By K.Cooke

My wife was booked on to Zambezi Airlines flight on Friday 28th of October. She arrived at the airport at 0600hrs and proceeded to check in, only to be told that the flight was delayed until 1300hrs, then 1330, then 1400, then 1530 then they would be flying on Air Zimbabwe at 1600, then they were now flying on the plane returning from Tanzania at 1630 and finally that the flight would be at 2000hrs.

At or around 2000hrs she boarded the flight and they finally left for Johannesburg only to have to return to Lusaka due to an engine failure. Upon arrival back at the airport most of the passengers were told that there was no accommodation and that they should sleep on the floor.

The following morning the airline still did not know when they would fly out so my wife purchased a new ticket, as did most passengers,with SAA and around 0730 they departed.

Firstly I would like to point out that the way people were treat was a disgrace and it shows what a sorry state of affairs Zambian aviation is in. However, being the founder of Equatair Airlines and having been chased and harrassed out of Zambia after establishing a Zambian airline and after being resident for 20 years, I must confess to feeling a certain smugness and satisfaction.

Zambia, sadly has ended up with the aviation industry that the government deserve and it is sorrow for the people of Zambia that I truly feel.

THE Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has bemoaned the high cost of INTERNET bundles charged and alleged unfair conditions attached to INTERNET services by mobile service providers.

The association has since challenged Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) to discharge its mandate and protect consumers.

ZACA executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said, “We do agree with complaints from subscribers and we want to express our utmost disappointment with telecommunication service providers who have taken advantage of exploiting consumers regarding the INTERNET bundles,” he said.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Ililonga is of the view that competition in the telecommunication industry should have order and quality customer care to immensely benefit consumers.

He said the association has observed that despite the competition in the sector, telecommunication firms are charging exorbitant high INTERNET charges and are subjecting consumers to unfair conditions.

It is alleged that subscribers using INTERNET bundles from mobile service providers are paying more for less services including forfeiting credit if it is not used within the stipulated timeframe.

Mr Ililonga urged ZICTA to perform to consumers’ expectations of protecting them. He said the performance of ZICTA is very worrisome and not to consumer’s expectations.

Mr Ililonga said telecommunication is a major driver of the economy which require all tumbling blocks to be removed.

He said the major impact arising from high cost of INTERNET bundles is the high cost of doing business which will suffocate the economy.

“ZICTA should discharge its mandate according to expectations of people and be feasible…and take action against erring companies. It should not just concentrate on money collection but protect consumers as well,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

MORE MMD provincial chairmen have voiced their concerns on the need for their leadership to find money for an extraordinary convention that will usher in the new party president.

They are also calling for the re-introduction of the position of party vice-president, which was removed from the party’s constitution at its national convention in April this year.

Deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu on Monday said the MMD does not have money to hold an extraordinary convention to elect party president Rupiah Banda’s successor. Mr Nyangu said MMD members should allow the party’s national executive committee (NEC) to nominate a leader in an acting capacity in between conventions in line with the party’s constitution.

The provincial chairmen now calling for an extra-ordinary convention are Emmanuel Chungu (Luapula Province), George Kangwa (Central Province), Ezekiel Mtonga (Eastern Province), William Banda (Lusaka Province) and Stephen Mukuka (Northern Province).

They are supporting calls by MMD Copperbelt province chairman Joseph Chilambwe, who has appealed to the former ruling party’s national leadership to hold an extra-ordinary convention at which Mr Banda’s successor will be elected.

Southern Province chairman Edgar Keembe has, however, said the NEC should nominate a leader in an acting capacity before the convention is held. Mr Chungu said in an interview from Mansa yesterday it will be beneficial for the former ruling party to hold an extraordinary convention to elect a leader.

“In the absence of the mini-convention, those who are interested in standing should be given ample time to travel and meet as many people as possible so that they can also listen to what people want to say before a resolution can be passed to the NEC for ratification, but the ideal situation is to go for a mini-convention,” he said.

Mr Chungu said the MMD needs to re-introduce the position of vice-president, which was removed from the party constitution at the last national convention. “We need to normalise that, we should have a vice-president now that we are in opposition,” Mr Chungu said.

And Mr Mtonga said it is important for the MMD to legitimise the position of party president and vice president through the participation of the majority members at a mini-convention.

“No-one should hide behind financial limitations because where people are determined, they can pool resources as party structures and do the right thing. We should not make the same mistakes that have made us lose the elections,” he said.

Mr Mtonga said the position of vice-president should be re-introduced for the MMD to effectively function and rebrand itself now that Mr Banda has announced his intention to retire from active politics.

He said MMD members should ask the NEC to immediately set a date for a mini-convention in line with the party constitution.

And Mr Kangwa said MMD members in Central Province want to participate in electing Mr Banda’s successor through a mini-convention. “We cannot sit only as NEC members to decide who takes over the party presidency because we are few and people may not be kind to us. Our members will think that they are not part and parcel of the leader we will put in office,” he said.

Mr Kangwa said the party president should continue in office until the party secures funding to hold an extraordinary convention.

And the Lusaka Province chairman said the decision to elect a party president should not be left to the NEC alone, but that the majority members should participate in the process.

“We should not deny the general membership an opportunity to decide who should lead them. This time around we are not in government and the best way to go about this is to allow the majority to choose a leader and not to impose a candidate on them,” he said.

Mr Mukuka said NEC can nominate a leader in an acting capacity, but that a convention should be held to elect the party president. “Our president, Mr Rupiah Banda, has done a lot to take us where we are today and he should be commended for that,” he said.

But Mr Keembe advised MMD members not to be in a hurry to elect Mr Banda’s successor. “Let us take our time, there is a constitution which provides that the NEC can sit and appoint a leader in an acting capacity.

“We don’t have money to start going for a convention. We have to go back to our structures to establish how many of our members have defected and those that have remained before we can think of going to a convention,” he said.

Early this week, Mr Chilambwe said the party should find money to hold a mini-convention to ensure that the majority members participate in choosing Mr Banda’s successor. But Mr Nyangu said MMD members should look at the cost implication, which the former ruling party cannot afford.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Government has expressed pessimism at allowing Zambians living in the Diaspora to hold dual citizenship. Vice President Guy Scott said that although the issue of having dual citizenship among Zambians could be important and helpful to some, government was worried that other people might misuse it for dubious activities.

Dr. Scott has said that the government is however still studying the issue. “The issue of dual citizenship was important but we are worried about the misuse it will bring. But it would be important that you are entitled to that,” he said.

Dr. Scott was speaking at Edith Cowan University in Perth when he addressed Zambians living in Western Australia. The Vice President told Zambians in Australia that government will cautiously discuss the issue of dual citizenship at cabinet level.

And Dr. Scott has disclosed that government will discuss the need to establish a consular office in Australia especially that the number of Zambians living in that country has increased.

He said that opening a consular office will allow Zambia and Australia boost their business ties while easing the lives of Zambians in that country. There are over 4,000 Zambians living in Australia, out of which about 2,000 live in the western part of that country.

The Vice President further called on Zambians in Australia to invest back home and help rebuild the country. He said the PF government will level the playing field for both foreign and local investors who want to engage into various businesses in Zambia.

Meanwhile, Dr. Scott told Zambians in Australia that the Patriotic Front won last month’s general elections because young people were frustrated by the failure of the previous government to create job opportunities for them.

He said government now has a challenge of providing Zambians with their needs hence the need for investments that will create employment. Earlier, Zambians living in Western Australia asked government to urgently address the request to allow them be citizens of two countries.

Chairperson of the Organisation of Zambians Living in Western Australia (OZALIWA), Chilekwa Mwaba, said Zambians living abroad will easily invest home if they are granted dual citizenship status.

Mr. Mwaba also appealed to government to open a consular office in Perth because most of the Zambians are living in Western Australia. He said the Zambian embassy in Tokyo in Japan is too far to quickly address needs of Zambians living in Australia.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chishimba Kambwili, thanked Zambians living in Australia for conducting themselves well. Mr. Kambwili said there have been no bad reports about Zambians in that country.

The Vice President, together with Mr. Kambwili, Commerce Minister Bob Sichinga, Labour Minister Fackson Shaenda and some senior government officials were attending the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM 2011) in Perth which has since closed.

ZANIS

President Michael Sata has castigated cabinet office for leaking state information and breaching security.

Mr Sata said that he was disappointed that there is no confidentiality at Cabinet office and security information is being leaked to the media.

President Sata was speaking during the swearing in ceremony for three permanent secretaries for Northern, Central and Western Province.

Mr Sata has also warned the new permanent secretaries against peddling rumours at the expense of work as they risk being removed.

He directed the permanent secretaries to tour all the districts in their provinces to understand the needs and suffering of the people.

President Sata says the new officers should not reveal any information they receive because they are under oath.

President Sata has appointed Edwin Zumbunu as Central Province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba for Northern Province and Augustine Seyuba as Western Province Permanent secretary.

ZNBC