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Power Dynamos-bound defensive midfielder Thomas Nyirenda has been ruled out of this year’s Africa Cup.
Zambia coach Herve Renard told the Sunday Mail that Nyirenda has failed to show significant progress in his recovery for the tournament that kicks off on January 21 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
“Thomas needs time to recover and he is out of Africa Cup of Nations,” Renard said.
Nyirenda has failed to recover fully from a knee injury he sustained against Comoros in a 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifier that Zambia won 2-1 away on September 4.
The news means the ex-Konkola Blades player becomes the third player out of the Africa Cup and he also misses out on making his debut at the Africa Cup.
Striker Jacob Mulenga and midfielder William Njobvu will also miss the tournament due to injury.
Labour, Sports, Youth and Gender Minister Fackson Shamenda
EMPLOYEES at Kansanshi Mining Plc who are involved in the production of gold fear that their fertility could be affected by the rigorous infra-red searches they are subjected to every day.
The employees, who did not want to be named, said they are worried that their reproductive systems are under threat because of the unwarranted searches which expose them to radiation.
“We are subjected to searches almost every hour. There are always fears we can steal gold from the plant, so they search us several times,” one miner said.
They complained that even when miners go to answer the call of nature, they are exposed to an infra-red search on all parts of the body.
The workers, who have appealed to Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda to look into their plight, said some categories of workers are not searched or exposed to infra-red radiation.
The gold production unit is kept sacred and no dignitaries or government officials are allowed to tour it, one worker said.
And Government will soon carry out a labour audit on companies which have hired expatriates, to reconfirm the relevance of giving expatriates certain jobs, Labour, Youth and Sport Minister Fackson Shamenda said in Solwezi at the weekend.
The audit is aimed at establishing the qualifications and jobs that expatriates hold.
Mr Shamenda, Vice-President Guy Scott, Foreign Affairs Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Minister of Mines Wybur Simuusa were in Solwezi to ask miners at Kansanshi Mine to return to work after a wildcat strike.
The miners complained that there is a huge gap in conditions of service between them and expatriates.
“We will verify their qualifications and check if the qualifications and skills match,” he said.
Mr Shamenda said Zambia has many qualified professionals who can take up jobs that have been given to expatriates, especially in the mining industry.
HE said his ministry will soon set up a database of workers to ensure that only qualified expatriates are allowed to work in the country.
Mr Shamenda also said there are ‘very serious’ salary disparities between management and unionised workers in most companies in the country.
“The audit will ensure that expatriates doing jobs that Zambians can do are sent away to pave way for locals,” he said.
Mr Shamenda also said the ministry of labour will engage qualified Zambians, including those in the diaspora, to take up jobs that will be left by some expatriates who are not qualified.
He also said that government will not tolerate any investors abusing Zambian workers.
Mr Shamenda also bemoaned the high levels of casualisation of labour in mining companies, saying the Ministry of Labour will review labour laws to resolve the problem.
PRINCE Imasiku Mutangelwa has described people advocating the secession of Barotseland and the announcement of the so-called Barotseland cabinet as ‘insane’.
Mr Mutangelwa has called on Government to identify the culprits behind the illegal cabinet, saying they need to be incarcerated or put in a mental institution before they plunge the national into chaos.
Mr Mutangelwa, who has previously been arrested and charged over his sentiments on the Barotseland Agreement, said Government should find the people circulating documents suggesting that a cabinet has been put in place in Barotseland, saying : “These characters are causing alarm in the nation.”
“This is insanity. The state must identify them and put them in prison or take them to Chainama (Hills Hospital) before they cause chaos with their alarming statements,” Mr Mutangelwa said.
Mr Mutangelwa said in an interview yesterday that most of the people named in the ‘Barotseland cabinet’ were not consulted over their appointment to the illegal cabinet.
“These statements are just meant to distract Government as they have no backing from the people of Western Province. Government must identify these people and take them to Chainama – where they belong,” Mr Mutangelwa said.
And some of the people named in the purported Barotseland cabinet have denied links to the formation of a government in Western Province, saying they were not consulted and have no idea who was making the appointments.
Nyambe Namushi, a commissioner on the Mongu Commission of Inquiry into the Mongu riots of January 14, 2011, who was named as the deputy administrator-general, said the reports have injured his reputation.
Mr Namushi said he only learnt of his appointment through the Zambian Watchdog, an online publication.
He said he has written to the publication, asking the publishers to retract the statement because he does not even know who appointed him.
“All the people in that cabinet were not consulted and have no clue who was appointing them,” Mr Namushi said, adding that it was the work of fanatics, trained to misdirect people’s attention.
Mwangelwa Mbikusita Lewanika, who has been named as Finance Minister in the Barotseland government, said his reputation has been damaged because people are connecting him to calls for secession, when the Barotse Royal Establishment can competently deal with the matter.
“It’s very damaging to those of us who have been named. It’s a cowardly act that people should desist from because they only damage other people’s reputation and even the whole process of Barotseland discussions,” Mr Lewanika said.
Mukubesa Ilukena, one of those named in the cabinet, said some people can do anything to frustrate Government.
Mr Mutangelwa, however, said he strongly believed President Sata cannot be disturbed by fanatics. “President Sata is always on the ground and ahead of things. He should not let anyone disturb him from pursuing his vision,” he said.
He said the PF government should not get distracted by alarming statements which have no backing from the people of the Western Province.
Mr Mutangelwa commended the PF government for its stance against corruption.
He said corruption has in the past disadvantaged most citizens, as a few greedy individuals were pocketing all the resources.
Mr Mutangelwa said “all those characters that deceived the people of Zambia that they were governing us but were instead stealing from them must be investigated and brought to book”.
President Sata last month said a group of people in Western Province is attempting to form a state within a State and has already appointed a Prime Minister.
The President described the situation as serious and castigated the police and ministers of Defence and Home Affairs for failing to deal with the matter.
Mr Sata said there was no need for the army to intervene in the matter because they might end up ‘slaughtering’ people, adding that bloodshed over the issue was unnecessary.
Under the previous Government last year, police killed and maimed people over similar agitations in the province. Other people were arrested but pardoned when Mr Sata won the presidency and currently, a commission appointed by the President is still sitting to investigate the incident.
President Sata recently held talks with representatives of three groups from the Western Province to discuss the matter.
In August 2000, Mr Mutangelwa, then leader of a small group known as the Barotse Patriotic Front, was sought by police for questioning after he made statements supporting a separatist rebellion.
Later the same month, Mr Mutangelwa sought asylum in the residence of the South African High Commissioner, but his request was denied.
He was subsequently arrested and charged with belonging to an unlawful society.
THE Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is this week expected to conclude negotiations with Bonafarm Group which won the tender to develop Nansanga farm block’s anchor core venture plot.
Over 10 local and international companies bidded for the development of the Nansanga farm block in Serenje district in Central Province.
Among the companies that bidded for the Nansanga development are Polyserve Fertilizer from Egypt, Bonafarm Group from Hungary, Sable Transport Limited from Zambia, and Sea Agriculture Group from the United Kingdom.
In an interview, ZDA acting director-general Florence Mumba said the Hungarian investor is expected in the country this week to conclude the deal for anchor core venture in Nansanga farm block.
Nansanga farm block, a 155,000-hectare area, is part of government’s programme to open up viable farm blocks in various parts of the country to be involved in primary production and value addition.
Mrs Mumba said the Hungarian investor is expected to provide technical and financial capacity to establish a processing plant and add valuation for the farm block.
The Nansanga farm block design includes one core venture (10,000 hectares), commercial farms ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 hectares and smallholdings of about 30 -300 hectares.
She said 310 small farms have been allocated to Zambian investors who are expected to pay for the survey diagrams.
“The farm block is ready for investors, farming should start as soon as people get their survey diagrams,” she said.
Mrs Mumba said works done by government at the farm block include electrification, construction of dams, bridges and access road to the area.
She said the anchor investor will be expected to put up more infrastructures in the farm block such as access roads because Government has not done much.
Nansanga farm block is a plateau, dominated by Miombo woodlands with between 700-1,000 mm average annual rainfall.
Maize, beans, soya beans, groundnuts, Virginia tobacco, rice, tea, sunflower, finger millet, coffee, wheat and oil seeds are suitable crops for the area.
GOVERNMENT is expected to issue a US$500 million sovereign bond in the first half of this year. The bond, which will enable Government undertake infrastructure development projects, comes in the wake of the country’s B+ credit rating by Standards & Poor and Fitch last year.
Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba said Government is currently working on modalities of issuing the US$500 million bond and is expected to fanalise the process within the first quarter of this year.
Mr Yamba said Government is engaging with local and international financial institutions and international finance advisors on how best the bond will be issued.
“Government wants to take every precaution to ensure that we obtain funds at a fair price. In this regard, preparations are underway and we are moving programmatically and are actively consulting experts from various organisations on how best to undertake the process,” he said.
Mr Yamba said this in an interview in Lusaka on Friday.
He said Government has so far held discussions with local commercial banks, including Zanaco, Citibank, Stanbic Bank and Standard Chartered Bank.
Mr Yamba said he is optimistic that the bond will be issued as soon as the process is finalised.
Government announced that it will this year a issue 10-year bond, saying the issuance of the bond will establish a pricing benchmark for future bond issuance by both the private and public sector.
It will further enhance the country’s visibility as a favourable investment destination.
Meanwhile, ZAMBIA has recorded a reduction of exports of copper to about 790,000 metric tonnes in the first 11 months of 2011 from 820,000 metric tonnes in 2010.
Almost all the country’s copper production was exported in 2011 as well as 2010.
According to the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) latest fortnightly report, the weekly average copper price on the London Stock Exchange (LsE) decreased by 2.82 percent to US$346.00 per pound during the fortnight ending November 18, 2011 from US$356.05 per pound recorded during the previous fortnight.
“Last year, Zambia exported 797,201 metric tonnes of copper as at November 2011 compared to 829,726 metric tonnes as at December 2010,” BoZ says.
The data indicates that nearly half of all copper produced is used in the electronics industry, from computer chips and mobile fibre optic cable.
Zambia is internationally-recognised as a major producer of copper and cobalt. Zambia is ranked as the world’s seventh largest producer of copper, generating 3.3 percent of the western world’s production, and world’s second largest producer of cobalt at 19.7 percent.
The central bank has noted the higher volumes of copper shipments as well as the obtaining international commodity prices for copper.
For the past sixty years the Zambian economy has been heavily reliant on the mining of copper and cobalt despite the positive steps taken to diversity the industrial and manufacturing base.
National Restoration Party leader Elias Chipimo jr
NATIONAL Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo Jumior says Zambians should strive to build an economy that will address the many social challenges the country is facing.
In his end of year message, Mr Chipimo said 2012 ought to be a year in which the nation should tackle problems ranging from poor healthcare and dilapidated and inadequate infrastructure.
He said unemployment, corruption, and excessive presidential and executive powers are key issues that require a clear and immediate response.
Mr Chipimo said the country’s education system needs to be revamped to provide access to quality education for eligible learners.
“It is sad that Zambia’s economy is still not meeting the development needs of the majority of the people, in spite of its strong performance over the last few years,” he said.
He said solving the nation’s problems will no doubt require long-term focus, energy and vision, which requires concerted efforts from all Zambians.
He said corruption causes various social problems which need to be addressed.
Mr Chipimo said although the fight against corruption has been boosted by the Patriotic Front (PF) administration, there has been ‘lamentable failure’ in finding a formula to address the problem in a sustainable manner.
Mr Chipimo said establishing a truth and reconciliation commission on corruption (TRCC) would greatly help the fight against corruption.
He said the commission can be established through an Act of Parliament and would require cross-party support but is likely to produce a more effective outcome.
Mr Chipimo said the commission would act as the sole commission to tackle graft.
He said history has shown that politicians would “do well to tread cautiously when tempted to make rash campaign promises that set unrealistic deadlines for their fulfilment.
“Although these promises served to capture the expectations of the masses of unemployed and disillusioned youth primarily in urban areas, they also ended up creating an expectation that even a well- resourced government would have found nearly impossible to fulfil,” he said.
Mr Chipimo said campaign promises are, however, an unavoidable part of modern politics and should be focused on what a new government can begin to do rather than what it should attempt to accomplish within a short time frame of 90 or 100 days.
He also said instead of claiming that the PF administration has made many mistakes from the time they were voted into office, it is the duty of every Zambian to provide constructive criticism.
Mr Chipimo also called on Zambians to remain united regardless of their political affiliation and work together to achieve meaningful and sustainable development.
School leavers queuing up for police recruitment in Lusaka
We are the last generation that learned to play in the street, the first to play video games and the last to record songs off the radio. We are the last generation to have watched TV in black and white, the first to have owned plasma screens and the first to be watching TV in 3D. We are the generation born in the late 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. We are the generation whose parents grew up hearing the promise of an “Egg for breakfast for every Zambian”.
Today, we are the generation waiting to see “more money” in our pockets; For we are the generation that grew up long after the fruits of independence had been shared and the rest given out to the interests of International private capital.
We, who were the last generation to have received free education, now crowd Cairo road with degrees and doctorates: watching those we once only saw in ‘Bruce Lee’ movies running the mines and exporting both our copper and our jobs to unknown lands.
We the generation that grew up with the constant encouragement that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, have lived long enough to realise that what often seems to be a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, is nothing more than the beginning of another tunnel.
We are the generation that saw the long tunnel of one party participatory democracy give way to the light of ‘multi party democracy and economic liberalisation.’ Twenty years later, we are the generation that has lived long enough to realise that the light our parents saw at the end of the long tunnel of one party rule, was nothing but the beginning of ‘A twenty year long tunnel of corruption and moral decay’ that has left our generation the most AIDS infected and affected generation in the not so long history of our country.
We have become generation X. X for extinction, X for sexual perversion, X for economically excluded. Our 20 year long tunnel did not just liberalise the economy, it also liberalised morality and drove integrity to the brink of xtinction.
We the post independence era youths of Zambia have seen the fading dreams of independence and the utopian promises of the third republic. We have lived long enough to see that there is no light at the End of the tunnel, but rather another long tunnel at the end of every political promise.
We who have never enjoyed the fruits of independence are no longer asking for government handouts but demanding to give ourselves the future we deserve. We are demanding the right to give to ourselves decent work and opportunities to benefit from our God given mineral resources.
‘The Egg’ our parents were promised has never been delivered. We their offspring demand not one but all the ‘Eggs’…bequeathed to us by virtue of our being Zambian. We are demanding the fruits of our independence. We are the generation that will not be lied to.
The third force internet generation, the generation that you have taught to eat your bribes without responding to your demands, to attend your rallies but vote for your worst enemy, to praise you and tell you all is well even when you are breathing your last, politically.
We are the generation that has learned to say “donchi kubeba.” we bear no malice nor resentment for the plight
we endure, only a desire to see the realisation of our long postponed dream of Economic independence.
THE ZAMBIA WE DESERVE
We the post independence generation have seen hope, have received promise but today make our appeal; To our Church leaders, politicians in government and the opposition alike “allow us to give ourselves the Zambia we deserve.”
1.Give us ‘a sit at the table’ the right to participate in the daily governance of our country. The right to speak and be heard at the policy making table.
2.Give us a new constitution that will stand the test of time
3.Begin to fight resource colonialism and defend the legacy of independence. Allow us too to benefit from the fruits of self government.
4.Create decent working conditions for all Zambians-especially those employed in the mines
5.Stop the cancer of tribalism and ethnic nationalism for we know no other Zambia, other than the one in which every race tribe and tongue lives in unity under the enduring banner of “one Zambia one nation”. Develop an outward, forward looking, futuristic, pan Africanist agenda, rather than the narrow federalist perspective currently informing the strategies of our major political players.
6.Begin to walk the talk and restore morality honesty, decency and civility in public office.
7.Improve the lot of our mothers and sisters who daily suffer sexual abuse in their quest for employment, education and business opportunities.
8.Level the playing field in business, land acquisition and Tax incentives for Zambians. Give us the opportunity to do for ourselves what you the political Elites have failed to do for us over the past 40 plus years.
9.To our church leaders we say stop cashing in on Gods people, live what you preach and help our society restore
Godliness and morality to public life. Be men and women of God, not men and women of Gold.To our political leaders we say “keep the promise” and earn enduring respect and perhaps you will rule longer than your predecessors have done. To the Church leaders we say do this, then maybe we will once again begin to fill your churches and pay a little more attention to your sermons. Or else for the politicians “donchi kudabwa” if we turn on you like we turned on others a few months ago.
In 2011 We celebrated a new dawn under PF. We look forward to a strong, borderless peaceful Africa, from cape to cairo, that the hopes of Nkhuruma, the hopes of Kaunda, Lumumba, Mwalimu and Mandela will soon become the reality we live in, under the leadership of His Excellence MCS. Long live Zambia, Enduring in the long held hope of Africa’s ‘economic uhuru’.For and on behalf of the youth of Zambia-‘The Pan African Nationalist
Former Vice President in the past MMD government George Kunda has said that while in power the party had put in place a number of legal provisions that guaranteed consistency in the fight against corruption.
Mr. Kunda added that the MMD government did not relent in the fight against corruption under President Rupiah Banda as it can seen by a number of legal provisions that were formulated during its tenure of office.
The former vice president noted that the MMD had also started implementing the national Anti- corruption Policy as well as put up a whistle blowers Act.
Mr. Kunda said in response to a query from QFM on what the MMD did to ensure that there was consistency in the fight against corruption especially were country would have change of leadership. Mr Kunda said that even the abolishment of the taskforce on corruption was done in good faith.
He emphasized that fighting corruption through Ad-hoc arrangements also affected the operation of the already existing institutions mandated to investigate corrupt activities.
Mr. Kunda also insisted that the removal of the abuse of authority clause from the ACC Act was meant to harmonize the laws that govern issue of corruption and not to protect possible wrong doers in public office.
Resolving Barotse Agreement of 1964 is the biggest challenge the Sata led government is facing today. It is far greater than the challenge from the opposition MMD and UPND opposition parties. It is very obvious that this issue shall not die a natural death as others have done in the past.
When defining Barotseland, it should be noted that the original Barotseland included parts of Copperbelt, Central province, Western pronvince, parts of Southern Province, and North Western province. However, much of the debate today centres on Western province. Indeed, western Province has remained to be one of the poorest parts of Zambia. It is also reported in some sections of the media that oil deposits have been discovered in Western province. Could oil be the
source of this hot debate? Is there an outside influence?
While researching on why Kenneth Kaunda abandoned the Barotse Agreement of 1964 (BA64), I have come across possible reasons. I call them possible reasons because I cannot find sufficient references to back them up. Speaking to KK, or the British government is an option to validate these theories.
CONSPIRACY THEORY #1: Threat from South African apartheid government
South African Apartheid government posed a greatest threat to the British colonial masters in the today called SADC region. The South African dominated government had earlier in the 20th century ruled Northern Rhodesia. In these areas, they did not seek local consent for them to establish federal offices. In Barotseland, they BSA got consent from the Litunga, the ruler of Barotseland. Sooner, they changed the name from Barotseland to North Western Rhodesia. This was done with no consent from the Litunga.
In 1951, BSA was abolished as the natives began getting more organised. This was the time a federation was formed. This federation did not include Barotseland. It was a federation of Southern Rhodesia,Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The Litunga governed area was not part of this federation, though it should be noted that “He” the Litunga had lost a great area including all copperbelt and parts of north Western province to the federation.
After Zambia’s independence, which the Litunga agreed to, as he needed protection, and never wanted to be independent alone as Barotseland, the South African Apartheid government became too concerned of the independence movements in the region. It is believed that Zambia’s security intelligence got the information that South African Apartheid government had sent intelligent personnel to the Litunga, to persuade him to part from Zambia.
In 1969, on fearing that the Litunga may part from Zambia, and would take with him the all copperblt, which still remains the economical bread area of Zambia. KK was advised that abrogating the BA64 was the solution.
CONSPIRACY THEORY 2: Personal differences KK and the Litunga
It is alleged that the Litunga was given large sums of money by the Kaunda led government. It is also alleged that even today, the Litunga still gets a huge amount of money from the government. He is believed to have shares in several companies in Zambia.
Even though KK government provided direct financial benefit to the Litunga, and referred to him as a friend, KK was scared of the Litunga, fearing that he would one day want to be president. KK is on record of arresting his perceived opponents on several occasions. With the Litunga, he decided to abrogate the BA64 agreement to reduce his influence in the area. He also changed the name from Barotseland to Western Province.
CONSPIRACY THEORY #3: Agreement was not worth and costly to the government
This is the least convincing theory I found. But KK government saw the agreement as not worth and giving the Litunga powers was not worth the cost involved. At the time of independence, Barotseland had no resources to export to earn forex unlike other parts of the country. The Litunga influence had also decreased to western province only by 1968. He had completely lost control since the he gave the rights to BSA for minerals on the copperbelt.
Conclusion:
There could be more conspiracy theories as to why Barotseland agreement was abrogated. The present generation should seek everlasting solution if Northern Rhodesia and North Western Rhodesia (Barotseland) are to remain a unitary state called Zambia. Otherwise, it will be in the interest of everyone involved to part if no lasting solution should be found now.
KK should also come into public and state the reasons why he abrogated the agreement. Sata should be brave enough too to bring out all documentations relating to the abrogation of BA64. Indeed, the Banda led MMD government enormously erred when they failed to listen to the concerns of the people of western province in January 2011. Banda and G. Kunda should be tried for the murder of peaceful protestors on January 14, 2011. They cannot claim to be innocent; they were the commanding authority at the time.
Knowing exactly why BA64 was abrogated and including it in history education books could be the beginning of a new chapter. They also need to state why western province remains the least developed area in the country. Why are new provinces and districts are formed and heavily funded when western province remains extremely under developed.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase and the trees of the field yield their fruit”
(Leviticus 26:4, AMP)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
God has set up seasons in our lives. It’s easy to get frustrated when our dreams aren’t coming to pass on our timetable, but every season is not harvest season. There are plowing seasons. There are planting seasons. There are watering seasons. Sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase left and right, good breaks here and there. But without the other seasons, we wouldn’t be prepared. For example, it’s during the plowing seasons that God brings issues to light that we need to deal with. He’s getting us prepared for promotion.
If you’re not making as much progress as you would like, the key is to not lose any ground. Don’t go backwards. Hold your position. Keep a good attitude and do the right thing even when it’s hard. When you do that, you are passing the test, and God promises that your due season of harvest is coming. Be encouraged because your appointed time of increase, favor and promotion is on its way, and He will fulfill every dream and desire He’s placed within your heart!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, I bless You today. I thank You for preparing me for the blessing and promotion You have in my future. I surrender my heart, mind, will and emotions to You so that I can live as a testimony of Your work in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
LAP Green, the Libyan owned telecommunications network, says that it is deeply concerned about unsubstantiated news reports that the Zambian Government is moving to seize the 75% stake in Zamtel held by LAP Green.
LAP Green bought its stake in Zamtel in June 2010 for about 1.37 trillion Kwacha following a bid process that was overseen by the Zambian Development Agency.
Newly appointed Chairman of LAP Green, Wafik Alshater says he only hopes the reports are not true stating that the situation will not only damage the telecoms industry in Zambia but will also send a wrong signal to those looking forward to investing in the country.
In a statement availed to QFM, Mr. Alshater says that Lap Green will pursue all options and do everything possible to retain their stake in Zamtel, which he says is a highly prestigious part of their Pan-African network.
Mr. Alshater says Zamtel is now a Zambian success story stating that since LAP Green’s acquisition, the telecommunications company has attracted over 400,000 new customers and grown its market share from 3% to 11%.
He said that Lap Green has committed itself to investing US$129 million (ZK670 billion) in Zamtel over two years so as to create a truly competitive and world class telecommunications company.
Mr. Alshater says LAP Green looks forward to continuing to develop Zamtel into a leading telecoms company, working with its partner in this investment, the Zambian Government.
Ruling Patriotic Front secretary General has commended the PF government for vigorously fighting corruption since it took over power.
Mr Wynter Kabimba was speaking yesterday on Radio phoenix’s Let the people talk programme. He said the PF government has done far much better in 90 days than MMD did in 20 years.
The Secretary General said the PF government has vigorously launched the fight against corruption which he cited as one of the achievements in the first three months.
“I have outlined some of the achievements, we had to get rid of the Medical User fees because it went against the survival of our people, we had to make sure that fuel was reduced, we had to make sure that mealie meal was affordable, the fight against corruption was vigorously launched so that the people of Zambia recover from these criminals, we had to make sure that the constitution making process is approved and it is” Mr Kabimba said.
Mr Kabimba further said that the MMD government had spent billions on the constitution making process but still did not deliver the constitution to the country.
[pullquote]“I challenge everybody out there that we never got any form of assistance from any western country” the Secretary General said[/pullquote]
“Having spent billions, they were talking about amending the constitution so that they can stay in power longer than the 20 years so who has done a better Job?” the Secretary General asked.
He also noted that the corruption of politicians is the most dangerous one and this is the group the PF government is fighting. He further stated that the fight against corruption is not only against the former leaders but also within its party’s members.
“We want to ensure that corruption does not have roots in our government as a Patriotic Front, we want to make sure that those that have acted corruptly they must be brought to book” Mr Kabimba noted.
Mr Kabimba further refuted media reports that said that the PF government was being funded by some western countries during its campaigns.
“I challenge everybody out there that we never got any form of assistance from any western country” the Secretary General said
Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota says he hopes government’s decision to reverse the sale of Zamtel has been done in good faith.
Mr. Sikota says it will also be important if the Patriotic Front government has taken into consideration the amount of money that will be involved in the reversal of the sale.
He says the decision amounts to nationalization, saying that a huge amount of the money will have to be spent.
Mr Sikota says the decision might also affect the inflow of foreign investment in the country as this might suggest that Zambia is not safe for investment.
But a political analyst Alex Ng’oma says the decision will have no effect on foreign investment commending the government for doing the right thing.
Dr Ng’oma says the Zambian government has taken a logical decision adding that it has been taken in an ethical manner.
[pullquote]However, government refuted widely circulated information that it had reversed the sale of 75 percent shares in Zamtel to Lap Green of Libya.[/pullquote]
He says this should send a warning to other foreign investors of the need to follow the laid down procedures when investing in the country.
Dr Ng’oma adds that there is need for any local or international transaction to be conducted in a transparent and accountable manner.
However, government refuted widely circulated information that it had reversed the sale of 75 percent shares in Zamtel to Lap Green of Libya.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Given Lubinda refuted the information on Thursday saying government will communicate if such a decision was taken.
Information has been circulating that government has reversed the sale of Zamtel.
Rupiah Banda’s former Senior private secretary Rapson Chilufya has defected from the opposition MMD to join the ruling patriotic Front party.
Mr Chilufya said that he has left the MMD because of its undemocratic tendencies a situation he said has also caused division within the party.
Mr Chilufya was speaking at a press briefing this morning where he called on the lifting of his former boss’s immunity, saying that there would be nothing strange if the immunity of the former leader is lifted.
He said that lifting of Mr. Banda’s immunity whom he described as a fairly good leader would allow the former head of state to clear his name from any allegations of corruption leveled against him.
The former private secretary further called on all the law enforcement agencies to ensure that they prosecute all the former leaders that will be found to have engaged themselves in corruption at the expense of the Zambian people.
Mr. chanda who also served in the Levy Mwanawasa government in similar capacity noted that the late president was determined to fight corruption but that fight against corruption lost political will when Rupiah Banda became president.
