By Gray Soko
It is now six months since the PF took over from the MMD and many are still wondering if the PF really has a different vision for Zambia from what the MMD had or is just seeking to improve on the MMD policies.

Some have asked the PF to clearly spell out what its direction for Zambia is. So far the PF has only been clear on what it will not do i.e. it is not for nationalization or introduction of the mining windfall tax. On these points the PF has been very explicit. The question that one begs to ask is whether there is a clear new direction the PF will take to move Zambia forward.

Recently the Minister of Finance said the PF was basically following the MMD 6th Development Plan, this may be because of the short time between the budget implementation and the PF coming to power but there were no major policy shifts indicated when the President opened Parliament either. The approach to the rehabilitation of the road network for example is still following the MMD style of road mending instead of taking a holistic approach to the road and rail network. Unless the network is changed, huge amounts of money will continue to be spent annually on mending roads. We have yet to hear of plans to open up new roads that will be different from the “ Cape to Cairo” network and open up new areas for development. We still hear the same MMD ideas on the agricultural and tourism side. “More money in your pockets” will only be realized if there is a major shift on job creation. We need to hear more about industrialization and value addition and trust Bob Sichinga is working overtime on this and not following the rhetoric of his predecessor.

On the governance side, apart from downsizing the cabinet with an increase in deputy ministers there have been no major changes. The much debated post of District Commissioner is very much in place and is generally being filled by party loyalists rather than professional administrators. President Sata has however indicated he wants the efficiency of the “colonial” commissioners to be reintroduced with the help of the British. There is of course a wish for effective decentralization but as Ms Nawakwi recently observed, unless there are concrete constitutional provisions, we shall continue talking about decentralization for decades without any tangible results. The PF Secretary General has scoffed ideas on federalism because of the “size” of the country which I find rather surprising. I would have expected that he would welcome ideas on how to make decentralization more effective and practicable rather than cling tenaciously to the “manifesto”. It is time we seriously took on board “Think Tanks” to put in place effective programmes and not rely on the self righteousness of party manifestos.
[pullquote]apart from downsizing the cabinet with an increase in deputy ministers there have been no major changes[/pullquote]
The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (MMD) has come under fire from some MMD constituencies who have perceived him as not offering effective “checks and balances” to the PF. This may be far fetched because as of now there have really been no major policy shifts anyway. The MMD itself is taking a long time to recover from the September 2011 blow and unless a new visionary leader emerges to energise the party, it may be on unstoppable slide into oblivion like UNIP. With its parliamentary seats declining due to successful petitions, we may have a repeat of a defacto one-party state. We still have good political leaders ( General Miyanda, Charles Milupi, Elias Chipimo Jnr, Hakainde Hichilema , Edith Nawakwi ) but until they realize that in their divided small state their ability to influence events is minimal, the political landscape of Zambia will remain the same.

The expectations of the Zambians for the PF government to make a difference are indeed great and after six months of “stabilization” in government I expect the PF government to blaze a new trail for Zambia to move forward. With all our resources, material and human, we should not be where we are in the next five years.

National Restoration party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo Junior says New Generation Party leader Humphrey Siulapwa needs serious prayers.

Recently, Siulapwa labeled Chipimo as an under five politician.

Mr. Chipimo however says he is very encouraged to see Siulapwa back in the country and is keen to hear what agenda he has for the country.

In an interview with QFM, Mr. Chipimo said whoever decides to make a contribution to the country must be allowed to do so, adding that for now; he will commit Siulapwa’s work under God’s guidance.

[pullquote]it is time politicians introduced a new kind of politics were instead of pulling each other down, they uplift each other[/pullquote].

He says it is time politicians introduced a new kind of politics were instead of pulling each other down, they uplift each other.

Mr Chipimo states that as a party that represents the future generation, NAREP wants to offer a kind of politics that encourages debate on ideas and not personal attacks.

[QFM]

Government says it will not go back on its promise to come up with a people-driven Constitution which will stand the test of time.

Information, Broadcasting and Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda said in Lusaka yesterday that the ongoing Constitution-making process was not a preserve of a privileged few in society but a process that would embrace all stakeholders before the document is finally adopted.

Mr Shamenda said the Constitution-making process was all-inclusive of sectors in the Zambia.

He said this yesterday during a media breakfast dubbed; ‘Youth Campaign on Constitution- making,’ organised by Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at Golden Bridge Hotel in Lusaka.

Mr Shamenda said the media should play a key role to inform and educate the public on comments of the draft constitution for them to participate effectively.

“Using their reporting and editorial skills, the media have a responsibility to analyse and help breakdown constitutional and other forms of jargon in the draft constitution in order to enhance public understanding and participation,” he said.

In a speech read for him by his Deputy Minister, Rayford Mbulu, Mr Shamenda said the Government was committed to having a broad-based constitution.

He said the Government was thankful for the support that Zambia had continued to receive from various cooperating partners in the Constitution-making process.

The US Embassy in Zambia recently sponsored three youth leaders from YALI to attend the President’s Forum for young leaders in Washington DC.

Mr Shamenda hailed YALI’s missions of empowering young people to create change through promotion of education, good governance and development of entrepreneurship skills.

“This is a commendable initiative which is in line with Government’s agenda to empower youths so that they contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.

Constitution Technical Committee Spokesperson, Simon Kabanda, assured that the first draft would be released next week to members of the public for scrutiny and comments.

Mr Kabanda said his team would not extend the framework but work as mandated by President Michael Sata.

He said after releasing the document, people should make comments on various provisions to be received through Constitution conventions at three levels of district, provincial and sector conventions.

Mr Kabanda said the launch of the first draft document would also be accompanied by the launch of a website to enable people forward their comments.

He said the third and final document would be subjected to a referendum. The Constitution of Zambia Bill would be used by Parliament to enact a new Constitution.

YALI board chairperson, Andrew Ntewewe, said the Constitution should include major areas such as backing of human rights, accountability and separation of powers.

He said the Constitutional Technical team should consider extending the days for the public to make comments on the first draft document as young people needed to understand issues more broadly.

US Embassy deputy public affairs officer, Adam Jagelski, said his government would continue to support various initiatives and skills development programmes such as the Constitution-making process and empowering youth.

[Times of Zambia]

The Lusaka high court has set August 10th 2012 as the judgment day for former MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba and his co-accused. This is in a matter in which Katele Kalumba, former Access Financial Services directors Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe and former Permanent secretary in the then Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Stella Chibanda had appealed against their five year sentence for corruption by the Lusaka magistrate`s court.

A panel of three High Court Judges among them Lusaka high court Judge in charge Jane Kabuka , Justice Nigel Mutuna and Judge Evans Hamaundu set 10th August 2012 as the judgment day because it is earliest date due to the commitments all the judges have.

In 2010, a Lusaka Magistrate Court convicted Dr Kalumba together with six of his co-accused on corruption charges. Lusaka High Court deputy director of court operations Edward Musona sitting as magistrate convicted Dr Kalumba together with his co-accused when he delivered judgment in the long running corruption trial.

The corruption charges relate to the payments made to US security companies Systems Innovation and Wilbain Incorporation involving US$20 million during the time he served as Finance minister in former president Fredrick Chiluba’s Government.

Then Lusaka High Court Deputy Director of Operations Edward Musona who sat as a Lusaka magistrate handed Dr. Kalumba a five-year sentence with hard labour after being found guilty on one count of corrupt practices by a public officer.

Ms. Chibanda was sentenced to 5 years simple imprisonment on 5 out of the 9 corruption charges while Access Financial Services Limited Directors Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe were also jailed for 5 years each with hard labour.

Magistrate Musona said he had sentenced Kalumba to five years imprisonment with hard labour because he had not shown remorse, repentance and regret over his involvement in the matters before the court.

[Radio Phoenix]

Zone fam will be performing in the tourist capital ,livingstone , for the first time on 19th May 2012. The show will be at Capital theater. Other artists will be Massaj ,Jemah B and K-9.