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Some of the Zambian children who took part in UBC’s happiness study. Courtesy of Alexa Geddes
Spirituality and connection to nature are good predictors of Zambian children’s well-being, according to a University of British Columbia study published in the current issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies.
UBC researchers Mark Holder and Tim Krupa, Okanagan College instructor Ben Coleman, and University of Alberta instructor Eugene Krupa completed a two-year study using three measures to gauge happiness among Zambian children and adolescents between ages 7 to 19.
The results confirmed earlier work suggesting that spirituality is a stronger predictor of children’s life satisfaction than religion.
“Our analysis shows that children’s and adolescents’ sense of spirituality and connectivity to nature explain variation in their life satisfaction beyond other factors such as religiousness,” says Tim Krupa.
“That suggests that having an inner belief system and feeling close to nature may be more important to promoting well-being than practising religious rituals.”
Zambia reports high levels of participation in organized religion.In the study, 95 per cent of respondents attended church in the past month and 96 per cent reported that religion was important to them.
Despite developing-world living conditions, children and adolescents in Zambia also reported levels of happiness that are comparable to those observed among Canadian children.The study found children and adolescents rated themselves highly in terms of happiness and life satisfaction.
Using a “faces scale,” a measure of happiness that includes drawings of faces, the distribution of happiness ratings by children was similar to results for children in Western Canada and India in previous studies by Holder and Coleman.
Tim Krupa, who completed his research as an undergraduate student, travelled to Zambia in 2011 and 2012 on an International Education Travel Subsidy from the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and expects to graduate this spring with a master’s degree in political science from UBC’s Vancouver campus.
Holder is an associate professor of psychology at UBC Okanagan.
The study included 1,329 participants from one rural school and five urban schools in three Zambian provinces.
Tim Krupa plays with children orphaned by HIV and tuberculosis in the impoverished Chazanga compound in Lusaka, Zambia.Courtesy of Alexa Geddes
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema arrives at Kabwata Police Station for questioning
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) will petition Government to international human rights institutions for allegedly suppressing them using the (POA)
But chief government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili says the UPND are free to report anywhere because they were the architects of the POA they are now condemning.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, UPND chairperson of energy Garry Nkombo accused Government of restricting UPND president Hakainde Hichilema’s movements using the POA.
This follows police action to summon and question Mr Hichilema for allegedly breaching the POA last week over a fracas that occurred involving UPND cadres in Kamwala when the UPND leader visited the area.
Mr Nkombo said UPND members of Parliament would appeal to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United Nations Human Rights Council if the police continue suppressing movements of its party officials.
[pullquote]“He broke the law with impunity and our police simply advised him to follow the law. This is how good this Government is,” Mr Kambwili said.[/pullquote]
On Monday, speaking on behalf of Mr Hichilema soon after the UPND leader appeared before police, party chairperson for legal and constitutional affairs Jack Mwiimbu said: “The matter has been resolved and, in future, we will inform police. We agreed to abide by the provisions of the Public Order Act.”
Lusaka Province commissioner of police Charity Katanga said Mr Hichilema had been summoned not because he had visited the market but due to the fracas that ensued involving UPND cadres.
But Mr Kambwili said yesterday that the UPND are free to go to the SADC or UN Human Rights Council to report.
“Why should they even threaten? Let them go ahead. There is nothing sinister with the POA. It has always been like that. In fact, it is the same UPND and MMD that amended the POA to its current form. We were not in Parliament at that time,” he said in an interview.
Mr Kambwili, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said the UPND must be grateful because Government does not interfere with police.
He said Mr Hichilema breached the POA because he allegedly went to incite people in Kamwala to rise against Government.
He said Mr Hichilema should be realistic.
“He broke the law with impunity and our police simply advised him to follow the law. This is how good this Government is,” Mr Kambwili said.
Addis Ababa, 19 May 2015- (ECA) – Africa’s money that could be used to improve lives and reduce poverty is leaving the continent through illicit financial flows defined as money illegally earned, transferred and used.
As the Chairperson of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, the former South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, will present the Panel’s Report to the Pan African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa on 21 May 2015.
Considering the rapid population growth of the past two decades resulting in the largest youth population in the world, and that in 2010 about 414 million people compared to 290 million in 1990, lived on less than $1.25 a day, these IFFs are a huge drain and a hindrance in addressing the developmental needs of the African people.
This money, usually made from laundering proceeds of crime, abuse of power, market or regulatory abuse with a considerable portion emanating from tax abuse, comes from commercial and criminal activities, and abuse of entrusted power through corruption.
Companies may hide wealth, avoid taxes and dodge custom duties through transfer pricing and trade mispricing. Underreporting of profit and misinvoicing of services are also common practices. Criminals make their money by keeping transactions from view of law enforcers through trafficking of people, drugs and arms, smuggling of oil and minerals.
Illicit financial flows will always thrive in environments where governance and regulatory structures are weak. When states do not possess the technical and human capacity to address sophisticated crime syndicates, money will leave the continent. The destination is most likely a tax haven or a state with financial secrecy jurisdiction making it impossible for African governments to demand those funds returned to the country of provenance.
The AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the African Peer Review Mechanism are some of the methods African governments use to put fetters on the IFFs. They also try to recover frozen assets through global initiatives though “access to information by African countries is made conditional”, the report states.
With less capital at their disposal, African governments become weakened and are hard pressed to deliver appropriate infrastructure. Their control of domestic fiscal policies is reduced. Without IFFs, Africa’s capital stock would have expanded by 60%. The rate of domestic investment to GDP would have risen from 19% to 30%, potentially creating more growth and jobs.
Transparency in financial markets, international trade and investment laws is requisite in tackling IFFs. African states can closely monitor routes of illicit financial flows; train technical experts on law and tax to track trade activities and halt or reduce corruption in their own governments; and collaborate with global initiatives as a way of fighting IFFs. Ultimately, the success in addressing illicit financial flows is a political issue, the report asserts.
GOVERNMENT remains committed to enacting the Freedom of Information Bill but will do so cautiously, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili has said.
The minister said in an interview yesterday that Government would like to open up and allow citizens to have access to information but is concerned that some media organisations are focused on making it fail instead of providing credible checks and balances.
“We as Government have not declined to enact the Access to Information Bill, but we want to do so cautiously.
“Despite the existence of the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC), which is supposed to perform as a watchdog to ensure that media organisations conforms to the law, nothing is being done,” he said.
Mr Kambwili, who is also chief government spokesperson, said media organisations do not want to regulate themselves and to instil discipline.
Meanwhile, Mr Kambwili has supported the government of Botswana for rejecting the Freedom of Information Bill to preserve the secrets and security of the nation.
The Bill, which was recently tabled by Gaborone Central legislator Dumelang Saleshando, was rejected by parliament.
“In a way you can agree with them, the situation in Europe and Africa is different,” Mr Kambwili said.
The Ministry of Gender is designing programmes that will help communities around the country generate huge profits when executed.
Deputy Minister of Gender Dorothy Kazunga said the Ministry will in future unpack programmes that would enable communities open up factories and big projects which will employ many people and generate a lot of income.
Ms. Kazunga says it was therefore important that young people in various communities of Zambia acquire skills that enable them manage huge projects in their areas.
She said government has money to empower people that have viable business ideas hence the need for people in different parts of the country to devise progressive and sustainable concepts.
Ms.Kazunga was speaking in Livingstone yesterday when she met 19 students that are sponsored by her ministry at the Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies (LIBES).
She explained that the current small scale empowerment programmes will however continue under the Ministries of Youth and Sport and Community Development.
She has since urged students to work hard so that they can become entrepreneurs and employers after graduating.
Ms.Kazunga said skills which the students will acquire from LIBES will enable them open their own businesses instead of waiting to get a white collar job in the formal sector.
The Deputy Minister said the formal sector cannot assimilate everyone hence the need to promote skills that will encourage entrepreneurship.
“When you graduate, please keep in touch with the people from the Ministry so that they can link you to the market,” she said.
And LIBES Principal, Thomas Kalantiya commended the Ministry of Gender for giving vulnerable youths an opportunity to study at the institution.
Mr. Kalantiya said LIBES was ready to impart life skills in young people in order to make them self-reliant and employers in future.
He requested the Ministry of Gender to sponsor more students in order to empower many young people with various skills.
Meanwhile, one of the students sponsored by the Ministry of Gender, Munale Yusiku, said imparting knowledge and skill in young people was a developmental activity.
Yusiku, who comes from Shangombo district in Western province, said former students who were sponsored by the Ministry of Gender were already making an impact in different societies.
Currently, the Ministry of Gender is sponsoring 22 students, all from Western province, studying auto mechanics, food production and accounts.
Ms.Kazunga is in Western province to familiarise herself with the empowerment projects under her ministry.
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri has appealed to the Grand Coalition on the constitution to be sincere in their push for the enactment of the draft constitution because they decampaigned President Lungu.
Ms Phiri said the coalition led by Father Lenard Chiti should give President Lungu space to give the Zambian people a constitution that will stand a taste of time and one which Zambians will live to appreciate.
“The Grand Coalition needs to be sincere and I know my bishop Father Chiti will be more sincere in his quest.They need to give the president space and chance to deliver a good constitution to the people of Zambia. Are we ready to have all the issues in the draft constitution enacted into law?” she asked.
Ms Phiri added that the Grand Coalition wanted President Lungu to sign a social contract which he refused because he never wanted to commit to something that the people of Zambia will not appreciate in the long run.
“They wanted him to sign a social contract which he refused because he knew what is best for Zambia than being blackmailed,” she said.
Ms Phiri speaking on Comet Radio’s The Podium added that President Lungu wants to make history by giving the people of Zambia a constitution they will live to appreciate for a very long time than wasting money on a constitution that will require amendments sooner than later.
[pullquote]“They wanted him to sign a social contract which he refused because he knew what is best for Zambia than being blackmailed,” she said.[/pullquote]
Ms Phiri added that the Grand Coalition should be the last grouping to talk about the constitution because they decampaigned President Lungu in the January 20 presidential by election for refusing to sign their social contract.
And Mumbi Phiri has said her appointment as the PF deputy secretary general excited her because she is a politician.
“Some tabloids reported that she seemed excited about her appointment, yes I am a politician and serving as a politician at the highest level should excite me, I have served as a diplomat at the highest level but I am a politician” she said.
And asked about her recontesting the Munali constituency seat as a parliamentarian, Ms Phiri said that only God will show her the way after parliament is dissolved in 2016.
Zanaco will return to the top of the FAZ Super Division table if they beat Mighty Mufulira Wanderers on Wednesday.
The two sides meet at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka in one of two FAZ Super Division Week 8 matches on the cards.
Zanaco are currently two points behind leaders Zesco who replaced them after they drew 1-1 with Nkana away in Kitwe and the latter beat National Assembly 1-0 last Sunday.
Zesco are not in action because they have over five players on international duty over the next fortnight.
Mighty on the other hand head to Lusaka to face their biggest test since drawing 1-1 with Power Dynamos five games ago.
The 9-time champions are 5th on 14 points and unbeaten in their last four games with two draws and home wins over fellow promoted side Forest Rangers and Lusaka Dynamos.
But the tie favours Zanaco who are unbeaten in the league this season and have won three of their four home games so far this term.
Meanwhile, Green Buffaloes and Napsa Stars clash in the other rescheduled Week 8 fixture.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia president Reverand Pukuta Mwanza(R), (lICOZ Bishop Masupa , Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Banda
THE Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) says it is in support of Government’s stance to deal with contentions issues through parliament and enact the Constitution in piecemeal.
EFZ executive director Pukuta Mwanza said in a statement that his organisation was in support of a two tier approach of having some of the articles of the Constitution to be presented to parliament while the Bill of Rights goes to the referendum to be conducted with the tripartite elections in order to kill two birds with one stone and save resources and time.
“We bear in mind that the tripartite elections are due 15 months away and that conducting a referendum will require to be preceded by a voter registration exercise specifically aimed at meeting the referendum in the past,”
“Although, we stood firmly in the past for the referendum, this is impracticable at the moment considering the limited time available for all the processes. In this regard, we support the proposed piecemeal approach to enacting the constitution provided we get the expected results in having the constitution that the Zambian people have always wanted,” the EFZ said.
The EFZ did not see the possibility of holding a referendum before 2016 was impracticable as Zambia had already lost so much time already.
“We therefore support the piecemeal approach as long as the final result can guarantee that the will of the majority of the people who submitted in favour of popular articles will be respected,” he said.
Rev. Mwanza urged Government to hasten the Constitution process and conclude on time considering that the process had already gobbled huge sums of money.
Government should also ensure continued dialogue and engagement to promote transparency and accountability in the constitution making process
Zambia will have to wait a little longer to know their quarterfinal opponents at the 2015 Cosafa Castle Cup.
Honour Janza will only know on May 21 whether it will be Namibia or Zimbabwe they face in Sunday’s quarterfinals in Rustenburg.
Zimbabwe beat Seychelles 1-0 on Tuesday to stay at the top of Group A on maximum 6 points.
However, Zimbabwe’s hopes of qualifying with a game in hand were dashed when Namibia stayed in the hunt with a 2-0 win over Mauritius in the late kickoff on match day two at the ongoing Cosafa Cup in South Africa.
Talent Chawapiwa left footed strike handed Zimbabwe the win while Namibia had a Benson Shilongo brace via a 4th minute penalty and his second goal in the 65th to thank for the win.
Namibia’s win leaves them two points behind Zimbabwe with all to play for in both sides’ final Group A match on Thursday.
Meanwhile, defending champions Zambia fly to South Africa on Wednesday morning to join the competition after enjoying a preliminary group stage bye.
Confusion has ensued between traders and Zambians of Asian origin over land in Buseko area along Lumumba road.Lusaka District Commissioner Davison Mulenga who visited the scene said that government will not allow construction of permanent structures on road reserves.
Zambians of Asian origin have allegedly started extending their wall fences and other structures, building on top of service cables for ZESCO and ZAMTEL and sewer lines for Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company.
He said government will not be subjected to compensating illegal land developers to pave way for roads extension.Mr. Mulenga also said that it is not fair for few individuals who are illegally building structures to inconvenience the traders whose livelihood depend on the small businesses they conduct under the makeshift shelters.
Meanwhile the Traders who claim to have been operating from the area from as far back as 1987 said they have on several occasions asked the Lusaka city council to allocate them plots but the council refused saying the land is a road reserve and can only allow temporal structures.
Lovemore Nyirenda and Christopher Banda who are car wash dealers have asked for government intervention in the matter adding that they are tired of being harassed by the Zambians of Asian origin who have since displaced them.
One of developers Memood Ajaj Patel who has extended his wall fence claimed that he has legal documents from the Lusaka City Council permitting him to extend his structure.He however said he is ready to cooperate with government promising to avail his documents to the District Commissioner’s office.
Meanwhile, Lusaka deputy mayor Potiphar Tembo says the council will follow up the matter when they receive the documents from the client.He however warned that if the documents are not legal, the land developers will be prosecuted.Mr. Tembo also reiterated government’s desire to protect the interest of Zambian citizens.
President Edgar Lungu has appointed Ms. Christah Ursula Kalulu as Chairperson of the Local Government Service Commission and Mr.Stephen Mubanga Chilatu as her deputy.
President Lungu in a statement released by his special assistance for press and public relations Amos Chanda said he hopes that Ms. Kalulu’s distinguished service in the public sector as Lusaka District Commissioner and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing will spur her to deliver effectively in her new role.
Mr Chilatu’s public service in local government includes his tenure as Lusaka Mayor.
The other members appointed to the Commission are Mr. Mwase Lungu, Mrs Maggie Sombo Chinyama Kapihya and Ms.Bridget Nyau Sule.
The appointments are pursuant to the provisions of Section 90 of the Local Government Act, Chapter 281 of the Laws of Zambia as amended by the Local Government No. 6 of 2010.
Richard Kapita with President Edgar Lungu and Kaizah Zulu at Mwinlunga Boma
President Edgar Lungu has directed all Members of Parliament to return to their constituencies and lead awareness campaigns for people to obtain national registration cards (NRCs). President Lungu says all MPs must ensure that they lead the mobilization of all eligible persons to register for NRCs in order for them to be able to register as voters later this year. In a statement released by his special assistant for press and public relations Amos Chanda, the President said before Parliament resumes its sittings on June 16,2015, he will take special interest in monitoring the performance of MPs in the awareness creation campaigns in their respective constituencies.
“It is a civic responsibility for every citizen to vote and one can only vote if one has obtained their national registration card. It is even a greater responsibility for MPs as elected officials to ensure that they mobilize people to register as voters. It is particularly important especially for PF MPs to undertake this assignment as a mandatory obligation,” the Head of State said.
Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba says the Bankers are still in the race to win the FAZ Super Division title despite surrendering the top spot to Zesco United after a 1-1 draw away at Nkana on Saturday.
Numba’s side are now two points behind leaders Zesco who beat National Assemly 1-0 in Lusaka to increase their tally to 20 points.
“I think the race is still on,” he said.
“All we need is to work hard so that we are focused and at the end of the season we see who is going to win the league,” Numba said.
Unbeaten Zesco are the league defending champions.
“I think I have a side that can challenge Zesco to win the league,” he said.
Zanaco are now focusing on their midweek scheduled home game against Mufulira Wanderers in Lusaka.
“We need to work hard in the next game against Mighty on Wednesday,” Numba added.
FAZ vice President Boniface Mwamelo says Football House expects Zambia to retain the Cosafa Castle Cup.
The 2015 Cosafa Cup kicked off on Sunday in South Africa and Zambia will only enter the fray on Sunday with a quaterfinal clash against the winners of Group A which has Zimbabwe, Namibia, Seychelles.
Zambia are on bye from the preliminary group stage.
“Obviously, being defending champions our expectations are that the national team will be able to rise to the occasion and reclaim the title,” Mwamelo said.
“As defending champions we will be a team to beat and we expect stiff competition,” he said.
Mwamelo said the 20-member team coach Honour Janza is taking to South Africa was formidable.
The squad has seven foreign based players amongst them Kennedy Mweene, Nathan Sinkala, Evans Kangwa, Aaron Katebe and Emmanuel Mbola.
“The team which the coach has picked is equal to the task and they should be able to do the country proud,” Mwamelo said.
The Cosafa Cup was last staged in 2013 when Zambia hosted and won the regional competition to tie on a record four titles with Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, Zambia is scheduled to leave for South Africa on Wednesday.
Victim of KCM’s water pollution receives death threats and harassment on behalf of KCM following guilty verdict.
Claimants angry that justice is still not served following Supreme Court decision to reduce $2 million (K10 billion) damages to almost zero in controversial judgement.
Evidence of bribery, corruption and major irregularities throughout judicial process.
On 2nd April the Supreme Court of Zambia upheld a precedent High Court verdict that Vedanta subsidiary Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) is guilty of major water pollution which turned the Kafue into a river of acid in 2006 and poisoned thousands of people, some of who have suffered long term impacts to their liver, kidneys and other functions. But the $2 million compensation originally awarded by the High Court to 2001 victims who self organised to sue KCM, has been reduced to virtually nothing, denying them their long due justice.
Now lead claimant James Nyasulu has been receiving threats and harassment from agents working on behalf of KCM, telling him not to fight this multinational company, which has connections in the judiciary. Nyasulu and the committee of claimants have evidenced multiple incidents of procedural irregularities, bribery and corruption during their nine year struggle for legal redress:
When victims went with their families to local clinics and hospitals (many sponsored by Vedanta) in November 2006 after drinking contaminated water, they were unable to get medical reports as staff feared they would be dismissed. This was noted in the 2011 High Court judgement but ignored in the recent Supreme Court verdict, which only granted the 12 out of 2001 claimants who had medical reports any possibility of damages, leaving 1,989 victims with nothing.
The claimant’s first lawyer, Kelvin Bwalya (KBF Associates), was initially employed by them when he occupied a very small office, with one vehicle, in the back streets of Lusaka. Several years after taking their case he had inexplicably amassed a fleet of 12 new cars, and moved to large offices and residence in the centre of the capital city. They reported these discrepancies to the court which recused him on grounds of corruption in 2009.
One of the three judges on the bench of the first Supreme Court hearing on 3rd June 2014 in Ndola, was former KCM lawyer Albert Wood.This major conflict of interest should have admitted to the Chief Justice by Justice Wood according to Zambian law, but was only addressed due to the intervention of the claimants, after which he was removed from the bench.
KCM’s lawyers Nchito and Nchito abandoned the case before 3rd February 2015, and KCM instructed Malombo and Malombo in their place, who wrote letters to the claimant’s lawyer Mr K Shepande, advising him of a false date for Supreme Court hearing (6th Feb instead of 5th Feb). However Malombo and Malombo were never been appointed before court or had their documents stamped and filed, though they appeared in court for KCM on 2nd April. Instead, the final judgement again named Nchito and co as KCM’s advocates.
Following the 2nd April Supreme Court verdict, a printed version of the judgement was not released until 6th May 2015, during which time Mr Nyasulu waited in Lusaka, periodically camping in the office of the Chief Justice to demand access to the delayed judgement, as he could not afford another expensive journey from Chingola in the Copperbelt to the capital city. During this period Nyasulu received many death threats and threatening calls telling him not to fight KCM.
Nine years after the pollution occurred twenty two of the original 2001 claimants have now died, some from liver and kidney damage potentially caused by the poisoned water. The rest fear they will never get real justice before they also pass away. Other local people have experienced miscarriages and other birth problems. James Nyasulu from Chingola, lead claimant in the case, who worked for ZCCM from 1987 until 2000, says:
“I know about mining processes and the processes Vedanta use are very different to ZCCM. Yes, ZCCM still polluted but they released very small amounts. Vedanta is polluting with impunity and on a much larger scale and it is still happening all the time. When the water goes off for 2 or 3 days then you know there has been pollution. All those people who drink from the Kafue – from Chililabombwe to Lusaka – they have drunk polluted water at least once. The diseases those industrial chemicals cause cannot even be treated in our hospitals, but the government is not thinking of that.”
London based solidarity group Foil Vedanta claim that disregard for domestic laws and for human and ecological life, and reliance on bribery and corruption is typical of KCM’s parent company Vedanta:
Vedanta has repeatedly been accused of bribery and corruption in India. In Puri, Odisha, the company’s attempts to acquire 10,000 acres of land for a corporate university were heavily aided by the state. Several weeks ago former, Chief Secretary of Odisha, B K Patnaik, who helped push the scheme, left his government employment to become President of the University project.During the Forest Bench hearing of the case challenging Vedanta’s now banned Niyamgiri mine in 2009, Justice S H Kapadia and senior counsel Harish Salve admitted they were shareholders of Sterlite, but were allowed to continue in the case nonetheless.7
Vedanta’s large donations to the two main Indian political parties between 2004 and 2012 were ruled as illegal by the Delhi High Court in March 2014.8
In 2009 Vedanta’s iron mining subsidiary Sesa Goa Western Cluster Ltd, obtained a 1 billion tonne iron ore reserve in Liberia, for just $123.5 million (a fraction of its true value) in a abnormal deal with Israeli company Elenilto.9
In Rajasthan, India Vedanta bought state company Hindustan Zinc Limited for £64 million in 2002 (valued by BNP Paribas), against a true value of £2.5 billion.10 Their current attempt to buy the remaining 30% government shares is being opposed in the Indian Supreme Court.11
