The Power Generation and Allied Workers Union of Zambia has demanded that Energy Minister Christopher Yaluma should appoint a substantive board at state run power utility ZESCO with immediate effect.

Union President Thomas Nyendwa said the union is of the strong view because as this will greatly improve operations at ZESCO and also help the firm focus on the power supply challenges being faced.

Mr Nyendwa said appointing a Board will also set the company on a new path to regain confidence of all stakeholders that has been greatly eroded in the last few months with the crippling power outages and load shading being experienced nationwide.

He said the Union is concerned that in the last seven months since the last board was dissolved, the situation at Zesco has gone from worse to bad as some of the crucial decisions in ensuring the smooth operations of the firm have not been made.

Mr Nyendwa has also objected the recent pronouncement by Mr Yaluma to have the Zesco management step down in the current power deficit in the Country persists up to October this year.

He said the Union also notes with concern that Mr Yaluma’s conduct of overstepping his supervisory role at Zesco needs a board in place.

“We don’t want to conclude that he is a beneficiary of this chaotic situation he deliberately allowed. Does he want to run ZESCO as an employee? We want him to constitute a board within 48 Hours instead of making wild statements about who should resign when just below his noise a corrosive crude oil was procured, we are shocked he considers himself morally positioned to say others should resign.”

ZAMBIA’S ECONOMY IS NOT DIVORCED FROM THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AS DOOMSAYERS IN THE OPPOSITION WOULD WANT CITIZENS TO BELIEVE – BY SUNDAY CHANDA, VICE CHAIRPERSON- PF MEDIA AND PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

Lusaka, Zambia, 25th August 2015 – While the Opposition and Cartel have gone on rampage trying so hard to discredit the eight (8) months of His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, his 18 month term of Office will include major successes that will forever be engrained in Zambia’s history. The challenges faced by President Lungu upon becoming head of State were enormous and has had to make tough decisions in the best interest of the nation. These challenges include a difficult political transition within Patriotic Front (PF) when the cartel that is still fighting him in their daily tabloid almost wrestled power following our late President H.E. Michael Chilufya Sata’s death, followed by a presidential by- election in which he only campaigned for 28 days.

And since Zambia is part of the globalised world we all live in, global economic challenges happening in one world market will have repercussions across borders in various countries. For the past years, slowdown in the Chinese economy has resulted in reduced demand by that country for commodities like oil and minerals, including Zambia’s copper, resulting in falling commodity prices, reduced foreign exchange earnings for the country and putting pressure on the Kwacha. This phenomenon is happening across the world, as shown by yesterday’s BLACK MONDAY which saw volatility in and plunging of world markets in China, the USA, Europe, Australia and many countries due to investors’ fears on economic slowdown in China and that country devaluing its currency the Yuan recently.

Since the world has been relying on China for growth in recent years, the immediate effect of the plunging of world markets has been a further fall in commodity prices e.g. oil, copper, aluminium, gold, coffee, etc. and emerging markets being forced to devalue their currencies.

Consequently the South Africa Rand, Zambian Kwacha, Ugandan Shilling and Tanzanian Shilling have depreciated to an all-time low, while falling oil prices are putting pressure on oil economies like Angola and Nigeria. President Lungu’s government is working to mitigate these challenges and also cooperating with other affected countries, including the industrialization policy by other countries within the SADC region. This is why the PF government is working on diversifying the country’s economy so that we can manufacture and export various products. This way the country will not be held hostage to one commodity, Copper.

While the Opposition has opted to refuse the reality and effects of climate change affecting about 30 African Countries, President Lungu’s administration has had to deal with the negative effects of global warming, which were responsible for poor rains and consequently, low water levels at the Kariba Dam. This has resulted in the current and unfortunate load-shedding and PF in Government understands the anguish this has brought on households and the industry. In responding to these challenges, President Lungu has committed to the diversification of energy sources to solar, thermal and wind energy, including the procurement of solar-powered milling plants to be distributed in all the ten (10) provinces of Zambia.

This decision by the President and his Government will surely result in lessened dependency on hydro-power. Unfortunately, while the water levels at Kariba Dam have been going down, Opposition leaders such as Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, Edith Nawakwi, among others, have sought to deceive Zambians that they are the equivalent of rainmakers. Zambians must therefore ask these Opposition leaders how they plan on filling up Kariba Dam under the circumstances. These Opposition leaders wrongly believe that Zambians are so gullible to believe their distortions. We wish to remind these Opposition leaders that Zambians know that all Presidents face unique challenges at any given time and President Lungu will rise above the prevailing obstacles.

Lastly, we wish to reiterate President Lungu’s Cabinet’s resolve to complete all outstanding infrastructure development projects and implementing a robust youth economic empowerment and employment plan demonstrates his commitment to spurring economic activity and investing in long-term growth. We also wish to make mention that the Cartel and UPND fails to realize is that their hatred and insults against President Lungu will not slow him down in his quest to create a better life for all Zambians.

As a matter of fact, the more insults and ridicule they throw in his face, the more he wants to do his best for Zambia. Their lies and cheap propaganda will not bring President Lungu down. Whether the Cartel and UPND like it or not, President Lungu’s first tenure will be judged as an accomplishment and on that basis, Zambians will renew his mandate to administer the affairs of the country.

Issued by: Sunday Chanda, Vice Chairperson, PF Media and Publicity Committee

Democracy (MMD) Copperbelt Provincial Chairman Mr. Denson Chisunka, popularly known as “Macheni Macheni” has slammed Patriotic Front (PF) Copperbelt Member of the Central Committee Mwenya Musenge for suggesting that MMD Party president Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba has no control on the MMD and that it is former Republican President Rupiah Banda (RB) who is in charge.

“We in the MMD would wish to loudly declare to Musenge and the entire PF who are living in the past, that RB was never a genuine member nor ever believed in the ideals of MMD from the very beginning. Judging from his recent conduct since his unsuccessful attempt to forcibly get the MMD Party presidency from Dr. Mumba, every right thinking Zambian has realized that the old man was a ‘Sangwapo’ president. He was a shameless chancer who had no heart for the MMD or the country.

“The heartbreaking painful memory ingrained on the people of Zambia is of his clenched fist PF symbol on one hand and the MMD “The Hour” symbol on the other hand, in front of cheering PF supporters that ‘Inkoloko nomba nipa maka’. He thought he had finally finished Nevers Mumba and the MMD, but let him know that his hour of reckoning has finally come,” said Mr. Chisunka.

Mr. Chisunka said that the PF, with all the country’s intelligence machinery at its disposal, has no clue what is actually going on in the whole country, especially on the Copperbelt and the people of Zambia are itching to punish and give the PF the boot after their “donchi kubeba” lies and incredible incompetence as a government.

“The PF should know by now that since the pre-independence days, all political upheavals originate from the Copperbelt, because it is the heart of the country’s economy and this is what the PF Government has destroyed,” said Mr. Chisunka.

He has advised Mr. Musenge to open his eyes and see for himself the rapidly unfolding scenario in the MMD which is engulfing the entire nation like a virus and advised the PF to brace itself for the most crushing and humiliating electoral defeat Zambia has ever witnessed.

Mr. Chisunka used a Bemba adage which says ‘eko usulile ekopa noko’. He said that the PF should start bracing itself for the for the eruption of the MMD volcano which the late President Michael Sata (MHSRIP) prophesied would erupt and consume the PF.

He said all politicians in Zambia know the danger that Dr Mumba poses to their political ambitions and that is why he has been the focus of unwarranted arrests, police harassment, and postings to remote places to limit his influence.

“After destroying the MMD with their endless calls that ‘MMD is dead’, RB and his cohorts moved to PF where they have now settled as they had planned, where they are now ‘eating’ with both hands and have forgotten about the MMD. Yet Dr. Mumba stayed on and has demonstrated to everyone that he has a
love for the MMD.

“He has stood fearlessly in the face of vicious attacks and imprisonment at the hands of the PF, he fought attempts to de-register the MMD and has weathered one of the most viscous storms ever faced by the MMD. Who can compare to Nevers?” asked Mr. Chisunka.

“As Copperbelt MMD, we announce to Mr. Musenge and PF that the MMD has only one democratically elected President and that is Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba whose leadership was endorsed by the Supreme Court of Zambia on 18th December 2014. We are informing him that the one he is mentioning as being in charge of the MMD and those who have now followed him out of the MMD were wolves that came to the MMD at night in sheepskins to rape, plunder and destroy the MMD for their selfish ambitions.

“These people took the MMD into confusion and division and wanted to reap where the founding fathers of the MMD dream such as Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika, Biggie Nkumbula and others had laboured to bring about the prosperous Zambia we have been enjoying which is being destroyed by the PF.

“These wolves knew nothing of the sacrifice these great men made in the face of the mighty one-party UNIP administration” said Mr. Chisunka. Mr. Chisunka has issued a strong warning to the PF that the game is now up and Nevers has come back as his middle name says to ‘sekwila’ (remove weeds) and pick up from where his elder brothers left off. He said Dr Mumba shall take Zambia from the confusion and poverty that the PF has put Zambia in, back to prosperity.

The Presidential challenger jet left Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 15:25 this afternoon.

The President told journalists before departure that he is expected back in the country tomorrow.

ZNBC’s Jeff Banda reports from Namibia that President Lungu will be officiating at the Namibian Heroes day at the invitation of his counterpart President Hage Geinggob..

According to a programme released by Zambia’s High Commissioner to Namibia Sylvia Chalikosa, the President is this evening expected to attend a state dinner that has been organized in his honour.

Ms. Chalikosa said the mission is grateful for the invitation extended to the Zambian Head of State.

August 26th, is celebrated by Namibians to mark the death of the country’s heroes in the freedom struggle.

President Edgar Lungu has since arrived in the Namibian Capital Windhoek where he is expected to officiate at that the Heroes National day tomorrow.

The President was welcomed by Namibian Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah at Eros International Airport.

And speaking at the airport President Lungu said there is need to find a criteria for identifying remaining freedom fighters in Zambia.

He said it is vital to celebrate and remember the sacrifices of freedom fighters.

After arrival the President and his entourage were taken to State House in Namibia.

At State House, President Lungu met with his Namibian counterpart Hage Geingob.

The President will this evening attend a State dinner which will be held in his honour.

The Lusaka Magistrate Court has set October 20th, as the date for ruling, on whether Rainbow Party leader Wynter Kabimba and Post Newspapers Proprietor Fred M’membe have a case to answer or not.

This is in a matter were former President Rupiah Banda has dragged Mr. Kabimba and M’membe to court for contempt.

The two are further accused of having published a defamatory story against Former President Rupiah Banda.

When the matter came up today for trial, Prosecutor Keith Mweemba informed the court that the state has closed its case.

Mr. Mweemba said much as the prosecution team was entitled to call many witnesses, they had decided to close their case.

This was after presenting four witnesses before Lusaka Magistrate Kenneth Mulife.

And Magistrate Mulife asked both the state and the prosecution team to file written submissions to the court, before October 20th.

The matter has since been adjourned to October 20, 2015 for ruling on whether the accused have a case or not.