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Jack Mwiimbu Chairman – Legal
United Party for National Development (UPND) presidential running mate Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba’s lawyer Jack Mwiimbu has dismissed allegations that his client had forged General Certificate of Education from University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate submitted to the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) but was not presented to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
In response to an article that appeared in the Daily National titled “GBM forges”,Mr Mwiimbu said that his client,GBM, has never had in his possession the purported forged certificate nor has he uttered such a certificate before the Electoral Commission of Zambia in his quest to be the running mate to Mr. Hakainde Hichilema the Presidential candidate for the United Party for National Development.
Mr Mwiimbu further said that Mr Mwamba has an advanced Diploma in Finance and Investment obtained from the London School of Business and Finance.
“It is imperative to note that pursuant to the judgement by the Honourable Judge Dominic Sichinga in Sibongile Zulu and Electoral Commission of Zambia and Attorney General 2016/HB/24, our client exercised his rights by tendering an advanced Diploma in Business and Finance as authenticated by the Zambia Qualifications Authority to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to enable them to process his documents as running mate,” read the statement.
“In light of the above, our client denies any interest whatsoever in the purported certificate published by The Daily Nation. Further, our client challenges the Daily Nation and its collaborators to publish the qualifications of all candidates as per the provisions of Article 52(3) of the Constitution of Zambia Act Number 2 of 2016,” concluded the statement.
On Wednesday, PF’s Jean Kapata called on the police and other investigative wings to immediately start investigations into how Mr Mwamba acquired the GCE qualification and who could have assisted him to write his examination in such a short time before nominations.
“For all I know, you cannot acquire a higher qualification in England without a secondary school certificate and that is why Mr Mwamba should be investigated immediately. My wonder is…what could have motivated Mr Mwamba to submit a GCE certificate to Examinations Council of Zambia which he knew he was not going to present to the Electoral Commission of Zambia for his nomination as a presidential running mate. And who could have assisted Mr Mwamba to write the courses and subjects for his advanced Diploma which he used to file his nomination?” Ms Kapata asked.
Dr Nevers Mumba campaign for UPND during the Chama rally
Mutati faction MMD Youths in Lusaka have reported their ‘former’ party president Nevers Mumba to the police for ‘Impersonation’. Dr Mumba is reported as having presented himself to the media and public as MMD President when he is in fact not.
MMD Lusaka Youth Trustee Eddie Shanambe who reported Dr Mumba at Central Police in Lusaka on Friday afternoon said Dr Mumba has continued to use the title of President of the Party when he ceased being party President when the Party elected Felix Mutati at it’s 6th General convention.
Mr Shanambe said there are no factions in the MMD and that youths in the party did not want to take the law in their own hands.
He said Dr Mumba’s continued masquerades are fanning confusion with members of the public further saying now that they have reported the matter, the Police should do their part.
Meanwhile youth Chairperson Ellis Malambo said youths in the party were law abiding and that unlike youths in other political parties who believe in sorting out their differences via violence the MMD youths believed in the competence of the country’s law enforcement agencies.
He called on Party structures in the provinces not to be mislead by Dr Mumba as MMD is led by Mr Mutati who was legitimately elected at the convention last May.
He also said the party is not in any alliance with UPND as purported by the former Party President who has been going round with UPND claiming that the MMD is working with the opposition.
He said any issue to do with an alliance with the UPND was entered into by Nevers Mumba as an individual representing himself and his household and not as the MMD because as a party we did not employ him as an ambassador for an alliance anywhere.
Meanwhile, MMD Copperbelt Information and Publicity Secretary Mr. Peter Phiri has advised the public to ignore the youth who were paraded before cameras on ZNBC TV news on the evening of Friday 17th June, 2016, demanding the arrest of Dr. Nevers Mumba.
Mr. Phiri explained that the leader of the group, Eddie Shanambe, is a cheap, rentable ‘cadre on hire’ who was rented early last year to hallucinate that Dr. Mumba was no longer MMD President and declared himself interim MMD president. A few weeks later, the same young man took himself to several television stations to publicly apologise to Dr. Mumba and the MMD Leadership for bringing the party into disrespute, declaring that he had been misled.
The MMD Copperbelt official has urged ZNBC management to maintain its enduring record as a reliable source of serious, well researched news content and avoid destroying its good image by featuring thugs like Shanambe.
He reminded the sponsors of the youth that embracing lawlessness to settle scores is very foreign to genuine MMD members as the party is governed by the rule of law and respect for its constitution. He further said that the MMD has full respect for legal institutions such as the Lusaka High Court which upheld the party’s expulsion of former Lunte MP Felix Mutati who is the one now masquerading as MMD President. As far as the MMD is concerned, Mr. Mutati remains expelled and cannot be President of the MMD which expelled him.
Mr. Phiri said Dr. Nevers Mumba is the duly democratically elected MMD President until 2017 when his 5-year term expires.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, has refuted allegations that the Patriotic Front (PF) is using government resources for its campaigns as untrue and unfounded.
ZANIS reports that Mr Musenge says Cabinet Ministers are in offices because the amended Constitution stipulates that they remain in office.
He stated that President Edgar Lungu is strict when it comes to the use of public resources and that he would not allow any minister to misuse government resources.
“That is why when you look at our campaigns, we are not spending like we were spending during the last elections in 2011. This time around the money we are using is coming from different well-wishers who are helping us with the campaigns,” he said.
He said as leaders entrusted with the resources of the nation, ministers are God-fearing people who would not go to an extent of abusing the resources for their own benefit.
Mr Musenge, who is also Chimwemwe Constituency aspiring candidate for the PF, says the party has brought a lot of development in the country and it is for this reason that the party is pointing at what it has achieved from the time it took over power in 2011.
He has stated the PF achievements are the basis on which the people of Zambia should give President Lungu a second mandate to continue with the developmental projects that are on-going.
Mr Musenge further stated that on the Copperbelt province it is a known fact that President Lungu is popular as evidenced by the number of developmental projects that have been undertaken across in the region and the country at large.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has been given strict instructions by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to ensure that the xenophobic attacks that occurred in Lusaka recently don’t ever happen again in Zambia, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Colonel Gerry Chanda has said.
Speaking on behalf of Home Affairs Minister Davis Minister during the commemoration of World Refuge Day (WRD) in Mayukwayukwa Refugee Settlement in Zambia’s Western Province town of Kaoma, Colonel Chanda said Zambia has become a rainbow nation, which has to respect diversity.
“I wish to underline that the Government strongly condemns the recent attacks on refugees witnessed in the densely populated communities of Lusaka. The President gave the Ministry strict instructions to ensure that such xenophobic attacks don’t happen again. Zambia has a high reputation in the international community and the Government will not allow a few criminally minded people to tarnish that image by engaging in xenophobic practices aimed at satisfying their personal desires. I wish to call for continued peace and co-existence,” said Colonel Chanda.
The Deputy Minister said some of the perpetrators of the xenophobic attacks in Lusaka are before the courts of law, and Government will ensure that justice prevails, at the same time also calling on all refugees and asylum-seekers to abide by the laws of Zambia.
Colonel Chanda announced that the Zambian Government has offered local integration to 15, 000 former Angolan and Rwandan refugees. A total of 1, 122 permits have been issued to former Angolan refugees, while 20 to Rwandans.
The Minister appealed to all former Rwandan refugees domiciled in Zambia who don’t want to apply for local integration, to set aside their misgivings so that they follow the process and be productive members of the Zambian society and assured that Zambia was committed to upholding her international obligation of providing international protection to refugees.
The UNHCR Representative – Ms Laura Lo Castro – also condemned the recent xenophobic attacks in Lusaka and commended the Government for the urgent measures it has put in place to foster unity and co-existence.
The UNHCR Representative expressed happiness at Government’s support for solutions to the refugee situation by, particularly, allocating vast pieces of land to refugees, by supporting return home and offering local integration.
She assured Government that UNHCR will continue mobilizing resources to support it in the implementation of the local integration programme, to benefit both former refugees and the Zambian host community.
Ms Lo Castro observed that the world has recorded unprecedented numbers of refugees, asylum-seekers and others of concern now standing at over 60 million.
“With this increased pressure on countries and the number of wars and emergencies in the world constantly increasing, sentiments towards refugees are mixed. While we still have many who welcome refugees, some hearts are hardening,” observed Ms Lo Castro.
The World Refugee Day commemoration, which was characterized by a variety of cultural performances, plays and acrobatics, was held in Mayukwayukwa under the local theme ‘Together in Respect for Diversity, Peace and Prosperity. The commemoration coincides with Mayukwayukwa Refugee Settlement’s Golden Jubilee. The settlement was established 50 years ago in 1966, with Angolans being the first refugees to be hosted, making it one of the oldest refugee settlements in Africa.
During the WRD commemoration, some of the Angolans who arrived in Mayukwayukwa in 1966 were honoured with presents. Prior to the WRD commemoration, UNHCR organized a school poem writing and drawing competition focusing on the WRD theme. Pupils from Mayukwayukwa and surround schools participated in the competition, with winners from each grade receiving prizes.
A happy looking Dr Banda sharing a light moment with Maureen Mwanawasa before embarking on a campaign trail
UPND Vice President Dr Canisius Banda is part of a high powered delegation of UPND senior officials that has arrived in Eastern Province for a four-day campaign tour.
This is the first official campaign trip that Dr Banda is embarking upon since he was picked as presidential running mate to party leader Hakainde Hichilema in the August 11 polls.
Speculations heighted a few days ago when Dr Banda announced that he was taking leave from party activities to reflect on his political future.
Some observers predicted that Dr Banda will soon join the PF and some reports circulated that he had been offered a job in the PF administration if it retains power after August 11th elections.
But UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema announced that Dr Banda will be part of the UPND team that will be campaigning in Eastern Province alongside Mr Mwamba.
“Departing for Eastern Province tour with our Vice-Presidents Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba and Dr. Canisius Banda. We are greatly looking forward to continuing the campaign trail and sharing more details about our 10 Point Plan for Zambia across the region,” Mr Hichilema said.
He added, “In particular, we will be stressing our commitments on agriculture, as many of our farmers in the region have been struggling as a result of the rising cost of inputs such as fertiliser and seed, limited support from government and delayed payments from FRA.”
Mr Hichilema said as UPND, they will do things differently by guaranteeing the timely delivery of inputs.
“No excuses; opening up access to finance for farmers so they can invest in productivity saving areas; establishing farmer training centres, and opening up access to market. We also have a strong message on value-addition, for which there are lots of ripe opportunities in Eastern Province.”
He said, “If we look at the groundnuts that are grown, we will see them made into peanut butter. Why do Shoprite and Pick N Pay need to import peanut butter from outside? Soon they won’t. They will be able to sell Zambian peanut butter. Today teams head into different directions addressing meetings in Lumezi, Lundazi, and Vubwi and before heading on to Chipata for our mass rally tomorrow.”
GBM, HH and Dr Banda about to embark on a campaign trail in the Eastern ProvinceHH and Dr Banda upon landing at Mfuwe airport
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has purged Chris Kaunda’s Zambia Under 17 bench.
Kaunda, who led Zambia to their debut CAF Under-17 Cup outing last year, has been fired along with his entire bench.
“The technical department of the Football Association of Zambia has made the following changes to the technical staff of the U17 national team. Mr Oswald Mutapa replaces Mr Chris Kaunda,” FAZ stated.
“Mr Charles Bwale replaces Mr Joe Bwalya (as assistant coach).
“Mr Perry Mutapa replaces Mr Reuben Njavera (as second assistant coach).”
Local Government Minister Steven Kampyongo has described the UPND senior leadership as terrorists.
Mr Kampyongo said UPND senior leaders are terrorists who are using violence to draw public sympathy and make the PF unpopular.
The former Shiwangandu MP claimed that the UPND leadership has declared war on him.
He said the UPND leaders especially party President Hakainde Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Mwamba are not being sincere about the recent violence in Shiwangandu area.
Mr Kampyongo was speaking Friday on Radio Phoenix when in reaction to the statements issued by UPND leaders when they appeared on a similar programme on Thursday.
“They came here and they were being very insincere. I am very disappointed with the levels of hypocrisy and insincerity with UPND top leadership. As you can see, the issues from Shiwangandu has just come out prominent because people there are united and they have refused to be lied to by GBM,” Mr Kampyongo said.
Mr Kampyongo who denied any involvement in the violence in Shiwangandu claimed that the UPND leadership faced resistance in the area because the people are united behind the leadership of the PF.
He said it is common knowledge that Mr Bwalya does not like him going by the violent statements he has been issuing against him.
“You heard what he said that he will break my lips. What kind of a leader uses that kind of language? The good part is that Zambians are watching and listening to these kind of threats and come August 11, they will show them,” he said.
Mr Kampyongo said he does not feel threatened by the UPND leadership because he currently commands the largest following of youths in the country since he is now Chairman for Youths in the PF.
However, on Thursday during a similar programme on Radio Phoenix, Former Vice President Guy Scott said Mr Kampyongo is a small chap who is excited about power and thinks he can succeed late Willie Nsanda in the promotion of political violence.
“The problem with this Kampyongo chap is that he thinks he can succeed the late Willie Nsanda in promoting violence. It’s very sad because his days are numbered.”
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has issued a stern warning that it will be compelled to cancel and disqualify anyone found committing acts of violence.
Addressing a news briefing at ECZ Headquarters in Lusaka today, Electoral Commission of Zambia Spokesman Chris Akufuna said the Commission is deeply concerned with rising levels of intolerance and political violence that have characterised the campaigns so far.
Mr Akufuna stated that the Electoral Act and the Electoral Code of Conduct both empowers the Commission to suspend all campaigns and disqualify candidates that will be found wanting.
He has since appealed to all political parties to urge their cadres, supporters and candidates to refrain from acts of violence or risk disqualification.
Mr Akufuna said the Commission has noted with dismay the high levels of violence on the political scene.
Meanwhile PF cadres are alleged to have attacked a UPND team that was conducting door to door campaigns in Chawama. The UPND team from ward 2 and 3 led by UPND parliamentary candidate Potipher Tembo was forced to jump over wall fences after PF cadres attacked them from three directions near Chawama Police.
Several UPND members are said to have been injured and have been rushed to UTH.
UNPD ward three chairperson Godrey Chitalu has condenmed the PF attack and urged them to conduct issue based campaigns.
He charged that the attack was planned because the cadres attacked them from three directions and blocked all routes leading to Chawama police station.
Power Dynamos begin life under new coach Dan Kabwe hoping that the new man will hand them their first away win of the season.
Fifth placed Power have not won away from home this term.
Kabwe inherits a side that has lost four away games from seven matches on the road in the 2016 FAZ Super Division campaign.
Power are targeting to end that run when they face Lumwana Radiants who are coached by Kabwe’s close friend Beston Chambeshi.
Lumwana are currently third from bottom and unbeaten at home for a second straight game after beating 4th placed Green Buffaloes 2-1 on June 12.
Meanwhile in Saturday’s other Week 16 fixtures, 2nd placed Nkana visit Red Arrows in Lusaka hoping to recover from last Sunday’s 1-0 home loss to Zesco United.
Also seeking to recover are seventh placed Nkwazi who head into this weekends game against second from bottom Lusaka Dynamos on the back of a three match winless spell.
At John Kachofa Stadium, last placed Mufulira Blackpool, who have yet to pick up a league victory following their promotion this season, are home against 10th positions Nchanga Rangers.
Kabwe Warriors are also home and seeking to recover from last weekends 2-1 away loss at Power when they host fellow promoted side Lusaka Tigers.
Delayed construction of the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Power Plant has resulted in economic losses to Zimbabwe and Zambia of at least $45 billion, the World Bank has said.
Zimbabwe and Zambia are constructing a hydro-electricity generating plant on the Batoka Gorge of the Zambezi river at a cost of an estimated $3 billion, which is expected to produce 1 600 megawatts to be shared equally between the two countries.
The Batoka hydro project was conceived in 1972 out of a study that the Central African Power Corporation (the predecessor of the Zambezi River Authority) instituted but construction was delayed due to various issues including an impasse between the two states over an outstanding, colonial-era debt.
The World Bank, through its organ, the Co-operation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) assisted in resolving the impasse, paving way for the project to take off.
CIWA, a World Bank-financed $2 billion portfolio, helps facilitate dialogue between riparian states (countries that share rivers) to drive the development of water resources for sustainable growth.
In a paper on the Collaborative Management of the Zambezi River Basin, the bank said an analysis of the foregone benefits associated with delayed implementation showed huge economic losses to Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“The missed opportunity amounted to an estimated $7 billion in foregone electricity sales and an overall economic loss of over $45 billion,” it said.
It said current efforts were being focused on mobilising the technical and operational resources needed to advance the development of the Batoka Gorge power plant.
This includes updating engineering studies, undertaking a new environmental and social impact assessment, and conducting legal and institutional reviews of the ZRA.
“In terms of infrastructure development, the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electricity Scheme (HES) will ultimately secure the energy needs of more than 1,2 million households equally split between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“Conjunctive operation of the Batoka Gorge HES with the existing Kariba Dam will also increase the overall energy production by 8,962 GWh per year.”
Once complete, the Batoka Hydro-electricity Plant is expected to greatly improve power supply in the two countries, which are grappling with shortages at the moment.
The proposed hydroelectric scheme is located on the Batoka Gorge on the Zambezi River, about 54 km downstream of the Victoria Falls, across the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zesco United coach George Lwandamina says there is nothing to fear about Al Ahly.
Zesco host the record eight-time African champions in Ndola this Saturday in a 2016 CAF Champions League Group A opener.
The match will be the two sides first since clashing in the 2011 edition of competition.
Zesco held Al Ahly 0-0 in Ndola but lost 1-0 away in Cairo at the last 16 stage to see the Egyptian gianst advance go the group stage.
“At sometime they were like Zesco. No one started as champions. Everyone starts from somewhere,” Lwandamina said.
“So if we say they are champions and we quit, then there won’t be any football. We have to work as well and we don’t have limitations. They started from somewhere and Zesco is starting from somewhere.”
Meanwhile, Zesco’s quest for a first-ever win over Al Ahly has been hit with three key players unavailable for the match.
Top scorer Jesse Were who has ten league goals and two in the Champions League is suspended after accruing two yellow cards in the knockout round.
Defender Ben Banh who scored Zescvo’s goal in last Sunday’s 1-0 away FAZ Super Division win over Nkana is also suspended.
Another blow is the absence of striker Idris Mbombo is Zesco’s top scorer in the Champions League on four goals.
Mbombo will miss the match with a back problem.
It is an opportunity for other players. If one is not there, then others are there to take up the challenge and make sure the team does not suffer,” Lwandamina said.
“It will depend on those that will be selected to play.”
Above, trucks from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) heading to South Africa mostly carrying copper are stranded at Kazungula border post in Southern Proviince as authorities from Botswana site are not allowing due to enter their country fears of Ebola in DRC. Some drivers are now planning to back to Livingstone and try to use the Victoria Falls border post on the Zimbabwe route to South Africa
The Department of Immigration has urged Zambians to resist the temptation of involving themselves in human trafficking because the consequences are very grave.Public relations officer in the department of Immigration Namati Nshinka confirmed that Department received information that a Zambian Truck Registration number AFB 496 belonging to BM Transport of Ndola had been intercepted by Congolese Officials about 8 km from Mwenda Border Control in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Border corresponding to Chembe Border Control on the Zambian side) along the Pedicle road.
Below is the Full Press statement
19 ETHIOPIANS DIE IN A SUSPECTED HUMAN SMUGGLING/ TRAFFICKING CASE
I wish to confirm that on Wednesday, 15th June, 2016, the Department received information that a Zambian Truck Registration number AFB 496 belonging to BM Transport of Ndola had been intercepted by Congolese Officials about 8 km from Mwenda Border Control in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Border corresponding to Chembe Border Control on the Zambian side) along the Pedicle road. Alerted by motorists who heard banging sounds emanating from the container of the truck, the Congolese Officials stopped the truck and discovered 73 Ethiopians behind bags of fish and beans. Eleven (11) of the Seventy Three (73) Ethiopians were reported deceased at the time the container was opened, this number has since risen to Nineteen (19). The actual cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but it is likely that they may have suffocated due to poor ventilation in the container which was laden with bags of fish and beans. The bodies of the 19 Ethiopians have since been transferred to Ndola Central Hospital Mortuary.
Meanwhile, the driver of the truck, by the name of Edward Simwaba (29), a Zambians of Masala in Ndola, his co-driver, Kesta Kanyanta (37), also of Masala Ndola, and another named Zambian, together with the 54 surviving Ethiopians have since been transferred to Ndola. Further, the Department in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is making arrangements to transfer the Ethiopians to Lusaka so as to adequately attend to their immediate needs such as shelter, clothing, food and medical care, as many of them are very frail owing to the ordeal they suffered.
This is a suspected cases of human trafficking or smuggling and Investigations have since been instituted. However, preliminary investigations seem to suggest that the foreigners may have entered Zambia from Tanzanian using the Mbala route, and may have passed through Kasama and Mansa, before being intercepted along the pedicle Road. It is believed that they avoided the usual Nakonde – Mpika route due to the souring number of interceptions being made along that route. Their final destination is believed to have been South Africa.
This tragic incident should remind everyone that the masterminds of these vicious and evil transnational crimes are willing do just about anything get away with their criminal activities, even if it means putting the lives of their victims in grave danger. I wish to warn the perpetrators that sooner or later they will be punished for their crimes. I further, wish to urge Zambians to resist the temptation of involving themselves in these vices, because the consequences are very grave.
Zambia and three other African countries shocked the world in 2002 when they declined food aid during a regional famine. They wouldn’t accept the food because it was both genetically modified (GM) and unmilled, which meant that it could potentially be planted to grow GM crops. The four countries then asked the United States, which had provided most of the aid, to mill it so it would only be good for consumption and not cultivation, but it refused, citing costs.
When South Africa stepped in to mill it, three of the countries, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe accepted. Only Zambia still refused, citing its genetic modification, which then-President Levy Mwanawasa called “poison.”
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2002) in Johannesburg, Mwanawasa said,
“We may be poor and experiencing severe food shortages, but we aren’t ready to expose our people to ill-defined risks. […] I will not allow Zambians to be turned into guinea pigs no matter the levels of hunger in the country.”
Around the same time, after Zambian scientists went abroad for a GM maize study mission, Zambia’s agriculture minister, Mundia Sikatana, told journalists in Lusaka, “In the face of scientific uncertainty, the country should thus refrain from actions that might adversely affect human and animal health as well as harm the environment.”
Zambia had the strongest Anti-GMO Stance in Africa.Despite international pressure and accusations of that the government was starving it’s people, Zambians did not starve to death and are still here to today.
Zambia took heat for their strong anti-GMO stance from abroad initially, but now, much of the pressure to accept GMOs has subsided.
Is Zambia’s stance on GMOs changing?
[pullquote]Control over seed is the first link in the food chain because seed is the source of life.
[/pullquote]
In July 2015, Zambia and other members of the regional body, adopted the ARIPO Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Protocol against the advice of the Zambia Alliance for Agro-ecology and Biodiversity Conservation (ZAABC) and other concerned citizens of Zambia and internationally. This will sell both food and farmers to multinational corporations such as Monsanto.
The Regulations contain provisions requiring farmers, seed processors, and certification agencies to provide information and monitor the use of farm saved seed by farmers. Clearly these provisions are designed to intimidate and force seed processors, seed suppliers, government certification officers and even farmers’ organizations to police and spy on farmers who use farm-saved protected seed. If they do not, the regulations allow the right holder (who could be an international seed company) to take legal action and sue the member state.
So whats the big deal?
Below of an article that shows the ramifications of giving control of seeds to Foreign corporations.Control over seed is the first link in the food chain because seed is the source of life.
The Seeds Of Suicide: How Monsanto Destroys Farming
Note: Originally published in April 2013
Monsanto’s talk of ‘technology’ tries to hide its real objectives of control over seed where genetic engineering is a means to control seed,
“Monsanto is an agricultural company.
We apply innovation and technology to help farmers around the world produce more while conserving more.”
These are the promises Monsanto India’s website makes, alongside pictures of smiling, prosperous farmers from the state of Maharashtra. This is a desperate attempt by Monsanto and its PR machinery to delink the epidemic of farmers’ suicides in India from the company’s growing control over cotton seed supply — 95 per cent of India’s cotton seed is now controlled by Monsanto.
Control over seed is the first link in the food chain because seed is the source of life. When a corporation controls seed, it controls life, especially the life of farmers.
Monsanto’s concentrated control over the seed sector in India as well as across the world is very worrying. This is what connects farmers’ suicides in India to Monsanto vs Percy Schmeiser in Canada, to Monsanto vs Bowman in the US, and to farmers in Brazil suing Monsanto for $2.2 billion for unfair collection of royalty.
Through patents on seed, Monsanto has become the “Life Lord” of our planet, collecting rents for life’s renewal from farmers, the original breeders.
Patents on seed are illegitimate because putting a toxic gene into a plant cell is not “creating” or “inventing” a plant. These are seeds of deception — the deception that Monsanto is the creator of seeds and life; the deception that while Monsanto sues farmers and traps them in debt, it pretends to be working for farmers’ welfare, and the deception that GMOs feed the world. GMOs are failing to control pests and weeds, and have instead led to the emergence of superpests and superweeds.
The entry of Monsanto in the Indian seed sector was made possible with a 1988 Seed Policy imposed by the World Bank, requiring the Government of India to deregulate the seed sector. Five things changed with Monsanto’s entry: First, Indian companies were locked into joint-ventures and licensing arrangements, and concentration over the seed sector increased. Second, seed which had been the farmers’ common resource became the “intellectual property” of Monsanto, for which it started collecting royalties, thus raising the costs of seed. Third, open pollinated cotton seeds were displaced by hybrids, including GMO hybrids. A renewable resource became a non-renewable, patented commodity. Fourth, cotton which had earlier been grown as a mixture with food crops now had to be grown as a monoculture, with higher vulnerability to pests, disease, drought and crop failure. Fifth, Monsanto started to subvert India’s regulatory processes and, in fact, started to use public resources to push its non-renewable hybrids and GMOs through so-called public-private partnerships (PPP).
In 1995, Monsanto introduced its Bt technology in India through a joint-venture with the Indian company Mahyco. In 1997-98, Monsanto started open field trials of its GMO Bt cotton illegally and announced that it would be selling the seeds commercially the following year. India has rules for regulating GMOs since 1989, under the Environment Protection Act. It is mandatory to get approval from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee under the ministry of environment for GMO trials. The Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology sued Monsanto in the Supreme Court of India and Monsanto could not start the commercial sales of its Bt cotton seeds until 2002.
And, after the damning report of India’s parliamentary committee on Bt crops in August 2012, the panel of technical experts appointed by the Supreme Court recommended a 10-year moratorium on field trials of all GM food and termination of all ongoing trials of transgenic crops.
But it had changed Indian agriculture already.
Monsanto’s seed monopolies, the destruction of alternatives, the collection of superprofits in the form of royalties, and the increasing vulnerability of monocultures has created a context for debt, suicides and agrarian distress which is driving the farmers’ suicide epidemic in India. This systemic control has been intensified with Bt cotton. That is why most suicides are in the cotton belt.
An internal advisory by the agricultural ministry of India in January 2012 had this to say to the cotton-growing states in India — “Cotton farmers are in a deep crisis since shifting to Bt cotton. The spate of farmer suicides in 2011-12 has been particularly severe among Bt cotton farmers.”
The highest acreage of Bt cotton is in Maharashtra and this is also where the highest farmer suicides are. Suicides increased after Bt cotton was introduced — Monsanto’s royalty extraction, and the high costs of seed and chemicals have created a debt trap. According to Government of India data, nearly 75 per cent rural debt is due to purchase inputs. As Monsanto’s profits grow, farmers’ debt grows. It is in this systemic sense that Monsanto’s seeds are seeds of suicide.
The ultimate seeds of suicide is Monsanto’s patented technology to create sterile seeds. (Called “Terminator technology” by the media, sterile seed technology is a type of Gene Use Restriction Technology, GRUT, in which seed produced by a crop will not grow — crops will not produce viable offspring seeds or will produce viable seeds with specific genes switched off.) The Convention on Biological Diversity has banned its use, otherwise Monsanto would be collecting even higher profits from seed.
Monsanto’s talk of “technology” tries to hide its real objectives of ownership and control over seed where genetic engineering is just a means to control seed and the food system through patents and intellectual property rights.
A Monsanto representative admitted that they were “the patient’s diagnostician, and physician all in one” in writing the patents on life-forms, from micro-organisms to plants, in the TRIPS’ agreement of WTO. Stopping farmers from saving seeds and exercising their seed sovereignty was the main objective. Monsanto is now extending its patents to conventionally bred seed, as in the case of broccoli and capsicum, or the low gluten wheat it had pirated from India which we challenged as a biopiracy case in the European Patent office.
That is why we have started Fibres of Freedom in the heart of Monsanto’s Bt cotton/suicide belt in Vidharba. We have created community seed banks with indigenous seeds and helped farmers go organic. No GMO seeds, no debt, no suicides.
Vandana Shiva is a philosopher, environmental activist, and eco feminist.Shiva, currently based in Delhi, has authored more than 20 books and over 500 papers in leading scientific and technical journals. She was trained as a physicist and received her Ph.D. in physics from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. She was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1993. She is the founder of Navdanya
Chileshe Bwalya released the video for the song “Agam Aja Gi Mma” that features PastorChidi David Ani.
‘Agam Aja Gi Mma’, which means ‘I will praise You‘, reaffirms the daily position of a true believer which is to praise and worship God in whatever situation they may be going through.
Job 1: 21
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
No matter what you go through never seize to worship God.
As the use of online and digital platforms to place orders for every form of product gains momentum, Ndiyo meals is a whole other level to the food industry in Zambia. Born out the aggressive need to avoid Lusaka’s heavy traffic and the burden of intense load shedding schedules, particularly at meal times, Ndiyo meals provides customers the ability to order their favourite meals online, through wattsapp or via the telephone and have it arrive at their doorstep.
The benefits of this new endeavour are two fold as it provides not only an online presence for all Lusaka’s restaurants but, the packages available are designed to leave promotions in the hands of the highly qualified marketing professionals who form part of the Ndiyo team. From reviews, digital menus, personalised merchant accounts to our current offer of a free trial, this product is designed to alleviate the pressure that is singular to the food and beverage industry, while also keeping the users in mind.
Restaurants are listed by location, name or cuisine and photographs of meals provided in an attempt to make, the often impossible meal choice, as user friendly as possible. The packages are flexible depending on the needs of the customer and can be updated everyday by restaurant owners according to their needs. Ndiyo Meals is a proudly Zambian enterprise and is dedicated to becoming a model of Zambian business. The company has been carrying out trial runs and a date of official launch will be announced soon.
