Poachers have killed 30 Elephants in Mushingashi Conservancy Game Reserve in Kafue National Park’s northern tier in the last six months, it has been learnt.

This was revealed when President Edgar Lungu’s Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation, Lucky Mulusa visited the game reserve on Thursday.

Mushingashi Conservancy Game Reserve is run by Darren Watt who told Mr Mulusa that they are not getting help from the Zambia Wildlife Authority in curbing poaching in the area.

Mr Watt said ZAWA needs to get more involved in preventing poaching in the area.

Brawen is an upcoming rapper, singer and performer signed to Helium Prime Media

KAPA187: Briefly tell us about yourself

Brawen: My names are Kombe Eddie Besa off course known as Brawen when it comes to my music and entertainment side of life, i was born around 21:05 hours on July 19th of the year 1996 and i am a third born in the family of four guys. I love music and am usually made happy by every piece that comes together to form music, i won’t forget to say my life is based on the kindness and grace of GOD.

KAPA187: You started rapping at an early age of 13. What made you take it up more seriously?

Brawen: I took up music more serious respectively as a result of the inspiration and motivation I got after doing my first song(That’s enough).I felt the impact that music brought on me and it was something that was building me up into someone with a free mind generally expressing myself through the music so i just couldn’t let go. I mean the passion i have couldn’t let me.

KAPA187: Tell us how it felt when you won the chance to be on the remix of Eddie Black’s hit single “where are you”

Brawen: Firstly I have always been a huge fan of Eddie Black, if not I wouldn’t have seen the post about the “where are you” remix. I honestly felt and knew that the long awaited journey had begun after I received that call from Eddie Black saying i won the competition. In my imagination was me sitting at home and watching my video for the “where are you”remix.On top of it i had a huge celebration in my heart and soul because finally i was signed under a record label called Helium Prime Media.Oppotunities came and went away but this one is what i was looking for so it was a new day for me.

KAPA187: Hip hop in Zambia right now is the most popular genre of music. With many new artists coming onto the scene. What is it that separates you from the rest?

Brawen: I am usually separated from all these other upcoming artists by the fact that i don’t rap or talk about things that i don’t have. I don’t brag about money, cars or a big mansion that i don’t have instead i choose to brag about my lord because he is all i got. I choose to be a voice for the voiceless or a mouthpiece that lives to promote what’s good for mankind because I have noticed we care too much about things that really don’t matter. At this point I want to say i am not scared to be different.

KAPA187: Being that you are still young is furthering your education a priority or are you concentrating on your music career?

Brawen: Honestly, my concentration is on the music. It’s just not music to me, its part of my life rather so i will further my education but honestly it will still bring me back to music.

KAPA187: What does the word “Success” mean to you? What do you feel you need to achieve in order to be considered a successful artist?

Brawen: To me success is achieving every dream we have and being an inspiration to both people who believed and never believed in the dreams we had. To be a successful artist i feel like i need to get my music heard by everyone (young and the old) not because I am a genius but because I speak in the language everyone understands and that language is reality.

KAPA187: Who are some of the artists that inspire you, both locally and internationally?

Brawen: I am inspired by the likes of Lecrea,Trip Lee,Pompi,Eddie Black,KB, Mc jin,Magg 44, Chef,Abel Chungu,Andy mineo,Tedashi,Da truth,Flame,Chris Brown,Kendrick Lamar,Slap dee,T.i,Ace hood,Drake,Papa san,Mali music,Jay rox,a.k.a,Ice prince,J cole and many others.

KAPA187: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Brawen: In the next five years i see myself busy on a daily basis, moving in and out of the country spreading the love, with at least two albums and a few awards.

KAPA187: Do you have any hidden talents?

Brawen: Apart from music I can also play football but I have come to realize and understand that my passion is in the music and not football.

KAPA187: Any last words for your fans…

Brawen: My last words to my fans are nothing more than just a big thank you to everybody who has been taking their time to download and share my music. I believe without each one of you i honestly can’t be what i am today and i want you to keep on supporting Brawen music because you are the reason i do what i do. Always remember to keep the love, support and unity at 100, nothing less until nothing is left.

United Party for National Development(UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has accused President Edgar Lungu of abusing the authority of his office by directing police officers to arrest innocent political opponents based on rumuors.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, the UPND leader said that there are serious violations the our country’s governance systems by the President of the Republic of Zambia Lungu and his PF party and government against opposition leaders, members and jounalists and ordinary citizens.

Below is the full speech

Fellow opposition party Presidents and their representatives

My dear vice Presidents of the UPND

The National Chairperson and members of the NMC of the UPND

Your Excellences, Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Zambia

Honorable members of parliament

Representatives of International organisations

Civil Society organisations including all Church mother Bodies

Members of the Press

All invited guests

Countrymen and women

Good morning

We thank you sincerely for making time from your busy official duties to attend this press briefing called at short notice. The purpose of this Press briefing is to bring to your urgent attention serious violations to our country’s governance systems by the President of the Republic of Zambia H.E Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his PF party and government against opposition leaders, members and jounalists and ordinary citizens. We also want to use this press conference to appeal for urgent collective efforts to bring to a stop these blatant violations before our peace and loving nation is plunged into a violent and lawless country especially as we head towards the 2016 Presidential and General elections.

Your Excellences, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen.

What exactly are these serious violations?

1. Violence, Intimidation and threats

2. Lack of freedom of speech and assembly

3. Abuse of government institutions to suppress political opponents and citizens

From 2011 when the PF came into power, our country witnessed a number of serious incidences of violence firstly within PF against fellow members of the party. We witnessed high levels of lawlessness and anarchy whereby PF cadres could demonstrate against their own leaders without police permits, by blocking roads and inconveniencing motorists without any regard and endangering innocent citizens.

In addition, the country has witnessed the closing of public offices such as District Commissioners, Town Clerks, RTSA offices just to mention a few. This has been done with impunity and in full view of the police.

Your Excellences ladies and gentlemen

You will recall the wrangles, controversy and violence surrounding the election of the PF Presidential candidate prior to the 2015 January presidential by-elections. The country witnessed violence including use of pangas, threats and intimidation including racial abuse against the Acting President Dr. Guy Scott. The country finally witnessed the selection of the ruling party President by show of hands with pangas against their own constitution.

Your Excellences, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Initially we all thought this culture of violence and intolerance would come to an end but alas this has not happened. Instead the culture of violence has now escalated to alarming levels beyond the PF and extended to the opposition and ordinary citizens especially during by-elections.

This Country has witnessed unprecedented levels of politically motivated violence which has left some of our citizens with injuries and others dead.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If this violence is not checked, this country is headed for anarchy. This we must never allow. We all know what happened in other African countries such as Kenya in East Africa, and Ivory Coast in West Africa.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

You will also recall how during our 2015 Presidential by-election the helicopter carrying our former First Lady Dr. Maureen Mwanawasa and former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mrs. Mutale Nalumango was stoned by PF cadres when they attempted to address a campaign rally in Shiwang’andu Constituency in Chinsali. This incident happened in full view of the PF and government leadership.

The country has continued to witness violence against our women and youth in markets and bus stations including streets where they are struggling to earn a living. Everyday we hear how our women are being harassed and forced to pay levies to PF party cadres in markets and on the streets thereby denying the councils the much-needed revenue to provide social services to our people.

Bus drivers and operators are being forced to pay illegal levies to cadres at bus stations especially the intercity bus station which is controlled by PF cadres mainly of foreign origin with questionable immigration documents. These PF cadres have made the transport business sector in Zambia generally difficult for our bus drivers and operators. The PF government has deliberately ignored the Bus Stations and Market Act, which if implemented would have brought law and order in our transport sector and markets. Small scale farmers from surrounding districts of Lusaka such as Chongwe, Chilanga, Kafue and distant provinces like Eastern, Northern and Western Provinces are harassed and forced to sale their farm produce at low prices by PF cadres in full view of the police, particularly at Soweto Market.

Recently the country has also witnessed increased violence through the use of firearms (guns). This happened in the Mulobezi parliamentary by-election where UPND members were attacked and shot at by the Secretary General of the PF Mr. Davies Chama and the District Commissioner by the name of Mr. Manjolo. Despite the police knowing and witnessing these incidences, Mr. Chama and Mr. Munjolo have not been arrested by the police.

Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

You may wish to know that the gun violence did not spare me and my entourage as we were also victims of the same when we visited the Copperbelt. Known PF cadres attacked us. We were blocked from appearing on a scheduled radio programme at Ichengelo radio station. Some of our scheduled meetings were deliberately disrupted by organized PF thugs. Members of the public who tried to attend our meetings were threatened and intimidated with violence.

All this is done just to make our party organization work difficult. This violence is not only targeted at opposition members, but also at ordinary citizens, students, professionals, journalists, the church, civil society organisations, bus and truck drivers, marketeers and other traders who may have just refused to pay money to known PF thugs.

Your excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

It is most unfortunate that President Edgar Lungu is now abusing the authority of his office by directing police officers to arrest innocent political opponents based on rumuors. Only last week without shame he categorically stated that he had information that some opposition leaders were having meetings in some areas of Ibex Hill Lusaka planning violence ahead of the 2016 Presidential and General Elections. He also accused FDD president Edith Nawakwi of violence against the ECZ and directed her arrest. As if that was not enough he accused our own UPND Vice-President Hon. Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) PF MP for Kasama central that he assaulted a PF member and directed his arrest to which the police swiftly swung into action and arrested, charged and took him to court. President Lungu further accused and threatened the police for not arresting the opposition. This is a President who has never spoken or directed the police to deal with any of the above-mentioned violations against citizens and opposition members.

President Lungu has never condemned the political violence that has taken place in the by-elections or violence against marketeers and bus drivers in our markets and bus stations because that violence was perpetuated by PF cadres.

As a result, despite all these well documented evidence of violence, shootings, intimidation, abuse of public assets and sheer theft by PF thugs the police have failed to act for fear of losing jobs. Except in the case of the Kitwe PF thugs after enormous pressure and condemnation from some of the NGO’s, Church leaders and donors that we saw some arrests being made and matters referred to our courts. But can you imagine after being threatened with guns these thugs were merely slapped with a laughable charge of public obstruction and yet we were threatened with violence using guns.

However, on the other hand some of the opposition members who are framed of alleged political violent conduct have their cases tactfully twisted to harsh non bailable offences such as aggravated robbery just to fix and weaken the opposition. As I speak we are aware that we have one of our party member who has been detained for more than five months in Chelston police cells against the constitutional provisions.

Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

What is most saddening and shameful to say the least is that only three weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending parliament and followed the debate on a private members motion moved by PF Chongwe MP Hon. Sylvia Masebo and seconded by MMD Lukulu East MP Hon. Dr. Kalila which was ‘Urging the PF government to ban the indiscriminate use of guns in the country especially during elections’.

What happened is that the PF ministers and members opposed this motion without regard for the lives of innocent citizens and without shame voted against this well intended motion.

Clearly they are supporting the use of guns in elections because that is part of their scheme to win elections through violence and intimidation. It is not surprising to find that most of the PF cadres in stations are armed with guns and pangas, with the full knowledge of President Lungu.

Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

The PF have continued to frustrate the opposition especially the UPND against holding party meetings aimed at organizing our party structures at the lower levels. We are aware of President Lungu’s intention to use the police to prevent our party meetings and public rallies using the Public Order Act as justification.

PF intends to use the police to harass, intimidate, detain UPND and other opposition leaders so as to weaken the opposition. In addition, we are aware of a well-calculated smear campaign and propaganda against potential opponents aimed at diverting attention from issues affecting our citizens.

Ladies and Gentlemen

I want to appeal to the public at large to be vigilant and refuse to be cheated by the PF propaganda against opposition political opponents using state media, i.e. ZNBC, Daily Mail. Times of Zambia including one private media house which has shamelessly allowed itself to be used to transmit false stories against innocent citizens and political opponents. Sheer lies such as one told by one Bishop (who does not even have a church) will even become louder as we approach the 2016 General Elections. Let me again repeat myself on this important spiritual issue that I Hakainde Hichilema is God fearing and a Christian member of the Seventh Day Adventist. (SDA) Church.

The public media is being abused to scandalize political opponents who are never given an opportunity to be heard, and yet the public media is funded by taxpayers’ money.

The one and only main media house that speaks and stands for the voiceless masses, the Post Newspaper has been harassed, intimidated, charged with all sorts of imaginary charges and its Editor-in-chief thrown in jail just to weaken and silence them. Public institutions such as ZRA, have been used against them so that they are closed. Why? Because the Post newspaper and its Editor-in-Chief have been exposing their corruption and wrong doings.

The One Zambia One Nation motto is now being used by the PF only as a disguise or cover up while brutality and divisive activities and tribal statements such as one by the PF Secretary General Mr. Chama continue being the order of the day.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

We demand that President Lungu acts more responsibly by issuing a statutory instrument that will ban the use of guns, pangas and other offensive weapons during elections and including the upcoming by-elections in Lubanseshi, Solwezi West, and others before anymore lives are endangered or lost.

We further demand that President Lungu publicly denounce and stop the violence that has been committed by his PF thugs against other innocent citizens and political opponents. We call upon enforcement agencies such as the Police, ACC, and the DEC to refuse to be abused by those in power against opposition and political opponents including business individuals, journalists and other citizens who hold divergent views.

We demand that the PF government stops interfering with the public media professionals so that they can operate freely as per provisions and requirements of public media. We further demand that the PF government stops abusing the Public Order Act so that the police do not deny the citizens the rights to freedom of assembly.

· We call upon you journalists who may be victims of some of these PF evil schemes against your fellow brothers and sisters to refuse to be abused by the PF. Remember we are one people. We all go to the same shops, churches, schools, and hospitals. We face the same economic difficulties and are all looking for solutions that will alleviate poverty in this country.

· We call upon fellow citizens to refuse to be used by some PF leaders and individuals who are benefiting alone and are buying expensive properties outside the country using money earned corruptly.

· We call upon the church and civil society organisations to continue voicing out on these issues as they have the potential to break up the nation.

· We call on fellow opposition political parties to get united on these matters and speak with one voice.

· We call upon the international community to take keen interest on the blatant violation of human rights in Zambia that have the potential to destabilize the country and cause anarchy as we move towards elections.

Conclusion

Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

The PF strategy and evil schemes of employing violence, intimidation and threats as away of weakening the opposition parties, which should be stopped now also includes:

· The abuse of public Institutions such as Police, DEC, ACC, ZRA and the public media to silence and weaken political opponents, journalists, individuals, and citizens with divergent views.

· The use of propaganda and sheer lies of who we are aimed at misleading the public.

· The abuse of the Public Order Act to deny citizens the right to freedom of assembly.

· The misuse of government resources especially vehicles and District Commissioners in by-elections and the recent threats by President Lungu to have political opponents arrested.

All these violations and many other abuses not highlighted can plunge this Country into total chaos.

We are sounding an early warning here because we love our country and would do everything possible to safeguard the unity and peace that we have enjoyed and have been known for as one of the main attractions for Zambia as a peaceful nation.

However, instability in a country does not just spring up. It is normally a culmination of certain events such as what we have outlined above and like the popular saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure.’

So far, it is very clear that the actions of Edgar Lungu as Head of State and his PF government is slowly but steadily turning the country into chaos. We would want them to devote their energies on the numerous economic challenges such as the rising cost of living due to increased load-shedding, fuel increase, increase on mealie meal prices and other foods, lack of decent job opportunities, improving education and health care, paying retirees, reducing borrowing and debt, and paying our farmers on time.

These are the issues we want to concentrate on. Yet the PF leadership wants to test the patience and resolve of the people of Zambia that are hungry for economic liberation.

They want to drag us into meaningless debates and evil vices that have the potential to break the country apart.

As UPND, we do not want to be part of this anarchy that is being perpetuated by the PF regime. Lungu and his regime will be held fully responsible for whatever will happen in this country through their evil schemes, careless statements, and dictatorial actions.

Thank you very much for your attendance and may God Bless Zambia

Zambian actor/writer/film maker Onechi Lwenje has just made his Hollywood debut on the U.S. television network, “The Africa Channel”, hosting a show that gives international viewers a feel of life in Zambia’s capital, called “My Lusaka“.  Watch clip here

Onechi is an international actor and writer based in Zambia.
His star has seen steady growth brighter from his television debut in a local community awareness TV commercial about HIV/AIDS in 1999.
He has gone on to appear in numerous prime time commercials for international corporates in the telecom and banking sectors. He has also given his talent toward national causes such by appearing in voter sensitization commercials in the country of Zambia.
His dramatic acting career has seen him performing roles in award winning series and feature films such as Love Games (2014 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards winner ‘Best Series/Comedy’) and Guilt (2014 Zambia Film Television and Radio Awards winner Best Movie/Best Cinematography/Best Editing).
Onechi is also an accomplished writer who has been Editor of multiple magazines servicing a diverse spectrum of readers.
He commenced features article writing in 2010 for Zambia’s then-flagship magazine, Nkhani Kulture. In 2013 he went on to become Deputy Editor for the in-flight magazine of international airline, Proflight.
He moved on to perform the role of Editor-in-Chief in industry specific publications that focused on the agricultural and mining sectors, such as ‘Agri-Pro’ ‘Agri-Plus’ and ‘Zambian Mining’ respectively, while also being honored with prestigious assignments such as authoring the official biography of the City of Lusaka for its ‘Lusaka 100’ centenary celebrations.
Onechi broke barriers by becoming one of the first Zambians to appear on US network television when he hosted an episode of documentary series ‘My Africa’ on The Africa Channel, entitled ‘My Lusaka’
Onechi also manages to squeeze being a poet into his personal time and is currently preparing to publish his first anthology of compositions.
Driving his personal and professional growth remains the ideal of service to the human family.

“I am always contemplating the state of global unity, particularly what kind of world we are making and leaving for our youth. I hope through my work to be an agent of positive change and inspiration for generations.”

Courtesy of Onechi (dot) net, US Embassy Zambia and The Africa Channel

BY KAPA187