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.
President Michael Sata with Mambwe Wilombe , wife of Zambia’s Ambassador to DR Congo Regina Kapoka (l) and Zambia’s Ambassador to Congo Kapoka (r) on arrival at the Zambian Embassy where the President mate Zambians leaving in Congo DR on Feb 25,2014 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
President Michael Sata has called on Zambians living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to work hard and contribute to their country’s economic development.
Speaking in Kinshasa last night when he met Zambians living in DRC at the official residence of the Zambia’s Ambassador to that country, Fidelis Kapoka, President Sata said there were a lot of Congolese nationals living in Zambia whom he said were doing very fine with regards to business and contributing to national development.
He said that it was important that Zambians living in the DRC emulate their colleagues by working hard.
ZANIS reports that President Sata said Zambians should use their presence in the DRC to market their country back home.
He emphasized that there was no time for Zambians living in DRC to be lazing around but time to work hard and make money.
President Sata further charged that Zambians and Congolese should partners in trade and work together to improve their countries’ economies.
President Sata, who is accompanied by First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba, his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah, arrived in Kinshasa yesterday for the 17th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) summit for heads of state and government.
The summit, which opens today at the African Union Villa, is being held under the theme ‘consolidating intra COMESA trade through micro, small and medium entrepreneur development’.
There are 19 COMESA members countries among them Zambia, Congo, Uganda and Burundi.
Zambia captain Christopher Katongo has joined camp in Ndola but two players have been ruled out of next Wednesdays friendly against Uganda Cranes in Ndola at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Katongo, who is currently clubless after seeing out his three year contract at Chinese club Henan Jianye, joined camp on Tuesday afternoon after missing the opening day training session that same morning.
“Chris joined the team yesterday (Tuesday) we have so far 21 players including three goalkeepers but Salulani is still in painkillers so he didn’t train,” Beaumelle said.
Zanaco defender Salulani Phiri on Wednesday sat out training for a second successive day.
Meanwhile, Beaumelle said strikers James Chamanga and Jacob Mulenga have been ruled out of the friendly due to long-term injury.
“Jacob and James are not fit so they won’t travel. I spoke to them they are not 100 per cent so if you put on top the travel it is better to give a chance to the young boys,” Beaumelle said.
And Felix Katongo is also a doubt due to work commitments with the Zambia Army where he is a regular soldier.
Meanwhile, Zambia play Power dynamos in a training game on Thursday.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has expressed disappointment with reports of alleged malpractice and incidents of violence that characterized poll day the Katuba Parliamentary by-election.
ECZ Acting Public Relations Manager, Sylvia Bwalya, has told QFM News in a statement that violence during elections contributes to apathy among electorates.
Ms Bwalya says it is important that all political parties abide by the electoral code of conduct to avoid negative consequences that may arise from abrogating the law.
Ms Bwalya has appealed to political parties to exercise patience, restraint and tolerance in future by-elections.
Ms Bwalya has also clarified that the delay in the declaration of the results for Katuba Parliamentary by-elections was due to the challenge in receiving the results in three polling stations.
She explains that the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) helicopter that was contracted to provide logistics in the three polling stations was unable to access the three polling stations early this morning due to bad weather.
Ms Bwalya has since commended the media for fair and balanced coverage of candidates during the campaigns leading up to the Katuba parliamentary by-elections.
Opposition Members of Parliament today heckled and forced Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini to prematurely suspend proceedings of the house before subsequently adjourning the sitting of the house.
This followed the Speaker’s decision to dismiss Mazabuka Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo’s follow up debate on Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba’s ministerial statement on the update with regards constitution making process.
The Speaker’s decision against Mr Nkombo did not go well with the opposition Members of Parliament who chose to boycott the subject of debate and the subsequent questions for oral answer session.
As the Speaker called out questions which were supposed to be asked by opposition Members of Parliament, the opposition lawmakers repeatedly chanted constitution.
This prompted Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili to rise on a point of order amidst continued heckling, on whether the opposition Members of Parliament were in order to disrupt the proceedings of the house with impunity contrary to the Guidelines and Standing Orders of the house.
In his ruling Dr Matibini noted that it was very clear from the conduct of the opposition Members of Parliament that they were no longer ready to transact thereby suspending business of the house.
Earlier in his ministerial statement Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba told the house that the PF has a national development agenda and that the constitution making process is but part of that agenda.
Mr Kabimba stated that government is dismayed with statements insinuating that the PF government lacks political will to deliver a constitution.
He also dismissed assertions that the country is polarized with regards the constitution.
Mr Kabimba further attributed the delay to release the draft constitution to the decision by the technical committee to take the draft constitution to his office instead of the President who is the appointing authority.
He says he is consulting with President Michael Sata on the handover of the draft constitution by the technical committee.
KCCA coach George Nsimbe has continued with his belligerent mood and vowing to slay Nkana on Saturday.
Nkana and KCCA renew rivalries for the first time since 1992 when Nkana won their Africa Champions Cup first round game 6-0 on aggregate.
Nsimbe was in that vanquished side 12 years ago as a player and he returns this weekend as coach seeking retribution starting away from home this weekend.
“It is not the same Nkana that I played against in 1992 when we lost 2-0. That was a good side and with very good players,” Nsimbe said.
Meanwhile, KCCA landed in Lusaka on Wednesday afternoon before taking a 45 minute flight from KK International Airport to Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola and later drove to Kitwe just after 18h00.
Mighty Mufulira Wanderers have thrashed Power Dynamos 3-1 in a pre-season friendly played at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe on Wednesday.
The defeat comes just 24 hours before Power face Zambia in a training game on Thursday in Ndola.
Power are preparing for the 2014 FAZ Super League campaign to kick off on March 15 while Mighty are getting ready for the FAZ Division One North season.
Brian Hambungeni grabbed a brace for Mighty while Progress Kalengo scored the third goal for the Shinde outfit and Emmanuel Kabole inked Power’s face-saver.
Mighty’s Hambungeni opened the scoring in the opening 25 minutes before his goal was cancelled by Fordson Kabole’s son Emmanuel prior to the half time break.
Hambungeni completed his brace late in the second half before Kalengo scored the clincher.
This result is expected to fuel the belief among Mighty supporters suggesting that their club rarely loses to Power.
The two clubs last met in 2013 in another friendly match that ended in a draw in Mufulira.
FILE: Left to right, Former Zambian President Rupiah Banda, Swedish Ambassador to Kenya Joan Borgstam and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Ahmed Hassan leave the hall after opening the two-day conference on the Kenya 2013 elections.
His Excellency Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, the Fourth President of the Republic of Zambia, has today left for South Africa to attend medical review.
The former head of State has since thanked His Excellency Mr Michael Chilufya Sata, the President of the Republic of Zambia, for facilitating his travel to South Africa.
“I am grateful to the President for facilitating the trip for my medical review,” said President Banda who left the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 13:30 hours aboard a South African Airways flight SA063 and was accompanied by his administrative assistant Mikatazo Wakumelo.
President Banda is expected back in Zambia at the completion of the medical review. He last travelled to South Africa for treatment in October last year.
A group of beneficiaries of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) loan scheme besieged the Zambia National Credit and Savings Bank (NATSAVE) in Nchelenge this morning demanding to be paid cash.
ZANIS reports from Nchelenge that the beneficiaries wondered why the contractor in the fish farming project allocated to the district has been given a permanent position in the project.
The development follows the approval and partial release of over three million kwacha by government through the CEEC for poverty reduction programmes in Nchelenge district.
The CEEC has revised the loan disbursement conditions in which funds will only be paid directly to a contractor or supplier of a project and not the loan applicants to avoid abuse of the funds as experienced previously.
Nchelenge District Administrative Officer Gift Hajongola confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Nchelenge today.
Mr Hajongola said the PF government is committed to fighting poverty especially among the rural people.
He said over K641,000.00 of the funds has since been credited to seven beneficiary accounts.
He disclosed that the CEEC has devised a standard implementation plan where the bank will only pay the money to the contractor or the supplier upon certification for the service by the fisheries authorities.
Mr Hajongola said he was aware that some beneficiary groups are demanding for cash and were planning to confront the bank manager at the Zambia National Credit and Savings Bank (NATSAVE) over releasing the funds.
He observed that people would deliberately want to abrogate the financial management regulations that govern the disbursement of funds in order to access cash but advised them to heed expert advice.
The DAO said the government is very serious about poverty reduction and will not condone individuals who are bent on frustrating its efforts aimed at improving the lives of the masses that were currently wallowing in poverty.
He said the bank has just been entrusted with the task of ensuring that the money is used for the intended purpose adding that if people were aggrieved the government was there to address their concerns.
He further said the CEEC has put some monitoring measures in place to avoid misappropriation and pilferage of the resources as was the case during the MMD regime.
Mr. Hajongola said the money will only be paid to activities to avoid abuse and warned that those who will not comply will not access that the money.
Meanwhile, Nchelenge NATSAVE Branch manager Elvis Chimbinga explained that none of the beneficiary farmers will have direct access to the money to avoid abuse.
Mr. Chimbinga said the money will only be paid direct to the contractor or supplier and urged the farmers to understand the implementation measures that have been put in place or risk losing out completely.
Former Tourism Minister Given Lubinda has today told the tribunal probing Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo that Vice President Guy Scott and Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba asked him to fire then Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) Director General Edwin Matokwani during the time he served as Minister.
Mr. Lubinda told the tribunal that Dr. Scott and Mr.Kabimba in his capacity as Patriotic Front Secretary General wanted Mr Matokwani to be fired because he was appointed by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government.
He testified that he did not fire Mr. Matokwani because he had no right or authority to interfere with the operations of the Zambia Wildlife Authority.
The Kabwata parliamentarian further told the tribunal that he always had to seek the indulgence and advice from the Attorney General on how to handle the issues relating to running the Ministry of Tourism before making any decision.
And when asked by defence lawyers Makebi Zulu and Gilbert Phiri if the vice president or any other individual had interest in the hunting concessions, Mr. Lubinda told the tribunal that he had no knowledge about that.
Mr. Lubinda also maintained during the cross examination that he never interfered neither did he have intentions to interfere in any tender process for the ministry of Tourism or ZAWA because he did not have the authority to do.
He further told the tribunal that he never had a chance to meet with the ZAWA board members after their appointment because he was immediately transferred to the ministry of foreign affairs.
Finance Minister Alexander ChikwandaFinance Minister Alexander Chikwanda
The PF lead Parliament has backed the motion by Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda seeking to increase the threshold of domestic borrowing from K200 million to K13 billion, among other adjustments.The motion to authorize the Minister of Finance to increase by Statutory Instrument the domestic loan threshold from K200 million to K13 billion among others has passed after a vote in Parliament.
In presenting the motion, Mr Chikwanda assured the House that the increase in the borrowing threshold was meant to help Government implement various economic projects in view of the Budget deficit.
“Raising the threshold will help Government to implement the various projects. This borrowing will be sustainable, it will not disadvantage the private sector,” he said.
He said Government regarded the private sector as key players in advancing economic growth, adding that borrowing would not be done indiscriminately.The minister assured the House that Government would endeavour to get loans for the progression of the economy and would ensure it was within sustainable levels.Mr Chikwanda proposed to increase domestic loans, payable over a period of 10 years, from K200 million to K13 billion.
Others were to raise domestic loans within the Republic, payable over a period of more than one year, from K10 million to K20 billion, as well as the contingent liability of loans and guarantees (Authorisation) Act, to persons ordinarily resident in Zambia, from K2 million to K2 billion.
[pullquote]
A number of countries that are in the habit of borrowing are now on their knees, that is where we are heading to
[/pullquote]The motion passed after voting with Members of Parliament (MP) voting in favour winning by 70 votes against 25 that voted against.
Earlier, contributing to the motion, MMD Mwandi MP Michael Kaingu expressed concern that Zambia risked being in debt if the loan threshold was increased.
“Over-borrowing means that we shall forever have problems with accountability, interest levels will be high and the cost of living will go up and another danger is that economic growth will shrink,” he said.
Dr Kaingu said international lenders would also express doubt and pleaded that Government departs from the idea of increasing the loans threshold.
MMD Chembe MP, Mwansa Mbulakulima who also opposed the motion said it was important that the country’s leaders ensured a bright future for its young citizens and avoid leaving a debt burden.
“We need to care for our children. These are issues that led to the credit crunch in the 1980’s and there is need to watch out, inflation will go up and this is dangerous,” Mr Mbulakulima said.
Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) Luena Member of Parliament (MP) Mulumeui Imenda said once the threshold for domestic borrowing was increased, the country risked falling into a debt trap.
“I oppose this motion, we are coming from a background when we were heavily indebted whether domestically or internationally and we are now going back to the same situation. This development is bringing shivers,” Ms Imenda said.
She said if the borrowing threshold was increased, it would also trigger a hike in interest rates, apart from suffocating private sector participation in economic affairs as borrowing would be difficult for them.
United Party for National Development (UPND) Monze Central MP Jack Mwiimbu, in opposing the motion, expressed fears that Government would fail to pay back the domestic debt.
Mr Mwiimbu said a similar approval of the threshold for international borrowing last year led to indiscriminate borrowing by the Government.
“Government has been failing to pay contractors and that is why they want to increase the borrowing threshold.
“A number of countries that are in the habit of borrowing are now on their knees, that is where we are heading to,” Mr Mwiimbu said.
In supporting the motion, Agriculture and Livestock Minister, Bob Sichinga said the intensity of Government’s developmental agenda made it necessary to increase borrowing.Mr Sichinga said debt levels were much higher under the MMD than under the current administration.
Vice President Guy Scott questioned why the opposition was shooting-down the motion saying that the threshold had not been increased over a long period but that during the MMD rule, borrowing had exceed the K200 million threshold and hit K12.8 billion.
The opposition UPND has scooped the Katuba Parliamentary by election which was held yesterday.
Returning officer Mutandi Mwanamwali declared the UPND candidate Jonas Shakafuswa as duly elected MP at about 10: 20 hours this morning.
Mr. Shakafuswa who beat six other candidates polled 4,781 votes followed by his closest rival Moses Chilando of the PF who polled 2,747 votes.
MMD’s Cecil Homes polled 734, NAREP’s Joseph Mushalika with 566 votes while Patricia Mwashingwele of Alliance for BetterZambia polled 393.
UNIP candidate Allan Malawo only managed 124 polls with National Revolution Party’s Shakespeare Mwakamui polling a paltry 23 votes.
And speaking to journalists shortly after being declared winner, Mr. Shakafuswa said his election is a wakeup call to the PF government.
“I just feel there is a lot of work in Katuba that needs to be done. I will be going to Parliament to go and wake up the useless PF MPs as the President refers to them,” he said.
A total number of 9,481 votes were cast out of the over 28, 707 registered voters.
United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota says Vice President Guy Scott should be reminded that underwear should be changed when dirty.
Mr Sikota told Qfm News in an interview that it is unfortunate that the vice president has the courage to speak against changing governments like underwear when things are not being done in the correct way.
Mr. Sikota explains that Zambians are not interested in jokes but need serious leaders who will attend to their complaints and challenges that they are facing.
He said the government has the responsibility to deliver on the promises they made to Zambian people unlike joking on serious national issues.
Mr. Sikota said time is now when the government should start focusing on real issues and make Zambians understand why there has been so much delay in fulfilling the campaign promises made to them.
The ULP leader has since implored the Patriotic Front to stay focused and avoid diverting attention where it is not necessary.
The opposition UPND has won, with a convincing margin the Katuba by-election which saw Jonas Shakafushwa, a man who had ditched the UPND for an MMD job under Rupiah and Mwanawasa’s regimes, regain the seat. He must be a happy man that he is back at Parliament, and Parliament Motel. The PF has lost a vote in parliament, for though held by MMD, like Jonas Shakafushwa, the late Dr. Chikusu of Katuba was in the PF government as deputy Minister of Health.
A heavily contested election which saw the entire PF Machinery camp in Katuba, from the President, Vice-President to most PF Ministers and deputies doing all they could to secure a win. Ultimately, however, the UPND’s Shakafushwa, the People’s Choice prevailed, and the PF failed. The people of Katuba gave the PF a test of their own medicines: Donchi Kubeba! Willa Lila! Indeed, many congratulations to the UPND and its candidate, we can only wish them well as they contribute to meaningful debate and policy discourse in parliament.
We also hear of another fall of the PF in a local government election in Chililabombwe, where, like in Katuba, they succumbed to the UPND. Again, at the grassroots level, the people have spoken, and sent their message of displeasure to the PF and its Government. Many congratulations to the UPND for such a noble win in an area arguably reserved for the PF. To PF, we will continue to say until you heed the cries of the nation, the lies you came on board with will not keep you in power, just as MMD was voted out, so will you, if necessary. The writings are clear on the wall. Need we say more?
That said, it is not only electoral votes that have been going down under the PF, the exchange rate, the kwacha has been losing value each day. Every day we wake up, we have less money in our account (when converted to another currency). The kwacha has each day, in the words of HE MCS referring to his MPs, been useless, worthless!
An economist in Zambia, sympathising with the PF regime told me that the ‘market is at work’. That Zambia is a ‘liberalised economy’ so the forces of ‘demand and supply are at work’, the typical text book stuff we tell our first year students. I am not sure whether my economist friend actually understands the role of government in a free market economy, which is to: Correct Market Failure. My colleague forgot that actually sometimes the market fails, but when its outcomes are ideal, all the market can do is to reflect the economic fundamentals in the economy, period! If the outcome is a continue fall in value of the kwacha, surely there is something not right that the exchange rate is responding to, and we must be concerned, or shouldn’t we?
So if you have the kwacha trading at K5 a dollar in June and seven months later its trading a K6 per dollar, a 20% depreciation, the lowest in 20 years, surely there has to be something going wrong. But my colleague said that most Zambians are just talking and politicising the exchange rate without explaining nor understanding what is happening. I was actually shocked to hear this from the PF economist. Zambians are talking because they can feel the negative effects of the depreciating kwacha. They don’t need to know what is causing the loss of value to know that imports of goods, both final goods and intermediate goods have now become more expensive!
Let’s break this down; Zambians are not interested nor even care about what determines the exchange rate. All they are interested in are the following:
A stable exchange rate which would make possible the conduct of cross border trade without much risk.
For import oriented sectors, a relatively strong exchange rate.
Most of our products are imported. From cars to building materials. The rise of the middle class in Zambia which has seen the ownership of cars, luxury houses, designer clothing, shoes, phones, etc all relies on imports. Zambia, besides cement, does not produce most of the goods required for the construction sector which is one of the largest growing sectors of the economy-they have to be imported. The ingredients in all our juices and drinks are imported, including the packaging. The tyres on our cars, the service parts, the oil, etc, even cheap Chinese clothes in Kamwala have to be imported. What this means is that when you have a worthless Kwacha like we are experiencing under the PF, all these imports become expensive. So if in June 2013 you could buy a car from Japan for K5000 ($1000), at the same price of $1000, that car will now cost you K6000!!! Yes, just like that, you pay more suddenly for the same dollar price.
With this, we are in for higher import prices, such as imported fertiliser, imported oil and all that have to cross borders. Ultimately, we will have to pay more for each local commodity we buy—higher inflation—and our money become more worthless—loses purchasing power; and the PF would have succeeded in putting less money in our pockets!
So should we worry about the exchange rate? Yes of course we should. It is a signal of how we are handling our macroeconomics—a downward trend. If the Bank of Zambia’s mission is “to achieve and maintain price and financial systems stability for balanced macroeconomic development.” How is this mission being achieved in the face of an increasingly volatile and devalued currency? Surely the regime has failed us, we should be worried!
Are these the signs of the end of the PF? Has the economy proved too difficult to manage? It obviously has. Its 3 years in power now, should we need more excuses for failure? No. Should we vote in another party in 2016? Of course we should, unless a miracle happens, for God works in mysterious ways!
Sinazongwe Township monkeys at the District Administration Offices
The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has reiterated that there should be no monkey tricks over the issue of the new constitution.
ZCTU President Leonard Hikaumba told Qfm News in an interview that the new constitution will provide a legal frame work for good governance in the country hence the need to have it enacted.
Mr. Hikaumba said it is unfortunate that such an important document is now being reduced to nothing.
The ZCTU president reminds government of the importance of the constitution for the good of the country and its citizens.
Mr. Hikaumba further stated that colossal sums of money have been spent on the constitution making process when civil servants in some areas were are unable to get their dues.
President Sata with Congolese Minister Matata Mponyo
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has arrived in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo DR) to attend the 17th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State summit which opens here today.
The summit which would run from 26 to 27 February 2014 is expected to attract about 19 Heads of State or Government representatives.
It is being held under the banner “Consolidating Intra COMESA Trade through the Development of Small Medium Entrepreneurs”.
President Sata who touched down at N’dijili International Airport at 15:50 hours Zambian time yesterday aboard Presidential Challenger is accompanied by first lady Christine Kaseba and his special assistance for press and public relations officer, George Chellah.
He was welcomed at N’dijili airport by Congo DR First Minister Matata Ponyo as well as Commerce minister Emmanuel Chenda, Foreign Affairs minister Wylbur Simuusa, Commerce Permanent secretary Siazonga Siakalenga.
Others are officials from the Zambian high commission in Congo DR. The two days summit would be held at the Congo DR State house and President Sata was expected to give a speech.
Dr Kaseba is expected to attend the 7th First Spouses Roundtable Meeting today which would be held alongside the Heads of State summit.
The Heads of State summit was preceded by various policy organs’ meeting to discuss the sectoral and ministerial issues that relate to regional integration in COMESA and the COMESA Business Council Forum.
Others that had arrived by press time were Rwanda Prime minister and second vice president for Burundi.
The summit is the Supreme organ of the regional organization upon which major policy decisions are made and is responsible for the general policy direction and control of the performance of the executive functions of COMESA.
COMESA summits are held annually in various member States and usually, the country hosting the Summit assumes the chairmanship of the Authority for the year.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who took chairmanship in November 2012, would hand over the position to Congo DR President Joseph Kabila at the close of this summit.
President Sata Inspects Guards in CongoPresident Sata arrives in KinshasaPresident Sata with Congolese Minister Matata Mponyo
