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The dam wall at the Kariba North Bank Power station
SEVERAL Cooperating Partners have responded to a request from the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe to assist with the rehabilitation of Kariba Dam.
The rehabilitation works for the project are estimated to be in excess of US$280 million.
This is according to a press statement released in Livingstone yesterday, Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) Public Relations and Communications Manager Elizabeth Karonga.
Ms Karonga said ZRA, the bi-national organization managing the Zambezi River on behalf of the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, recently hosted representatives from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Union (EU), the Swedish Embassy to Zambia and the World Bank Group (WBG) to finalise preparations in support of the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam.
She said the EU intends to mobilise US$100 million while the WBG and AfDB propose to finance US$75 million each.
Mr Karonga said the Government of Sweden was also considering covering another US$30 million, and the balance would be counterpart funds from ZRA.
The Kariba Dam and Hydro-Electric Scheme (HES) was constructed across the Zambezi River between 1956 and 1959 and it has been central to energy security and supporting economic development in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
After 50 years of operation serving the Southern African Region, the Kariba Dam now requires rehabilitation works for its continued safe operation.
A failure to invest in the timely rehabilitation of the dam will result in the gradual degradation of key dam safety features to a level below international standards.
Therefore, this rehabilitation project, which represents the culmination of a series of in-depth technical studies over the past few years, is absolutely crucial, and will restore the full safety of the dam.
Speaking at the end of a series of meetings between the Cooperating Partners and officials from the two Governments over the past three weeks, ZRA Chief Executive, Munyaradzi Munodawafa said the outcome of the meetings between the two governments and the Cooperating Partners had been successful.
“A number of issues relating to implementation were discussed which paves the way to ensure the rehabilitation works are adequately funded, “he said.
Welcoming the conclusions of the evaluation meetings by the Cooperating Partners, EU Head of Delegation to Zambia, Gilles Hervio said he was pleased with the progress that had been made so far in the preparatory work.
He said there was need to ensure that the rehabilitation works were done in a timely manner to avert a power deficit in future.
“This illustrates the EU’s resolve to secure and increase access to electricity in Zambia and the Region with the aim of improving the living conditions of the poor and promoting economic development,” he said.
AfDB Country Representative Freddie Kwesiga said he was impressed with the great team work and sense of urgency by the technical teams of the financing institutions and ZRA.
“They have shown that working together among Cooperating Partners can achieve greater development results”.
This rehabilitation is important in that it will also secure an already constrained generation capacity in the southern African region,” Dr Kwesiga said
WBG Country Director Kundhavi Kadiresan said the Bank was pleased that the intensive work that the technical teams had been doing in the last few years were going to bear fruit.
“Reliable power generation is needed to meet the ever increasing demands of the region.
The work between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the Kariba rehabilitation has paved the way for further collaboration on harnessing energy sources between the two countries so that transformational changes can be made in the lives of the people in the sub-region,” Dr Kadiresan said.
Sweden’s Ambassador to Zambia Lena Nordström said access to secure and sustainable energy was a key priority for development cooperation in the country.
“The consequences of a dam failure would be a serious setback for efforts to reduce poverty and to the impressive economic development of Zambia in recent years, making swift rehabilitation of the dam is the only available course of action,” she said.
Some medical staff at Livingstone General Hospital in protective clothing preparing to screen delegates coming from West Africa against Ebola
HEALTH Minister Joseph Kasonde has declared Zambia’s readiness to tackle the deadly Ebola virus which is currently ravaging West African countries.
Dr Kasonde said this during the launch of the US$30,000 worth Thermal Scanner donated by AVIC International at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka yesterday.
The minister said Zambia had no reason not to succeed in the fight against Ebola as the country had put the necessary preventive measures in place.
“I think that we can claim that we have what it takes to prevent Ebola becoming a serious issue in Zambia. We have the people, we know that our community is now ready to deal with the situation as it arises,” Dr Kasonde said.
“(It’s) only yesterday when I arrived from Kaputa where they are fully prepared as a community to look after such a situation should it arise. We also have a health system and you have heard over and over again that, above all, it is the health system which must be strong enough to control or prevent such a condition.”
Dr Kasonde said Zambia was benefiting from China in strengthening the health system against the deadly virus, among other conditions.
He also said that the Ebola outbreak had taught Zambia about the importance of disease surveillance, adding that there was need to constantly check what was going on in the country and not waiting until something serious happened.
“I hope that we are going to strengthen our own surveillance system so that we will be perpetually in a state of preparedness not only on one occasion,” he said.
Dr Kasonde thanked AVIC International, which he described as a longstanding friend, for the gesture and was hopeful that the collaboration that Zambia and China had been enjoying for 50 years could be strengthened further.
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said the donation was worth celebrating as the Thermal Scanner would come in handy in the fight against Ebola and that AVIC International’s gesture was a demonstration of the friendship from the Chinese community in Zambia.
AVIC International civilian representative Xu Fei said the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport donation had brought the total Thermal Scanners donation cost to $60,000 following a similar donation at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has observed that the country has room for improvement in the fight against child marriage.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, the Archbishop who is a renowned child rights campaigner and founder of the Girls not Braids, a global partnership to end child marriage said he is encouraged with the efforts of stakeholders in the fight against child marriages in the country but that there is room for improvement.
Archbishop Tutu said it was encouraging to see stakeholder such as traditional leaders taking a leading role in the fight against the harmful practice something he described as unusual for traditional leaders todo in most societies.
“He explained that in the few days that his entourage has been in the country, they have had meetings with most of the stakeholders who included government officials, Traditional leaders, Civil Society Organisations and Religious Leaders among others and that the commitment was impressive.
“We were pleasantly surprised with the extent of commitment from stakeholders to end child marriages in this beautiful country. We have been surprised unlike what is the usual practice your traditional leaders here are in the forefront of the campaign to end child marriage.
“We met with government personnel and Ministers, Traditional Leaders, Religious Leaders, NGOs and the United Nations agencies and generally I have been impressed with the intensity with which Zambia is tackling this,” Archbishop Tutu said.
The Archbishop added that his entourage also had the chance to meet with victims of child marriages and expressed sadness that some victims were married off before they were physically mature to go into marriage.
He noted that there is need to educate society on the dangers of child marriages and encourage girls to spend more time in school as it is more beneficial to both the families and society at large.
He added that he biggest frustration was the distance that children have to cover between their homes and schools which makes it difficult for them to effectively participate in school activities because they are too tired from the walking something he said is not only happening in Zambia but in South Africa as well.
He implored governments in the continent to invest in education as it is key tool for eradicating poverty which is a major contributor to child marriage.
And speaking at the same function co-founder of Girls not Braids Her Royal Highness Mabel Van Oranje said there is need for an integrated approach in the fight against child marriage.
She noted that with the good works already taking place the country, Zambia can become a global leader if the campaign can be sustained and improved on by the campaigners.
She also called for the empowerment of the girl child as well as implementation of laws that sets a minimum age for marriage.
“Ending child marriage requires a comprehensive approach that includes the empowerment of girls, mobilisation of families and community leaders, provision of services and the harmonisation and implementation of laws that set 18 as the minimum age for marriage.
“Change won’t be easy but if all work together, Zambia can become a global leader in efforts to end child marriage and empower girls,” she said.
COPPERBELT Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa has bemoaned the shortage of accommodation for police offices in the area.
Ms. Kasosa says this was mainly due to some retired police officers’ reluctance to vacate police camp houses on retirement.
She said retired police officers were often refusing to be repatriated with police vehicles and instead opted for repatriation in monetary form which takes long to be secured and in the end results in shortage of houses for serving officers.
ZANIS reports that the provincial police commander said this during a meeting with senior police officers at Kitwe Central police in Kitwe, yesterday.
She added that families of deceased officers in the camps also tended to take long to vacate the police houses which she said further worsen the issue.
Ms Kasosa attributed these tendencies by the retired officers to vacate the camp houses on retirement to lack of preparation.
She said police officers it was unfortunate that most police officers do not venture into building of their own houses in preparation for their retirement.
And Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga urged the police service to find a solution to the delays by retired officers in leaving camp houses so that serving officers are not inconvenienced.
He said earlier his office will not support the prolonged stay of retired officers or families of deceased officers in the police houses.
Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Berlin Msiska during the official opening of Chipata domestic taxes offices
Zambia Revenue Authority Commissioner General Berlin Msiska has refuted claims that the Authority operates under the influence and direction politicians.
Speaking during a media workshop in Lusaka yesterday Mr. Msiska said claims that the authority is controlled by politicians are unfounded as the authority is an autonomous body with the mandate to collect revenue on behalf of government.
He noted that the public has continued to accuse the authority of pursuing companies and individuals who are in bad books with government but says the authority has no powers to pursue people for personnel reasons.
He explained that the authority will always considers all technicalities before making follow ups on non-complaint companies and individuals.
He also advised tax payers to always comply with the requirements as regards paying tax as not doing so is more expensive.
Meanwhile Mr. Msiska has denied media reports that the authority was ordered by republican president Micheal Sata not pay back the tax refunds under VAT rule 18.
He said the Authority never received any such latter and has since called on the media to clarify such issues before publishing false information.
He said the media should report any individuals with such information to the authority so that it can have a clear explanation as to were these individuals get such information.
And the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has exceeded its tax collection goal for this year by about K1.7 billion.
Commissioner General Berlin Msiska said ZRA’s performance this year had been above-target as observed from its collections so far.
He said the target in tax collections was K26 billion but so far the organisation had collected more by about K1.7 billion.
“So far we have over-performed by K1.7 billion from the target of K26 billion that we were given. With the remaining months, we are confident that we will collect more money,” he said.
Mr Msiska said that revenue collection over the years at ZRA had been very good.
He, however, bemoaned the fact that many people and organisations in Zambia still submitted incorrect tax returns, adding that the Government and ZRA were doing everything possible to improve the tax base.
Mr Msiska said ZRA would ensure that it upheld its autonomy as it carried out its role.
He appealed to property owners to voluntarily come out in the open and declare their incomes and return the correct taxes to ZRA before being found out.
“As ZRA, we will be very aggressive on this, and people should bear in mind that non-compliance can be very expensive,” he said.
Mr Msiska urged the media to be strong partners with ZRA in ensuring that people paid tax.
Coach Wedson Nyirenda has been fired by Mozambique side HCB Songo.
Nyirenda announced his dismissal in his face book posting on Thursday night.
He joined Songo in January 2013 after leaving Zesco United.
“Tonight, I would like to inform all of you my friends and relatives that the contract between my club HCB Songo and us, Dabid Chilufya my asistant coach and myself has been terminated following a series of discussions which we have been having,” Nyirenda told his followers on Facebook.
“Though we have an issue at hand which we have to tackle, we are fine with the developments so far,” he added.
The ex-Zambia Under-17 and Zanaco coach said he did his best at Songo.
“We have done the best for the club under circumstances we found the club in and what has been obtaining during the course.
“I can’t boast or judge myself but the works we have done at the club lub are there for every eye to see,” Nyirenda said.
Vice-President Guy Scott with Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda before a meeting at State House on July 14,2014 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
Finance and National Development minister Alexander Chikwanda is on October 10, expected to present the 2015 national Budget.
Mr. Chikwanda’s his budget speech presentation will then be followed by debates by Members of the House on the policy statements contained in his speech.
However, the house is expected to approve the National Budget for 2015 in early December, this year.
The Budget consideration and approval will be the main focus of the first meeting of the Fourth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly.
This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Parliamentary Media Liaison Officer Mathew Mukelabai.
Mr. Mukelabai explained that the house will during this session be expected to pass a number of budget related legislations in order to authorize the executive to spend the 2015 Budget and to operationalize government policy statements.
Mr. Mukelabai said the bill will include the appropriation bill, the customs and exercise (amendment) bill and the income tax (amendment) bill.
He named others as the property transfer tax (amendment) bill and the value added tax (amendment) bill.
Zambia have fallen to an all-time low on the FIFA rankings on the same day that their 2015 Africa Cup Group qualifiers opponents Cape Verde made a massive leap.
Zambia have dropped four places on the FIFA rankings for September to fall to number 88.
It is the 2012 champions lowest placing since FIFA introduced the World football rankings in 1993.
Zambia has one point in Group F in third place.
Meanwhile, Zambia Group F opponents Cape Verde moved 33 places up the rankings from 74th to 31st.
This is after amassing up six points off wins over Zambia and Niger in their opening two Group F qualifiers.
Mozambique, who are second in Group F on two points, drop two places to 109 in the World.
Niger who occupy bottom place in Group F have gained two points on the FIFA rankings at 107 in the World.
File:President Michael Sata and First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba during the 2013 opening of parliament
PRESIDENT Michael Sata will tomorrow officially open the Fourth Session of the 11th National Assembly which adjourned sine die on July 23, 2014.
President Sata will use his ceremonial official opening speech to set out Government’s policy priorities for the coming year.
This is according to a statement from parliamentary media liaison officer Mathew Mukelabai, MPs will thereafter be accorded the opportunity to debate the policy statements contained in the President’s speech.
The opening of parliament activities will commence at 08:30 in the morning
FILE: GENDER and Child Development deputy Minister Esther Banda (l) inspects some locally made beads by Mwinde Women clubs of Mbala.
THE rift tearing the ruling Patriotic Front party apart over who succeeds President Michael Sata deepened yesterday as two parliamentarians clashed, with one accusing the other of serving the interests of those who want to hijack the party and its leadership.
Chililabombwe MP Esther Banda has lashed out at her Kankoyo counterpart Levy Chabala for claiming that Copperbelt PF parliamentarians would not allow Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili to allegedly take over from Mr Sata.
Mr Chabala was quoted by a media house as saying he was speaking on behalf of all Copperbelt PF MPs who allegedly vowed they would not allow Mr Kambwili to bring confusion in the party.
The rift has been fuelled by the cartel that almost hijacked the leadership of PF and has since embarked on a sustained crusade to scandalize and demonise leaders and party members perceived to be loyal to President Sata.
The battle for dominance of the ruling party has widened since the sacking of former justice minister and PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba by President Sata three weeks ago.
Ms Banda has charged that President Sata saved the ruling party and the country from being hijacked by the cartel that had strongly positioned itself to grab State power by manipulating the presidency.
Ms Banda accused Mr Kabimba of having created parallel structures in her constituency thereby causing divisions and confusion.
She said Mr Chabala was “talking on behalf of the cartel” by insinuating that Mr Kambwili was causing confusion and that he (Kambwili) should be expelled from the PF.
Ms Banda told the Daily Nation yesterday that Mr Chabala did not consult other MPs on the Copperbelt over his statement against Mr Kambwili and could therefore not claim to have been representing the parliamentarians in the region.
She rubbished media reports purporting that Mr Kambwili was harbouring presidential ambitions.
She said Mr Chabala was one of the MPs on the Copperbelt who was “deeply conflicted”.
Ms Banda said the party on the Copperbelt was aware that some MPs were loyal to Mr Kabimba and that his sacking from government and party position had angered many who were allegedly propping the former Justice Minister for presidency.
She said by defending Mr Kambwili, she was not in any way supporting his ambitions if there were any but putting the record straight.
“Let me make it very clear that Mr Chabala is speaking on behalf of the clique that was scheming to hijack the leadership of the PF and that of the nation and I am happy President Sata realized and saved our party from being hijacked. Mr Chabala is an ardent supporter of Mr Kabimba and he did not consult other MPs on the Copperbelt and he cannot claim to be representing us. Those attacking Mr Kambwili are doing so to alienate him from President Sata and government. By saying so, it must not be misunderstood that I support his ambitions if has any,” Ms Banda said.
She said the leadership in the PF must know that President Sata was in-charge of the affairs of the PF and the country and should never be detracted by cheap succession talk.
She hoped that the assertions that Mr Kambwili had launched his presidential campaigns to take over from President Sata were nothing but cheap and malicious gossip that should be ignored with contempt.
Ms Banda said Mr Chabala was the one causing confusion in the party by publicly attacking a Member of Parliament and a Minister in President Sata’s government.
She advised that all the leaders with presidential ambitions in the PF should wait until after President Sata had served his full two terms as Zambians were ready to renew his mandate so that he could continue governing the country.
“Mr Kambwili is a good and faithful member of the PF and I do not think he would be that ambitious as to betray the President. I am close to him and he has never told anyone that he would want to take up the leadership of the PF and later on the country. Mr Chabala should be talking about himself and his clique instead of claiming that he is representing us in his misguided statement,” Ms Banda said.
Mr Chabala was quoted in a newspaper yesterday as saying: “I know Kambwili has been a problem to us MPs on the Copperbelt. Kambwili must be chased from the party for bringing confusion to the party because of his ambitious. He fought Wynter Kabimba and accused him of campaigning. So even him he must leave because we want to organize the party.”
Human rights activist Brebner Changala delivering his message
PRESIDENT Michael Sata’s Cabinet is the most docile of all times and has completely failed to defend itself and the Head of State from accusations by the cartel that the Patriotic Front (PF) government is full of corrupt and tribal ministers, civil rights activist Brebner Changala has charged.
He has said it was shocking that Cabinet had remained “solemnly quiet” while their members were being accused and attacked by a clique of individuals who were angry that President Sata sacked Wynter Kabimba as justice minister and secretary general of the PF.
Mr Changala advised Cabinet ministers that they should realise that following the dismissal of Mr Kabimba from government, the cartel had adopted a new dimension in its crusade to divide the ruling party by slandering and maligning selected ministers and senior party members.
He said cabinet must accept that the existence of a cartel in government and the PF was not fiction and that the clique could become more vicious following the departure of Mr Kabimba from government.
Mr Changala said it was not surprising that the cartel was demonising and condemning ministers appointed by President Sata while at the same time isolating the Head of State who they have been praising and eulogising.
He said it was not difficult to discern and understand the schemes of the cartel whose covert strategy was to continue eulogising President Sata with the aim of making him reverse his decision and recall Mr Kabimba back into government.
Mr Changala said ministers loyal to President Sata must know that the ultimate goal of the cartel was to resurrect Mr Kabimba so that he could be brought back into government.
“The campaign by the cartel in its attempt to alienate some Cabinet ministers from President Sata has taken a new dimension. The cartel has waged a campaign that is meant to divide Cabinet and the party. They are condemning ministers, calling them corrupt, tribal and people who are practicing nepotism while praising President Sata. The ultimate goal for such a scheme is to make President Sata reverse the dismissal of Mr Kabimba and have him recalled into government. The biggest challenge I have is that I have never seen such a docile cabinet that can be accused of being corrupt, tribal and practising nepotism without defending itself,” Mr Changala said. The civil rights activist wondered what the ministers were fearing to defend themselves from the sustained attacks by the cartel.
Mr Changala said the accusations of corruption, tribalism and nepotism were coming from their own faithful allies and friends and yet the ministers were “dead scared” to challenge the allegations against them.
“This Cabinet must be told that a lie told many times according Nazi Joseph Goebbels often becomes the truth and the cartel has been spewing all sorts of lies against Cabinet ministers and we have no one to challenge the clique. What is it they are fearing?” Mr Changala asked.
He said this was the time Zambians were missing Mike Mulongoti, Ronnie Shikapwasha, late Ben Tetamashimba and Dr Vernon Mwaanga who served as government spokespersons at different times and never allowed a lie to be peddled without being challenged. He stated that Mr Mulongoti, General Shikapwasha, Mr Tetamashimba and Dr Mwaanga could never allow individuals to cannibalise the truth the way the cartel was currently doing without being put to shame.
Fellow countrymen and women, tomorrow, the 19th September, 2014, President Sata will be opening parliament. Why is this day significant? It is significant because this particular session of parliament is the one that discusses our national budget; the singular most important document that underpins our development as a country. There will be pronouncements in the President’s speech, pronouncements that will state how much progress the PF government has made since 2011.
Contrary to those PF pronouncements, here is what is really happening in Zambia; today a teacher has spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to up lift Zambia’s literacy levels to a level higher than last year. A nurse stood up longer than necessary to administer a drug and monitor the patient come out of danger to contribute to the higher life expectancy we are talking about today. A doctor went out of his way to ensure that, a mother who had a complicated pregnancy lived so that she does not become part of the statistics on maternal deaths.
A farmer in Lundazi, went into the field. He cleared that field so that he can produce enough food for his family and the nation at large so as to contribute to national food security. A young man and young woman have woken up, set up their small businesses and are planning to add to the job creation that President Sata will most likely be talking about in his speech to Parliament. A miner on the Copperbelt just emerged from the bowels of the earth where he has been since 18 hours last evening up till 6 hours in the morning today. That miner has indeed made his contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of our country.
As President Sata sets the policy direction for the next year, the people I have mentioned above, and many others, must be central in his speech. What did the country pay back these people in 2014? The teacher was told, you will not get a helper because we are freezing employment. The nurse was fired when she asked for better conditions of service. That Doctor has been crying for diagnostic equipment and better facilities so that he can do his job better, but the PF Government has responded with a high portfolio of Ministers and ignored his calls.
File:Protesting nurses at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka relax under a tree shade.
That farmer in Chipata has been responded to by delaying his inputs and later, delayed payments for his produce. The young man and young woman have ideas to expand their businesses so that they can employ more youths and help augment the local industry but they cannot borrow due to high interest rates as a result of Government’s carelessness and bad economic policies. That miner has shown that he can put in so much, yet pays more tax on a comparative basis, than the mine he works for. And sadly, our miner will get nowhere near owning a piece of that mine because this PF Government has no interest in creating wealth redistribution policies.
This particular session of parliament must address the needs of our citizens. We expect President Sata to address the high cost of agriculture production. We cannot continue buying mealie meal at close to K100 per bag. We cannot expect our citizens to get to hospitals where the nurse is frustrated; understandably so, because she has not taken her nights off due to staffing constraints caused by the employment freeze and firing of her colleagues. The nurse is over stretched because someone somewhere thinks it’s alright to fire 500 nurses at once. Citizens get to the hospital but the Doctor has to guess what has brought them there because he is using outdated diagnostic machines. As if that is not enough, patients are sent home with prescriptions and not medicines because the pharmacies are empty.
When that teacher in Zambezi West goes into a class room, he stands because there is no teacher’s chair, he uses charcoal to write on the board while his pupils seat on the floor because there are no desks. Not to mention that most of the children had to walk a long distance to get to school.
FILE: A class meets under a tree in Mwalubemba village, Zambia
These are the conditions our people live in, if at all we can call this living. Let us for once pull in the same direction, let PF listen to other people’s opinions on Governing this country. A citizenry which is economically empowered, healthy, educated and above all properly fed, will deliver this country into the 21st century. The Zambian people are hardworking but the PF has failed them.
In this session of parliament, as debaters stand up to deliberate on the budget, they should ask themselves these questions: Am I being progressive or retrogressive? Is what I am defending making this country a better place for all or making it a good place for only a few? Am I here out of the will of the party or will of the people? How one answers these questions will determine the course and future of this country. We in the UPND are committed to making PF answerable to the people who put them in Government by providing checks and balances.
[pullquote]As a country, we have spent huge sums of money starting with the Chona Commission in 1972. In the interim we have had the Mvunga Commission, the Mwanakatwe Commission, the Mung’omba Commission, the National Constitutional Conference and now under President Sata, the Silungwe Technical Review Commission.[/pullquote]
This country needs to make progress. This country needs a robust constitution which will limit the Presidential powers and protect the rights of the citizens. We need a constitution which will ensure a democratically elected, majority Government. We should no longer play hide and seek over this important matter. As a country, we have spent huge sums of money starting with the Chona Commission in 1972. In the interim we have had the Mvunga Commission, the Mwanakatwe Commission, the Mung’omba Commission, the National Constitutional Conference and now under President Sata, the Silungwe Technical Review Commission. Still the people’s constitution has not seen the light of day. Give us our constitution now. Only a strong constitution will help our Ministers become useful by making them accountable to the people. Only a people driven constitution will protect the independence of the Judiciary. A people driven constitution will guarantee the independence of the Electoral Commission. It will restore pride and professionalism to our men and women in uniform by protecting them from abuse by politicians. We say to them: GIVE US OUR CONSTITUTION NOW!
It is now three years since PF came to power. In these three years the prices of food, transport, fuel and electricity have risen continuously. In this short space of time; the cost of one 25kg bag of mealie meal has increased by at least 170 percent. The Kwacha has similarly depreciated considerably within these short three years. The consequence is that our country has increasingly become uncompetitive. We cannot export competitively because our prices are untenable. A ton of Maize in Zambia costs US$213 before transportation costs, yet the same commodity in South Africa is only US$162/ton.
File: A peasant farmer cycling to the market to sell his vegetables
Today, our people think they can exist without the Government. This is the reason they don’t see any value in participating in elections. This voter apathy is a sad story and is a topic for another day. Many times people arrange their own education, their own security, their own waste management and sometimes even their own roads. So where is the Government? Why do we pay tax at all?
I call on everyone who is patriotic about this country to call upon this Government to deliver on its promises to the people of Zambia. Let us engage everyone in analyzing what others are calling progress and give constructive criticism. Those being criticized should be magnanimous enough to ensure that they take the point before looking at who is saying it.
Lastly allow me to share with you our vision as UPND. Our vision is to build our nation on the basis of four pillars; (i) a strong economy to ensure stable prices and deliver quality jobs, (ii) quality affordable food for a strong citizenry, (iii) quality healthcare and (iv) free education to act as feed stock for national development. As you can see the four pillars support and complement each other. On this basis we can build our middle class; the single most important driver of consumption and savings. We need to lower the interest rates to support growth. We must collect equitable revenue from the mines and other businesses for reinvestment to other parts of the economy and the social sector.
As UPND, we will manage the fiscal side to broaden local participation in the economy and transform it to an export based economy. We will enable more Zambians to participate in the manufacturing industry. We will promote value addition in the agricultural sector for export to encourage price correction and also job creation.
We must exploit to the maximum our geographical positioning, our plentiful water resources, our vast tracks of arable land, our mineral resources and above all our generally honest and hardworking people.
Brothers and sisters, all is not lost. Our current conditions may be gloomy but the future can only be bright. Together we can build a nation which we can all be proud of. We can build a country where every child has an equal chance to succeed. A country where a citizens will be judged on the basis of their character and ability and nothing else; a country which will truly resonate with our national motto; one Zambia, one nation.
A Nurse attending to children during child health week in Sinamalima in Sinazongwe district
Some traditional healers in the country have condemned people who flock to some prophets for their healing instead of seeking medication from hospitals.
A traditional healer, popularly known as Dr Chalwe Mukuka, has warned that those Zambians seeking medication from fake prophets are doing that at their own risk.
Dr Chalwe told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka insinuations of spiritual healing by the so-called prophets are fake and not beneficial.
He said Zambians should be careful with dubious prophets who have engulfed the nation because seeking healing from such people will for sure affect their lives.
The herbalist stressed that people with different ailments should only seek medication from hospitals as opposed to inclining themselves to deceitful prophets.
Dr Chalwe said he did not dismiss the fact that some prophets are genuine but was quick to add that there are some of them who have evaded the nation on profit gains.
And another traditional healer, Gerald Nyoni, said government should step up efforts in clamping down fake prophets who are trying to mislead Zambians to for-go conventional medication in preference to their fake prayers.
Dr Nyoni said there are currently fake prophets who are cheating Zambians that they can even heal HIV -AIDS patients through their prayers, a thing he said was a dream.
He stated that Zambians should not be cheated by lies that some prophets in the country are offering best services in terms of treating people using their fake prayers without God’s blessings.
He also called on the Registrar of Societies to close fake churches whose mission is to deceive the Zambian people.
He noted that some so-called prophets are taking advantage of desperate Zambians by cheating them that they can cure some diseases as opposed to seeking hospital remedies.
Recently re-elected Member of Parliament Victoria Kalima has thanked the people of Kasenengwa, the leadership and supporters of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) and all the Eastern Province MMD Members of Parliament for the tremendous show of support that helped her reclaim her seat with a landslide victory of almost 11,000 votes, which was the highest winning number out of the 5 by-elections on 11th September 2014 .
A triumphant and jubilant Ms Kalima who now prepares to re-occupy her previously nullified seat this Friday during the official opening of Parliament says she feels vindicated and totally re-energized as she looks forward to strengthening the voice of the MMD in Parliament and continue championing the cause of the disadvantaged rural women and children in her constituency.
[pullquote]I am happy that my party the MMD is pushing for a new style of politics based on honesty, morality, and integrity. Just as President Levy Mwanawasa had the New Deal, MMD under President Nevers Mumba has Modern Politics,” she said.[/pullquote]
“I want to tell my fellow womenfolk throughout the country to rise and help increase women representation in parliament and I sincerely hope that many will draw inspiration from my determined fight to get my seat back in the face of a very hostile environment. I am very encouraged that the era of insults and violence which has caused most women to shun politics is being defeated by issue-based campaigns and so the door is now wide open for women to participate without fear. I am happy that my party the MMD is pushing for a new style of politics based on honesty, morality, and integrity. Just as President Levy Mwanawasa had the New Deal, MMD under President Nevers Mumba has Modern Politics,” she said.
When the PF came into power, the then PF Secretary General Mr. Winter Kabimba, instructed all losing PF candidates to petition 50 MMD seats which resulted in the highest election petitions in Zambia’s history. Most political analysts have accused the Patriotic Front Government of using this carefully and deliberately crafted devious ploy to achieve a parliamentary majority of 106 seats giving the required two-thirds majority to circumvent a Referendum and pass the new constitution with clauses of their choice.
The Kasenengwa seat was among the many MMD seats nullified by the Courts of law allegedly due to electoral malpractice. Twenty three by-elections have been held since PF came into power, reducing the MMD representation in Parliament from 55 to just 39. According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia, the cost of conducting a by-election is about K7 million of tax-payers money and the PF machinations have cost the country K161 million so far, without counting the cost of transporting, accommodating and paying PF Ministers, MPs and other government officials during campaigns.
The Jubilee Scandal is simply this: after 50 years of self-rule, millions of Zambian women are still illiterate and 41% of them are young women between the ages of 15-24! The current jubilee celebrations ought to be taken as the beginning of the new culture in which all citizens will be respected. Post-Jubilee 2014 Zambia should leave no citizen behind. To a great extent, Zambia will not develop without protecting the Girl Child and empowering Women to become active development and economic agents.
Across the continent, women are used as tools to maintain male power. In our 50 years of self-rule, women bodies have been disrespected. In education, political life, and church teachings, violence against women is viewed as normal. Sexual harassment and rape are daily occurrences in every community—we need to change course.
According to UNICEF, over half of Zambia’s population (7.5 million) is under the age of 18 years. Although over 96 percent of Zambia’s children enroll in primary school, 41 percent of young females between the age of 15 and 24 are still illiterate. Besides, the illiteracy rate is much higher in rural areas than urban communities. These threatening illiteracy rates are a national scandal that needs instant attention.
Moreover, thousands of women are victims of Gender Based Violence. Sexual abuse of the girl child and sexual harassment of women show no sign of slowing down. This situation is not just shameful, but also detrimental to national development.
Brigham Young was right—when you educate a man; you educate a man. But when “you educate a woman; you educate a generation.” Investing in the girl child and women’s education is critical to national development and democracy.
African cultures may be misogynistic, and colonialism and Christianity could have legalized and sacralized misogyny, as Riane Eisler rightly documented in The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future—but it is time we confronted this injustice. Although Church related women’s groups such as the Mothers’ Union in the Anglican Church, and The Women’s Christian Fellowship (formerly known as KBBK), in the United Church of Zambia, often promote Victorian and colonial values that demean women in some cases, the objectification of women bodies needs theological reflections and prophetic responses. A good woman is not the one who abides by patriarchal norms, but the one who realizes her full humanity or ubuntu.
According to the United Nation Development Program (UNDP), women are highly under-represented in Zambian politics. Although women are the majority, and “provide 70% of the labour in the Zambian agriculture sector,” they only represent “14% of the Parliament.” This under-representation is reflected in how women politicians are treated and viewed. Hon. Edith Nawakwi, the president of Forum for Democracy and Development for example, has much to offer to the nation but misogynistic attitudes that influence Zambian politics have made it hard for her to command a mass following.
Zambian politicians disrespect women too—in most cases, bribing women with foodstuffs, salt, traditional chitenge fabric, or T-shirts ensures election victory. Does providing clothes with ugly portraits of male politicians show admiration for women voters or mere opportunism? Perhaps politicians know that empowering and educating illiterate and poverty-stricken women in democracy will result in fewer dancing cadres at their rallies.
Likewise, we, male religious leaders know too well that empowering women would threaten our hold on power in most church related institutions. Hence, it is futile to expect us to address this problem holistically.
Yet, the post-jubilee Church should take a lead in women’s empowerment. Religious leaders should demand that all perpetuators of sexual abuse and domestic violence are brought to justice regardless of their socio-economic status. For instance, when Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, aka. GBM assaulted his wife in 2010, and defended his actions by claiming that “beating a wife is acceptable” as a sign of love, the Church should have openly opposed and denounced his 2011 appointment to the Sata administration Cabinet on moral grounds.
Because we men won’t surrender our unearned male privileges, the nation should adopt gender proportional representation in parliament and in other elected bodies. Equally important, the nation should adopt the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy, which seeks to integrate “gender equity and equality in the socio-economic development process by 2030.”
The call to adopt more women as candidates for public office is not enough—we need affirmative action. If the nation wants women’s voices on the table of economics and politics, there is a need to do what is right and just—adopt affirmative action in churches and all socio-economic and political institutions. We men have failed the nation and the Church—it is time women saved mother Zambia and God’s Church from power hungry men!
