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Zambia targets even higher growth

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Any country looking to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) has to ensure it can offer investors an environment conducive to doing business.

This means offering infrastructure that will allow companies to move goods quickly and cost-effectively across the country. It also requires a legislative environment that doesn’t thwart companies with overly complicated licences and protects their rights and intellectual property.

The World Bank produces a comprehensive survey every year looking at countries’ regulatory environments and assesses factors aimed at assisting companies to make investment decisions. The report also looks at other areas affecting businesses, such as crime, corruption, access to finance, skills and infrastructure.

In all, the World Bank assesses the stability of a country and helps quantify risk. In the 2010 World Bank “Ease of Doing Business Report” Zambia moved from 100 to 90 out of the 183 countries surveyed. The improvement now ranks Zambia at number six in Africa, behind surprise performer Rwanda, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and top performer Mauritius.

The Zambian government responded quickly to the 2010 report, saying it would be aiming for the number 50 spot in the 2011 report. Buleti Nsemukila, the permanent secretary of commerce, trade and industry, said that improvements were the result of the government’s policy to improve the business environment to create wealth and employment.

He also referenced the private sector development reform programme implemented by his ministry. Unfortunately Zambia’s crossborder trade was not as high as its overall ranking and it is listed at only number 30 out of 46 African countries. It is something that will require urgent attention if it is to attract foreign investment.

The Brenthurst Foundation released a discussion paper, “Mobilising Zambia ” Strategy Report on Accelerated Economic Growth”, earlier this year. The report, written by analysts after a tour of the country, called for two key improvements if the country wanted to grow its economy — policy consistency and infrastructural development. On the first, the authors of the report suggested that Zambia has yet to fully embrace free-market thinking at all policy-making levels and by the voting public.

“Mobilisation of the nation around a liberal development model is critical if the economy is to be placed on a new trajectory. Until the majority of Zambians are firmly convinced that such a model is a matter of self-interest, policy will continue to flip-flop, investment potential will remain unfulfilled and the danger of regression will remain real,” the analysts said. The report is by no means only negative and the writers are clear that Zambia has made strides in the past decade.

The country now has a single-digit inflation rate and, between 2000 and 2008, has increased FDI tenfold and grown total exports fourfold. The country has also registered positive growth, averaging a healthy 5.5% from 2003 to 2008. In fact, Zambia has weathered the economic downturn better than many of its neighbours with an expected growth rate of 7% for 2010.

Despite these positive indicators, the report points to some serious challenges. There appears to be a disjunction between macro- and microeconomic policies, with the latter still showing signs of “centralist thinking”. Infrastructure remains a key challenge for the landlocked country, making it less attractive than its neighbours for companies looking to set up shop.

“As it stands, Zambia’s infrastructure is inferior and much of its natural domestic and international potential remains theoretical. Sustained commitment to major infrastructural projects, driven by imaginative collaborations with private and regional partners, will be essential if this stasis is to be broken,” the researchers said. Research done by the World Bank showed that a 10% increase in broadband penetration accounted for a 1.38% increase in per capita GDP growth in developing economies. This argument for countries, and especially developing countries, to focus urgently on their telecommunication infrastructure is compelling. But it does require complex policy amendments to achieve it.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, Zambia had 700 000 internet users as at June 2009, connecting just 5.9% of the population to the world wide web. Its broadband internet subscribers numbered just 5 700. Mobile technology remains a logical solution for a country that suffers a low fixed-line penetration such as Zambia, which is something that has not escaped the notice of international mobile network operators.

The country’s telecommunications market is dominated by Zain, which has a market share of more than 70%. Zain was acquired by Indian juggernaut Bharti Airtel in June, adding significant clout to the company. The fastest subscriber growth, however, is being seen by the runner-up, South Africa’s MTN. Telecoms companies, and mobile network operators in particular, often form the vanguard of foreign investments.

Companies in South Africa, for example, monitor which regions the mobile operators enter, wait a few years, and then follow suit. MTN has been particularly aggressive in its African expansion and can offer valuable lessons to companies looking to invest in the continent. Zambia’s lack of stable infrastructure has been felt even by the mobile
companies, and MTN is finding the lack of rural connection particularly challenging.

Johnny Aucamp, general manager of strategic relations and business development Africa at MTN Business, said infrastructure is a key challenge with limited or no connection with the more remote areas of the country. Most of the backbone fibreoptic infrastructure is concentrated in the main commercial areas that lie along the railway line running from Livingstone in the south of Zambia, through Lusaka in the central region to the Copperbelt.

Aucamp says this leaves large areas in the north, east and western parts of the country dependent primarily on a microwave network for connectivity. But the costs of this are prohibitive, which means that the internet can only be delivered economically to these areas by other means, such as satellite. Looking at the broader information and communications technology (ICT) environment, Aucamp believes legislative issues are stalling real connection to the average user and therefore hindering economic growth.

“There are some key challenges, particularly when discussing the ICT sector, which, in our opinion, hinder the ability to drive the reality of the connected world to Zambians. For example, if we consider that taxation rates on ICT equipment are high, then this increases the overall cost of computer equipment to levels that are out of reach to the average consumer,” he says.

Customs duty for computer equipment such as PCs and servers is 5%, and the duty payable for networking equipment such as routers is 15% whereas satellite equipment is 25%. The government has addressed a number of regulatory issues that were seen to be hindering development. This, coupled with the government’s strong focus on the provision of internet access through the ministry of education to some of the more remote areas, has allowed MTN to deliver services to schools in parts of the Eastern Province.

“The Zambian market provides many opportunities for local and foreign investment with a vibrant business arena ready for extended growth. “With the renewed drive of copper mining and solid market prices for the commodity, there is an overall optimistic view of the continued growth of the economy in the mid to long term,” Aucamp says.

Despite the obvious challenges ahead for Zambia, if it continues on its path of decentralisation and market liberalisation, its ambition of moving ever upwards in the World Bank’s lists may become a reality.

[Mail & Guardian Online]

The poor weigh in on the state

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Like most developing countries, Zambia has a growing population, most of whom remain outside the formal economy.

The country also continues to struggle with a large refugee community fleeing from less stable neighbours, so finding ways to create an inclusive economy and lower the pressures on state funding have become a priority. The majority of Zambians (65%) live in rural areas, cut off from the national utilities grid, 64% still live on less than $1.25 a day and almost 87% survive on less than $2.50 a day.

With only 12% of the labour force in formal employment, creating a significant distribution mechanism remains a challenge for the insurance and other service sectors. The Zambian government appears to be serious about addressing the problem and has extended its five-year financial sector development plan (FSDP), formulated to address weaknesses in the financial system, to run through to 2012.

Speaking at the release of the findings of a FinScope survey in July this year, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, the Zambian minister of finance and national planning, said it was his hope to address the ongoing exclusion from the financial sector of the country’s most vulnerable people. “Access to a well-functioning financial system has the potential to empower the poor and low-income people as well as micro-enterprises economically and socially. This can help them to better integrate into the economy,” he said.

More importantly, he gave his ministry’s assurance that it would work with the private sector to find solutions to financial exclusion. The results of the survey showed the Zambian financial services sector had grown and now comprises 16 commercial banks and 71 non-bank financial institutions, among which are 15 microfinance institutions and 11 leasing and finance companies.

Despite the increase in the number of financial institutions in the country, the level of usage remains exceptionally low. Overall, using the most liberal definition of banking access, no more than 10% of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Zambia are banked.

The insurance landscape looks even bleaker and researchers say that many people they interviewed had little concept of what insurance was and why it was important. Just 6.6% of the adult population in Zambia report that they have insurance. When vehicle insurance and pension schemes for formal sector employees are removed, this is reduced to 3.8%. Moreover, less than 1% of small and micro businesses said they had insurance for their vehicles.

Bringing the low-income market into the financial fold bears significant challenges, and organisations such as the International Labour Organisation, the Finmark Trust and the United Nations Capital Development Fund have been assessing ways to bring financial services to the previously disenfranchised.

Micro-insurance, often delivered through new, innovative means, has been widely hailed as one of the most sensible ways to deliver financial empowerment to low-income communities that may otherwise be cut off from traditional access and remain reliant on the state. Zambia, as a reasonably stable and hospitable country, has found itself on the receiving end of a flood of people fleeing war, unrest and dire social hardship in countries such as Angola, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

[Mail & Guardian Online]

Tales from James Paget nurse’s 3 month stint at Chikankata Mission Hospital

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A NURSE at the James Paget Hospital has returned from a three-month stint at a hospital in Zambia where she overcame such hurdles as power cuts and limited equipment to care for children with HIV.

Lisa King, 24, a staff nurse on the paediatric ward, said conditions at the Salvation Army-run Chikankata Mission Hospital could not be more different to a modern NHS hospital.

She said: “To start with, the hospital is in a very remote rural area 31km from the nearest tar road.

“While we would hardly notice a power cut at the JPH with electricity quickly switching over to the generator, the power is on and off all the time over there, sometimes meaning complete darkness in the hospital.”

Lisa, who trained at the JPH and has spent four years at the Trust, said that while deaths on the children’s ward in Gorleston were rare, they were sadly daily occurrences in Zambia.

“A large proportion of children have HIV and tend to come into hospital in the late stages of Aids. A lot are suffering from malnutrition and then there is malaria and TB as well,” she said.

“Here, we are very aware of sickness, but in Zambia mothers tend to bring their children into hospital very late when they are already very sick.”

Lisa, who lives with family in Wrentham, Suffolk, said Zambian nurses were generally good but they had to cope with limited equipment – while there were X-ray and ultrasound machines there were no ventilators or IV infusion pumps.

She added that in Chikankata there was only one trained nurse per shift, caring for 35 children.

Lisa, who had to come to terms with widespread cockroaches despite constant cleaning and a diet largely of ground maize, was given three months unpaid leave for the trip arranged by the Salvation Army.

She said: “I really enjoyed my time away and I have learned a lot about the care of children with different types of tropical illness and disease, as well as providing emergency daily care, which I hope will benefit my work back here at the JPH.”

[greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk]

Namwala people have right to thank RB-Chizyuka

Entertainment Editor
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Namwala Member of Parliament Robbie Chizyuka has said the people of Namwala have the right to thank President Banda and his government for fulfilling the dreams of their ancestors of ensuring that the area received a fair share of development.

Major. Chizyuka told ZANIS in an interview in Namwala today that the people in the area were overwhelmed by the support Government had continued to give to them.

He said for close to 46 years after independence the area had not received the amount of development it had seen in the last three years and eleven months.

Maj. Chizyuka said the Ila people were happy that their support towards the freedom struggle to which they sacrificed their cattle by funding it, was now paying dividends under President Banda.

“The dream of our forefathers was to have the Choma-Namwala road tarred so that the area could be opened up for development and this we have tried several times and failed but now we celebrate this unprecedented gift from President Banda’s government,” he said.

He said the people of Namwala have since invited President Banda in their area to thank him in the Ila way.

He said the Ila people and their chiefs knew that taking development to an area such as Namwala was not an easy task because it required huge resources which the Government had willingly made available.

“For us whether or not others like it, we believe President Banda’s word is his bond and this we will eternally be grateful to him. You know that this country has had leaders but him is just a few years in office and has proved to us that he is not just our friend but a father, “said Maj. Chizyuka.

Hundreds of people from the outskirts of Namwala boma have already started arriving in the boma to witness the visit of President Banda who is expected to arrive in the area tomorrow.

Several chiefs from many parts of the country and the province have also started arriving in the area.

Over 71 chiefs from other parts of the country and over 1 000 headmen from Namwala and other surrounding areas are expected in the district by the end of today.

Meanwhile, Major Chizyuka has described as wishful thinking assertions by some senior UPND leaders that he would announce his resignation from the party to join the ruling MMD at a rally to be addressed by President Banda on Tuesday.

He said he had no intentions to do so because he was still a pure UPND member adding this was the reason he contested his expulsion from the party in the courts of law.

“I have heard about those funny rumours but I can tell you that there was no such a thing because my heart is UPND, my blood is UPND and I will not leave,” he said.

He said he had spent huge personal resources to build the UPND and that no one could easily chase him out of the party.

He said those misleading the people that he intended to resign this Tuesday should allow the people to appreciate President Banda’s support to them.

Maj. Chizyuka said he played a critical role in the initial stages of the formation of the UPND and also in the appointment of Mr. Hakainde Hichilema as leader of the opposition party.

He said President Banda had shut up his opponents because he had delivered within a short period of time.

“For example, this Choma-Namwala road is not only an economic road but a serious political road and on this shame to his critics because he has shown them how things must be done,” he said.

He advised his critics not to mistake development for politics urging them to start politics at the right time.
Maj. Chizyuka said President Banda’s visit to Namwala was purely development and was at the invitation of the people in the district.

He said people want to have him in the area so that he could see how resources that Government had been allocating to the district have been used.

Maj. Chizyuka said President Banda was selling a product in the name of development and this had sent shivers in his political opponents and critics.
[ ZANIS ]

UK Appeals Court dismissed case against FJT

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THE UK Court of Appeals dismissed an earlier judgment delivered by High court judge Peter Smith which found second Republican president Frederick Chiluba and seven others liable for theft of US$46million.

The judgment of the Court of Appeals of UK, the equivalent of the Supreme Court in Zambia refused to uphold the verdict of Judge Peter Smith because it had not met the basic minimum requirements for a conviction. The UK Court of Appeals described Judge Smith’s judgment as lacking basic requirements of a decent judgment.

Despite the dismissal by the UK court of Appeal, this is the same judgment which the Zambian attorney general was trying to register in Zambia to be enforced.

According to the judgment of the Court of Appeals made available to the Times of Zambia, Lord Justices Tuckey, Lloyd and Lawrence Collins ruled on July 31, 2008 that the verdict by Judge Smith did not meet the minimum standards of a court trial.

Meer Care & Desai (a law firm), Naynesh Gunvant Desai and Mohamad Iqbal Meer, appealed against the judgment of Justice Smith. Meer Care and Desai, is the law firm that was alleged to have received some money from the Zamtrop account. The attorney general of Zambia was the claimant and respondent in the appeals hearing.

At the time the appeal was being lodged in UK, the same judgment was before the courts of law in Lusaka to secure its enforcement. In delivering judgment in the appeals case, the Lord justices ruled:

“We allow Mr Meer’s appeal against the judge’s finding that he was liable to Zambia in conspiracy and on the basis of dishonest assistance. We will set aside the judge’s orders against Mr Meer and therefore also against Mr Desai and the firm, in both his orders dated 4 May 2007 and 29 June 2007, and we dismiss the claim against Mr Meer, Mr Desai and the firm”.

The court also held that Mr Meer’s appeals against the orders of Mr Justice Peter Smith of 4 May 2007 and 29 June 2007 be allowed. The court also refused an application by the attorney general for leave to appeal to the House of Lords .

The attorney general was also ordered to pay costs of the trial to Mr Meer and Mr Desai and a further four fifths of Mr Meer’s costs of the appeal case. He was further ordered to pay Mr Meer a sum of 300,000 pounds as interim payment on account of costs .

In delivering the Judgment on 31st July 2010 the court stated that;

“This is the judgment of the court. It is given in relation to appeals arising from two orders made by Mr Justice Peter Smith following a long and unusual trial conducted between 31 October 2006 and 27 February 2007.

By the proceedings the attorney general of Zambia, on behalf of the Republic of Zambia, sought to establish civil liability on the part of up to 20 individuals and companies, to make good losses suffered by Zambia as a result of corrupt practices during the term of office of the former president, Dr Frederick Chiluba.

The present appeals are by two of the defendants, partners in the firm of solicitors, Meer Care & Desai, Mr Meer and Mr Desai.’’

The Supreme Court dismissed the findings of the Justice Peter Smith of the High Court when he established that;

“In respect of both conspiracies the judge held that Dr Chiluba, Mr Xavier Chungu and Ms Chibanda all acted in breach of fiduciary duties owed by them to Zambia, and they were also parties to conspiracies to defraud Zambia of money both by the Zamtrop conspiracy and by the BK conspiracy.

In turn, he held that Mr Kabwe (for his part in both conspiracies) and Mr Soriano (as regards the BK conspiracy) were in breach of fiduciary duty and had dishonestly assisted the breaches of fiduciary duty on the part of the primary conspirators, as well as participating in more specific conspiracies relating to the sums which they received or controlled.”

He ordered them to pay US$46million deemed to have been defrauded from the republic of Zambia.

The attornery general sought to register the judgement of Judge Smith in the Zambian courts for it to be enforced.

But on Friday 13th August 2010, High Court Judge, Evans Hamaundu refused to register the London Judgment citing the absence of laws to support such an action.

[Times of Zambia]

Anti-Corruption Group Demands Zambia Recover Funds from Former President

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Dr Chiluba, holding a brown envelope with Bishop Peter Ndlovu outside BIGOCA Church in Lusaka.
The chairman of Transparency International (TI) in Zambia told VOA the decision by the government not to appeal the ruling clearing former President Frederick Chiluba of corruption was based on political considerations.

Reuben Lifuka said his anti-graft organization would continue putting more pressure on the government by demanding that President Rupiah Banda’s administration seek to recover the funds allegedly stolen by the former president.

“We find it amazing that government has quickly stated that they are not going to appeal, when the judgment’s validity was not tested in this particular case,” he said.

Zambia’s High Court recently ruled that the country’s laws did not allow the enforcement of judgments made in other countries. This came after a British judge ruled in 2007 that former President Chiluba pay $58-million as compensation for funds stolen while he was leader of Zambia from 1991-2001.

Mr. Chiluba denies the corruption charges and has rejected the British judge’s ruling as without merit.

Supporters of the former president say the charges were politically motivated after his fall-out with successor, the late President Levy Mwanawasa, who died in 2008.

Observers say the government’s decision not to appeal the court’s ruling is an attempt to appease the supporters of the former leader ahead of next year’s general election.

Analysts say former President Chiluba is still popular adding that the decision not to appeal the ruling could boost the chances of incumbent President Banda in the general election.

TI’s Chairman Lifuka said the government’s decision was not based on sound legal reasons.

“Every indication does show that there is more of a political reason than legal because it started with the acquittal of the former president in the court of law for criminal offenses of a similar nature, as decided upon by the London High Court. We saw the dismantling, or disbanding, of the task force. And, the task force activities have been swallowed up by the anti-corruption commission. And now, this is the latest setback that we have seen,” Lifuka said.

Meanwhile, the United States has questioned the Zambian government’s commitment to rooting out corruption.

[Voice of America]

Last Week in Pictures

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1.

Kabwata Member of Parliament Given Lubinda (l) talks to Lusaka province Minister Charles Shawa in Lusaka

2.

Lusaka entrepreneurs queue up to renew their trading licenses at the registrars office in view of the looming deadline when companies will be de-registered

3.

Lusaka entrepreneurs queue up to renew their trading licenses at the registrars office in view of the looming deadline when companies will be de-registered

4.

Pedestrian traffic near Cairo road.

5.

Traffic along Cha Cha Cha road in Lusaka

6.

Representatives from various political parties in Zambia during the workshop on elections in Lusaka

7.

Some Japanese volunteers arrive for a meeting with Vice president George Kunda at government house

8.

Vice president George Kunda's departure after meeting Japanese volunteers at government house in Lusaka

9.

View of the junction between Cha Cha and Kalundwe in Lusaka near town centre market

10.

The Nkwazi football club goalkeeper during a a penalty kick

11.

President Rupiah Banda joining the traditional dances who welcomed him at the National Monument in Maputo

12.

President Rupiah Banda and his counterpart Almondo Gwabuzo toast during the state banquet at State House in Maputo

13.

President Rupiah Banda speaking to Maputo City Governor Lucia Hama at the National Monument after laying a wreath

14.

Communication and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa exchanging books of Memorandum of understanding with Oldemiro Baloi Mozambique minister of Foreign affairs in Map

15.

Namibian President Hifikipunye Pohamba decorates first republican President Kenneth Kaunda when he was honoured by the SADC summit in Windhoek

16.

Green Buffaloes Football team players listening to Zambia Army Commander Wisdom Lopa

17.

Zambia Army Commander Wisdom Lopa (l) inspects newly acquired jerseys for Green Buffaloes Football Club

18.

Zambia Army Commander Wisdom Lopa greets Green Buffaloes Football Club players in Lusaka when he met them for the first time as Commander

19.

High court Judge Essau Chulu (r) before officiating at a seminar for political parties in Lusaka

Nkana Remain Unbeaten

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Nkana stretched their unbeaten run to four games today after beating Nkwazi 2-1 at Wusakile stadium in Kitwe today in a Faz Super Division Week 22 game,

However, Linos Makwaza’s side stay in 6th place despite their win but rise to 31 points, 11 less than leaders Nchanga Rangers after 22 games played.

Nkana secured their win thanks to first half a brace from William Chinse in the 10th and 18th minutes of the match.

Nkwazi’s consolation came through striker Keegan Phiri who scored his 7th goal of the season for the Policemen.

However, Nkana’s archrivals Power Dynamos did not have such a good day after a scoreless draw away to bottom placed Lusaka Dynamos  in their week 22 game played at Woodlands stadium in Lusaka.

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

Let Your Love Grow

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing”
(2 Thessalonians 1:3, NIV).

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God’s desire is to see you grow and increase in every area of your life—especially in your love for others. That’s because love is the greatest thing, and it is all that matters in eternity.

The book, Love at Last Sight: 30 days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships by Pastors Kerry and Chris Shook, sums it up perfectly. It says, “At the end of the day—in this all-too-short life we all share, all we really have are relationships with people we love and who love us. In light of relationships, the job and career we set as goals now aren’t really so important; the ladders we try to climb don’t matter so much; the objects we long to possess seem utterly trivial. What really matters in the end is that special look that you share with your spouse, the arms of your child reaching up to you, the quiet comfort of being with a friend who stands by your side in a difficult time.”

Today, I pray that your love continues to grow and build a solid foundation for your faith. I pray that through your connection with the Father, you are strengthened in all of your relationships as you move forward into the life of blessing He has for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for loving me and transforming me into Your image. I invite You to search my heart and mind today. Help me to keep Your plans and purposes first and to love others the way You love me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

– Joel & Victoria Osteen

2 Security officers nabbed for drug trafficking

Entertainment Editor
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The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in Chipata, Eastern Province has arrested two officers from the Zambia Security Intelligence Service for drug trafficking.

DEC Public Relations Officer John Nyawali said felix Soko, 37, was arrested together with Franklin Maona, 25, after being found in possession of about 7.6 grammes of cannabis concealed in their pockets.

Mr Nyawali said the duo was found smoking cannabis at the banks of Lunkhwakwa stream and attempted to escape from DEC officers by jumping into the river.

“Unfortunately their attempted escape failed as they could not swim across the stream and eventually aborted their attempt and gave themselves up to the officers” Mr Nyawali said.

Mr Nyawali told ZANIS in a statement in Lusaka today that the suspects were currently detained in Police custody awaiting trial.

Meanwhile, Mr Nyawali has revealed that 113 people were arrested countrywide in the last seven days for trafficking in various quantities of cannabis with a total weight of 190 kilogrammes.

He said among those arrested are two teenage boys of Nthindi Middle Basic School in Nakonde for trafficking in 128 bundles of mirra weighing 56 kilogrammes.

Others arrested are a trader of Samfya district who was found exchanging cannabis with fish from the fish mongers.
Mr Nyawali has since appealed to fish mongers not to accept exchanging their commodities with cannabis as the vice will not help them meet their financial requirements but put them in trouble with the law.
[ ZANIS ]

President Banda’s visit to South cheers Namwala

Entertainment Editor
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Chief Mungaila of the Tonga speaking people in Namwala district, Southern Province has said President Rupiah Banda’s visit to the area this week on Monday and Tuesday has cheered the people.

The Chief who would be installed today told ZANIS at his Palace that Maala people were also grateful of President Banda’s assistance during the death of Chief Mungaila.

Chief Mungaila whose names are Victor Chaande Makaba said his working relationship with Government was good and appealed to President Banda to attend the Shimunenga ceremony to be held in October this year.

He said people were happy that the President had recognised the decision of his royal family to inherit the Chiefdom of Mungaila.

Chief Mungaila said his royal family was united unlike other areas where succession wrangles reached the courts of law for one to be recognised as chief.

He urged other chiefdoms to have united royal families to avoid paying money to lawyers each time succession disputes ensued.

The chief noted that Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor, other government officials, Chiefs from Namwala, and the Member of Parliament Robbie Chizhyuka would be in attendance to witness his installation as chief tomorrow.
[ZANIS ]

Woman marries 2 men

Entertainment Editor
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Promiscuity has cost a woman, who was married to two men, K8 million to be paid as compensation for adultery.

Kitwe local court Number Two local court senior presiding magistrate Moffat Chandenda sitting with presiding magistrates Pumulo Mutafela and Francis Munshya ordered Tumba Chikenge of Ndola to pay the money to Getrude Nyimbili who sued her for adultery.

Passing judgement, magistrate Chandenda said it was wrong of Chikenge, who was married to Ntamile Sichembe in Ndola, to get into an affair with another man, Dennis Mumba.

Magistrate Chandenda upheld Nyimbili’s claim because Chikenge got married to Mumba without divorcing Sichembe first.
The court ordered her to make an initial payment of K600,000 to be followed by monthly installments of K500,000.

Magistrate Chandenda also implored Chikenge’s uncle, Golden Mwansa, not to compromise customary law by accepting dowry from Mumba before Sichembe’s marriage to his niece was legally dissolved.

Testifying in Chikenge’s defence, Mumba told the court that she should not be accused of committing adultery because she was his (Mumba) wife and had paid dowry to her uncle according to the Bemba customary law.

But Sichembe, testifying as Nyimbili’s witness and told the court that Chikenge was still his wife.
Meanwhile, a businessman in Mansa complained in a local court that his wife is so promiscuous that she had a boyfriend while he was courting her. He urged the court to dissolve his marriage.

Chiti Mulenga, 37, of Muchinka Site and Service said differences in the marriage started when his wife, Emmah Kasapo, did an intimate marital chore on her own, contrary to Bemba customary law that required him to do that for her.

He said the matter was reported to Kasapo’s grandmother who was equally disappointed and promised to advise her to let him take care of the responsibility.

Mulenga said one day he overheard Kasapo commending another man’s bedroom skills when they had sexual intercourse in Lusaka. He named the lover as Pascal.
He said soon afterwards Kasapo packed her personal effects, left the home and resorted to excessive beer drinking.

Mulenga said at one time he saw Kasapo kissing with her father’s driver outside the family house.
He also said she is fond of insulting him without any reasons.

He said Kasapo could no longer be his wife because her father has refunded his dowry.
Mulenga further said Kasapo threatened to kill him after being sued.
Kasapo, 32, of Chibote Site and Service told the court that the marriage should be dissolved because of numerous matrimonial disputes.

She said Pascal was just a family friend in Lusaka. She denied ever kissing her father’s driver.
She explained that her father refunded the dowry because Mulenga was calling her a prostitute and that prostitution was a family disease among the Kasapos.
Kasapo also said Mulenga threatened to kill her and that he locked her out of the house before he sued her for divorce.

Senior presiding magistrate Noah Chulu dissolved the marriage without any compensation.
[Zambia Daily mail ]

FJT irked by attacks on judiciary

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Second republican president Frederick Chiluba and his wife Regina leave the Lusaka high Court after a hearing.

Former President Frederick Chiluba is saddened by people who want to bring the name of the judiciary in disrepute because the High Court has thrown out an application that sought to register a London High Court judgement which found him and seven others liable for theft of about US$46 million.

In an interview with the Sunday Mail, Dr Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba said the former President welcomes the verdict by High Court Judge Evans Hamaundu, but is concerned with the innuendos directed at the judiciary.

Mr Mwamba said that it was strange that justice is only seen to been done if judgement is delivered in favour of certain people.

He lashed out at Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata, Transparency International-Zambia and Professor Muna Handulo who have reportedly condemned Judge Hamaundu’s ruling. He said attacks on Judge Hamaundu are disrespectful to the judiciary.

Mr Mwamba urged people who were insinuating that the state had a hand in the High Court decision to respect the judiciary because they too seek services of the court when they are in need.

“We welcome the decision of the court, but we are only sad that some people would like to bring the name of the judiciary into disrepute. Mr Sata himself has been acquitted by the courts, so why can’t he respect the decision of the court,” he said.

Mr Mwamba said it was unfortunate that some people celebrated Judge Peter Smith’s ruling in which he found Dr Chiluba and seven others guilty of theft of US$46 million, when the trial did not encompass principles of fair trial.

The others are Xavier Chungu, Attan Shansonga, Stella Chibanda, Aaron Chungu, Faustin Kabwe, Ireen Kabwe and Francis Kaunda.

Mr Mwamba said it was wrong for the State to proceed with criminal and civil proceedings against the former President at home and in London at the same time.
Mr Mwamba charged that the London trial was unfair because Dr Chiluba had been slapped with a travel ban and his passport had been confiscated due to criminal proceedings against him in Zambia.

He said even if Dr Chiluba had defended himself in the London case it could have prejudiced his case before the Zambian courts.

“The whole process was unfair because Dr Chiluba could not have attended trial in London because his passport had been confiscated. Remember there was a travel ban that was imposed on him,” Mr Mwamba said.

He said despite that Dr Chiluba had refused to acknowledge Judge Smith’s jurisdiction over him, and therefore refused to participate in the court proceedings.

“Dr Chiluba welcomes this judgement (Judge Hamaundu’s) because it upholds the fundamental principle of sovereignty and independence,” Mr Mwamba said.
He said the former President feels vindicated by Judge Hamaundu’s judgement because he had opposed the decision by the State to prosecute its citizens before a foreign court.

Judge Hamaundu threw out an application by the state to register a London High Court judgement which found Dr Chiluba and seven co-defendants guilty of stealing US$46 million through a Zamtrop account.

He said there was no legal provision that allows the direct registration of judgements obtained in superior courts of the United Kingdom court.
[ Zambia Daily mail ]

BY backs poll findings on Pact

Entertainment Editor
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18

Nnational Democratic Focus(NDF) president Ben Mwila has described the opinion poll conducted by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) on the viability of the pact as factual and urged the two parties in the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Developemnt (UPND) Pact to accept the outcome as true, failure to which they would be cheating themselves.

Mr Mwila said in an interview yesterday that it was now clear that the top leadership of the UPND were only bent on destroying Mr Hichilema’s political career with their insistence to belong to the pact even after the members of the PF had clearly stated that they would only support Mr Sata for the pact presidency.

He said it was sad that the top leadership in the UPND had deliberately failed to advise Mr Hichilema to leave the pact whose cracks were there for anyone to see.

“I can not see the reason why the UPND should continue imposing themselves on the leadership of the pact when their colleagues in the PF have clearly stated that they will only support Mr Sata,” he said.

Mr Mwila observed that members of the UPND were destroying Mr Hichilema’s political career by clinging on to the pact with the opposition Patriotic PF.

Leadership in Development (LID) director Moses Kalonde said the opinion poll over the pact was factual and that the two parties should ignore it at their own peril.

He said the CPD was a credible organisation whose findings had always proved to be true whenever it conducted an opinion poll.

Mr Kalonde also wondered why the UPND should insist on belonging to the pact when it was clear that the PF no longer even considered them to be their partners.

And former PF) secretary- general Edward Mumbi has asked the two opposition leaders to apologise to Zambians for deceiving the masses that they could work together when they just wanted to use each other for personal gains.

Commenting on the failure of the PF/UPND Pact, he said that Mr Sata wanted to use UPND Members of Parliament for his impeachment motion against President Banda that did not work.

He also alleged that Mr Sata wanted to use the UPND support base to get elected as a president but with the apparent crumbling of the pact, his plans had failed.

But when contacted UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said as far as his party was concerned, it was the people of Zambia that called for the two opposition political parties to enter into a coalition saying the pact was still strong.

Mr Kakoma described all the comments as a strange analysis saying as far as the UPND was concerned, the pact was still strong.
[ Times of Zambia ]

SACCORD says govt is reckless

Entertainment Editor
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7

Government’s absolute refusal to appeal against Lusaka High Court Judge Evans Hamaundu’s ruling on Frederick Chiluba’s London judgment has been described as recklessness.
The decision not to push this case any further when the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) is responsible for having initiated the case is an insult to Zambia.

Southern African centre for constructive resolution of disputes (SACCORD) Executive Director, lee Habasonda said that the decision taken by government on the ruling would leave a bad dent on government.

Mr Habasonda said that this is because of the fact that government, and then led by the late president; levy Patrick Mwanawasa instigated the case in London.

He questioned how the same MMD government now seems to be incapable of implementing and finishing what it started.

Mr Habasonda has, therefore, warned the MMD government of what lies ahead of them when they are out of power with the international criminal court of justice in existence.

He has also challenged government to explain to Zambians if the fight against corruption was only for the late president.

This is because it is the second time that government has refused to appeal on behalf of the general public against any ruling taken on Dr Chiluba’s controversial corruption cases.
[ QFM ]

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