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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg eat lunch with Kenya CS Joe Mucheru at Mama Oliech’s in Yaya, Nairobi Photo/Zuckerberg Facebook
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is visiting Kenya this week on his first trip to Africa, using his time in the country to visit the iHub technology hub in Nairobi, meet with developers and partners, and explore how the country’s pioneering mobile money ecosystem is evolving.
Zuckerberg is in Kenya to see how technology innovation is changing the country, learn more about what mobile entrepreneurs are doing with the latest technology, and find out how Facebook can better support small businesses, developers and content creators across growing markets.
He landed in Kenya yesterday after visiting Lagos, Nigeria. He was particularly excited to see how mobile money and social media are driving commerce in the region and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs and communities.
One of Zuckerberg’s first stops on the trip was iHub, an Innovation hub and hacker space started in March 2010 by TED fellow and entrepreneur, Eric Hersman. Here, he met developers and entrepreneurs:
Zuckerberg also spent some time hanging out with developers in The Community Space and marveling over the ingenuity of BRCK, an American-owned, Kenya-based start-up that built a rugged, self-powered, mobile WiFi device which connects people and things to the internet in areas of the world with poor infrastructure.
Zamtel has once again launched a brand new offer aimed at making communication affordable for everyone.
One of the major challenges that subscribers countrywide are facing is the high rate of communicating from one network to another and in its quest to provide affordable communication to meet the needs of its customers, Zamtel has launched the ‘All Networks offer’. With this offer customers will now call other networks freely without the need to have more than one sim card and without rushing to talk during their calls in an effort to avoid the high cost of communication.
‘‘After a conclusive research, we are launching the ‘All Networks offer’ that seeks to address the challenges of the high cost of communication in the country especially across networks. You will agree with me that a number of mobile subscribers have opted to have 2 to 3 sim cards in order for them to communicate more efficiently across networks which has proven to be expensive. As Zamtel we know that we solely exist because of our customers and because we listen and understand the various communication challenges that both Zamtel and non Zamtel subscribers are faced with, we have come up with this promotion that will enable our customers to call any network, thereby suiting everyone`s pocket,’’ Says Evans Muhanga, Chief marketing officer of Zamtel.
The promotion that comes with cost effective and attractive data packages to cater for Social media enthusiasts who utilize applications such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms will be available to existing Zamtel pre-paid customers and new customers who will join the Zamtel network following the roll out of this offer.
By simply dialing *422# subscribers will have a choice of selecting from the daily, weekly and monthly options that we have lined up for them for as low as K1. With K1, customers can call their friends and relatives on other networks and enjoy 5 minutes of talking on our daily offer; at K5 weekly, customers can enjoy 25 minutes of calling across networks, 250 SMSs as well as 500 Megabytes of data. The offer also has an attractive monthly package which gives subscribers as much as 500 calling minutes across networks, 5000 SMSs and 1 Gigabyte of data, for only K100.
Mr. Muhanga added that management is aware of some of the challenges the customers are facing in terms of network coverage and the company is currently working hard to ensure that this is addressed. He has implored the general public to support the growth of Zamtel, to change the status quo and support Zambian companies and Products. He says it is only through this support that local companies will be able to grow and contribute positively to the economy which in turn will lead to job creation.
He has urged all Zambians to support Zambian Companies that can generate the resource base required to improve the country’s economy. He says this can only happen if we work together as Zambians and support companies like Zamtel. He further added that Zambian companies must also endeavor to improve their standards in terms of quality so that they are able to compete with the Foreign Service providers in Zambia. The company has pledged continuous improvement to ensure that customers have access to high quality, affordable and competitive products and services.
Police officers seal off Komboni Radio premises last night
Popular independently owned Muvi TV and Komboni have lost their application in the Lusaka High Court where they challenged the decision by the Independent Broadcasting Authority to suspend their broadcasting licences.
Lusaka Judge Mwiinde Siavwapa ruled that the application contesting the suspension of their broadcasting licences is premature.
The two stations therefore remain suspended.
In his judgement, Justice Siavwapa said the application against the IBA was misdirected and incompetent.
Justice Siavwapa said Muvi TV and Komboni used a wrong procedure to try to challenge the IBA’s decision.
On August 22 2016, the IBA announced the suspension of broadcasting licences for Muvi TV, Komboni Radio and Itezhi Tezhi for professional misconduct.
This week, the licence for Itezhi Tezhi was reinstated after the management and the board appealed for lenience from the IBA and apologised.
THE Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) has called on the Constitutional Court to expedite the presidential election petition as it is affecting the country’s economy.
Association president Chrispin Mphuka observed that having no Minister of Finance for a long period was likely to put the country in an economic crisis.
Dr. Mphuka observed that even though President Edgar Lungu was temporarily in charge of every ministerial position in the country, it was impossible for him to run all the ministries alone, especially the Finance ministry.
He also noted that investors who had interest in undertaking projects in Zambia were holding on to their money due to the leadership vacuum currently prevailing in the country.
Dr. Mphuka told the Daily Nation that the longer the court process took, the more it would affect the country’s ability to attract investment.
“There is definitely growing uncertainty in the economy in view of the presidential petition before the Constitutional Court. The economy is being affected, as the investors during this period are playing a wait and see game until they are certain the situation is stabilized in the country.
‘‘They become reluctant with their plans of investing in Zambia because there are no leaders,” Mr. Mpuka said.
The delay in the court process would also delay the budgeting process for 2017.
“The passing of the Budget will be affected because this time we would have been finalising the Budget and clearly having no Minister of Finance to a certain extent will have adverse effect in terms of the management of the economy,” he said.
Dr. Mpuka has since appealed to Constitutional Court to ensure that the presidential election petition was resolved as soon as possible so that the country’s economic affairs could normalise.
“It will be better if the Constitutional Court expedites the process so that things are resolved quickly, because if that is not done there will be adverse effect in terms of the management of the economy, especially of having no Minister of Finance. Let them resolve the petition so that we can see everything coming back to normal,” he
It is common knowledge that the post-election period is the most challenging phase of any election process especially in an emerging democracy like ours and the need to safeguard the democratic gains can therefore not be over emphasised.
For Zambia, this period has further been complicated by a number of election related petitions hanging over at both parliamentary and presidential levels.
As a key pillar of democracy, the media’s role becomes even more paramount in ensuring smooth transition during the post-election period.
We therefore find it appalling and shocking that Radio Phoenix appears to be sailing in a different direction.
We say so because Radio Phoenix elected to air a false news report on its 13 Hours bulletin on Thursday, August 1st 2016 regarding the recent happenings in Namwala, Southern Province.
Radio Phoenix and its Editors lied to the nation that there was no ethnic cleansing happening in Namwala.
They also disputed facts that were established by organisations such as the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit under the Vice President’s Office and the Red Cross that people that hail from other ethnic groups were targeted in systematic attacks on their lives, livestock and property.
Instead of sticking to facts as Journalism ethics demand, Radio Phoenix preferred running a movie-like script on their main news only perfect for a Nollywood movie.
We can only conclude that Radio Phoenix through its News Editor Mr Hyde Haguta who is a known UPND sympathiser choose to play to the gallery and discarded all media ethics and broadcast material that goes against basic common sense.
How can Radio Phoenix claim that those that were attacked in Namwala deliberately set their houses on fire in order to claim compensation from the DMMU?
How can Radio Phoenix in the same story claim that the victims were infact from Ngabwe district in the Central Province and not Namwala? Doesn’t Radio Phoenix understand the distance between Ngabwe and Namwala?
When did Radio Phoenix undertake it’s so called investigations in Namwala? Whom did the Reporters interview because in their so called investigative piece, the station does not give us the source of their story but merely uses speculation. How can a news piece on a matter of such national importance be allowed to run purely based on speculation?
How can Radio Phoenix claim that one of the victim’s house was torched because of misunderstandings over an alleged adulterous affair?
This is complete hogwash and a serious indictment on the levels of deterioration that some of our media institutions have suffered.
As the PF Disaster Response Committee comprising senior party officials among them Members of Parliament led by Chairperson for Elections Hon. Jean Kapata, we invited over 20 Journalists from reputable media houses to accompany us to Namwala on a fact-finding mission and humanitarian tour at which we donated various items valued at over K100,000 to the victims of the Namwala attacks.
We also condemned ethnic tensions in the area and we re-echoed President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s call for One Zambia, One Nation.
All the media houses that undertook the trip to Namwala reported what they saw and interviewed victims who wilfully gave them unsolicited interviews about the attacks.
The audio and video evidence is there to show that what happened in Namwala was a systematic attack on innocent citizens simply because they belonged to a different ethnic group which was in the minority.
If this is not ethnic cleansing, then we challenge the Editors at Radio Phoenix to help the nation find the definition for these kind of barbaric and savagely attacks never seen before in our nation.
We are however not surprised that such kind of reporting is coming from Radio Phoenix because the station management refused to release a Reporter to accompany us to Namwala even after making frantic efforts.
Our team was ready to pay for the Reporter’s travel to Namwala together with other 20 Reporters and ensure that they cover the story adequately but Mr Haguta refused to release any Reporter for that trip.
We can only conclude that Mr Haguta did that to serve his own selfish interests as he had planned to broadcast the trash material he did as part of his desperate propaganda on behalf of his party of choice, the UPND.
Some of the receipients receiving the donated items
We however wish to warn Radio Phoenix to be very careful as they broadcast their propaganda. We are fully aware that some Journalists at Radio Phoenix are on the payroll of Mr Hakainde Hichilema but that should not give them the licence to feed the nation on lies which they masquerade as news.
We challenge Radio Phoenix to release a Reporter to travel with us to Namwala to go and report facts. We will cover all expenses for the trip but we will guarantee editorial independence for the Reporter. We believe this is a necessary expense that we have to incur in order to put to bed all the distortions that may have been created by the erroneous report aired on Radio Phoenix.
If Mr Haguta again fails to take up this challenge and refuses to release a Reporter, we will be left with no option but to conclude that he is the wrong man for the job and the sooner Radio Phoenix relieves him of his duty, the better for the station in particular and the nation as a nation in general.
We also urge relevant government institutions including the Independent Broadcasting Authority to take a keen interest in the happenings at Radio Phoenix. As followers of the station since inception, we can inform the nation that some rogue characters have invaded the institution and are transmitters of hate and propaganda. If Radio Phoenix remains on its current course, the station is a danger to itself and to the nation and can set this beautiful nation on fire.
We also call for an immediate investigation into the shareholding structure of Radio Phoenix. We know that since the original proprietor Mr Errol Hickey gave up control, the radio station is no longer the same.
The new owners from Botswana have been secretly increasing their stake in the running of the station and we are now aware that they own a controlling stake in the station which is contrary to government policy.
We therefore call upon investigative wings of government to quickly investigate how the Botswana investors ended up with more shares in a local radio station than what the law stipulates.
We also wish to take this opportunity to caution all media houses to ensure that they remain professional and discharge their duties ethically in order to safeguard national peace and security.
Bowman Lusambo and Jean Kapata handing over second hand clothes to the displaced people of Namwala
The Constitutional Court has ruled that the main election petition challenging the re-election of Edgar Lungu be heard today up to midnight.
And Concourt has dismissed UPND’s application to refer for interpretation to the High Court the issue of the 14 days for lack of merit.
The UPND was denied the application to refer the 14 days interpretation to the High Court because the High Court is subordinate to the Concourt.
But UPND lawyers have responded that they raised the issues of inflation of the votes because Edgar Lungu challenged them to provide evidence in his answer to the main petition.
Meanwhile, the UPND has applied that ZNBC avails them all 19 Hours news bulletins from May 5 to August 11 because they need to refer to them in their evidence.
The matter has stood down for 5 minutes to enable PF lawyers to respond to the new applications.
Further, the court insists there is not much time because the trial has to be concluded by 23:59 Hours.
And the Law Association of Zambia came in to address the Concourt with a proposition to join the case but the Concourt refused because they did not file the applications formally.
The petitioners have also come up with a fresh application to have the full bench decide on whether the Concourt can allow the UPND to make amendments to the petition before trial proceeds.
The petitioners also want to inspect and make copies of all ECZ election materials in various places.
The Concourt will have to make a ruling of these applications before trial can proceed.
Kenya have landed for Sunday’s final 2017 Africa Cup Group E qualifier against Zambia..
The Harambee Stars landed in Ndola at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport on Thursday at 15h45 on a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi.
Sunday’s match will see Kenya coach Stanley Okumbi take charge of his first game against Zambia who beat The Harambee Stars 2-1 away in Nairobi a year ago under his predecessor Bobby Williamson.
“We have forgotten about the past and just focusing on the match on Sunday and I believe we are going to do our best,” Okumbi said.
“I know that Zambia is good, I have watched them play and it is going to be a tactical battle and we have prepared for it.”
The team includes Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Victor Wanyama who will captain Kenya this weekend at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Kenya are bottom of Group E on 4 points, two less than third placed Zambia who are tied on 6 points with second positioned Congo-Brazzaville.
Guinea Bissau lead Group E on 10 points and qualified with a game in hand following their 3-2 home win over Zambia last June in Bissau.
Ex-Nkana defender Alick Sichinga “Nizamutumina” is predicting an interesting Kitwe derby when his old club visit Arthur Davies Stadium to face Power Dynamos on Saturday.
Nkana and Power are clashing in the last installment of the 2016 FAZ Super Division Kitwe derby in Ndeke.
The earlier fixture finished 1-1 at Nkana Stadium on May 14.
“The game will be 50-50 and very interesting,” Sichinga said.
“Nkana have good strikers and equally Power have good strikers,” the retired defender said.
Sichinga believes home ground advantage doesn’t exist in the Kitwe derby.
“There is no home ground advantage in the Kitwe. Whether Nkana plays at Arthur Davies or Power comes to Nkana Stadium it is the same,” he noted.
Third placed Power are four points behind second placed Nkana on 46 and 50 points respectively with 10 games left before the 2016 title is decided.
A FOURTEEN year old boy of Livingstone has allegedly committed suicide by cutting his neck using a machine that is used to cut meat at his father’s butchery.
The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon around Maramba Market in Livingstone where scores of Livingstone residents stormed the area to have a glimpse of the remains for the boy.
Southern Province Commissioner of Police Godwin Phiri said a report of sudden and unnatural death in which Oozias Mulombwe, 48, of police camp quarters in Livingstone reported that his son Charles Mulombwe,14, had committed suicide by cutting his neck by use of a butchery machine in his father’s butchery.
Mr Phiri said yesterday that the Police had not yet established for reasons for the suicide mission.
In another development, Mr Phiri said report of sudden death occurred where Dan Mahela aged between 30 and 35 years who collapsed and died on Wednesday at about 1700 hrs in Makalanguzu Township in Kazungula District.
Mr Phiri said the body of the deceased was taken to Batoka mortuary Livingstone.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police said the Police had not suspected any foul play on the death Mr Mahela.
Three Zambian church groups have called for peace ahead of an anticipated court ruling on the opposition’s challenge to the results of the August 11 presidential election.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia and the Catholic Bishops Conference called on leaders of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) and the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party to ensure their supporters do not engage in acts of violence after the court’s ruling.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Edgar Lungu the winner of the presidential election with 50.35 percent of the total votes cast, compared to 47.67 percent for the main opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, of the UPND.
But UPND have petitioned the Constitutional Court demanding the declaration that President Lungu and Mrs Wina were not validly elected as President-elect and Vice-President-elect of Zambia in last month’s general elections.
Many Zambians have expressed concern about possible clashes between supporters of the two parties after the court’s ruling, which is expected Friday.
In an interview with Voice of America, Father Cleophas Lungu, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference, said the church groups have appealed for calm.
“We also indicated that we are concerned that there hasn’t been enough commitment from the political leaders both from the Patriotic Front as well as the UPND with regard to accepting the outcome of the ruling,” he said.
Yesterday, the Constitutional Court has ruled that it will today hear and conclude the presidential petition in which United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema is challenging the election of President Lungu and Vice- President Inonge Wina in last month’s general elections.
The Constitutional Court has also rejected an application by Mr Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Mwamba to amend the petition.
SOUTHERN Province Police Commissioner Godwin Phiri has urged media houses to stick to their mission statements as they do their works.
Speaking during Choma’s Byta FM Radio Station employee of the month awards yesterday Mr Phiri said media houses should be objective because they communicate to society.
Mr Phiri said media institutions should work in line with their mission statements as what they communicate to society could either build a nation or destroy.
“The works of journalists should not be taken lightly because society is what you build with the way you communicate and the way you communicate the nation can be torn apart,” he said.
He said some incidents that have occurred in different parts of the world have been due to misrepresentation of facts by media houses hence the call for them to stick to their mission statements.
He said some careers that a number of people had found themselves doing were predestined by God and needed to work diligently.
“These careers that we find ourselves are predestined by God.
Therefore, we need to be consistent focused and need loyalty not only to the institution that has employed us but we should remember that we have a lot at stake to protect the future of our children and the nation,” he said.
He urged media houses to emulate Byta FM Radio Station for coming up with the employee of the month awards which was a motivation factor to employees.
Byta FM Station Manager Albert Mwiinga said this was the fourth time that the station was awarding the employee of the month.
Mr Mwiinga said the institution recognises hard work initiative done by a particular employee and they are rewarded during the monthly award.
I have spent a few days thinking about what will happen to my country in the next five years and beyond. It is obviously benign for one to argue that no one apart from God knows our tomorrow. But as human beings we have the free will and the right to anticipate and imagine things. After all everything starts from imaginations.
I have also been thinking and imagining what name Zambia could be given if this country was a movie. I did come up with something that suite my imaginations, ‘HUNGER MANAGEMENT’. Fortunately this movie according to my imaginations wouldn’t be a horror or science fiction but just a stimulating thriller full of qualms. This can be a movie that once produced everyone would be looking forward to see. Anyways these are just my wired thoughts over my country ‘Hunger Management’.
Let me address something a little serious and important to us. When I look around and observe the happenings in our country, it appears so evident that things are not as they used to be years ago. We now have more ‘beautiful’ roads, huge shopping malls and some ‘few’ other things such as new hospitals, schools and clinics to mention but a few. Most of this construction was started by the man of action late president Michael Sata (MHSRIP) and completed by our ‘Humble’ man president elect Edger Chagwa Lungu’s government. I imagine where we could have been by now had the MMD started with the infrastructure development and accelerated it in the manner the PF has done in a short time.
Yes some good things done! I now compare Zambia to a home where the husband gets a collateral loan from a bank and spends it on things like putting tiles in the house, getting new sofas and TV sets and ensures the children are always given great meals. This money is borrowed remember, and has to be paid back with interest. This home will one day reach a time when everyone in the house starting from the father, mother and children must face reality. When the money you borrowed is finished you will even fail to afford the black tea you used to have before the loan appeared and served full English breakfast. A debt is a debt meant to be paid back.
Most of this construction was started by the man of action late president Michael Sata (MHSRIP) and completed by our ‘Humble’ man president elect Edger Chagwa Lungu’s government
The scenario above is not so different with where our country is at moment. The Zambian Economy is now in ICU and the chief surgeon, the IMF is here to ‘save’ us. The prescriptions we are yet to be given may not be sweet, and as such, Zambians have to brace themselves for a harder five (5) year ahead of us. Some more jobs may be lost. The prices of commodities will rise, and this is especially so when subsidies such as those on fuel, fertilizer, maize and electricity are removed. Yes, these subsidies have to be removed, why? Because the government is BROKE and can’t afford them anymore. I take you back to the time in 1990 when late president Chiluba scrapped off the idea of giving mealie meal on coupons because the government could not sustain them. And I hope that we shall not have a debate whether government is broke or not because the signs are they for everyone to see.
So we have to deal with the billions of dollars we borrowed. By the way it is now estimated that every Zambian including children and old people is owing at least 800 USD. So if you are one of those who boast that you are debt free, just stop it.
Now is time to be honest with ourselves and accept that the government is broke hence the salary delays, the delays in paying contractors and the abandoning of some projects. This is what happens when there is no discipline in economic governance. Not even the much celebrated Saudi Oil deal signed earlier this year is expected to cause any positive impact in the economy. But we have to be careful with who we blame. We can’t just put the blame on president Lungu. He does not work alone but with a team of men and women who surround him. The way ordinary citizens react to some economical decisions government makes contributes to a somewhat unstable economy. We are in the habit of celebrating every move the president and his cabinet makes, good or bad. Many times we behave as if we have been advised not to think and have taken such counsel.
Zambia has reached a point where the next government will really be about ‘Hunger Management’. We will be very wrong to expect much infrastructure development in the next five years. Money will just not be there for that. What we will see instead is government striving to deal with issues that affect the people directly. There will be very little to ‘Sonta’ in the next five years but much will be felt.
There is too much Anger and bitterness in the country at present time. We shall therefore need the kind of headship that will help deal with this anger, bitterness and tribalism that we are amenably preaching without shame.
Now let me get even much more serious with this as I conclude. While all this will be happening in the next five years and beyond if not careful, we will still have the ruling party and the opposition. Mostly the ruling party in Zambia and Africa is about mocking the opposition and causing defections to paint a certain picture. The opposition on the other hand is about opposing almost everything the government does. I hope and pray this time around that we can try and change our attitudes towards one another. We have to be very careful with the way we handle matters. There is too much Anger and bitterness in the country at present time. We shall therefore need the kind of headship that will help deal with this anger, bitterness and tribalism that we are amenably preaching without shame.
We need to show love and be united as a nation. We need to be more tolerant than ever before. We need to behave in a way that will bring about investor confidence. And let me mention that even as we wait for the constitutional court ruling on the presidential election petition, let us not focus our energy on those countries that are experiencing riots and civil unrest and compare them to ourselves. We are Zambia and Zambia is a ‘Christian’ nation. Let us remain calm and continue preaching love, peace, unity and reconciliation.
Police officers seal off Komboni Radio premises last night
The European Union says it is closely following the post-election developments in Zambia.
Spokesperson at European Commission Nabila Massrali said in a statement that the EU is closely following post-election developments and notes rising tension and incidents of violence.
“All stakeholders, in particular the two main political parties, should engage in dialogue and reconciliation and await calmly the outcome of the complaints and appeals process,” Ms Massrali said.
She said independent media is a key element of one any democratic and pluralistic society.
“The recent suspension of several media organisations – Muvi TV, Komboni Radio and Itezhi Tezhi Radio- by the Independent Broadcasting Authority runs counter to this. The lifting of the suspension for Itezhi Tezhi Radio should lead to further positive developments in this regard,” she said.
“The EU remains committed to Zambia’s democratic, economic and social development. The upcoming recommendations of the EU Electoral Observation Mission, which will stay in Zambia until the completion of the electoral process, are part of this engagement.”
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S MIXED MESSAGES OF RECONCILIATION, PEACE AND UNITY – TRANSITION versus POWER VACUUM
[By Brig. Gen. Godfrey Miyanda – 31st august 2016]
INTRODUCTION
I am prompted to respond to Mr Amos Chanda’s recent “Vacuum Speech” because his Boss has left a trail of illegal pronouncements and actions. Mr Chanda’s Press Briefing seemingly endorsed the President-Elect’s creation of the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced at St Paul’s church in Lusaka. It is misleading to give a blanket declaration that the President-Elect has a mandate to do as he pleases regardless of the time and season through which the nation is passing; it is also misleading to suggest that he can create ministries, districts and constituencies at will as alleged by his Assistant Mr Amos Chanda.
OF GOEBBELS
In Hitler’s Nazi Germany there was a man called Joseph Goebbels who, though long gone, was the master propagandist of all time. But in today’s Zambia there seems to be a Goebbels at work, manipulating information, shutting down media outlets and ensuring that there is no response in the public media to deliberate lies and half-truths.
Today in Zambia the problem is to identify who this modern Goebbels is in the PF political machinery; unless we understand what is happening in the PF’s media strategy we shall never liberate the people of Zambia as promised by the late President Sata when he revealed that he was leading the country to the Second Liberation! The search to identify the Zambian Goebbels must begin in earnest but must take place concurrently with countering the lies without waiting for Z Goebbels to be exposed. I begin my search and contribution by responding to Mr Amos Chanda’s assertions during his “Power Vacuum” speech.
CREATION OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS
Barely 24 hours after the President-Elect announced the creation of the Ministry of Religious Affairs at a well-attended church function of the United Church of Zambia his assistant, Mr Amos Chanda, held a press briefing whereby he declared that there is no vacuum in Zambia because of the so-called new Constitution. He also mumbled something about violence, unity and tribalism. Like Goebbels he did not contextualise the real issue at hand. I say to him and his boss “You cannot have your cake and eat it”!
As a Christian myself I should be rejoicing about the purported creation of the Ministry of Religious affairs but the issue is NOT the creation of the ministry but why now in the middle of an election petition! I contend that the Chanda “Vacuum Speech” has ignored the context of the intention of Parliament to provide an orderly transition from the just ended regime to the new one for the next five years. Since there is not yet a confirmed winner of the August 2016 election it is mischievous for the President-Elect to be posturing daily in churches, prisons and countrywide tours as if nothing has happened in the nation. His status has been challenged so it is not only in bad faith but is provocative, especially to those who have not accepted the outcome of the last election, to be creating ministries. In God’s name how can his actions create peace, unity and reconciliation in the nation? Let him just seat back patiently and await the outcome of the challenge to his election.
Mr Amos Chanda, or accurately President-Elect Lungu, is wrong to consciously mislead the public that the President is working. The churches that are supporting, hosting and congratulating him are naïve and are ignorant that there is formally “no government” at the moment since the tenure of the former PF government ended on 13th May 2016 when the Parliament was dissolved; but the State continues to exist without a formal “government” for only a period of 90 days!
CHANGE VERSUS THE SPIRIT OF THE TRANSITION
The President-Elect’s Team is in denial but must accept that following the dissolution of Parliament on 13th May 2016 a major change took place that triggered the transition mode. This change cannot be stopped by anyone, not even by the Constitutional Court. The sooner Mr Chanda, alias Lungu, wakes up and stops denying what has taken place the better for us all. The Constitutional Court is not there to stop the change but to affirm that indeed a new regime is upon us, and that new regime will either be a new PF one consisting of a new Cabinet or a new regime of a different political party. Even a re-run, if ever it became necessary, will not change the scenario because only the two top contenders will take part in the run off, unless by some miracle recounted votes disclose that in fact votes were stolen from the other candidates!
The change is that following the dissolution of Parliament on 13th May 2016, there is a government-in-waiting; the Constitutional Court will merely put a stamp of confirmation and endorsement of what that change is after considering the case presented to it by the parties in contention. So lets us bide our time and allow the process to take its course. Thus the President-Elect must not keep sending mixed messages himself or through surrogates to the nation at large, cunningly and subtly communicating that the PF regime is still in place by creating ministries, districts and constituencies; imagine even sending a so-called PF Disaster Management Committee to Namwala with food for the survivors of the “Namwala holocaust”!
I contend that the five-year tenure of the PF regime run from September 2011 and expired on 13th May 2016, when Parliament was dissolved. So, what is the reason for the Goebbels strategy? It is to keep the natives believing that there has been no change in spite of the petition by showing the President-Elect humbly carrying on his normal duties and officiating at functions and creating new ministries. But I call on the President-Elect to be patient and savour the new constitution that he operationalized publicly by his signature at the Independence stadium on 5th January 2016.
LOOKING BACK
The spirit of the Constitution has been relegated to the rubbish pit, vis a vis the transition. Let us wind back to the historic coming on the scene of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MDD) to rescue Zambians from the claws and jaws of the One Party Dictatorship. Team MMD had won a landslide victory in November 1991, following the first multiparty general election that ended the One Party regime. I was standing by Dr Frederick Chiluba’s side at Hon Newstead Zimba’s Rhodes Park house on Lagos Road, when outgoing President Dr Kenneth David Kaunda telephoned FTJ to concede defeat.
It was a joyous occasion but it also produced a vindictive reaction within our circles. “Kaunda must get out and go immediately” urged some members of Team MMD; the purveyors of this diatribe will remain unnamed for now. I was isolated because I advised FTJ to give KK time to clear out, in spite of the Constitution which provided for a 24 hours swearing in schedule. I argued that the perception will be that we were vindictive. The voices for immediate eviction of KK were rather strong.
But in those early days FTJ paid attention whenever I spoke. He agreed with my suggestion; but later a new angle was introduced by the same cabal, that FTJ must enter State House immediately as a symbol to the whole nation that he was now the President. After much private persuasion it fell on me to find an alternative transit camp instead of a hotel, hence the birth of the so-called Government House – this little battle was won without much fanfare and KK remained in State house for some days; I was the only Minister with FTJ when KK handed over to him. The purpose of this brief expose’ is to illustrate what happens when there are gaps in the law and how some people routinely choose to take advantage of those gaps for selfish motives.
There is always a period of a momentary vacuum, to borrow Mr Chanda’s word. But it is NOT a real vacuum because the government system remains intact. I contend that the tenure of the outgoing PF regime ended on 13th May 2016 when the five years term of Team PF (President, cabinet and MPs) ended. We have always had a transition, except during the One Party period. There is an unwritten rule or practice that no new government programmes are initiated as has been done by the President-Elect. The President-Elect and his Team must stand still and patiently await the outcome of the Petition!
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TOO SLOW
The complaint that the Constitutional Court is taking too long and delaying development is not supported but is mischievous, unfair and intended to pressurise the Constitutional Court and to make people believe that the Court is not equal to the task. The Petition of Mazoka and Others, arising from the 2001 Presidential election (Anderson Mazoka, Christon Tembo and Godfrey Miyanda versus Attorney General and ECZ), is instructive.
That Petition took four years to conclude while the declared winner was carrying out the functions of Republican President, making the whole exercise of the petition an academic exercise and a mockery of justice. The Amended Constitution has provided for a shorter transitional arrangement of 14 days to manage the ascension to the Presidency and make the change over smooth. In short the spirit of the Constitution is that there is never a vacuum; but such interpretation must not be to serve a private agenda of the so-called incumbent as stated by Mr Amos Chanda, alias Edgar Lungu.
I totally disagree with those persons, including some NGOs and some churches, alleging that the Constitutional Court is delaying the Petition. They are definitely ignorant of the new system of managing cases. It is an effective system; it is efficient but puts pressure on the parties to the case to be clear in the claims and demands presented to the Court.
Is it rational for anyone today to say that 14 DAYS IS TOO LONG? 14 days versus 4 years? There must be another hidden agenda behind such statements. It is for parties to ensure that they have credible evidence and stick to the case they have put before the Court and confirmed in the preliminary phase of the Petition. I am certain that this UPND Petition will not and cannot take four years as before, not even one month if the Petition rules are followed. Let us leave the Constitutional Court to do its job without conducting running commentaries. Please no more hocus pocus from Team Amos Chanda and his extended family.
GODFREY MIYANDA, BRIGADIER GENERAL, A CONCERNED CITIZEN [31ST AUGUST 2016]
