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Cecily’s Fund-making a difference in the lives of Zambian children

editor
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Bwafwano community school

In 1997, a 19-year-old English girl, Cecily Eastwood, was teaching at Lechwe School in Kitwe and volunteering with CINDI (Children in Distress) at a homework club for orphans during her gap year between school and university. Tragically, she was killed in a traffic accident before the year ended.

Cecily’s parents, Basil and Alison Eastwood, requested donations at her funeral to help the orphans she had been working with. They were amazed to receive over £6,500 (ZMK 48,750,000) from friends, family and strangers who were moved by the story in the paper. The following year they visited Zambia and learned that CINDI had used the money to put the orphans into school for one year, but did not have funds to continue their schooling. The Eastwoods decided to establish Cecily’s Fund in their daughter’s memory, to keep these children, and others like them, in school. They continued working with CINDI until 2007.

Cecily in Scotland

Cecily’s Fund works in close partnership with the Ministry of Education and with Zambian organisations; Hodi (who took over Cecily’s Fund’s Kitwe education programme in 2007), CHEP (Copperbelt Health Education Project) and, in Lusaka, Bwafwano. Together they are now supporting well over 9,500 children through school and college and are helping to increase young peoples’ awareness of HIV. Earlier this year, Cecily’s Fund signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education to formalise their partnership and to help facilitate the work of its non-government partner organisations at individual school, district and national level.

Cecily’s Fund’s partners work with school-based committees to identify the most vulnerable children and provide them with shoes, uniforms, books and pens, and help with fees. With CHEP, they train 50 young people whom they have supported through school as peer health educators, and support them to teach Kitwe school children how to stay safe from HIV. They also support some of their school graduates and former peer health educators to train as teachers.

The children they support have faced much trauma and disruption from the illness or death of their parents. Many are living with elderly grandparents or chronically ill parents, or have no adults to care for them. Cecily’s Fund and its partners work with specially nominated “contact teachers” (the role is usually assumed by Guidance and Counselling teachers) to monitor their children’s progress in school and provide extra support if needed. They are also developing links with government and other non-government organisations who can help children’s households with issues such as housing and nutrition.

The majority of their supported children are in Kitwe, but since 2002 Cecily’s Fund has supported Bwafwano Community School in the Chazanga suburb of Lusaka. Bwafwano was set up in 1996 by local nurse, Beatrice Chola. Initially it focused on providing home based care for neighbours suffering from tuberculosis and other chronic illnesses. It now offers the community a range of services including a clinic, a legal advice centre, a vocational training centre and a school. Cecily’s Fund pays for teachers’ salaries, educational materials and a daily meal for all 756 children in the school, which runs from pre-school up to grade 4.

Once children are academically and emotionally ready, Cecily’s Fund and Bwafwano support them to move on to local government schools; paying for uniforms, materials and helping with fees. They also work with contact teachers to monitor progress and give guidance and support. Despite the challenges they face, 100 of the 162 Bwafwano children at government schools passed grade 8 entrance exams this year, many with results among the best at their school. Bwafwano’s Education Officer, Bambala Kataso explains; “Our focus at Bwafwano is that orphans and vulnerable children reach grade 12 and fulfill their dreams.”

For more information about Cecily’s Fund, please visit www.cecilysfund.org

Zamtel workers paid as per agreement

Entertainment Editor
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THE National Union of Communication Workers (NUCW) has said the breakdown of payments to the retrenched workers of Zamtel is what was agreed between the union and the Government.

But NUCW branch officials in Ndola have challenged the NUCW executive to avail a copy of the actual agreement that they signed on behalf of the workers in view of the partial privatisation of the telecommunications firm.

NUCW Secretary General Clement Kasonde said yesterday that the breakdown of payments that the retrenched workers were given was what was agreed between stakeholders before the retrenchment was implemented.

Mr Kasonde said the stakeholders entered into an agreement that said the retrenched workers should get three months basic pay multiplied by the number of years worked by an employee.

He said the workers were also to receive two months worth of salaries as repatriation and an extra one-month salary.

He said leave days accumulated should be paid in cash and the whole redundancy package was tax-free as Government was to pay the tax on behalf of the workers.

He said most workers had earlier thought that as part of their package, they would be paid compensation equal to 20 months of their basic salary as it was done in 1996 when excess workers were retrenched from Zamtel after the unbundling of the Posts and Telecommunication Corporation.

In addition to the compensation at the time, workers received one-and-a-half months basic salary for every year worked as retrenchment.

Mr Kasonde said even though his union would have wanted to get more for the workers during negotiations, circumstances were different now compared to 1996 when the retrenchment was internal, management was more willing to give into the union’s demands and the company was solvent..

The branch officials, however, said in a letter addressed to the general secretary and made available to the Times in Ndola yesterday that about a month before Zamtel was officially handed over to LapGreen Networks, they had observed the alleged failure by the executive to avail the actual agreement to the workers.

The branch officials of the Ndola Central Branch said they had received several queries concerning the nature of the document from the members.

Branch chairperson Chilyobwe Mwape and branch vice-secretary Henry Nsama signed the letter.

“On several occasions we have asked you to reveal the entire document to us as branch leaders and of course to the general membership since this document is purported to have been signed on our behalf, but alas you have time and again failed to bring out the entire document except for a few selected clauses you have revealed at your own discretion,” reads part of the letter.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Mpombo is scared

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Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo

THE MMD in Masaiti District has said Kafulafuta Member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo’s challenge of his expulsion from the ruling party is a mark of cowardice and proof that he has no capacity to re-contest the seat.

And MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu has said the expulsion of Mr Mpombo from the party is legal, and the MP is ignorant on the party constitution.

Masaiti District chairperson Michael Katambo said it was shocking for the former Defence minister, who had routinely bragged that President Rupiah Banda and the MMD leadership were scared of him because he was a political heavyweight, to protest his expulsion from the party.

“Mr Mpombo said he was fully armed and ready to defeat his political rivals but we are now wondering that the man who claimed he was game is now rushing to engage lawyers to challenge the decision to expel him from the MMD,” he said.

Mr Katambo said Mr Mpombo was scared of the by-election because he had realised that he would be defeated, and the grassroots support he boasted about was non-existent.

He said even the seven ward councillors Mr Mpombo said would resign and align themselves to his interests were still loyal to the MMD leadership.
Kafulafuta Constituency is in Masaiti District.

“The man has not done any serious development projects in Kafulafuta and he is obviously having difficulties to woo supporters from among the local people,” Mr Katambo said.

Kafulafuta Constituency MMD chairperson, Abraham Mwape said the people in the area now knew the true colours of Mr Mpombo, and he could no longer be taken seriously.

Mr Mwape said MMD members in Kafulafuta were ready to face Mr Mpombo and prove to him that he was simply a political lightweight.

Mr Nyangu said the decision to expel Mr Mpombo from the party was legal because the current National Executive Committee (NEC) office-bearers had the mandate to execute their duties until the next party convention was held.

He said contrary to Mr Mpombo’s assertions that his expulsion was illegal because the current NEC members acted outside the party’s constitution following the expiry of their mandate on July 17, NEC’s mandate and all decisions made by its membership remained valid and legally binding.

“What is Mr Mpombo talking about? You see it is because he is so new in the party and in politics.

“In 1995, we had our party convention in December, and this did not stop NEC members from executing their duties, just because the convention had not yet been held,” he said.

Mr Nyangu said the process towards the holding of the party’s convention was on-going.

Mr Mpombo has engaged his lawyers to challenge the decision by the MMD NEC to expel him because it was unconstitutional.

The Kafulafuta MP and his Chilanga counterpart, Ng’andu Magande were last Saturday expelled from the ruling party for gross indiscipline.
Mr Mpombo could not be reached for comment.

[Times of Zambia]

Police warn and caution GBM

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POLICE have recorded a warn and caution statement from Patriotic Front (PF) Kasama member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba for allegedly assaulting his wife, Chama.

Lusaka Province Police commanding officer, Greenwell Nguni, said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Nguni said Mr Mwamba was summoned for questioning at Woodlands Police Station.

He said Mr Mwamba arrived at the police station around 10:00 hours in the company of his lawyer.
Mr Nguni said the recording of a warn and caution statement is part of the process in the investigation of cases.

“I can confirm that we summoned Mr Mwamba at Woodlands Police Station and he arrived there around 10:00 hours in the company of his lawyer.

“The Police have since recorded a warn and caution statement from Mr Mwamba,” Mr Nguni said.

Mr Mwamba allegedly battered his wife on Sunday after a domestic dispute.
Mrs Mwamba who is admitted to MKP Hospital in Kabulonga complained of a deep cut on her forehead and general body pains.

[pullquote]“My sister is clearly fed up with her husband’s mentality. He talks about money everywhere he goes and in my view there are more important things than money,” said.[/pullquote]

She reported the matter to police on Tuesday. The women’s movement in Zambia has described Mr Mwamba’s conduct as barbaric and dishonourable. The movement has also called for Mr Mwamba’s prosecution.

The Human Rights Commission has condemned Mr Mwamba describing his action as a drawback to the fight against gender-based violence.

The Non-Governmental Organisations Co-ordinating Council (NGOCC) said women are disappointed with Mr Mwamba’s conduct especially because he is a lawmaker who is supposed to observe high moral standards.
Meanwhile, the family of Mrs Mwamba has said it regrets having the legislator as their in-law.
Mrs Mwamba’s brother, Chama Mwenso, said Mr Mwamba’s conduct is embarrassing.

Mr Mwenso denied insinuations that his family has been interfering in the Mwambas marriage.
He said her sister and children made the decision to report Mr Mwamba to police contrary to allegations that the Mwenso family had a hand in it.

“My sister is clearly fed up with her husband’s mentality. He talks about money everywhere he goes and in my view there are more important things than money,” said.

Mr Mwenso said no member of the Mwenso family has ever asked for financial assistance from Mr Mwamba.
He advised the PF leadership to be careful in their dealing with Mr Mwamba.

And the Foundation for Democractic Process (FODEP) president Stanley Mhango said there is need for Mr Mwamba to make a public apology for assaulting his wife.

Mr Mhango said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mwamba’s conduct is embarrassing not only to his family but the nation as a whole considering his status in society.
He said Mr Mwamba’s conduct should serve as a wake up call to members of the public to carefully scrutinize their leaders.

“A number of Zambians have been advocating for legislation to put a stop to gender-based violence and so it is worrying we can have such leaders in Parliament because who knows, he might be against the idea because of his conduct.

“Wife battery should not be tolerated by anyone and so it is for this reason we appeal to all Zambians to condemn Mr Mwamba in the strongest terms,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Luvale / Lunda wrangle in Zambezi

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The minister of Community Development has asked President Rupiah Banda to intervene in the wrangles surrounding Zambezi BOMA land.

Michael Kaingu says government is determined to resolve differences which cause tribal conflicts between the Lundas and Luvales in Zambezi district.

The Minister told ZNBC News in an interview in Lusaka wednesday that there are concerns that Zambezi district land is being treated as customary and not as state land.

Mr. Kaingu says it is the duty of government to ensure that all tribal groupings in the country co-exist.

The minister said he has also engaged various Ministries to intervene on issues which traditional leaders have pointed out as some of the causes of tribal differences.

On Saturday Mr. Kaingu asked the people of Zambezi district to allow him to table issues causing tribal conflicts in the district, before Cabinet.

This was in response to Senior Chief Ndungu who asked President Banda’s government to help resolve tribal conflicts in Zambezi District.

ZNBC

Revised: Choma Cut Rangers Lead After Draw

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Nchanga Rangers failed to make significant headway at the top of the Faz Super Division table when they drew away to Choma Eagles in Maamba this afternoon.

Rangers drew 0-0 in the Gwembe Valley to see their lead cut from five to three points after Zesco United replaced Green Buffaloes in second places following a 2-0 home win over bottom placed Lusaka Dynamos at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola.

Bruce Mwape’s Rangers are on 43 points and need to keep their cool with seven matches left to play this season.

Rangers this Saturday play a crucial match when they travel to Kitwe to face fourth place Power Dynamos. While Zesco take on Red Arrows in Lusaka on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Zesco moved from third to second thanks to goals from Humphrey Luputa and Zambia international defender Nyambe Mulenga.

Buffaloes replaced Zesco in third positioned after a scoreless draw away to Kabwe Warriors.

At Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe, Power beat Arrows 2-0 and the home sides three ponts came via a Luka Lungu brace while in Chililabombwe Konkola Blades defeated National Assembly 1-0 through a goal scored by Patrick Kasunga.

Roan United moved from fourth from bottom to 12th from 13th place after a 1-0 away win over fellow strugglers City of Lusaka thanks to a superb 83rd minute free-kick converted by Passmore Kangwa.

City are second from bottom after their defeat.

Nkana did not travel to Lusaka to play Zanaco because the latter are preparing for their Caf Confederation Cup Group B match this Saturday at Nkoloma stadium.

[standings league_id=15 template=extend logo=false]

Bicycles offer a lifeline in rural Zambia

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In rural Zambia, a bicycle is one of the most important possessions someone can have.

At one school, when they were given out to pupils by World Bicycle Relief, the roll increased from 300 to 867 pupils.

Headteacher Michael Gogolola explained: “Bicycles in Africa, especially in this part of Zambia, they are more valuable than a vehicle, because they use them even for grinding mill, they use them for transport to the hospital, to the clinic and to the school.

“When we came to this school, the enrolment was 300, now when the World Bicycle Relief came with bicycles, even the girls who had left school, just because they heard about the bicycles, they came back to school.”

Not all the 867 pupils have bicycles, but those who do treasure them as a lifeline in an impoverished country and a powerful incentive to stay in school.

World Bicycle Relief is a Chicago-based organization which began by providing bicycles in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami.

In 2006 it moved on to Zambia, where it began distributing bicycles to healthcare workers helping people living with HIV and AIDS, and in 2009 started giving them to schoolchildren as part of its Bicycles for Education Empowerment Program.

World Bicycle Relief has so far supplied 30,000 bicycles in Zambia, as well as training a network of maintenance mechanics.

Dave Neiswander, World Bicycle Relief’s head of Africa operations, said: “It’s connecting people with education, it’s connecting people with healthcare, it’s connecting people with their own economic development. It’s a tool to help themselves.”

The bikes themselves had to be designed to cope with the rough ground and heavy loads that many people need to carry.

“Our bicycle is designing to withstand the difficult terrain of Africa,” said Neiswander. “The rack can withstand 100 kg, that’s ideal if you’re taking produce to market or someone to clinic. We use heavy duty rims and spokes, reinforce the tires, it’s basically a tank.”

World Bicycle Relief administers its program in partnership with the Zambian Ministry of Education, community organizations and several other international NGOs.

The organization points out that many children in rural Zambia do not complete their education because their families — especially families with HIV or AIDS — are dependent on their children’s economic activity.

Because many children travel long distances to school, it identified providing safe, reliable transport as a key way of keeping children in education longer.

Zambia has the world’s third highest death rate and second shortest life expectancy of 38, according to the CIA World Factbook.

The county is estimated to have 1.1 million people — 15 per cent of the adult population — living with HIV or AIDS, which kills an estimated 56,000 people a year. It also has the world’s eighth highest infant mortality rate of more than 10 percent.

Among those who have received one of World Bicycle Relief’s distinctive black bicycles is 15-year-old Fewstar Walweendo. She uses it to cycle the two kilometers to Gogolola’s school after completing her daily chores, including sweeping the yard, making breakfast and cleaning the plates.

Her deputy headteacher Monica Mtongadaka said: “To a Zambian child, to a rural child, to have a bicycle really motivates, because it eases her movement to and from school, and that’s what’s happened to Fewstar.”

[CNN]

UPND and PF call for early elections

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UPND_PF_PACT

The United Party for National Development, UPND, has joined Patriotic Front President, Michael Sata, in calling for President Rupiah Banda to call for an early election next year.

UPND Secretary General, Winstone Chibwe, told QFM in an interview this morning that even if the UPND was not consulted by the PF leader to call on President Banda to call for an early election, the UPND has always been ready for a tripartite election as well.

Mr. Chibwe said the fact that the UPND has been participating in every by-election is a clear indication that the party is always ready for an election at any given time.

He said it was for this reason that the party is in the business of politics to form government.

Patriotic Front President, Michael Sata, said in Kitwe over the weekend that President Rupiah Banda should call for an early election next year because the PF is ready to go to the polls.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chibwe has welcomed October 28 as the date set for the Mpulungu by-election.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia yesterday announced October 28 as the polling day for the Mpulungu parliamentary seat which fell vacant following the death of MMD parliamentarian, Lameck Chibombamilimo.

Mr. Chibwe said the UPND finds no problem with the set date because it is timely, and that the election will be held before the rainy season.

He said the party stands ready to see how events will progress from now up to that polling day because the date is within the confinements of the law.

[QFM]

MMD Women join calls for Mwamba’s ‘ blood’

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MMD cadres

The ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD)in Lusaka Province has joined in calls for Police to ‘cage’ Kasama Central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba for assaulting his wife Mrs. Chama.

MMD Chairperson for Women’s Wing for Lusaka Province Jane Mkalipi told journalists during a briefing at the party’s provincial headquarters in Lusaka today that as women, they were so disappointed to learn that Mr. Mwamba ,who is a law marker, could be involved in such a barbaric behavior of assaulting his wife to a point where she was admitted at UTH.

Mrs. Mkalipi said society expects Mr Mwamba to uphold and respect the rights of citizens who include his own wife.
“ Failure to adhere to such legal enforcements, the law should visit anyone including Mr. Mwamba so that a precedence is set,”she said.

She emphasized Mr. Mwamba’s ‘ barbaric action on his wife’ went against the convention on the elimination of discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and International Bill of Rights of Women which forbids all forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading forms of punishment.

She said as MMD Women Wing , they would ensure that there the interest of Women and children in general are protected, adding that fore ever, the women wing of the MMD would vow to fight for women’s rights in the country.

The MMD Women Movement has also called on parliament to discipline Mr. Mwamba for his bad behavior adding that Parliament is not for thugs but for law abiding Citizens not people like Mr. Mwamba.

She added that the Royal establishment where Mwamba comes from should take a stern action against him as he has embarrassed not only himself but many people such as parliament and his family.

She said MMD Lusaka Province Women’s Wing will follow this case with keen interest to ensure that justice prevails.

The women’s movement in Zambia has described as barbaric and dishonourable the conduct of Patriotic Front Kasama member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba popularly known as GBM who last Sunday assaulted his wife.

The movement has since called for the immediate arrest of Mr. Mwamba.

And the Human Rights Commission has also added its condemnation of Mr Mwamba for his behavior, describing his action as a drawback to the fight against gender-based violence.

Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) publicity secretary Juliet Chibuta said women were disappointed with Mr Mwamba’s conduct, especially because he was a law maker who is supposed to observe high moral standards.

And Police have received an official report on Mrs Mwamba’s alleged assault and have opened a docket.

The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have described Mr Mwamba’s alleged conduct as barbaric and dishonourable considering his status in society.
They said the incident is a drawback to the fight against gender-based violence.

Ms Chibuta said women are disappointed with Mr Mwamba’s conduct because he is lawmaker who is supposed to observe high moral standards.

[ZANIS]

Suspected landmines threaten lives in Kalomo

Entertainment Editor
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A civic leader in Mapatizya area of Kalomo has appealed to the security wings in the district to ascertain two devices suspected to be an ‘Anti Tank land mines’ to prevent any possible loss of human lives if suspected mines become accidentally tampered with by civilians.

Bwiko ward councilor, Miles Sikafwamba disclosed to ZANIS during the on going mobile voter registration exercise that one device was discovered in a small stream near Chibuyu village in chief Simwatachela’s area and children of the same locality are still busy playing around it..

Mr Sikafwamba also said the other device is hidden in the rock with a green wire protruding from it and was also in the vicinity of by passers at mine number 6 posing danger to the community.

The councilor said the local mobile police unit based at Kariba minerals Limited in Mapatizya who accompanied him to the location of the two suspected ‘land mine’ devices have so far taken protective measures by pilling tree branches around the two areas.

He however, expressed concern over the delay by the local security wing and the Action Mine centre to come to the area to identify the two suspected devices despite being informed of the situation.

Mr Sikafwamda feared that if it takes long for the security agencies to act the devices may be washed away by rains to other places and could cause possible destruction since it was towards the onset of the rain season.

The Mapatizya area in the lower Zambezi basin of Kalomo especially in Siampondo has been dogged with land mines which were left by the then Southern Rhodesian guerrilla fighters in the struggle for the now independent Zimbabwe in the 1980s.

The defunct Tonga- Gwembe project in the recent past years only managed to demine some meters away of the ‘ Bottom road which connects the lower districts of the Zambezi basin in Southern province paving way for the construction of Kamukeza basic school which is now a polling station in the rural remote valley of Kalomo district.

[ ZANIS ]

Rupiah showers praise on mining sector

Entertainment Editor
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President Rupiah Banda

Republican President Rupiah Banda has praised the high performance of Zambia’s mining sector through privatization, a revised tax regime and a more effective way of collecting revenues from the mines to ensure that the Zambians benefit from the country’s natural resources.

President Banda’s praise for the mining sector follows the applaud for Zambia’s copper mining successes by World-renowned business news service Dow Jones in an article released yesterday.

Mr Banda said Zambians want reassurance that one of their richest natural resources yields benefits which could assist in developing other sectors and in providing vital social services.

in a statement released to QFM by his special assistant for press and public relations Dickson Jere,president Banda noted that the mining sector is enjoying a period of steady growth, and that it is right that the sector makes an appropriate contribution to revenues.

The Dow Jones article highlighted Zambia’s impressive copper output, which is expected to hit 740,000 metric tons up from 696,900 tons last year because of the increased production at several copper mines.

The report repeated comments made by Likolo Ndalamei, Zambia’s secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, who revealed that copper output is expected to keep rising which is due to the resumption of operations at Luanshya Copper Mines as well as increasing production at copper mines on the Copperbelt and North Western province.

Zambia’s copper production in the first half of 2010 increased by 10.2% to reach 363,682 tons compared with 330,125 tons produced in the same period a year earlier.

The copper mining sector continues to recover and rising global copper prices have induced mines to ramp up production.

The future picture for Zambia’s mines also looks healthy, with the recent reopening of Luanshya Copper Mines following its takeover by Chinese-owned NFC Africa. The company announced in July that it intends to invest at least $500 million to develop Chambishi South copper mine on the Copperbelt province.
[ QFM ]

Ex-Zamtel employees vow to stage protest

Entertainment Editor
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The newly-retrenched Zamtel workers have vowed to stage a protest if management at the company does not respond to their grievances about their separation packages.

The workers who met at the Zamtel headquaters building in Ndola yesterday said they would stage a protest if management did not respond to their grievances by today.

They complained to have received a raw deal from the sale of Zamtel to LapGreen Networks of Libya.

LapGreen Networks interim Chief Operations Officer Mukela Muyunda, who was Zamtel managing director, said he could not comment on the matter because by press time, he was in a meeting.

One of the workers, a Mr Chiyobwe said out of the 620 workers in Ndola, only about 50 have been paid in full.

He said it was unfortunate that the workers that had been paid were the ones that had been retained by the new management.

“The whole payment process is not transparent and is very selective because only about 50 have been paid and those are even the ones that the company has retained,” Mr Chiyobwe said.

He said that was not how the workers understood the agreement between LapGreen, the Government with the union.
[pullquote]“The whole payment process is not transparent and is very selective because only about 50 have been paid and those are even the ones that the company has retained,” Mr Chiyobwe said.[/pullquote]
Mr Chiyobwe said it had been three weeks since they were retrenched but that they had not been paid even if the contract stated that they would be paid within 24 hours of their retrenchment.

Another former employee, Violet Bwalya said the money that was being offered to the former employees was not enough.

Ms Bwalya said the new management did not follow the law in their calculation of the workers’ payments.

She said the workers had been retrenched and yet their separation packages were calculated as though they had opted for early retirement.

Because the payment system is that of early retirement, Ms Bwalya said some workers were going away with as little as K5 million.

Ms Bwalya said the management should work out the payments properly because the current payments were unfair to the former employees.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Pact collapse due to selfish motives – Siliya

Entertainment Editor
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PF Leader (L) and UPND Leader (R)
PF leader Michael sata and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema

MMD chairperson for information and publicity Dora Siliya has said the pact formed last year by United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema and Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has collapsed because it was formed for selfish motives.

Ms Siliya also said condemnation of the recent visit to Northern Province by First Lady Thandiwe Banda was out of ignorance because every first lady had the right to donate to the vulnerable people in society.

At a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Siliya said the pact lacked a long term vision and a plan of action on how it would deal with the politics of ethnicity and as a result, it had been reduced to a tribal pact.

Ms Siliya, who is Minister of Education, said at its formative stage, the pact leaders did not have a joint action plan to deliver development to the Zambian people but rushed into announcing even without proper regard for the grassroot members.

Ms Siliya said the first week the pact was formed, the two leaders started calling for votes and launched the alliance without announcing their road-map, manifesto and vision which showed how short sighted the two leaders are.

She said the two political parties were tribal and had remained so even after the formation of the pact which had led to its demise.

Ms Siliya said two leaders coming together for the sole purpose of gaining power would always clash as they seek to appropriate power between themselves.

She said the PF and UPND were simply tribal parties and the ruling party was the only genuine political party whose manifesto addresses the needs of the whole nation.

Ms Siliya said the pact lacked true leadership that could unite all tribes in the country and had remained strong in a selected number of provinces without a proper explanation from the leadership.

She said the fact was they remained strong in a selected number of provinces because they campaigned on tribal lines while the MMD was constructing infrastructure throughout Zambia.

The minister said political parties and civil society organisations sympathetic to the opposition were condemning Government and yet the international community was praising Government efforts in delivering development to the people.

She was optimistic Zambians would start ignoring them because they were able to see huge infrastructure development such as health centres, schools and roads being constructed.

Ms Siliya said the Government had decided to construct five health centres in the high density areas of Lusaka as it seeks further plans to reduce distances from one health centre to another.

The minister said 23 district hospitals were being constructed throughout Zambia.
Meanwhile, Ms Siliya dismissed assertions that the national executive committee had become illegal on account of the expiry of its mandate.

She said the MMD constitution allows the NEC to function in-between conventions to provide continuity.

She said letters had been authored and Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande should have received by now and they were no longer members of the MMD.
[ Times of Zambia ]

PF’s descision to contest mayoral polls diasappoints UPND

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UPND Spokesperson Charles Kakoma (R) and Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba (l)

THE United Party for National Development says it is shocked that the Patriotic Front (PF) decided to contest the position of deputy

Mayor in last Monday’s Lusaka Mayoral elections, a clear departure from the mutually agreed rules as stipulated in the UPND/PF memorandum of understanding.

UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said his party is surprised that PF has again gone against the alliance agreement, a development which has exposed deeper cracks in the fragile pact.

But when contacted for a comment, PF president, Michael Sata there was nothing wrong with the two political parties competiting against each other in an election.

On Monday, the UPND and PF competed against each other at deputy mayoral level with victory going to Kanyama ward 10 councillor, Harry Hampende of the UPND.
He polled 23 votes out of 41 cast.

Mr Hampende beat the PF’s Kalingalinga ward 31 councillor Dapson Chansa who got eight votes and the UPND’s Lilayi ward four councillor Lazarous Chulabantu who had nine votes.

Lately, the two political parties have breached their agreement not to contest against each other. Last month, they fielded candidates against each other in Kaoma and Chadiza ward by-elections.

But Mr Sata said there is nothing wrong for the two alliance parties competing against each other during elections.

Mr Sata said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that competition is healthy in any democratic society.
He said members of the two parties must be allowed to compete against each other to allow the selection of the best candidate.

“Competition is very healthy and besides that, the two parties competed against each other on the deputy mayoral position but all in all, it’s good to allow people to choose the best candidate,” Mr Sata said.
He said, however, that PF members also supported Mr Hampende as he could not have emerged victorious without PF’s support.

But Mr Kakoma said his party is surprised that the PF decided to contest the deputy mayoral position.
Mr Kakoma said the two partiers had an understanding that the PF would contest the mayoral post while the deputy mayoral position would be left to the UPND.

He said the party has not received communication why the consensus between the two parties was defied.

“If Mr Sata is saying competition is good then we didn’t know about this rationale because there was an understanding that our party should contest the deputy position while the PF would contest the mayoral post,” he said.

And MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya said the continued confusion in the pact is an indication that the leadership is disorganised.

Ms Siliya said Zambians should not trust the pact’s leadership because it has no agenda for the nation.
She said the MMD is the only organised party which Zambians should trust.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Arrest GBM — NGOCC

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Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM)'s residence in Kabulonga.

THE Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called for the immediate arrest of Kasama Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba for beating his wife leaving her with deep cuts, bodily bruises and a stitched face.

Mr Mwamba, however, said he regrets his action to clobber his wife but said she went too far which forced him to resort to violence.

NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale described as unacceptable actions by the PF chairperson for elections to beat up his wife and has urged the police to arrest him to answer charges in the courts of law.

Commenting on Mr Mwamba’s battering of his wife Chama on Sunday, Ms Mwale said her organisation was deeply saddened and disappointed by the conduct of the PF MP.

“We are very disappointed that we can have leaders in this country today who engage in wife beating. We strongly condemn this act. Mr Mwamba should be brought to book for the violence against a woman,” she said.

[pullquote]
“I regret it had to happen. I acted out of impulse. It was a very small matter, which could have been resolved but she over reacted. But I love her and we love each other. Because of this, a lot of people have been admiring us,” Mr Mwamba said. [/pullquote]

She advised Mrs Mwamba against withdrawing the case saying the law should take its course.

Ms Mwale said leaders should account for their actions and they should lead exemplary lives.

But Mr Mwamba said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that he felt sorry for beating his wife and blamed her family members of influencing her to report the matter to police because he had been chasing them from his house lately.

“I regret it had to happen. I acted out of impulse. It was a very small matter, which could have been resolved but she over reacted. But I love her and we love each other. Because of this, a lot of people have been admiring us,” Mr Mwamba said.

Mr Mwamba’s wife Chama is admitted to KPM Hospital in Lusaka’s Kabulonga area after she was beaten over a family dispute.

Police at Woodlands police station have since opened a docket against Mr Mwamba.

“You know I married from the Mwenso family and they used to have a lot of money and they have now become so broke. This is a family matter between the two of us. I come from a royal family and a rich background but we have got our own ways of solving problems,” Mr Mwamba said.

When informed that there was pressure from the civil society that he should be arrested, Mr Mwamba said anybody who wants to interfere with his family matters should go ahead and he was not moved.

“Let them go ahead. Marriage is about two people whether civil society or no civil society so what. We are going to court I will defend myself and I will give them reasons why that had to happen and that’s when they will know the truth. Tell them I don’t care. I have my own life to lead,” Mr Mwamba said.

Asked why he had not visited his wife since she was admitted, Mr Mwamba said “I don’t want problems. I know that my wife is being incited by her stupid brothers so if I go there, they may offend me and I will react.”

[Times of Zambia]

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