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Confusion characterised the much awaited United Party for National Development (UPND) public rally in Lusaka’s Kabwata yesterday as police in riot gear apprehended more than 10 unruly suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres for attempting to disrupt the gathering.
The unruly youths assembled at the Kabwata Basic School grounds two hours before the rally started and were chasing away people wanting to attend the rally.
Residents in the vicinity of the grounds locked themselves in their houses as the unruly youths took control of affairs, beating up unsuspecting members of the public and forcing nearby shop owners to close their business prematurely.
The situation returned to safety when close to 100 armed police officers in riot gear arrived at the scene and apprehended several youths for causing disorder ahead of the public rally addressed by party leader Hakainde Hichilema.
The Police officers bundled the youths into waiting vans and transported them to Kabwata Police Station.
As calm returned, some pockets of the unruly youths confronted police while chanting PF slogans and charging at UPND supporters that had assembled in readiness for their meeting, but they were restrained and ordered to leave the premises.
Police officers in verbal confrontation with the youths warned the youths that they risked facing arrest over their continued unruly behaviour.
“We will not tolerate this behaviour and if you continue thinking that we are being entertained with your conduct, just leave this place. We will only give you a few minutes to leave,” said one uncompromising officer.
The situation deteriorated when UPND supporters charged at their opponents throwing stones, leading to police intervention and apprehending of more suspects.
Inspector General of Police, Stella Libongani briefly visited the scene and held talks with UPND’s Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo.
Mr Nkombo complained of alleged incompetence by police to control the youths who were accused of belonging to the ruling party.
But Ms Libongani assured the opposition MP that reinforcements would be deployed to provide adequate safety.
Casualties were minimal during the fracas lest for a ZNBC news crew that was attacked by the uncompromising youths. The youths also threatened to manhandle a Times news team that was covering the incident at the time.
And Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa when contacted by press time said she was still awaiting a full report on the incident before issuing a comprehensive statement.
“I haven’t yet received a full report, I am still waiting, so I can’t give details right now of how many have been arrested,” Ms Kasosa said.
MMD president Nevers Mumba says there are no internal wrangles in the former ruling party and those fanning the alleged confusion are wasting their time.
Dr Mumba said those that caused confusion in the former ruling party had been expelled and therefore the perceived wrangles were not within the MMD.
He told Journalists in Kitwe yesterday that it was not the former ruling party’s responsibility to take action against those causing confusion and stated that the MMD was re-organising itself and a new team was emerging.
He claimed that if Home Affairs minister Edgar Lungu was failing to ask what certificate those causing confusion were using, then the Government was exposing itself by failing to discipline such people.
“The thought of threatening to de-register our party came from President Michael Sata. But there are no internal wrangles in the MMD, and the person that was bringing confusion has been expelled so those perceived wrangles are outside the MMD and it’s no longer our responsibility,” he said.
Dr Mumba advised the Patriotic Front (PF) Government to concentrate on addressing issues affecting Zambians and desist from playing political games.
On accusations that he belonged to the Reformed Party (RP), Dr Mumba said the issue was non-existent because he relinquished his position as RP leader in 2008 when he contested for MMD presidency and further contested in 2011.
He accused Major Richard Kachingwe of practising sour grapes as he was the one that received his nomination papers.
He said Zambia was a country of rules and that those claiming they would field their candidates in the Livingstone and Mpongwe by-elections had nothing to do with the MMD.
He said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had a list of registered parties and therefore the MMD would not involve itself in such issues.
Dr Mumba said the National Executive Committee (NEC) was embracing all members and mobilising itself to unite and work hard.
Earlier in his sermon at victory Bible Church, Dr Mumba urged the church to take its position and speak against injustices.
He said religion was the opium of the people and therefore the Church should take its stand and speak against oppression and dictatorial tendencies.
Dr Mumba advised the congregation to fight for freedom saying there were three steps that enhanced ones freedom namely religion, political and economic power.
He said he would continue to fight for everyone until the battle was won.
And Victory ministries Vice president Lubuto Nsofwa said the church deserved to play a role in the economy of the nation.
FIRST Quantum Minerals Limited (FQML), Zambia’s largest copper mine, will this year start the construction of a US$230 million (KR1.22 billion) power transmission line from Lusaka West to Solwezi in North-Western Province for their latest mine, Sentinel at Kalumbila.
FQML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Matt Pascall said in Solwezi that his company was in talks with Zesco over the 330 kilovolts transmission line that would cover a minimum distance of about 400km.
Mr Pascall said FQML had already agreed terms with Zesco who were just awaiting a go-ahead from the Zambia Public Procurement Agency (ZPPA) to get started and hoped the project quickly got approval.
“We are in talks with Zesco for the construction of a power transmission line from Lusaka West in Lusaka up to our new mine Sentinel here in Solwezi. This will cost at least $230 million and projected to be done by June next year.
“It’s really a race against time and we are anxiously waiting for Mr Cyprian Chitundu (Zesco MD) to call us and give us the good news. Otherwise, we are ready to start,” said Mr Pascall who was flanked by Kansanshi Mine assistant General Manager Alan Delaney.
FQML, the largest tax paying company to Government, were investing more than $2billion into Sentinel Mine at Kalumbila and would be Africa’s biggest copper mine with a capacity to produce well over 500 000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year .
FQML pays an average $1.5 million in taxes to Government everyday which comes to about 12 per cent of taxes government collects and more than 80 per cent of all taxes Government collect from mining companies.
Zambia is faced with a power deficit and has been pushed to new heights by the increase in the mining sector whose production levels were nearing record figures for Zambia.
And with Sentinel coming on board which would be Africa’s largest single copper project, the challenge is made bigger prompting FQML to fund the construction of a Zesco power line.
Mr Pascall said Zesco had a number of projects to increase Zambia’s power generation capacity with expansion to Kariba North Bank as well as the Kafue Lower Gorge and that once these two and a number of others like the Itezhi-tezhi coming on, the country would have sufficient power.
“But for now, we are the ones who need the power soonest, so we are ready to fund this project upfront. All the $230 million we shall give to do up the power line and we shall recover the money over a period of five years,” he said.
He said the power line would pass through and tap power from the Tata owned 120 megawatts Itezhi-tezhi hydro-power station currently under construction, to Kalumbila Minerals limited (KML) which should become operational in June 2014.
He said Zesco would ultimately own the power line after five years when the repayment programme was completed and that half of the money would be paid as cash while the other half would be recovered through bills for power supplied to the mine.
Asked if the delay by the ZPPA to give the project a go-ahead would jeopardise the mine, Mr Pascall said the firm would look for partial power supply from other sources while waiting for the new one to come alive.
He named the newly constructed 120km power line from Kansanshi to Kalumbila, some power from the Copperbelt Energy Company (CEC), Kabompo Gorge and the Maamba Thermal plant as some of the projects to that could in the meantime feed the Sentinel mine.
“We have faith in Zesco. We told them we want a good project with good tender procedures. We know that once the ZPPA approves, we shall have a good project. Zesco engineers are excellent, we have worked with them before and they are better than engineers from other countries,” he said.
A 32-year-old teacher of Lui basic school in Kaoma district has died after being hit by iron roofing sheets while he was teaching in class.
Both Kaoma District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Mutumba Sendoi and Kaoma District Commissioner Joster Manjolo confirmed the incident in separate interviews with ZANIS yesterday.
The incident happened on Friday last week at around 16:00 hours.
Mr. Manjolo, who identified the deceased as Prisca Matakala, said the teacher was teaching grade eight pupils when suddenly a whirlwind hit a one by three classroom block where she was and ripped off iron sheets.
He explained that the late Matakala was hit by one of the iron sheets that sliced part of her head.
Mr. Manjolo said Matakala died when she was being rushed to Kaoma district hospital due to excessive bleeding.
He said all the 35 grade eight pupils escaped unhurt but were left in trauma.
Mr. Manjolo expressed sadness that the Ministry of Education has lost a valuable human resource that could have greatly contributed to the learning of children.
He said the deceased teacher was dedicated because she had offered herself to work in a rural school such as Lui.
He said Matakala was put to rest today after a post-mortem at Lewanika General Hospital in Mongu.
A Chinese national is battling for his life in Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital (UTH) after eight armed men attacked his factory in Chisamba area and got away with his motor vehicle and undisclosed amount of money after holding him and his workers hostage.
But in a surprising turn of events, one of the eight criminals after getting away with the Toyota Hilux, shot dead one of his colleagues and dumped the body near the road in unexplained circumstances.
Central province Commissioner of Police Standwell Lungu said the incident happened between 22.00 hours and 23.00 hours of Saturday when the eight attacked the toilet tissue manufacturing factory.
In the process of the robbery, the Chinese national with the help of some workers, attempted to challenge the criminals who were armed with different firearms and one of them shot the Chinese in the chest.
“I can confirm that eight criminals attacked and shot and wounded a Chinese national after he tried to wrestle them before getting away with undisclosed amount of money and his vehicle,” Mr Lungu said.
The criminals later bundled themselves in the vehicle and sped off but police later discovered a body along the road.
The body was identified to be of one of the gangsters that had attacked the factory and it was taken to Liteta Hospital mortuary awaiting identification.
Mr Lungu said the Chinese national whose names had been withheld has since been operated on and his life was reported out of danger while a manhunt for the bandits has been launched.
No arrest or recovery of motor vehicle has been made.
Meanwhile police are investigating circumstances into the theft of a motor bike in Kabwe belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture stolen last week while parked at the ministry premises.
And 57 inmates on death row at Mukobeko Maximum prison in Kabwe have petitioned the Lusaka High Court asking the court to order for their release from prison because their appeals have not been heard for 20 years now.
The prisoners also want the court to declare and order Attorney General Mumba Malila to pay compensation to each one of them for unlawful detention that they have been subjected to.
They further want an order that their continued imprisonment for so many years without hearing their appeal cases amounts to psychological and physical torture and was in breach of the Zambian Constitution.
William Kamoyo who sued Mr Malila on behalf of 56 others stated in a statement filed before the High Court Principal Registry that he was on June 9, 1992 arrested and charged with murder.
Kamoyo said on June 12, 1995 he was convicted of the offence of murder and was sent to Mukobeko prison where he was now incarcerated.
He said that soon after his conviction, he filed for appeal against both the conviction and hard labour sentence but he has now spent 20 years without his appeal being heard as the case record is reported to have gone missing.
Kamoyo said because the lost case record would never be found, he and 56 others who are in similar situation, have been deprived of the ammunition to prosecute their appeals.
He stated that the criminal registry of the High Court whose personnel were part of the judiciary were responsible for the appeals case records and as such, it was the judiciary which was responsible for the unlawful and prolonged incarceration of the petitioners.
He said that because of that, the State was vicariously liable for the misdeeds of its organs.
Meanwhile, a prisoner from Namwala Balon Kakume, 27, died on the spot, after sustaining severe head injurieshas while 16 others are nursing serious injuries when a prison van carrying 18 inmates and two prison officers overturned after a tyre burst on the Choma-Namwala Road, Zanis reports.
Southern Province Police Chief Charity Katanga confirmed to ZANIS in an interview that the accident occurred around 08:00 hours yesterday.
Five Prisoners were rushed to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka for specialised treatment while others were admitted to Namwala District Hospital.
The injured included two prison officers namely Moses Kabwita, 45, an inspector and chief inspector, Jacqueline Singoyi.
The 20th African Union (AU) summit has opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday.
The theme of the Summit is “Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance”
President Sata was among other heads of state that attended the official opening of the AU summit.
Other African leaders that attended the summit were Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Nigerian President Jonathan Goodluck, Kenyan President Paul Kagame, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba and South African President Jacob Zuma among many others.
The summit started with the AU national anthem and was followed by the opening speech of the AU Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
Dr. Zuma called upon the African continent to look for ways of establishing a common destiny to bring about prosperity on the continent.
She also noted the need to support countries that are in post-conflict situations to consolidate their reconstruction and peace building efforts.
And United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called upon African leaders to put special emphasis on women and girls.
Mr. Ban said women and girls had the ability to foster peace and development in the continent.
Mr. Ban said there was also need to stand against all forms of violence and speak out against rape and sexual violence.
He further stated that Africa had made tremendous progress in reducing HIV infection and AIDS deaths.
Mr. Ban said the UN would continue to contribute to sustainable development in all continents and called upon all African leaders to uphold the continent’s commitment to peace, sustainable development, democratic rule and human rights.
Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni has said government values its partnership with the church and is therefore reluctant to engage it on national issues through the media.
Mr. Sakeni said the Patriotic Front (PF) government has an open door and inclusive policy in which all stakeholders were free to engage in dialogue over issues of concern in building a better and prosperous nation.
He said government will not depart from its commitment of upholding the fundamental tenets of democracy, good governance and the rule of law as espoused in its party manifesto.
Mr. Sakeni was responding to a pastoral letter issued by the Catholic Church in Lusaka yesterday in which the church raised a number of issues on the state of the nation.
In its pastoral letter signed by 13 Catholic Bishops, among them the Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphore Mpundu, Archbishop of Kasama Ignatius Chama and Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) vice president Alick Banda, the church expressed its views on numerous issues currently dominating headlines in the media.
The issues included the Public Order Act, the constitution making process, the prevailing political situation in the country, the Barotseland situation, alleged lack of political integrity among the political party leaders, by elections, the judiciary, human rights and the registration of sim cards.
Kabwe Warriors chairman Andrew Kamanga says the proposed transfer of midfielders Rodreck Kabwe and Richard Kasonde to Zanaco remains deadlock.
Earlier this month, promoted Warriors agreed to sell Kabwe and Kasonde to Zanaco who will compete in the 2012 CAF Champions League.
The two players have since started training with Zanaco and are part of the Bankers squad which is currently in DR Congo playing a series of warm-up matches.
But Kamanga said Warriors wants to withdraw the players from Zanaco because the two teams are yet to struck a deal.
“No contract has been signed so the players still belong to us,” he said.
“As at now the two players should be on their way back to Kabwe,” Kamanga said. “We negotiated and got to a point where there was finality but the aspect of concluding what was agreed has not happened.”
Five Zanaco players are supposed to move to Kabwe as part of the deal but Warriors are understood not to be happy with the quality of players on offer.
Herve Renard says Zambia will prove the skeptics back home wrong on Tuesday against Group C leaders Burkina Faso at Mbombela Stadium.
And defender Joseph Musonda and Stopilla Sunzu are back in training after they were rested for Saturday’s practice.
“Go to the streets and ask the people what they are thinking they know football maybe better than me and you,” Renard said at the end of Sundays practice at Zambia’s training base at Ka Nyamazane Stadium in Nelspruit.
“I have only one thing to tell you in eight games we have not lost at the Africa Cup that means we have to win the next one, then we will qualify.”
Zambia must beat Burkina Faso on Tuesday to advance to the Africa cup quarterfinals on February 3.
Zambia has failed to produce a win at the Africa Cup in the South Africa drawing their last two games.
This is despite pre-tournament reassurances from Renard that the team will be ready by January 21 for the tournament.
Burkina Faso lead Group C on four points, Zambia and Nigeria are level on two points while Ethiopia are bottom on one point.
Meanwhile, Sunzu and Musonda took full part in Sundays practice after sitting out Saturday’s session.
Sunzu sustained a knee injury while Musonda had a sore hip.
United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia needs development that will translate in improves lives of people.
Addressing a rally at Kabwata basic school grounds in Kabwata Constituency this afternoon, Mr. Hichilema said his party will not allow the ruling Patriotic front to use hooliganism to deny a better life for the people.
He said the PF government has failed to deliver development to the Zambians, a situation that has prompted them to try by all means to suppress the opposition’s voice.
The UPND leader says Zambians have now realized that the party they voted into power in the 2011 general elections has failed to live up to its promises.
Mr. Hichilema said the current challenges that the country is facing are as a result of failed leadership by the PF government.
Political activist Dante Saunders, ZDDM president Edwin Sakala and other officials were among members of the opposition who attended the rally.
And speaking earlier, UPND vice president Richard Kapita accused Tourism and Arts minister Sylvia Masebo of appointing PF secretary General Wynter Kabimba to the Zambia Wildlife Board (ZAWA) board merely to misapply funds.
Mr. Kapita also bemoaned the violence that erupted between UPND and PF cadres in the morning before the rally.
He said the violence instigated by suspected PF cadres was unfortunate as clearly showed how determined the PF is to silence the opposition.
Some UPND cadres sustained injuries following the violence that ensued and when contacted for a comment, Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa expressed ignorance about the development.
Some United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres attending the public rally at Kabwata Basic School grounds in Kabwata constituency in Lusaka have disclosed that police have moved in to control the confusion which erupted between the opposition party and suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.
One of the UPND cadres Lameck Zdikita said police officers have since been deployed to the venue to monitor the situation ahead of the rally that will take place at 14:00 Hours today.
Mr. Zdikita, who is at the venue, told ZANIS in an interview that there was heavy presence of police at the planned UPND rally in Kabwata.
And efforts to get a comment from Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani and Police Spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela proved futile by press time as their mobile phones went an answered.
The UPND is this afternoon expected to hold a public rally at Kabwata Basic School grounds in Kanyama constituency.
This is after Minister of Home Affairs allowed the opposition political party to go ahead with its planned rally.
Republican President Michael Sata was this morning among several African heads of State and Government who attended the official opening ceremony of the 20th African Union Summit of the AU Assembly at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The AU summit is being held under the Theme: “Pan-Aafricanism and African Renaissance”.
Speaking in her opening remarks, African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma congratulated Zambia and Tanzania for subjecting themselves to the rigorous process of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
Zambia was peer reviewed yesterday on the sidelines of the African Union summit.
QFM’s David Bweupe reports from the AU headquarters that Dr Dlamini-Zuma noted that the African Union has institutionalized good governance and accountability in many countries through the African Governance Architecture and with thirty-three countries having participated in the African Peer Review Mechanism.
And UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on African leaders to stand against all forms of violence including rape and sexual violence.
Zambia has not been spared by the growing trend of violence against women, with a number of deaths involving women recorded in the recent past.
In his address, Mr Ban noted the need to put special focus on Africa’s girls and women, stating that they can drive peace and development.
He urged African governments to support victims of violence and end the culture of impunity.
Meanwhile the UN Secretary General has expressed concern that hundreds of millions of Africans are still living in poverty.
He said this is despite many countries having made important gains towards the Millennium Development Goals.
Mr Ban called for the need to accelerate the efforts in meeting the MDGs as the 2015 deadline approaches.
During the opening of the summit Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn was elected as the new African Union Chairperson, taking over from Benin president Boni Yayi whose term has come to an end.
FILE:Archbishop Ignatius Chama (right) being congratulated by Emeritus Archbishop James Spaita after the ordination ceremony at Kasama’s St. Johns Cathedral this was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life.
The Catholic church has released their pastoral letter in which, among other issues, have condemned the discriminatory application of the Public order ACT. In a statement to the media, the church said that the application of the Public Order Act by the Police left much to be desired. “For whatever reasons, we have observed over the years that each ruling party seems to have unlimited freedom to conduct public activities of any type on any day and at any time while opposition political parties and some civil society bodies are literally discriminated against whenever they try to conduct public activities, ” the letter read in part.
Below is the full letter
ZAMBIA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE
ACT JUSTLY AND WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD
A Pastoral Statement
To the Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill.
Grace, mercy and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
“This is what Yahweh asks of you, only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
On the occasion of our January 2013 Plenary, we want to take this opportunity to raise pertinent issues on the state of our nation.
1.0 Introduction
As pastors and shepherds that serve among you, we share not only in your joys and hopes but also in your daily struggles, sorrows and anxieties. In Zambia today, we all have a lot to thank God for, both as individuals and as a nation. Apart from the relative peace in our country, we can attest to God’s goodness through the gift of life, the fellowship of our families, communities and friends as well as the endowment of abundant natural resources upon which our livelihoods depend. We all are beneficiaries of God’s kindness.
In return, we must remember and be mindful that God calls upon each one of us as individuals and institutions to be instruments of his love, justice, mercy, truth and peace. This is what it means “to walk humbly with your God”. The question then is to what extent have we been faithful to this mission, as a nation?
2.0 Prevailing political environment
It was certainly not by mistake that Zambians reverted to multiparty politics in 1991. Zambians wanted to restore to themselves liberties that had been grossly eroded during the one party era. Unfortunately, looking at what is happening around us, it would seem to us, that the ideals of a politically plural society have not been fully understood and appreciated by those that aspire for political leadership in our successive Governments. This can be seen by the high levels of political intolerance that continue to characterise our political environment, especially in intra-party and inter-party relationships. Squabbling for hegemony within and across political parties has taken centre stage. All of this is at the expense of working for the wellbeing and making better the lives of ordinary Zambian citizens. Again and again, we see this intolerance manifested through repeated acts of violence and lack of harmony between and within political parties.
We appeal to our leaders across the political spectrum to demonstrate maturity, dignity and magnanimity in the way they exercise their leadership and in the manner they relate to each other. Their focus should be on promoting the common good and especially uplifting the lives of the weak in our society.
3.0 By-Elections
Another phenomenon that we have observed, with great concern, is the rate at which by-elections in our country are occurring. We acknowledge that the Zambian laws provide for the holding of by-elections to fill elective political positions that become vacant. Whereas this provision had good intentions of dealing with a leadership vacuum, it has at the same time led to great abuse. Much as we acknowledge that there are by-elections occasioned by deaths of office holders, we are also increasingly seeing more and more by-lections motivated by greed, individual interests and a selfish propensity for political dominance. This is being done without care, serious prior consideration of the views of the electorate and sensitivity to the colossal amounts of money these by-elections are imposing on our economy.
We call upon our leaders to prudently exercise the power that the Zambian people have entrusted in them. Many of our hospitals, schools and other service centres cannot offer quality services due to inadequate funding. This is because they are subordinated to wrong priorities. We hope that the new constitution, which is in the making, will provide for mechanisms that will control the occurrence of unnecessary by-elections.
4.0 Lack of political integrity among our leadership.
Another concern that we note in our political dispensation is the clear lack of political integrity among our leaders. Many of our leaders seem to find it easy to change positions on policies solely for personal gain, expediency or convenience. We have seen leaders subscribe to particular principled positions when in opposition only to repudiate those very positions when accorded the instruments of power. It is such behaviour that gives our politics a bad name.
We appeal to the conscience of each of our politicians and call for a new era of good political leaders, who are consistent to their avowed principles, truthful and committed to the wellbeing of the public.
5.0 The Public Order Act
We are concerned about the manner in which the Public Order Act is being applied.
While we commend the police for efforts they are making in combating crime, ensuring law and order, their enforcement of the Public Order Act leaves much to be desired.
For whatever reasons, we have observed over the years that each ruling party seems to have unlimited freedom to conduct public activities of any type on any day and at any time while opposition political parties and some civil society bodies are literally discriminated against whenever they try to conduct public activities. Legitimate questions are being raised about the level of professionalism in our Zambia Police Service. We believe in the principle of equality before the law. Maintenance of ‘law’ and ‘order’ cannot only mean preventing opposition political parties from exercising their basic right to freedom of assembly. The unfair restriction of people’s liberties is breeding dangerous discontent.
We call upon the Government to embrace the spirit and letter of democracy before the nation is plunged into chaos. The Public Order Act, in its current form, has no place in our statutes. It is both repressive and anachronistic. It needs to be repealed.
6.0 The Barotseland Situation
We are greatly disturbed about events surrounding the Barotseland situation in the Western Province.
We are aware of a climate of intimidation and serious human rights violations currently prevailing in the Western Province: abductions of citizens; arbitrary arrests and individuals being subjected to long periods of interrogations, even torture. These acts are totally unacceptable. They must stop forthwith. This country is not in a state of emergency. We are not convinced that a de facto state of emergency should therefore exist in the Western Province.
We reiterate the call we made in our Pastoral Statement (That they may have abundant life, 29 January 2012) for the current administration to work with all stakeholders towards creating a more conducive environment that would lead to the amicable resolution of all matters surrounding the Barotseland situation.
We further urge all our leaders to especially avoid making unsubstantiated alarming statements and threats as these only serve to block opportunities for dialogue.
7.0 Human Rights
The Constitution of Zambia guarantees all people in the country fundamental human rights and freedoms among which are the right to life, freedom of expression, freedom to association, movement and conscience. The Government has therefore an inescapable obligation to promote and respect the human rights of citizens. This obligation also extends to citizens to respect each other’s rights.
Despite having instruments and institutions designed to promote and protect human rights, the human rights situation in Zambia is deteriorating in a manner that is causing worry. Examples include the arbitrary use of power by Government officials; intimidation and threats of arrest against leaders and individuals who speak against Government; deportations and even threats to our own Catholic priests for sermons seen as critical of Government.
We demand of Government to respect and promote human rights.
8.0 The Judiciary
For some time now, there has been persistent discourse on the state of the judiciary in Zambia with respect to its independence and impartiality. This situation has undermined public confidence in this institution. There is need to restore confidence in this important arm of Government. There are also many unresolved questions of public interest that have been left hanging and unanswered by the Executive. For example, when shall we see progress on the much talked about reforms in the judicial system? What is the current status of the Judge Chikopa Tribunal that was appointed last year? Why do we still have an acting Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice? When are these structural issues going to be resolved?
These and other questions need answers from the Executive because the nation deserves to be informed to avoid unhealthy speculation and rumours.
9.0 The Constitution making process
Up to now a people driven democratic constitution continues to elude us as a nation. This is in spite of colossal amounts of money and time that have been gobbled and wasted on this exercise. The Patriotic Front (PF), in their pre-September 2011 election campaigns promised the Zambian people a new constitution within ninety days of their accession to power. Today, sixteen months down the line, little progress, if any, seems to have been made on the constitution. There are public misgivings on the current constitution-making process, in part, due to the following reasons:
The refusal of the current administration to give the constitution-making process a legal framework that would protect the process and the content;
The uncertainty and lack of a roadmap and a predictable timeline on the process has also led to doubts about the sincerity of Government on the constitution. From the time that the Technical Committee started work on the constitution, several deadlines for completion of the process have been promised and missed. Currently we have a new deadline of 30 June 2013. We hope that this new milestone will be upheld and honoured;
The non-publication of the projected budget for the entire constitution making process: This state of affairs is unacceptable because it goes against the need for Government’s accountability on expenditure. Government needs to exhibit transparency in this matter;
Uncertainty on the referendum question: The people of Zambia deserve better. We need a categorical assurance of a Referendum by the Executive because that is what the Zambian people want and this is what they were promised by the current administration.
10.0 The need for more consultation
In the recent past, we have seen unprecedented Government decisions and actions being made by way of decrees.
This has especially been the case when Government has announced the creation of new political boundaries and governance structures. We appreciate the noble objectives behind these decisions, namely, to enhance participation in the governance system and make services more easily accessible to citizens. However, though the constitution gives powers to the Republican President to make decisions even by decree, it is desirable and sometimes necessary to consult, as this facilitates prior understanding and appreciation of issues and guarantees success at implementation stage.
Another case of the absence of consultation is in the areas of education. The Government–Church relationship in the education sector is governed by the Education Act. As major stakeholders, in the education sector, we are dismayed by the growing tendency for unilateral pronouncements, circulars and directives coming from Government functionaries. Some of these directives have far-reaching consequences in the manner we run our schools and sometimes border on matters of policy. Government would do well to consult with key local partners and stakeholders on such matters e.g. issues to do with school fees in our schools.
In the area of health, the Catholic Church’s relationship with the Government is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). It is disheartening to see major decisions such as the realigning of our medical institutions to new Government ministries taken without due consultation.
It is our fervent hope that the Government will do some objective and serious introspection in this area and act to carry everyone along when important decisions are being made.
11.0 Registration of all mobile SIM cards
We take note of the call by Government through the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) for all mobile phone users in Zambia to register their SIM cards with service providers or risk having them deactivated. According to ZICTA, the move is meant to deter criminality in Zambia and would be in accordance with the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Act No 15 of 2009 and the Statutory Instrument on the Registration of Electronic Communication Apparatus No. 65 of 2011.
While the intention to deter criminality and control abuse of communication technologies is noble, we call upon the Zambian Government to put in place legal guarantees for the protection of personal data and privacy.
12.0 Conclusion
We would like to conclude by urging all of us to pray for this nation so that we may thirst and hunger for a more just society.
“This is what Yahweh asks of you, only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
May we – in all that we think, say and do give praise and glory of God who is himself full of mercy and love.
Issued at Kapingila House, Lusaka, Zambia on 27 January, 2013.
Most. Rev. Ignatius Chama – Archbishop of Kasama, Apostolic Administrator of Mpika and ZEC President Rt. Rev. Alick Banda – Bishop of Ndola and ZEC Vice President Most Rev. Telesphore-George Mpundu – Archbishop of Lusaka Rt. Rev. Raymond Mpezele – Bishop of Livingstone Rt. Rev. Emilio Patriarca – Bishop of Monze Rt. Rev. George Cosmas Zumaile Lungu –Bishop of Chipata Rt. Rev. Charles Kasonde – Bishop of Solwezi Rt. Rev. Evans Chinyama Chinyemba, OMI – Bishop of Mongu Rt. Rev. Clement Mulenga, SDB– Bishop of Kabwe Rt. Rev. Benjamin Phiri – Auxiliary Bishop of Chipata Rev. Fr. Michael Merizzi, M.Afr. – Apostolic Administrator of Mansa Rt. Rev. Aaron Chisha – Bishop Emeritus of Mansa
Building materials worth thousands of rebased Kwacha meant for the construction of a health centre in chief Mukwikile`s area in Muchinga province have gone to waste.
This came to light yesterday when Muchinga Province minister Charles Banda paid a courtesy call on chief Mukwikile of the Bemba people of Shiwangándu district.
Chief Mukwikile complained that the construction of a health centre in his chiefdom has stalled.
He complained that his subjects were covering over 70 kilometres to seek medical attention in Mpika or Matumbo because of non availability of a health facility in his area.
Muchinga Province minister Charles Banda was dismayed when he discovered during an inspection tour of the unfinished structures that building materials, which include 157 pockets of cement, tins of paint and door frames among others, have been lying idle.
The materials were bought in 2010 by the provincial administration in Northern province.
The visibly annoyed Mr. Banda said it was criminal to buy building materials using tax payers’ money and allow the same to go to waste without being used.
Mr. Banda, who was accompanied by his Deputy Permanent Secretary Jewis Chabi and district heads of government departments, said it was unfortunate that the construction of the health centre has stalled.
He was saddened that the structure has remained uncompleted when it was scheduled to be completed in 2011 so that the local people could benefit.
He said people in the area were being made to travel long distances to access health services from Mpika and Matumbo which are about 70 kilometres and 50 kilometres away respectively.
Mr. Banda said the decision by the former administration in Northern Province under the MMD government to abandon the project was total negligence.
He has since directed his Permanent Secretary and the district administration in the province to institute serious investigations into the matter and ensure that all the culprits were made to account for their deeds.
The Provincial minister has also strongly advised supervisors of government projects to ensure that projects are completed on time.
Meanwhile, initial investigations have revealed that a Mpika based contractor, who was awarded the labour-based contract by the Northern Province administration under the supervision of former Permanent Secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe, suspended the works after discovering that not all building materials required for the project were readily available for him to do the work.
And chief Kabanda of the Bemba people of Chinsali district has appealed to government to consider building a secondary school in his chiefdom.
Chief Kabanda told Mr. Banda yesterday during his continued tour of the districts that the nearest school was Ilondola mission secondary school which is over 40 kilometres from his area.
But Mr. Banda said government has planned to build a secondary school in each chiefdom in the province adding that works would start soon.
Mr. Banda, who was recently transferred from Eastern to Muchinga Province, is on a familiarization tour to check on developmental projects in the area.
He is also taking time to visit chiefs to explain government programmes and plans for development.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has commended Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu for allowing the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to hold its planned public rally in Kabwata constituency today.
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi said Mr. Lungu has shown mature leadership by allowing UPND to hold a rally.
Mr. Chipenzi said the intervention of the Home Affairs Minister over the holding of a political rally in Kabwata comes at the right time when the country’s democratic credentials where on the spot light.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that Mr. Lungu’s intervention was timely and one that was done in good faith.
He said it was imperative that political parties were given an opportunity to share their views and aspirations with the members of the public through holding political rallies.
Mr Chipenzi said democracy was all about competition of ideas and that it cannot thrive when the voices of certain quarters of society were stifled.
The FODEP chief said allowing the UPND to go ahead with the planned rally after protracted debates between the opposition and the police was an indication of better things to come.
He urged the leadership of the UPND to control their cadres in order to ensure that they behave in an orderly and non violent manner.
He said the UPND leadership has a moral, political and constitution duty to demonstrate to the Zambian people that it was capable of holding violent free rallies.
Mr. Chipenzi said what will transpire in Kabwata today will be a true reflection of the calibre of the opposition party in as far as was concerned.
Yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs allowed the UPND to hold a rally in Kabwata.
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema welcomed the move and urged the police to handle the gathering today professionally.
