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Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda (second from right) poses for a group photo with Lusaka High Court Judge Chalwe Mchenga (left), Lusaka Judge-in-Charge Ernest Mutiyo and Acting Supreme Court Judge Rhoda Kaoma (right) after she swore in the members of a tribunal tasked to investigate Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo at the High Court building in Lusaka
The Young African Leaders initiative (YALI) has urged the Zambian Judges to emulate the Malawian Judiciary when determining petitions from elections if the Zambian Judiciary is to regain the confidence of the public and stakeholders.
YALI wishes to commend the Malawian Judiciary for expeditiously determining petitions that come before it as a way of complaints from stakeholders in the electoral process. We take note of the landmark decision in the Malawi High that compelled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to announce election results in accordance with the provisions of the Malawian Constitution and the quick interpretation of the Constitution by the Court must serve as an example to the Zambian judiciary that is struggling to deal with electoral petitions within the reasonable timeframe.
Apparently, we note that the Zambian public including President Sata has accorded much respect to Malawian Judges because of the manner in which they dispense justice devoid of joining political battles among electoral stakeholders. We are convinced that this could be one of the reason why President Sata appointed the Malawian Judge Chikopa to preside over the tribunal of three senior judges in Zambia, which tribunal has not taken place due to the continued legal battle in the Zambian Courts.
The Zambian people and politicians have less faith in the Zambian Judiciary because of delays by Judges to dispose matters including electoral matters that come before it. While it only took one week for the Malawian Judiciary to dispose the controversial interpretation of the Malawian law on elections, it has taken months for the Zambian courts to deal with similar interpretation of electoral laws as is the case with the case involving Dora Siliya and two others. The Zambian Courts has contributed towards the disregard of the Zambian law that demands that once seats are nullified, an election must be held within 90-days. We therefore call on the Zambian Judges to emulate the actions of their counterparts in Malawi by quickly determining election petitions.
MMD President Dr. Nevers Mumba says there is no doubt that the former ruling party is bouncing back to power in 2016 because the people have realized that the MMD has vast experience in governance matters.
And Dr. Mumba has described the warm reception he received by Eastern Province party officials as humbling.
Dr. Mumba has advised party members to ensure that they stand on love for one another and to be truthful all the time as lies and hatred will destroy the party.
Dr. Mumba says for the party to get back to its past glory, its members needs to work with one another as well as for one another.
Dr. Mumba says giving the MMD a chance to reclaim power within the shortest period of time is the only hope for Zambians because the people know what the MMD can do for them.
On the pessimists saying the former ruling party is finished, Dr. Mumba has urged members to ignore such people as leadership is not given by man but God.
He says as long as the party remains intact, MMD stands a better chance of scooping the 2016 elections compared to other political parties as it is the biggest party in the country with a presence in all provinces which other parties including the ruling PF cannot boast of.
He says when the MMD was voted out of office in 2011, it left a country with sound economic policies and stable currency as well as an agriculture policy that was putting not only food on the tables of poor people but some extra money for school fees as well.
FORMER MMD vice president in charge of politics Michael Kaingu, who has been stripped of his position, has vowed never to leave the party.
Dr Kaingu alongside four others was stripped of his position by the party’s top organ, the National Executive Committee (NEC), last Saturday.
The others who were also stripped of their positions are vice-president in charge of administration Brian Chituwo, party spokesperson Dora Siliya, chairperson for tourism Lucky Mulusa and national youth secretary Tobias Kafumukache.
The group has been spearheading calls for the resignation of MMD president Nevers Mumba for allegedly failing to run the party.
Dr Kaingu, in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, cited his lengthy stay in the MMD among reasons why he can’t leave the former ruling party.
He explained that he joined the MMD in 1991 and as a ‘very old member’ in the party, he therefore cannot leave.
“Being vice-president was just a privilege. It was not a terminal thing,” he said.
Dr Kaingu, who is Mwandi lawmaker, said he will now focus his energies on his constituency.
“They have now given me the opportunity to focus on Mwandi, which voted me into parliament,” he said.
Mr Mulusa said in a separate interview that he has accepted NEC’s decision to strip him of his position, although he is still studying the matter.
“We all are studying this situation because we are servants of the people. This development will be shared with our supporters from all categories of life,” he said.
Mr Mulusa said he will consult his supporters, especially those in his constituency.
“The views of my supporters and those who believe in my cause will find the way forward,” he said.
Mr Mulusa hopes that by the end of this month, he will have a position on the matter.
And Mr Kafumukache said he will equally not leave the party because his parents helped found it.
Speaking in a separate interview, Mr Kafumukache said the decision by the party to remove him from his position has not dampened his spirit to remain committed to the party.
“Unless my family tells me to leave the party, then I will leave but for now I will remain committed because my true allegiance is to society, which is bigger than the MMD or even Government,” he said.
Mr Kafumukache said he will take time to reflect on the party’s decision.
Efforts to get Dr Chituwo failed as he was reportedly out of the country on parliamentary business while Ms Siliya’s mobile phone was not reachable.
On 29th May, 2014, amidst pressure to soothe the nation on the rapidly depreciating exchange rate, the Bank of Zambia(BOZ) issued a statement warning the public to desist from taking any speculative positions against the kwacha as this may result in heavy financial loses once the kwacha reverts to an equilibrium condition consistent with the economic fundamentals. Funny enough, it is not known who issued this statement as there is only a signature without a name, and we wonder how authentic this is, or whether it was done under duress against the author’s will so they opted not to have their name.
The statement says the BOZ remains committed to implementing appropriate monetary policy aimed at maintaining inflation low, as can be seen from its previous policies of increasing the bank reserve ratios from 8% to 14% and the BOZ policy rate from 10.25% to 12% in April 2014. What the statement doesn’t say, however, is that these policies have not yielded the desired results, and thus the BOZ monetary policy is effectively impotent in this regard.
What is clear is that BOZ’s monetary policy has been heavily flawed, and has not been able to reduce the volatility of the kwacha nor its rapid depreciation. This has clearly hurt our economy, and it is disappointing that BOZ would issue such a shallow and hollow statement.
It is strange that the central bank can base its strength to run the economy on borrowed funds from the Eurobond. The admission that the disbursement of the euro bonds proceeds will put the bank of Zambia ‘in an even stronger position to allow the economy to absorb any real economic shocks’ implies that BOZ seems to have run out of international reserves to effectively conduct prudential monetary policy, and like the central government too, its operations now have to be debt dependent.
Clearly, the disbursement of $178 million to help ‘strengthen the kwacha’ as announced last month was a waste of foreign reserves, a waste of national resources that could have channelled to development concerns facing our population. The $178 million BOZ pumped into the economy has been lost, never to be recovered, and the kwacha has continued to depreciate, even further and faster than before. And now the BOZ is taking pride in more borrowed funds to enable it perform its functions?
Clearly there has been a deliberate attempt all along to conceal the fact that these poor developments in the economy are reflecting the poor governance concerns in the country, as well as the disjointed and inconsistent polices of government, as well impotent monetary policy by the Bank of Zambia. The so-called anticipated improvements in the exchange rate do not reflect an improvement in the fundamentals of the economy but the impact of massive inflow of foreign exchange made possible by begging and borrowing and that it is not a sustainable situation in the long run.
It seems the only thing BOZ has been doing lately can be likened to that of the Energy Regulation Board: Announcing increase in fuel prices and claim that ‘external forces are at play’. BOZ on the other hand is monthly announcing the BOZ Policy Rate, always adjusting it upwards on the pretext that ‘the low copper prices on the international market are putting pressure on the kwacha’. That all these policies have failed to curtail the volatility of the kwacha signals one thing: That monetary policy is not an ordinary public policy issue that can be handled by non-professionals!
One is made to conclude that the BOZ itself has begun to equate monetary policy with the policy rate in its monetary policy statements forgetting that the policy rate is one of the many instruments of monetary policy and not monetary policy in itself—the policy rate by the way is the rate at which banks can borrow from BOZ. The policy rate affects the cost of credit and thereby it affects private sector demand and is effective only if private sector credit is the main borrower from the banking system. If government borrowing is the main determinant of money supply, then changes in policy rate will neither affect government borrowing nor regulate money supply.
This is what has been happening: Government has increased borrowing from the banks thus making the policy rate impotent! With the 6400% increase in government borrowing from the local banking sector, clearly we expect such an impotent outcomes from the monetary policy, and perhaps that could explain such weak and speculative statements from the Bank of Zambia.
But then, what would we expected when there is a disjoint on policies among all government departments? We have said it before that the government is looking at each problem in isolation from others – without fully grasping the interlinks in economic policies, and without taking into account the side effects on other areas and objectives of a particular policy prescription to tackle a given problem. This is partly due to the fact that most of the economic policy advice is taken from nonprofessional bureaucrats, administrators, accountants, lawyers running the central bank and vested interest groups from the private sector who have no grasp of, or interest in, macroeconomic links.
Vice President Guy Scott with FAZ President Kalusha Bwalya
The Sunday Times of London has made serious allegations that FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya received some payments from the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid committee.
According to the allegations contained in an investigative report published in the UK’s prime Sunday paper state that Kalusha and disgraced former FIFA vice president and top Qatar football official Mohammad Bin Hammam exchanged emails over payment of money.
“As per our conversation, please Mr President if you could assist me with about 50 thousand Dollars for my Football association and personal expenditures. I hope to repay you in the near future, as the burden is little bit too hard for me at this moment,” Kalusha is alleged to have stated in part in his email to Bin Hammam in 2009.
However, The Sunday Times said there is no evidence the alleged loan was ever paid back and added that a further $30,000 was wired to Kalusha’s personal account in 2011 after the FAZ president was said to be “a little thin on resources.”
30 current and former FA presidents in the CAF zone are alleged to have benefitted from a $5 million slush fund to help Qatar win its eventually successful bid for the 2022 World Cup.
Questions have been raised since Qatar won its bid to host the 2022 finals on December 2, 2010 edging out the USA, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
The Gulf nations bid has been hit by controversy surrounding the staging of the finals in the scorching heat and poor working conditions for the migrant labour hired to build stadium’s and infrastructure.
The sell of alcohol, gender rights and the potential of Israels qualification , a country Qatar does not recognise, have all hit the Gulf states staging of the 2022 World Cup.
Vice President Guy Scott (middle) greetings defence and security upon his arrival at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone
VICE President Guy Scott today celebrated his 70th birthday in Livingstone. Dr Scott, who was born in Livingstone on June 1, 1944, said he was extremely happy to be in Zambia’s the tourist capital yesterday to, among others, celebrate his birthday.
He said the main mission of his visit was to officially open a meeting for Zambian ambassadors in countries abroad.
Dr Scott was speaking in Livingstone yesterday upon his arrival at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport.
The Vice President was accompanied to Livingstone by his wife Charlotte and Foreign Affairs Minister Larry Kalaba.
He was received by Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe, Livingstone Member of Parliament Lawrence Evans, District Commissioners in Southern Province, defence and security chiefs, Patriotic Front (PF) party officials and senior Government officials.
“Thanks very much for coming to welcome me today on Sunday although I should be resting on Sunday.
Today (Sunday) is my 70th birthday as I was born here in Livingstone on June 1, 1944. I am here to open a meeting of all Zambians ambassadors to countries abroad and I have a good message for them,” Dr Scott said.
He said he would find time to meet party officials in Livingstone and also find time to celebrate his birthday with them.
“You will be informed where the meeting will be held. I am extremely happy to see you and it is another birthday present for me,” Dr Scott said.
The Patriotic Front (PF) in the Northern Province has extended an invitation to embattled senior Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) members who have been stripped of their positions to join the ruling party.
PF Provincial Secretary Everist Chellah said the MMD former National Executive Committee (NEC) Members of Dora Siliya, Michael Kaingu, Brian Chituwo and company who were striped of their positions yesterday should join the PF.
Mr. Chellah noted that there is no need for the former MMD NEC officials to continue clinging to the former ruling party.
He said MMD is dead and will by no means bounce back into the power in the near future.
Mr. Chellah said the former MMD members will be whole heartedly welcomed to join the PF.
The PF Provincial Secretary said this during the PF District Conference in Kaputa district today.
The District Conference was attended by PF officials from the ward,constituency,district and provincial committees , Kaputa Member of Parliament Maxas Ngonga and his counterpart from Chimbamilonga in Nsama Chansa.
Others included district officials from Mporokoso, Kasama, Mpulungu and Nsama.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chellah has charged that the opposition has lost direction and has nothing else to attack the PF government on.
He said this is why the opposition has now resolved to attack the PF on the Constitution.
He has however reiterated that the PF is committed to deliver a constitution but will only do that in 2016.
Mr. Chellah said the country has a functional Constitution which has existed since the time of President Chiluba and does not need to be changed until 2016.
He claimed that delivering of the constitution now will mean making government non functional and this might call for an early election.
He has since advised PF members to ignore calls of the Constitution and instead talk about the many developments taking place.
He cited the roads and other infrastructure developments which government is undertaking as some of the things which has rendered the opposition useless.
And PF Acting Provincial Chairman Peter Mwansa has urged members to sacrifice in capturing more members through intensive party mobilisation.
Mr. Mwansa noted that party mobilisation is cardinal for the overall growth of the party.
He further called for unity in the party with particular emphasis on old members to welcome new members to the party.
Zambia have a good idea who their probable opening 2015 Africa Cup Group F qualifying opponent will be on September 6 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The battle for who will face Zambia at home in their Group F opening game will be contested between Tanzania and Mozambique.
Mozambique advanced 5-0 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw away to South Sudan on Friday in Juba.
Tanzania on the other hand held Zimbabwe to a 2-2 draw today in Harare to advance 3-2 on aggregate.
Tanzania will host Mozambique in the second round, first leg on July 17 before visiting Maputo on August 2 to decide who goes through to the group stage
Veteran Politician Dr Mbita Chitala says time has come for Zambia to reintroduce foreign exchange controls.
In an article posted on his Facebook page on the depreciation of the Kwacha, Dr Chitala stated that foreign exchange controls would help stabilise the local currency.
He said introducing a new policy exchange rate regime of pegging the exchange rate will not be sufficient unless the Zambian Government considers introducing capital controls.
Dr Chitala argued that there is historical evidence all industrialized countries utilized capital controls successfully over long periods adding that Zambia should follow suit.
Here is Dr Chitala’s full article
Many Zambians are disturbed that the Kwacha has continued to depreciate raising the spectre of compromising our economic performance and further increasing the poverty and inequality of our people.
The free fall of our Kwacha has been on account of three reasons. First, the PF government exchange rate policy inherited from the MMD government of using market-determined (termed floating) exchange rates where the value of the Kwacha is determined by market forces ; Secondly, the unfettered international private capital flows such as the Euro Bond and other foreign bank borrowing, Portfolio Investment, Foreign Direct Investment and other Transnational Corporations activities, and ; Thirdly, the lack of confidence in our economy managers occasioned by the costly introduction of SI 33 and the suspension of SI 33 and SI 55 without altering the content of our economic management.
The introduction and later suspension of SI33 and SI 55, has resulted in large capital outflows (termed capital flight) which has been putting pressure on the Kwacha and resulting in its depreciation.
As all students of economic theory know, the decrease in the demand of our Kwacha is central to why it is depreciating. This has been occurring because the Mining Companies together with all other investors including our own nationals have been selling their assets or relocating them offshore to secure jurisdictions. This capital flight has further induced a vicious circle of additional flight and Kwacha depreciation, debt service difficulties and the reduction in stock or other asset values.
This is because the panicked investors have been selling their assets en masse to avoid new capital losses brought about by anticipated future depreciation of the Kwacha or asset values.
This capital flight has aggravated Zambia’s macroeconomic vulnerability and financial instability which has culminated in the present exchange rate crisis.
It is important that the government takes up urgent measures and considers changing the current regime of floating exchange rate policies and introduce the pegged exchange rate system in which the value of the Kwacha will be allowed to fluctuate only within a narrow band (pegged exchange rate).
However, introducing a new policy exchange rate regime of pegging the exchange rate will not be sufficient unless our government considers introducing capital controls. Capital controls or the measures to manage the volume, composition or allocation of capital flows and or maintenance of restrictions on investor entrance or exit opportunities.
There is historical evidence all industrialized countries utilized capital controls successfully over long periods. This is true today for China, India, South Africa, Botswana , Brazil as it was for all European countries after WW II, the USA in 1963, Japan and South Korea in 1960s, Malaysia in 1994 and 1998.
In our country, it would be advised that these capital controls could presently target our specific vulnerability, namely, the capital flight and use and identify the specific ‘trip wires’ and ‘speed bumps’ in various domains such as the Kwacha collapse, flight of capital and then take steps to curtail these risks by activating a target capital control- the speed bump. It is in this vain that windfall taxation of our natural resources such as our base metals and emeralds should be seen.
Capital controls are beneficial to Zambia because in our small and underdeveloped economy, First, the controls will promote our financial stability and prevent our social and economic devastation; Secondly, capital controls will promote desirable types of investment and financing arrangements; And Thirdly. Capital controls will enhance our democracy and national independence.
Lastly, It is important that that the bad image that our economic managers at the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Zambia are responsible for, namely, of having introduced SI 33 in particular which prevented investors and owners of assets from using them freely in Zambia, is urgently addressed.
It is apparent to all and sundry that it will only be a foolish investor who will bring his assets to Zambia if the management is still in the hands of those who caused so much damage to investors and the country in the first instance.
South African Premier Soccer League side Orlando Pirates have again expressed interest in signing Nkana international striker Evans Kangwa.
Soccer-Laduma reports that the two teams negotiating Kangwa’s possible transfer.
Pirates wanted to sign Kangwa in 2012 but the deal fell through.
“Orlando Pirates is very close to finishing a deal with Evans Kangwa. The club is negotiating a deal with the player and his club from Zambia, Nkana FC.
Negotiations are at an advanced stage. The boy will be sent to South Africa to sign once the two clubs have reached an agreement. He is currently in Zambia,” a source in Zambia told the Siya crew.
On Saturday, Kangwa contributed one goal as Nkana routed Green Buffaloes 5-1 in a FAZ Super League match at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
Movement for Multi-party Democracy President Nevers Mumba’s special assistant Raphael Nakacinda has described the continued free fall of the Kwacha as disastrous and scandalous.
And Mr. Nakacinda has attributed the slide of the Kwacha against major foreign currencies to the unpredictable nature in which the current government is running the country’s economy.
Speaking in an interview Mr. Nakacinda observed that government has completely failed to arrest the fall of the Kwacha something he said is negatively affecting not only the country’s economy but the very lives of the people especially the poor in the nation as commodity prices have sky rocketed due to the depreciation of the Kwacha.
He further observed that the PF government’s failure to put in long term measures to stop what is currently happening to the country’s currency is a scandal and a disaster which the people of Zambia should not allow to happen again and a good reason to kick the PF out of office as it is ruining the country’s economy.
And Mr. Nakachinda accused the current administration of introducing economic policies on trial and error basis something he says is scaring away investors.
“When you are running a small economy like ours you need to put into consideration the many dynamics that ensures that the economy is not affected when you introduce certain policies so that your economy remains predictable to investors but this regime came into office on the back drop of a lot of promises and uncontrolled zeal to make dramatic changes to the economy was already stable and progressing,” observed Mr. Nakacinda.
He added, “the PF have gotten us on a nose diving spiral in terms of the way the economy is running so have such a disastrous scarcity of the dollar on the market is scandalous to say the least.”
Mr. Nakacinda was commenting on the down fall the Kwacha which has hit record highs against major foreign currency with the US Dollar exchanging at more than K7 to a Dollar.
Police in Luanshya have launched a manhunt for a woman who allegedly stole a 2 months old baby of Mikonfwa Township on Wednesday 28th may 2014.
Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer Joyce Kasosa said the woman only identified as Lillian, whose residential address was not known eluded the mother of the baby and disappeared with a 2 months old baby on the morning of 28th may 2014.
Ms Kasosa explained that the incident happened after Lillian visited the mother to the baby Harriet Musenge, aged 24 of house no. B37 Mikonfwa township on 24 may 2014 and introduced herself a relative.
She told ZANIS in Luanshya yesterday that Lillian explained correctly Harriet’ s family background to her, the situation which led to Harriet believing that she was related to the woman.
“Harriet later called her husband and introduced the woman to him as her relative before the two parted company and the lady only returned to Harriet’s house on the 28th of May 2014.” Kasosa said.
The Copperbelt commanding officer explained that the woman later visited Harriet on 28th may and asked her to escort her to Mpongwe were she was going to conduct some private business
.
She stated that Harriet picked her two children and accompanied the woman on a taxi, where the woman offered to help Harriet with holding her two months old baby identified as Justine Musenge, upon reaching town the woman disembarked with the baby and eluded Harriet and disappeared.
Ms. Kasosa explained that Harriet looked for the woman but that she couldn’t find her and waited for her until she decided to go home knowing that the woman was her relative and would later bring the baby home.
She added that both Harriet and her husband waited for the woman who did not show up until the next day around 16:00 hours when the couple lost hope and decided to report the matter to police.
Ms. Kasosa has since appealed to all mothers to be extra cautious with strangers handling their children even when they claim to be relations.
She further warned the Child thief and would be offenders of police action, urging them to desist from the vice as it was a serious offence and was against the law.
SEX BOOSTERS UP FOR SALE! Scores of men and women flocked to the stand where sex boosters were being sold to enquire about and buy the traditional medicines at the on-going Copperbelt Mining, Agriculture and Commercial Show in Kitwe
SCORES of show-goers in Kitwe are scrambling for natural sex boosters that are on display by a Ndola man at the on- going 57th Copperbelt, Mining, Agriculture and Commercial Show (CMACS).
Some of the sex boosters’ labels on display include ‘long lasting sex for both men and women’, ‘heavy duty’ (two times), ‘sweety cry for both men and women’, ‘bedroom secret for both men and women’, ‘Munyaule for screaming’, ‘A. K. 47 for more rounds’ and ‘sex boosters for both men and women’.
A Daily Mail crew that visited a stand belonging to a Mr Sam Zimba, 50, found both men and women scrambling for the natural sex boosters that are made from various trees.
Mr Zimba, an employee of the forest department in Ndola, said his business is doing well and that he is making over K1,500 per day since the show opened its gates to members of the public last Wednesday.
He said he has a lot of clients that are scattered in various parts of the country and that his medicine is not harmful.
“My clients include South Africans, Europeans, Chinese, our brothers and sisters from South America and our local people, including police officers and other men and women in uniform. When I am in Lusaka, I make close to K 2,000 per day from the sale of sex boosters. I am an employee of the forest department. I get these things from trees. I also cure some sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoea and abdominal diseases,” he said.
He said his medicine is not harmful and that it works wonders in both men and women when it comes to sex.
“It increases libido in men, I have all sorts of natural sex boosters for men and women. I cannot complain financially, I am making enough money from this business. It is not a secret that Zambians like sex looking at the way my business is doing,” he said.
Lasannar Musa, 62, a client who was among scores of people found jostling for the sex boosters, confirmed that Mr Zimba’s sex boosters perform wonders.
Mr Musa, a Lufwanyama resident, bragged that he was going to Ndola by press time to go and have a “nice time” with his girlfriend.
“I am on my way to Ndola to go and see my girlfriend, I have already taken enough of these sex boosters, I am well equipped for her,” he said.
Asked why he was using sex boosters on his girlfriend and not his wife, Mr Musa sent other customers into laughter when he openly said that even girlfriends deserve to be satisfied sexually by their boy -friends.
“Yes, I am married with big children but look, I am a man and my girlfriend needs to be sexually satisfied also, she is a human being just like my wife,” Mr Musa said.
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) secretary general Wynter Kabimba has urged ruling party members in Kitwe and the Copperbelt in general to embrace team work and reconciliation.
Speaking when he addressed PF cadres at Kitwe Civic Centre yesterday, Mr Kabimba who is also Minister of Justice said there was need for party members to work together if they are to attract new members and retain the confidence of old ones.
“Bickering and lies should be a thing of the past. As PF, we need to be stronger now than we were in the opposition,” Mr Kabimba said.
“Do not listen to people who tell you that the S.G. (Secretary General) does not like you; such statements are fabricated lies from demons.”
Mr Kabimba further urged members to be selfless and realise that as a ruling party, they had the responsibility of looking at the welfare of over 13 million Zambians and not just themselves.
[pullquote]“People are laughing at us. They are telling us that when they were in Government they used to live well. We also need to be empowered,” one cadre said.[/pullquote]
He emphasised the need for the ruling party to get organised and be seen to be organised if Zambians are to show them the confidence that they did in 2011.
Mr Kabimba also urged PF members to embrace new members from other political parties because the party was an open group and not a closed one.
And PF cadres said they want to be empowered by the party.
“People are laughing at us. They are telling us that when they were in Government they used to live well. We also need to be empowered,” one cadre said.
But Mr Kabimba said empowerment could only come through team work and organisation.
He said the party could not empower its cadres through corruption but that it could only do so through transparency and encouraging team work, reconciliation and love for one another.
Some cadres also told Mr Kabimba that they want Kitwe district commissioner Elias Kamanga to be removed from office because he is allegedly arrogant and boastful.
The cadres also emphasised the need for the party at national level to respect their choice for people to stand as parliamentarians in 2016. Mr Kabimba said he had taken note of their concerns and promised to return to Kitwe for party mobilisation programmes.
