US President Barack Obama congratulated Zambia yesterday on its “historic” elections and said he looked forward to working with incoming leader Michael Sata.

The polls in Zambia, one of the few African countries to have the ruling party change democratically twice since independence, were marred by sporadic violence, but the US leader said it commended the southern African nation “for building on your commitment to multiparty democracy.”

“Zambia’s Electoral Commission, political leaders, civil society, and above all its citizens all contributed to this important accomplishment,” Obama said in a statement released by the White House.

He also hailed outgoing leader Rupiah Banda’s “contributions to Zambia’s democratic development,” and his “admirable acceptance of the will of the Zambian people.”

Observers said the violence, which left two people dead on Thursday had not compromised the elections, and found no evidence of fraud in the voting.

Scores of police on horseback or in riot helmets stood by, but Banda’s speedy concession of defeat diminished the chance of more unrest.

“The hard work of a living democracy does not end when the votes are tallied and the winners announced,” Obama warned.

“Instead it offers the chance to reconcile and to advance greater security and prosperity for its people.

“I hope that all Zambians will find common ground as you address the challenges and seize the opportunities facing your country and our world.”

[AFP]

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala Friday afternoon swore in Mr Sata as Zambia’s Fifth Republican President at the Supreme court grounds in Lusaka.

This was at a ceremony that was attended by former heads of state and Foreign dignitaries accredited to Zambia and thousands of Zambians.

Former Republican President Rupiah Banda handed over the instruments of power to Mr. Sata which include an orange flag and the country’s constitution.

Speaking after he was sworn in, Republican President Michael Sata called for the spirit of reconciliation and love in the country.

President Sata also called on Zambians not to engage in any acts of violence as it can divide the country and erode its development.

Mr. Sata appealed to Zambians to bury the past and start afresh in the spirit of reconciliation and love.

He has thanked the Zambian people for giving him a five year mandate to rule the country.

Mr. Sata reiterated his commitment to the people of Zambia that he will bring development within ninety days.

He also hailed the Electoral Commission of Zambia for conducting a peaceful, transparent, free and fair election despite the many challenges that the commission faced.

And President Sata has vowed to Stamp out corruption in the country, saying his government will not tolerate any acts of corruption.

He also assured the people of Zambia that the rule of the law shall always prevail.

President Sata says social justice will be the corner stone of his governance system.

Mr Sata becomes Zambia’s fifth President after amassing beating nine other contestants in the race which ended into voting on Tuesday 20th September.

His party the Patriotic Front got over 60 parliamentary seats out of the 150 that the country has.

[ZNBC]

Amukema was born and bred in Zambia , but is now based in Australia .  He has a clothing store called  Grill’d Teez Clothing . He recently opened a store in his home country ,Zambia.

“Grill’d Teez Clothing is the quintessential symbol of the urban rebellion expressed through clothing. We use nothing but the finest fabric and provide a platform unification of different cultures which is not restricted or bound by any law or social norm! We clash colours if we want to, can go baggy or formal and aren’t afraid to experiment for your wearing pleasure! ” 

KAPA187: What 5 words best describe you?

Amukema : Resilient Passionate, Rebelious, Cunning, Caring

KAPA187:  What made you want to have a clothing store , what was your inspiration.

Amukema My greatest inspiration is my love for clothes and looking good. My father always told me when i was young that everytime i left the house i was reprsenting the family. so i always wanted to look my best.

KAPA187: What demographic is your label targeted towards?

Amukema :My label is targeted at the affluent part of society..those who appreciate good quality well styled clothing young or old.. All the clothes are limited edition and are made from the exceptional fabric. This is why our slogan for Africa is smarter than your average rebel. Because all of us young or old have a michevious or say devious side that we like to hide.. this clothing allows you to express it while still look classy and grown.

KAPA187: What attracts people to your label , what is unique about it?

Amukema  :My label is unique because of its ability to evovle by fashion forward and trendy. We are an urban brand but our clothes are a classy smart casual look for men and women. they are all like the fashion blue print “the little black dress”. you can basically dress it up or dress it down.so most of the garments could be worn out to the club but also to work.

KAPA187: Tell us about the day you opened your store in lusaka , how did it feel? and how was it like to make your first sale.

Amukema  : The day i opened the zambian store was a very emotional experience for me. I had always dreamt of doing it and to see it all unfold was amazing.  making that first sale was brilliant, realissing people are actually willing to spend ther hard earned money on something created is a wonderful eeling. it makes it worth it. not the money .. just that they appreciate your effort.  The store is located at 22 Old brentwood Drive Long acress by the way.

KAPA187: You are currently based in Australia , how did that come about?

Amukema  :I  came to Australia in 2003 and went to Univervisty at the Univeristy of Notredame, where i graduated with a double Degree in Commerce.

KAPA187: What would you say are the not-so obvious drawbacks of living outside of your home country and building an business?

Amukema  :Only one real drawback really was Capital (Money). if you have any other drawback then business is not for you. 🙂

KAPA187: Which clothing line do you look at and think “one day we will be as big as that one” ?

Amukema  :I don’t really look at any clothing line id like to emulate, i just want to improve my own brand everyday so i can sell more garments than the day before.

KAPA187: What two pieces of advice would you give someone who wants to start there own clothing label?

Amukema  :Heheeh.. don’t do it unless you are totaly commited to it. Its a very capital intesive business and is a gamble. The honest truth is just dont get discouraged by kncok back .. people will believe in it if you do!:)

KAPA187: Do you have any hidden talent that not many people know about?

Amukema  :hmm talents well… can’t really comment about the bedroom cause i’m married. apart from that none really..hehehe

KAPA187: Where will you be in the next 10 years?

Amukema  :I ‘ll be the head of one of the biggest brands in Africa and parts of Europe:) God willing!

KAPA187: Do you have any style tips for our readers

Amukema  :Style tips are very easy.. don’t follow any rules except know you body shape and exploit the colours that look good against your skin tone and whateva you do dress with confidence.

On the 7th of october Grill’d Teez Clothing will be hosting the first of a monthly v.i.p party ,  and they will have a playstation tournament (FIFA 11) on the 21 of october.

For more information about the clothing and events Like the Grill’d Teez Clothing page on Facebook.

BY KAPA187     

I HAVE CALLED THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN OF 2011 IS OVER. THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA HAVE SPOKEN AND WE MUST ALL LISTEN. SOME WILL BE HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD, OTHERS WILL NOT.

THE TIME NOW IS FOR MATURITY, FOR COMPOSURE AND FOR COMPASSION. TO THE VICTORS, I SAY THIS: YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CELEBRATE BUT DO SO WITH A MAGNANIMOUS HEART. ENJOY THE HOUR BUT REMEMBER THAT A TERM OF GOVERNMENT IS FOR YEARS.

REMEMBER THAT THE NEXT ELECTION WILL JUDGE YOU ALSO.
TREAT THOSE WHO YOU HAVE VANQUISHED WITH THE RESPECT AND HUMILITY THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IN YOUR OWN HOUR OF DEFEAT.

I KNOW THAT ALL ZAMBIANS WILL EXPECT SUCH BEHAVIOUR AND I HOPE IT WILL BE DELIVERED. SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND MY PARTY, WE WILL ACCEPT THE RESULTS. WE ARE A DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND WE KNOW NO OTHER WAY.

IT IS NOT FOR US TO DENY THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE. WE NEVER RIGGED, WE NEVER CHEATED, WE NEVER KNOWINGLY ABUSED STATE FUNDS. WE SIMPLY DID WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS BEST FOR ZAMBIA. I HOPE THE NEXT GOVERNMENT WILL ACT LIKEWISE IN YEARS TO COME.

ZAMBIA DESERVES A DECENT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. INDEED, ZAMBIA MUST BUILD ON HER PAST VICTORIES. OUR INDEPENDENCE WAS HARD WON, OUR DEMOCRACY SECURED WITH BLOOD.

ZAMBIA MUST NOT GO BACKWARDS, WE MUST ALL FACE THE FUTURE AND GO FORWARD AS ONE NATION. NOT TO DO SO WOULD DISHONOUR OUR HISTORY.

TO MY PARTY, TO THE MMD CANDIDATES WHO DID NOT WIN, THE LESSON IS SIMPLE. NEXT TIME WE MUST TRY HARDER.
WE FOUGHT A GOOD CAMPAIGN. IT WAS DISCIPLINED. I STILL BELIEVE WE HAD A GOOD MESSAGE AND WE REACHED EVERY PART OF THE COUNTRY.

WE TRAVELLED TO ALL NINE PROVINCES AND WE SPOKE TO ALL ZAMBIANS. TO THOSE WHO WORKED EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY, I SAY ‘THANK YOU’. YOU HAVE DONE YOUR BEST. BUT, SADLY, SOMETIMES OUR BEST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED. THE MMD WILL BE BACK. WE MUST ALL FACE THE REALITY THAT SOMETIMES IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE. SINCE 1991, THE MMD HAS BEEN IN POWER. I BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB ON BEHALF OF ALL ZAMBIANS.

FREDERICK CHILUBA LED US TO A GENUINE MULTI-PARTY STATE AND INTRODUCED THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO OUR KEY INDUSTRIES. ZAMBIA WAS LIBERATED BY AN MMD IDEAL BUT MAYBE WE BECAME COMPLACENT WITH OUR IDEALS. MAYBE WE DID NOT LISTEN, MAYBE WE DID NOT HEAR.

DID WE BECOME GREY AND LACKING IN IDEAS? DID WE LOSE MOMENTUM? OUR DUTY NOW IS TO GO AWAY AND REFLECT ON ANY MISTAKES WE MAY HAVE MADE AND LEARN FROM THEM. IF WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT DESERVE TO CONTEST POWER AGAIN.

THE ZAMBIA WE KNOW TODAY WAS BUILT BY AN MMD GOVERNMENT. WE KNOW OUR PLACE IN HISTORY AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN COME BACK TO LEAD AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. A NEW LEADERSHIP WILL BE CHOSEN, AND THAT LEADERSHIP WILL BE FROM THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

MY GENERATION… THE GENERATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE– MUST NOW GIVE WAY TO NEW IDEAS; IDEAS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. FROM THIS DEFEAT, A NEW, YOUNGER MMD WILL BE RE-BORN. IF I CAN SERVE THAT RE-BUILDING, THEN I WILL.

I MUST THANK MY CABINET FOR DELIVERING ON OUR PROMISES. WE DID A LOT OF GOOD FOR ZAMBIA. MANY OF OUR PROJECTS WILL BLOSSOM INTO BRIGHT FLOWERS. SOME OF YOU WILL BE BACK TO SERVE ZAMBIA AGAIN – I KNOW YOU WILL DO YOUR BEST FOR YOUR PARTY AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
TO THE CIVIL SERVANTS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU. WE HAVE WORKED MANY LONG HOURS TOGETHER. WE DID IT NOT FOR OURSELVES BUT FOR ZAMBIA. SERVE YOUR NEXT MASTERS AS YOU DID ME, AND ZAMBIA WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS.

I MUST THANK MY FAMILY AND MY WIFE. THEY HAVE STOOD BY ME AND I CANNOT ASK FOR MORE LOYALTY THAN THAT WHICH THEY HAVE DISPLAYED. I LOVE YOU ALL DEARLY AND I WILL ALWAYS BE IN YOUR DEBT.

BEING PRESIDENT IS HARD WORK, IT TAKES LONG HOURS OF WORK. AND BECAUSE OF IT, I HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR YOU. YET, STILL YOU WERE THERE FOR ME.

WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS THE DEPTH OF MY LOVE FOR YOU ALL. ALL I ASK IS THAT MY FAMILY CONTINUES TO SERVE ZAMBIA AS I HAVE SOUGHT TO DO.

BUT MY GREATEST THANKS MUST GO TO THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE. WE MAY BE A SMALL COUNTRY ON THE MIDDLE OF AFRICA BUT WE ARE A GREAT NATION. SERVING YOU HAS BEEN A PLEASURE AND AN HONOUR. I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE MORE, I WISH I HAD MORE TIME TO GIVE.

OUR POTENTIAL IS GREAT. OUR RESOURCES ARE IMPRESSIVE.
I URGE YOU ALL NOW TO RALLY BEHIND YOUR NEW PRESIDENT.
YES, WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS BUT WE BOTH WANT THE SAME THING – A BETTER ZAMBIA.

NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR VIOLENCE AND RETRIBUTION.
NOW IS THE TIME TO UNITE AND BUILD TOMORROW’S ZAMBIA TOGETHER. ONLY BY WORKING TOGETHER CAN WE ACHIEVE A MORE PROSPEROUS ZAMBIA.

IN MY YEARS OF RETIREMENT, I HOPE TO WATCH ZAMBIA GROW. I GENUINELY WANT ZAMBIA TO FLOURISH. WE SHOULD ALL WANT ZAMBIA TO FLOURISH. SO, I CONGRATULATE MICHAEL SATA ON HIS VICTORY.

I HAVE NO ILL FEELING IN MY HEART, THERE IS NO MALICE IN MY WORDS. I WISH HIM WELL IN HIS YEARS AS PRESIDENT.
I PRAY HIS POLICIES WILL BEAR FRUIT.

BUT NOW IT IS TIME FOR ME TO STEP ASIDE. NOW IS THE TIME FOR A NEW LEADER. MY TIME IS DONE. IT IS TIME FOR ME TO SAY ‘GOOD BYE’.

MAY GOD WATCH OVER THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE AND MAY HE BLESS OUR BEAUTIFUL NATION.

I THANK YOU.

=============================================END OF AN ERA===================

Jubilation and dance characterised the streets of Lusaka, the country’s capital city after final results of Tuesday’s tripartite elections were announced at the national totalling centre at Mulungushi Conference Centre shortly after midnight.

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, who is Returning Officer of the election to the office of President, declared Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Chilufya Sata duly elected President of the Republic of Zambia at exactly 00:34 hours this morning.

This is after he polled 1, 150,045 representing 43 percent against his closest rival out-going President Rupiah Banda with seven constituencies remaining to be counted.

Following the announcement of results, scores of Lusaka residents took to the streets in solidarity of the President elect chanting pro-PF slogans of “Don’t Kubeba’ and trumpeting the famous Vuvuzelas.

Some merry making youths were seen approaching Mass Media complex and upon arrival at the main gate were restrained from entering by police who were manning the gate as they were in their numbers.

However, this did not deter them from continuing with their celebrations outside the complex’s premises where they remained for a couple of hours before heading to Arcades.

A check by a ZANIS crew in Kalingalinga, Chilenje, Rhodes Park, and Kabulonga among other places in the city also found people from all walks of life celebrating.

Those talked to were happy that PF had won the elections and that their prayer had been answered.

One resident from Chilenje, Mutale Wesu congratulated Mr Sata and the entire candidates who stood on the PF ticket for convincingly winning the elections.

Mr. Wesu hoped the new PF government would build on what the former administration the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) had done.

Another resident, Jane Daka of Kalingalinga Township prodded the incoming PF government to seriously look into the plight of youths whom she said had been marginalised for a long time.

Ms Daka told ZANIS that the youths contributed immensely to the PF victory hence the need for the new government to address challenges facing the youth such as unemployment, drug abuse and diseases.

Mario Mukumbuta of Rhodes Park appealed to the President-elect not to be vengeful but forgive all those that had unjustly accused him.

Meanwhile, scores of Chawama residents have received the news of victory of the incoming President with great joy.

The residents came out of their houses onto the streets to celebrate Mr. Sata’s victory as fifth republican President of Zambia since the country’s political independence in 1964.

The residents expressed happiness that their verdict had been passed peacefully through the ballot paper.

Adamson Phiri said people’s cry of a responsive Government that would look after the welfare of ordinary Zambians had been heard.

Mr. Phiri paid tribute to outgoing President Rupiah Banda who has been Head of State since the demise of third republican President Dr Levy Mwanawasa in 2008.

In Serenje distict,hundreds of residents thronged the streets and gathered at Serenje District Commissioner’s office to celebrate the election of Mr. Sata as President-elect.

The residents also carried shoulder high newly elected PF Serenje Central Member of Parliament Phillip Kosamu.

ZANIS reports that the residents who were also in a convoy of over 30 motor vehicles honked and horned as they went round chanting the PF’s political campaign slogan “Pa Bwato and Don’t Kubeba”.

A resident Nancy Kunda described Mr. Sata’s victory as a blessing to the country and wished him well in his endeavours.

Ms. Kunda further described the outcome of the result as a true reflection of the will of the Zambian people.

The 2011 presidential polls were the second heavily contested with ten candidates after the 2006 presidential elections which attracted a record 11 presidential contestants.

The MMD has ruled Zambia for the past 20 years and it ushered in among several other developments democracy, freedom of Speech and liberalised the country’s economy.

Others who contested the tripartite elections are Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND) who polled 489, 944 representing 18.5 percent, Charles Milupi of the Alliance for Democracy and Development who got 13, 382 representing 0.8 percent while National Restoration Party (NAREP) leader Elias Chipimo polled 10, 190 representing 0.4 percent.

UNIP’s Tilyenji Kaunda who polled 9, 713 (0.4%) was also among the contenders including , FDD’s Edith Nawakwi the only female contestant who polled 6, 627 (0.3%), Ngandu Magande of the National Movement for Progress (NMP) with 6, 097 (0.2%), Heritage Party leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda who polled 4, 358 (0.2%) and the Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) is at the bottom of the table with a paltry 2, 191 votes representing 0.1 percent.

ZANIS