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Ministry of Finance Public Relations Officer Chileshe Kandeta (L)
Government has disclosed that in August 2015, revenue collection amounted to 2.73 billion Kwacha against a target of 2.48 billion Kwacha.
Ministry of Finance Spokesperson Chileshe Kandeta says this reflects an over performance of 10 percent.
Mr. Kandeta says this is attributed to increased collections on domestic VAT and Non-Tax Revenues.
Mr. Kandeta says by categorization, tax revenue collections amounted to 2.02 billion Kwacha while non-tax revenues totaled 7 10 million Kwacha in August 2015.
He adds that among the major expenditure items was 890 Million Kwacha which was given to the National Road Fund Agency for onward disbursement to the Road Development Agency for road infrastructure programmes.
Mr. Kandeta says the treasury also released 160 million Kwacha to the Food Reserve Agency for crop purchase and 50 million Kwacha for the Farmer Input Support Programme.
He says the release of funds for the Farmer Input Support Programme is consistent with the government’s long-term objective to diversify the economy, improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, and ensure country-wide food security.
The Ministry of Finance Spokesperson says other expenditure includes 11 Million Kwacha for water and sanitation programs, 12.5 Million Kwacha for the Social Cash Transfer Program and 12 Million Kwacha for the mobile national registration exercise.
Patriotic Front (PF) Nkana Member of Parliament Luxon Kazabu has said that he has not done anything harmful to the ruling party adding that his loyalty remains with the PF.
Commenting on allegations that he has lodged bail for a UPND cadre, Mr. Kazabu said that he signed for Mate Situla because he is a school boy who is a close relative.
Yesterday Mr Kazabu joined the United Party for National Development (UPND) in bailing out its cadres who were arrested along with Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo for conducting an illegal political procession.
The 17 UPND cadres were arrested by police last week along with Chongwe MP Sylvia Masebo after conducting an illegal procession along Independence Avenue soon after Ms Masebo appeared at the Magistrate court on charges of abuse of authority of office.
The cadres were each given K5000 bail with two working sureties, and several MPs including UPND’s Kaoma Central MP Carlos Antonio, Villie Lombanya of Solwezi East and their Sesheke counterpart Sianga Siyauya.
Mr Kazabu has received condemnation for his role from PF senior leaders.
PF secretary general Davis Chama said Mr Kazabu had exposed himself for who he truly was by helping the UPND cadres be released from police custody by joining the UPND MPs in signing bonds for the suspects.
Mr Chama has challenged Mr Kazabu to openly declare his loyalty to the opposition political party instead of using the name of PF to conduct political activities for the UPND.
“This is actually surprising, but again it is revealing his true colours and his allegiance to the opposition party. If he (Kazabu) can go to sign bail for the law breaking UPND cadres, he is just trying to expose himself for who he truly is. Let him go,” Mr Chama said.
And PF National Youth Chairman Chishimba Kambwili has called on PF Nkana Member of Parliament Luxon Kazabu to resign if allegations by media reports that he signed a police bond for a UPND cadre are correct.
Mr. Kambwili said that the allegations are an insult to the ruling party.
He said that Mr. Kazabu joined the PF shortly before elections in 2011 adding that it is possible for him to turn against the ruling party.
SPECIAL assistant to the President for political affairs Kaizer Zulu
President Edgar Lungu last night dropped his special assistant for political affairs Kaizer Zulu from his entourage to New York for the UN General Assembly.
According to QFM News, President Lungu dropped Mr Zulu after being angered by the incident in which his aide fired two gunshots after an altercation with Lusaka businessman Enoch Kavindele junior at Chrismar Hotel in the early hours of Saturday morning.
President Lungu is said to have reprimanded Mr. Zulu before asking him to remain behind and sort out the allegations leveled against him.President Lungu is also said to have asked the Police to investigate the matter thoroughly and provide a full report before he could make any decision on Mr. Zulu’s fate.
Police sources told QFM News that Mr. Zulu was scheduled to appear for questioning yesterday, Wednesday, 23rd September following two Police complaints separately filed at Long Acres Community Police Post by Enoch Kavindele junior and his brother Kaunda, who are both sons of former vice-president Enock Kavindele.
A woman and her baby flee from the UPND rally after Police fired tear gas on the UPND supporters
Inspector General Of Police Stella Libongani has condemned UPND supporters in Solwezi for the violence that occurred yesterday between 16hrs and 21hrs.
Riots broke out in Manyama area in Solwezi after Police descended on UPND members who were attending the party’s final rally ahead of today’s parliamentary by election.Onlookers narrated how police in full riot gear descended on the UPND members and started beating up for attending rally which they claimed was illegal.Police told UPND not to conduct the rally at Manyama Basic School grounds in Kalumbila on account of lack of prior notice.The residents took offence and fought running battles with the Police who kept on firing teargas canisters.
I.G Libongani said 21 people were apprehended and are currently in custody.
Below is the Full Press statement
STATEMENT ON THE INCIDENT WHICH HAPPENED IN SOLWEZI WEST
The situation in Solwezi West and Lubensenshi is quiet and voting is going on smoothly. Police are continuing with operations in both constituencies in order to ensure that the remaining period is well policed. The officers will also monitor the movement of ballot boxes to the totaling centers until the whole process is over.
However, the Zambia Police Service would like to condemn the conduct of the UPND cadres for turning riotous after being advised by officers and school management not to conduct a rally at Manyama Basic School grounds in Kalumbila on account of lack of prior notice.
Instead of adhering to Police advice, the cadres started throwing stones, blocked the road as well as smashing police equipment that was in the nearby Police Post. This act left two police officers with head injuries forcing the Police to use tear gas in order to disperse the riotous cadres.
As a result, 21 people were apprehended and are currently in custody and will be charged accordingly.
This happened on 23rd September 2015 between 16 and 21:00 hours.
Apart from the two officers who were injured by the cadres, the police have not received any other report of injury or fatality as a result of the incident.
THE Patriotic Front (PF) is shocked with its Nkana Member of Parliament Luxon Kazabu who yesterday joined the United Party for National Development (UPND) in bailing out its cadres who were arrested along with Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo for conducting an illegal political procession.
PF secretary general Davis Chama said Mr Kazabu had exposed himself for who he truly was by helping the UPND cadres be released from police custody by joining the UPND MPs in signing bonds for the suspects.
Mr Chama has challenged Mr Kazabu to openly declare his loyalty to the opposition political party instead of using the name of PF to conduct political activities for the UPND.
Mr Chama said the decision by Mr Kazabu to stand as a guarantor for the law breaking UPND cadres expressively showed his allegiance to the opposition political party.
He said all those thinking the PF was a sinking ship and wanted to jump were free to do so stating that the PF had adequate human resource and would therefore not run after traitors,
“This is actually surprising, but again it is revealing his true colours and his allegiance to the opposition party. If he (Kazabu) can go to sign bail for the law breaking UPND cadres, he is just trying to expose himself for who he truly is. Let him go,” Mr Chama said.
Mr Chama was commenting on the decision by the PF Nkana law maker who yesterday volunteered to be a sponsor of one of the 17 UPND cadres who were arrested last week for public misconduct.
The 17 UPND cadres were arrested by police last week along with Chongwe MP Sylvia Masebo after conducting an illegal procession along Independence Avenue soon after Ms Masebo appeared at the Magistrate court on charges of abuse of authority of office.
The cadres were each given K5000 bail with two working sureties, and several MPs including UPND’s Kaoma Central MP Carlos Antonio, Villie Lombanya of Solwezi East and their Sesheke counterpart Sianga Siyauya.
PF Nkana Parliamentarian Luxon Kazabu joined the UPND MPs in signing for the release of the 17 cadres.
The cadres have been charged with unlawful procession after they attempted to walk from the Magistrate Courts in Kabwata to Ibex Hill through Independence Avenue in solidarity with the Chongwe law maker after attending her court session in a matter before the Magistrates Court.
Mr Chama said the PF would carry out investigations to understand what could have compelled Mr Kazabu to join the UPND MPs in bailing out its cadres.
Mr Chama said he was reluctant to comment further on the matter but would rather wait for next year to see who would be a true and patriotic member of the ruling party.
Yesterday, 17 UPND cadres arrested along side Ms Masebo were granted bail and released from custody pending court hearing next week.
FILE: Collins Mbesuma (l) celebrates his goal with team mates on June 8 in 4-0 home win over Lesotho. Collins Mbesuma is staying modest despite his sudden bust of form in the 2015/2016 season.
The Zambia striker on Wednesday scored a brace for Mpumalanga Black Aces in a 2-1 away win over promoted Golden Arrows to keep them in the top three of the South Africa PSL log.
“First of all I have to help the team and the most important thing is the team, and individual accolades comes after,” Mbesuma is quoted by Mobifootball.
“We need to finish in the top three and win trophies. As a striker you have to think to score every chance you get in every game.”
The goals brought his tally to three in two successive games this season at third placed Black Aces after just five matches played.
His spark in form came a fortnight after ending his 12-month Zambia exile with a commanding performance for Chipolopolo that he capped with an assist and goal in a come-from-behind 2-1 away win over Kenya on September 6 in a 2017 Africa Cup Group E qualifier.
FILE: UPND president Hakainde Hichilema arrives at Kabwata Police Station for questioning
24 September 2015
A few weeks ago, we predicted, rightly so, and warned our colleagues in the PF that the measure to inject billions of borrowed Eurobond money to stabilise the free falling Kwacha was not sustainable and risked doing more damage to our economy. As usual they didn’t listen let alone heed our advice.
They ignored our proposal of alternative policies as they have been doing throughout their four years in office.
We think we can no longer waste our energy giving our colleagues advice and sharing ideas on alternative policies when they clearly have no ability to hear. Their preoccupation is to distract the public through by-elections, intimidation and personal insults and empty rhetoric.
For some of us who grew up in the village, we remember how parents would often tell their children to stay away from fire because it was dangerous. But there were times when parents deliberately allowed a naughty child to touch the fire and feel how it burns. In that painful situation, the child would never play with fire again.
This is the kind of PF regime we are dealing with that does not listen to advice, especially on key economic policy issues that unfortunately are harming the entire citizenry including relatives of those in power.
As we predicted and forewarned, the Kwacha is again on its journey to more worthless levels, not only against the US dollars, but against other African currencies as well where governments have put in measures to stabilise their economies.
This once more proves what we have been saying; that the Kwacha fall is largely our local unpredictable and inconsistent economic policies coupled with the PF appetite to recklessly spend on unproductive ventures that do not add value to the economy. Expenditure in the productive sector like agriculture can create much-needed jobs for our youths.
It does not surprise us that the continued Kwacha depreciation comes less than one week after President Edgar Lungu addressed parliament on what is supposed to be his economic vision, but it is clear the markets do not have confidence in his leadership, they have even reacted more negatively than against other African countries.
So far, a number of our neighbouring countries have passed on the benefits of the falling crude oil prices on the world market by reducing the fuel prices and consequently lowering the cost of doing business and thereby lowering prices of commodities for the benefit of their people.
That measure alone has reignited their productive sectors, making their exports more competitive, and creating jobs for their people as a result. But here we are doing the exact opposite.
Actually, we would not be surprised that fuel prices in Zambia will soon again be increased and further harm to the production sectors and greater job losses will be the result.
One thing we know for sure is that with the unpredictable business and economic environment following the continued falling Kwacha, prices of essential commodities will keep rising way beyond the reach of our people.
Unfortunately, even our agricultural inputs will this year be more expensive than previously, making our produce less competitive for exports.
In short, as Zambians it is time to brace ourselves for hard economic times and more job losses, while a few keep enjoying government travel allowances, inflated government contracts, and government jobs through increase in the number of ministries, the majority of us are barely making ends meet.
oyce Mwale with FDD President Edith Nawakwi on arrival at RCZ Garden.
FDD President Edith Nawakwi has called on women to unity and embrace the culture of working together if poverty is to be eliminated from homes.
Speaking at Garden Reformed Church where her Party is training women in entrepreneurship and financial management Ms. Nawakwi observed that if women in communities united and fought poverty as a united front, the scourge would be eliminated from homes in no time.
She explained that women have the power to change the financial statuses of their households by making contributions so as to create capital so that they start engaging in projects as groups.
“We can achieve a lot if we are united as women and fight the problems we face as a united force. The challenges which we all face in our homes are similar so it will be easy to face them together.
At our Party and me personally I don’t want to come here and dish out money because when I do that then am not helping you but when we train you then we are adding value to your life and the community at large.
They say don’t give a man a fish but teach him how to catch a fish and that is why me and my colleagues are here, we are here to see how we can work together and ensure that we eradicate poverty from our households and that will not happen if we just give you handouts. If I just come here and give you money then am keeping something from you. The progress I want us to make is by sharing knowledge on how we can move forward.
A person should be taught how to farm, how to fend for themselves then you are helping as opposed to handouts because handouts are not sustainable in nature.”
She added that the training the women are undertaking will be useful even when the projects they embark on in their respective groups failed because they would have acquired the knowledge to help their families.
The women are being trained in various business ventures which they can engage in after forming groups of 30 to improve their household incomes. They are further being trained on how to manage their finances to ensure that they do not run down their businesses.
And speaking on behalf of the women Joyce Mwale said the women overwhelmed with gratitude and were humbled by the gesture of the FDD President who had taken time off her busy schedule to offer her services to the women.
She explained that were sceptical were they told that would come share her experiences and knowledge on entrepreneurship but that she had proved doubters wrong.
Mrs. Mwale who is wife to RCZ Garden Congregation overseer Rev. John Mwale further said the knowledge women were acquiring would help the women in running the projects in the church such as chicken rearing which the church uses to help orphans and widows in the community.
FDD President Edith Nawakwi explains the importance of working together as women at Reformed Church in Garden on Wednesday.
Shopping in Lusaka
The annual inflation rate for the month of September has increased to 7.7 percent compared to 7.3 percent recorded in August 2015.
Central statistics Director John Kalumbi says the increase is as a result of an increase in both food and non food items.
Mr Kalumbi also says the annual food inflation rate for September has increased to 8.1 percent from 7.8 percent in August 2015.
Mr. Kalumbi attributed the increase to the increase in the prices of bread, buns, chicken, mealie meal and cooking oil.
And for non food inflation rate, September has recorded 7.3 percent increase from last month’s 6.7 percent.
This has mainly been attributed to the increase in the prices of transport particularly influenced by increase in the price of motor vehicles and transport.
And on trade Mr. Kalumbi said Zambia recorded a trade deficit valued at 724 million kwacha in August 2015 compared to July’s 959 million kwacha.
This means that the country imported more in August 2015 that it exported in nominal terms..
Mr. Kalumbi made the disclosure during CSO monthly bulletin briefing in Lusaka on Thursday.
Voting is taking place in the Solwezi West and Lubansenshi Parliamentary by-elections.
In Solwezi , ZNBC’s Stephen Sakuwaha reports that voting in the SOLWEZI west parliamentary by election which started this morning has continued in a peaceful atmosphere.
According to Solwezi district electoral officer Ventiure Kafula voting started at 0600 in all the 38 polling stations without disruption.
The voters in Solwezi West are going to the polls after the death of Area Member of Parliament Humphrey Mwaanza.
Candidates in Solwezi West are the Patriotic Fronts Martin Mbaya, John Njombi of the United National Independence Party UNIP, while the UPND is feilding Teddy Kasonso in the by election.
Meanwhile , Bright Mukwasa reports that voting in Lubansenshi Parliamentary constituency by election is currently going on in a calm atmosphere.
And PF Candidate George Mwamba told reporters after voting at the Lupili Local Court polling station that his confidence of winning the seat is firmly anchored on the ruling party’s record of development programmes.
Mr. Mwamba, flanked by deputy minister in the office of the Vice President Stephen Kampyongo and deputy campaign manager Father Frank Bwalya, said he is ready to accept defeat in case he loses as he is in a race.
Rainbow party candidate Daniel Mubanga who also voted at the same venue had earlier told ZNBC that his party is headed for victory.
The people on Lubansenshi are going to the polls after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Patrick Mucheleka.
Candidates taking part in the by-elections are PF’s George Mwamba, Daniel Mubanga for the Rainbow Party, Patrick Mucheleka for the UPND, the MMD’s Gabriel Mulenga and Charles Chimumbwa is an Independent.
A 23-YEAR-OLD farmer of Mutobe village in Chipata, who savagely beat and killed his 10-month-old son on allegation that the infant was a wizard, had his appeal against the death sentence quashed by the Supreme Court.
Kazembe Zulu was on July 28, last year, sentenced to death by the Chipata High court after convicting him of murder.
Particulars of the matter are that on November 8, 2013, in Chipata, Zulu murdered Zindaba Zulu, his baby.
In his ground of appeal to the Supreme Court, Kazembe urged the court to consider imposing a lighter sentence on him other than death.
He argued that the trial court did not consider the extenuating circumstances of his drunken state at the time he committed the offence. Zulu also argued that he believed the infant was a wizard that was turning into a supernatural being at night.
But Justice Gregory Phiri sitting in Ndola recently, observed that the High Court did not error in law by imposing the death sentence on Kazembe as there were no extenuating circumstances in the matter.
Mr Justice Phiri noted that there was no way an infant of 10 months could have been practicing witchcraft as he was solely dependent on his parents.
He also dismissed the defence of intoxication because there was no evidence before the court on how Zulu had been adversely affected by the opaque beer, which he took before the killing.
“There is evidence before court that the accused beat the deceased toddler until he sustained head injuries, which led to his death. Accused also squeezed his wife’s throat until she was rescued by the neighbours. And when the neighbours came, they found the deceased with foam on his mouth and the accused went on and punched the dying child on his head in full view of the neighbours.
“This appeal is therefore dismissed and this court upholds the death sentence imposed on the appellant,” Justice Phiri said.
The evidence before court was that the appellant beat his deceased child to death due to his belief that he was a witch.
The court heard that on the material night, Zulu woke up and started trampling on the deceased, until he became unconscious. He claimed that he saw the toddler in a sitting position on their matrimonial bed, whilst shaking its head vigorously.
But in his defence, Zulu told the trial court that it was an accidental homicide as he allegedly staggered and stepped on the deceased’s stomach in a drunken stupor.
Katatala Ryan Nkole studied at Prue Leith Chefs Academy and graduated with a grandè diploma in culinary arts and wine. He has worked for a top 10 restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa , and is currently free lancing being a personal chef.
KAPA187: Who is Katatala Ryan Nkole?
Katatala Ryan Noel: Katatala Ryan Noel is a 24 year old chef and owner of Umami personal chef services and lover of culinary art and its endless possibilities, recovering bacon addict and failed superhero so this food thing is all I have.
KAPA187: What made you want to be a professional chef as opposed to a more traditional career such a lawyer or doctor?
Katatala Ryan Noel: Well it’s the same old cliché if you ask me, been cooking since I was 9 but I’ve always known what I wanted to be. I vividly remember a school interview in the 3th grade they asked what we wanted to be I said chef and they laughed at me, my parents loved to dine out those days given we only went to Pamodzi, inters and the odd Chinese restaurant. I basically stumbled upon BBC food channel one day and was amazed with all that I saw from then on I started to experiment, I remember attempting to make pizza , curing meat and a flop cake which I quickly renamed chandelier cake. And I’ve never been one to follow the crowd or the norm.
KAPA187: Was your family in support of your decision.
Katatala Ryan Noel: My family has been very very supportive and I really thank God for my mother, the sacrifices made for me to pursue this where huge but we managed. I mean if I have been plotting this since the 3rd grade it would be cruel to deny me. Even when my dad, an old school Bemba man, accepted that I will not be doing purchasing and supply he came around. He even said to me once and I quote “chefs should be one of the most paid people I mean we don’t know what goes on inside there but at least we can put in some delicious food”.
KAPA187: You graduate with a grandè diploma in in culinary arts and wine from Pure leith chef Academy. How important is having a good education if one wants to be a chef? Is experience alone enough to make it in your field?
Katatala Ryan Noel: I’m torn between; it’s like 52/48 with education vs. experience. I mean some of the world’s best , the for fathers of cuisine , the Escoffier’s and Fernad Point never went to school, even modern day greats like Allian Ducasse with his 24 Michelin stars did not have a culinary school behind them or South African chefs like Bertus Basson and chef Michael of Terrior did not go to school. But personally I feel a culinary education is important, reason being that it sparks creativity, as a student you’re taught the basics of , let’s say a mayonnaise and its traditional derivatives but with your knowledge of the basics you can play around with it …they teach you flavor pairing and from there you create your own flavor profiles. But coming up from the ranks as a scholar, unless you’re a culinary prodigy, you will constantly be cooking menus that someone else has developed. I guess I lean more on the school side.
KAPA187: In your opinion what is the biggest misconception of professional chefs?
Katatala Ryan Noel: Let’s see, biggest misconception thinking a chef and a cook are the same, that chefs like to cook on their off days, that we don’t like to be cooked for, that women absolutely love us, ok that one is true, it’s not all glitz and glamor, the kitchens are rough and that we hate waiters/servers okay that one is also true.
KAPA187: Do you specialize in a particular type of food.
Katatala Ryan Noel:Well I’m classically trained in French cuisine, as well as Italian, pan African, pastry and what I’m going to call contemporary Zambian cuisine, which is taking classic dishes and Zambian ingredients we grew up on to the next level. I also have a passion for making pasta and ice-cream
KAPA187: Having worked for both, a top restaurant and being a personal chef, which one do you consider to be more challenging?
Katatala Ryan Noel: Both are challenging in their own right being a personal chef is more intimate one on one with the client doing exactly what they want for example I did this romantic 5 course dinners; he was going to propose so everything had to be perfect. In a restaurant on the other hand is a whole different ball game working 13-18hr shifts, but the adrenaline during service yoh!! You don’t feel a cut or a burn, it’s intense; I will take a restaurant please.
KAPA187: Do you feel professional chefs in Zambia are able to compete with there counterparts in other countries?
Katatala Ryan Noel: Honestly we cannot compete at all, at least not yet the levels are so so different. First off we need to get more professional chefs not people doing It as a job but people who love it and want to create, then we need to grow our industry we are getting there but people aren’t in the habit of dinning out yet, have to start giving the a reason to. Stop the nonsense of bringing in a foreign chef who teaches the cooks how to prep his menu and leaves then they’re stuck cooking the same menu over and over for years even that’s boring. I’m not saying they should not come at all, but come here, keep the standard high, create competition. Don’t bring a burnt out chef who’s just here for the money, we need young hungry chefs. We have a bit to do but we can get there, I know that’s why I’m back to change the industry.
KAPA187: What have been the best and worst moments in your career?
Katatala Ryan Noel: Best moments
Meeting and working with the best chefs in the country , chefs Martinez , Bertus Basson, David Higs , Gregory to name a few.
Working during a “master chef south Africa” held at our school.
Having my ideas make it on the menu.
Winning the ultimate braai master
Cooking with chef Paulina of Mexico for the Mexican ambassador and later having a chat with him.
Working the winter sculpture festival at Birox, must have been like 100 people there. Doing my then chefs wedding.
And meeting a bunch of like-minded people at the Prue Leith Chefs Academy, shout out.
Worst, don’t have many of those, been kicked out the kitchen, had a bowl thrown at me, and messing up an order during service and chef lets you have it.
KAPA187: Could you give us an example of a menu that you would prepare for this particular season in Zambia.
Katatala Ryan Noel: Seasonal menu Kwambwa tea and thyme smoked beef fillet, beer battered fondant sweet potato, cauliflower puree, broccoli florests, rape cremè and micro green salad. Suggested wine pairing Cab franc
KAPA187: What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in culinary arts?
Katatala Ryan Noel: You really have to want this, be passionate, doesn’t help being very talented but having a rotten attitude, and love what you’re doing, have hunger for everything food, excuse the pun. And “vivir para cocinar, cocinar para vivir” which means live to cook, cook to live.
KAPA187: Any last words…
Katatala Ryan Noel: Chase after your dreams or someone else is going to hire you to help build theirs.
Politicians have commented on President Lungu’s speech and it is only fair that the public get an objective review of the speech from independent commentators too so as to have a balanced score card. This article attempts to highlight some positive aspects of the speech as well as some important issues that were missing from the speech – given our present dire economic situation – either through commission or omission.
The speech was long, wide ranging and covering so many areas which makes it difficult to make detailed comments on each of the areas covered. It could have been a deliberate strategy by the speech writers to confuse us so as to forestall commentators’ criticism given our poor reading culture in Zambia.
In a nutshell, it was more of a speech about the President’s vision and his aspirations for the country for the long term rather than one meant to solve our immediate problems. The emphasis was more on 2064 instead of 2015 and 2016. It is for this reason that my gut feeling is that a substantial number of people were neither moved nor inspired by it as it did not touch their immediate lives. There was hardly any standing ovation to write home about during the speech!
There are some of us who listened to the entire speech for the two or so hours and read the entire hard copy to get an insight of the speech. The first observation is that the speech lacked the passion that some of us are used to from leaders like former US President Bill Clinton, Thabo Mbeki, late Nelson Mandela, late Samora Machel, late Margret Thatcher, late Ronald Reagan, late PW Botha, Tony Blair, Barack Obama, late Frederick Chiluba, Kenneth Kaunda, Fidel Castro, Robert Mugabe to name but a few, when they are addressing a nation in distress like we are.
It gave one the impression that the President may have had little input in it ( he did not write it nor spell out the contents he wanted in it to the speech writers) because the ownership of the speech was not apparent in its presentation. It is quite possible that it was by and large written by technocrats and the spin doctors. The presentation of the speech was also a bit casual and cavalier.
In as far as the content is concerned; there were many positives in it. Although some of the positive issues that he touched on lacked the necessary elaboration and proper clarity, they nevertheless can make a great difference to our economy if followed up and implemented. The good ideas I am referring to include the following : fast tracking Citizen empowerment, the revitalization of the cooperative movement, mainstreaming tourism and agriculture as engines of economic growth and diversification, prioritization the solving of the load shedding problems, unemployment, prioritization of the implementation the moribund Public, Private partnership (PPP) Act 2009, the issue of street kids and empowering them with skills, review of the public order act, construction of feeder roads and establishing of milling plants in all provinces.
The major weakness of the speech is that it fell short of addressing most of the immediate problems that we are facing as a nation and in fact it actually gave the impression that the President does not recognize them as problems apart from load shedding because he either did not talk about them or he just briefly talked about them or he actually made pronouncements that were going to make things worse! The major economic problems that the country faces are: Budget deficit, trade deficit, kwacha depreciation, load shedding, excessive government borrowing, corruption, unemployment, lack of confidence in the economic management of the country and the high cost of living.
These needed to be addressed with short term solutions and long term solutions provided. The speech mainly looked at long term solutions which may not even implemented and will remain paper plans just as previous similar pronouncements by his predecessors have ended up. The majority of ideas in the speech are not new. The problem the country has had is implementation , follow up , prioritization and lack of political will.
Load shedding is the only problem in my view that he adequately addressed with short term and long term measures. His passion on the issue was palpable. He confidently committed himself to the goal of making Zambia a net exporter of energy within a year. He actually put his head on the block on this one, which was rather impressive! He should approached other pressing problems the same way! He spent quite a bit of time of this issue. He even gave a tongue languishing to Minister of Energy Christopher Yaluma and gave him an ultimatum of three weeks to deliver a cabinet memoranda for the procurement of alternative sources of energy.
The other major problem that the country faces is the huge budget deficit caused mainly by government over expenditure. The President did not address this issue and in fact by his actions, he will make it worse. We expected him to spend more time on how his government was going to reduce the government deficit by reducing expenditure and waste.
Instead, he announced measures that are going to increase the deficit like increasing ministries, reintroduction of Zambia airways, starting to build universities in Luapula and Western province. We expected measures such as suspension of some infrastructure projects, the announcement of reducing government travel, reducing his motorcade, reducing number of personal to holder vehicles to ministers and government officers etc.
If the President started implementing expenditure reduction with budget line items that personally affects him like General Buhari has done in Nigeria and Pope Francis in Vatican, it would convince people that his humility persona is real as will have demonstrated to be leading by example in terms of commitment to deficit reduction.
The cancellation of building him a retirement home is a good start but it will have no immediate impact. These are the kind of pronouncement that could have inspired and excited the public and won him supporters and votes! The deficit reduction measures could also have had a positive impact on the kwacha because like I have said before in my columns, we are part of the international financial markets and sentiments by the President especially, can have a positive or negative impact on the currency. The Kwacha has not improved since the speech and so the market has not been impressed at all by the speech and as it lacked short term solutions which will stabilize the economy which is what investors are interested in!
The problem of excessive borrowing was not addressed. The President did not talk about it in detail at all and in fact he defended the borrowing using the now tired reason of our debt being below 40% of GDP threshold and the establishment of the sinking fund as a solution to repayment. All his administration officials have been parroting this without even understanding what it means nor its limitations and implications! It was apparent that the President does not believe that we have borrowed excessively.
I wonder whether he does realize that our external debt which is in dollars grows every day in kwacha terms as the kwacha depreciates and in the last one month and half months, it has grown by an estimated extra K20 billion! Zambia owes $6.05billion in total foreign debt at the exchange rate of K7.44 a month or so ago to a dollar the debt was equivalent to K45.01 billion.
At the current exchange rate of K10 per dollar the same $6.05billion is now worth K60.05 billion. The question is where are we going to get the extra K20 billion! Also, there is the talk of having established the sinking fund; but nobody asks or explains where the money for the sinking fund is going to come from! And if indeed, the money is found, what is the opportunity cost of the money set aside for debt servicing! Will it not result in less money for schools, medicines, agriculture and other sectors? The superficial analysis and debate on economic issues in Zambia, is sometimes mind boggling.
I have been wondering whether our Opposition have analysts and strategists because nobody talks about the danger that the growth of our foreign debt in kwacha terms poses. They could have used it as a means of providing checks and balances to the administration by continuously highlighting it! The debt has grown in kwacha terms by K20 billion within a month and half by mere exchange loss!
The depreciation of the Kwacha and trade deficit problems did not have any serious mention in the speech at all. We are an import oriented country and the falling kwacha has direct impact on the cost of living and prices have started going up!
Corruption and nepotism is a serious issue in Zambia and worse than the tribalism that the president is passionate about. The scourge is affecting our economy badly and costing government millions of dollars. The President’s speech just made a casual mention of the scourge. We would have expected him to read a riot act to everybody including his ministers that he will not defend anybody involved. He needed to show some passion on the issue so that the public could indeed believe that he is serious about the fight against corruption. He should have even warned all and sundry that State house is not an investment Centre and he will not be seeing investors at State house. They should be going to see ZDA, Ministry officials and line Ministers. Foreign investors going to State house just perpetrates corruption. It is a bad practice copied from West Africa.
There is doubt that the speech did contain a lot of positives and it is imperative upon government that they implement the pronouncements from the speech to have an impact on the economy. It is also a fact that it omitted important problems that require immediate solutions and given that the President had made some indications the week prior to the presentation of the speech , about serious pronouncements about expenditure reductions including the postponement of some infrastructure projects, it is apparent that the final speech was doctored for political expediency.
Lastly, it is vitally important the PF administration should be more tolerant of divergent views either from the Opposition or other stakeholders because that is what democracy is all about. The Government’s reaction through Honorable Chishimba Kabwili, Presidential Aide, Amos Chanda and others, to every criticism is not doing them any good as they appear to be defensive, over sensitive and therefore giving the impression they are guilty conscious and scared of something! There were allowed to criticize when they were in opposition.
This idea of thinking all critics belong to the opposition and after political power is rather shallow. There are Zambians who are educated, experienced, and exposed, who are indifferent as to who ascends to power as long as there are running the affairs of the country well! When a country is poorly managed, all Zambians are affected regardless of their political persuasion. It is not possible to walk with your heads high wherever you live if your country’s economy is poor and mismanaged! We all love our country! It is incumbent upon the administration to feel free and consult fellow Zambians with the knowledge and skills regardless of their political affiliation to solve the problems that our country faces.
The writer is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a financial management expert. He is an independent and non partisan commentator. He has lived in the diaspora in England, South Africa and Botswana for over 25 years.
An independent report by consultancy firm SRK shows that Kagem mine, majority owned by Gemfields is set to produce 1.10 billion carats over a 25 year mine life, which is more than initially anticipated.
The company said the total amount of indicated and inferred mineral resource at the emerald mine is now estimated at 1.8bn carats worth of the green gemstone and beryl.
According to SRK, the company needs to spend $84 million over the first four years of the project, and a total of $516million over Kagem mine’s life to create an operation that will initially process around 90,000 tonnes of ore per year.
It said by 2018, output would ramp up to 180,000 tonnes per year, as it will add the Fibolele pit to the project.
Over its mine life, Kagem is now expected to produce 44.7 million carats per year on average.
Gemfiels said it would continue exploring the asset over the next few years to determine the further resource potential.
“As I have said on many occasions over the past few years, this operation has a bright future, is still maturing as an established producer, with much more yet to come,” said Chief Executive Ian Harebottle.
