The MMD and two traditional leaders in Luangwa district have differed over the adoption of parliamentary aspiring candidates on the ruling party ticket.

The ruling party has chosen to back Patrick Ngoma for Feira constituency.

However, Senior Chief Mburuma and Chief Mphuka of the Nsinga-Luzi and Chikunda people respectively want the incumbent, Charles Shawa to re-contest the seat.

Speaking on behalf of his counterpart, Senior Chief Mburuma has cited the development of infrastructure in the area as evident of Mr Shawa’s works.

But MMD Constituency Chairperson, Peter Lungu told ZANIS that the party followed all the procedures in choosing Mr Ngoma.
[ MUVI ]

THE Government has appealed for financial and material support from well-wishers to cover expenses for the State funeral of second president of the Republic of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba.

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha said in a statement yesterday that members of the public wishing to make contributions should channel such through the district and provincial administrations countrywide,while those in Lusaka could take their contributions to Cabinet Office.

“Government is also opening a special account with Bank of Zambia through which well-wishers can channel their contributions,” Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said.

Dr Chiluba died on Saturday, June 18, 2011 at his Kabulonga home in Lusaka after an illness.

Meanwhile, mourners have gathered at Musangu Village, the home of the second president of the Republic of Zambia Frederick Chiluba, who passed away in the early hours of last Saturday, to pay their last respects.

Speaking to the Times, Mwense District Commissioner, Benjamin Chama said the mourners had gathered at the house of the former president’s brother, Jim Chiluba.

Mr Chama said some of the relatives had been transported to Lusaka so that they could attend the burial.

He said the Government had only managed to transport a number of them as there were a lot of people.

“It is for this reason that we have decided to host a funeral here to allow mourners who are unable to travel to Lusaka to mourn the former president as well,” he said.

Some elderly relatives expressed sadness at the death of Dr Chiluba, saying it was a big blow to the family and the country as a whole.

The funeral at Musangu Village would end when Dr Chiluba is buried in Lusaka on Monday.

Some traditional leaders such as Mwata Kazembe, Senior Chief Chisunka and Chief Lukwesa when contacted for comments said tradition did not allow them to comment and would only do so after the burial.

Meanwhile, MMD women in Kitwe yesterday held a funeral procession in remembrance of Dr Chiluba in Kitwe and wished President Rupiah Banda God’s strength and wisdom as the country mourns the ex-leader.

Led by provincial women’s chairperson Elizabeth Mataka, the women prayed for President Banda during this difficult time, especially that he had also experienced the death of president Levy Mwanawasa.

Ms Mataka was speaking yesterday during a funeral procession held at her home in Kitwe’s Riverside residential area attended by MMD women leaders from various districts on the Copperbelt.

Among those who attended the procession was former Chingola district commissioner Jean Phiri.

Ms Mataka said President Banda had always exhibited mature and objective leadership by promoting reconciliation and unity.

Speaking during the same procession, MMD Copperbelt University branch chairperson Lazarous Banda said the students at CBU had been mourning Dr Chiluba from Saturday when they received the message that he had died.

[Times of Zambia]

FORUM for Leadership Search executive director Edwin Lifwekelo has written to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to stop Caritas-Zambia from monitoring this year’s elections on account of its alleged allegiance to the Patriotic Front (PF).

Mr Lifwekelo said he was on record as having been barred from conducting voter education on behalf of ECZ in 2006 following a letter authored by Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi.

He said in a statement yesterday that Ms Nawakwi accused him of siding with the ruling MMD and wrote a letter to ECZ to have him withdrawn from those who were supposed to conduct voter education.

Mr Lifwekelo said on the basis of that allegation, he was immediately withdrawn from conducting voter education on the Copperbelt.

He urged ECZ director Priscilla Isaac to use that as a precedent, especially that records were there to prove his claim.

When contacted, Ms Isaac said she had not yet seen the letter as she was attending a meeting.

Mr Lifwekelo said in a letter dated June 17, 2011 that the credibility of Caritas Zambia to monitor elections either indirectly or directly was “mutilated beyond repair” and that its leadership should take responsibility and resign immediately.

Mr Lifwekelo said ECZ should in public interest exclude Caritas Zambia from monitoring this year’s elections in order to instill confidence in the process.

He said a story carried in the Zambia Daily Mail of October 15, 2010 under the headline ‘Caritas poll ploy exposed’, where it was alleged that Caritas Zambia, a Catholic organisation and some foreign donor agencies were allegedly scheming to announce and declare PF leader Michael Sata winner of the 2011 elections proved that such deals had the potential to undermine the electoral process.

It is further alleged that Caritas Zambia, in conjunction with other civil society organisations (CSOs), would undertake clandestine activities under the guise of a coalition of CSOs.

And the Committee of Citizens has urged the MMD, United Party for National Development (UPND) and other political parties to reject the planned monitoring of elections by Caritas Zambia because it had been hired to campaign for Mr Sata and his party.

The organisation also observed that election monitors should at all times strive to conduct their election activities in an impartial manner to avoid suspicion.

Executive director Gregory Chifire in a statement yesterday challenged ECZ to scrutinise the activities of Caritas Zambia to ascertain the suitability of the organisation to be accredited for the purpose of monitoring elections this year.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Chiefs in Luapula Province have appealed to the committee appointed to look into the funeral arrangements of second republican president Dr Chiluba to consider flying his body to allow people in the area bid farewell.

Luapula Royal Establishment Foundation chairman chief Chisunka and chief Lubunda, made the appeal in separate statements on Monday.

Chief Chisunka says a lot of people in the province have been telephoning him to ask government to fly the body of Dr Chiluba to Mansa for them to pay their last respect.

He says people want to pay their last respect to Dr Chiluba, but are complaining of travel costs to Lusaka.

He says the committee of ministers overseeing the Dr Chiluba’s funeral arrangements should therefore consider flying his remains to Mansa airport where many people will be allowed to pay their last respect.

The chief says people feel it is by taking Dr Chiluba’s body to Mansa airport that the second republican president will be given a befitting farewell in his home.

And Chief Lubunda of Mwense district has also asked government to take Dr Chiluba’s body to Mansa airport a day before burial.

He says this will accord many people from his village to pay their last respect to Dr Chiluba before burial.

The chief, who is also a cousin to Dr Chiluba says he is grieved and in sorrow over Dr Chiluba’s demise.

Chief Lubunda and Dr Chiluba also attended primary school together.

ZNBC

The opposition Patriotic Front has accused MMD cadres of plotting an attack on party leader Michael Sata and other senior members if they attend late former President Fredrick Chiluba’s funeral.

PF Lusaka Province chairman Davies Chama says it is surprising that the MMD have politicized Dr. Chiluba’s death.

Mr. Chama has told journalists in Lusaka that the PF leaders will not force themselves to attend the late Second President’s funeral if they are restrained by the ruling MMD.

He says the MMD’s intension of harassing PF leaders clearly shows how deep the violence is embedded in their party structures.

And MMD Lusaka Province task force chairman Chiwele Maimisa has warned PF leaders and Journalists from the Post Newspapers against attending Dr. Chiluba’s funeral.

Mr. Maimisa has told Qfm that the opposition leaders and Post reporters always put the name of Dr. Chiluba in public ridicule when he was alive and that he sees no point for them be found at the funeral house.

He has charged that Post reporters and PF members are not welcome at the late former President’s funeral adding that should they defy this warning, they risk being thrown out by the MMD.

On Saturday, National Revolution Party president Cosmo Mumba was harassed by MMD cadres at Dr. Chiluba’s funeral house in Kabulonga.

Meanwhile a man was last evening saved from being brutalised by the ruling party cadres after he was indentified as one of the opposition PF members.

The man only identified as a Mr. Mulenga is said to be one of the aspiring candidates for the Mandevu constituency on the PF ticket.

MMD provincial chairman for Lusaka William Banda later asked the paramilitary officers to take the victim to safety and advised his party cadres to remain peaceful.

But some cadres vowed not to tolerate any of the Patriotic Front members as well as the Post Newspapers’ Journalists.

QFM

A 61 year old evangelist of Union Baptist church in Kitwe has been arrested for defiling a girl under the age of sixteen.

The evangelist Elvis Katongo appeared in court before magistrate Denstan Muchaba charged with defiling a child under the age of 16 years, a charge he has denied.

It is alleged that Katongo, who is in charge of Union Baptist church in Chimwemwe Township, defiled a child under the age of 16 years contrary to section 138 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia Act 15 of 2005 and Act number 3 of 2011.

Particulars of the offence are that on 4th June 2011 in Kitwe, Katongo had carnal knowledge of the female juvenile of Kawama Township who is a congregant at his church.

The evangelist currently detained at Kamfinsa prisons was arrested on 13th June 2011.

The court adjourned the matter to June 29, 2011 for mention and also to make a ruling on the application for bail he made.

But the prosecution objected to the application stating that the accused is living at the same church where the victim is also staying and that it is likely that he will interfere with the victim.

The accused said the victim stays in Kawama and not at the church but only come to congregate at his church.

Trial will commencement on June 19 2011.
[ ZANIS ]

By Elias Munshya wa Munshya

Biographers differ about where and when Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was born. Even his names have raised controversy. Chiluba’s background had been such a thorny issue, that in the 1996 case of Lewanika and others v. Frederick Chiluba the Supreme Court of Zambia was invited to make a ruling on who was Chiluba’s father and where Chiluba himself was born. Before the court were three possible fathers: a Mr. Chabala Kafupi (a Zambian who claimed Congolese descent), a Mr Zahare (a Mozambican), or a Mr. Chiluba Nkonde (from Kawambwa) whom President Frederick Chiluba himself statutorily declared to have been his father.

As for his place of birth, the court heard several conflicting accounts. According to Dr. John Mwanakatwe, Chiluba was born at Musangu Village in Luapula Province. Another account declared that he was born at Wusakili in Kitwe. Some petitioners in the case of Lewanika and Others even claimed that Frederick Chiluba may have been born at Chibambo CMML Mission Hospital in what was then the Belgian Congo. When called to testify about Chiluba’s background in the same court case, William Banda told the court that Frederick Chiluba who was then known as simply Titus Mpundu lived in Mufulira and spoke a Congolese dialect of Lingala.

The court dismissed William Banda’s testimony and ruled in this case that regardless of who was Chiluba’s father, or where he was born, Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was still a legitimate Head of State and was a citizen of the Republic of Zambia.

This background is necessary in this article to point out how, a man without a clear family history rose up to become President of the Republic of Zambia. And in mourning him, we should all remember, that there are some qualities that made him stand out and made him gain the confidence of the Zambian people to elect him to the presidency in 1991. If there is anything that the life of Frederick Chiluba should teach us is the fact that regardless of our background and our limitations, destiny does not delude those who work hard. The story of FJT Chiluba is a story of how a man in our time lived to overcome his limitations and soared to lead the nation from dictatorship to a democracy.

Clearly as shown above, Chiluba had no rich family history. In death, his father still remains as mysterious as when he was alive. His place of birth is still subject to speculation. The fact that as a young boy he was expelled from a Kawambwa School also shows the kind of limitations that the young Chiluba faced growing up. In a society that looks down upon short statured people, it is clear that his height too could have one of those drawbacks. But the story of Chiluba is a story of inspiration in spite of limitations.

Here a man without High School education worked hard as a bus conductor to read a few A Level courses which he later admitted to have flanked. Additionally, not to be outdone by his many challenges, Chiluba went as far as Tanzania looking for opportunities. When he came back to Zambia in his twenties, he translated the knowledge he acquired while working in the Tanzanian Sisal industry into good use. He used his courageousness and his fearlessness to become a defender of his fellow workers. Through the trade union, a diminutive Chiluba had found an opportunity to talk and walk the tallest.

When Kenneth Kaunda legislated that all trade unions would be amalgamated and controlled from one umbrella body, little did he know that one of the leaders that would use this umbrella body to oust him was Frederick Chiluba. Indeed Chiluba used and enjoyed the visibility that his stature gave him. And as an outspoken member of the unions, it was just natural that the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions would appoint him its leader. The leadership position he held until 1991 when he was elected president of the Republic.

During Chiluba’s tenure at ZCTU Kaunda made several overtures to have Chiluba appointed into Cabinet. However, to his credit Chiluba refused. A man from a poor background was not quick to jump into the opportunities of richness. He did not want to abandon his fight for the workers in order to eat noble bread at Kaunda’s table. Chiluba, a figure of modest history demonstrated to Kaunda that he was a man of steel, and not even Kaunda could bend him. In 1990, Kaunda wanted to exploit Chiluba’s history. He claimed that Chiluba’s history is questionable. To this Chiluba simply responded, “I am surprised that President Kaunda claims that he does not know me…I am surprised that Kaunda claims that I have a questionable background…I am the one whom he wanted to make Minister of Labour, but I said no, Sir!” With these words, Frederick Chiluba demonstrated to Zambians that he had not been dented by Kaunda’s corruption and therefore was ready to lead the Third Republic.

In 1990, choosing a leader for the MMD was not an easy feat. But all sections of the MMD united around Frederick Chiluba. Even many academics in the movement acknowledged the intelligence and brilliance of Chiluba. Chiluba acquired this brilliance, neither in the walls of the classroom nor in the decors of laboratories but rather on the street. It is this courage, this education, and this street wisdom that made Frederick Chiluba fit to lead Zambia’s new political party.

And in consistency with his predecessor, one of the first acts of the presidency was Christian commitment. For Kaunda, three months in power in January 1965, he launched the United Church of Zambia, calling it a “national edifice.” For Chiluba, three months in power he addressed a prayer meeting at State House where he renounced corruption and witchcraft and declared Zambia as a Christian nation. This 1991 declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation is perhaps one of the most far reaching decisions that would long linger in history.

Chiluba was a fighter for worker’s rights as a union leader. He was incorruptible. He refused several of Kaunda’s overtures at corruption. He stood for principles. But history will ponder when he started entertaining excesses. The fact that, after his presidency in 2001, he was found to have had hundreds and hundreds of custom made suits, shoes, and underwear stands contrary to a Chiluba of the 1980s. In death, Zambia should continue to reflect on what may have gone wrong and on how a champion of the poor became so excessive.

If Chiluba defined himself as a political engineer, this was true in practice as it was in theory. A man who failed A’ Levels could still make it in academia. It was Warwick University that saw the potential in Frederick Chiluba and gave him a chance to enrol for a Master of Philosophy Degree. In his dissertation entitled “Democracy: The Challenge of Change” Chiluba explained political theory and committed himself to leave the presidency after he had served 2 terms. He was critical of the “President for Life” syndrome. But a few years before his second term was to expire, it appeared that he too was falling prey to the African disease and a Third Term started to infect a few of his close associates including his party secretary Michael Chilufya Sata.

To his credit however, Chiluba kept his word and left office after ten years. His political geniusness led him to sidestep his popular former vice-presidents Godfrey Miyanda, Christon Tembo, and national secretary Sata to appoint a political nemesis Levy Mwanawasa as his successor. This decision would haunt him for years to come.
Chiluba, a 1980s champion of workers’ rights and a 1990s champion of liberal democracy was under the Mwanawasa administration answering charges of theft. His six-year trial is as much part of his legacy as his other years. No doubt that some Zambians will remember Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba for the charges of corruption he faced more than for the good things he did while in office. The pain of those charges and the embarrassment they brought against his personal integrity has been discussed by many.

Chiluba’s only redemption came in 2008, after the death of President Levy Mwanawasa. Mwanawasa’s successor, Rupiah Banda refused to call Chiluba a thief such that when the courts of law acquitted Chiluba of theft, Banda called him a damn good president. The Post Newspapers felt insulted by Banda’s words and continued to call Chiluba all sorts of names.

In death, however, Zambians should put their political differences aside and unite in mourn the passing of an extraordinary man. A diminutive man who walked among us with extraordinary courage.