Enjoy today’s Poems ;

MASOKA by Abishy M. Mweemba

Masoka was born to a happy rich family

At age 15 he had to his name two brand new cars, a motor bike, bicycle, an iphone and ipod among other un-necessaries

His home…a hill mansion in the matter of festivities

Then Masoka happened…

His parents lost to the greedy and un-satiated thirst of death

Solemn celebration held for them

Property properly grabbed and wiped clean all assets that were to Masoka’s name

And what does he do

He gets high to get by

Profanes the holy to find comfort

Reality too harsh to survive sober

The self professed holy pointing fingers professing he is cursed

A good for nothing

He wanders around barefoot

Half dressed…dressed in half nakedness treading the chilly days of Lusaka

Finding comfort out of the thin warmth of a cardboard

So he spends his nights

His life cannot square that of a pauper

It is by no means better

Gruesomely spiced by the ridicule of the privileged

He has no vision no future no hope

He lives by the minute of the hour

Those available to help…sadly only do so to appreciate their privilege of a better life than his

They help to realize their humanity

Appreciate and accentuate their status and organization

“It is good publicity to lend a helping hand

It will make our organization known”

So I heard one of them say

As the sun broke down on what seemed a tranquil day

Its rays beamed amiss on Masoka

The evening’s air swept by

Masoka retired to restful quiet in the drowsing murmur of the second hand cars that roam Lusaka

He wandered far away from the accustomed haunts of street boys

Sought a desolate place that was in harmony with his spirit

Under the Mandahilll bridge

He laid himself down on the ground, disposed upon his back, with his hands clasped upon his breast

And thus he would die in holy calm.

DEATH OF A FIRST LOVE by Kenisha Nthembe Ngalande

Like a god,

Love built us from dust.

As if discontented with its creation,

It slowly put us back apart,

Leaving us bruised and hurt,

With it’s fire, we were burnt…

Our souls dislocated from our hearts.

With vengence in our hands,

We cut through love’s veins

Strand after strand.

With our pens like swords, each word against love, sharp as a razor blade.

But the adamant ghost of love holds on to our hearts,

Like shadows holding on to the last rays of sun.

And in the quiet of night,

We, the embers of the dead flame,

hear the silence scream its name.

ROLE REVERSAL by Simon Mwila

I’m sitted in my room and my room-mate gives a shout

thinking of role reversal and how the world would pan out..

I’m standing here just minding my business yet she stares

at the features of my body constantly like the sun’s glare..

She opens with a greeting, steping away from her peers

Her friends smile, amused, almost rendering silent cheer..

Fast foward, a few months down the line

She’s been quite sweet plus persistent, I’m almost glad to call her mine 🙂

Sometimes she says she loves me, but I still feel like an object

She looks around lustfully even, as if in search of her next project..

We meet at the rendezvous and with her usual disregard for my time she arrives late

She’s cold to my tears as I look at her face seeking solace and break it to her “Baby, I’m late”..

My life, my morals, my dignity, my future, all lying in a mass of inbalance and question

The tongue that spoke sweetly she uses to spite me, denying both of us with that question;

WHOSE IS IT?

By Kapa187

Lawyers acting for JCN Holdings, Post Newspapers and Mutembo Nchito have asked the Supreme Court to dismiss with costs an application by a civil society organisation to be joined in to the ongoing proceedings over the K18 billion debt.

This is in a matter in which the Zambian Voice, a civil society organisation as an interested party had applied to the court to be joined in to the case.

The Supreme Court in July granted the Zambian Voice an application as a joinder in the ongoing civil proceedings between JCN Holdings, Post Newspaper Limited, Mutembo Nchito and DBZ.The Zambian Voice had applied as a joinder to the case in order to protect public interest.It had stated that public interest should be protected in the matter especially that there were strong allegations that the Minister of Finance was protecting JCN Holdings, the Post Newspapers Limited and Mutembo Nchito from paying the debt.

Zambian Voice Executive Director Chilufya Tayali had argued in his affidavit that his organisation wants to join in the proceedings in order to protect public interest.

But Nchito and Nchito, the law firm representing the three appellants argued in its submissions that the Zambian Voice’s application as an intended Interested Party is not a necessary part to the proceedings.

They argued that joining the Zambian Voice to the proceedings will not in any way enable the court to adjudicate on the appeal effectually and completely as the organisation is not privy to the contact in issue.

They further submitted that the Zambian Voice has failed to demonstrate how it will be affected by the judgement of this case on appeal and therefore cannot purport to be an interested party.

“In seeking to be joined to the proceedings, the Intended Interested Party has conducted itself like a meddlesome private Attorney General envisaged and frowned upon by the Supreme Court in the Stora Solomon Mbuzi case,” the submissions read in part.

They also contended that the granting of an ex parte order to the Zambian Voice on July 20 2012 was done irregularly because the application for the joinder was not urgent.

Meanwhile, Buta Gondwe, acting on behalf of DBZ contended that the application by Zambian Voice was bordering on contempt of court because the organisation was commenting on an appeal that was before the court over the setup of tribunal the President of Zambia.

They submitted that the Zambian Voice should also not be allowed to comment on a private contract they are not privy to and whose rights Dr. Abraham Mwenda himself has not chosen to assert.

They described the actions of the Zambian Voice as that of mere busybodies.

Justice Munyinda Wakie will make on September 13 make ruling over the submissions.

The PF government has deported Former ZAMTEL Managing Director Hans Paulsen.

Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu told Journalists in Lusaka this morning that Mr. Paulsen was deported this morning after he was cornered in Lusaka’s Makeni area.

Mr. Lungu explained that Mr. Paulsen was found in possession of two valid work permits, one for Zambia and another one for Sierra Leone.

He disclosed that Mr. Paulsen was also found in possession of some ZAMTEL property which government had been on the lookout for.

Mr. Lungu said the Zambian government will investigate how Mr. Paulsen returned to Zambia and how he got hold of a valid Zambian passport.

Mr. Lungu said government is determined to ensure that all wrong elements are flushed out of the country.

Afro Jazz/Soul and Reggae Artist Scarlet brings to you her latest single off her album “Unforgettably Yours” titled “Munisungile Banja”.

This song accompanied with a video by MT Productionz addresses the issue of a broken home and focuses on a young girl praying for things to get better.

Song Produced by Jay Sa of So Good Entertainment and Mutumula Mwale of Distortion Lab.

Visuals by Tommy Banda of MT Productionz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQOw5Ae4Tg
By Kapa187

Zambian born and internationally acclaimed Economist Dambisa Moyo has criticized the clear lack of policy consistency exhibited by President Michael Sata’s administration.

Dr. Moyo said policy inconsistencies which have characterized the PF rule is the number one enemy to Zambia’s economic development.

Dr. Moyo observed that the PF government is busy focusing its energies on less important issues at the expense of pressing developmental issues.

She cited the shifting of the provincial capital for Southern Province and the rebasing of the Kwacha as matters that are less important which the government would have not started working on.

“I was in Livingstone yesterday (Tuesday) and I discovered that the provincial capital has moved to Choma, I find that highly irritating because I know that this country has more pressing issues to focus on, shifting of capitals is not one of them,” Dr. Moyo told a parked cheering audience.

Dr. Moyo said investors worldwide are not interested in working with governments that seem to lack a predictable and consistent set of policies.

She said the signing of some statutory instruments without the full participation of the business community has the potential of increasing uncertainties.

Dr. Moyo added that Zambia has many developmental challenges that requires but noted that the country is basically “pussyfooting” at the margins.

Dr. Moyo who was named one of the 100 influential persons in the world by TIME magazine was speaking last evening during a public lecture organised by the Economic Association of Zambia and sponsored by Barclays Bank Zambia. [pullquote]“I was in Livingstone yesterday (Tuesday) and I discovered that the provincial capital has moved to Choma, I find that highly irritating because I know that this country has more pressing issues to focus on, shifting of capitals is not one of them,” Dr. Moyo told a parked cheering audience.[/pullquote]

And Dr. Moyo has charged that it is embarrassing that some commodity rich countries such as Zambia are failing to take advantage of the high commodity prices to benefit the poor.

Dr. Moyo who is also a bestselling author has projected that copper prices would remain high in the medium to long term and urged Zambia to take advantage of the boom to develop infrastructure and make meaningful savings.

She says she finds it highly embarrassing that some commodity rich countries such as Zambia are failing to maximize their returns on natural resources.

Dr. Moyo warned that the current boom cycle will not last forever adding that only countries will clear foresight and policies will benefit.

She emphasized the role that trade plays in economic development saying Africa cannot develop if the continent continues accounting for only 2 % of global trade.

Dr. Moyo also took a swipe at the failure by African governments to implement most of the sound economic policies developed over the years.

She said everyone is agreed that regional integration is one sure way of accelerating trade among African countries but no one wants to move fast and implement the regional integration agenda.

This is a LIVE video streaming of a constitution stakeholders meeting being held by the Civil Society Constitution Coalition (CSCC) in Chingola.

The Civil Society Constitution Coalition (CSCC) is a group of like-minded Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) who have initiated a process to provide a coordinated and meaningful participation of civil society on issues related to the National Constitution Making process. It aims to promote a deeper understanding of Constitutional reform issues, reach a broader consensus regarding proposals for amendments or revisions and jointly undertake some advocacy activities and mobilization of citizen’s participants around the Constitution-making process. The group consists of local CSOs working on various issues ranging from human rights, poverty, governance, health among others.

The coalition is holding a district strategic meeting (in Chingola) to discuss the Draft Constitution and Guidelines for the formal consultation to be conducted by the Technical committee in all the districts in Zambia. This is one among many district meetings held in various provinces around the country.

According to the program released by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), who are coordinating CSCC activities, the meeting is covering Proportional Representation (PR), The Bill of Rights, further rights for women and technical committee guidelines for conventions.

Lusakatimes is supporting this initiative by streaming this as a Beta Test and if successful this could be extended to streaming other live events happening in Zambia

Former MMD Lusaka Province Chairperson William Banda and now UPND member yesterday slipped from police hands at Woodlands police station and violently charged and wrestled with MUVI Television cameraperson, Lloyd Kapusa.

This happened when Mr. Kapusa was filming Mr. Banda at the police station where he had been arrested. It took police officers and some journalists to separate the duo.

The Government Joint Investigations Team yesterday arrested and charged Mr Banda for being in possession of property suspected of being proceeds of crime.

Government Joint Investigations Team acting public relations officer Christopher Chibanku told the media that Mr. Banda had been arrested for two counts of being in possession of property suspected of being proceeds of crime Contrary to Section 71 (1) of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No. 19 of 2010.

Mr Chibanku said that in the first count, Mr. William has been arrested in connection with the five (5) motor vehicles namely Toyota Prado registration number ABZ 1661, Toyota Prado registration number ABR 9874, Toyota Harrier Registration number ALB 3619, Toyota Surf Registration number ABG 9009 and Toyota Cresta registration ABX 1408 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

He said that in the second count, Mr. Banda was found to be in possession of cash money amounting to One Hundred Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Kwacha (K100,800,000) reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Mr Chibanku said that Mr. William Banda who has since been released on Bond will appear in court on 30th August, 2012.

The Alliance for Good Governance says government should update the nation on the status of Malawian Judge Lovemore Chikopa who is chairperson of a tribunal appointed to probe three Judges.

Alliance chairperson Reverend Phukuta Mwanza says the nation would like to know how much government is spending for his upkeep while in the country.

Reverend Mwanza, who is also Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director, says government should also explain the relevance of Justice Chikopa’s continued stay in the country at the expense of tax payer’s money.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting in Lusaka this morning, Reverend Mwanza says government should exercise caution and be prudent in the utilization of public resources instead of extravagantly wasting it by keeping a Judge who has not officially started working on his assignment.

The Alliance for Good Governance is a consortium of organizations among them; the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), the Operation Young Vote and the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA).

Others are the Zambia Federation for the Disabled (ZAFOD), the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and 2410.

And the Alliance has also expressed regret over the continued lack of consultation between the Patriotic Front government and opposition political parties on national development.

Reverend Mwanza says the absence of consultation does not help in fostering a positive relationship in a multi-party democratic system, where political diversity is an essential element for checks and balances.

He has since urged the Patriotic Front, being a party in government, to take up the initiative of calling on opposition political parties to dialogue so as to help bring about reconciliation.

Meanwhile, Reverend Mwanza has observed that the delay in putting up a legal frame work to back the constitution making process will grossly affect the legitimacy of the technical committee.

He says the Alliance laments the lack of critical direction and roadmap in the constitution making process as the committee has failed the draft constitution within the stipulated 90 days.

QFM

“Live on” is a dedication to everyone who has lost someone close to them. It was inspired by the tragic death of Yoram and Lilly Mwila.

The song is off his upcoming mixtape , which has been rescheduled for mid-September , and features Eva Ramos, up and coming Spanish songstress who has received more than 79,000 views on a cover of Bruno Mars’s ‘Grenade’ on YouTube.

It is a very touching song and will bring a tear to your eye if you have lost someone close.
” You know that I miss you
And I will never forget you
You know that I miss you
But you will live on through us
You will live on through us
You will live on through us”