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FILE: Chiefs Hamusonde( Right in white shirt and brown hat) and Monze (left in brown t-shirt and black hat) were among some of the invited guests at the Zambia College of Agriculture’s (ZCA) 4th Diploma and 64th Certificate General Agriculture graduation ceremony held under the theme, “Continued Innovation and Quality Agriculture Training Beyond the Golden Jubilee Year” , in Monze
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has allegedly criticised Chieftainess Mwenda of Chikankata for welcoming and speaking to Patriotic Front secretary-general Davies Chama in Bemba.
Details have emerged of a telephone conversation in which Mr Hichilema complained to Chief Hamusonde of Monze that it was shameful for some chiefs in Southern Province to speak to Mr Chama in Bemba.
Sources close to Chief Hamusonde and Mr Hichilema said the chief was quiet throughout the ‘furious’ complaint last week.
The source quotes Mr Hichilema as having said: “I have just returned from North-Western Province and people there are warming up to us but it’s shameful that some of the chiefs in Southern Province did not just welcome Chama but spoke to him in Bemba. This is shameful.”
Mr Chama wondered what kind of president Mr Hichilema would make given the traits of tribalism he is exhibiting.
“Mr Hichilema is a tribalist who will never preside over the critical affairs of this country. How can he become bitter because I visited Southern Province when we are One Zambia One Nation?” he wondered.
The UPND has struggled to shrug off the tribal tag following the death of its first president Anderson Mazoka as its members insisted that it would only be led by a Tonga.
And Mr Chama has lashed out at Mr Hichilema for accusing the PF of using police to stop opposition parties from organising their structures.
Reacting to Mr Hichilema’s allegations that the PF is using the police to prevent opposition parties from organising their structures, Mr Chama said the ruling party does not control the police.
He said police would not stop any political party from organising themselves.
Mr Chama said President Lungu is on record directing police to adhere to professionalism as they execute their duties.
“The police are just applying the law to people who do not abide by it. It is, therefore, important for the UPND to do so to avoid problems,” Mr Chama said and described the opposition party as a cry baby.
FILE: HEALTH deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya (in a jacket) inspects Siankope rural health post in Choma yesterday which was among the 650 facilities under construction countrywide. Picture by CHILA NAMAIKO
GOVERNMENT has terminated the contract of Angelique International Limited, the contractor engaged to build 247 health posts under the 650 health posts project.
Deputy Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said the contractor was engaged to build health posts in Muchinga, Northern, Luapula and North-Western provinces.
Dr Chilufya was speaking when he toured Fiwale Health Centre in Mansa yesterday.
“As President Lungu said, the pace at which the contractors are working is not good. The contractor will clear all Zambian sub-contractors and workers who have been working with him,” he said.
He also said Government will ensure that in the next few weeks, another contractor comes on site to speed up the works.
According to Dr Chilufya, 350 slabs and 137 super-structures have been completed; 10 are ready for commissioning.
This is according to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) news monitored in Lusaka last night.
“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
(Psalm 34:3, KJV)
Magnify the Lord
There is power when you magnify the Lord and exalt His name! When you magnify the Lord, you aren’t changing Him; you are changing the way you see Him. You are making Him bigger in your life than your problems and circumstances.
So many people today waste time and energy talking about their problems and feeling sorry for themselves. In other words, they are magnifying their circumstances in their mind and heart. But when you magnify the Lord by talking about Him and worshiping Him, you are making Him big in your mind and heart. You are opening the door for Him to move on your behalf.
Decide today that no matter what’s going on in life around you, you are going to magnify your God. Talk about His goodness. Talk about His faithfulness. Declare that He is working behind the scenes on your behalf. Exalt His name today and lift Him up!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, today I choose to magnify You. You are faithful and worthy of praise. I declare today that You are for me, so who can be against me! I trust Your work in my life today in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja taking Oath during the swearing -in-Ceremony
Movement for Multi-Party President Nevers Mumba has described the new new Police Commissioner Mr Kakoma Kanganja as a disgrace for giving false information to the nation that MMD never notified the Police about their meeting in Eastern Province.
In a statement released to the media with proof of the notifications, the MMD leader said that the act by the Police was dangerous, reckless, uncalled for and could have led to loss of life and the new Inspector general should have immediately acted to suspend the officers who did this, pending a disciplinary hearing.
Below is the full statement and the evidence of the notifications.
KANGANJA IS A DISGRACE – NEVERS MUMBA
Fellow Zambians, I want to speak to you about a cowardly and barbaric act against the Movement for Multiparty Democracy by some Zambia Police officers on Friday 18th December 2015 in Lundazi in Eastern Province. That date shall go down in Zambian history as a dark day when our democratic freedoms were eroded to an alarming degree.
We have taken a bit of time to react fully because we wanted to give time to the Police and in particular the President to react first, so that we know where they stand. But first some background.
Last week as I was addressing our party members during a peaceful indoor meeting in Lundazi, an overzealous Police officer, obviously acting on instructions from above, threw a teargas canister into our meeting and disrupted it. Every police officer knows that teargas should only be used when there is public disorder but there was no disorder or even threat of disorder.
This act by the Police was dangerous, reckless, uncalled for and could have led to loss of life. I wish to condemn the act in the strongest possible terms because it is unacceptable and belongs to the stone age. Did the Policemen think about the fact that there were women and children in that meeting? Did they think about the possibility that there could have been an asthmatic person in the meeting who could have been killed by the teargas?
We had also expected that the new Police Commissioner Mr Kakoma Kanganja would immediately act to suspend the officers who did this, pending a disciplinary hearing. Since he has not, we can safely conclude that everything that happened was done with his approval if not instruction.
We had also expected Mr Kanganja to apologize to the women and children who were teargassed but he has displayed extreme arrogance by claiming that the Police acted within the law since we supposedly did not inform the Police of our meeting in advance. This is a total lie because we did inform the Police in the entire Eastern Province a full ten days before we arrived and even The Post Newspaper reported this fact.
Among Mr Kanganja’s first acts as Police Commissioner is to do things worse than his predecessor Stella Libongani when he is just a few weeks on the job. How can a highly esteemed man like him can give false information to the nation that we never notified the Police? And even if we did not notify the Police, it does not justify the teargassing of innocent peaceful people. Mr Kanganja is a disgrace to the uniform he wears and to the Police service.
What made this teargassing incident even more outrageous is that the Police officers involved illegally attempted to stop our meeting, they proceeded to arrest my assistants Mr Clement Siame and Mr Friday Chipasha and made them appear in court the same day. It seems justice is very swift for the opposition but very slow when the ruling party is involved.
We shall however not take this lying down and we are commencing legal action against the Police officers who threw teargas at the people. For too long, we and other opposition parties have let such incidents slide and turned the other cheek, but now we are going to take on the Police so that they know that they cannot continue harassing us anyhow. I have already met with our lawyers and instructed them on what to do.
We expected the Republican President Mr Edgar Lungu to publicly apologize to the people who were teargassed and to all Zambians in order for us to believe that he is serious when he tells the Police to be professional. He has remained mute and we can also conclude that the teargassing happened with his approval, if not direct instruction.
All we have seen from the President this far are empty pronouncements while people are being harassed and teargassed and forced to hold meetings in the bush as we did in Mambwe District. We had Police in full riot gear all over Mambwe as if they were hunting the Mailoni brothers.
Fellow Zambians, we are alive to the fact that the vast majority of police officers in Zambia are simply acting on instructions from above which they know are wrong. They have families to feed and it is difficult for them to disobey their superiors lest they get fired. We really feel sorry for them being used in this sort towards the opposition. They are like a gun in the hands of an evil person. You cannot blame the gun but the one who fires it. The Police are victims of bad leadership and bad laws such as the infamous Public Order Act.
As the new MMD, we shall put a stop to Police harassment of opposition political parties and shall be a tolerant regime. We shall restore to our citizens all their fundamental rights and freedoms, which were procured at a high cost by those men and women that died in the struggle for independence. We will deliver real change to Zambian politics.
Nevers Sekwila Mumba
MMD President
POLICE NOTICES
NOTE: The official form for Police notification below contains Part B which references section 5(4) of the Public Order Act and yet this section was struck down in a 1995 Supreme Court Judgment (Christine Mulundika And 7 Others Vs The People) as follows: “… we hold that subsection 4 of section 5 the Public Order Act, CAP 104, contravenes Articles 20 and 21 of the constitution and is null and void, and therefore invalid for unconstitutionality”.
FILE: Heritage Party leader Brigadier Godfrey Miyanda holds a note and pen during the meeting to demand for the release of the draft Zambia constitution
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has requested President Lungu to dismiss the petition by Heritage Party Leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda for lack of merit.
In a statement released to the media, YALI Governance Advisor Isaac Mwanza said that his organization is sadden that General Miyanda could blatantly accuse Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula as having failed to provide leadership when Government had proceeded to table the Bill before the National Assembly for debate and enactment.
Mr. Mwanza said that even a cursory reading of the petition, makes clear that there is no message worth the President’s consideration and could, in the extreme, be read as a pointless attempt to delay, if not stop, the Zambian people at home and abroad from coming up with a progressive constitution.
Below is the full statement
YALI says Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s Petition to President Lungu is out of time and without merit.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has requested President Lungu to dismiss the petition by Heritage Party Leader Brig. Gen. Godfrey Miyanda for lack of merit.
Even a cursory reading of the petition, makes clear that there is no message worth the President’s consideration and could, in the extreme, be read as a pointless attempt to delay, if not stop, the Zambian people at home and abroad from coming up with a progressive constitution.
We note with sadness that General Miyanda who, as leader of the Heritage Party, had every opportunity to participate in the National Consultative Forum organised by the Technical Committee, either chose not to, or else failed to attend these forums where he would have put across his arguments or views on the issues he now puts across to the President as reason to delay the enactment of our new, or amended constitution.
Brig. Gen. Miyanda, having been a member of parliament for 10 years and, as Vice President of the Republic, was leader of House, is aware of the further opportunities available to him to present his views to the National Assembly itself, as a citizen and as leader of a recognised political party.
Brig. Gen. Miyanda is well-known, and highly respected, for his acute awareness of both the legal and political processes which guide both our legislative and political processes, and no one will believe that he was not aware that he could have made his views known at any stage.
We can only surmise that Gen. Miyanda’s petition should not be taken seriously, except for its dramatic effect in making Zambians aware that the National Assembly has in fact sent the two constitutional bills to His Excelkencyvthe President for his assent.
YALI believes, therefore, that there is no reason whatsoever for the President to delay his assent to the two constitutional Bills presented to him by the National Assembly for his signature.
YALI considers Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s call to President Lungu “to facilitate a national indaba”, to be nothing more than a seasoned politician asking for another opportunity to do what politicians do best, that is, to talk endlessly. We readily accept that, that is their job!
We wish to remind both Brig. Gen. Miyanda and President Lungu of his own words at the opening of the National Constitutional Consultative Forum when he said: “the national convention, which marks the conclusion of the formal consultative process on drafting the Zambian constitution, demonstrates that Zambians are capable of rising above personal interests and work together for the common good of the nation”.
We believe those words to have been conclusive. We see no reason to re-open the consultative process as suggested in Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s call for a new indaba.
Lastly, YALI wishes to express sadness that General Miyanda could blatantly accuse Zambia’s Minister of Justice, Hon Simbiyakula, SC as having failed to provide leadership when Government had proceeded to table the Bill before the National Assembly for debate and enactment.
Those unwarranted attacks against the Minister of Justice are unjustified and uncalled for because Hon Simbiyakula was bound by the collective agreement. We know Brig. General Miyanda would have loved to see Government table the White Paper and begin to attack Government for having done so when Government had promised they would not do so.
YALI now calls upon President Lungu to proceed with all haste, to sign the Bills placed before him by the National Assembly. With his eyes open, of course!
Signed
Isaac Mwanza Governance Advisor YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE
President Edgar Lungu Greets IG Kakoma Kanganja
The opposition UPND has expressed worry that the Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja has already started showing signs of unprofessionalism.
UPND Chairman for Rural Reconstruction and Development Moono Mapani says when the new Police Chief was been sworn in recently he swore to defend the constitution but that it is worrying that he has opted to start serving the interests of the party in power.
Mr. Mapani says the opposition political party is making frantic efforts to engage Mr. Kanganja so that there is fair application of the Public Order Act in the political sphere.
He says Mr. Kanganja is an educated lawyer who should understand well that he is in that office to protect all people and not do things to appease the appointing masters.
He has reminded the Police IG that he is in office to uphold Article 104 of the Constitution of Zambia and not to serve the interests of the PF.
Mr. Mapani says the UPND is worried that the Police IG is slowly loosing focus and has started showing fruits of unprofessionalism.
He says it is for this reason he is hoping that the police IG will keep the doors to his office open so that the opposition and other stakeholders can freely engage him on matters of great concern to the peace and stability of the nation.
The ruling PF has said that it is dismayed by the UN human rights experts to criticize President Edgar Lungu for pardoning Clifford Dimba who was convicted of the rape and his appointment as an ambassador in the fight against gender violence.
PF Media Committee and Publicity Vice Chairman Sunday Chanda in a statement released to the media said that it was expected that international media should be above board in terms of their research and reporting.
Mr. Chanda reminded Dubravka Šimonovi, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, that such power to pardon is at the discretion of Presidents worldwide, adding that President Lungu did not break any law to exercise the pardon,
Below is the full statement
CONSTITUTION EMPOWERS PRESIDENT TO EXERCISE PARDON – SUNDAY CHANDA, VICE CHAIRPERSON, PF MEDIA AND PUBLICITY COMMITTEE
Lusaka, Zambia, 25th December 2015 – It is expected that international media should be above board in terms of their research and reporting.
In this regard, reference is made to the International Media which covered one Dubravka Simonovic, a UN Special Rapporteur who called on the Zambian Government to publicly withdraw Dimba’s appointment as ambassador in the fight against gender violence. We wish to remind Mr. Simonovic that such power is at the discretion of Presidents worldwide. We wish to educate Mr. Simonovic that His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu did not break any law to exercise the pardon. It might interest Mr. Simonovic that pursuant to Article 59 (d) of the Constitution of Zambia, CAP 1 of the Laws of Zambia, President Lungu has pardoned 502 convicted prisoners on the occasion to commemorate Christmas Day which falls on 25th December, 2015.
The pardoned inmates who include two prisoners aged 75 and 83 are serving various jail sentences at different prisons across the country. President Lungu has done this in exercise of his Prerogative of Mercy
Further, Mr. Simonovic would be wise to know that Article 60 of the Zambian Constitution prescribes that there exists an advisory committee on the prerogative of mercy which consists of such persons as may be appointed by the President. These may be appointed for the purposes the President in relation to persons convicted by courts-martial and for purposes of advising him in relation to persons convicted by other courts.
It must be mentioned that the President depends on the said Committee to advise him regarding convicted persons on whom the prerogative of mercy may be extended. We wish to place on record that President Lungu, a lawyer by profession and firm believer in human rights, acted within the confines of the Constitution and upon recommendation by the advisory committee on the prerogative of mercy and Prison authorities regarding Clifford Dimba’s pardoning. It must be stated here that once new allegations of a gender-based offence were reported, the Zambia Police effected an arrest and not even the Presidential pardon acted as his shield from arrest and possible prosecution.
The PF as a Party condemned Dimba’s reported negative conduct post his release and called on the law to take its course. We must state here that Dimba’s conduct will, however, not deny future reformed convicts from being considered for Presidential pardoning, whether or not the committed crimes were in the form of gender-based violence or not.
We are also aware that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has retained a UK Consultancy doing media placements for him. These will do whatever they can to cast Zambia, which is an Oasis of Peace, into negative light. The Independent Newspaper in the United Kingdom under its ‘stark warning over rising political repression in Zambia from Opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema’ quoted Mr. Hichilema as having said that Zambia is about to slide into a genocide.
Firstly, Mr. Hichilema is an international alarmist who prides in taking to international forums to discourage foreign investment into Zambia. He does not understand his patriotic duties as he takes pride in speaking ill of the same country he desperately seeks to rule one day. The international community would be wise to know that it is Mr. Hichilema’s style of tribal politics and those of his party which can trigger a genocide if given the chance but Zambians have seen through him and hence his rejection in four (4) consecutive elections. Mr. Hichilema’s political career was birthed on a tribal cradle and to this day, his political party continues to pride itself in the Mapatizya formula, which every Zambian knows to be a bloody election gimmick following UPND’S orchestrated political violence during the former ruling party MMD’s reign.
It should interest the international community that while in Opposition, PF never had violent clashes with the former ruling party, MMD. It was always UPND fighting members of the then ruling MMD, a provocative and violent Mapatizya culture they have extended to PF’s rule. Mr. Hichilema is therefore not being candid enough because Zambians have rejected his political party’s violence and they (Zambians) will not allow genocide to happen to them. While President Lungu and PF have been consistently preaching the Country’s unity through an aggressive promotion of the nation’s ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ motto, Mr. Hichilema and UPND have continued to embrace and entrench tribal and regional politics. It therefore just takes a pinch of due diligence on the part of the international community to confirm that a potential genocide trigger is embedded in UPND’s tribalism, regionalism and the infamous Mapatizya formula.
Lastly but not the least, we noted that on 23rd December 2015, BloombergBusiness distortions through their local correspondent Matthew Hill under its story “Zambia Considers Reintroducing Currency Rules, Treasury Says”. We do not expect reputable international media to sink to such levels of reporting untruths and figments of their own imagination.
We have engaged Mr. Matthew Hill when he misrepresented President Lungu’s call for National Prayers and Fasting. It is clear that he sees nothing wrong in purveying falsities about Zambia and its people.
On this matter, Zambia’s Secretary to Treasury Mr. Fredson Yamba dismissed these reported notions and subsequent statements as misleading and mere fabrications and to the best of our knowledge BloombergBusiness, through Matthew Hill has not corrected their untrue version. BloombergBusiness’ Matthew Hill ought to know better that the Zambian Government remains committed to principles of a free market economy driven by private sector with Government playing the role of a facilitator and regulator. We refuse to believe that such inconsistencies and half-baked stories by international media a mere coincidence.
Issued by: Sunday Chilufya Chanda, Vice Chairperson, PF Media and Publicity Committee
The leaders of the three major political parties released the pictures online of what they did during the Christmas day.
Nevers Mumba in cape Town South Africa with his sons (Left to right): Mica-el, Shumo-el, Nevers and Ye-hoshuaNevers Mumba jogging in the street of Cape Town South Africa. According to him, “Best exercise to expel teargas from the chest!”Nevers Mumba jogging in the street of Cape Town South Africa. According to him, “Best exercise to expel teargas from the chest!”Hakainde Hichilema commemorated Christmas with the Street children Lusaka, at the main post office in by serving them food.Hakainde Hichilema commemorated Christmas with the Street children Lusaka, at the main post office in by serving them food.Hakainde Hichilema commemorated Christmas with the Street children Lusaka, at the main post office in by serving them food.President Edgar Lungu On Christmas Day at Mother Theresa Home in Mutendere Presented Christmas Gifts The Patients and Children at The homePresident Edgar Lungu On Christmas Day at Mother Theresa Home in Mutendere Presented Christmas Gifts The Patients and Children at The homePresident Lungu Toured Mutendele Police Post and talked to some prisoners
The other party leaders did not release the pictures of what their wives did on Christmas day. Only Pictures of President Lungu’s wife Esther Lungu were made available.
First Lady Esther Lungu admires the Christmas twins (Babies) during the presentation of gifts to Christmas Babies and patients at UTH on Friday, December 25,2015 -Pictures by THOMAS NSAMAFirst Lady Esther Lungu admires the Christmas twins (Babies) during the presentation of gifts to Christmas Babies and patients at UTH on Friday, December 25,2015 -Pictures by THOMAS NSAMAFirst Lady Esther Lungu admires the Christmas twins (Babies) during the presentation of gifts to Christmas Babies and patients at UTH on Friday, December 25,2015 -Pictures by THOMAS NSAMA
President Lungu Meeting Chief Nkomeshya during Christmas
PRESIDENT Lungu has directed Minister of Local Government and Housing Stephen Kampyongo to work closely with chiefs in the management of land.
Mr Lungu said the illegal land acquisition and construction of structures have adversely affected the development of the country for a long time.
The President was speaking in Chongwe when he made an impromptu visit at Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya’s palace yesterday.
He said there is need for consultation between chiefs and local government to ensure planned development.
“Everybody must follow the procedure in the acquisition of land. We do not want to encourage wrong-doing with an understanding that Government will normalise the process,” President Lungu said.
He said he does not support illegalities.
“We would love to have planned movements to avoid future challenges of demolitions. That way we can provide water, electricity and other services required on a piece of land,” President Lungu said.
He assured Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya that he would follow up the implementation of the electronic voucher (e-voucher) system with the Ministry of Lands to address the challenges being faced.
“I have heard the feedback, I will follow up with the ministry officials to see how service delivery can be improved,” President Lungu said.
He said the system is bound to have hiccups, but timely feedback can help improve it as it is a pioneer initiative.
“When you ask them how they acquired the land, all they say is that they have already built and that Government will legalise the process,” Chieftainess Nkomeshya said.
Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya told President Lungu that she is having a lot of pressure because Chongwe district is slowly becoming like Lusaka.
She said many people are drifting into the district and using money to acquire land illegally.
“When you ask them how they acquired the land, all they say is that they have already built and that Government will legalise the process,” Chieftainess Nkomeshya said.
She also complained about challenges in the implementation of the e-voucher system, saying the process is cumbersome.
Chieftainess Nkomeshya said the e-voucher package consists of only four bags of fertiliser and does not cater for seed.
“But we need seed because it is a staple food. Government should consider including it in the coming season,” she said.
And President Lungu also visited Chongwe District Hospital, where he presented gifts to the eight newly born Christmas babies.
He encouraged the mothers to take good care of the babies and take advice seriously from health personnel.
President Lungu later told journalists that Christmas is a day for showing love to one another.
He said prisoners and the sick are important to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For those who have decided to commercialise Christmas, it is their own problem,” President Lungu said.
He returned to Lusaka late in the afternoon.
Mufulira Wanderers legend Michael Kapembwa says Mighty should keep their key players if they are to excel next season.
Wanderers put up a superb show in the ended FAZ Super Division campaign straight after coming from Division One.
In an interview with Lusaka Times, Kapembwa said Mighty need the services of key players who helped the club finish fifth in the league.
“Mighty’s performance this year was great. I salute players, coaches and officials. But we should not relax going into next season,” the ex-Wanderers coach said.
“We should look forward and let’s ensure that we don’t lose players. If we lose players the performance will go down. There is no time to experiment,” Kapembwa said.
Some of the player who made Mighty tick this season were Captain Taonga Bwembya, winger Lameck Silwaba, midfielder Fumbani Muwowo and defender Warren Kunda.
ZNBC cancelled the UPND’s Christmas message which was scheduled to start airing on Christmas eve.It was cancelled on the last minute despite the UPND signing and paying for the contract earlier.UPND President expressed surprise at the actions of the Public broadcaster especially that the message was not political.The UPND would however like to wish Zambians a Happy Christmas and God blessings.
Below is the Full Statement
Good evening dear colleagues
Just to inform you that ZNBC, the public broadcaster, have rejected our paid for Christmas message despite having signed a contract with them earlier.
The advert is currently running on other channels such as Muvi TV and Prime TV. In the message we are merely urging our fellow citizens to love each other and share the little we have with each other.
We paid
almost a week ago but today we were being told we should just get a refund.
This is really surprising to us coming from a public broadcaster, especially that our message was totally none political as you can confirm from many other platforms including social media.
Now we wonder if we can ever get any favourable coverage from our public institutions such as ZNBC if they can out rightly reject our paid for content.
We guess this is not time to stress each other but just let our fellow citizens know what we are going through.
But like we stated please let’s be with our beloved ones and love one another during this time and beyond.
Zambia is bigger than each one of us and we must remain peaceful and united people at all times.
Happy Christmas to you all and God bless
Zambians are greatly concerned about the state of Press Freedom in Zambia. According to the latest Press Freedom Index, Zambia has been declining in press freedom for 3 years now. This is especially worrying because MMD were the ones who liberated the press. From 3 newspapers, 1 TV station and 3 radio stations, we now have more than 80 radio stations, more than 10 TV channels and several print newspapers and magazines plus a multitude of Online publications like Tumfweko and Mwebantu New Media.
In this environment of a multitude of media houses, one would expect a robust and free press but alas this is not the case. Ever since they were elected, the PF has consistently harassed and worked against the independent media. Their first president Michael Chilufya Sata ruled for 3 years without a press briefing. His successor Edgar Chagwa Lungu went for 8 months without an interview or briefing.
The recent moves by the PF government to try to shut down The Post Newspapers using Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) are shameful and an affront to democracy. They may deny it but all their explanations do not make sense. Why don’t they also shut down Times of Zambia and Daily Mail who also have unpaid tax obligations? Why send armed Police to The Post over an administrative issue that was in court?
Zambians do not accept this victimization of the press which has also included The Daily Nation, various radio stations and Online media. Journalists like Thomas Zgambo, Clayson Hamasaka, Wilson Pondamali and Chanda Chimba III have been arrested, locked up and dragged to court on trumped up charges and harassed by the PF. In the case of Mr Hamasaka, incriminating pornographic pictures were planted on his laptop by state operatives but fortunately, the case was thrown out in court.
How can Zambia develop if there is no free exchange of ideas or criticism? Without criticism, a ruling party becomes arrogant and despotic the way UNIP was for two decades. They fail to make better quality decisions and become warped and self-absorbed. Is this the Zambia we want? Having experienced 18 years of the oppressive UNIP one party state, Zambians are saying “No!”
On behalf of the New Hope MMD, I pledge that we shall be the most tolerant government in Zambian history towards the press. We shall never harass any media house and shall allow all media outlets to report freely as they see fit. Any media house that reports falsely or defames anyone shall be dealt with by the courts of law by those aggrieved. We already have laws on libel and slander that are adequate. I shall go a step further and get the law on Defamation of the President abolished as it has been used to victimize critical voices in the media.
When I become president, I shall ensure that critical media websites like the Zambian Watchdog and Zambia Reports are never blocked in Zambia. It makes no sense to block any website, no matter how critical they are. For example, Zambia Reports never write anything positive about me and always try to twist everything to make me look bad, but it would be very small-minded of me to block them in Zambia.
I want Lloyd Himaambo back in Zambia so that we can build Zambia together through sharing ideas. There is no sense in the founder of the Zambian Watchdog living in exile because of selfish politicians who come and go. Any journalist who ran away due to persecution shall be invited to return home. Any fake court cases against journalists shall be dropped. We only have one Zambia.
I will not allow the state media to become a vuvuzela of the ruling party the way ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Daily Mail are. We shall leave them free to report on anything they want, including incompetence in government. I do not want to be headline news everyday and I will not allow my ministers or any other government officials to be calling ZNBC to threaten them over what they report, unlike the way PF leaders keep doing. I shall be a president for all journalists.
An independent and totally free press is a necessary prerequisite for a nation to fully develop because it allows free dissemination of information and free exchange of ideas which in turn enable better quality decisions to be made in the governance of the nation. If Zambians are aggrieved with their government and want to be heard, why should we stop them? Why shouldn’t we allow our mistakes as a government to be exposed and talked about so that we improve?
In conclusion, I wish to state that as president of Zambia, I shall be very accessible to the media and will not be afraid to answer tough questions or deal with difficult situations that the press highlight. I shall continue in the rich tradition started by my late elder brother and second President of Zambia Dr Frederick JT Chiluba who taught Zambians what freedom really means.
Davies Chama addressing PF Members at the mobilisation meeting
PF Secretary General Davies Chama says he will be ready to have his right hand cut off if UPND President Hakainde Hichilema improves the living standards of Zambians if he becomes republican President.
Mr Chama said Mr Hichilema cannot make a good President because he has a bad heart and is very selfish.
He said Mr Hichilema is always motivated by selfish motives in all his dealings.
The PF Secretary General said Mr Hichilema has acquired huge tracts of land in several parts of Zambia and is still acquiring more, a sign that he is greedy.
Mr Chama said late UPND founding leader Anderson Mazoka would have made a great Republican President than Mr Hichilema.
‘I was in Namwala recently and i was informed by the local people that HH has bought off huge pieces of land and is now threatening poor villagers off their land, he has started fencing off the land now. This land is used by poor farmers for animal grazing and now this man is fencing off the land because of greed,’ Mr Chama said.
He added, ‘Imagine what would happen if he becomes Head of State and has powers to apportion land, he will grab everything and give himself. This is how selfish this man is,’ he said.
Mr Chama said Mr Hichilema still has large size of land in New Kasama where he has built a mansion but that he is still acquiring more.
He cautioned Zambians to be careful with leaders of Mr Hichilema’s calibre because they will not help develop the nation.
Mr Chama said some so called opposition leaders are merely masquerading to represent interests of Zambians when in fact they just want to plunder the country’s resources.
