Macky 2 released the video for his latest single “Thinking of you”
BY KAPA187
Voting Pattern Reflects Strongholds for PF and UPND, it’s NOT Tribalism-Munkombwe
VETERAN politician Daniel Munkombwe says the voting pattern in the just ended August 11, 2016 elections results reflects strongholds for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) and not tribalism.
Mr Munkombwe called on the citizenry against talks of tribalism because when they fought for independence they fought as one people.
Speaking in an interview yesterday Mr Munkombe said the current voting pattern in the last elections was not tribal but an indication that the presidential candidates were stronger in those areas where they gathered more votes.
He gave an example of President Elect Edgar Lungu wining in Mwansabombwe as that had nothing to do with tribal just like UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema winning in Shangombo where he did not come from but those were the party’s strong holds.
He said during his time various politicians in the likes of Vernon Mwaanga, Sikota Wina, Humphrey Mulemba and Mainza Chona won parliamentary seats in areas where they did not originate from.
He said he did not want to talk about tribalism because the essence of the one Zambia one nation slogan was for the citizenry to win an election even in areas where they did not originate from.
“We had Humphrey Mulemba winning in Eastern province, Vernon Mwaanga in Luanshya, Sikota Wina also on the Copperbelt but they never came from these areas and that is why we had the One Zambia one Nation.
“These young people were not there when we came up with the one Zambia one nation let them think about the nation,” he said.
Following the just ended elections there has been some post elections talks alleging that certain regions in the country were practicing tribalism because of the voting pattern.
LAZ told to be objective
THE Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) has challenged the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) to be objective when commenting on national matters.
ZRP president Wright Musoma said LAZ was being biased when they called for the lifting of the suspension of licences for Muvi TV, Komboni Radio and Radio Itezhi-Tezhi by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and attacked the Times of Zambia for running an article on the violence in Namwala District.
“Of late, we have had organisations that are supposed to be independent but they are partisan and we can tell that this organisation supports this party, but it’s so unprofessional for LAZ to be one-sided when dealing with national issues,” Mr Musoma said.
Mr Musoma said this in an interview yesterday when he made comments on LAZ’s Press briefing held on Thursday.
At the briefing, LAZ honorary secretary Sashi Kateka said the IBA should lift the suspension of licences for the three media houses and that the public media should not alarm the nation with biased reporting on the violence in Namwala.
Mr Musoma said the media was supposed to inform the public on issues based on the truth but the problem with Muvi TV, Komboni Radio and Radio Itezhi-Tezhi was that they were reporting based on lies which could incite the nation.
He said there was no problem with the public media informing people about the incidences of violence in Namwala District because that was what had happened.
Mr Musoma said that lawyers should be careful when choosing leaders in LAZ because Zambia needed leaders who were professional when dealing with national matters.
“We are not saying that they should not be commenting on national issues but all we are saying is for LAZ to be professional when handling national matters and be balanced.
“We are urging lawyers in the country to look at people who are not partisan when electing leaders,” Mr Musoma said.
He said he was aware that some leaders in LAZ did things in order to protect their relations and personal interests.
Presidential Empowerment fund to aid women in torched markets
The Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund for Marketeers (PIEFM), has pledged to provide financial assistance to marketeers whose businesses were affected, after some markets in some parts of the country were torched.
Patron of the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund for Marketeers Chanda Kabwe said the fund will soon give loans to the women marketeers who suffered loss in the market infernos.
Some markets across the country among them Tambalala market in Bauleni area in Lusaka were recently torched along with some government offices.
Mr Kabwe told ZANIS in a telephone interview that the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund is waiting for the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to undertake an assessment of the situation before helping the marketeers.
He regretted that the recent burning down of the markets will contribute to increased poverty levels among the women marketeers who bear the brunt of managing household economies.
Meanwhile the Insurers Association of Zambia (IAZ0) , has urged marketeers in the country to consider taking out insurance cover for their businesses in order to protect themselves against loss of business.
IAZ Consumer Education and Information Officer Kambole Chituwo urged marketeers to make it a habit of insuring their business if they are to be compensated for calamities.
MUVI TV and Kombani Radio Challenge the ban Decision in Court
They have since asked the court to compel IBA to reopen the stations, saying they will suffer irreparable damages.
The stations have also sought an injunction to compel IBA and Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA) or its agents to remove police officers at the premises and allow them free access to their business premises.
They further want the release of all the stations’ broadcasting equipment seized by the respondents pending the determination of the matter.
The television station which has sued IBA and ZICTA argues that the IBA board erred in law and fact when it suspended it’s licences without first affording them an opportunity to be heard as required by the mandatory provisions. Of section 29 (7) of the IBA (Amendment) Act number 26 of 2010.
They alleged that the board erred in law and fact when it decided to suspend their licences without following procedure stipulated in section 29 (2) of the IBA Act.
The section obligates the authority to notify the licensee of the measures to be taken to comply with the Act of the conditions of the broadcasting licence.
They argued that the authority erred in law and fact when suspending the appellants’ broadcasting licence before affording them time within which to comply with the Act if there was a breach.
Further, that the board erred in law and fact when it suspended the appellant s broadcasting services based on the provisions of section 29 (1) (I) without giving sufficient particulars of specific incidents of alleged unprofessional conduct or specific details of how public safety, security or peace was threatened by the appellants broadcasts.
Muvi TV director of administration Alfred Tembo contends in his affidavit in support of exparte summons for an order of mandatory injunction that? on September 23, 2013 Muvi TV was granted a broadcasting licence by the Ministry of information and broadcasting services for a term of five years which is to expire on September 22, 2018.
From the day of issuance of the licence Muvi TV has been in the business of broadcasting and has conducted itself in a professional manner and In accordance with provisions of the law. They said on August 22, 2016, IBA issued a press statement to the public in which it announced the suspension of its licence together with that of Komboni and Itezhi Tezhi radio stations on allegations that it had conducted itself in unprofessional manner.
It was surprised to see a combined team of officers from the Zambia Police Service and ZICTA surround the television premises and demanded thatthey surrender the broadcasting transmitter and other documents.
The officers swung into action to switch the board sting equipment and dismantled the broadcasting transmitter which was seized and taken away.
The Zambia police remained at the premises and arrested 14 employees who were left to look after the property and were charged with criminal trespass and were detained in police cells. It said that the decision to suspend the broadcasting licence was made in bad faith and is an assault to the media and that there is no doubt that the decision was politically motivated.
Drop in inflation shows the economy is stable
Central Statistical Office (CSO) on Thursday announced that the annual rate of inflation for August decreased to 19.6 per cent from 20.2 in July.
The African Consumer Union (ACU) said the reduction in inflation was a clear indication that the economy was improving.
ACU first vice-president Muyunda Ililonga said despite the country holding elections this month, the economy had remained stable and the Kwacha was improving against the Dollar.
Mr Ililonga said the drop in the inflation rate had also given investors confidence to inject more resources in the country due to the friendly environment.
“The reduction of inflation is a good indication that the economy is doing better and also the consumers are now able to afford the basic needs,” Mr Ililonga said.
He said the Kwacha has maintained its strength against the Dollar over the last few months that had seen goods and services becoming cheaper.
Mr Ililonga said the consumers are able to buy goods at a cheaper price now that there is a lot of competition.
And Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) said last month the prices of commodities had gone up with some items being sold at twice the price in the previous months.
ZACA executive director Samuel Simutunda said the economy would improve especially that the environment was still conducive for both local and foreign investors.
“ If you look at the prices of commodities such as vegetables and livestock, they have gone down by half in most markets, just last month tomatoes were going at K5 for two but at the moment they are even trading for as low as K2 for four,” Mr Simutunda said.
Zambians urged to test for Hepatitis
Four hundred million people globally are said to be infected with the hepatitis virus but only five percent of this number are aware that they have the virus.
And only one percent of the people with the hepatitis virus are on treatment.
Chairperson for the national technical working group on hepatitis Joseph Mulenga said this during the belated commemoration of the world hepatitis day held at Matero main clinic in Lusaka.
The commemoration, which is held on July 28 every year, was commemorated under the theme” No Hepatitis, Act now”.
Dr. Mulenga said it was these worrying figures that have prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to urge its member states to formulate strategies on how to raise awareness on the killer disease.
He expressed worry that in Zambia, there were no known statistics of how many people are infected except among blood donors.
He also disclosed that the Ministry of Health is discarding more blood due to hepatitis infection than HIV.
Dr. Mulenga further said this has impelled the ministry to come up with plans for surveillance to determine how many people are infected with the hepatitis virus so that measures of prevention and treatment can be intensified.
And speaking at the same function, Lusaka District Commissioner Davison Mulenga, who was the guest of honour but was represented by the District Administrative Officer Clement Andeleki, said government was committed to providing Zambians with equitable access to quality cost effective health services as close to the family as possible.
Captain Mulenga said that it was worrying that between six and ten million people globally are newly infected with hepatitis.
He said this was the more reason why the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders need to make concerted efforts in addressing the problem.
He has since called on the community, leaders at all levels, no-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other partners to join hands with government in raising awareness of the extent of the problem and how the different stakeholders can contribute towards preventing and controlling it.
Meanwhile Lusaka Province Medical Director Kennedy Malama urged members of the public to ensure that they know their hepatitis status and act to prevent and control the spread of the diseases.
And Lusaka District Medical Officer Gideon Zulu has called on government through Ministry of Health to ensure that test kits for hepatitis are made available in all health centres.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can be transmitted through contaminated water and food stuffs, body contact with blood or body fluids, unsafe infections or transfusion and also from mother to child or through sexual contact and interaction.
HH should put aside his Disappointment and look at the interest of Zambians
By Dr Tarcisius Mukuka
Open Letter to Hakainde Hichilema
Mwapona nobakwesu
I have never written an open letter to anyone but the gravity of the matter at hand warrants such a course of action. I want to begin on a personal note. My father and mother moved to Mazabuka in 1970 when I was about 12 years old. You were only 8 years old. My father was transferred to Mazabuka to work in the Sugar Refinery. Most of my brothers and sisters were born there.
Today I use them as an example of their hybrid status. In any one day they spoke Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga and Lozi. To this day four of them still live in Mazabuka and consider Mazabuka their home as did my late father. My father is buried at the cemetery near Mazabuka hospital.
I often introduce myself as belonging to the Lamba-Bemba-Tonga hybrid tribe. This personal preamble will help you to appreciate the disquiet and worry I feel at the recent state of affairs after the recent general elections in Zambia.
In all my years of living in Mazabuka I never had the feeling I was a foreigner until now. At least from what I can tell from my brothers and sisters. For the first time they are being discriminated against on tribal grounds. In practice they are not any less Tonga than a Hichilema or Hamusonde.
My sister who speaks Tonga as if she was from Kwa Monze tells me that for the first time as a business woman people are saying, “We cannot buy from a non-Tonga.” Some have had the misfortune of having their businesses and houses ransacked or torched simply because they bear the wrong surname.
My brother Hakainde Hichilema, I am appealing to you as a fellow Tonga and a Christian to put aside your disappointment of losing the general elections and whatever the outcome of your petition may be and put the interests of Zambia first.
As someone living in the Diaspora I have had the honour of boasting that in Southern Africa, Zambia is the only country where the different tribes live side by side in peace.
Please, do not let the contrary be imputed to you as part of your legacy to Zambia. Just as you have managed to rally the people of Southern and Western provinces in particular, together, since 2006 when you entered public politics, it is now within your grasp to prevent Zambia from blotting its copybook.
I urge you to go flat out to rally the people who have supported you to embrace Zambia and peace above everything else.
I urge you as we say in Tonga, “Kulanga chibende” (to look straight). It is the future of your children and children’s children which is at stake here.
People who have suffered genocides like Rwandans and Burundians must be thinking that Zambians are like the proverbial child playing with fire.
Lest you think I am singling you out, I am not. You are simply the focus for many people of what has gone wrong in the country we love. I also think Edgar Lungu also bears some responsibility. He needs to swallow his pride and apologise for his part in the fracas. But this letter is not addressed to him.
I for one thought you would have been a good breathe of fresh air in the current stale environment of Zambian politics of patrimony but if you do not rally your supporters to work for peace, you will have lost my esteem. But if you do the right thing, you will have put down a marker for the next time around.
Nkana host Zanaco in top two showdown
Second placed Nkana have a chance to cut Zanaco’s lead the top of the FAZ Super Division from eight to five points as the two teams clash on Saturday at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
Zanaco top the league with 55 points, eight above Nkana ahead of this Week 24 tie in Wusakile.
Nkana must beat Zanaco to show that they are real contenders for the league title.
Coach Aggrey Chiyangi’s Kalampa are also seeking to overturn the 2-0 loss they suffered at Zanaco on July 2 in Lusaka.
“What is important for us to continue winning games. We want to win the coming game,” Chiyangi.
Zanaco are searching for their 18th league victory this term as they visit Nkana Stadium.
Players to look out for in this fixture includes Nkana’s Ronald Kampamba “Sate Sate, Walter Bwalya and Jacob Ngulube.
Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba is expected to parade Aubrey Funga, Richard Kasonde, Aaron Katebe and Isaac Chansa among others.
FAZ SUPER DIVISION
WEEK 24
26/08/2016
15h00:Mufulira Wanderers-Nchanga Rangers
27/08/2016
15h00:Red Arrows-Nkwazi
15h00:Nakambala Leopards-Lusaka Tigers
15h00:Napsa Stars-Mufulira Blackpool
15h00:Green Buffaloes-Lusaka Dynamos
15h00:Nkana-Zanaco
28/08/2016
13h00:Forest Rangers-Power Dynamos
15h00:Zesco United-Green Eagles
Brave Nchanga hold Mighty
Struggling Mufulira Wanderers on Friday settled for a frustrating home goalless draw against Nchanga Rangers in a round 24 match of the FAZ Super Division at Shinde Stadium in Mufulira.
Wanderers missed a chance to win this match after wasting scoring opportunities in the second half.
Mighty’s first great chance came in the 59th minute when Austin Banda saw his shot come off the woodwork before Nchanga striker Meki Mulume saw his tame header saved by goalkeeper Joshua Manyongo.
Wanderers then blew their best chance from the spot in the 82nd minute when Banda sent his penalty wide after he was fouled by keeper Pascal Kasonde.
After this mid-table clash, Nchanga remain in 10th place but rise to 29 points.
On the other hand, Wanderers remain in 12th position but shifted to 28 points after twenty four rounds of matches played.
Constitutional Court preliminary hearing adjourns to Monday next week
Today the Court dismissed an application by Constitutional Court Registrar Kelvin Limbani that there is no space to keep election materials following the request made to the court by the UPND to have all presidential election materials used in the just ended elections in the custody of the court.
Constitutional Court Judge Annie Sitali ruled that the affidavit should be filed by another person other than the Registrar of the Constitutional Court.
And Judge Sitali has said that she will consider hearing the application by the petitioners to amend the petition on Monday.
Meanwhile, UPND Lawyer Gilbert Phiri has told journalists that his team is confident that the petition will be disposed off within the constitutional fourteen days.
Mr. Phiri stated that the court is on course in hearing the petition and that there are no unnecessary delays in handling the matter.
The matter has been adjourned to Monday for continued hearing of preliminary issues
Catherine braces for first WBC title defence
Catherine Phiri has vowed to prove that she is the standard bearer in her division when she makes her first defence of her WBC bantamweight title thus Saturday.
Catherine won the title in January after her big away win in Mexico over home girl Yazmin Rivas via a technical decision.
She now makes her first defence against South African Gabisile Tshabalala at Government Complex in Lusaka.
“The fact that I won the WBC shows I am the best,” Catherine said.
” And I want to prove to my fans that I fought hard for the WBC title.
“It did not come on a silver plate, equally defending it requires hard work.”
Cathrine heads into the ring with eleven wins and one loss that came last May in Lusaka prior to her rebound in Mexico.
Meanwhile, Tshabalala, who is WBF super bantamweight champion, is confident of an upset in her first professional fight outside South Africa.
Tshabalala has nine wins, a draw and a loss, that like Catherine’s, came two fights ago.
“I can’t come all the way knowing I am here to lose, no I am here to win,” said Tshabalala.
Presidential petition may delay IMF programme for Zambia-Fitch Ratings
Fitch Ratings says the opposition’s decision to challenge the result of Zambia’s recent presidential elections will delay agreement on IMF support, although we think a programme is still likely after groundwork was laid earlier this year.
It says if successfully implemented, an IMF programme would mitigate external financing risks and support foreign exchange reserves, reducing pressure on Zambia’s sovereign rating.
An IMF visit in March and preliminary discussions in April set the stage for formal programme negotiations after August’s elections.
However, it says these may be on hold until a post-election government is firmly in place.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia said on 15 August that Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front had been re-elected with 50.4% of the vote.
His closest opponent, Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party of National Development (UPND), disputed the outcome, and on Friday the UPND filed a petition asking the Constitutional Court to nullify the vote.
This has delayed Lungu’s inauguration.
According to Zambian law, the opposition’s petition must be settled within 15 days of its receipt.
If the Constitutional Court nullified the result, a new election would have to be held within 30 days.
The run-up to polling had seen clashes between the two parties’ supporters and a 10-day suspension of campaigning in Lusaka, although EU observers said that election day was “generally well-administered and peaceful”.
The rating agency says any lasting deterioration in political stability as a result of disputes about the outcome would be negative for Zambia, where political stability has been much greater than in ‘B’ and ‘BB’ category peers.
It added that the inauguration of the new government once the challenge to the results is resolved would pave the way for formal programme talks.
“Ultimately, an agreement looks likely whichever candidate emerges as president,” it said.
The IMF said in March that there was “a shared understanding” of Zambia’s economic challenges, and the government subsequently indicated that it would pursue electricity and fuel tariff reform and amend the mineral royalty tax regime.
Edgar Lungu said after the vote that “tough decisions will be made” to support growth and control expenditure.
Hakainde Hichilema has said that the UPND and the IMF are “singing from the same hymn sheet”.
An IMF programme would provide balance of payments support and unlock other sources of external financing, easing the risks from falling export earnings as lower copper prices and falling copper production have pushed the current account into deficit.
Subsidy and mining tax reform would contain fiscal deterioration caused by lower growth and mineral royalties and a failure to scale back capex.
An IMF programme would also provide an anchor for fiscal policy.
The IMF has identified deficit reduction as a key priority, but previous consolidation efforts have been slow or as with plans to raise electricity tariffs reversed.
Fitch forecasts the 2016 deficit to be 7.1% of GDP and financing options are limited
It says improving Zambia’s external and fiscal positions could ease pressure on the country’s ‘B’/Negative sovereign rating.
“Our revision of the Outlook to Negative in February reflected persistent and large fiscal deficits and a doubling of gross general government debt since 2012. Our sensitivity analysis shows that in the absence of fiscal consolidation that reduced the primary budget deficit, GGGD could eventually rise to 100% of GDP, which we would view as incompatible with the current rating.”
All set for Cathy, Tshabalala fight, No Political regalia allowed at the venue
World Boxing Council (WBC) Gold Bantamweight Champion Catherine Phiri has successfully weighed in with 53.4 kilograms ahead of tomorrow’s WBC Gold female Championship bout against South Africa’s Gabisile Tshabalala.
But panic engrossed the South African team when Gabisile over weighed above the needed weight of 53. 525 kilograms.
Gabisile was later given two hours to condense her weight in which her trainers run up and down and managed to make her reduce her weight within 30 minutes to weigh 53.4 kilograms.
Gabisile’s manager Mtolisi Gumede who showed excitement said he worried less of the overweight and he is focusing on grabbing the title from Catherine.
Meanwhile, fight supervisor who is also African Boxing Union Vice President Malefetsane Peter Ngatane officially announced the validity and legality of tomorrow’s bout.
Dr. Ngatane however added that had Gabisile failed to reduce her weight within two hours, the bout was going to go ahead with conditions attached to the fight.
He explained that in an event that Gabisile won the fight after weighing overweight, neither Catherine nor she was going to have the title and it was going to be declared vacant.
Meanwhile, Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions Manager Christopher Malunga thanked Oriental Quarries Management for making the event possible.
Seven supporting bouts will be staged before the main bout. Among them is the non-title weight fight between Zambia’s Lolita Muzeya and Anita Bashil of Malawi.
Others are enterprising young boxer Alfred Muwowo of Zambia against Mohamed Alkaida of Tanzania in a non-title flyweight bout, as well as non-title weight between Charles Manyuchi of Oriental Quarries and Deogratias Samawell of Tanzania.
Meanwhile, Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP) has appealed to members of the public not to wear political regalia and sing political songs at the World Boxing Council (WBC) Gold Bantamweight title bout between Zambia’s Catherine Phiri and South African Gabisile Tshabalala at government complex in Lusaka tomorrow.
OQBP operations manager Chris Malunga said boxing like any other sport in Zambia should foster friendships, unity and promote peace amongst people.
Malunga said it will not be wise for anyone to put on political regalia or sing political songs during Saturday’s WBC boxing bouts.
Speaking during Radio 2’s breakfast show monitored by ZANIS in Lusaka today, Malunga urged Zambians to turn up in large numbers and support Catherine Phiri who will this Saturday defend her WBC gold title that she won after defeating Mexico’s Yazmin Rivas.
Malunga added that people should come as one united Zambia and set aside any divergent opinions rally behind Zambian boxers in tomorrow’s WBC bouts.
He said Catherine Phiri is more than ready to defend her title and urged fans to turn up in large numbers to watch the fight.
“She is more than ready. Fans just need to support her in numbers,” said Malunga.
Pictures Courtesy of Jean Mandela
Jean Kapata takes on Chief Mukuni over the Namwala incidents
Ms Kapata says it is wrong for Chief Mukuni to mislead the nation that no people were displaced when there is evidence to show that people were beaten and relocated after the announcement of President Edgar Lungu’s re-election.
Ms Kapata who was speaking when She visited the displaced people with other PF parliamentarians said the chief should not be used by politicians to mislead the nation.
She said PF is will help the displaced people because it is a party that was founded for the benefit of the poor.
Ms Kapata says the chief must come out openly and tell Zambians if he has joined politics .
MPs that are part of the entourage are Kabushi’s Bowman Lusambo, Chifubu’s Frank Ng’ambi and Alex Chiteme of Nkana.
PF National youth coordinator Prince Robert Mushili is also in the entourage.
And Namwala district Red cross President Patrick Kalaluka said the Red Cross is mainly concerned about the sanitary conditions at the school considering that they are a lot of people hosted at Namwala Secondary School.
Meanwhile, in Namwala, the Police apprehended have nine more people in Maala area who were suspected to have been behind the burning houses for the villagers in the area during the riots.
Yesterday, two suspects have been arrested in Namwala for allegedly engaging in arson and malicious damage to property.
Recently, several Namwala residents were arrested and taken to court for burning and damaging properly soon after President Edgar Lungu was declared winner of the just ended General Elections.
Southern Province Commissioner of Police Godwin Phiri said two more suspects for Maala Arson and Malicious damage cases by the names of Reagan Kakoto, 32, of Shakalimamushi Village and Lloyd Shimutati, 34, of Kauwa fishing camp have been arrested.
Mr Phiri said the arrests were Police’s continued efforts to bring to book culprits of Namwala attacks on Patriotic Front (PF) members after the declaration of the winner for the August 11 presidential elections.
He said in a press statement released yesterday that the two were expected to appear in Court soon.
He said the province had been quiet and did not experience any incidents of crime.
“For the past 24hrs security situation has been encouraging as no significant incidents politically or criminal were recorded. In the continued effort to calm the violent situation in Maala of Namwala district, last night nine suspects involved in the burning of houses have been apprehended,” he said.