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Zambia Police Spokesperson Esther Mwata KatongoEsther Katongo says 310 Road Traffic Accidents were recorded throughout the country during the just ended four days holiday.
Ms Katongo said there is an increase in number of accidents recorded this year compared to 282 calamities last year.
She however said the number of people that died this year was 26 compared to 2016 where 47 people died which indicates a decrease of 21.
Ms. Katongo further said fifty six people sustained serious injuries in 2017 while 2016 had 75 recorded showing a decrease of 19.
She added that those who sustained slight injuries in this year were 82 as compared to 85 people last year.
Ms. Katongo stated that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of accidents followed by Copperbelt and Central Province respectively while Western Province recorded the least number of accidents.
She said the general picture indicates that there has been a decrease in the number of casualties which she attributed to regulatory measures by Government such as Statutory Instrument No. 76 of the Laws of Zambia which restricts movement of Public Service Motor vehicles in the night.
Ms. Katongo said the decrease in casualties can also be attributed to the operations that were conducted throughout the country during the period by both Traffic Police Officers and officers from Road Transport and Safety Agency (RATSA).
President Lungu has constituted a committee of ministers to be headed by Vice President Inonge Wina that will soon come up with ways of helping traders who were affected by fire that gutted City Market on Tuesday.
The President said that the committee will also look at the reconstruction of the gutted market. The president also appealed to well-wishers and the business community to come the aid of the affected marketeers.
And AS hundreds of distraught traders began picking through the charred rubble of the part of Lusaka’s City Market wasted by Tuesday morning’s fire, it was revealed a total of 1,379 stalls were destroyed.
City Market acting manager Andrew Banda said the affected section was made up of 1,905 stalls. Sources told the Times that as the stalls tended to be shared with illegal sub-tenants, the affected number of traders was probably two or three times more than the number of the shops.
The inferno, one of the biggest fire incidents seen in the capital in recent years, has led to the closure of the market, Zambia’s largest with well over 6,000 registered traders.
Yesterday, as they contemplated the damage wrought by a fire whose origins the police are still trying to determine, many of the traders, having lost huge stocks of merchandise, equipment and shop furniture, were urging the authorities to reopen the market so they could try and get back to business with the little resources they still had or could muster.
Christine Bwalya, a shoe trader, said 50 bales of second-hand shoes valued at K67, 500 were burnt and she had obtained a K70,000 loan from AB Bank, which she was paying back in K7, 100 monthly installments. She employs a team of 10 workers.
Fighting back tears, Ms Bwalya said in an interview yesterday the loss of her merchandise had left her in a hopeless state; despairing about her loan and her own survival.
“My appeal to the Government is, please come to our aid and even if it means allowing us to trade from the corridors of City Market while they are repairing the facility, that form of help is welcome,” she said.
Another second-hand shoes trader, Dorothy Kafula, appealed for capital to re-launch her business, having managed to save only five bales of shoes from the 20 she had bought at K1, 100 apiece.
Like Ms Bwalya, she too had obtained a K40,000 loan from AB Bank which she was expected to pay back in K3,500 monthly installments. Without some sort of bail-out, she is ruined.
Matilda Banda, who runs a stationery business with her sisters, said besides the equipment and other related products that were destroyed in the blaze, K9,000 cash was burnt. Like the two shoe traders, she and her sisters have been left with nothing.
Closing the market for the duration of the repair works would be of no help to them and she warns many of the affected young people may be tempted into anti-social conduct for solace and means to raise capital.
Ireen Mutale, who had a takeaway stall and another dealing in tailoring, said she only managed to retrieve fridges from the market while the rest of her merchandise were either looted or burnt and was totally against the prolonged closure of City Market.
Earlier in the morning, Lusaka Central Member of Parliament Margaret Mwanakatwe visited City Market and assured the affected traders that the Government would ensure that it assisted them in whatever way possible.
Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit national coordinator Patrick Kangwa later in the day told the traders that the Government had started taking stock of all those that had stalls at City Market with a view to assisting them.
Mr Kangwa said the traders whose shops were burnt – and those from the unaffected part, but whose property was looted in the chaos occasioned by the fire – and had obtained police reports should go to Nakatindi Hall at the Civic Centre to register their particulars.
He stirred hurrumphs of disapproval from the horde of traders when he announced that the market would be reopened only after engineers had concluded their assessment and certified it fit for occupation.
Zambia National Marketeers Credit Association president Mupila Kameya described the burning of markets as retrogressive and asked that such facilities be provided with 24 hours security surveillance, including Closed-Circuit Television.
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema at at Chimbokaila prison
Fellow countrymen and women,
This is to let you know that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has discontinued through a nolle prosequi the matter of contempt of court that involved us and State House Press Aide, Amos Chanda and Daily Nation Newspaper owner, Richard Sakala. The two have since been discharged.
We remain in jail at Chimbokaila prison awaiting other matters.
While the struggle is real in our country, we want to assure you of our full support where democracy and good governance is concerned.
Zambia is our only country, therefore we must guard it jealously while practicing democracy which is based on the rule of law.
God, Almighty knows why today, we are here, but believe us, it is for a purpose and soon and very soon, our Almighty creator, God, will reveal why we as individuals, and as a country we are undergoing such tribulations.
Yes, our country maybe facing many challenges, but count on us, we will unite and develop it, we will not spend time persecuting those opposed to us because that is democracy. People with dissenting voices must be accommodated.
Your prayers are keeping us strong amidst life threatening circumstances, keep praying for us, for good health is what we long for in order for us to come and deliver our promises based on our vision of a better Zambia for all.
Zambian High Commissioner in Pretoria Emmanuel Mwamba. with South Africa’s Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane during their meeting
The Zambian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa has accepted to meet leaders from the National Union of Metal workers of South Africa (NUMSA).
The Union has requested the High Commissioner to grant it audience to present it’s memorandum of demands regarding the alleged deterioration of human rights in Zambia.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa His Excellency Mr Emmanuel Mwamba says he had accepted to meet the Union leaders following the Union’s formal request to meet him.
The Union has also made a formal application to the Police notifying that they planned to conduct a picket and present a memorandum of demands at the Zambian Mission in Pretoria.
Mr. Mwamba said the Mission would use the opportunity to engage with the Union leadership to understand their concerns and brief them about the happenings in Zambia in an informed manner.
In a letter to the mission signed by Christine Olivia, the Union has stated that they would stage a picket and present it’s memorandum of demands on Zambia on the 11th of July, 2017 at the Zambian Mission in Pretoria.
Mr Mwamba however, noted that NUMSA’s claims of deteriorating democracy in Zambia were not true as Zambia still remains a beacon of democracy in Africa.
He affirmed that Zambia was a growing democratic state with a good practice of entrenched democratic values and tenets
Mr Mwamba said the mission was ready to meet NUMSA officials in order to set the record straight as recent happenings in Zambia were a matter of rule of law
He noted that Zambia and South Africa together with their people enjoyed warm and cordial relationship that would not be disturbed by any matter including the forthcoming picketing.
He further said that the decision by the mission in Pretoria to accept to receive the memorandum of demands from NUMSA was not to accept it’s perceived claims on Zambia but a demonstration of respect for democracy and human rights.
This is according to a statement issued by First Secretary Press and Public Relations at the Zambia’s High Commission to South Africa Naomi Nyawali.
BLESSED ARE THE PEACE MAKERS – BUT WHO WILL BE THE PEACE MAKER FOR ZAMBIA?
[By Brig Gen Godfrey Miyanda – 5th July 2017]
FOUNDATION AND CONTEXT OF THE STATEMENT
The current wrangle regarding the search for unity and peace in our nation, Zambia, deserves further attention. I express my opinion as to how to extricate ourselves from the self-created quagmire! Creating unity and peace in the nation today is turning out to be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. There are so many interest groups and so many places to search but we are failing to agree as to where to start the search from. Everyone who is searching believes they are on the right path and that the others are going the wrong way. For starters I have elected to address the group identified as “Believers” or more accurately “Followers of Jesus Christ”. I have targeted Christians because of the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation. This group covers churches of various denominations spread across the country and hence is strategically placed in the superstructure comprising this young nation.
I have thus uncharacteristically called on the bible to my aid to assist me to reach out to all Believers to speak out against misleading statements in the public domain. Uncharacteristic because I try to avoid ‘using the Lord’s name in vain’ while avoiding ‘quarrelling’ with non-Christians. This is because in this statement I do not wish my message to be distracted by disagreements and/or arguments about whether God exists or not; I am addressing those who already accept things of God as I have sensed that many Christians have put aside, perhaps without realising it, the principles that they espouse as followers of Jesus Christ. I am not preaching because I am NOT a preacher; but as a concerned Christian I just want to borrow and paraphrase some teachings from the Holy Bible, and use them as tools to aid us in the search for reconciliation, unity and the resultant peace that will surely flow if we apply the needed biblical principles.
WHY FOCUS ON CHRISTIANS ONLY?
At this stage Christians are quarrelling yet they should NOT, especially on petty and even personal grounds, when the nation’s well-being is at stake. Quarrelling leads the issues at hand to become denominational disagreements and tend to blur the issues while threatening the very existence of our nation. So at a time such as this it is imperative for Christians to be reminded of their prophetic role and mandate. I am aware that the value standards set by our Christian leaders are not easy to keep or follow. But at least we must try hard, using the Bible as the guide, which I believe has answers to all our earthly problems and all that we aspire for in life, including leadership and other governance issues. No matter how well we know the scriptures let us always remember to APPLY the principles, and NOT JUST RECITE THEM parrot wise and yet using them as slogans for attracting votes!
THE STARTING POINT FOR THE SEARCH FOR THE PEACEMAKER
Jesus said ‘if you love me obey my commands’. Since we declared Zambia a Christian Nation, surely this is and must be the starting point in our efforts to reconcile and unify the disparate groupings in our nation. The three Church Mother Bodies that made a statement on their view of the State of the Nation have been condemned by some for not consulting. Biblically since when did a prophet consult, as we heard from Catholic Bishops Banda and Phiri, as well as Evangelical Bishop Peter Ndhlovu, Reverend Pukuta Mwanza and ICOZ Bishop Masupa? I am afraid that these shepherds have missed the point. Prophets of yore never went to consult Nebuchadnezzar; they just delivered their message and left him to his designs to be personally answerable for whatever!
The President of Zambia, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, himself a professed Christian, castigated the Church Mother Bodies for allegedly spreading confusing or what he called mixed messages; whether this is true or not is not the issue; he has spoken and his speech has had its own impact as he has been supported by some sections of our community and criticised by others. Who then will be the Peacemaker since the Church has been disqualified by the President?
For me the starting point is for all Christians or Believers to start seeking for answers from the Word of God, the Bible. Let all Believers revert to it and see how easy it will be to remove the spirit of confusion distracting our attention from key national issues but directing us to be making attention-seeking and vote-catching pronouncements.
RED HERRINGS – THE GAME OF DISTRACTION
I say that this is a time for dialogue instead of dodging serious national issues! We are being distracted by a carefully designed strategy: the powers that be have thrown in the pot two twin Red Herrings, namely RECOGNITION and AGENDA which have caused division, confusion and distraction among Believers. Some naïve Christians have accepted the misleading presentations that RECOGNITION and AGENDA are the cure all for the problems confronting the President. A lot of time has been spent debating, NOT dialogue, but RECOGNITION and AGENDA; this may be alright for politicians but certainly unproductive and retrogressive for Christians.
I have found no provision in the Republican Constitution that supports President Lungu’s insistence that he must be “recognised” by all Zambians. I challenge him, as a lawyer, to indicate which part of the Constitution or any other laws that he is relying on as a pre-condition for him to hold dialogue with fellow Zambians
The closest I can get to define a “Red Herring” is to paraphrase the warning in the Bible that “the Devil is not just a liar but is the Father of Lies”. He, she or it is the master of the Divide and Rule tactic. Dividing your perceived opponents makes sense so politicians and warriors use it a lot. When the Church says what does not sit well with those in power they are perceived as enemies of the regime and hence are treated as such. When a regime labels anyone or anything as an enemy they strive to crush such an enemy by unleashing their sycophants upon that enemy. Zambians may have forgotten that once the life of Catholic Bishop Lungu of Chipata Archdiocese was once threatened by the then Republican President for his homily! Today when the Republican President publicly labels the Church in a negative way he unwittingly or by design evokes vitriolic sentiments harboured by those close to him and they come out blazing in his defence. There is evidence of such statements over time since President Lungu started calling for reconciliation and unity. What he has said and how he has acted have almost always contradicted each other.
I have found no provision in the Republican Constitution that supports President Lungu’s insistence that he must be “recognised” by all Zambians. I challenge him, as a lawyer, to indicate which part of the Constitution or any other laws that he is relying on as a pre-condition for him to hold dialogue with fellow Zambians. The nearest guide to me on recognition in our government system is our electoral process: it allows citizens under the One Person One Vote system, to vote for the one they ‘recognise’ and hence vote against the one they do not ‘recognise’. In any event the President does not need to be recognised for him to govern. This stance is petty and a fallacy that discloses an inferiority complex which is also a distraction from real issues. Christians must pray against this spirit of deception and confusion.
Another fallacy is the President’s declaration that he cannot attend a meeting without an agenda. For goodness sake we all are as a family; one does not insist on an agenda when facing his parents, brothers, sisters and other family members. My conclusion is that the President may have a secret agenda which he does not want disturbed, and hence is looking for an excuse to avoid meeting fellow politicians who may raise issues he is afraid of hearing about. Remember Job (‘what I was afraid of overcame me’)!
WORDS: THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF DIALOGUE
President Lungu has in the past called for reconciliation and unity while at the same time declaring that there will be no dialogue UNLESS AND UNTIL he is recognised by UPND President Hakainde Hichilema as Republican President and/or an agenda is made known to him. These two pre-conditions mean that there will be neither reconciliation, unity nor peace in our country. That is to say he has said, without saying so, that as a Christian he does not want dialogue; so the nation must get ready for NO RECONCILIATION, UNITY OR PEACE – here is why from a biblical perspective!
‘To dialogue’ means to talk, to have a conversation with another human being because humans are the only specie that naturally uses words to communicate with each other. We are blessed with the ability to make sense from words and engage in dialogue to try to persuade others to see our point of view while at the same time being ready to listen to the other view. On this score our President has set a bad example by refusing to talk to other political leaders unless they recognise him and provide an agenda. The President is double wrong for refusing to dialogue. This makes his whole message of reconciliation, unity and peace hollow.
The Bible declares that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Of course Jesus is also the Word. I borrow the concept to show that without words little action can take place. There is power in dialogue because those who have grievances present them through dialogue (even the Deaf and Dumb use words to communicate, relying on symbols that create words); those who have authority to resolve issues resolve them via dialogue. In fact the most important mandate of Christians, the Great Commission, cannot be fulfilled without dialogue! One cannot evangelise without talking. Even to refuse to meet someone you have to pronounce some words. So why are some Christians afraid of dialogue? The Book of Amos says “How can two walk together unless they are agreed?” I take this as a command and not a question. So I add my own ‘enhancement’ of this powerful guidance to assist President Lungu, and I say“How can two agree unless they dialogue – surely they must talk in order to agree!”
Discerning Believers must not fall prey to political tactics of ‘Divide and Rule’. While I support calls for unity, peace and reconciliation in Zambia I do not agree that such a meeting must be based on pre-conditions set by any of the participants. I disagree with our President that a family meeting is always premised on a pre-set agenda. He met the Catholic Pro Nuncio after refusing to meet Zambians. I suggest that first there be an informal meeting with political party leaders in private and organised and funded by the Government, NOT ZCID or any other non-government institutions. It could be limited to party leaders with, say, two or three other persons for each party but lasting for about half a day (say three to four hours, including a social interaction after the meeting). When the President makes his frequent visits to chiefs I know that there is no formal agenda; they camouflage it as a “courtesy call”. Agenda or no agenda the dialogue should take place.
In conclusion I say that the statement by the Three Church Mother Bodies was timely and I support it with a minor reservation. It should be treated as an early Warning Message. I say to all Christians who have access to President Lungu to pray with him and persuade him to agree to meet his fellow Zambian leaders of political parties as a matter of urgency, without pre-conditions.
GODFREY MIYANDA, BRIGADIER GENERAL, A CONCERNED CITIZEN [5TH JULY 2017]
ZAMBIA’S charge d’affaires in Sweden Anthony Mukwita says Zambia stands to be among the first southern African countries that will access efficient and cheap internet that will spur economic growth, reduce poverty and create jobs if the Swedish technology is embraced.
Mr Mukwita said in a statement yesterday that the current cost of mobile internet of about K2,000 per month for an estimated 30GB would be slashed to as low as K9 per month or US$1 for ordinary end-users if Swedish technology comes in.
“The Swedish company that makes the technology which drastically brings down the cost of mobile internet is called Radio Innovation Sweden. It is rolling out similar technology in neighbouring Botswana and I understand the technology has been received well,” he said.
Mr Mukwita said the internet company has already taken the first official step to meet Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba to discuss the technical details of the matter in Lusaka soon.
He said Radio Innovation Sweden, if allowed to operate in Zambia, would provide affordable internet everywhere for almost everyone with a mobile phone in Zambia cheaply and efficiently.
Mr Mukwita said the services will also improve coverage of mobile internet services by 10 to 15 times larger in terms of area covered, and also enhance the capacity of internet mobile service 30 times better than it is now.
“The beneficiaries would be ordinary Zambians that every day struggle to stay online as the world goes tech and digital, including farmers, schools in rural areas, and rural health centres,” he said.
Zambia Correction Service Commissioner General Percy ChatoTHE Zambia Correctional Service (ZCS) is determined to improve lives of prisoners while incarcerated and when integrated into society, commissioner-general Percy Chato has said.
And Mr Chato said the service, which is currently transforming from offering punitive to correctional services, has dedicated July 15, 2017 as a day of national prayers and action for prisoners.
Mr Chato said as the service works on transforming from offering punitive services, it is also working on repealing and amending the Prisons Act, of which a draft has already been done.
“We will ensure inmates engage in meaningful work and are well-trained with skills they can apply once they reintegrate into society. When one is incarcerated with hard labour, the inmate will undergo training so that at the end of their service, they are awarded with a certificate in a particular skill,” Mr Chato said.
Mr Chato said the national day of prayers and action for prisoners, which will be commemorated together with the 2017 Correctional Day, is part of the measures put in place as the service to transform from offering punitive services to correctional ones.
“We hope the community will be a key stakeholder in this change by Zambia Correctional Service. During a meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, the Correctional Day was amicably changed to July 18 from September 26 so that it coincides with the Mandela Day,” he said.
Commissioner for corrections and extension services Tobias Mwanza said during a media breakfast yesterday that the institution is working with the three church mother bodies and other faith-based organisations to pray for prisoners in the country.
“This event is cardinal to us [Zambia Correctional Service] because it is our brainchild that aims to stimulate the church and community action to realise the full participation of the Church on prisoners,” Mr Mwanza said.
THE Lusaka City Council will lose more than K1.2 million monthly in uncollected levies if the gutted Lusaka City Market remains closed.
Lusaka City Market acting manager Andrew Banda, in an interview yesterday, said the local authority collects about K40,000 per day in levies from shops, stalls, car parks and ablutions.
“The longer this market remains closed, the more money the council will lose in uncollected levies. Even other services which are directly linked to the money collected from the market will also suffer,” he said.
Mr Banda also said the market has not been insured since 2012 but that the council had been in the process of doing so.
And Government has started the process of helping affected traders with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) taking stock of the number of the victims so that it can determine how they can be helped.
DMMU national co-ordinator Patrick Kangwa has assured the affected traders that Government is doing everything possible to ensure they resume their businesses.
Mr Kangwa said a team of officers from DMMU has been dispatched to the market to assess and determine the extent of damage.
He said DMMU will wait for Government to give a green light on when the market will be opened.
This will be determined by work being done by police forensic experts at the scene.
The affected traders were yesterday asked to go to the civic centre to submit their particulars and details of property they have lost in the fire.
And police are quantifying the total value of property damaged in the fire through a team of forensic investigators.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in a statement yesterday that 1,901 stalls which got burnt were on the southern part of the market.
Ms Katongo said traders are not being allowed to enter the gutted market to pave way for investigations.
“Some stalls were subdivided by the owners, meaning that there are more people affected than the number of stalls,” she said.
Meanwhile, THE Association of Vendors and Marketeers (AVMA) says no amount of intimidation or acts of sabotage on market infrastructure will deter it from supporting the government of the day.
And the National Marketeers Association of Zambia (NATMAZ) has condemned the burning of Lusaka City Market.
AVMA president Able Chikwa said in an interview yesterday that those who are burning markets are targeting traders because they work with the government of the day.
Mr Chikwa said marketeers will not rise against government because of acts of sabotage on markets but will continue to support it because of its pro-poor policies.
“The people who are burning these markets want us to rise against the government, but we are not going to do so,” he said.
President Edgar Lung has not declared a state of emergency but made a proclamation of a situation that may Lead to a State of Public Emergency.
This is according to a statement released by his special assistant for press and publuc relations Amos Chanda.
According to the statement the President Lungu yesterday signed Statutory Instrument Number 53 of 2017 prescribing a situation, if left unchecked may lead to a state of public emergency.
The Statement went on to say that the current situation is simply that the President has given police more powers to stop and search and or detain suspects longer than usual and may search people without a warrant.
Under a threatened state of emergency (Article 31 of the constitution) the powers invoked are those under the Preservation of Public Security Act whilst under a State of Emergency (Article 30), the powers invoked are under the Emergency Powers Act.
Last night President Lungu, in the state of the nation address, said that he will ensure that law abiding citizens will not be affected by the proclamation of article 31, ‘Declaration Relating to Threatened Emergency.’
President Lungu said law abiding citizens should continue to go about their business normally and should have no fear.
“Law abiding citizens will not be impacted by this decision in anyway and should therefore continue to go about their daily routines normally,” President Lungu said.
“I will ensure that measures to be undertaken under this proclamation will not inconvenience any law-abiding citizen.”
He emphasised that the proclamation was actually meant to offer comfort and security to the Zambian people.
“Therefore, this proclamation should not instil fear among our people but instead provide them with a sense of comfort and security,” the head of state said who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces.
“I appeal to all citizens and the business community to cooperate with government as these measures which will be put into place under the proclamation take effect.”
He noted that government will continue to evaluate issues surrounding national security on a regular basis and the nation and would be kept informed.
Zambia are through to the 2017 COSAFA Cup final after rallying to thump tough Tanzania 4-2 at Moruleng Stadium in South Africa on Wednesday evening.
Wedson Nyirenda’s side recovered from a goal down as Zambia booked their ninth COSAFA Cup final spot.
Nkwazi striker Justin Shonga scored a brace with goals in the 56 and 68th minutes with Jackson Chirwa and his Green Buffaloes team mate Brian Mwila scoring the other goals.
The Taifa Stars led after 16 minutes with Erasto Nyoni punishing Zambia with an early goal in the first semifinal tie.
Later in the 84th minute, Tanzania reduced the deficit to 4-2 through Simon Msuva as the guest team from East Africa showed the spirit of not giving up easily.
Zambia will now face the winners of the late kickoff second semifinal between Zimbabwe and Lesotho in Sunday’s final.
Zambia are seeking a record fifth COSAFA Cup title.
President Edgar Lungu reads the Constitution of Zambia while Chairing a Special cabinet Meeting at State house in Lusaka.
Article 31 [Declaration Relating to Threatened Emergency]
(1) The President may at any time by the Proclamation published in the Gazette declare that a situation exists which, if it is allowed to continue may lead to a state of public emergency.
(2) A declaration made under clause (1) of this Article shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of seven days commencing with the day on which the declaration is made unless, before the expiration of such period, it has been approved by a resolution of the National Assembly supported by a majority of all the members thereof not counting the Speaker.
(3) In reckoning any period of seven days for the purpose of clause (2) no account shall be taken of any time during which Parliament is dissolved.
(4) A declaration made under clause (1), may, at any time before it has been approved by a resolution of the National Assembly, be revoked by the President by Proclamation published in the Gazette.
(5) Subject to clause (6) a resolution of the National Assembly under clause (2) shall continue in force until the expiration of a period of three months commencing with the date of its being approved or until revoked on an earlier date of its being so approved or until such earlier date as may be specified in the resolution.
(6) The National Assembly may by resolution, at any time revoke a resolution made by it under this Article.
(7) Whenever an election to the office of President results in a change in the holder of that office, any declaration made underthis Article and in force immediately before the day on which the President assumes office, shall cease to have effect on the expiration of seven days commencing with that day.
(8) The expiration or revocation of any declaration or resolution made under this Article shall not affect the validity of anything previously done in reliance on such declaration.
As a country, we have enjoyed peace and tranquillity since independence in 1964. Through this peace, we, as a people have been able to build this country to be in a position to provide education, health and other socio-economic amenities in order to ensure that each and every citizen is able to live a life as foreseen by our forefathers.
In the last fifty-three (53) years since our independence, Zambia has remained a beacon of peace at regional, continental and international levels. This peace we have enjoyed has not come by accident but through our collective responsibility as a people expressed in our motto of “one Zambia, One Nation”.
This is emphasised in our national values and principles highlighted in our constitution namely; morality and ethics; patriotism and national unity; democracy and constitutionalism; human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and non-discrimination; good governance and integrity; and sustainable development. We acknowledge the supremacy of god almighty and have declared the republic a christian nation while upholding a person’s right to freedom of conscience, belief or religion.
These values and principles have helped us remain a unitary, multi-party and democratic sovereign state.
Country Men and women,
It is saddening that the peace and tranquillity we have cherished this long is slowly being eroded because of a few unpatriotic citizens who have decided to involve themselves in criminal activities thereby endangering the lives and properties of many citizens. The means to secure their livelihood, which in most cases comes with a lot of sacrifices is slowly being compromised in the recent past. In the past few months, the country has experienced unexplained fire out breaks and vandalism of strategic installations bordering on economic sabotage.
Country Men and women,
You will recall that in august, 2016, tambalala market in bauleni in Lusaka was gutted. This was followed by the gutting of the mongu local court in early 2017. In april, 2017, luburma market was set ablaze. In the same month, a person was apprehended for attempting to set ablaze the intercity bus terminus in Lusaka.
In a related event, four (4) youths were arrested outside the Lusaka central correctional facility with substances capable of causing a fire.
On may 1, 2017, Kafue district education board offices were gutted and two (2) containers of petrol were found at the scene. On 1st june, 2017, 10, 000 households were affected in Ndola following the destruction of the zesco electricity pylons.
This was followed by a similar act where citizens and industries serviced by the Kafue west – Lusaka west line were affected by the destruction of the zesco pylons. Just yesterday, Lusaka city market, the country’s largest market was gutted and property worth millions of Kwacha was destroyed. Simultaneously, a fire erupted at Lusaka’s misisi township market whose target it would seem, was to damage the zesco pylons.
Fellow Country Men and Women,
You will appreciate that the recent gutting of markets will have untold misery on the poor traders and their families whose livelihoods is largely dependant on the existence of the market. This therefore calls for government to formulate intervening measures to alleviate their suffering. I wish to announce that a committee of ministers has been formed to be chaired by the vice-president which in due course will provide details on the form and nature of assistance that will be provided to those affected.
Apart from the Lusaka city market, I have also requested the committee to superintend over the rebuilding of the markets that have been affected in a similar nature.
I, therefore, call upon the business community, all well-meaning zambians and residents to support this initiative in whatever form practical. In order to ensure transparency and accountability, all forms of support financial, material or otherwise will be coordinated through the vice-president’s office of which details will be published shortly.
Fellow Country Men and Women,
These events are not mere acts of spontaneous criminality but premeditated acts which if left unchecked could have serious socio-economic consequences capable of drawing the country backwards. As government, you the people have given us the mandate to preside over the affairs of this nation.
Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that each and every person in this country enjoys the freedom and protection as enshrined in our constitution.
Following these sad events, my government has decided to invoke article 31 of the republican constitution which guides how a nation should deal with an existing situation which, if allowed to continue may lead to a state of public emergency.
There is no doubt in my mind that the intentions of the perpetrators of these irresponsible actions is to make the country ungovernable. As president of this nation, it is my responsibility to respond accordingly to forestall this planned chaos and I will therefore not tolerate this lawlessness.
As government, we have repeatedly advised our nationals to desist from any irresponsible behaviour and criminality but it would appear that this has fallen on deaf ears. Therefore, practical measures as outlined tonight have had to be invoked.
Fellow Country Men and Women,
By the powers vested in me by the constitution of Zambia, I have issued a statutory instrument proclaiming that a situation exists which, if allowed to continue may lead to a state of public emergency. This will be tabled in the national assembly in line with article 31(2) for approval. It is my sincere hope that the members of parliament will rise to the occasion.
This is not an easy decision to make, but in order to preserve peace, tranquillity, safety of our citizens and national security, we had no choice but to take this decision given the events that have occurred in the recent past. The primary responsibility of government is to protect life and property in our nation.
I wish to emphasise that all law abiding citizens will not be impacted by this decision and should continue to go about their daily routines normally.
I will ensure that the measures to be taken under this proclaimation will not inconvenience law abiding citizens. Therefore, this proclaimation should not instil fear among our citizens but instead provide a sense of comfort and security.
In conclusion, I appeal to all citizens and the business community to cooperate with government as this proclaimation takes effect.
We will continue to evaluate issues surrounding national security on a regular basis.
Press Statement- “On the Inferno of Lusaka City Market’’-For Immediate Release-7th July 2017
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has regretted the incident of fire that gutted City Market in Lusaka in the early hours of Tuesday, 4th July 2017.
The organization has noted that the loss of property by the traders is a very sad development and insurmountable especially that most of them are bread winners who look after families and school going children and have invested millions of kwachas over the years. FODEP would like to lend its solidarity and stand together with the victims of this disastrous inferno.
However, FODEP wishes to advise Government to refrain from contemplating any measures that would culminate into curtailing human rights of citizens by invoking a state of emergency as proposed by President Edgar C. Lungu. FODEP strongly believe that such measures are premature and may simply precipitate unnecessary tension in the country. FODEP urges Government to tighten security especially during the night. FODEP further wishes to advise Government not rush into making presumptuous decisions but allow thorough investigations to be conducted by relevant security wings to establish the cause of the fires. FODEP further wishes to remind Government that a state of emergency would be detrimental to President Lungu’s global crusade of attracting foreign direct investment to Zambia.
In conclusion, FODEP would like to appeal to members of the public and the Zambians at large to remain resolute and demonstrate the spirit of unity despite such disasters and discourage finger pointing until investigations are completed.
