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File:Delegates to the Provincial Constitution Convention for Southern Province in Livingstone
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has described the on going constitutional making process as a sham which may not produce a people driven constitution in the stipulated time frame.
This follows revelations that the Technical committee has written to the Ministry of Justice requesting more time and more allocation of funds to complete its work.
YALI president Andrew Ntewewe noted that to this effect his organization has joined hands with the Oasis Forum to ensure that a Private Member’s Bill is passed in Parliament to ensure that the constitutional making process and the contents of the new constitution are protected by a legal framework.
Mr. Ntewewe said that if the current constitutional making process continues without a legal frame it will continue to gobble colossal sums of public funds which can be used for other developmental projects.
Mr. Ntewewe further observed that without a new constitution the country will continue having stunted national development due to policies in the current constitution that do not effectively support such progress.
The YALI president was speaking in an interview with Qfm.
The book of Esther tells of a story of a Jewish girl who became queen of the mighty Persian Empire( 478 B.C). In the leadership at the time,there was an evil man named Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite who was second in command to the King. He persuaded the King to issue a decree with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day and to plunder their goods.Note this decree could not be changed.It was law.
The Jews were in distress when they received this news.
[pullquote]And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?[/pullquote]
Now Mordecai,Queen Esther’s cousin instructed her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. But she declined saying it was against the Law to go to the King without being summoned.Infact doing so carried a death penalty unless the king extended the gold scepter.
In Esther 4:13 Mordecai said:
Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Things are happening in the land of Zambia.Unprecedented events are taking place.There are Queen Esthers God has placed in different levels of leadership in Zambia.Do not think that you shall escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.You were placed in that position for such a time as this.You can change the course of an entire generation doomed to destruction( and/or poverty)
The later part of the story tells how tables were changed because of Esther’s boldness. To this day the feast of Purim is celebrated commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies.May Zambia too experience deliverance. By Zambian in Prayer Author of ‘That I might not disrespect the President‘
ZAMBIA Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (ZUFIAW) Secretary General Joyce Nonde-Simukoko
The Zambia Union of Financial and Allied Workers has accused Blue Financial Services of externalizing funds from Zambia as it plans to hastily exit the Zambian market.
ZUFIAW General Secretary Joyce Nonde-Simukoko has since called on the Bank of Zambia to closely watch the manner in which Blue Financial Services is externalizing funds.
“These people are busy closing down branches and laying off workers at will. Government should watch these people closely, we believe they are just shipping out money and will soon close shop,” Mrs Nonde-Simukoko said.
She said Blue Financial Services had initially intended to fire 58 workers but that the union refused and asked to negotiate.
“In the middle of the negotiations, these people surprisingly started sending redundancy letters to our members. They have already fired about 30 workers and closed some branch,” She said.
“What is sad is that all these redundancies are being done outside the law. These South African have no regard for local employment laws,” Mrs Nonde Simukoko explained.
She said ZUFIAW supports the recent pronouncement by Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda that non Zambians should never be engaged to handle human resources functions in Zambia.
“The happenings at Blue go to support what the Minister is saying. You have South African remote controlling all decision making processes from there and the Zambian local managers are toothless.”
Blue Financial Services has indicated to the unions that it will lay off around 60 workers due to increasing operational costs.
ATTORNEY General Mumba Malila has described as “wild and disturbing” assertions by the Law Association of Zambia that immigration officers’ decision to stop former President Rupiah Banda from travelling to South Africa was illegal and bordered on contempt of court.
Last Friday, Mr Banda was blocked from leaving the country by immigration officers at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka as Minister of Home Affairs Edgar Lungu maintained that the former President may tamper with “evidence” and “witnesses” abroad.
And Mr Malila said in an interview yesterday that LAZ should have consulted his office or any other relevant authority before rushing to issue a “wild and disturbing” statement.
“It clearly shows that they did not research properly. They should have asked us what was happening,” Mr Malila said of LAZ.
He said if LAZ cared to consult, they could have realised that the court order to release Mr Banda’s passport to enable him travel and the reasons advanced by the State to block Mr Banda’s trip, are two different issues.
Mr Malila said law enforcement agencies are still investigating Mr Banda on other cases apart from those he is appearing in court for, hence his travel could have been prejudicial to on-going investigations.
“So, the reasons advanced by the investigations team not to allow Mr Banda to travel have nothing to do with the court order. There is no relation between the two issues,” Mr Malila said.
THE request by Supreme Court judge Phillip Musonda to resign from the bench is premature and does not clear him of the charges of alleged professional misconduct, some civil society organisations have said.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) said in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday that Justice Musonda should have waited for the tribunal to clear his name.
In a letter dated June 4, 2013 to President Sata, Justice Musonda said staying on at the Supreme Court will be discomforting to him and his colleagues and is therefore not feasible.
Justice Musonda and High Court justices Nigel Mutuna and Charles Kajimanga have been suspended by President Sata for alleged professional misconduct.
President Sata has since appointed a tribunal, to be chaired by Malawian Judge Lovemore Chipoka, to investigate allegations against the three judges.
“He is not supposed to resign because there is a pending case against him. Let him go through the drill of the tribunal and whatever the outcome, he can then consider retiring or resigning,” FODEP executive director MacDonald Chipenzi said.
Mr Chipenzi said Justice Musonda is supposed to go on leave from his duties and wait for the tribunal to clear him of the alleged professional misconduct.
He said Justice Musonda’s decision undermines efforts of justices Mutuna and Kajimanga, who are challenging the legality of the tribunal.
“He is admitting that he is guilty by resigning, he should have waited for the tribunal. The best he can do is to apologise and confess the allegations than to rush to retire,” Mr Chipenzi said.
He said Justice Musonda will be more dishonourable to resign without his name being cleared of the allegations.
Mr Chipenzi said President Sata should reject Justice Musonda’s request and should consider it after the tribunal finishes its sittings.
And TIZ president Lee Habasonda described Justice Musonda’s request to resign from the bench as unfortunate and an action which will rob Zambians of an opportunity to know the truth behind the allegation of professional misconduct he is facing.
Mr Habasonda said Justice Musonda’s resignation will seem as though he is trying to protect the judiciary but Zambians are interested to know if he is guilty or not of the alleged professional misconduct.
“The tribunal is a good platform that would have given Justice Musonda an opportunity to clear his name and the doubt in Zambians,” he said.
SACCORD information officer Obby Chibuluma said although it is right to resign, Justice Musonda should have waited for the tribunal to conclude its investigations.
Mr Chibuluma said Justice Musonda’s decision does not come at the right time because the action will not clear his name of the allegation he is facing.
“If the President accepts his [Justice Musonda’s] request, it will mean he will leave the judiciary with a tag of professional misconduct. We would love the judge to hang on until he has his name cleared,” he said.
Last year, President Sata rejected Justice Musonda’s request to resign after he suspended him along with Justices Mutuna and Kajimanga over alleged professional misconduct.
The trio has been suspended regarding the way they conducted themselves in a civil case involving Development Bank of Zambia as complainant and The Post Newspapers, JCN Holdings and Mutembo Nchito as defendants.
Since its appointment in May last year, the tribunal to be chaired by Judge Chipoka, retired judges Thomas Ndhlovu and Naboth Mwanza as members and Chipili Katunasa as secretary, has never sat.
This is because of the applications to block the tribunal by Justices Musonda, Mutuna and Kajimanga with the latest one being the challenge of the legality of the tribunal filed by Judges Mutuna and Kajimanga.
Last week, Ndola High Court judge Mwiinde Siavwapa granted Justices Mutuna and Kajimanga an application to commence judicial review challenging the legality of the tribunal.
This will also act as a stay of the tribunal proceedings, which were scheduled to start on June 18 this year.
File: Father Frank Bwalya addressing a PF rally during the run up to the 2011 elections
A RIFT has erupted at Saint Peters’ Anglican Church in Chimwemwe between some members and their priest, Father Richard Luonde who they have accused of using church funds to finance outspoken cleric Father Frank Bwalya’s political aspirations.
Some irate church members yesterday locked the church to the public following the same wrangles that have left the congregation divided into two factions with one group demanding the immediate departure of Fr Luonde and other opposing the move.
The anti-Fr Luonde camp was also accusing the priest of indulging in adultery activities with married women in the congregation.
Posters containing messages denouncing Fr Luonde were also found stuck on the walls of either side of the church building with one of them reading that anyone who should temper or enter the building would be dealt with.
Fr Luonde who was also found stranded outside the church building expressed shock at the development of the locking of the building and attributed that to a few people within the church he said harbored hatred against him.
He denied the allegations both allegations of giving church money to Fr Bwalya and flirting around with married women in the congregation.
“First they started by accusing me that I am indulging in adultery and now they are saying I am diverting church offering and tithe to Fr Bwalya which is totally untrue and I know even one priest is involved in this,” he said.
Fr Luonde who was flanked by Church treasurer Burton Phiri, said if people had issues, he expected them to approach him rather than embarking on moves such as locking of the church building.
Congregation spokesperson Cuthbert Chuza earlier on denied any knowledge why the members locked the building saying this happened as a surprise to him.
“We came here for the service which starts at 09:30 hours but when we arrived around 09:00 hours, we found the building locked with a chain and a new lock and they have gone away with the keys,” he said.
Congregation Lay leader who is also building caretaker said he was not aware of who locked the church because he only found it locked when he woke up in the morning.
Police were called in around 11:00 hours to go and assess the situation and around 11:30 hours Fr Luonde faction was still outside the locked building.
Forest Rangers were denied a chance to pick up their second win of the season after 10-man Red Arrows rallied to finish 2-2 at Dola Hill today in Ndola.
However it was Arrows who took the lead in the 5th minute through Bruce Musakanya.
Owen Kaposa struck twice in the 26th and 44th minutes as Forest looked like they were heading to their second win of the season.
Forests ambitions were seemingly enhanced after Musakanya was sent off just before halftime for a tackle on Kaposa.
However, Arrows staged a dramatic come back with eight minutes remaining on the clock to snatch an away point through Stanley Nshimbi.
Arrows exchange places with Nchanga Rangers in fourth and fifth place but go level on 17 points after 11 games played.
The Alliance for Human Rights and Governance (ALHURIGO) is up in arms against police on the Copperbelt for not granting them a permit to hold a closed door meeting.
ALHURIGO Zambia Chapter Interim Chairperson, Philemon Phiri, says Zambia was recently peer reviewed as a maturity of democratic practice with a high level of commitment to liberation movements on the Africa continent.
Mr Phiri says Zambia must not lose her dignity and status of peace and democracy because of a few selfish police officers that people and the Head of State have put into public offices.
He said this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
“The meeting was scheduled to take place today (June, 8, 2013) at New Ambassador Hotel in Ndola whose objectives was, among other things, to strengthen our good governance advocacy and our participation in active politics and development and remain non-partisan.
“It’s regrettable that the Police in Ndola denied us a permit and access to association, freedom of expression and fundamental human right,” Mr Phiri lamented.
He stressed that the meeting was vital to discuss the four thematic areas of APRM, the UN 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and people’s rights.
He added that the Forum for Good Governance, Gender Equity and Justice International together with the Samaritan Strategy Foundation of Zambia were given a mandated to spearhead the organisation for Civil Society Organisations’ Consultative meeting in Ndola on the Copperbelt Province but, unfortunately, the meeting did not take place because of selfishness by some police officers.
He charged that holding a closed door meeting does not require a police permit but only did so not to be in confrontation with the law.
The ALHURIGO Interim Chairperson is, however, optimistic that the PF government would sternly deal with undemocratic people frustrating government’s efforts.
By press time, efforts to get a comment from Copperbelt Police Chief, Mary Tembo on the matter, proved futile.
The subsidy sensitization meeting in Mwansakombe turned into a verbal attack on area MP by villagers. The team was in the area on a subsidy sensitization program for rural communities in Chifunabuli Constituency following the Presidential directive for government officials to explain subsidy’s to people in the countryside.
The team headed by area MP Dr Mutaba Mwali comprising the PF Vice Provincial Chairperson Benard Chisanga, Provincial Youth Treasurer Francis Musunga, District Chairperson Dunstan Mutaba, District Youth chairperson, Davies Mulenga and District Political Secretary, Politus Mwansa had their meeting marred with disturbances.
The Mwansakombe meeting, which started well, abruptly ended with the area MP, Mutaba Mwali, being a victim of verbal attacks emanating from the crowd of disgruntled villagers demanding unpaid dues from road works done in the area almost a year ago.
[pullquote]“Consider yourself out at the next poll as a result of your laxity over this matter, you have not pursued the issue for us or we would have been paid by now. You were saying more money in our pockets, now you are eating our money! Why should we believe what you are telling us now over development or subsidy,” they retorted.[/pullquote]
This followed a directive to the Samfya District Council by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to freeze funds or payments to contractors handling the works on corruption suspicions to pave way for ACC investigations into the matter.
However, in spite of reported clearance and close of investigations, the villagers, who recently besieged that Boma and Civic Centre offices, have not been paid their dues by contractors who threw the blame of inability to do so following the fund freeze action.
The irate villagers vowed not to return upon payment but were convinced to return by Dr Mwali who reasoned with them to have the matter amicably resolved by returning to their area located some 80km away.
At the Subsidy sensitization meeting the raging villagers took over the flow as it neared conclusion with disgruntled remarks denouncing their MP for alleged failure to look into their
plight to get paid.
Dr Mwali painstakingly explained the stage at which their issue was, much to their bemusement as they vowed they would make a trip to the boma to demand and get their pay whether or not their money is ready.
They threatened to vote-out Dr Mwali at the next parliamentary polls as a result of the issue of unpaid dues from road projects in the area under the DANIDA rural access and improvement road rehabilitation program supervised by the Local Authority.
“Consider yourself out at the next poll as a result of your laxity over this matter, you have not pursued the issue for us or we would have been paid by now. You were saying more money in our pockets, now you are eating our money! Why should we believe what you are telling us now over development or subsidy,” they retorted.
Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe, says the Patriotic Front (PF) government has started doing what other previous governments failed to accomplish.
And Mr Munkombwe has assured senior Chief Monze that the controversial Monze-Neiko road will soon be tarred by Government
Addressing village headmen at chief Monze’s palace in Monze district, Mr Munkombwe said the reconstruction of the Bottom road, which has been a cry of the people of the province since independence, has now become a reality under the Patriotic Front Government.
He told the meeting, which was also attended by senior chief Monze, that within few years of assuming office, the government of President Michael Sata has managed to honour its promise to work on the much-talked about Bottom road.
Mr Munkombwe said works on the roads have advanced and are impressive and that the contractor engaged by government is ahead of schedule.
He said government now wants to upgrade the Bottom road to bituminous standard to ensure the linkage of the valley districts of Siavonga, Gwembe, Sinazongwe and Kazungula is not only effective but becomes all-weather. The road runs parallel to Lake Kariba in the hilly terrain.
The minister said the people of the Gwembe valley will now have a sigh of relief after suffering for many years due to the bad state of the Bottom road which made the delivery of goods and social services impossible.
He said during his tour of Siavonga district last week, he was able to personally drive on the newly reconstructed Bottom road from Siavonga all the way to Chief Sinadambwe’s palace, a journey that was previously impossible.
Mr Munkombwe said chief Sindababamwe’s area’s was among areas most difficult to access and impossible to reach during the rainy season due to bad roads and damaged bridges along the Bottom road.
He challenged detractors of the PF government to visit Siavonga and see for themselves the current works on the new Bottom road.
And Mr Munkombwe has assured chief Monze that a contract for the tarrying of the Monze-Neiko road has already been signed.
He said President Sata has directed that the road be tarred and that a contractor would soon be on site to begin works.
The opposition in the country has denied allegations levelled against them that they have ‘teamed up’ to fight President Michael Sata and the Patriotic Front (PF) Government.
Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM) President, Edwin Sakala, says assertions by Justice Minister and PF Secretary General, Winter Kabimba, that criminals have ganged up against President Sata are not true.
Mr Sakala categorically says no one is tarnishing the political image of either President Sata or the PF leadership.
Mr Sakala said this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He said the opposition were merely haunted by the PF government’s own alleged 2011 campaign promises to the Zambian people.
He reiterated that ZDDM stands ready to work with Government in matters of governance of the nation.
Meanwhile, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has supported the opposition political parties’ filing in of an updated supplementary petition to seek the suspension of Zambia from the Commonwealth due to alleged continued non respect of human rights under the Patriotic Front (PF) government.
YALI president Andrew Ntewewe notes that much his organization has not been in support of Zambia’s suspension from the Commonwealth, his organization has now come to a conclusion that people’s fundamental rights have become more at stake under the PF government.
Mr. Ntewewe notes that the incident that happened at Lusaka’s Matero BIGOCA church where worshipers were attacked by suspected PF thugs is an indication that Zambia is on a knife age in respect of sustaining fundamental rights and that if such a situation continues, Zambia risks falling in genocide as was experienced in Rwanda.
Mr. Ntewewe has affirmed that Zambia needs international intervention if people’s fundamental rights are to be sustained under the PF government.
The YALI president was speaking in an interview with Qfm.
And Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba will visit Zambia from 10 to 13 June 2013.
Mrs Masire-Mwamba will take part in activities of the Commonwealth Youth Centre in Lusaka – one of the Commonwealth’s four regional youth centres around the world – where she will engage with beneficiaries of the organisation’s training programmes for young people.
The Deputy Secretary-General will also meet senior government officials and other stakeholders. Her visit is the first by a senior Commonwealth official to the country since a small team from the Commonwealth Secretariat visited Zambia on a fact-finding mission in March this year.
Speaking in London ahead of the Deputy Secretary-General’s visit, Mr Richard Uku, Director of Communications and Public Affairs and Commonwealth Spokesperson said Mrs Masire-Mwamba hopes to hold consultations with various interlocutors while in Zambia.
“We look forward to continued partnership with Zambia in advancing the Commonwealth’s fundamental values, including democracy and good governance, sustainable development and respect for diversity,” Mr Uku said.
Chipolopolo coach Herve Renard has suggested that he will surprise Zambians again by qualifying his team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Renard was speaking in Ndola after Zambia thrashed Lesotho 4-0 on Saturday to return to the top of Group D.
The Frenchman said Zambians should believe in the team as it campaigns for a place at the 2014 World Cup.
“We will surprise you once again,” Renard told a post-match media conference.
He hailed Zambia’s rare resounding victory in Ndola.
“I think the players did what we wanted them to do, a lot of determination, we scored four goals,” Renard added.
He further saluted scores of fans who cheered Chipolopolo at Mwanawasa Stadium.
“First of all, I would like to give a big thanks to all the fans who were supporting the team today. Honestly, I didn’t expect to have the stadium full like it was.”
Zambia takes on Sudan this Saturday in another 2014 World Cup qualifier in Ndola.
Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili has saluted Chipolopolo for thumping Lesotho 4-0 in Saturday’s 2014 World Cup qualifier in Ndola.
The emphatic win at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium sent Zambia back to the top of Group D on 10 points.
Kambwili said Herve Renard’s side deserves praises for thrashing Lesotho.
“You have played so well, you are the best. I want to thank you for making Zambia proud,” Kambwili said, in his brief address to the players after the match.
He added:”And I want you to continue with the same spirit, you have now realised what it means to play for Zambia.”
Last March, Kambwili described Zambia’s 1-1 draw against Lesotho in the corresponding fixture in Maseru as rubbish.
“That result in Lesotho can only be described as rubbish,” he told ZNBC in a postmatch interview.
Kambwili waving to the fans at the stadium before kick off
SPORTS Minister Chishimba Kambwili has hailed the Chipolopolo for their resounding 4-0 victory against the Likwena (Crocodiles) of Lesotho in the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup Group D qualifier played at Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola yesterday.
The visibly elated Kambwili said the Chipolopolo’s victory was well deserved and further urged the team to remain focused ahead of the next World Cup encounter against Sudan at the same venue.
Addressing the victorious squad in the dressing room shortly after the game, Kambwili also called on the team to remember God in everything they do adding that the win was a culmination of the prayer service that was held on Friday ahead of the game at Bethel in Ndola.
The Minister said the positive result would create a friendly mood in the country adding that Zambians were confident the Chipolopolo would qualify for the World Cup for the first time the country’s history.
“There is nothing more important than living Christ like and believing in God, you have played so well because you are the cream of Zambian football. On behalf of the President (Michael Sata) and the nation, I would like to thank you most sincerely for making Zambia proud.
And when people say we should change players, we don’t need to change players. You are the best and I can rest assure you that from this day to the next game the mood in the country will just be that of friendliness and happiness,” he said.
Kambwili added that he was happy that players had now realised how important it was to play for their country and produce positive results.
And Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Kalusha Bwalya said the result was an indication of how prepared the team was in the build up to the game.
Bwalya paid tribute to Coach Herve Renard and the technical bench for their hard work and focus to guide the team to Brazil next year.
“We know that coming into the game situation was that it was a must win and the boys came in and delivered a win for the country. We know the potential of this team; we are former African Champions not by mistake but through hard work.
I am very much delighted because everyone who played in this game gave out a 100 per cent performance and that was very important for us,” he said.
Western Province Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Mwamba Inspecting Liyoyelo Urban Clinic which is in a bad state for health workers and of the Patients in Mongu District
Western Province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba, says government has recognized Western Province as the poorest in the country and was taking comprehensive development to the area.
Mr.Mwamba says government was taking a comprehensive approach to build infrastructure that was far apart such as health centres, schools, roads that were non-existent, inadequate water supply and electricity power supply in Kalabo district and Western Province as a whole.
Mr.Mwamba explains that government was doing everything possible in the province in order to bring development to the people and reduce the high poverty levels in the area.
He stresses that by taking infrastructural development closer to the people, communities that were isolated would have health centres, schools and roads among others in the area.
The Permanent Secretary also adds that due to high incidences of malaria in western province, government has procured 800,000 mosquito nets to help combat the killer disease and appealed to the people to put to good use and not abuse the nets for fishing.
Mr.Mwamba further explains that government has also taken action on diseases that had no attention such as cervical cancer by introducing screening to detect early infection that could easily be treated before it was too late to avoid loss of lives.
