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“…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him”
(1 Corinthians 2:9, NLT)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
What are the dreams and desires that you have for your future? Maybe you had some big dreams in the past, but things didn’t go the way you planned. So you put them aside and settled for status quo. We’ve all had disappointments and setbacks, but today is a new day, and we serve a God who makes all things new!
Let me challenge you to dig deep and dare to have a big dream for your life. I always say, when one dream dies, dream another dream. Don’t just settle for mediocrity, we serve a God who is above and beyond anything we can think of, and He wants to manifest His greatness through you. Remember, there’s nothing you can dream that God can’t do. Why don’t you ask Him to bring you the right people, the right opportunities, and the right resources? Trust that He is working behind the scenes on your behalf. Dare to believe and dare to dream another dream because He desires to do big things in and through you in this New Year!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, thank You for a new day to praise Your name. I dedicate myself to You fresh and anew. Lead me in the ways of my heart; help me to find that new dream, and let everything I do bring glory to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Dario Bonetti is under-fire after Zambia’s humiliating defeat against Kuwait on Friday in an international friendly in
Zambia were crushed 4-0 by Kuwait leading some to question Bonetti’s commitment to the job after only joining up with the team in Cairo from his Italian base just 48 hours before the game.
The defeat was Bonetti’s third in nine games in charge since taking up the post in July.
Bonetti has a record of four wins, three defeats and two draws with Zambia.
Former Faz committee member Henshel Chitembeya said Bonetti should have been involved with the build-up in Lusaka.
“The coach has to be involved in the preparations right from the beginning because friendly games should be give the same seriousness they deserve as a competitive international game,” Chitembeya said.
And ZAVOSFA president Peter Makembo said the result was unacceptable and that Bonetti should quit.
“Bonetti should resign on moral grounds because we cannot qualify to the Africa cup with results like losing to Kuwait,” Makembo said.
Zambia went down to Kuwait with four first half goals from the latter who remained unbeaten in two successive meetings.
Kuwait also beat Zambia in their first meeting in 1997 in another friendly that the gulf nation won 2-1 in Kuwait City.
A police officers ushers Former spy chief Xavier Chungu after he was jailed for forgery. However, Mr Chungu did not go to jail because he has served the nine months sentence from the time of arrest (File Picture)
Former director general of Zambia state security intelligence services, Xavier Chungu has revealed that he is busy in his own style campaigning for republican president Rupiah Banda.
Chungu proudly announced that he has been out to some provinces particularly Luapula province where he discussed with a cross section of residents who are happy with presidents Banda’s achievements.
[pullquote]”I am aware of people’s anxiety to know his whereabouts and how he is surviving, stating that the past is now history and will never repeat itself,” Mr Chungu said.[/pullquote]
He added that president Banda would in this year’s general elections score the highest presidential victory ever in Luapula province contrary to media reports that the province is now almost a no go area for the opposition.
In a press statement made available to QFM, Chungu said president Banda has in his two years in office scored unprecedented successes which he says have been outstanding and beyond record in the history of Zambia’s independence.
He stated that the testing period he went through made him understand the political leadership of Zambia a little more.
“I am aware of people’s anxiety to know his whereabouts and how he is surviving, stating that the past is now history and will never repeat itself,” Mr Chungu said.
He has since urged all peace loving citizens to stand bold and appreciate that Zambia today has a president and political leadership in place to take the country to greater heights.
[ QFM ]
George Mpombo
Kafulafuta MMD Member of Parliament George Mpombo has charged that the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) risks weakening because of the wrangles over the vice presidency.
Mr. Mpombo said a level playing field has not been set by the national executive committee of the party.
He said that the party should not allow provinces to declare support for the candidates as that is defeating the sole purpose of democracy.
Mr. Mpombo pointed out that the party should not be selective on people who are supposed to contest for different position during the convention.
He added that the true value of democracy in the ruling party is slowly eroding because of certain individuals in the MMD.
The Member of Parliament said that the MMD should be seen to be in the forefront of promoting democracy unlike going against the principles it was set on.
[ QFM ]
Arcades Developments Managing Director Adam Lethbridge says the first phase of the expansion programme at Arcades shopping Mall will cost US$4 million.
Mr. Lethbridge says the works which are currently on-going will take about18 months to complete.
He explained that Arcades Management was still evaluating the cost of the second phase of the expansion programme which will be done during the same period.
He said Arcades is currently constructing more shops behind the mall in a bid to provide different services for its clientele.
Mr. Lethbridge was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lethbridge has described 2010 as a successful year for the mall.
But he noted that Arcades was now facing the challenge of mushrooming of shopping malls across the country which are offering similar services and have updated infrastructure.
Vice president George Kunda about to get into his official government vehicle
VICE-PRESIDENT George Kunda has challenged Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema to give Zambians their position on homosexuality and gay rights.
Mr Kunda said Mr Sata has allegedly been linked to supporting homosexuality and gay rights in Zambia and it is strange that he has not denied that he wants to promote and advance the rights of homosexuals and gay people.
Mr Kunda said in Serenje on Thursday at a public rally that Zambia is a Christian nation and alien practices such as same sex relationships will never be promoted and condoned.
“With this type of leadership, Zambia will be a rogue State. I am challenging him (Mr Sata) to deny he is supporting homosexuality and gay rights in Zambia.
“Mr Hichilema has gone into an alliance with Mr Sata. Does he believe in what Mr Sata is doing? Does he also believe in homosexuality and gay rights?” Mr Kunda asked.
Mr Kunda said President Banda has condemned homosexuality and gay rights. The Vice-President alleged that Mr Sata is unpredictable and inconsistent and cannot be entrusted with the instruments of power because he cannot handle the security of the nation.
He said Mr Sata is on record giving conflicting views on investment in general, Chinese investment and windfall taxes.
Mr Kunda said President Banda has proved that he is a stable leader, which is why when he was Vice President during President Mwanawasa’s illness and death, he ensured that Zambia experienced a peaceful transition.
He said Zambia is still enjoying peace because President Banda is a father figure and is working hard for the people of Zambia.
“Unlike other leaders, he talks more about development than anything else. Even when he is outside the country, he is looking for investors to come to Zambia,” he said.
Mr Kunda said compared to opposition leaders, President Banda does not believe in tribalism but in one Zambia, one nation.
And Mr Kunda says Mr Sata does not believe in press freedom and if elected into power, he is going to close down The Post Newspaper. Mr Kunda said even if The Post covers the opposition leader well, if he comes to power it is likely to be closed down because Mr Sata is a danger to press freedom.
Mr Kunda also appealed to the people of Serenje not to support Mr Sata because he is known to campaign on tribal lines, as the case was in Kasama.
From Left to Right:- Director Winlot - Joan Craven ; Chairman Winlot – Steven Malavan ; Vice Chairman Sugal & Damani – Pravin Chhedda ; Deputy Minister for Finance Govt.of Zambia – Ms Chileshe Kapwepwe ; Chairman Finance Bank Zambia – Dr. Rajan Mathani ; Chairman Sugal & Damani – N. Sugal Chand Jain ; Co-Chairman Sugal & Damani - G.N. DamaniTHE Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has terminated shareholder interest of all the shareholders in Finance Bank Zambia Limited (FBZL).
According to a government gazette published on December 31, shareholders who include Finsbury Investment Limited, Credit Suisse Investments, Clarkwell Limited, Job Albert T Samuel, Estate of the late Pat Bwalya Puta and Patrick Chamunda, have ceased to hold shareholder interest in the bank.
BoZ concluded that in its opinion, FBZL was failing and would have continued to fail to conduct its business in accordance with the law.
In the Bank’s opinion, FBZL was conducting its business in an unsafe and unsound manner, and that it would have been unable to continue its operations in the ordinary course of business.
BoZ has concluded that FBZL had weak corporate governance and risk management systems which facilitated the perpetration of wanton violations of the provisions of the Banking and Financial Services Act (BFSA), subsidiary legislation and other regulations.
It was also noted that FBZL through its shareholders, directors or senior management, either collectively or individually, violated various provisions of the BFSA and its Statutory Instruments.
One of the shareholders, Dr Rajan Mahtani, through Finsbury Investments Limited, with shares held by nominees or otherwise, effectively controlled 56.5 per cent of FBZL’s shareholding in contravention of the 25 per cent limit.
FBZL also violated provisions of the Act by failure to act in the best interest of the bank and failure to exercise due care, diligence and skill by allowing indiscriminate approvals and granting loans to insiders contrary to sound lending practices.
FBZL failed to declare interest relating to contracts, facilities and also exposed itself to a single risk exposure of 62 per cent, among many other violations.
According to the gazette notice, the BoZ has statutory and legal authority to terminate the interests of shareholders in FBZL, with compensation to be determined by a court of law.
The gazette further states that the purported holding of shares by Finsbury, Clarkwell Limited and Mr Samuel in FBZL was characterised by complex trust and transfer arrangements whose final consequence was that the beneficial shareholding in FBZL was not that of the declared entities, but converged on the Executive Chairman of Finsbury, Dr Mahtani.
The BoZ had reason to believe that the indirect acquisition of shares into FBZL by Dr Mahtani via complex arrangements violates the provisions of the BFSA, as neither the declared shareholders nor Dr Mahtani disclosed these obscure arrangements to the bank.
BoZ in exercise of the powers contained in section 81(1)(c)(i) and (ii) of the BFSA took possession of FBZL on 10th December, 2010.
BoZ further terminated the shareholder interest in FBZL on December 22, 2010.
The decision to take possession of FBZL was made after BoZ conducted inspections on FBZL.
BoZ also conducted a due diligence inquiry in May 2010, in which all the declared shareholders, including the natural persons behind the corporate entities holding shares in FBZL, were invited to participate in person , and they informed BoZ that they were nominees for Dr Mahtani.
Relevant documents in possession of the Bank in connection with the shareholding by Mr Samuel, who did not attend the meetings, confirm that he, too, is a nominee of Dr Mahtani.
THE Supreme Court has granted United Party for National Development (UPND) Mufumbwe member of Parliament Eliot Kamondo an order to stay the execution of the judgement which nullified his election as Mufumbwe MP.
Supreme Court Judge Muyinda Wanki granted Mr Kamondo an order to stay the execution of the judgement pending hearing of an appeal.
This is in a case in which MMD losing candidate Mulondwe Muzungu has challenged the election of Mr Kamondo as Mufumbwe MP.
“Following a notice of appeal filed in the court, I hereby grant the applicant (Mr Kamondo) an order to stay the execution of the judgment pending hearing of his appeal,” Mr Justice Wanki said.
Mr Kamondo through one of his lawyers, Bonaventure Mutale, has also filed a certificate of urgency before the court.
He states that the application to stay execution of the judgment is of extreme urgency because the Speaker of the National Assembly may declare his seat vacant.
Mr Kamondo states in his notice of appeal that he is not satisfied with Mr Justice Musonda’s judgement of December 15, 2010.
In December last year, Mr Justice Musonda nullified Mr Kamondo’s election as UPND Mufumbwe MP because the polls were marred by violence and intimidation.
Mr Kamondo, however, filed an application for leave to stay the judgmenet pending his appeal against the verdict.
But Mr Justice Musonda in his ruling delivered on December 29, 2010 in chambers threw out Mr Kamondo’s application to stay the judgement.
He said there was no likelihood that Mr Kamondo’s appeal would succeed in the Supreme Court because it would mean the judgment had been undermined by the frivolous and vexatious applications.
Mr Justice Musonda ordered the Electoral Commission of Zambia to go ahead and set a date for the by-election.
Chambishi Copper Mine
A THIRTY-year-old miner in Chambishi has died in an underground accident, Copperbelt police chief Martin Malama has said.
Dr Malama said yesterday that Frank Lisulo of house number 24, Lukenge Way in Chambishi Township, who was during the night shift, was found dead yesterday morning after a rock fall at the Non-Ferrous Mining Company of Africa-run mine.
He said the next of kin had been informed and that Lisulo’s body was at Sinozam Friendship Hospital in Kitwe.
“Mr Lisulo was working night shift at 900 metres below ground level of NFCA. While working at the shaft, we have been informed that there was a rock fall which resulted in his death. His body was found this morning,” Dr Malama said.
Meanwhile, police in Kalulushi have impounded a truck laden with an undisclosed tonnage of copper concentrates suspected to have been stolen from Chibuluma Mine.
Dr Malama said the driver of the truck had been detained to help with investigations.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Former Finance Bank chairperson Rajan Mahtani has been named as having been involved in indirect acquisition of shares into the bank through complex arrangements that violated the law.
This is according to Government Gazette notice just releasrd on the possession of Finance Bank Zambia Limited.
The central bank has said in Gazette Notice number 97 that it had reason to believe that the indirect acquisition of shares into the bank by Dr Mahtani through complex arrangements violated the provisions of the Banking and Financial Services Act (BSFA) (S.23(6) as neither the declared shareholders nor Dr Mahtani disclosed these obscure share arrangements to the Bank of Zambia (BoZ).
Giving the rationale for the termination of shareholder interests at Finance Bank, the Government Gazette Notice dated December 31, 2010 and signed by BoZ secretary Mathew Chisunka, said the purported holding of shares in Finance Bank by Finsbury, Clarkwell Limited and a Mr J A T Samuel was characterised by complex trust and transfer arrangements whose final consequence was that the beneficial shareholding in the bank was not that of the declared entities but converged on the chief executive officer and executive chairperson of Finsbury, Dr Mahtani.
The BoZ had reason to believe the acquisition by Credit Suisse of 40 per cent shareholding stake in Finance Bank appeared to be a lending transaction because of the underlying agreements that were not disclosed to BoZ.
Among other things, these agreements guaranteed a return to Credit Suisse on their investment.
As a result of these matters, Finance Bank and certain of its shareholders had violated several pertinent provisions of the BFSA and other regulations in a manner that constituted unsafe and unsound banking practices.
The central bank considers that the approvals given to certain shareholders to hold shares in Finance Bank were obtained by fraudulent misrepresentation and this necessitated the BoZ to withdraw its approvals on June 4, 2010 in respect of certain shareholders.
As a supervisory authority, it was imperative for the BoZ to assess the fitness and propriety of shareholders of all banks in order to among other things, safeguard the integrity of the financial system.
The BoZ is authorised by Section 81 to take possession of an erring financial services provider and once in its possession, it is vested with full and exclusive powers of management and control of the financial service provider including the power to terminate the interests of the shareholders at a value to be determined by the courts of law.
[ Times of Zambia ]
DARIO Bonetti on December 31 recorded his third loss as Zambia national soccer team coach when the Chipolopolo were trounced by underweights Kuwait in an international friendly at Dreamland Ground in Cairo, Egypt.
Bonetti’s first loss was the 0-1 loss to Libya in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, his second a 2-1 loss to Ethiopia in the quarter-finals of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Senior Challenge in Dar es Salaam.
The Italian has won four and drawn two since his engagement in July.
The last time Zambia lost by such a heavy defeat was at the 2008 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations when Cameroon ran riot with a 5-1 victory.
Bonetti, who joined the team in Cairo on the night of December 29, could just watch as Yousef Alsulaiman, Barder Almutwa and Fahad Alenezi were on target for Kuwait.
Kuwait started the game a more coordinated side and kept the Zambian defence busy.
Almutwa was the first to test Zambian goalkeeper Jacob Banda when he fired a powerful short just five minutes into the match but the Zesco United custodian accounted for himself well and parried the volley out for a corner, which was wasted.
Kuwait finally broke the deadlock when Alsulaiman fired a cracker outside the box and beat Banda for the opener on 10 minutes.
The goal unsettled the Chipolopolo and Kuwait did not take long to double the lead when Alenezi capitalised on a defensive miscommunication in the Zambian team and passed the ball to Alsulaiman, who sent it into the far right corner to beat Banda, making it 2-0 on 12 minutes.
More miseries were still coming for the Chipolopolo, who looked disorganised at the back, and Al Fadel Amier almost scored the third goal when he received a pass from Alenezi, who was left unmarked by Emmanuel Mbola but the striker headed wide.
The Kuwaitis, however, got the third goal in the 20th minute when again unmarked Almutwa beat advancing Banda and put the ball into an empty net to increase the tally to 3 – 0 for his team.
Alenezi, who was a thorn in the Zambian defence, sealed the day’s work with his 35th minute goal.
Zambia only managed to create one clear-cut chance in the first half when Signs Chibambo passed the ball to Isaac Chansa but the Orlando Pirates midfielder shot wide.
In the second half, the Kuwait technicians knew the damage had already been done and substituted their most influential players Alenezi, goalkeeper Nawaf Alkhaldi and Alsulaiman.
Zambian coach Dario Bonetti then responded by removing Kennedy Mudenda for Zesco youthful player Kangwa Chileshe and Thomas Nyirenda for Simon Silwimba and the game changed.
It was Zambia who started controlling the proceedings but rattling the inside of the net still proved a difficult task as Kuwait were solid at the back.
The Zambian defence, which was marshalled by skipper Billy Mwanza and goalkeeper Banda, improved and kept the scoreline at four.
Rainford Kalaba threatened Kuwait goalkeeper Saleh Sanad with a long powerful volley but it missed the post by inches.
Kampamba Chintu picked a knock during training and missed the game.
The Federation of Free Trade Unions in Zambia (FFTUZ) has challenged the UPND-PF pact to give Zambians an inclusive shadow cabinet to give the electorate an opportunity to scrutinise the leaders.
FFTUZ president Joyce Simukoko said keeping the position of pact presidency and that of the shadow cabinet secret will not work for the opposition because Zambians have moved a step ahead in understanding governance.
Ms Simukoko was commenting on the secret document which outlines a shadow cabinet of an opposition Patriotic Front (PF) government after this year’s elections.
She said opposition political parties, especially the pact, stand to lose because the ruling MMD has already started selling their preferred candidate to the electorate.
“Ambushing Zambians at the last minute will disadvantage the pact,” Ms Simukoko said.
[pullquote]“Time is not on the side of the UPND-PF pact. Whether they stand as individual parties or as a pact because Zambians need time to weigh who can lead them,” Ms Simukoko said.[/pullquote]
She said Zambians are already frustrated with the pact’s conduct from the time it was formed and any delay in announcing the way forward as the country approaches the 2011 elections will frustrate their supporters even more.
“Time is not on the side of the UPND-PF pact. Whether they stand as individual parties or as a pact because Zambians need time to weigh who can lead them,” Ms Simukoko said.
She said whatever decision the pact will come up with, MMD will have an advantage.
Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) information officer MacDonald Chipenzi said the revelation of the PF shadow cabinet will cast doubts on whether the pact is still in place.
Mr Chipenzi said it is important for the UPND/PF pact to give Zambians a shadow cabinet of the pact and not of the PF alone.
“For people to have confidence in the pact, the leaders must show that they are united by giving us a shadow cabinet of the pact,” he said.
And Mr Chipenzi said the shadow cabinet of PF has given PF president Michael Sata three portfolios, which is not conducive to democracy.
According to a document obtained in Lusaka, Mr Sata, apart from being the shadow president, has also allocated himself the portfolio of Minister of Defence and Security and that of Local Government and Housing.
Prominent on the list of would-be ministers are PF secretary-general Wynter Kabimba as Vice-President, Mandevu MP Jean Kapata, who has been allocated the Ministry of Home Affairs and Willie Nsanda as Minister of Transport.
Others are prominent Lusaka businessman Geoffrey Mwamba, who has been allocated the Ministry of Gender, while Chipili PF MP Davis Mwila is tipped to be minister of Foreign Affairs.
Roan MP Chishimba Kambwili is tipped to be the Minister of Finance and National Planning, while PF vice-president and Lusaka Central MP Guy Scott has been allocated the Ministry of Agriculture.
UPND Copperbelt youth chairman Joe Kalusa has been positioned to be Minister of Youth and Sport.
Given Lubinda
There is no need for the PF/UPND pact to continue withholding the name of its presidential candidate because there is little time left to campaign as the republican president Rupiah Banda has gone flat out campaigning PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda has observed.
Mr. Lubinda acknowledged the need to quickly name the PF/UPND pact presidential candidate.
Mr. Lubinda said though he has been loudest in calling for patience from Zambians on the matter, he is equally concerned with the delay in naming the Pact’s presidential candidate.
“To think that the pact still has time and can continue withholding the name of its presidential candidate is wishful thinking,” Mr Lubinda said.
Mr Lubinda noted that President Rupiah Banda is using every opportunity to sell himself to the Zambians ahead of the 2011 elections.
He warned that the longer the PF/UPND pact delays in naming its presidential candidate the more difficult things would become for the pact to sell the candidate to the people.
[ QFM ]
This last week will be the nineteenth anniversary of President Chiluba’s declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation done on 29th December 1991, and the seventh anniversary of Roy Clarke’s “Mfuwe” article, written on January 1 2004. The controversy, interest and debate generated by these two events are still fresh in theological, academic, legal and journalistic circles many years after. Curiously, there is nothing that links the two events together more bizarrely than the court case involving the 2004 deportation order made against Roy Clarke. What the judges said about Christianity and Christian values in the Roy Clarke case is so relevant in giving us the glimpse into judicial attitudes to the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation. While there has not been any legal or constitutional challenge to the declaration itself, the case of “Attorney General v Clarke” exposes some inconsistencies within judicial reasoning over the Declaration. Consequently, in examining this relationship this article explores why in this case the Supreme Court may have gotten wrong the relevance of Christian values in Zambian society.
Roy Clarke in his weekly column of The Post, did a piece he entitled “Mfuwe” where he satirically characterised the Zambian cabinet as animals. Taking animal metaphors from the tourist enclave of Mfuwe, Clarke used expressions such as King Elephant Muwelewele in obvious reference to President Mwanawasa. He also used the Baboon metaphor to satirise then vice-president Nevers Mumba. This Mfuwe article greatly displeased the Mwanawasa government, and Clarke was ordered deported on January 3 2004 by Hon. Gen. Ronnie Shikapwashya the then Minister of Home Affairs. Major reasons for so deciding were that as a white man, Clarke deliberately used racist language. Additionally, it was claimed that what he did was contrary to Zambian cultural values.
Unsurprisingly, Roy Clarke appealed against the Hon. Minister’s decision. After granting him an injunction, the Hon. Justice Philip Musonda of the Lusaka High Court latter quashed the deportation order. In his ruling, Justice Musonda declared freedom of expression to be sacrosanct. He mentioned that even if Clarke’s piece was “irritating, offensive or shocking” it still fell within the confines of speech that must be protected by the Constitution of Zambia. Controversially, Justice Musonda added that deporting Roy Clarke would go against the Christian values espoused by Zambia a Christian nation. The preservation of the family is one such Christian value. Consequently, if Clarke were to be deported, his wife and children would be deprived of his presence thereby contradicting Christian values which Zambia embraces.
As can been gleaned from Justice Musonda’s other judicial opinions, arriving at this conclusion should have been natural for him. He is a fervent believer in press freedom and holds the doctrine of separation of powers very dearly. He is also a courageous judge. He at one time reversed the decision of an administrative tribunal presided over by judges, a court his senior. One of his university students remarked that he based the incorruptibility of the judicial office to that of the Lord Jesus Christ.
After Justice Musonda’s verdict restoring Roy Clarke’s permanent residence status, Zambia’s Attorney General appealed against this ruling. The Zambian government felt that Justice Musonda was wrong to allow Roy Clarke to stay. GRZ interceded with the Supreme Court to have another look at the case. The Supreme Court bench sitting with Zambia’s most senior Justices-Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Deputy Chief Justice David Lewanika, and Justices Dennis Chirwa, Florence Mumba, Peter Chitengi, Sandson Silomba, and Christopher Mushabati- dismissed the government’s appeal. However, in dismissing the appeal and upholding Justice Musonda’s decision, the Supreme Court nevertheless fervently disagreed with almost all the reasons given by Justice Musonda. This article limits itself to the “Christian nation” and “Christian values” reasons. From Justice Musonda’s opinion, Christianity as espoused by Zambia’s status as a Christian nation provides some values that can be legally and constitutionally relied on. As such, he invoked the importance of those Christian values to Roy Clarke’s situation. Accordingly, if Roy Clarke were deported he would be deprived of family. This deprivation is unnecessary according to Justice Musonda, as it goes against Christian values in a Christian nation.
In disagreeing with Justice Musonda on the relevance of “Christian nation values”, the Supreme Court ruled that the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation lacked juridical value. Since it lacked juridical value, the Christian nation declaration or Christian values cannot be relied on constitutionally. The honourable justices of the Supreme Court even castigated Justice Musonda by stating, “We must say here that we disapprove of this kind of approach by a Judge.” It seems then that what the Supreme Court wanted to concentrate on with regard to Roy Clarke’s case was points of law, statutes, or indeed common law principles. The Supreme Court did not want to tolerate personal opinions or even the so called “Christian values.” Particularly, the thought that Justice Musonda may have regarded Christian values as a source of law was principally problematic for the Supremes.
However, what is confusing as the opinion continues is that the Supreme Court justices themselves, do exactly what they are condemning Justice Musonda for. They condemned Musonda for invoking Christian values and yet they too veer off from discussing only relevant statutes and case law to go on to invoke the relevance of Zambian cultural values. The Court stated: “We have no doubt that in every other country you cannot say and write things using words and expressions that are not in consonance with the cultural values and norms of the people of that country.” As such, while criticizing Musonda, the Supreme Court created an unnecessary dichotomy between “cultural values” and “Christian values.” With the latter having no juridical value, while the former does. Additionally, the court failed to consider the extent to which these very cultural values have been influenced by Christian values. While Musonda may have linked the two, the Supreme Court found it relevant to separate them. Essentially, then what it refers to as Zambian cultural values have juridical value while Christian nation values do not.
What the Supreme Court may have missed here is that Zambian cultural values are inextricably linked to Christian values. The Declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation did not necessarily create a new set of values for Zambia, but rather affirmed Zambian traditional cultural values which are mostly affirmative of Christianity. Justice Musonda should not have been reprimanded for his “Christian values” opinion. It was the Supreme Court that needed to see that Zambians adhere very dearly to Christian values—and the Christian nation declaration is just one way of showing that. Therefore, the claim that the Christian nation declaration and Christian values lack juridical value is quite worrying.
The Finnish government has approved the second phase of the Programme for Luapula Agriculture and Rural Development (PLARD) which will run from 2011 to 2015.
Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa announced the approval of PLARD-two, during the fourth quarter provincial development coordinating committee (PDCC) meeting held at Teja Lodge.
Mr. Chikwakwa today said, PLARD which has been receiving financial and technical support from the Finnish government has fisheries and agribusiness activities in the province.
He said the approval by Finland to support the second phase of PLARD means, the first phase activities proved to be viable and that the success impressed the Finnish government.
Mr. Chikwakwa thanked the Finnish government for its continued support to the people of Luapula Province.
He appealed to government officers who will be involved in the second phase of PLARD to ensure that it also becomes successful and beneficial to the people the programme was intended to serve.
“The Finnish government has given positive indications that it would fund the second phase of PLARD which will run from 2011 to 2015. I want to appeal to all the officers involved in the PLARD activities to draw lessons from phase-one and make phase-two very successful and beneficial,” Mr. Chikwakwa said.
