Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
EASTERN Province MMD Alexander Miti has rubbished party’s vice president for political affairs Michael Kaingu that the province was behind the calling for the conventional.
Mr Miti said yesterday that Dr Kaingu did not tell the truth on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)’s Sunday Interview programme where he alleged that Eastern was for the idea of the party’s urgent conventional.
He said the party in the province would not be dragged on unnecessary issues.
Mr Miti said the party in the province would always want to be strong through avoiding engaging into unnecessary scuffle.
“He (Dr Michael Kaingu) was not telling the truth that we are party of the group calling for party’s conventional in order to elect new office bearers. That is not true and we have made resolution on that,” he said.
During a programme, Dr Kaingu who singled out Eastern Province claimed that they needed only the two third of the provinces in order to call for a convention by this year.
He said the convention should elect new office bearers that would redeem the former ruling party into its lost fortunes.
Dr Kaingu said the leadership of Dr Nevers Mumba was heading for a doom.
COPPERBELT Minister Mwenya Musenge holding payment receipts in the hands as he conducts thorough verifications of payments at the Nakadoli Market
GOVERNMENT has expressed concern over the number of corruption cases that are withdrawn from the police and not helping in the fight against the vice.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge said Government was working hard to fight corruption hence the need for the police officers to take all corruption cases to court.
“It is not good for corruption cases just to end at the police station .The Police has to investigate the matter and further arrest all those involved and take cases to court. This is the only way we can end the vice that has now grown big like cancer,” he said The minister was speaking yesterday when Ms Lobangani paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Ndola yesterday.
The IG is in the province to address officers and check on the challenges that were affecting them in their operations.
Mr Musenge, however called on the police to help in the fight against corruption by arresting and taking all those found wanting and taking them to court in order to deter others.
The Minister also expressed concern on the manner in which some Crime Prevention officers in the province were operating.
He said he had received a lot of complainant from the community on some Crime Prevention Officers that were engage in criminal activities.
Mr Musenge, however called on the IG to screen all crime prevention officers that help the police in the maintenance of law and order in the community.
“Some crime prevention officer has gone out of hand. They are no longer doing their mandated duty of helping the police to maintain law and order. They engage themselves selves in unlawful activities such as debt collection and making our Government unpopular,” he said Mr Musenge said there was also need for the police officers to always lead the crime prevention unit in all the areas of operation.
Ms Libongani called on all officers to read themselves of all forms of corruption in their duty ahs it was the only way the vise among them can end.
She said the police was working on increasing the police establishment from the current 18 000 to 27 000 by next year.
Commenting the behavior of some crime prevention officers, Ms Libongani the police would do away with all those that will be found wanting.
Defence basic marine equipment that Government procured have started arriving in the country.
Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Rose Salukatula confirmed the development and said that the equipment that was procured by Government had started arriving.
“Yes I can confirm that, we were told that some basic equipment were procured have since started arriving in the country to help our defense team in times of disaster,” she said
Ms Salukatula said this when Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge complained to her that the commando unit in Ndola that help in marine disasters in the province were lacking diving equipment.
This was yesterday when she paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Ndola.
The PS and officials from the defense headquarters are in the province to check on the developmental projects that were taking place and to see how the defense can contribute to national development.
Ms Salukatula said the equipment procured were basic marine that would help officers and troops to address the challenges the country was facing in marine disasters.
The PS also announced that 75 percent of the works on the Northern Command Hospital under construction in Ndola’s Itawa area were done and that an out-patient department at the facility would be opened soon.
She said the opening up of the out-patient department would help increase access to health services to civilian and help decongest Ndola Central Hospital.
Ms Salukatula said the her ministry would work with the ministry of health to see how health service could be enhanced in military hospitals.
She said that it was observed that more people were seeking health
services from military health facilities than ordinary hospitals and
clinics.
Mr Musenga also called on the ministry of defense to increase bilateral meetings with its counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on how best to beef up security in the border area.
He said that the border area was too porous and that a lot of killings and other criminal activities had increased.
FODEP Executive Director, McDonald Chipenzi
The Constitution Coalition has denied claims that it is using the church to plant seeds of division in the country when it uses the house of God to call for the release of the new constitution.
Speaking in an interview Constitution Coalition spokesperson McDonald Chipenzi says the coalition is using the church because it is immune to the attacks from the police and the provisions public order act.
Mr Chipenzi said the coalition has opted to use the church because government has continued to stifle peoples freedom of assembly something he observed has the potential to divide the country as well as undermine the country’s democracy.
“We feel the church is a place where unity is suppose to be promoted and in our case the church is our only place of hope and solace because we have tried to have open space meetings were we can talk about the issues affecting the country we have been disrupted, political parties have tried to have indoor meetings they have been disrupted.
Where else do we have to go so that we discuss issues affecting us? It is the church which is immune from the public order act provisions,” Mr Chipenzi said.
He said the Coalition would be failing in its duties if it kept quiet and ignored the issues affecting the country.
“All that we are doing is let’s not divide the country by keeping quiet but by raising issues that have the potential to undermine our democratic process as well as our credentials as a Multiparty democracy,” he said.
On Sunday Mufulira District Commission Kabwe Chanda said stakeholder calling for the release of the draft constitution using the church are planting seeds of division in the country.
Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Acting National Secretary Chembe Nyangu says only one province has petitioned the national executive committee for an extraordinary convention.
Speaking in an interview Mr. Nyangu said there is only one written petition backing calls for an extraordinary convention which he said has come from the Western Province while Eastern Province has called for reconciliation and forgiveness in the party.
“The Province that have petitioned so far is Western Province while Eastern Province has given a condition that if the leaders do not reconcile then they will put in a petition,”
He said the secretariate has not received any other petition apart from the one from Western Province and that some Provinces have not yet sat to decided on the matter.
Mr. Nyangu however says the process is on-going and that as secretariate their job is to just receive the petitions on behalf of NEC and will only inform the national chairperson when the petitions are enough to warrant an extraordinary convention.
Meanwhile Mr. Nyangu also clarified that some individuals have been reported to pronounce the stance of the Province when they have not met as Provinces to discuss the matter.
He said such claims does not reflect the party’s stance in the respected Provinces but individuals stances by the ones making such pronouncements.
Jacob Mulenga scored again in Holland while Sochaux won to ease their relegation worries in France.
HOLLAND
Striker Jacob Mulenga on Sunday played his first full 90 minutes since his return from injury for FC Utrecht last month after inspiring the Dutch club to a 2-1 home win over Heracles.
Mulenga scored the games opening goal in the 19th minute to pick up his second goal in four games since his return to action on March 28.
The 30-year-old strikers goal brings his tally for the season to four goals.
FRANCE
Defender Stopilla Sunzu and midfielder Nathan Sinkala played the full 90 minutes in Sochaux’s 2-0 home win over ninth placed Toulouse on Saturday night to ease their relegation worries moving from 19th to 18th place.
Their compatriot Emmanuel Mayuka came on in the 73rd minute for goal scorer Jordan Ayew.
ISRAEL
Defenders Francis Kasonde and Emmanuel Mbola played the full 90 minutes in Hapoel Ra’anana’s 4-2 home win over Maccabi Petah Tikva on Saturday in the relegation round of the season.
Ra’anana are third in the relegation playoff phase while Petah are eighth anf bottom of the pile.
RUSSIA
Midfielder Chisamba Lungu played the full 90 minutes for 13th placed FC Ural on Saturday who lost 1-0 away to defending champions CSKA Moscow.
Copperbelt Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa has said that Zambia Police has launched investigations into the alleged beating of UPND members who were in the company of party president Hakainde Hichilema by Patriotic Front cadres in Ndola.
Mrs Kasosa told Qfm News in an interview that Police stood ready to protect every citizen without regardless of their political affiliation.
Mrs. Kasosa explained that it was in this regard that Police will not tolerate any violence against any individual.
She said that her officers have so far not made any arrest in connection with the violence against the UPND presidential entourage.
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema had to be whisked away from Patriotic Front cadres who had besieged SUN FM radio in Ndola where he was appearing on a radio interview.
However some UPND members who had accompanied him were attacked by the cadres.
And United Party for National Development (UPND) senior presidential advisor, William Banda has warned that the UPND will mete out what he has described as special treatment on Patriotic Front cadres following their attack on party leader Hakainde Hichilema’s entourage on Saturday in Ndola.
Mr. Banda who was part of the UPND entourage attacked by PF cadres told Qfm News in an interview that it is clear that some PF cadres do not enjoy peace.
Mr. Banda said that it was unfair for the Patriotic Front cadres in Ndola to have attacked innocent UPND members.
He said that there was need for all political parties to show maturity in their conduct.
Mr. Banda has demanded that Police conduct a thorough investigation into the attack on the UPND entourage and establish the truth behind such an action by the PF cadres.
He said that it clear that the aim of the PF cadres was to kill Mr Hichilema.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission has condemned the attack by Patriotic Front cadres on UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema in Ndola, and has the urged the Police to start prosecuting all perpetrators.
Commenting on the attack by PF cadres on Mr Hichilema while appearing on Ndola’s SUN FM radio, Commission Spokesperson Samuel Kasankha in a statement issued to the media said that such incidents are a big threat to public order and national security and that everything possible must be done to permanently stop them immediately.
Mr Kasankha noted that when violence is not contained in good time, it tends to escalate and when it does, criminal elements take advantage and subject the general populace to serious human rights violations such as robberies, looting, rape and murder among other things.
He said the changeover from one party to multiparty democracy embraced in 1991 symbolized a new political order which emphasizes the total respect for the rights and freedoms of individuals and other interest groups to not just exist and express themselves and operate freely without interference from anybody, but also to be fully protected by security agents as they do so.
Mr Kasankha added that the Constitution guaranteed everybody to freely participate in the public affairs and governance of the country, including public criticism of government policies, without being subjected to intimidation and threats by those who may not agree with such criticism.
Mr Kasankha stated that it was an inalienable right for anyone to freely express themselves on matters affecting them.
He further stated that while PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba should be commended for condemning the attacks in Ndola, the PF should go further by making a stronger statement that undertakes to expel any members identified to have participated in attacks on opposition members or any other individuals for that matter.
Nkana coach Masauso Mwale believes his team’s current poor form in the league will not be a factor in this Saturday’s CAF Confederation Cup clash against Tunisia’s Club Bizertin in Kitwe.
Nkana remain winless so far in the four-game old FAZ Super League ahead of their first leg tie of the pre-group stage against their North African opponents.
Mwale’s side has recorded three consective goalless draws in league.
“It will be a different ball game all together,” he said.
Overall the local league champions have failed to find the back of the net in their last five competitive matches.
“We will prepare well and goals will come,” Mwale said.
He added:”Our supporters and the nation must rally behind the team because this is a national assignment.
Nkana dropped into the Confederation Cup after being eliminated from the Champions League by Egyptian giants Zamalek via a 5-0 aggregate scoreline last month.
LANDS Minister Mwansa Kapeya (right) officiating during the installation ceremony of Luanshya Mayor Gordon Siwale, as Town Clerk Alex Mwansa and deputy mayor Elizabeth Mulenga (far left) look during the function at Luanshya Civic Centre grounds.
2.
Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe with Kasama Municipal Council Major John Nkumbula during his installation at the civic centre in Kasama today. Looking on is acting Town Clerk Judith Sinkala.Picture by Mary Bwembya
3.
Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe with Kasama Municipal Council Major John Nkumbula during his installation at the civic centre in Kasama today. Looking on is acting Town Clerk Judith Sinkala.Picture by Mary Bwembya
4.
Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe welcomes Kasama Municipal Council Major John Nkumbula after his installation at the civic centre in Kasama today. Looking on is acting Town Clerk Judith Sinkala.
5.
LUANSHYA Deputy Mayor elect Elizabeth Mulenga being interview by a journalist shortly after being elected in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre yesterday as mayor elect Gordon Siwale looks on
6.
LUANSHYA Deputy Mayor elect Elizabeth Mulenga being interview by a journalist shortly after being elected in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre yesterday as mayor elect Gordon Siwale looks on
7.
Western Province Minister Josephine Limataa (c) dresses Mongu Municipal Council Mayor Elect Tombi Tombi (r) the head dress during the Mayoral Inauguration Ceremony at Civic Center in Mongu District, Western Province
8.
Mongu Central MP Nathaniel Mubukwanu (r) congratulates Mongu Municipal Council Mayor Elect Tombi Tombi (l) as Western Province Minister Josephine Limataa (c) looks on during the Mayoral Inauguration Ceremony at Civic Center in Mongu District, Western Province
9.
Mongu Central MP Nathaniel Mubukwanu (r) and Western Province Minister Josephine Limataa (c) escort Mongu Municipal Council Mayor Elect Tombi Tombi (l) to his office during the Mayoral Inauguration Ceremony at Civic Center in Mongu District, Western Province
10.
installation of Chaswe Ronald Katongo as Mayor at Chinsali Civic Center
11
installation of Chaswe Ronald Katongo as Mayor at Chinsali Civic Center
12
installation of Chaswe Ronald Katongo as Mayor at Chinsali Civic Center
13.
Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe (right) and Livingstone Town Clerk Vivian Chikoti (middle) dresses the newly elected mayor for Livingstone Milford Maambo (left) during the installation of the mayor and deputy mayor in the tourist capital
14.
Livingstone Town Clerk Vivian Chikoti (far left), newly elected Livingstone Mayor Milford Maambo, his deputy Fred Sikazwe, Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe and Livingstone District commissioner Omar Munsanje (behind Mr Munkombwe) during the installation of the mayor and deputy mayor in the tourist capital
15.
Newly elected Livingstone Mayor Milford Maambo (middle), his deputy Fred Sikazwe (behind him) and Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe (right) during the installation of the mayor and deputy mayor in the tourist capital
16.
Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe (right) dresses the newly elected mayor for Livingstone Milford Maambo (left) during the installation of the mayor and deputy mayor in the tourist capital
17.
Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe (right) dresses the newly elected mayor for Livingstone Milford Maambo (left) during the installation of the mayor and deputy mayor in the tourist capital
18.
Dr Mumba with Brian Kajoba the new Solwezi Mayor
19.
Dr Mumba posing with councillors
20.
Dr Mumba congratulating Brian Kajoba as Solwezi Mayor
21.
Dr Mumba with party officials in Solwezi
22.
Dr Mumba with senior Chief Mugemajovu at the installation
File:Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Villie Lombanya with KCM and Government Officials and the students who received the KCM scholarships
In January this year, Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) results were released. Out of over 250 candidates only 6 managed to pass the legal practice exams, translating to 3% pass rate. MMD member of parliament Michael Kaingu said that the behaviour of ZIALE was unscrupulous (Post newspaper dated 23rd January, 2014), while another blogger called the results pathetic. The situation in Liberia in West Africa was even frightening. All the students that wrote University entry qualifications failed, representing 0% failure rate.
I have been reflecting deeply on this state of affairs at ZIALE and many other tertiary institutions in Zambia. In this exposition, I will endeavour to highlight some of the obvious and some not so obvious reasons while students perform pathetically despite purportedly having spent sleepless nights “jobbing”.
While a student might be reading lecture notes and trying to assimilate what they are reading, there are few things that they ignore for that study material to make meaning and be reproduced during examinations. One possible explanation why learners encounter retrieval failure is decay theory. According to this theory, a memory trace is created every time a new theory is formed. Decay theory suggests that over time, these memory traces begin to fade and disappear. If information is not retrieved and rehearsed, it will eventually be lost. The implication here is that a leaner needs to be fully occupied with studying through out as this will enhance rehearsal. Have you ever wondered why you have photographic memory of some events in your life that are impactful? It is because you think about them so often and hence rehearsal in enhanced and as such they appear fresh all the time.
Another reason is interference. Interference theory suggests that some memories compete and interfere with other memories. When information is very similar to other information that was previously stored in memory, interference is more likely to occur.
There are two basic types of interference:
Proactive interference is when an old memory makes it more difficult or impossible to remember a new memory.
Retroactive interference occurs when new information interferes with your ability to remember previously learned information.
Sometimes, losing information has less to do with forgetting and more to do with the fact that it never made it into long-term memory in the first place. Encoding failures sometimes prevent information from entering long-term memory. The implication here is that a student needs to concentrate when studying so that what ever is being assimilated moves from short term memory to long term memory. I shudder when I see a student studying with headphones dangling her/his cheeks.
As part to study, try to figure out features on a K10 note in its absence and then compare the result with the physical K10 note. How well did you do? Chances are that you were able to remember the shape and color, but you probably forgot other minor details. The reason for this is that only details necessary for distinguishing one note from the others is encoded into your long-term memory.
In summing up, the life of a learner should be focused, with less partying to promote rehearsal and make examinations passable. Remember, education is the best equaliser of life chances.
Political activist Dante Saunders delivers a speech during the gathering to demand for the release of the Zambian constitution
Political Activist Dante Saunders said it is feasible for Zambia to create an Electoral Court to deal with electoral petitions.
Veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga has also welcomed the idea of establishing an Electoral Court to be headed by a qualified judge, which will dispose off electoral petitions within 90 days.
Mr.Saunders said similar courts have worked well in other countries in resolving electoral disputes.
Mr. Saunders added that such courts have worked well in other countries owing to the fact that they have good constitutions.
He told Qfm News in a telephone interview that this is why Zambia should also have a good constitution which will allow for the establishment of a constitutional court.
He said this is what people have been calling for all along.
MMD Vice President Michael Kaingu has revealed that his relationship with party President Nevers Mumba has soured due to Dr Mumba’s alleged huge ego.
Dr Kaingu said his group is determined to push for a convention in order to remove Dr Mumba and restore the party’s leadership.
He said Dr Mumba has neglected the party structures and does not consult his colleagues in the National Executive Committee before carrying out any projects in the party.
Dr Kaingu was speaking when he appeared on a live Sunday Interview TV programme on ZNBC.
“He has ignored the structures. He has only chosen to work with some social misfits such as Lusambo, Kadobi and Nakachinda. Just listen to the names, these are misfits and he has chosen to work with them at the expense of our party structures,” Dr Kaingu said.
“He has unconstitutionally suspended our officials on the Copperbelt and Northern Province. He has not even written any letters of suspension and this is unconstitutional and this is the reason why I have told the officials to go back to work and ignore the suspensions,” he said.
Dr Kaingu said Dr Mumba has failed to provide leadership in the MMD because he allegedly lacks adequate connectivity to attract funding to the party.
He said MMD requires a leader with enough connections in order to bring in resources to the party.
“He has failed to attract funding to the MMD. He promised that he will use his global connections to bring in resources but he has lamentably failed. 2016 is approaching and MMD will be lucky to even win a seat in Parliament and if that was to happen, it won’t be down to Dr Mumba’s leadership but to individual brilliance of the candidate,” Dr Kaingu said.
He added, “Dr Mumba is not a team player. He is self-centered. He travels in the night and avoids meeting our structures. If he travelling to Kitwe, he will start off at night. What kind of a President travels at night? He needs to move during the day so that he could stop over at Katuba, Chisamba, Kapiri and Ndola and meet party structures on his way to Kitwe.”
Dr Kaingu also allegedly that Dr Mumba has not been declaring the funding he receives in the name of the MMD to the party’s leadership.
“We know he has travelled outside the country 15 times but he doesn’t declare what he is given to the party. The MPs have a standing arrangement to contribute K2, 500 monthly to the running of the party and we are now fatigued. Dr Mumba wants to run the party as if he is already a Republican President, he has to go.”
Dr Kaingu further revealed that he will gladly leave the MMD if Dr Mumba was to re-elected at the national convention if it is held.
“I will leave it to him. For me it’s not about the Presidency. I know I don’t have the capacity to run the MMD but I want the party to choose the best person to manage the affairs of the party. We have to go for the convention,” Dr Kaingu stated.
Soul singer Stephanie McCourt ,who’s mother is Zambain and father Irish, has been singing since she can remember and says Zambian music is the most beautiful music to her.
“I’m equally connected with both cultures,” said Stephanie “My mother, who is from Zambia, is from a family of 12 siblings and my father who is from Dundalk, Ireland has 5.”
Stephanie is a fan of the golden era of soul performed by the likes Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Janis Joplin, James Brown, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, and Ray Charles amongst others.
She recently signed with the UK record company, Unstoppable Music Group. The label is headed by music executive Ben Wynter, who has previously worked with some of the worlds biggest artists, including Destiny’s Child, Nas and Mariah Carey.
On how her Zambian heritage has influenced her, Stephanie says :
“Zambian culture has had a heavy influence on me. From traditional foods like wild mushrooms and okra to Rumba music. My Mother is from Ndola and in the past I have flown over many times to visit family. I have seen both contrasting parts of Zambia, from the shanties towns, to the Victoria Falls. Livingstone is one of my favourite places on earth, the Falls and wild life took my breath away. My most memorable moment when visiting Zambia and that is still very close to my heart, was when I went to bury my Granddad. It was my first experience of a traditional Zambian funeral and though extremely heart breaking, it was during this time I got to hear the local choirs which moved me deeply. There were no instruments, just pure voices singing harmony, it was blissful.“
A graduate of Brighton Institute of Modern Music, Stephanie has been busy writing and recording for her debut EP due for release this Spring 2014. She will also be hitting the London music circuit, performing at numerous venues leading up to its release.
On her future the singer says; “Failure isn’t an option, I’m born to sing and now I’m unstoppable so its destined, things have to work out.”
Contact her on social media/ listen to her music on the links below:
This weekend saw some of the ugliest scenes of political violence perpetuated by the PF hired thugs. HH’s entourage was attacked by a well organised troop of PF hired thugs who came in buses. Wilson Mpondamali, a freelance journalist, who went to cover the installation of the mayor in Kabwe was also beaten up on Friday. His attackers were allegedly released in the night. Being a victim of the PF hired thugs twice, the trauma I felt that day of the attack in GIGOCA Church and in Mkaika revisited me. As I viewed HH escaping from the radio station through the fire escape and over the roof of an adjacent building, the trauma was unbearable.
What is shocking is that all this is happening in our Christian nation! Where is the problem? How is it possible to hire thugs to beat up innocent citizens? How can we make these thugs unavailable? What must be done to our electoral system to promote debate rather than exclusion and violence?
The departure point is with President Sata. In June last year, I wrote a letter to him. Did he read it? Let me reproduce the message now that he is also on face book. In that letter, I said, “This is an appeal to President Sata who is supposed to play the role of leader of the nation. I do know that he might not read the Watchdog, the Daily Nation, the Zambianeye, or the Zambia Reports. But I am hopeful that someone close, someone with the privilege to say something to him, will pass on this message. The message is that, Mr Sata needs to free himself from the clutches of evil that have held him captive to commit atrocities against citizens for no apparent wrong they may have committed against him.
50 years of relative peace until PF rule
Mr Sata, Zambians gave you a gift that has chances of one in fourteen million. The best you can do is simply repaying them with favour, kindness, and consideration. The beatings, harassments, intimidations and now the killings under your governance are a strange phenomenon to Zambians. We got our independence in a relatively none violent manner. We have lived relatively peacefully for close to fifty years until you came by. God loves us, where are you getting the courage to hate us and go against God’s people? Do you not know what happens to people who harm God’s people?
The strange thing is that you are supposed to not only be a leader of the nation, but a “democracy role model” to many as well. The hatred and the pain your government, your party, and your sympathisers are inflicting on innocent Zambians is too strange to comprehend. Where are we going Mr President? When you are gone, what will be your legacy? How will people regard anyone carrying the name Sata? Are you aware that the same people, who today are behind these atrocities, will be the same ones to denounce you soon? Where will this all end? Mr Sata, and anyone close to you, please reflect.
Remember that none of us is greater than the collective. Every single human being is just a simple person given a particular role to play. Depending on how you handle your role, you either find yourself a hero or villain. Who knew that Charles Taylor, Muammar Gadhafi, Sadam Hussein or even Hitler would end up the way they did? Who knew that Hitler’s men and women would spend the rest of their lives all over the world running away from justice? Today, the world is small and united. There is nowhere to run to Mr President.
You have made governance very difficult for everyone including MPs to participate in. You have discriminated against your own people and only made promises of development to areas where you received the vote. You have discriminated against your own citizens in many other ways. You have turned democracy into a criterion for punishment. Mr Sata, why are you doing this to us Zambians? We gave you the task of Commander of the Armed Forces not to massacre us using arms government buys from our hard earned money we pay in form of taxes but to protect us but to protect us.
Physical violence by PF
The many massacres in Western province, the two killings and many injuries in Kampasa area, including the attacks on Mr Hichilema and his entourage in Kasama and now Ndola. The beating of Thomas Zgambo by your son, the pouring of chibuku on Father Frank Bwalya, the Bishop John Mambo BIGOCA assault, the attack on Andrew Banda and myself in Mkaika and many more all make very sad reading. The people who died in Kampasa at the hands of your armed forces were merely ensuring that they had a roof over their heads on land that belonged to them. The people of Western province merely want self-determination in the absence of development.
Mr President do you really care or don’t you know what is going on? Are you still the same person Zambians gave the honour to preside over their affairs on September 20, 2011? Mr President, we are not asking for too much. We just need our peace and freedom back!”
Repaying the People of Western,North-Western and Southern Province with evil
President Sata is a very strange person. He repays good with evil. Zambians gave him the presidency, but he discriminates against them, denies them equal opportunities, and withdraws their subsidies. Western province gives him the vote but his government kills those that dare remind him of his promises. During the pact with UPND, Sata got introduced to areas where he was not previously known such as Southern, Western and North Western provinces where he increased votes for himself. Instead of showing gratitude, his party is sponsoring violence against the man. I doubt if Sata would have become president had it not been for the thousands of votes from Southern, Western, and North Western provinces where voters warmed up to him as he was introduced to UPND strongholds during the PACT with the UPND. When the PACT broke up, PF was the net beneficiary. This personality is strange.
Hiring Youths to perpetuate violence
File:PF militia…a PF youth wielding a dangerous weapon goes for UPND cadres during the Kabwata violence
Regarding the youths who are inflicting humiliation and perpetrating violence and pain on leaders, solutions for their plight are needed. Let us not condemn them. Condemnation should be reserved for the misplaced PF leaders who are using them. These youths suffer to make enough to buy a loaf of bread in a day. There is absolutely no way they could have hired buses to attack HH unless somebody paid for them and promised other incentives. Even the chibuku that was poured on Father Bwalya was paid for by somebody.
Unless we quickly craft lasting solutions for our youths, the violence will soon take dimensions that will leave our peaceful co-existence in tatters. When HH was attacked in Kasama, I argued against the notion that the attack was an act of tribalism. It was important that that view was nipped in the bud. Had that view held, Southern province, too, would have become a no-go area to Bemba leaders and that would have been the birth of ethnic violence.
On leaders behind the sponsoring of youths to commit evil, these are individuals with low thinking capacities. These individuals are failures in leadership and cannot earn permanence of tenure through performance evidenced by good results. I have condemned the use of misguided youths to insult, confront, and physically attack one’s perceived enemies as was done with Major Kachingwe, Bowman Lusambo himself, Father Bwalya and in the BIGOCA incidence.
The culture of failing to confront reality as a leader and resorting to using desperate measures of intimidation are an unfortunate development in our political culture. The unfortunate thing is that the youths being used are the same ones for whose welfare; politicians like HH, Father Bwalya, and all political leaders who have suffered political violence including myself went into politics to craft solutions for.
Mr. President hear our cries for the restoration of our peace and freedoms! Let us all remember Wilson Mpondamali and family in our prayers today. He has gone through a lot lately. It’s more than enough for a single individual. He is jobless, accused of theft of a book and chained to a hospital bed when sick and gets beaten when he tries to simply put food on the table for his family in a society where he cannot get employed – it is too much. By Lucky Mulusa
Alliance for Better Zambia president Father Frank Bwalya blows a whistle against the government’s refusal to release the Zambian draft constitution
WHY I FR FRANK BWALYA WENT TO SUPPORT MR RUPIAH BANDA AT COURT ON TUESDAY 8TH APRIL 2014
PREAMBLE
I and Mr Rupiah Banda are not enemies. We have become friends. On the day world leaders converged unto Johannesburg to pay their last respects to Nelson Mandela at a powerful service I had lunch with RB.
As we watched and listened to breathtaking speeches about Madiba which highlighted his forgiving heart, our own reconciliation took place. We talked about our country and what the future holds. We talked about the mistakes we have made as a country and how to correct some of the mistakes. We also joked about what happened during the election campaigns, including the red card campaign, prior to the 2011 tripartite elections.
That was the first time I met RB on a one-to-one basis. Since then, we have been talking and I think that he appreciates who I am very much. He has told me that he regrets the reality that he had no chance to meet me earlier. We have also drunk tea and watched English soccer together. He was very happy to learn that I like soccer and that I support Manchester United, a team that one of his sons supports.
So why did I go to court?
I went to court because a friend of mine, RB, was appearing before court;
We have something in common with RB. Both of us are appealing before our courts. For me, it’s the magistrates court in Kasama. So I identify with his situation;
I went to court to support RB because he too, like all of us, needs the support of friends;
I went to court to be with my friend RB to demonstrate that I appreciate him as a friend regardless of what other people may think about him;
I went to court not to send a signal that RB is innocent because he is innocent after all until proven guilty;
I went to court to support RB to show the world that I differed with RB the president and not RB the person;
I also went to court to support RB and send a powerful signal that I didn’t hate RB and I don’t hate Mr Michael Chilufya Sata (MCS);
At a time when MCS had threatened to sort out our bishop Right Reverend George Lungu of Chipata diocese in Zambia, I saw it wise and appropriate to show solidarity with the man (RB) who diverted his plane in 2010 or 2011 to Rome to see Bishop Lungu when he was hospitalized there at the height of differences between the MMD government and the Catholic Church for reasons including demands for a people driven republican constitution. RB was heading to the USA when he diverted his plane to Rome. Instead of planning to sort out Catholic Bishops, RB showed love and understanding. Therefore, I think that his mistakes, real or perceived can’t outweigh his goodwill and thoughtfulness.
CONCLUSION
I went to court aware of the reality that some people would condemn me for my action. But since our defective constitution guarantees me freedom of association I still decided to go and support him.
As for the allegations he is facing, it is up to the courts of law to determine. My prayer is that the due process of the will prevail and that justice will be done. If I will go to jail for likening Mr Sata to a rigid sweet potato (Chumbu Munshololwa), RB has assured me that he will be coming to visit me.
