1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Last wk/weekend in Pictures
ZEC tells Barotse activists to be peaceful
The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has appealed to activists calling for the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement to be peaceful and learn to tolerate opposing views.
ZEC, a group of Catholic bishops, said in a statement released yesterday that the activists should commit themselves to peaceful means in their advocacy and should tolerate people with different views on the subject.
The bishops said while it was the right of the activists to organise and associate with anybody, it was important to respect the rights of other people who did not belong to the groupings and may have different views on the subject.
“We appeal to the activist groups, particularly the Linyungandambo, Barotse Freedom Movement, Movement for the Restoration of Barotseland Agreement and the Barotse Patriotic Front to commit themselves to peaceful means of advocating for their demands,” the statement reads in part.
It said all stakeholders in the matter should commit to peace by refraining from violence, intimidation or use of force as a means of achieving their objectives.
The bishops said dialogue was the best way forward.
The bishops did not blame any particular party for the violence that took place in January this year in Mongu but called for a lasting solution to remove tension in Western Province.
[pullquote]“We appeal to the activist groups, particularly the Linyungandambo, Barotse Freedom Movement, Movement for the Restoration of Barotseland Agreement and the Barotse Patriotic Front to commit themselves to peaceful means of advocating for their demands,” the statement reads in part.[/pullquote]
They said although they realised the duty of the Government to maintain law and order, it was important not to use live ammunition on the public again.
The bishops appealed to President Rupiah Banda to exercise his prerogative to release those detained in connection with the violence in Mongu in January this year.
They also said the Government should address perceptions that Western Province was sidelined in matters of development.
The bishops said they acknowledged efforts by the Government to take development to the province and called for more development programmes.
They said diocesan groupings, deaneries, parishes and small Christian communities should use every opportunity available to preach, promote and to be witnesses of peace and unity.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Masheke is a lair — Musokotwane
THE Government has described former prime minister in the UNIP administration Malimba Masheke as a liar for claiming that Western Province is the poorest region in the country because it has allegedly been neglected.
Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane said General Masheke, who was a Government leader for many years, failed to influence development projects such as the roads from Mongu to Kalabo and Mongu to Sesheke which the Rupiah Banda administration was now spearheading.
Gen Masheke said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that there was little attention paid to Western Province which he claimed had become the poorest region in Zambia.
He was flanked by former minister of Communications and Transport William Harrington, former secretary to the Cabinet Sketchley Sachika and former Southern African Development Community parliamentary forum secretary general Kasukwa Mutukwa.
But Dr Musokotwane said Gen Masheke, Dr Sachika and Mr Harrington failed to deliver development to the province when they held senior positions in the Government.
He said the Government in this year’s national Budget had provided K586 billion for various infrastructure development, which was higher than before when the province was receiving about K50 billion per year.
Dr Musokotwane said the K586 billion did not include the money held by ministries such as Education, Works and Supply, and Agriculture which had their own allocations for projects in the province where huge sums of money were being spent.
The minister asked Mr Harrington to tell the nation what he did when he was minister of Tourism and later Communications and Transport for him to support the statement that the province was poor.
He also said Dr Sachika held the influential position of secretary to the Cabinet and did nothing for the people of Western Province while President Banda’s administration had constructed several schools, health centres and boosted agriculture.
Dr Musokotwane said the province was under-developed because some former leaders such as Gen Masheke failed to provide a proper foundation for socio-economic advancement.
The former prime minister also accused the Government of torturing suspects arrested in connection with the confusion that erupted last month in Mongu over the Barotseland Agreement.
He said the suspects, who had been transferred to Mumbwa, would not have access to legal representation and care from their relatives.
Mr Harrington said the treason accused had merely asked for the recognition of the Barotseland Agreement and were not pressing for the secession of Western Province.
But Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu, in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, said Gen Masheke was not telling the truth because all the suspects were under the care of
prison officials.
Mr Lungu said food was being provided for the suspects while legal representation had adequately been addressed.
He said the matter about the treason suspects was in court and urged Gen Masheke, Mr Harrington and Dr Sachika to stop commenting on it because if they were arrested they would start attacking the Government.
The briefing was attended by Kabwata Member of Parliament (MP) Given Lubinda, PF chairperson for mobilisation Charles Banda, former Mandevu MP Patricia Nawa, PF chairperson for legal affairs Edgar Lungu and Barotse Royal Establishment spokesperson Oliver Saasa.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Mabenga attacks Sata over the Barotseland Agreement
MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga has advised the people of Western Province not to be hoodwinked by Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata’s hypocrisy over the Barotseland Agreement because the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) is actively discussing the matter.
Mr Mabenga said in an interview yesterday that talks are going on regarding the problems in the Western Province.
“The Barotse Royal Establishment called for a Barotse National Council last week. The Barotse National Council comprises all the chiefs in Western Province and all stakeholders that should talk about the issue…this has been held and we are waiting to hear how they will proceed,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said Mr Sata knows nothing about the operations of the BRE and is displaying ignorance by commenting on the Barotseland Agreement.
Mr Mabenga said the BRE knows the steps to take over the problems in the Western Province.
“How can Mr Sata say that for the PF, the honouring of the Barotse Agreement is a matter of urgent necessity? He is on record as having said it is a non-starter when he was a senior Cabinet Minister,” Mr Mabenga said.
Mr Sata is quoted by a local tabloid as having said that for PF, the honouring of the Barotse Agreement is a matter of urgent necessity and not political expedience to win an election.
“Mr Sata is a hypocrite. We know the schemes that he is playing and people must not be hoodwinked by this hypocrisy,” Mr Mabenga said.
He advised the people of Western Province not to forget the disparaging attacks that Mr Sata made against them.
“We also know how he treated the people of Western Province who wanted to stand as members of Parliament when he was MMD national secretary in 1996. I am able to testify and call upon all those who stood as MPs because they heard the words Mr Sata uttered.
“I want to tell the people of Western Province not to be taken for a ride. We will not accept this kind of hypocrisy. The Barotse Royal Establishment is taking a clean path on this, let us not listen to these lies and the hypocrisy from this man,” Mr Mabenga said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Wear Your Blessing Well
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him”
(Genesis 26:12, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
One time Isaac was in a famine. There was a great drought in the land, but Isaac went out and planted crops right in the middle of that famine. It didn’t make any sense, but somehow in that same year of drought, the Scripture says, “Isaac received 100 times what he had sown because the Lord blessed him.”
What’s interesting is that when Isaac got blessed, the people around him, the Philistines and his friends all of the sudden got jealous of him. They were fine as long as he was broke. As long as they were at the same level, it was no big deal. But when he stepped up to a new level, when he began to wear his blessings well, the Scripture says, “The Philistines hated Isaac.”
Maybe you’ve noticed this in your own life. When you start to do better, the people around you don’t celebrate. They become jealous. But you can’t allow the attitudes of others to hold you back and cause you to live in mediocrity. Instead, when you’re blessed, brag on God! Shake off the criticism of others and receive His blessing. Wear it well because when you honor Him, He will continue to increase and promote you all the days of your life!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, thank You for every good and perfect gift that You have poured out on my life. In humility, I choose to wear my blessings well. I won’t shrink back at the criticism of others; but instead, I will walk with You forward into the life of blessing You have prepared for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
Police summon Father Bwalya in Livingstone.
Change life Zambia Executive Director Father Frank Bwalya was yesterday summoned by the Zambia police for holding the Save Zambia conference in Livingstone.
This came to light when Father Bwalya and Citizens forum executive secretary were preparing to address scores of Livingstone residents on the need to have a new constitution.
Despite the explanation to the Zambia Police officers in plain clothes, the two social commentators were asked to go to the police station for what was referred to as a meeting.
Mr. Kabanda refused to go and asked Father Bwalya to go and meet the officer in-charge, and some suspected intelligence officers.
Sources told QFM Livingstone that police had no idea that the conference was going to be addressed by Father Bwalya.
Sources further said that the local authority only allowed the conference to take place thinking that it was a district committee and not father Bwalya.
After a meeting that lasted over 20 minutes Father Bwalya was released and warned not to issue any inflammatory statement.
Father Bwalya obliged and stated that he will, however, “call a spade a spade” adding that Zambians needed a new constitution before elections.
Meanwhile, scores of people attended the save Zambia conference.
Father Bwalya told Livingstone residents that he will not be intimidated by those in authority over his rights to associate with anyone.
Speaking at the occasion, citizen’s forum executive secretary charged that the MMD government will rig this year’s election.
He asked the people who attended the conference to demand for a new constitution to avoid the people in government to secretly rig elections.
[ QFM ]
Five Pro’s Arrive For Swazi Friendly
Dario Bonetti’s first trip to Swaziland has been boosted with the arrival of five foreign-based players ahead of Wednesday international friendly in Mbabane.
And in Ndola, Zesco United beat Copperbelt-Select 3-1 in a friendly game played in Ndola this afternoon.
The TP Mazembe trio of striker Given Singuluma, playmaker Rainford Kalaba and defender Hichani Himoonde have joined camp in Lusaka ahead of departure for Mbabane on Monday.
Missing from the regular TP call-ups will be utility midfielder Stopilla Sunzu who has been ruled out due to injured.
Also in camp in Lusaka this the Chinese based attacking midfielder James Chamanga and Felix Katongo from Libyan side Al Ittihad.
Meanwhile, Zesco this afternoon beat a Copperbelt Select side 3-1 in a training game played at Musonka Kasonka Stadium.
Nicholas Zulu scored a brace while Chakwa Lungu added one goal against the Copperbelt-Select side whose lone goal was score by Roger Chitambala of Ndola United.
Zesco were using the warm-up match to prepare for their Caf Orange Champions League preliminary round, return leg match against Liga Muculmana of Mozambique this coming weekend in Maputo.
Zesco hold a 3-0 lead from the first leg played last Saturday at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
K3.4 billion spent on Sinazongwe Schools
Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Oliver Pelete has said government has spent K3.4 billion on building and rehabilitating Schools for the past three years in the district.
Mr. Pelete said at the hand over of a teacher’s house at Muuka Basic School that was built by PilgrimWesleyan Church of Zambia that government has built 56 class rooms in the entire district.
He said government would this year expand Maamba high School to cater for the growing number of pupils.
Mr. Pelete said government would also build another high School after expanding the Maamba high School.
The DC disclosed that government graded the Kanchindu/ Siampondo road that did not receive attention for over 25 years and the works ended at Nyanga near Siameja.
Mr. Pelete said through the Land Development Funds that the district received, the Local Authority has developed Siansowa Township which is at the centre of tourism and fishing activities in the district.
He also thanked the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church for finding a Sponsor from United States of America to build a teacher’s house and to help in alleviating the housing shortages among the teachers in Muuka area.
Pilgrim Wesleyan National Suprintendent Dr Alfred Kalembo commended government for ensuring that all citizens have equal access to education.
Dr. Kalembo said the delivery of quality education calls for adequate and appropriate infrastructure especially for teacher’s houses.
The donor for the teacher’s house that was built at K30 million Brian Maydew said he was happy for making a contribution to the school to assist the community the community in accessing education.
PF to hold Party Convention next month
The Patriotic Front-PF has said it will hold its party general conference in mid March ahead of this year’s tripartite elections.
PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba said currently, the party is holding its provincial conferences and that so far five have been held.
Mr. Kabimba told ZNBC news that the PF has already held provincial conferences in Western, Central, Southern and Northern Provinces.
He explained that Northern Province has been divided into two, and that five more provincial conferences are remaining.
Mr. Kabimba has appealed to the party leadership to exhibit humility during the party’s provincial conferences.
He has also urged PF members to fully participate in the provincial conferences.
Meanwhile, the Patriotic Front has asked government to put in place measures that will curb financial irregularities cited in the Auditor General’s report.
Mr. Kabimba said the PF is particularly concerned that every Auditor General’s report has financial irregularities.
He said the K308 billion misappropriated is too huge and that it could have been channeled into the social sector.
And in Mansa, The United Party for National Development (UPND) in Mansa District says it will not recognize any aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) candidate for Mansa Central and Bahati Constituencies because it has not been consulted.
And Mansa UPND has challenged PF in the Province to come out in open and tell the UPND if they are not ready to work as a pact in the Province.
In an interview with ZANIS, Mansa District UPND Coordinator Jones Mutimushi said UPND will not recognize all the PF aspiring candidates for Mansa Central and Bahati constituencies because the selection was done without consultation.
Mr Mutimushi said the PF UPND pact has never sat to choose and interview any aspiring candidates adding that it is therefore disappointed to learn that the pact already has the candidates.
He said UPND in the district has therefore distant itself from being part of the panel that chose all the PF aspiring candidates.
He said even if PF has more support in Mansa Central and Bahati constituencies than UPND, PF was supposed to consult them on the selection and not just dictate to them that they have picked candidates.
He said from the inception of the Pact, PF and UPND in the district met only once when the PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda visited the district.
Meanwhile, Mansa UPND has challenged PF in the Province to come out in open and tell the UPND if they are not ready to work as a pact in the Province.
Mr Mutimushi said the PF in the province has been working in isolation adding that this cannot establish the pact that people want.
ZNBC
Faz Secures Last Minute Friendly
Faz has found a late replacement friendly for the Zambia national team after the Kenya warm-up fiasco.
Sources at Football House have revealed that Zambia will face Swaziland on Wednesday, February 9.
The match will be played away in Mbabane and the team is expected to travel to Swaziland on Monday.
Zimbabwe was the other team being courted by Zambia as an alternative team to play next Wednesday.
Swaziland replace the Harambee Stars as Zambia’s opponents on the February Fifa match date.
This is after one of Kenya’s two football administrative bodies opted to secure a more lucrative friendly with South Africa away on the same date.
Meanwhile, Safa’s decision to host Kenya was met with some criticism from Faz president Kalusha Bwalya who described the whole episode as unethical.
Namugala hits spotlight in New york
Zambian Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Catherine Namugala, stole the limelight at the United Nations Forum on Forests UNFF9 High Level Segment in New York when foreign journalists besieged her following an impromptu conversation with 13-year old Felix Finkbeiner from Germany over views relating to forests and people.
Ms. Namugala who walked over to the boy accompanied by her Zambian Delegation soon after the closing of the launch of the International Year of Forests Ceremony at United Nations General Assembly Hall, chatted with the boy for about ten minutes.
Zambia’s First Secretary at the UN in New York Moses Walubita says suddenly the discussion between Ms Namugala and Felix caught the attention of the international media, and video cameras then hovered on the two for the best footage, followed by interviews.
He says what started as a casual chat, between the two ended up as a big media attraction.
Mr Walubita says the international media were attracted by the professional and eloquent manner in which Ms. Namugala elaborated issues on forests and the environment with Finkbeiner.
He says at the close of their chat Ms. Namugala invited Finkbeiner to visit Zambia.
Mr Walubita says the boy had just delivered an expressive speech on behalf of the youths of the world on the future of forests.
“What followed was deafening clapping of hands in the packed General Assembly hall, presided over by the President of its 65th session, His Excellency Mr. Joeph Deiss (Switzerland).” He says.
He says Ms. Namugala had wanted to talk to Finkbeiner and that was where her focus was, despite the flashing of cameras.
Finkbeiner who was interviewed by many media outlets, said he was pleased to meet Ms. Namugala to discuss issues on forests especially planting of trees.
His message to the World leaders was that they needed to STOP TALKING AND START PLANTING.
His message, the young lad indicated that youths or children had a problem in understanding the logic in leaders in the world who never showed seriousness in addressing issues of deforestation.
He said they only looked at the present situation and not the adverse effect climate change would have on the future generation.
In elaborating his presentation, Felix likened it to someone telling a monkey to choose between eating 3 bananas at the moment or eating 9 bananas after a month.
The monkey will choose eating the 3 bananas that very moment he said. “This is the kind of greed and lack of seriousness that we see today because we don’t want to address this issue of climate change now in order to benefit everyone in future but we want to put a blind eye to these matters that affect everyone.”
[ZNBC]
Auditor General ‘investigates’ ECZ
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced that officers from the Auditor general’s office will at the beginning of March 2011 start auditing the commission’s 2009 and 2010 books of accounts.
And the ECZ says it does not hold any classified accounts that cannot be audited.
Responding to views and comment’s on last week’s “Let the people talk” programme on Radio Phoenix, ECZ public relations manager Chris Akufuna told the media today that all counts held by the commission have in the past been subjected to audits.
Mr. Akufuna said ECZ accounts have always been audited by ECZ and that the last audit was in 2008.
He said the K15 billion kwacha funding that the commission received from government, through the ministry of Finance and National planning early this week would be used to clear part of the K92 billion debt owed to various companies for the supply of goods and services.
Mr. Akufuna said ECZ was a transparent institution that did not have anything to hide from the public it serves.
He invited all stake holders with questions regarding the operations and dealings of the commission to approach the institution.
Last wkend/week in pictures
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Let’s Talk About Football
By Daimone Siulapwa
FINALLY, the date for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) annual general meeting has been set, which is March 26.
As was possibly expected, there are a lot of reactions from many stakeholders. As they say, football, or soccer as the Americans would call it, is almost a religion in Zambia although going by the attendance at many local football matches, that is far from the truth.
Maybe talk about it being a number one sport, and you would be closer to the truth.
Anyhow, for many soccer loving Zambians, the holding of the annual general meeting should result in an end to the squabbles that have rocked Football House, which led to president Rupiah Banda’s intervention and indeed that of FIFA.
The current FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya has got everything to do with the squabbles that have led to the creation of two national football executives, one led by himself and the other by Andrew Kamanga.
Ever since Kalusha entered football administration in this country as first vice-president to seasoned administrator Teddy Mulonga, who is now Permanent secretary at the ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, matters at Football House have never been the same, it has been one wrangle after another.
It is common knowledge in football circles that Kalusha never used to get along with Teddy Mulonga, and did almost everything within his “books of tricks’ to undermine his boss. Even the decision to contest the presidency of the Confederation of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) was ill-advised and ill-timed. That he only got two votes is testimony to that.
But this is a man who never learns. As if that is not enough, he now wants to go for executive positions in both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the world soccer governing body (FIFA).
To most people that know Kalusha, this is not surprising. The moment he decided to contest for the post of FAZ vice-president, it was quite evident that he was aiming for the top job. While as a footballer, it was difficult to predict Great Kalu move’s, as an administrator, the opposite is the case, you can easily tell where he wants to go next.
But who does this guy think he is to think that he deserves to be both in CAF and FIFA at the expense of seasoned football administrators like Danny Jordaan who helped organize arguably one of the most successful World Cup’s in FIFA history – the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Well, if Kalu had even displayed a bit of skill administrative-wise, everyone would have been happy to support him. Well, it would be good for the country to have a Zambian in CAF and FIFA, although one doubts whether at this stage, Kalu has the interest of the country at heart. If he had, he would have been resident here as FAZ president to oversee the development of the game even if the position is not full-time.
Anyhow, our Kalusha, as if the mess he has created back home is not enough, wants to go for the big ones. Well, let us just say good luck!
But back to the FAZ AGM, we expect nothing short of sanity to prevail in Kitwe where the meeting has been scheduled. Again, why the choice of Kitwe when the most centrally located venues are Kabwe and Lusaka, no one knws? Perhaps they think that representatives of small clubs will be unable to travel there, which is wishful thinking anyway.
Looking at the developments in local football, it is very evident that the majority of FAZ councilors want Kalusha out. And the best thing for him to do is to quit while he can. The fact that there is a large section of affiliates willing to pass a vote of no confidence is good reason enough for him to resign. What is happening to Kalu is not different from what is happening to the Arab world where citizens are calling for the removal of their leaders. The only difference is that this is football and that is politics. But the common denominator is that majority of people are dissatisfied ; it is time for Mr Kalusha Bwalya to go. Really, there is not much for him to worry about. As a player, his legacy is intact, everyone recognizes him as one of the greatest footballers that not only this country, but also the continent has produced. He will always have a place in this country’s history.
But as an administrator, it must be said, it is a little sad that he has failed to live-up to the expectations. And with that, the best thing for him to do is to throw in the towel at the Kitwe meeting and admit that “guys, I tried my best, but my best, was not good enough.”
Trinidad and Tobago calls for closer ties with Zambia
President of Trinidad and Tobago Professor George Maxwell Richards has called for closer ties between his country and Zambia.
He appealed to Zambia to open an Honorary Consul office as a minimum point of contact in the absence of a resident Embassy in order to deepen and consolidate the already existing ties.
He said this when he received Credentials from the newly accredited Zambian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, H.E. Dr. Nevers S. Mumba in Port of Spain. Dr. Mumba will serve as High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago on non residential basis.
This was contained in a press release to Lusakatimes issued by Ben Kangwa First secretary press to the Zambian High Commission in Canada.
Professor Richards added that it was the wish of his country to revive cooperation agreements in Technical, Scientific and Cultural Sectors signed in 1995 during the State visit of Zambia’s Second Republic President Dr. Frederick J.T Chiluba.
President George Maxwell Richards also reminded Dr. Nevers Mumba of the visit of Zambian First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda in the early 80s to that country.
In turn Dr. Nevers Mumba expressed to President Professor George Maxwell Richards, President Rupiah B. Banda’s satisfaction at the excellent friendship and cordial relations that exist between the two countries, stressing that Zambia is impressed with the smooth election in Trinidad and Tobago that ushered in a new government led by the first female Prime Minister, the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The new High Commissioner further stated that he would do his best to boost friendship between Zambia and Trinidad and Tobago for the benefit of the two peoples.
Dr. Mumba also conveyed a message of condolences on behalf of His Excellency, President Rupiah B. Banda on the death of Trinidad’s first President, Sir. Ellis Clarke who died on 30th December, 2010 and was buried first week of January 2011.
Earlier, High Commissioner, Dr. Nevers Mumba held bilateral talks with Trinidad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Surujrattan Rhambachan and discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the promotion of closer ties in trade and technical support.
At this meeting, Trinidada and Tobago offered Zambia an opportunity for Zambian students to be trained in petroleum studies following Zambia’s prospecting for oil and gas.
Other bilateral meetings were held with the Minister of Trade and Industry, Stephen Cadiz and the Minister of Energy, Mrs. Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.