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The Need to Curb this Bemba-Catholic Hegemony taking center stage in Zambia

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Some Roman Catholics during a fundraising walk along Nkhata road in Lusaka

By Choolwe Muzyamba

Comrades, the debates, insinuations and innuendos that have ensued following the appointments and decisions being made by our republic president cannot go without comment. We should not sugar coat this bitter pill of rivalry that is slowly gaining dominance in our country, nor should we cocoon ourselves in a mesh of deceit and pretend that all is well.

The fact that different groups in the country are indicating that they feel left out in all these appointments and that there seems to be dominance of either Bembas or Catholics in the appointments being made by President Sata is reason enough for us rethink or/and restrategize. Let us not fall prey to the temptation of castigating this outcry as mere hullaballoo.

South Africa was warned in 2005 about the potential bursting of Xenophobic attacks on foreigners and the mistake they made then was to sweep the warning under the carpet and castigate those who warned them. I am sure that we all know what ensued in April of 2008 in the rain ball nation. Call me a prophet of doom at your own peril.

When certain groupings within the population begin to raise concerns of the nature they are raising today here in Zambia, It should be a source of concern for all the peace loving and patriotic Zambians and all those who at least pretend to be.

It’s not a secret that the majority of President Sata’s appointments are Bemba, with very little representation from Southern and Northwestern provinces. Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating for appointments based on tribes, but on merit while taking very full cognizance of the fact the appointments must reflect our diversity as a nation. It is incumbent upon the President to unite the nation at such critical times. When comrade super KK was faced with such a predicament, he coined the term “One Zambia, One Nation” which saw him defeat the rivalry that was growing then.

More still, I vehemently and ebulliently feel that the composition of the technical committee set up to give us a new constitution has failed the test of logic. How do you appoint 3 catholic Bishops???
How?? When there are so many religious groupings in Zambia. Zambia is not a country for Catholics only!! We have Protestants, Adventists,Muslims, Hindus etc. and all these sects whether you agree with them  in principle or not need and deserve representation, after all they might not also agree with you in principle and that does not make you Catholics superior. We are not coming up with a code of conduct for  Catholics; we are coming up with a National Constitution for crying out loud! Not all Zambians are party to the Catholic dogma or indeed the Christian dogma nonetheless, they too deserve to be heard and represented.

Surprisingly, President Sata decides to appoint one traditional leader, who actually hails from the Northern Province, In what capacity? Anyway, whatever the capacity the bottom line is that the President should be away of this imbalance emerging under his realm. No wonder phrases such as Barotse and Bantusthan are beginning to gain prominence. It is because we have now started seeing our differences due to this hegemony that is growing at an increasing rate!!

Candidly speaking, we have seen the rivalry emerge and let us not blind ourselves as this might be a time bomb for our beloved country. Let us not allow our president make cautiously and ethically inept decisions that might cripple this nation in the near future….Comrades, Let us remain united and resolute, this is no sour grape but a cry for my beloved country!!

Mwinilunga Pineapple canary will reopen – Dr. Shamulenge

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A senior government official in North Western province says Government has plans to revamp the defunct Mwinilunga pineapple canary.

North Western province Permanent Secretary David Shamulenge told the Zambia News and Information (ZANIS) in a phone interview that government intends to reopen the defunct pineapple canary.

Dr. Shamulenge said Government will for partners to ensure the factory is reopened so as to create employment for the youths in the province.

Dr. Shamulenge said youths will only have money in their pockets once they are offered employment through the reopening of the pineapple canary and other income generation ventures.

He stressed that farmers in Mwinilunga District have the potential to feed the canary with pineapples once it resumes operations.

Dr. Shamulenge said Mwinlunga has the best pineapples hence the need to reopen the canary and assist the farmers market there produce.

He said the reopening of the pineapple canary will play a pivotal role in creating market for the pineapple farmers.

Dr. Shamulenga said a scheme will be initiated that will seek to assist pineapple farmers to boost their production.

ZANIS

Taskforce won’t come back-Government

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PARLIAMENT heard yesterday that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has no intentions of reconstituting the defunct Task Force on corruption as existing investigative wings were equal to the task of fighting graft.

Justice deputy Minister Ngosa Simbyakula told the House that the Government would use the combined skills of the existing investigative wings to fight corruption.

Dr Simbyakula was responding to an oral question by Kamfinsa Member of Parliament (MP) Moses Chishimba who asked whether the Government had any plans of reviving the Task Force on corruption.

The Parliamentarian in a follow-up question asked what mechanisms the Government would use to fight graft to which Dr Simbyakula said the existing investigative were adequate to fight the scourge. “The existing institutions are quiet adequate. We shall use the combined skills from the law enforcement agencies to fight corruption,” the deputy minister said.

Bahati MP Harry Kalaba (PF) asked what measures the Government had put in place to avoid parallel setting up institutions to fight corruption to which Dr Simbyakula said there were existing agencies the state would use.

The defunct Task Force on corruption was abolished by the Rupiah Banda regime and last week President Michael Sata Task Force was just a money spinner for the so called prosecutors who were getting K100 million per month and only managed to secure three convictions in
seven years.

[Times of Zambia]

President Michael Sata is driving too fast to keenly observe the traffic rules

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By Charles Mwewa

I know politics can be dirty and brutal at times. But in Zambia, recently, it seems the new president is driving too fast to keenly observe the traffic rules. I believe in President Sata like most Zambians. But the November 16th, 2011 report in the Zambian papers worries me.

The report that, “The President is concerned that information obtained so far suggests serious financial impropriety at the Mission in Toronto, which is under the supervision of Dr. Nevers Mumba,” is fundamentally disturbing, for three reasons. First, such a mission does not exist. In fact, if it did, that would have been a big breakthrough for the Zambians in Canada, especially those in the
Greater Toronto Area (GTA). On May 13th, 2010, I requested then Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande, to establish a consulate at Toronto because people were having distance-difficulties to always travel to Ottawa for passport applications. The former Minister nodded my request, but ignored it when he reached Zambia.

Second, the only office that exists at Toronto is the Zambian Canadian Foundation (ZAMCAN) which I preside over, and Dr. Mumba does not supervise the ZAMCAN board, let alone reorder our financial obligations. In fact, since Dr. Mumba became High Commissioner, he has repeatedly expressed regret that his Mission could not help us financially because “there is no allocation for that purpose from
Zambia.”

Third, on October 29th, 2011, ZAMCAN in conjunction with the Mission at Ottawa hosted the Zambia National Arts Council-led Amayenge band. The troop was sponsored by the Zambia-Canada Cultural Exchange and
partly by Barrick Gold. Even with these sponsors, we still had difficulties on the release of the finances, and up to date they owe ZAMCAN some money they did not fulfill. At all times, the finances
were been handled by someone else and not Dr. Mumba.

I am neither MMD nor PF, but I feel that Mr. President should present us with a new attitude to politics. We expect him to rule the country with well-searched and properly vetted facts. We expect his advisers
to be themselves well-informed and candid with information. We expect him to concentrate on delivering on his promises rather than focusing on non-substance-related politics. If his allegations on Dr. Mumba are
politically-motivated, we expect the president to stop campaigning and begin ruling. We expect the president to listen to the people more, but to be cautious in selecting what is credible and in disregarding what is purely flattery.

I beg the president to focus on issues and fulfilling campaign promises. The people of Zambia are not benefiting from politically-motivated rhetoric so far. In his campaigns, Mr. President promised: a new constitution within ninety (90) days; free education; jobs for youth; more money in the Zambians` pockets; windfall tax on mining; Barotse Agreement restoration; proper housing; free fifteen (15) bags of fertilizer per farmer; upgrading of shanty compounds; liberalisation of air waves so that private media houses can broadcast national wide. To accomplish these, our dear president needs to concentrate on truth and ignore liars, and remember that Zambians elected him for change, and not for more of the same!

Fight against corruption should not be a tool to persecute ex-ministers-Siliya

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MMD Spokesperson Dora Siliya
MMD Spokesperson Dora Siliya

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has appealed to the Patriotic Front (PF) Government not to use the fight against corruption to persecute innocent people from the former ruling party.

But Chief Government spokesperson Given Lubinda said the PF Government has no reasons to settle political scores using institutions of governance like the police.

Ms Siliya told journalists after attending former Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Maxwell Mwale’s case at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court complex that the PF should strive to build on the country’s peace and not to persecute former MMD cabinet ministers.

“Let us not set a precedent that every party which comes out of power must have its former cabinet ministers and members prosecuted for corruption.

“The fight against corruption is good but it should not be a tool to persecute former cabinet ministers,” she said.

Ms Siliya said Zambia is treading on dangerous grounds if every political party which forms government will take a stance of prosecuting former cabinet ministers.

She claimed that MMD members are being mistreated by the PF Government over campaign materials the former ruling party legally acquired.

Ms Siliya said it is surprising the PF Government is after the MMD over campaign materials when the ruling party is busy distributing chitenge materials in Chongwe Constituency.

“The PF today is persecuting the MMD over campaign materials because they did not have some chitenge materials to distribute during the September 2011 tripartite election.

“But why are they distributing chitenge materials in Chongwe for the by-election if that is being considered as corruption?” she asked.

Ms Siliya said the PF should concentrate on governing the country and build on the already existing peace for Zambia to continue being a beacon of hope and peace.

But Mr Lubinda, who is also Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism, said the PF Government has not embarked on a witch hunt against the former cabinet ministers in the MMD Government.

He said people who have been arrested by the police have questions which the police want them to answer.
“Let the old adage come true today, Let the guilty be afraid, at an appearance of the police officer they shall run and when they so do the police will follow them.

“All those people who have been arrested, it is because the police believe that they have answers to the questions the police have,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said there is no political motivation to arrest some cabinet ministers and some prominent figures.

Mr Lubinda said all Zambians know of scandals associated with named individuals in the former regime but those people are still going on about with their business.

“Indeed those individuals are still going on about with their business free, had we mounted a witch hunt, all such people would have been rounded up,” he said.

Mr Lubinda said people who are free in their dealings will have their minds and conscious clear and will go about with their businesses as free citizens as any other person.

He said the PF Government has no interest “whatsoever” in settling political scores using institutions of governance, especially the police.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

EFZ is like Chanda Chimba, Chifire and Lifwekelo put together

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By Maurice Makalu

I would like to respond to Dr. Mutesa’s, president of Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED), call that the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) be included on the 20 member panel for constitution making. I personally think that leaving them out is really not “discriminating” against any Zambians.

I think so because, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) is just like Chanda Chimba, Edwin Lifwekelo and Gregory Chifire forming a national organisation to deceive people that they represent national interests. No they don’t. Most of them are just one man show churches, capitalising on TV publicity, who have no concern for the poor Zambians…Go here and see for yourselves

Is it not evangelicals who “prophesied” Chiluba’s third term? Who castigated catholics over the NCC to an extent of saying, “Don’t comment over the NCC, you refused to be part of it.” They were proud to be part of a process that did not serve national interests and were happy to enjoy the money. And this weakness for money makes a lot of them suspect.

Most of them enrich themselves, driving hummers and other expensive cars, buying private jets, etc over the heads of their poor members. And they call this being “blessed.” This means these people represent themselves; they represent nobody else out there.

If the rich people in their churches give them expensive and luxurious gifts, they count these gifts as part of their blessings and eat them, without sharing with the members…

They are not servants, they are the master. “Men of God,” they call themselves; who must not be touched because they are the anointed of God, the “special” ones.

How they use the tithes and offerings they collect is proof of that.

They say, “Bring your tithes and offerings to the Lord, so that there is plenty in the Lord’s house.” When people do that, they discover the pastor gets rich, while they stay poor. And yet both of them are in the SAME house of the Lord.

This is the same as Gregory Chifire saying, “Rupiah has brought development while Zambians are suffering, him he is enjoying.”

Dr. Mutesa, we do not want such people in our constitution making process. That is being responsible, not discriminatory.

I would also like to appeal to EFZ to come up with some code of ethics for their members, most of them who are one-man show churches. The fact that you stand before men and represent God before them does not make you better than others. When you collect tithes and offerings, let there be food for ALL, not just for you alone, in God’s house.

Lafarge workers complain over poor working conditions

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THE number of workers complaining about poor working conditions on the Copperbelt is growing as the government tries to grapple with a uniform working conditions guideline.
The latest to complain are workers from Lafarge Cement plant in Ndola who have complained over poor salaries and claimed that their colleagues at Lafarge Cement plant in Lusaka doing similar jobs get better salaries than them.
The Lafarge complaints come shortly after workers at Electrometer Plant and several miners protested demanding improved working conditions.
The workers at the Ndola plant have since appealed to the Minister of Labour Fackson Shamenda to come to their aid because they have suffered enough.

In a statement issued in Ndola yesterday the workers complained that, their yearly salary increment ranges from K90,000 to K120,000 while their colleagues in Lusaka get more.

“Our colleagues at the Lusaka plant get better salaries than us in Ndola yet we work for the same company and doing the same job and this anomaly has not been addressed by management despite bringing the matter to their attention,” the statement said.

The statement read that most workers have worked for more than 10 years on contracts with very low gratuity of 15 percent at the end of the contract.

The concerned workers said they have continued to wallow in poverty when the company is paying foreign workers huge salaries.

The statement also stated that the managers at the Ndola plant get between K150 million and K450 million per month and K7 million as weekly allowances while their accommodation and bills are also catered for by the company.

“This is the company that is always complaining of not having money when our managers are getting huge salaries at the expense of majority workers,”  the statement read.

The workers also want Christmas bonus, which was scrapped off seven years ago, to be re-instated and also the harmonisation of production packages.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Konkola Blades assistant coach Charles Mwila has died, Barclays Cup Final Postponed

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Blades club executive members confirmed Mwila’s death this evening.

 

Mwila died in a Johannesburg hospital just before 18:00 hours from burns he sustained in an electoral fire accident at Konkola Mine in Chililabombwe on November 9 where he worked.

 

Mwila was a key member of Blades coaching staff after taking up several gap-coach positions over the last six years.

 

He was in temporal charge of Blades after the departures of after the Fighton Simukonda in 2004, Fordson Kabole in 2005, Dean Mwiinde in 2009 and Peter Kaumba in 2010.

 

And

The Barclays Cup final set for Saturday in Kitwe has been postponed.

 

Faz communications offcer Erick Mwanza said this was due to the three-day period of national mourning that started on Friday for the late ex-minister in the UNIP era Justin Mukando.

 

“In view of His Excellency the President Michael C. Sata’s declaration of three days of national mourning in honour of the former Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Mr. Justin Mukando, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and Barclays Bank Plc would like to advise the football fraternity and entire nation that the final match of the 2011 Barclays Cup championship which was scheduled for tomorrow Saturday 19th November 2011 has been postponed,” Mwanza said.

 

Mwanza said a new date for the final will be advised later.

 

Power Dynamos and Konkola Blades were due to face-off in the Barclays Cup final at Arthur Davies Stadium.

Sata increases subsidies for chiefs as per campaign promise

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File: Members of the House of Chiefs following proceedings when the house resumed sitting in Lusaka

President Michael Sata has increased the Chief’s subsidies. The President has reviewed upwards, the Chief’s subsidies as per campaign promise. This is according to a press statement released by his special assistance for press, Mr George Chellah.

President Sata stressed the need for the country to respect tradition and culture by ensuring that traditional leaders live in a dignified and respectful manner.

“A nation without regard for its traditions and customs is a lost one. Therefore, as a government, we have seen it prudent and obligatory that we safeguard the interests of our traditional leadership,” the President said.

“It has always disturbed me to see our well-regarded Royal Highnesses subjected to all sorts of abuse, ridicule and contempt due to the poor circumstances under which we have allowed this noble and decorous institution to function.”

The President said that traditional leaders were an essential component in the governance system hence his administration is resolute to ensure that this institution is preserved and looked with pride and honour.

Paramount Chiefs  subsidy has been increased from K1, 523, 528. 05 to  K4, 500, 000. 00. The  Senior Chiefs from K 1, 284, 917. 24  to K4, 200, 000. 00.
For Chiefs from  K 1, 147, 291. 23 to K4, 000, 000. 00 The  Retainers from K 576, 484. 10 to  K1, 200, 000. 00

UPND wants Zamtel report in Parliament

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UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornerlius Mweetwa
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornerlius Mweetwa

The UPND has requested President Michael Sata to refer to Parliament the report of the Commission of Inquiry on the sale of ZAMTEL.

Party Deputy Spokesperson Cornerlius Mweetwa says Parliament is the most impartial and competent body to scrutinize and determine the findings of the Commission of Inquiry.

Mr Mweetwa says referring the report to Cabinet will not be fair because the Commission was established with the authority of Cabinet.

He was speaking at a media briefing at the UPND Secretariat in LUSAKA on Friday.

Mr Mweetwa says President Sata should consider the UPND’s request in the spirit of good governance, transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, the UPND has also asked President Sata to broaden the composition of the Twenty Member Technical Committee tasked to draft the new republican constitution.

Mr Mweetwa says the technical committee in its current composition lacks wider representation required a national undertaking.

He says the UPND is also opposed to holding provisional conventions to get fresh recommendations on the new constitution from the people.

Mr Mweetwa has further challenged government to announce the time for holding a national referendum within the stipulated one year time-frame.

[ZNBC]

Zesco explains current load-shedding

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The increase in load-shedding in the past two days has been caused by a reduction in generation capacity at of ZESCO’s major power stations.

ZESCO corporate affairs and business development director Bestty Phiri says most parts of the country have experienced an increase in load shedding.

This is because of reduced generation capacity at Kafue Gorge and Victoria Falls.

Mr. Phiri says generation capacity has been reduced due to low water levels in the Zambezi River.

He said in a statement to ZNBC that the power station which has an installed generation capacity of 108 Mega Watts is currently generating only 70 MEGA Watts.

ZESCO has made arrangements to cushion the impact of load-shedding, by importing power from some neighboring countries.

[ZNBC]

Cabinet to have a final say on Zamtel-Veep

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Vice president Guy Scott on Friday refused to dwell into the report on the findings on the sale of Zamtel in parliament on the basis that the final report is yet to be tabled before cabinet.

Dr. Scott says he did not want to prejudge the outcome of the cabinet decision on the sale of the parastatal company.

The Vice president was responding to P.F Kamfinsa Member of Parliament Moses Chishimba who wanted to know what will happen to people involved in the partial sale of Zamtel.

Mr. Chishimba says government should table measures to be taken against those in the transaction now deemed fraudulent by a commission of inquiry mandated to investigate its sale to Lap Green of Libya.

And justice deputy minister Ngosa Simbyakula has told parliament that government has no immediate plans to reconstitute the defunct taskforce on corruption.

Doctor Simbyakula has assured the house that government will use the existing law enforcement agencies to fight the graft.

The deputy minister was responding to Mr. Chishimba who wanted to know whether government has any future plans of reconstituting the task force on corruption which was disbanded during the MMD’s rule.

[ZNBC]

President Michael Sata questions motive behind those demanding inclusion of EFZ on constitution Committee

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President Sata

President Michael Sata has questioned the motive behind certain people demanding for inclusion of Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia on the committee of experts tasked to draw a new constitution of Zambia.

President Sata said he has appointed several Bishops most of them born again Christians to seat on the committee.

He said this at state house today during swearing ceremony for Justice permanent secretary, Patricia Daka Jere and Francis Kamanga for ministry of works and supply.

Mr Sata also noted that it is very difficult to balance appointments of people based on tribe.

He said the appointments of Mr Kamanga and Mrs Jere both from the Eastern Province are on merit.

He questioned why some people complain about his appointment being tribal when some sections of society such as the disabled have not complained.

The president also tasked Mrs Jere is a disabled lawyer to draft legislation to regulate internet journalism.

Mr Sata also told Mr Kamanga to put an end to the corruption at the road development agency.

He told Mr Kamanga to go country wide to monitor road construction projects and not leave to RDA.

Mr Sata also directed Mr Kamanga to upgrade all aerodrams in the country.

[ZNBC]

Ex- Zambia & Power Defender Jones Mwewa Is Dead

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Ex-Zambia national team and Power Dynamos defender Jones Mwewa is dead.

Mwewa’s death was confirmed this morning by his close friend and former defensive partner at both Power and the national team Ronald Mukosha.

“He died at his home here in Kitwe in Miseshi Township early Friday morning at around 03:00 hours,” Mukosha said who was also his neighbor and was there at the time of his death.

Mukosha said Mwewa had been unwell for some time.

Mwewa, 38 played in three Africa Cups after making his debut in the third and fourth playoff match against Ghana at the 1996 Africa Cup in South Africa that Zambia won 1-0 to pick up bronze.

The defender was part of the famous Under-23 team groomed by ex-Zambia coach Roald Poulsen that included Alex Namazaba and Vincent Mwewa.

Mukosha, who is now coach at Division 1 North club Kalulushi Modern Stars, said burial arrangements will be announced soon.

Mwewa is survived by a wife and four children and was until his death youth coach at Power.

He quit football seven years ago after winning two league titles with Power in 2000 and 1997.

Mwewa is the second member of the 1996 team to die this year after fellow defender Harrison Chongo who passed away in May during a year that has also witnessed the passing of ex-stars Willy Phiri and Mark Sinyangwe.

Youths’ alcohol abuse saddens Nkandu Luo

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A lady loitering with a tin of opaque beer
A lady loitering with a tin of opaque beer

THE rising number of young people in Zambia consuming alcohol should be a source of concern for all, Minister of Local Government, Early Childhood and Environmental Protection Nkandu Luo has said.

The minister has also castigated some parents who are selling alcohol to children instead of guiding them into fruitful activities.

Professor Luo said it was sad that the youth who should be spearheading positive programmes such as those on climate change were abusing alcohol at alarming levels and indulging in illicit activities. She said this during the ‘We have faith – Act now for climate justice’ Green Blaze concert at Barclays Sports Complex in Lusaka on Wednesday evening.

“I am very disappointed with you young people for your illicit activities. Instead of you working towards your future and advocating for justice so that the bigger powers can reduce the Green House effects, you are there drinking,” she said. She said the Government would ensure that bars and restaurants adhered to the minimum age of 18 years when selling alcohol.

Prof Luo said it was sad that some parents who were supposed to protect children from such vices were the ones selling beer to them because they wanted to make profits.She said the ministries of Commerce, Local Government, and Youth and Sport would work together and ensure that they saved the future of Zambia.

The ‘We have faith – Act now for climate justice’ is a campaign by youths and faith-based communities from African countries demanding for a fair, ambitious and legally-binding climate deal at the forthcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 17th Conference of the Parties to be held in Durban, South Africa.

The youth are on a caravan journey that started in Kenya, Nairobi, on their way to Durban where the conference would be held from November 28 to December 9, 2011

[Times of Zambia]

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