Local Government Minister Gary Nkombo expressed deep concern over the misconduct of certain individuals who are exploiting the government’s name to extort money from traders and bus drivers. He stressed that the government’s directive prohibiting political cadres in bus stations and markets has been clearly communicated, and strict compliance is expected.

The Minister went further to issue a stern warning that individuals found guilty of such behavior would face legal prosecution. His remarks came during an engagement with bus drivers at the Kulima Tower bus station in Lusaka, where they gathered to commemorate two years of cadres’ absence from bus stations.

The directive to keep political cadres away from bus stations and markets is a significant step aimed at promoting orderliness and ensuring that trading and transportation activities are conducted without undue interference. Mr. Nkombo reiterated that this directive should not be used as an opportunity for extortion or any illegal activities.

The presence of political cadres in these areas had previously been a source of concern, leading to disruptions and conflicts that adversely affected traders, commuters, and the general public. The government’s commitment to maintaining a safe and conducive environment for trade and transport is underpinned by these measures.

During his last media briefing to obviously assuage people’s concerns regarding the gold scandal at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, President Hichilema hinted that his government has since constituted an inter-ministerial team to intervene into the mealie meal crisis. If we may recall, at the height of the load shedding that rocked the nation earlier into the New Dawn Administration, Hichilema personally travel to Maamba Collieries and Kariba Dam to appreciate the magnitude of the problem. Within a flicker of an eye, a solution was found and boom – load shedding was a thing of the past!

The other ministries which have equally come under microscopic scrutiny are Information and Media, and of course, Mines and Minerals Development. These ministers should be giving thanks and praises to Almight God because the president is a kind and patient man. While the madam at Information does not seem to understand her role as Information Minister and Chief Government spokesperson, the man in charge of mines has been a let down! On one hand, he has failed to sort out the mess the Patriotic Front left behind at KCM and Mopani; while he remains completely at sea regarding Kasenseli Gold in Mwinilunga and Sugilite in Luapula province.
What do we make of all this?

Hakainde Hichilema is like a top-notch world class coach who has a brilliant game plan to lead his team to victory but some of his players keep fumbling……failing to score clear goals! A cabinet reshuffle is inevitable at this juncture Mr. President. Anyway, in our next write-up, we shall labour to review the performance of all our cabinet ministers and award scores accordingly. For now, we shall restrict ourselves to interrogating why certain players in this government can’t just score no matter how much we flog or bullock them! The same applies to Members of Parliament and Councillors across the wider political spectrum.

According to Wikipedia, public service can be defined as any service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. But lo and behold, most of our leaders aren’t really in politics to serve, but rather to eat and eat big time while the majority of our people continue wallowing in poverty. Why are we alleging all this?

If you bothered to scrutinise the resumes of our leaders; including those aspiring to serve at different levers of leadership, you’ll discover that most of them have no history of community service. How honestly do you expect individuals without any traceable track record of extending a helping hand to those in need or indeed doing community work put in their best to meet the aspirations of our people?

Our politicians can perhaps learn a lot from Barrack Obama, arguably one of the best US presidents in modern history.

After graduating from Columbia University, punctuated with a brief working stint in New York of course; in 1985, Obama commenced work as a community organiser working in the demoralised landscape of poor neighbourhoods in Chicago’s South Side. Obama’s three-year stretch as a grass-roots organiser would feature prominently in his own narrative of his life.

“The best education I ever had, better than anything I got at Harvard Law School was working as a community organiser,” Obama would confess while on a campaign trail in Iowa.

Speaking of his political exploits, Gregory Galluzzo, a community organizer who worked with Obama would tell the press, “His identification with these people begins his political journey.”

As he succinctly put it himself, Obama received the best education of easily connecting with the people and understanding their basic needs not within the confines of the 4 walls of a class room, but by working in communities where squalor and poverty thrived like flowers during their bloom. This is what set him apart from typical politicians in Washington whose main interest is only the pay cheque like most of our politicians.

So, next time politicians come your way pleading for your votes; don’t hesitate to take them to task and ask them to give you an account of their history of community work. They may be the next fox in sheep’s skin hiding in politics to simply generate wealth for themselves and their families.

PrinceBill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst

Chishimba Kambwili has condemned the frequent summoning and detention of Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe by the police.

Dr. M’membe on Tuesday appeared before Police at Ibex Police Station in Lusaka in connection with a case that allegedly occurred during a by-election in Serenje last April.

There was heavy police presence at Ibex Police Station as Dr. M’membe appeared before the Police for questioning.

Dr. Kambwili, who went to give solidarity to Dr. M’membe, said the Government is orchestrating the arrests of opposition leaders to divert citizen’s attention from key issues affecting the nation such as the high cost of living.

The former Minister of Information and Roan Member of Parliament charged that President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND Government should focus on reducing the cost of mealie meal instead of harassing political rivals.

“When you detain one opposition leader then you have detained all of us. Particularly I want to repeat when you are doing it on flimsy ground. This government has now started misbehaving and I want to say that arrogance is the beginning of the fall of leaders, “Dr. Kambwili said.

“The Church has spoken against these arrests, OSIDA went to State House and spoke about these arrests, the American ambassador spoke to this but the man in State House doesn’t want to stop. He thinks he is the Alpha and the Omega of this country but ndemybe abaice mu Lusaka beba ati wina azalila,” he said.

Zambia’s former ambassador to Ethiopia and PF Presidential aspirant Emmanuel Mwamba urged the Government to address economic problems facing the nation such as the high cost of living.

Patriotic Front (PF) Chairperson for Industries Frank Ng’ambi has said the prevailing high cost of living will force the people of Zambia to vote out the UPND Government in 2026.

Mr. Ng’ambi, the immediate past Chifubu Member of Parliament, said hunger will unite the people and compel them to change Government in 2026.

Commenting on the UPND’s first two years in office, the former lawmaker described the first two years of the UPND regime in office as failure.

He said the people changed Government in 2021 with the hope that the New Dawn Government would improve their welfare.

The cost of living for a family of five as measured by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) for the month of July 2023 in Lusaka, stood at K9, 301.18 in comparison to the recorded figure of K9, 239.45 in June 2023, signifying an increase of K61.73.

The average cost of living across all towns monitored stood at K6, 752.91, reflecting an increase of K236.64 in comparison to June 2023.

“People change governments to better their living standards. Any government that fails to improve the living standards of its people is a failed Government and the people would want that Government replaced. Fundamentally as a member of the community I want to support something that will improve my quality of life. As long as growth and prosperity does not fall within the benchmark of any government for me it means it is a failed Government,” Mr. Ng’ambi said.

“Let’s look at the survival of our majority Zambians, the first thing that we want to look at is pa mala (stomach). We left the bag of mealie meal at K120; it is now over K300, cooking oil, fuel, bus fares and so on. All these have had their prices increased to the extent of some of them being doubled. Yes, the prices of goods and services have gone up, do we have a corresponding salary structure that has responded to the increased cost of goods and services. The answer is no. Do we have a business environment that has provided growth for small and medium scale businesses? The answer is no. So when these fundamentals are not addressed, no matter what English you are going to use, no matter what grammar you are going to use, people’s homes will speak to them,” he said.

Mr. Ng’ambi cautioned UPND praise singers against misleading the Government with praises

“I am a very happy leader that this UPND Government will be booted out of office in 2026. Why do I say that? I know that hunger will unite the people of Zambia to vote out the UPND. For me the two years of UPND in government is a failure, this is a failed Government and urging the Zambian people especially those praise singers to stop praising this government because we go to the same shops, we board the same buses. My description of UPND under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema is that it is a failed leadership,” he said.

The United Party for National Development (UPND) in Kalomo District has welcomed the resignation of Katanda ward councilor, Maxley Kasusuli of Dundumwezi constituency and has since set its campaign strategy to  re- contest the seat.

District party chairperson, Mweemba Mwavwa says the party is ready for the forthcoming by-elections slated for October 12, 2023.

He, however, notes that the resignation of the former councilor was typical personal as he is still a committed member of the ruling party.

And district party secretary, Vincent Siambango confirmed the resignation of Mr. Kasusuli as Katanda ward councilor.

Mr. Kasusuli resigned as Katanda ward councilor on June 18, 2023  citing reasons beyond his control to continue as a civic leader for the area.

“I wish to inform you that with effect from the date of this letter, I have resigned as ward councilor for Katanda ward in Dundumwezi constituency of Kalomo district due to circumstances beyond my control. I however, vow to continue supporting my UPND party which sponsored my candidature as a councilor for Katanda ward in the 2021 general elections,” read part of Mr. Kasusuli’s resignation letter addressed to Kalomo council secretary, Lisa Mpasela dated June, 18, 2023.

But when asked for a comment over his resignation, Mr. Kasusuli says he does not want to implicate anyone for his decision but says he lacked protection from the constituency, district, and ward level for the circumstances he did not  mention.

“I just want to serve the party as an ordinary member and I thank the party and my electorate for having given me time to serve them from the August 2021 elections. I will continue to be a party member and I wish well to the one who will take over from me,” Mr. Kasusuli says.

But in a dramatic turn of events, on August 5, 2023 Mr. Kasusuli rescinded his resignation decision after wider consultations with party structures and his family.

However, the electoral commission of Zambia (ECZ) has already set October 12, 2023 as the date for the Katanda ward by elections with the campaign period to start on September 8 to October 11 while the nomination day shall be on September 7, 2023.

The district has 20 wards all dominated by UPND civic leaders with Kalomo central constituency having 12 and Dundumwezi with Eight.