores of lake Makapaila , Mumbuluma Falls in Mansa district, Kapishya Hot springs in muchinga province among many others.

“A common mistake newbie campers make is going into camping thinking it’s hard. Camping is fun and easy if you just give it a chance”. She said when asked what common mistakes she sees beginner campers make.

KAPA187: When it comes to wildlife tourism and conservation do you feel it is right for people to be allowed to interact with the animals i.e. Walking with big cats, elephant rides etc. or should we just observe the animals in their natural habitat?

PETRA CHIKASA: “The more I am involved in the travel industry and learn about animal tourism, the more I’ve come to realize just how messed up, flawed, and abusive the practice is. Most animal-based tourism in the world is abusive and detrimental to the animals. Elephant rides, lion/cheetah walks, swimming with dolphins, anything where the animal is there exclusively for your entertainment should be a place to avoid! Consider the smell test for any animal exhibit, if it seems like this shouldn’t exist or you find it weird that such a large animal would be so docile, something is probably not right and you shouldn’t be supporting such practices with your money.”

KAPA187: That is so true; in as much as we want to promote wildlife tourism the welfare of the animals must be the number one priority.

Apart from the famous Mosi O Tunya, you have been to a number of falls such as Mumbuluma falls, Kalambo falls and Nyumbachushi falls. Which one has been the best? Is enough being done to promote the lesser-known falls?

PETRA CHIKASA: “My favourite waterfall to the great Mosi-Oa-Tunya Falls. I love how it transforms from a mighty waterbody to a beautiful canyon, there’s certainly a reason it’s a wonder of the world! My favourite falls to camp at is Mumbuluma Falls, its serene and beautiful, you can jump off the falls if you want to swim and its very safe and family friendly. I don’t think enough is being done to promote these falls because they are difficult to reach if you don’t have a car. Buses only take you so far and hitchhiking, especially for young people and specifically women can often be unsafe. The northern parts of the country have some of the most beautiful water bodies that the tourism board could take advantage of is they were promoted enough and made easily accessible.”

KAPA187: Having been to 9 of Zambia’s 10 provinces. What 4 places would you recommend as ‘must see’ in Zambia.

PETRA CHIKASA: “My Top 4 MUST see places in Zambia are Lake Tanganyika, Kapishya Hot Spring, South Luangwa National Park and Livingstone Island.”

KAPA187: I will definitely make it a point to visit all those places.  So, do you have any funny travel stories?

PETRA CHIKASA: “I have always considered water shoes a white people thing and so I’ve never bothered getting a pair. One times I decided to get into the Nsumbu River between Mbereshi & Kawambwa with my flip flops and a beer, the current didn’t seem that strong, the next thing I know I’m being dragged down stream. My beer slipped from my hands and I’m not every proud to say that in that moment instead of trying to swim to safety, I swam after my beer! “

* (A water shoe is a type of footwear that is typically used for activities where the feet are likely to become wet. They are made of mesh and have a hard sole used to prevent cuts and abrasions when walking in wet, rocky environments.)

KAPA187: LOL, that must have been a memorable experience.

Has there been a place that you were excited to visit but got disappointed when you finally got there?

PETRA CHIKASA: “Mongu-Kalabo bridge in Western Province was a bit of a letdown for me. Maybe because I visited during dry season. It’s a lovely place but it wasn’t as intriguing as I expected. The most interesting thing about Western Province was driving through Kafue National Park on my way there.” 

KAPA187: Having done a lot of traveling, do you have a bucket list of places to visit?  

PETRA CHIKASA: “I would love to visit West Africa, Indonesia, Jordan and Iceland. I’m hoping this can be sooner than later.”

KAPA187: What life lessons have you learned from traveling?

PETRA CHIKASA: “From travelling I have learnt to be more compassionate to people, nature and animals. Animals and nature are just as important to treat with respect as human beings. I’ve gotten closer to God, and I have started managing my mental and physical health a lot better.

KAPA187: When you are not travelling, what are you involved in?

PETRA CHIKASA: “When I’m not travelling I am studying for my BSc. I’m in my last year of university studying International Relations and Development. I am also passionate about the Right to Education of girls and so I run a project called the Girl Solidarity that advocates against Child Marriage for girls in Zambia and I am a global youth ambassador for Education for A World at School.”

“I would love to see young people take up travelling more. Nothing teaches you like travel. One of my favourite quotes about travel is by Jeff Goins ‘Travel will put you in places that force you to care for issues that bare bigger than you’. While you are still young, get cultured, get to know the world and the magnificent people that live in it!”

Visit Petra’s blog girlcanwander.wordpress.com to follow her journeys to new and exciting places.

Interact with her on social media: 

Twitter: GirlCanWander

Instagram: girlcanwander

Facebook: Girl Can Wander

BY KAPA187

President Edgar Lungu has left for Angola where he has travelled to attend the inauguration ceremony of that country’s President-elect João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, 63, of the ruling Popular Liberation Movement of Angola (MPLA).

The inauguration of the President-elect is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 26th September, 2017. He suceeds José Eduardo Dos Santos who has been in power for 38 years. Angola held its elections on August 23, with the ruling Popular Liberation Movement of Angola (MPLA) securing the majority of the votes.

In Pictures President Edgar Lungu at Kenneth Kaunda International airport in Lusaka shortly before departure for Luanda, Angola. Pictures By Eddie Mwanaleza/State house 25-09-2017

The event is planned for October 7 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

So far 15 out of the targeted 60 companies have confirmed their participation.

“We have been rescheduling the event but this time it is going ahead. We have had challenges,” Mpondela said.

“It is tough for us but we know the Copperbelt community won’t let us down. We need support to organise this relay,” he said.

First Lady Esther Lungu is expected to grace the Copperbelt Inter-Company Relay.

Government has warned manufacturers of spirits known as tujilijili and junta to follow laid down regulations and procedures or face the wrath of the law.
And Zambian Breweries country director Jose Moran has called on stakeholders in the alcohol industry to help consumers develop smart drinking habits and make good alcohol choices.
Speaking during the third Multi-stakeholder meeting on Alcohol Landscape in Zambia on Friday (September 22), Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale, who was represented by Margaret Kapanda, reiterated government’s concern over alcohol abuse and the illicit alcohol trade in the country.
“Let us not kill people with so much high alcohol content in a small bottle and being sold almost at giveaway prices. I am told an individual just needs a K5 and they are done for the day with a 40 percent alcohol content in a 200 ml bottle. Deaths have been reported in the media in the recent past resulting from the consumption of ‘junta or tujilijili,” he said. “I wish to commend all stakeholders for taking steps in ensuring responsible drinking and discouraging underage drinking.”
Mr Mwale said government was ready and committed to ensuring that the right policies were instituted that would manage the sector.
“For example, one of our suggestions is to introduce a statutory instrument that could aim at regulating the alcohol sector. The onus of ensuring responsibility for the sale of alcohol and identification of the producer will be placed on the retailer,” he said. “I therefore call upon you the players in the alcohol sector together with the regulator to come up with a summary table of action plans that will be forwarded to government as we progress to formulate the statutory instruments.”
And Mr Mwale said illicit alcohol in the sector could not remain unchecked and measures would be put in place to ensure that responsible sale of alcohol is placed not only on the producers but also the retailers.
He said penalties would also be placed on the last person in the value chain as it was the responsibility of the retailer to identify the supplier of alcoholic beverages.
“A number of times many of the manufacturers of alcoholic beverages have gone undetected,” he noted.
Mr Mwale commended stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring sanity in the alcohol industry and responsible drinking.
He said it was saddening that despite the rules and regulations in place on alcohol trading some people were deliberately not complying with the law.
“It is disheartening how people decide to disregard the law and allow under 18s to buy or drink beer and close trading places long after the specific operating time, “he said.
However, he was pleased with relevant authorities bringing to book traders that were found wanting and not complying with the law.
Mr Mwale called on parents to closely monitor the children’s activities and help raise good and responsible citizens.
He said recent reports of school going youths having a beer party and engaging in illicit activities left much to be desired.
And Mr Moran said Zambian Breweries was concerned with the unregulated alcohol which was a danger to the health of the consumers.
He said such had double negative impact through wrong behaviours and loses of tax as many manufactures were not paying tax.
“Zambian Breweries wants to help consumers make smart drinking choices of alcohol especially that we are very much aware of the harm the alcohol abuse can have. We are also concerned about underage drinking. We are committed to fight under age beer consumption and next week we will be launching an 18+ campaign,” he said.
The 18+ ambassadors will be going around schools to sensitize pupils on the dangers of alcohol consumption and abuse.
He said stakeholders had the responsibility to help consumers make the better choices and be aware of the harm any type of alcohol they chose to drink can have.
Mr Moran expressed happiness with the government’s stance on curbing alcohol abuse
Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) Chief Executive Officer Chipego Zulu said it will soon make membership to the organisation mandatory for all alcohol manufacturers.
Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) representative Peggy Chituta also said the organisation was working to ensure that the alcohol on the market meets the quality required, it was properly labelled and had caution message on the adverse effects
She said there was need to improve the aspect of transportation and hygiene in the bulk transportation and sale of opaque beer
Ms Chituta said ZABS was working with ZRA and monitoring the alcohol coming in the country.
She disclosed that the organisation was undergoing change which will see the inspection section to be a separate entity.
Among stakeholder’s present included the Ministry of Health, Lusaka City Council, Lusaka Province Liquor Association, National Aids Council and alcohol producers.