Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba has reiterated that the PF government is determined to ensure that Zambian language do not become extinct.

Mr. Kabimba said government is concerned that the use of local languages is almost becoming nonexistent.

“We have to address this imbalance. As the PF, we are determined to see to it that we eliminate the use of English as a language of instructions in our schools and replace it with our own Zambian languages,” Mr. Kabimba said.

Mr. Kabimba who is also PF Secretary General stated that the colonial masters have continued using foreign languages such as English to oppress the Africans.

[pullquote]“We have to address this imbalance. As the PF, we are determined to see to it that we eliminate the use of English as a language of instructions in our schools and replace it with our own Zambian languages,” Mr. Kabimba said.[/pullquote]

He was speaking Tuesday evening during a live television programme on ZNBC TV discussing the use of Zambian languages in schools.

“What we have is a colonial hangover. If you remember in 1884 during the Berlin Conference to partition Africa, European countries decided to divide Africa especially Sub Saharan Africa. Some African countries were turned into English speaking nations, others became French speaking while countries like Mozambique were turned into Portuguese speaking countries. This was done in order to manage us as Africans.”

He added, “They had to impose this English language on our forefathers but what is shocking is that Zambian intellectuals even those at University have not raised this question that the English language has been used as a tool of captivity.”
Mr. Kabimba said the PF government finds it unacceptable that some private schools in Zambia today do not teach local languages.

On the same programme, Zambia National Union of Teachers Director for Research Christopher Yakulanda welcomed the PF government’s intention to introduce a policy that will promote local languages as the only medium of instruction in schools.
Mr. Yakulanda said the teaching fraternity in Zambia stands ready to work with the PF government in ensuring that the policy is developed.

[pullquote]“There is evidence to show that it is easier to learn in local languages than foreign languages. This is a bold move by the government and we support it,” Dr. Mwansa said.[/pullquote]

“The use of local languages worked before in this country and we believe it can still work. We just need to agree on the standardization of the local languages so that it doesn’t confuse the learner,” Mr. Yakulanda said.

And UNZA Lecturer in the Department of Language and Social Sciences Education from the School of Education Dr. Joseph Mwansa said teaching early leaners using their home languages improves their thinking and learning abilities.

“There is evidence to show that it is easier to learn in local languages than foreign languages. This is a bold move by the government and we support it,” Dr. Mwansa said.

He however observed that need for the Ministry of Education to ensure that it encourages student teachers to take up local languages during their training.

“We have regrettably noted that even at colleges, local languages are shunned by our teachers, there is a heavy bias towards training to teach English and not the local languages.”

THE Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) has apologized to the Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian Constitution for joining the ongoing Constitution Convention in Mongu late.

THE Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) said that it attached great importance to the country’s Constitution-making process.

The Litunga said this through three Indunas he sent as delegates to represent the BRE at the Convention which started on Monday and is ending on Saturday.

The three Indunas included Namuyamba Esineke, Namunda Katanekwa and Saywa Meebelo.

Addressing members of the Technical Committee at Mongu Teachers Training College in the afternoon, delegation leader Induna Esineke said the BRE was committed to taking part in the Constitution-making process so that it felt a sense of ownership was the document was produced.

“We are also attaching the same importance to this national undertaking and we are glad to be participating, to come and participate although late.

“It’s true (that) when it (Constitution) comes out finally it will actually create that sense of ownership even in us that we played a part,”Induna Esineke said.

Induna Esineke said the BRE delegates were looking forward to taking part in the Convention besides apologizing on behalf of the Litunga for joining the Convention a day after it had started, saying that was owing to other equally important commitments at the Palace.

“We are merely apologizing on behalf of the King for coming late because we had quite a lot of things to do. We were so busy at the Limulunga Royal Village. We had this and that to do and by the time we finished we were behind time. However, we thought (that) it’s much better to be late than never,” he said.

Welcoming the trio, Technical Committee chairperson Annel Silungwe said it was gratifying that the BRE had sent the three to represent it at the Convention and was looking forward to their participation in the Constitution-making process which he said would be concluded at the end of June this year.

[pullquote]“I hope that they (Indunas) will give us the freedom to interact freely because our climate in the Convention may not be able to accommodate all of us to kneel down at the same time,” he said.[/pullquote]

Justice Silungwe was hopeful that the Technical Committee would in June produce the Final Draft Constitution, a report documenting its work and Constitution Bill, all of which would be presented to President Michael Sata and was optimistic that the subsequent Republican Constitution would be satisfactory to the nation as well beneficial to the current and future generation.

“We would like to express our happiness at the fact that we are being joined by senior members of the Royal Establishment. This is a very important national undertaking. It is something that should normally be done very rarely and we trust that this time around we are going to finalise the Constitution-making process.

“We trust that you will find the occasion worthwhile and that you will make notable contributions to the process,”Justice Silungwe said.

Newly-elected Western Province Constitution Convention chairperson Bernard Silumesii sought permission from the Indunas to allow the Convention participants to freely debate in their presence.

“I hope that they (Indunas) will give us the freedom to interact freely because our climate in the Convention may not be able to accommodate all of us to kneel down at the same time,” he said.

The arrival of the Indunas comes a day after Western Province Permanent Secretary Bert Mushala implored the Technical Committee on Monday to consider creating room for late entries of delegates from the BRE.

Among the Technical Committee members that welcomed the three Indunas were Patrick Mvunga, Mwangala Zaloumis and Suzanne Matale. Western Province Constitution Convention facilitator Thabo Mubuka was also present.

Former Chiengi Member of Parliament Katele Kalumba has praised President Michael Sata and the Patriotic Front (PF) government for according the Zambian people an opportunity to be part of the constitution making process through conventions.

Speaking in an interview in Mansa today, Dr. Kalumba said President Sata has supported the constitution conventions because he understands people and listens to sentiments of ordinary Zambians.

He said since 2001, the President has been talking about the need to provide basic needs to the people.

Dr. Kalumba, who was yesterday elected as Chairperson for Luapula Constitution Convention, noted that the current constitution making process has been a consultative process with well prepared documents in place.

He said the process has also taken on board ideas that Zambians have had over the years.

Dr. Kalumba further noted that the success of the constitution making process will depend on the willingness of the people to respect the rule of law and the bill of rights.

And speaking during a live programme on Radio Yangeni in Mansa last evening, spokesperson for the technical committee on drafting the Zambian constitution, Ernest Mwansa, also commended the PF government for allowing the people of Zambia to comment on the constitution.

Mr. Mwansa was hopeful that people of Luapula province will be able to submit their resolutions fully by the end of the convention.

The convention has also attracted participation from Members of Parliament (MP) in the province.

These include Mansa Central MP Kennedy Sakeni, Pambashe MP Ronald Chitotela, Kawambwa MP Nickson Chilangwa, Bahati MP Harry Kalaba and Mwense Central MP David Mabumba.

Others are Chembe MP Mwansa Mbulakulima, Chiengi MP Benard Kapaya, Chifunabuli MP Mutaba Mwali, Mwansabombwe MP Rogers Mwewa and Bangweulu MP Chifita Matafwali.

ZANIS

United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has charged that the continued high Mealie-meal prices on the market are due to incompetent management of the maize marketing system by the government last year.

Mr. Hichilema told QFM News that mealie-meal prices have remained high despite the presidential intervention in the matter.

He noted that compelling millers to reduce the prices of mealie- meal in the absence of enough maize stocks will not help in any way.

He added that the high mealie- meal prices are just an indication that the PF has failed to manage the country’s agriculture sector adding that Zambians need to brace themselves for more hard times this year.

Mr. Hichilema wondered whether the government will be able to manage the country’s food security especially now that the country is not guaranteed of high yields this year owing to the army worms that had invaded most maize fields across the country.

The opposition leader has also cited the late distribution of farming inputs by the government to the farmers as another factor that is most likely to affect the production of the staple food this year.

And Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) president Fred Mutesa has urged government to follow up on the implementation of the agreed reduction of the Mealie meal prices across the country.

Dr. Mutesa told Qfm News in an interview that the mere agreement may not translate into the desired results.

The ZED president said that there are more stakeholders in the supply chain who were not part of the negotiations and monitoring prices will be an ideal measure of ensuring that the agreement is being adhered to.

Dr. Mutesa further urged the PF government to desist from using force and intimidation in pushing for the reduction of prices of various commodities in future.

He said that such steps may not yield positive results.

Government recently struck a deal with millers that saw a reduction of Mealie meal prices but some traders have maintained high prices.

QFM

Former Chief Registrar of Societies Clement Andeleki and former Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor are the favourites to contest the February 28 Livingstone Parliamentary by-election on the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) ticket.

The two are among the 11 candidates who have expressed interest to contest the February 28 polls on the PF ticket. Other 9 candidates are Winfred Mweene, Lawrence Evans, Wilfred Chiyesu, Colonel Mwanamwale, Elvin Sindowe, Liven Apuleni, Zondhwayo Soko, Captain John Mwamulima and Joram Mwinda.

PF Southern Province Political Secretary Brian Hapunda has urged all aspirants to support the candidate who would be adopted by the ruling party’s Central Committee in Lusaka.

Mr Hapunda said the party won’t go anywhere if it became divided after the adoption of a candidate for the Livingstone Parliamentary seat.

“I wish to urge our aspiring candidates to rally behind a candidate who will be given to us by the Central Committee.

Let them campaign for him or her for the sake of unity to prevail during the Livingstone by-election,” he said.