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Kaoma district Patriotic Front Youth Chairperson, Alick Kalimbwe has appealed to Kaoma district hospital management to expedite the process of eradicating rodents that are terrorizing and mutilating body parts of dead people in the hospital mortuary.
In an interview with ZANIS yesterday, Kalimbwe said the situation where rodents are mutilating body parts of dead people is causing relatives of the dead to suspect a foul play.
He said government has employed enough hospital staff to manage the operations at the institution but the situation where they are failing to control rats in the mortuary is raising suspicions among the people and concerned residents in the entire district.
Mr Kalimbwe said PF members in Kaoma have realized that some civil servants especially at the district hospital are still in the mood of politicking than doing their job that government employed them to do.
He said the party will not tolerate to see any civil servant in all government institutions sabotaging and bringing the name of the party into disrepute as the district is full of opposition UPND party members.
Mr Kalimbwe said that the time for politics is over and that civil servants should implement government policies to the general public for people to fully benefit from government resources.
He has appealed to all Heads of Government departments in the district to ensure that their subordinates do their duties fully adding that those who want to engage in partisan politics should leave the civil service.
About four dead bodies have been found with eye lids and private parts missing in Kaoma district mortuary causing anger and anxiety among the affected families members with the latest incidence of Sioma district Commissioner Morris Litula’s deceased brother In-Law Simata Mushiba 50, was also found with eye lids eaten yesterday.
Kaoma district Administrative Officer, Siachibuye Mwanangombe has requested police officers in the district to expedite the investigation on the missing of body parts of deceased people in Kaoma district hospital mortuary.
Mr Mwanangombe said government is saddened with the current situation at the health institution and that it shares the sorrow and pain being experienced by relatives due to the missing of body parts of dead people in the mortuary.
He said stringent measures are seriously being taken to address the situation so the rodents that have invaded the institution are wiped out.
Mr Mwanangombe has appealed to the general public in the district to remain calm as the situation is being investigated adding that no one should take the law into their own hands.
More than ten Grade Twelve pupils at Luampa secondary school in Western province have been suspended for in possession of leaked Biology examination papers on Wednesday.
In an interview, Luampa District Education Board Secretary, Kalimbwe Chingumbe said the suspended pupils were found with leaked examination materials.
Mr Chingumbe said that the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) regulations states that any pupils found with examination leaked materials will be allowed to sit for any examinations until after two years.
The DEBS who could not comment further said he will write a full report after the examinations are over on 21st November, 2016 adding that any disclosure may disturb the writing process of pupils at the institution and referred all quarries to Western Province Education Officer Ms Loveness Mubisi who also referred all queries to Education spokesperson Hillary Chipango.
And Ministry of Education spokesperson, Hillary Chipango confirmed having received the report of the expelled pupils from Luampa secondary school in Western province.
Mr Chipango said ECZ ACT states that any student found with pre-marked leaked examination papers should be expelled from the rest of the preceding examination papers.
He said that the responsibility remains with the police officers in the district to take actions and arrest the culprits as the act is criminal according to laid down procedures.
Meawhile, Luampa District Basic Education Teachers’ Union (BETUZ) Senior Trustee, Peggy Zulu said the situation is unfortunate as all the pupils were being sensitized before seating for their final Grade Twelve examinations.
Ms Zulu said that security wings in the district should thoroughly investigate the matter in order to establish where the leaked examination papers were coming from so that culprits are brought to book adding that no arrests have been done so far.
Zambian Breweries resumed normal operations at its Mungwi Road plant in Lusaka today (November 10) after prompt action by government authorities to resolve problems with fuel tankers parking dangerously close to the company’s premises.
Zambian Breweries Managing Director Annabelle Degroot praised government for its swift response after the brewery declared a temporary one-day closure yesterday amid concerns about the trucks parked on the roads next to its factory.
“We have been informed by the Ministry of Energy and Water Development that 115 identified trucks will be diverted to Ndola Fuel Terminal in order to ease congestion in Lusaka. I would like to thank the ministry for their extremely prompt and decisive action to safeguard life and property,” said Mrs Degroot.
“This is a difficult issue and the authorities have worked diligently to balance competing interests and prioritise the safety of the people working in businesses in the industrial area,” she added.
Zambian Breweries was confident that a long-term solution to the issue of parked fuel tankers was being worked on as a matter of urgency.
President Edgar Lungu has congratulated United States of America (USA) President-elect Mr. Donald John Trump following his electoral victory in the November 8 Presidential elections.
According to the statement from the Special Assistant to President Amos Chanda, Mr Lungu said the outcome of the elections reflects the trust and confidence the Americans have in him to lead the country towards major transformation in the social, economic, and political discourse as articulated in his campaign.
He said the Zambian government looks forward to working with the new Administration in addressing issues of mutual concern at both bilateral and multi-lateral levels for the benefit of the two countries and the global community at large.
The President has also commended Democratic Party candidate Mrs Hillary Clinton for her extraordinary grace in defeat, noting that she has demonstrated her patriotism to her country by stressing that the winner deserves the chance to lead so that the country moves forward.
“Mr Trump was magnanimous in triumph and Mrs Clinton was gracious in defeat. These important first steps from the two leaders have gone a long way to provide the necessary space for national healing needed after one of America’s most high-pitched election campaigns.” I also wish to congratulate President Obama for his onerous effort towards a smooth power transfer to the new President,” President Lungu said.
Proflight Marketing Manager Hellen Ngwira Mwamba, second right, and Commercial Development Analyst Mwate Van-Rietvelde, centre, with draw winner Andre Tennekoon, centre, along with Stanbic Bank Zambia Chief executive Charles Mudiwa, third right, Stanbic Head of Personal and Business Banking Mukwandi Chibeskunda, second left, Voyagers Manager Molly Care, left, and Stanbic Public Relations and Communications Manager Chanda Chime-Katongo, right.
Avoid the stress by making a checklist and sticking to it, says forward-thinking airline
With the holidays soon upon us, Proflight Zambia is urging its customers to plan ahead, pointing out that this is the best way to avoid any unnecessary stress.
The airline made the call at the Stanbic Travel Expo and Wine Tasting which was held recently at Stanbic’s head office in Lusaka. Proflight Zambia provided customers attending the event with information on various travel options and offers, and lucky visitor Andre Tennekoon even walked away with two return tickets to Mfuwe in South Luangwa, courtesy of the airline.
“The end of the year is always an exciting time,” said Proflight Zambia’s director of government and industry affairs, Captain Philip Lemba. “However, it can also become very rushed, and this can result in bouts of forgetfulness and stress – which, of course, must be avoided at all costs, as this is the exact opposite of what vacations are supposed to be all about.”
Captain Lemba had some advice for those making a trip in the coming holiday season: “Compiling and having a checklist of things to do before, during and after the holidays is a very useful habit to adopt. When it comes to air travel arrangements and reservations, our office is fully geared up to cope with the holiday rush and any queries customers may have.”
Proflight is encouraging Zambians to resolve to take the time to explore more of the country this year, as the country has so much more to offer in terms of domestic tourism. The airline has stressed that it remains committed to promoting tourism and freedom of movement in Zambia through its widespread local network.
Gearing up for his debut album which is slated for release in 2017, ZeeMusic Award winning hip hop act; Swish – confirms the first five (already released) songs that have made it to the official tracklist for his album.
The songs are available on his official soundcloud : i am farai swish
PROFILE
Swish (also known as Swishy Swish) is a Hip-Hop/Rap artist and songwriter from Avondale, Lusaka, Zambia. He was born Farai Muzungaile on 15th September 1988. He fell in love with music at the age of 9 and followed the versatile styles of artists such as 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G, LL Cool J, TLC, Missy Elliott amongst others. His inspirations are namely; Nas, Drake, T.I. and Kendrick Lamar.
As a result of growing up in Avondale, where he has lived to date, Swish has continually referred to himself as “Avondale’s Finest” in most of his songs. In Grade 9 at Namununga School, Lusaka, he used to play basketball during Term 2 of Physical Education and often scored a ‘swish’ at every jump shot. His friends took notice and starting calling him ‘Swish’. The name has stuck around to this day.
EDUCATION BACKGROUND
Swish took a 4 year break from his music passion during 2007 to 2011, to concentrate on his college education. He studied an Information Technology course called ‘National Computing Center’ at the Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies from 2007 to 2009 as well as his ‘Degree in Computing’ at the University of Greenwich in England from 2010 to 2011.
After his graduation, he started to pursue music on a professional level (career-wise level) in 2012.
MUSICAL CAREER
By mid-2013, he released a mix-tape called “FaRaIDAY” (a combination of his real name ‘Farai and the day Friday’ i.e. Farai + Friday = FaRaIDAY). A few songs off the mixtape such as ‘FaRaIDAY, My Department, Do Great and You Decide’ received massive airplay on radio stations such as UNZA Radio, JOY FM and POWER FM in Zambia.
In December 2013, Swish released his first official music video titled “You Decide” which was directed by N.X.T Solutionz. In February 2014, he released his 2nd music video titled “FaRaIDAY” which received massive airplay on MUVI Nyimbo. Throughout the rest of 2014, Swish released 3 other music videos for his songs titled “My Department”, “Do Great” and “Pretend Sometimes”.
In May 2014, he featured on the ZNBC-TV2 music show known as “3.7 Blaze” hosted by G-Wise and performed his song “You Decide”. In October 2014, he made an appearance on DSTV’s Africa Magic show “Kumwesu” with former Big Brother housemate Cleo Ice Queen and DJ Tanny from YAR FM /Y-Zone in a #ZambiaAt50 segment explaining “Why We Are Proud To be Zambian”. The show was aired on Zambia’s Independence Day, Golden Jubilee on Friday 24th October 2014.
On 14th January 2015, his music video titled “My Department” started getting airplay on an international music channel – Channel O to date. This moment was his biggest breakthrough in the Zambian music industry and throughout the African continent.
From the period of September 2014 until September 2015, Swish worked with local artists such as Kan2, Krytic, Willz and Slapdee on his hit singles namely, “Pretend Sometimes”, “FaRaIDAY Remix” and “Currently” which received massive airplay on radio stations all over Zambia and also on radio stations in Ghana. In November 2015, he had his first music interview on Muvi TV’s popular show “The Pipo’s Choice”.
Recently, on 9th February 2016, he made history by being the first Zambian musician to get an exclusive interview with the international music channel Trace Urban in South Africa.
Furthermore, Swish won his first official music award for the ‘Best Music Artist’ category in the “ZeeMusic Creative Awards 2016”. He is currently recording his debut album set to release in 2017.
DJ Pyscho Tash presents The Wild Card lunchtime show on ROCK FM
Hungry Lion continues to grow its outlets across Zambia with the latest store opening at Society Business Park in Cha Cha Cha Road, Lusaka. This is the latest addition to the quick service restaurant chain with other recent outlets being opened at Levy Park Mall, Inter-City Bus Terminus and in Kafue Town.
To mark the opening, Hungry Lion this week surprised Lusaka’s top lunchtime radio presenters with meal packs.
Hungry Lion’s Charles Bota said, “Hungry Lion has been in Zambia for twenty years, creating job opportunities for more than 557 staff countrywide. We are really proud of our presence in the country, seeing families and friends share moments in our restaurants. We are grateful to our customers for their continued support.”
“It’s overlooked that these presenters actually work through lunch and we thought a gesture of appreciation for the entertainment and energy they share with the public should be rewarded with a meal,” adds Bota.
DJ Mimi joined Hungry Lion for lunch on her show. Picture – KPR Consulting
And QFM’s DJ Mimi said, “Hungry Lion resonates with me on a personal level. Like most people these days, I’m always on the go and appreciate the quick service from their restaurants. I’m told Hungry Lion has been in Zambia for twenty years but it feels longer because it’s such a natural thing to pick up a meal while getting on with day to day errands.”
Other top DJs that joined in on the meals were DJ Pyscho Tash of ROCK FM, Taffy and Pzee of Hot FM.
Hungry Lion recently introduced the new Zamba Spicy Wings, the latest addition to a long line of meal packs that consumers countrywide have been enjoying over the years. The chain now boasts modern, spacious stores with ample seating and a commitment to focus on quick service for customers, quality food for customers.
DJ Pzee and Taffy host the Midday Express on Hot FM and joined Hungry Lion for a meal. Picture – KPR Consulting
Zambian Breweries was forced to close operations and evacuate staff at its factory in Lusaka’s main industrial area yesterday (November 9) after record numbers of highly explosive fuel tankers parked on the roads surrounding it premises.
The problem is a disaster waiting to happen, warned Zambian Breweries Managing Director Annabelle Degroot, who closed the company’s operations for the day and sent staff home, with accompanying disruption to production and distribution of beer and soft drinks. The company said it would review the safety situation on a day-by-day basis on deciding when it was safe to resume operations.
More than 100 petrol tankers lined Mungwi Road, and surrounding side roads yesterday, double-parking on one side of the road and single parking on the other side, just metres from the company’s boundary.
Government has initiated measures to resolve the situation, but these may take several days to implement, and in the meantime the company has deployed security personnel to patrol the tankers and stamp out any cooking fires, said Mrs Degroot.
The company has repeatedly complained about the practice of fuel tankers parking on the road and called for a designated truck park to be established, but the problem has been escalating in recent months.
In September a fuel tanker carrying petrol caught fire while parked near plant, a particular hazard given some drivers’ practice of cooking over open fires while they camp in their vehicles.
Earlier in the year quick action by a combined team of Zambian Breweries safety personnel and the Lusaka Fire Brigade recently averted what could have been a national catastrophe and a high-profile accident that would have tarnished Zambia’s reputation on industrial safety standards in yet another incident involving the tankers.
“This is extremely dangerous. Many lives could be lost if a fire breaks out. We are concerned with this situation and we have to be forced to close for a day as it is not safe to operate in such a situation,” said Mrs Degroot, who has called on the authorities to take necessary action to avert any loss of life from the hazardous parking of the fuel tankers.
“We are yet again appealing to the relevant authorities to urgently address this matter. We are committed to work with the authorities in whatever capacity to help in this matter.” she added.
For the last few years Zambian Breweries management has been engaging the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications; the Ministry of Energy; the Police Service; and the local authorities to highlight the danger of these tanks.
Antonio MwanzaFDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza say he has received calls from stakeholders who have expressed dismay at the manner in which the PF wants to amend the Republican Constitution.
Mr Mwanza said the numerous calls accused the PF of proposing to throw out the people’s submissions and recommendations as presented by the Technical Committee.
He explained his response was that it is no use trying to reason with the PF because they are a self-serving lot that don’t give a damn about people’s feelings or concern on many issues.
“In the last 24hrs I have received numerous phone calls and messages from various well meaning individuals and organisations asking me and expressing dismay and disbelief on the PF’s Government move to amend the Republican Constitution in the manner they have proposed – wantonly throwing out the people’s submissions and recommendations as presented by the Technical Committee.
“My response to these calls and messages has been as simple as this: It’s no use trying to reason with President Edgar Lungu and his PF Government because they are a self-serving lot that don’t give a damn about the people’s feelings or concerns on many issues particularly on the Constitution. No matter what one says, President Lungu and his minions will go ahead and mutilate the Constitution in any manner they want to suit their selfish interest and base ambitions.
“And what’s worse is that this country is so polarised such that people will support and defend wrong and injustice as long as it is done in the name of their party, their leader or their tribes man. So we are in for it. As for Mr Lungu and his Government they have a field day to do as they please for as long as they remain in office. Kozumanana ku dununa reverese ba dala. Your Excellency, you can go ahead and extend your stay in office to seven years, in fact if you want, make Zambia a one party state, I can assure you, you will receive little or no resistance,” he said.
The PF through a private members bill have proposed to amend the constitution among the targeted proposals are the reintroduction of Deputy Ministers and the removal of the 50+1 clause.
European Union Election Observation Mission in Zambia Chief Observer Cecilia Kashetu Kyange with McDonald Chipenzi shows off the General Elections and Referendum Final Report at Intercontinental Hotel shortly briefing
EU Election Observation Mission presents its final report on the August 2016 elections including recommendations for future elections in Zambia
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) for Zambia’s 2016 general elections published today its Final Report, comprising an assessment of the electoral process and offering 33 recommendations for reforms to improve future electoral processes in Zambia.
The August 2016 general elections were highly competitive, and prepared in a largely professional manner. The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) generally demonstrated competence in conducting key electoral operations, but the organisation of four elections and a constitutional referendum concurrently was reflected in some weaknesses in the implementation of logistics, counting, tabulation and voter education. Problems with the results management system contributed to the slow tabulation and announcement of results, and opportunities were missed to enhance the transparency of, and trust in, several stages of the process.
Both major political parties made statements that inflamed tensions during the campaign, and there were several serious incidents of violence. The suspension of the electoral campaign by the ECZ in the districts of Lusaka and Namwala was a disproportionate response, establishing an unfortunate precedent.
The electoral campaign was marred by systematic bias in state media, which failed to provide fair and equitable coverage of the campaigns of all parties, and by restrictions on private media, notably newspaper The Post.
The Constitutional Court failed to provide clear, timely and authoritative directions to parties regarding the timeline for the opposition’s challenge of the presidential election results, which undermined public confidence in the election complaints process.
The Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission to Zambia, Ms. Cécile Kyenge, Member of the European Parliament, returned to Lusaka this week to present the Final Report to the ECZ, the Government of the Republic of Zambia, political parties, domestic observers and civil society.
“Zambia’s recent elections demonstrate that there is always room for improvement. While the elections were competitive, the process highlighted several areas where steps can be taken to enhance the inclusivity and credibility in future,” Ms. Kyenge said.
The recommendations included in the EU EOM’s Final Report include: a detailed review of the electoral legal framework and redrafting of unclear, ambiguous and conflicting provisions; the removal of overly restrictive limitations of freedom of assembly in the Public Order Act; publication of individual polling station results for all elections in a timely manner, and an end of the de facto subdivision of polling stations into polling streams; an assessment of the results management system for accuracy, timeliness and transparency; clarification of the rules and procedures for complaints, for local, parliamentary and presidential elections; transformation of ZNBC into a public service broadcaster with full editorial independence from government, and enhanced oversight of the ECZ of the public media.
“Our final report brings together the findings of all our observations in the three-month period the mission was in Zambia, as well as comprehensive recommendations for future elections. They are addressed to the relevant institutions – the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Government of Zambia, the police, political parties, civil society, and other key stakeholders. Let me stress that many of these recommendations will require cooperation between state institutions, and should be inclusive of all elements of society, including civil society. The European Union remains committed to work with Zambian partners in its journey of democratic development,” Ms. Kyenge added.
European Union Election Observation Mission in Zambia Chief Observer Cecilia Kashetu Kyange chat with European Union Election Observation Mission in Zambia Political Analyst Aly Verjee during a presentation of the General Elections and Referendum Final Report at Intercontinental Hotel
The report makes key recommendations for consideration by authorities, the election management bodies and other key election stakeholders. They include the following:
Legal Framework:
Conduct a detailed review of the electoral legal framework and redraft unclear, ambiguous and conflicting provisions in order to ensure consistency and increase legal certainty.
Remove overly restrictive limitations of freedom of assembly in the Public Order Act. Clearly define the grounds for the police to impose conditions and to restrict assemblies, and narrow the geographic scope of any such restrictions. Shorten the notice period required for public campaign events, and respect the principle of notification as opposed to permission in accordance with the May 2016 judgment of the Supreme Court.
Election Administration:
The ECZ should rely less on local government officials and local administrative structures and exert greater direct management over all aspects of the electoral process. The development of a permanent independent structure of the ECZ at regional level should be implemented, as well as a temporary independent structure at constituency levels during the immediate period of elections.
The de facto subdivision of a polling station into polling streams should no longer be used. All locations where voters cast ballots should be called polling stations, be duly gazetted and identified by a unique code, with results individually posted and published.
A review of constituency boundaries should be undertaken to ensure that constituencies better reflect population distribution.
Voter Registration:
Consideration should be given to extracting the voter register from a future national population register, included the planned biometric population registry.
The ECZ should ensure that political parties and civil society organisations have access to the final voter register well in advance of the elections, as has historically been the case.
Election Results:
The ECZ should publish individual polling station results for all elections in a timely manner. Scanned polling station results forms could also be published, to further build confidence.
The results management system (RMS) should be assessed for accuracy, timeliness and transparency. Consideration should be given to introducing double-blind data entry, to better ensure data integrity.
Media:
ZNBC should be transformed into a public service broadcaster enjoying full editorial independence from government. Protection of tenure of the board of directors and senior management should be guaranteed, who should be appointed in a transparent manner, with the involvement of media professionals and civil society organizations.
News and content management staff should also be appointed in a manner protected from political interference, and be subject to public interest rules. The ECZ should exercise enhanced oversight over the public media, and more actively address complaints related to campaign coverage.
Complaints and Appeals:
The right to effective remedy should be enhanced by clarification of the rules and procedures for complaints, for local, parliamentary and presidential elections. The rules on which courts have jurisdiction should be unambiguous. The competencies and procedures for conflict management committees (CMCs) should be defined in detail and ensure that they do not overlap with those of police and the courts.
The EU EOM was present in Zambia between 29 June and 12 September 2016, following invitations from the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
In total, the mission deployed 124 observers across the country from all 28 EU Member States, as well as Norway and Canada, making it the largest international observation mission for the elections. The mission assessed the extent to which the electoral process complied with Zambia’s national, regional and international commitments for elections.
The Final Report with the Recommendations is available at: www.eueomzambia.eu
European Union Election Observation Mission in Zambia Chief Observer Cecilia Kashetu Kyange flanked with her Deputy Chief Observer Thomas Boserup and Electoral Analyst Teresa Polara addressing journalists during a presentation of the General Elections and Referendum Final Report at Intercontinental Hotel
Kaoma district Patriotic Front (PF) Youth Chairperson, Alick Kalimbwe has appealed to Kaoma district hospital management to expedite the process of eradicating rodents that are terrorizing and mutilating body parts of dead people in the hospital mortuary.
In an interview with ZANIS today, Kalimbwe said the situation where rodents are mutilating body parts of dead people is causing relatives of the dead to suspect foul play.
He said government has employed enough hospital staff to manage the operations at the institution but the situation where they are failing to control rats in the mortuary is raising suspicions among the people and concerned residents in the entire district.
Mr Kalimbwe said PF members in Kaoma have realized that some civil servants especially at the district hospital are still in the mood of politicking than doing their job that government employed them to do.
He said the party will not tolerate to see any civil servant in all government institutions sabotaging and bringing the name of the party into disrepute as the district is full of opposition UPND party members.
Mr Kalimbwe said that the time for politics is over and that civil servants should implement government policies to the general public for people to fully benefit from government resources.
He has appealed to all Heads of Government departments in the district to ensure that their subordinates do their duties fully adding that those who want to engage in partisan politics should leave the civil service.
About four dead bodies have been found with eye lids and private parts missing in Kaoma district mortuary causing anger and anxiety among the affected families members with the latest incidence of Sioma District Commissioner (DC) Morris Litula’s deceased brother In-Law Simata Mushiba 50, was also found with eye lids eaten yesterday.
Kaoma District Administrative Officer, Siachibuye Mwanangombe has requested police officers in the district to expedite the investigation on the missing of body parts of deceased people in Kaoma district hospital mortuary.
Mr Mwanangombe said government is saddened with the current situation at the health institution and that it shares the sorrow and pain being experienced by relatives owing to the missing of body parts of dead people in the mortuary.
He said stringent measures are seriously being taken to address the situation so the rodents that have invaded the institution are wiped out.
Mr Mwanangombe has appealed to the general public in the district to remain calm as the situation is being investigated adding that no one should take the law into their own hands.
A COMBINED team of Zambia Police and officers from Chipata Municipal
Council have swung into action confiscating large quantities of
illegal alcoholic drinks commonly known as Tujilijili.
The officers went round the district confiscating the alcoholic drinks
in bars, streets within town, and in the compounds.
A check at the council found officers offloading different types of
the Tujilijili alcoholic drinks from the vehicle.
And Chipata Municipal Council, Director of Housing and Social Services
Judith Maambo said that the alcohol was being confiscated because they
are packaged in wrong bottles and are being sold in wrong places where
children below the age of 18 could easily access them.
Ms Maambo further indicated that there are other offences that bar
owners commit every day and the council would soon move in to control
the situation.
She said that the local authority wants to create order in the way
business was conducted in town.
And Chipata Municipal Council Public Relations Officer, Falesi Banda
said the exercise was on-going until the alcohol was out of the market
because it was being sold illegally and was harmful to people’s lives.
File:Some of the political party leaders captured during the gathering to demand for the release of the draft Zambian constitution
Preamble
“Consolidating our Independence and national unity for a smart Zambia” was the theme under which this year’s independence was celebrated. I have, more so for the past few weeks, been reading and observing with keen interest on most online media platforms, stories on how many people believed there was no great cause for Zambians to take part in celebrating our independence when our economy is nothing to be proud of.
I have followed the political discourses given, and in this case by leaders from the opposition, stating reasons as to why they refused to join in the countrywide celebrations. I have as well noticed how reluctant our government has been to engage in political parley with the opposition who continual to accuse them of being responsible for the deterioration of our economy. This mainly results in one thing which I presume is visible to every attentive citizen: use of hate speech. There has been an excessive exchange of bad words, insults and name calling amongst our political leaders and we the citizens are tired of it. We need politicians who can learn to dialogue simply because they have at heart the welfare of the people. Many will find my article as only theoretically possible and nothing more, and my ideas of an ideal political sphere as only an Utopia. But as the saying goes, any man who publishes a book commits himself to the judgment of the public and anyone may comment upon his performance. Therefore, all comments are welcome.
Political deliberation
In the interest of the general public, I believe that it is high time we learnt to use less of feelings and more of reasoning in our political discourses, debates and decision making. We as Zambians have a need to employ a political model or instrument that will allow us to be able to lay out on the table important issues that are affecting our people, and come up with a concrete solution despite our differences in opinions, interests and political affiliations. We must therefore, and I cannot think of any better solution, adopt what is known as Political Deliberation as a model which is not only conceptual but practical as well.
This is the only foundation for a better Zambia. Political deliberation must play a pivotal role, especially for those in political administration in order for them to make sound decisions that will in turn help our citizens. As defined in political philosophy, political deliberation involves the use of logic and ratio (reason) as a means to weigh up every opinion given on matters that affect the people. This is what we are lacking in our country, a mutual respect of each other’s opinions and ideas over matters of public concern. It is only through political deliberation that political leaders can be able to inform and convince the general public, and thereby invigorate their decisions on different matters. Only in this way will we be able to wipe out the now so visible phenomenon of tribalism, and avoid the dangerously strong and blind adherence to tenets of one’s political party.
It’s time to go past our political affiliations and sort to discuss which opinions can be taken into consideration to serve and save our country. We need to break our geographical territories that confine our individual world-views and dictates our thinking. It’s time to put aside our own selfish perspectives and learn to dia-logue with others, not minding which political party one belongs to, his/her status in society or age. Each one of us has something to learn from the other. The rich from the poor and vice versa, the old from the youths and vice versa, and the weak from the strong and vice versa. Dialogue involves word and logic, and as long as a well meaning citizen is able to give an opinion and solution on public matters and has reason and logic to defend his/her views, we must not in any way look down on them, but must learn to listen and positively analyze their opinions. This is what political deliberation asks of us.
We have seen, heard and witnessed so many differences amongst our political leaders, differences in ideas, principles and perspectives, but for as long as they refuse to adopt and engage in a more dialogical and educative debate, acquainting the differences and problems with a view to unravel them and come up with solutions that will benefit every citizen, we will continue to witness what we have always been witnessing for 52 years: a nation characterized by an infinite gap between the poor and the rich, high levels of poverty, high levels of illiteracy, rise in levels of unemployment especially among the youths, and all problems associated with poor governance and lack of sound decisions. Political leaders should give hear to those with new ideas amongst themselves and the general public at large. There is need for the government to listen to the voice of the people in order for them to understand, interpret and transform it into tangible results. It’s not enough just having Members of Parliament who would sit and talk past each other, getting thousands of kwacha for every seat in the parliament at the expense of the poor citizens whom they pretend to represent.
And, just as a bemba saying goes, “ Apalwila insofu, ichani echichulilamo” (where elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers), so at the end of the day they go home with their pockets full of money, while kids of a poor voter in a far distant village go to bed on empty stomachs. We need political deliberation in our country, we need logical discussions between political leaders and the general public. The government has a mandate to create an environment that would make it possible for us citizens to cast our own arguments for or against the policies proposed, and to do so in terms of public reasoning, without fear of intimidation, and with confidence that our government would listen.
The advantages of political deliberation is that it allows a person to express, cum ratio et logicae, his/her opinions, and not only that, but also helps transform those same opinion from mere words into what some sociologists would call social rituals, which basically is, I would say, a performative aspect of the reality of those involved in deliberation. Only in this way, will we be able to touch with our hands our own words, to feel with our own hands the ideas and opinions that we contribute. Only through political deliberation can our political leaders boast of having walked the talk. The social contract that we the people of Zambia made with our political leaders on the 11th of August 2016, should be based only and entirely on a shared reasoning and not on a command. This shared reason will serve as a foundation for national development and unity that has been so much talked about in the past few days. Unfortunately, this shared reasoning is not something we can attain all at once as many might think, instead it must come as a result of a vitality of the communicative process brought about by political deliberation. If we have well informed participants in the political sphere, we are assured that every decision, every public opinion and every political discourse will be rational and sound.
Inclusiveness
If we wish to see our beloved mother Zambia develop in its every aspect, we have to adopt a system of a more broader political participation. In this broader political participation, all the political decisions made by our leaders, concerning the constitution, law and justice should be as a result of a fruitful dialogue with the “Other”, with the “Different”. They should be as a result of dialectic method between those in the far distant villages and those in urban cities, between those in Mbala and those in Shangombo, between those in Ikelenge and those in Chilundu, and not only between two people with similar interests as is always the case. We must look to have a true dialogue that has as its sole purpose the so called Bonum honestum, an honest good that goes beyond every personal interests, and in turn constructs the fundamental characteristic of democracy: a common good. It is every citizen’s responsibility to promote justice, liberty and pursuit of happiness, and it is our Government’s responsibility to create an atmosphere for these factors, and to respect them.
Every citizen has the task to safeguard his/her own human dignity by making sure that none of his natural rights, that none of his/her own unalienable rights are violated, and that includes positive freedom of expression. And our government must be ready to uphold that.
Am sure most of the political theorists and analysts here would agree with me that, coming to think of it, the crises that have hit our country, ranging from the most visible and strongly felt; economical crisis, the social and moral crisis, through to the smallest but most significant of all, family crisis, basically have been caused by the agency of so many factors that will all bring us back to poor governance. And, these crises that I have mentioned above are all interconnected and occur one as a result of the other. Mainly in Zambia, it is because of the decadence, the loss of meaning that our democratic and human values have undergone since our independence. Today in Zambia, we seem to have acquired a all new meaning of Democracy. We think just because we are able to hold elections every five years then that means we live in a democratic country, but one thing that we forget is that Democracy is NOT equivalent to “free and fair” elections. Democracy is supposed to be a way of life, as a matter of fact, the ethos of democracy must to be characterized by three factors; freedom, equality and justice. We as Zambians are called to live in a democratic polis because we have what the Greek philosopher Aristotle would call the capacity for one to express his/her opinions freely. It is our democratic right to express ourselves freely with reason. We are not democratic if we cannot engage in a political deliberation. We cannot be democratic if citizens are not inspired, cultured, nurtured and motivated to engage in political deliberation and be able to express their opinions on matters that affect them. How can we be democratic and free if, as result of fear to speak out on important matters and give opinions in a public sphere, justice becomes a privilege for a few? How can we say we are a democratic nation and be proud of it when right in front of our eyes a poor man goes to jail for stealing food intended to feed his hungry children and yet a rich man who squanders public funds walks away as a free man? How can we call ourselves democratic when social inequality has become a normal aspect of our daily lives in our community?
I believe there’s need for us as Zambian to redefine our democracy, we need to redefine and give value to our own democratic rights by engaging in a more rational debate on matters that affect us. There is need for every Zambian to engage in a free, equal, and open minded dialogue if we wish to achieve the common good, the national development and a better Zambian that we have dreamt of for so long. Therefore, it is imperative that every well meaning Zambian citizen must participate in the political sphere, offering his/her own reasonable opinions concerning the different crises that our country is facing right now, bearing in mind that it is for the benefit of our future generations. If we are able to enjoy the so called “Peaceful atmosphere” in our country today, it is because 52 years ago, our forefathers were not afraid to stand up and defend their human rights. We don’t have to sit back and fold our arms when we know we could be part of the solution. “Man is a political animal” Aristotle would say, because we are social creatures with the power of speech and moral reasoning. Let us therefore speak out on matters that concern our general public, engage in a political deliberation and let our voices be heard. Some political theorists would say, in time of crisis the streets are more effective than the ballot paper, but I would rather say it with Sigmund Freud that, “Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock”. Be civilized fellow Zambians, cast as many words as you can, until change becomes inevitable.
Zambia arrived in Cameroon early Wednesday evening ahead of Saturdays big clash there against The Indomitable Lions.
Wedson Nyirenda and his team landed in Douala at 18h00 Zambian time from Kampala via Kigali after playing Uganda in a friendly they won 1-0 away on November 8.
The team was then delayed for an hour and a half at Douala airport before making the two-hour road trip to the match venue in Limbe where they arrived just before 23h00.
Zambia face Cameroon in search of their first points in Group B in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers following their 2-1 home loss to Nigeria on October 9 in Ndola.
Cameroon are second on one point after a 1-1 away draw with Algeria on the same date.
Holstar Presents the Third and Final Single before the release of his album “Dreaming In High Definition” Titled Mungeli featuring Young Dboyaka EnvyMe and Young Nash.
On this Rocbeats Produced Joint Holstar addresses a potential suitor and likens her to an Angel ‘Mungeli’ with assistance from upcoming Lusaka based rapper Young Dboy and Zimbabwe’s Young nash.
Mungeli is preceded by the release of first single ‘Spirit of a Champion’ and second single ‘Nipempako’.
