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Kundananji Excited With Shepolopolo Recall

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Europe-based Zambia Women Team striker Rachael Kundananji has expressed her excitement after being recalled to the Shepolopolo squad.

Zambia coach Bruce Mwape has named Kundananji in his 32-member provisional squad for next month’s international friendly match against Netherlands.

The Madrid CFF forward missed the Africa Cup and the COSAFA Women’s Cup which Zambia won recently in South Africa.

“I am so happy that I am being called up and I am back in the team. Just like I promised, I am going to work extra hard to stay in the team this time no matter what,” Kundananji.

Zambia will face the Orange Lionesses in a friendly on Thursday, October 6 at the NAC Breda stadium in Breda.

“This is a great move as you can see we are preparing for the world cup.Looking forward to seeing our team beat Netherlands.We want to go and do something special at the World Cup,” she said.

Coach Mwape has also recalled striker Rachael Nachula and Prisca Chilufya.

“Zambia is a blessed country. So, I believe in the team. I believe in each and every player,” Kundananji said.

Zambia is launching preliminary preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be hosted by New Zealand and Australia next summer.

Failure by government to follow the Agriculture Calendar has an adverse impact on the Zambia’s food security

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Failure by government to follow the Agriculture Calendar has an adverse impact on the Zambia’s food security

The National Association for Small Holder Farmers has said that the failure of the government to follow the agriculture calendar has an adverse impact on the country’s food security.

Association Deputy Executive Director Noel Simukonde observes that most farmers struggle to remain afloat ahead of the 2022/2023 farming season due to delayed payments by the government.

Mr Simukonde said that for Zambia to truly diversify its current dependence on copper to maize as the main contributor to the country’s treasury, there is a need for practical action plans by the government to support the growth of the agriculture sector.

He is of the view that despite its potential to significantly grow the economy and increase the country’s earnings through agro-related value addition, farmers have not yet received the total attention they need from the government.

Mr. Simukonde said that going forward, the distribution of farming inputs such as seeds and fertilizers must be completed within the second quarter of the year to give farmers ample time to prepare for the next season.

Last week, the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) President Jervis Zimba Mr Zimba called on the government said to set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to handle the issue of the 2022 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) fertilizer and Seed availability, as this will harness united efforts and coordinate timely delivery of inputs to the farmers.

Mr Zimba noted this after the reported delays in finalizing the procurement processes for the 2022 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) fertilizers.

Mr Zimba noted that most small-scale farmers depend on FISP for farming inputs hence this development is a blow and could spell doom on a sector that is still grappling with the climate change after effects following the prolonged dry spells experienced last season.

He mentioned that the fact is, rains are just around the corner in some parts of the country and any further delay and lack of clear direction on fertilizer availability will adversely impact on production and productivity for the 2022/2023 farming season.

“This will lead to diminishing income opportunities, food insecurity and stagnation in the poverty trap for most farmers,” Mr Zimba said

Mr Zimba explained that what is even more worrying is that even for locally produced seed, the uncertainty is the same as on Fertilizer which is imported.

Mr Zimba has since appealed to the government to step up and realize that the consequences will be catastrophic for farmers, for it is imperative to ensure that farmers have access to seed and fertilizer timely because what is unfolding will result in these inputs being distributed during the rainy season.

“Of what use will that be?” Mr Zimba questioned

He added that this state-of-affairs could have been avoided if the roadmap agreed in April was adhered to because back then, the recommendation by the private sector was that the processes be concluded by June 2022.

“We cannot understand the on-going inertia and farmers are asking! What is the alternative? We urge the Minister of Agriculture to address the farmers on the Fertilizer Procurement developments,” Mr Zimba said

Mr Zimba stated that what is happening right now is watching a crisis unfolding but behaving as if there is no crisis, this is unfortunate as farmers livelihoods are at stake.

“In our view, the current FISP mess will require the intervention of the Head of State Hakainde Hichilema, to instill hope and certainty in the minds of farmers as the twists and turns playing out in the public domain makes it difficult to discern the facts, we say so because every day that passes is edging us closer to the farming season, and there is no more time to waste,” Mr Zimba mentioned

Last week, the Zambia Public Procurement of Authority (ZPPA) announced the cancellation of the fertilizer supply tender for the 2022/2023 farming season which was recently awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture stating that the process was flawed.

The best evaluated bidders included Samar Agro Investments Limited, Sloutone Investments Limited, Agrtzam Investments Limited, Conchak Investments Limited, Alpha Commodities and Evergreen Fertilizer Limited.

Confirming the cancellation of the tender, ZPPA Director General Idah Chella noted that the action by her Office was in line with regulation 249, following a realization that the procuring entity, the Ministry of Agriculture, decided to include local bidders or suppliers on a bid that was restricted to citizen bidders with seeking a deviation from ZPPA.

“According to regulation 249 under the public procurement regulations, we received two appeals from the public and after we received the appeal, we reviewed the tender and found that there were irregularities in the sense that the tender was under Open National Bidding, and Open National Bidding is restricted to citizens only. So, if under section 39(2), it says participation in Open National Building shall be limited to citizens bidders and in the absence of successive citizen bidder, to local bidders,” Ms Chella explained

“Under 39(3), a local bidder awarded a procurement contract in accordance with subsection (2) shall partner with a citizen supplier that is if there is no citizen bidder. So, in this case, the ministry floated a tender under Open National Bidding and going by our Act under Section 39(1) this was only limited to citizen bidders but in their case, they included local bidders,” Ms Chella added

She said following publication of successful bidders and complaint window, ZPPA reviewed the process.

Ms Chella disclosed that the Institution received two bids, after being reviewed their complaints and concluded it was found that there was an irregularity in the sense that the tender allowed both the citizen bidders and local bidders without seeking a deviation from the ZPPA in accordance with section 79, and that procedure was not done.

She cited that the regulations in procurement requires the procuring entity to seek deviation in a case of alteration in the process, which the ministry failed to comply with.

“It was up to the procuring entity to decide whether to do fresh bidding or not since the fertilizer was still required,” Ms Chella mentioned

Government commends World Vision, AgriEn Network works in Mpika

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Government commends World Vision, AgriEn Network works in Mpika

The government has commended various stakeholders for providing a platform for farmers in Mpika district to have direct interaction with the suppliers.

The commendation was made by Mpika District Commissioner, David Siame, during the district agri-marketing and technology fair held at Farmers Training Centre in Mpika.

The agri-marketing and technology fair was organised by the World Vision-Zambia in partnership with AgriEn Network.

World Vision-Zambia is implementing the Transforming Households in Vulnerable Environments (THRIVE) project in Mpika district.

Mr. Siame said the two organisations have provided both the solution seekers and solution providers an opportunity to have direct interaction.

“Support organisations that are supposed to drive the agri-eco system are equally resistant sometimes to the needs of the farmers, this event therefore offers an opportunity for direct engagement between the buyers, sellers and enablers,” said Mr. Siame

He added that World Vision-Zambia and AgriEn Network should be commended for the effort of bringing different players in the agriculture sector together to network and drive the cause for sustainable systems in Mpika.

Mr. Siame said World Vision has constructed canals to facilitate irrigation, promotion of onion, beans, groundnuts and sunflower value chain among others.

And AgriEn Network Zambia Director, Yvonne Mwanza, said the organisation is keen on promoting knowledge transfer.

Ms. Mwanza said so far the THRIVE project is reaching out to 4, 000 farmers in Mpika.

She further said THRIVE project was having challenges to link farmers to various suppliers.

“The idea is that we have invited various stakeholders and input suppliers to provide dialogue between farmers and the off-takers themselves as a way of solving whatever challenges the farmers are having in production and marketing,” said Ms. Mwanza

She added that farmers in Mpika are producing a lot of food.

Ms. Mwanza has since urged farmers to explore other districts for their produce and also work together so that they can access enough market.

Meanwhile, farmers in Mpika are happy that they have been given an opportunity to interact directly with the suppliers.

Patrick Mumba, a farmer who is also Malashi Dairy Milk Processing Plant Operator, said farmers are happy that government has given them an opportunity to market their products to buyers who have been brought close to them.

Mr. Mumba revealed that the platform has given the farmers an opportunity to sell their milk which is new on the market.

“We have been having challenges transporting the milk from the plant to the market. Now that the buyers have been brought close to us, our sales will go up,” said Mr. Mumba

Government should get 50% stake in KCM and impose more controls on Vedanta

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Government should get 50% stake in KCM and impose more controls on Vedanta

Political and Socio Anthropologist James Musonda has said that intentions to have the Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) liquidation case withdrawn from the court will amount to nothing if the government does not get 50 per cent shares in KCM and impose more controls on Vedanta.

In July this year, mines minister Paul Kabuswe directed the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings through its lawyers to quickly dialogue issues surrounding KCM and Vedanta Mineral Resources outside court because the government cannot wait for January 2023 for the next court case to be dealt with as this requires urgent attention.

In an interview with the local radio station Radio Phoenix, Dr Musonda charged that the return of Vedanta to Zambia is certain but notes that if Vedanta comes in the same destructive form it is known the world over; the liquidation will amount to nothing.

He has reminded the government to be alert in the way it is handling the KCM matter as Zambians are monitoring every move being made regarding this issue.

Earlier in the year Mr Kabuswe is on record for saying that Zambia needs to hold a bigger stake in new mines and local communities should benefit more from the mineral values chain.

“This government is saying Zambians must be an integral part of whatever investment. We can no longer sit on the terraces and watch,” Kabuswe said at a mining conference in June.

The minister said later in response to questions that the government was planning to increase the state’s shareholding in new mines to ensure that Zambia maximises its benefits from the sector.

“Going forward, I don’t think there will be a mine where Zambia will own less than 20% (of shares). Those days of 10% shareholdings are gone,” Kabuswe said.

Kabuswe said the government needed to have a golden share in new mines, which would give it controlling voting rights.

Zambia’s mining investment arm ZCCM-IH holds less than 50% shares in key mining operations and a 20% stake in Kansanshi mine which is majority owned by Canada’s First Quantum Minerals.

Last week, Mr Kabuswe announced that the court cases between Vedanta Resources Holdings Limited and ZCCM – Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) have finally been suspended to pave way for dialogue.

Vedanta Resources, which has an 80 percent stake in Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), has been embroiled in a long legal battle with ZCCM – IH, the minority shareholder, over the appointment of a provisional liquidator to run the operations of the mine.

In 2019, the Zambian Government, through ZCCM-IH placed KCM under the provisional liquidator, citing poor management of the mine by Vedanta, charges which management at Vedanta disagreed with.

Mr. Kabuswe is confident the issues surrounding KCM will be resolved now that the court cases have been suspended.

Copper production in the first half of 2022 dropped by seven percent to hit 364,937.58 metric tonnes, from 394,183.92 metric tonnes recorded in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, The government has said that it is in the process of formalizing all illegal mines countrywide in order to address the problem of illegal mining.

Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe has noted with concern the increasing cases of illegal mining involving mostly small-scale and artisanal miners.

Mr. Kabuswe has advised the youth engaged in illegal mining activities to register their businesses and benefit from the many empowerment programmes being implemented by the new dawn administration.

The Minister was speaking in Kabwe during the commissioning of the rehabilitation of the Kabwe main canal aimed at addressing the health challenges caused by lead poisoning.
And Central Province Minister Credo Nanjuwa has warned individuals and some young people engaging in illegal mining activities in the name of the UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema to desist or risk facing the wrath of the law.

Wynter Kabimba urges HH to provide his team with proper Policy Documents on his Vision for Zambia

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Wynter Kabimba urges HH to provide his team with proper Policy Documents on his Vision for Zambia

The opposition Economic Front is urging president Hakainde Hichilema to provide his Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with a proper policy document that speaks to his vision for Zambia’s social and economic development to avoid the said officials pulling in different directions.

President Hichilema recently complained that he has noted a trend where his ministers and permanent secretaries are pulling in different directions on policy matters.

Party leader Wynter Kabimba said that it is concerning that Ministers and Permanent Secretaries under the new dawn administration have no document of reference but merely speaking based on individual interpretation of their political party vision when there is need for a convergence point.

Mr. Kabimba said that it is very difficult for president Hichilema to deliver when there is a lack of direction and confusion among his officials who are not operating on common ground.

He has since recommended that the president considers issuing what he termed as a policy document to these officers that speaks to his party manifesto, in order to ensure cohesion in government.

The Italian Job: How the UPND is Stealing from the Zambia People

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The Italian Job: How the UPND is Stealing from the Zambia People

PART 1: FERTILIZER PROCUREMENT

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. If a regime is going to steal from the Zambian people on a large scale, there are basically four key areas where such theft can be perpetrated, with little or no notice from the citizens. Three of the four areas are on the expenditure side of the budget, while the fourth is on the revenue side. These are fertilizer, medicines and fuel procurement on the expenditure side, and tax holidays on the revenue side.

2. Fertilizer procurement for the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) presents a unique opportunity for a regime to steal from the people because of the huge value and volumes involved. However, in order for this scam to work, certain conditions have to exist. The first and perhaps most important condition is that there has to be a high level of panic or semi-crisis with the procurement process so that the minds of citizens should only be focused on having the inputs delivered and not whether proper tender procedures have been followed. In order to achieve this condition, a thieving regime will ensure that fertilizer procurement is done at the very last minute before the commencement of a farming season. Indeed, every Government knows with absolute certainty that farmers will need fertilizer to be delivered to their door-steps by late September or early October, therefore there is no discernible reason why they should not commence the fertilizer procurement process as early as February so as to allow for any eventualities such as the award being challenged in court.

3. The late commencement of the fertilizer procurement process is not by accident or due to incompetence. It is a deliberate ploy by the regime to create a crisis and elevate the levels of anxiety among the people. Once that condition has been achieved, the next step is to use it as an excuse for sidelining established tender laws, processes and procedures under the pretext that there is an emergency. The other condition that must subsist for the fertilizer scam by a regime to succeed is that procurement must be made from outside the country. That is because if procurement is made from local fertilizer manufacturing companies, it becomes a problem to inflate prices, meaning that the only other available way in which theft can be done is through under delivery. However, under-delivery as a mode of theft is replete with too many obstacles one of which is that the beneficiaries on the ground are likely to make an outcry that they did not receive the fertilizer at all, or that they received only a fraction of their allocation.

4. Therefore, it is paramount to a thieving regime that the fertilizer is sourced from abroad. The average price of fertilizer on the world market is between $250 and $350 dollars, and even after a supplier adds insurance and freight, there is no good reason why the Government should be paying three to four times the world market price. Other than for purposes of siphoning money from the Zambian people. This means that local fertilizer manufacturing companies stand little or no chance of being awarded a substantial fertilizer contract by Government. There will always be a preference to award tenders to traders rather than manufacturers, because traders offer a greater opportunity for inflating prices.

5. Of course Government has to come up with an excuse why they prefer to award fertilizer contracts to traders rather than local manufacturers such as Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia and other private sector players. The common excuse is that these manufacturers do not have the capacity to manufacture the quantities which Government seeks. This is only so because a thieving regime will set unreasonable delivery timelines which favor traders compared to manufacturers. If the fertilizer contracts were awarded as early as February, the local manufacturing companies would have more than six months to produce the fertilizer in readiness for distribution in September. But instead, the thieving regime will award the fertilizer contract in September and demand that it be delivered in a few weeks time. Under these circumstances, local fertilizer manufacturing companies are only allocated less than two percent of the total quantities due to their “limited capacity”. And the stealing goes on.

6. The other important condition that must exist for the theft from the Zambian people to succeed, is that the fertilizer contracts must be awarded to people who are supporters of the ruling party so that they can pump back in the chipani, most of the supernormal profits from the inflated fertilizer contract. For example, if Alefaz Fertilizer Commodities Company is awarded an inflated contract to supply 100,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer at an inflated price of $1,400 per metric tonne, this amounts to $140 million. Since the price of fertilizer on the world market is between $250 and $350, we can take an average of say $300, which means Alefaz Fertilizer Commodities Company will incure a total estimated cost of about $30 million to procure the 100,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. The average insurance cost is usually not more than 5% and the cost of freight can be put at about 25%, which means that the total landed cost for the consignment will be about $39 million dollars, which we can round off to $40 million. This means that out of their $140 million contract, Alefaz Fertilizer Commodities Company is making a supernormal profit of $100 million, or in local currency K1.58 billion.

7. Since Alefaz Fertilizer Commodities Company is linked to the ruling party, this K1.58 billion supernormal profit from the fertilizer contract is then distributed to various party beneficiaries, as instructed by the President. Most of this money is then used to bribe voters so that the ruling party can prolong it’s stay in office.
In part 2, 3 and 4 of this series of articles we shall look at how theft is done by the UPND regime in the procurement of fuel and medicines, as well as in the granting of tax holidays.

Police Detain Man for Swindling a job seeker out of K13, 000

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Police Detain Man for Swindling a job seeker out of K13, 000

Police have detained a 40-year-old man of Chililabombwe for swindling a job seeker out of K13, 000 after being on the run for over a year.

Mr. Patrick Chola Mabula of Lubengele in Chililabombwe is in police custody for obtaining money from Lazarous Chanda, aged-24 of Kakoso South in Chililabombwe on pretext that he would help him secure a job in the Zambia Army as a soldier last year.

Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Sharon Zulu say the incident occurred between January 2021 and February 2021 in Chililabombwe but the suspect disappeared and was only arrested this week.

Ms. Zulu said the suspect told the victim that he was a soldier working in United Nations Operations in Russia after the two met at the court.

She said the suspect stopped picking up calls and eventually varnished soon after he was paid K2,000 cash while the reminder was deposited in his mobile money account.

‘Obtaining money by false Pretences Contrary to Sec.309 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia /Personating a Public Officer Contrary to Section 102 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia. The matter was initially reported at Chililabombwe Police Station on 01/07/21 at 1600hrs in which male Lazarous Chanda, aged-24 of new Plots, Kakoso South Chililabombwe, a businessman , reported that a person he came to know as Male Patrick Chola Mabula, of X 211 Lubengele Chililabombwe, aged-40, obtained money from him amounting to K13 000.00, on pretext that he would help him secure a job in the recruitment of Zambia Army as a Soldier. The incident occurred between January 2021 and February 2021 in Chililabombwe,” Ms. Zulu said.

“The victim is further claiming that the suspect informed him that he himself was a soldier working in United Nations Operations in Russia. Facts in brief are that, on unknown date but in January 2021 the victim met the suspect at Chililabombwe Magistrates Courts for the first time and they sat together as they waited for court cases. The victim saw how smartly- dressed the police officers were on that day and he began to indicate to everyone who was there as to how much he wishes to be a police officer. Upon hearing that, the suspect pulled him aside and indicated to him that he was a soldier and he would help him join the army if he wishes. The two later exchanged numbers and began to communicate. At one point the victim was even taken to the suspect’s place where he was shown pictures of men in Zambia Army Uniform and pointed at one of them to be himself, though the face was masked,” Ms. Zulu said.

“The victim was asked to pay money on different days for recruitment, training and other logistics. The money paid amounted to K13.000.00 Part of the payment was in hard cash (K2000) while the rest was deposited in mobile account money No. 0764945055. After monies were payed the suspect stopped picking up calls and eventually varnished. The matter was then reported to the police.”

“Investigations were instituted and on 21/09/22 around 19.00hrs the suspect was apprehended from Kasumbalesa border after the complainant was tipped and immediately alerted the Police. It’s during interrogation that it learned that the suspect had actually relocate from Chililabombwe to Lubengele area at Kasumbalesa border and he mostly reside in Congo D.R of Kasumbalesa side.He further indicated during interview, that he was not a soldier and that he obtained money from the victim because he was also swindled in a similar manner by unknown people through Facebook. The same is detained in lawful police custody awaiting to be charged and arrested for court proceedings.We further wish to inform members of the public who could have lost money in this similar scam in Chililabombwe, Kasumbalesa or indeed from this named suspect to report to Chililabombwe Police Station so that your case can be reactivated and punitive will be taken against the suspect,” she concluded.

10 dies on the spot in Road Traffic Accident in Lusaka

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10 dies on the spot in Road Traffic Accident in Lusaka

Manda Hill Police post recorded a Fatal Road Accident that involved eleven fatalities(Ten died on the spot and one at the hospital). The accident involved a male driver Warrant Officer Class Two Spoon who was driving a Zambia National Service Low bed truck registration number ZNS 666F from West to East whose damage was front part extensively damaged and the driver died on the spot.

Also involved was the unknown male driver who was driving a Toyota Hiace registration number ARB 2617 from the direction of East to West which had 14 Passengers on board. Nine passengers from the Public Service Vehicle sustained fatal injuries while five passengers sustained serious injuries all are admitted at Levy Mwanawasa. The driver of the minibus is among the dead comprising of Seven males and Four females. The minibus was extensively damaged.

Another vehicle involved was a Toyota Corolla registration number BAD 8759 that was driven by male Fred Kadongole which had a damaged front right fender, right Headlamp, and bonnet. The driver escaped unhurt.

The accident occurred due to excessive speed by the driver of the Toyota Hiace who lost control of the motor vehicle and went to hit into the Zambia National Service low bed Truck head-on that was in the opposite lane. This occurred at around 06:00 hours at the Junction of the University of Zambia along Great East Road.

The eight bodies of the deceased have been deposited in University Teaching Hospital Mortuary while three are at Levy Mwanawasa Hospital Mortuary awaiting identification, post-mortem and burial.

Sichone: Chipolopolo Loss Minor Setback

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Interim Chipolopolo coach Moses Sichone has described Friday night’s friendly away loss against Mali as a minor setback.

Zambia lost 1-0 to Mali in Bamako via a 7th minute goal scored by Spanish-based striker El Bilal Toure.

“I am not worried about the score line but the most important thing is the performance of the team,” Sichone said.

“I want to commend my team we did well we played well according to instruction maybe I can say in the first half we were a bit reluctant in the midfield  where we did not try to close them down and we gave them space and time to make combinations.”

Zambia had a great chance to equalize on the stroke of halftime but Edward Chilufya’s effort was cleared off the line by Mali goalkeeper Ismael Diawara.

Fashion Sakala had a chance early in the second half and Ricky Banda too wasted an opportunity with three minutes left to play.

Meanwhile, Chipolopolo plays its final friendly game against Mali on September 26.

The Lizard That Jumped from the High Iroko Tree

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The Lizard That Jumped from the High Iroko Tree

By Sakwiba Sikota

There is a recent statement by Republican President Hakainde Hichilema in New York where HH stated, “They want me to help other countries achieve what I have done for Zambia.”

This forthrightness reminded me of Okonkwo the lead character in Chinua Achebe’s masterpiece ‘THINGS FALL APART’. Okonkwo, a strong natural leader hailing from the Nigerian southern tribe the Igbos, who was innovative and a once in a lifetime person.

Instead of congratulating HH to High Heaven some Zambians seem to be unwilling to acknowledge this great achievement. HH must be feeling like President Donald Trump who wanted everyone to say ‘thank you’ for his coronavirus actions but did not receive that public acknowledgement.

Trump in March 2020 lamented, “We’ve done a fantastic job. The only thing we haven’t done well is to get good press. We’ve done a fantastic job but it hasn’t been appreciated. Even the closing down of the borders, which has never been done, and not only did we close them but we closed it early. The press doesn’t like writing about it.”

Just like with Trump it seems some people do not want to acknowledge the works of HH. I read the comments by readers to the postings, “They want me to help other countries achieve what I have done for Zambia.” and a lot of them were saying things like,

“The question is who are ‘they‘ and who are the ‘others’. Nguni VD, ‘they’ are the whites and ‘others’ are his fellow Africans.Typical of muzungu anikondes.”

“What has he achieved? BOASTING!”

“The President thinks highly of himself.”

“Don’t praise yourself, if you are worth it, no need to prove it.”

Brebner Changala, the human rights activist was more direct and is reported to have said, “I should add that boasting, self praise and exaltation~ YAPAILA, ILIOVA ALABWAFYA!”

Others even bring in religion and quote scriptures like Proverbs 27:2 which says, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.”

Chinua Achebe had a strong view about religion. He was peeved by the fact that the white men came and completely disregarded the Igbo sense of justice and they did not understanding anything about the “others”.

An exchange occurs at the end of Chapter 20 during a conversation between Obierika and Okonkwo which goes, “Does the white man understand our custom about land?”
The conversation goes on, “How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

Inspite of this, I would encourage HH to not take to heart the comments and criticisms from people who claim such statements as he made are not needed. He should not take Proverbs 27:2 as a restraint. Trump has achieved what he has because he is not afraid to tell people that he is a “stable genius.”

After all Chinua Achebe in “Things Fall Apart”, writes, “The lizard that jumped from a high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no-one else did.”

HH should take a ‘Trumpian’ leap of faith and take a leaf from, if no one else will, the Lizard that jumped from a high iroko tree.

Current conditions of service for Councillors in the country are heartbreaking-Sunday Chanda

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Current conditions of service for Councillors in the country are heartbreaking-Sunday Chanda

Kanchibiya Member of Parliament Sunday Chanda has described the current conditions of service for Councillors in the country as heartbreaking.

And the Kanchibiya MP has since requested the acting Clerk of the National Assembly that he on October 12th 2022 move a motion on the floor of the house for Parliament to urge government to improve conditions of service for the councillors, a move he says cuts across all parties.

“This is not a partisan motion, it is a motion that cuts across partisan rank and file, the conditions of service for our councillors is something that is heartbreaking.” He said.

The Kanchibiya Lawmaker said this is especially for Councillors from rural constituencies such as Kanchibiya and Shiwang’andu among others from both the opposition and ruling parties including independents.

He hopes that the Executive will be magnanimous enough to agree to the equitable distribution of resources.

“We hope that government will be magnanimous enough to agree that in terms of equity, because we are making this argument on the basis of equity that thee ought to be equitable distribution of resources,” he said.”

“And our councillors have families to run, they’re doing a great job serving our country, ” he added.

Hon. Chanda further said that the issue of councillors’ conditions service should be given attention with the Emoluments Commission in place.

“With the Emoluments Commission operationalised, their issue must be given the significance it ought to be given.” He said.

500 teenage pregnancies recorded to date in Chipata

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500 teenage pregnancies recorded to date in Chipata

Over 500 teenage pregnancies were recorded in the first and second quarters of 2022 in Chipata City, health authorities in the area have said.

Acting District Adolescent Focal Point Person (DADH-FPP) Seth Chongo said his office captured a total of 596 teenage pregnancies from January to June this year.

Mr Chongo in an interview Friday said 323 teenage pregnancies were recorded in the first quarter of 2022 while 273 were recorded in the second quarter.

“So you are aware that our district has been battling teen pregnancy for a while now. There are a lot of interventions that have been put up by the district health office while working with various stakeholders,” he said.

Mchini Health Post was leading in terms of teenage pregnancies among urban facilities in the the country’s fifth city.

To this effect the Mr Chongo’s office has held a field day on reproductive health aimed at curbing the problem in the area.

“So we organised the adolescents of Mchini to conduct various adolescent-friendly activities in Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR),” he said.

He said during the field day, held under the theme: “Together For A Teen Pregnancy Free Mchini” addressed issues affecting adolescents in that community.

As a whole,1,120 adolescents were reached while 3,549 condoms were distributed.

“The young people used poetry, cultural dances and sketches to communicate messages. After the performances, people visited various booths where information and services were offered such as HIV testing services, contraceptives, information on mental health, GBV, alcohol and substance abuse,” Mr Chongo said.

FQM Trident Ltd Donates Animals to Lunga West National Park

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FQM Trident Ltd Donates Animals to Lunga West National Park

By SOLWEZI TODAY REPORTER

FQM Trident Ltd is restocking animals at West Lunga National Park in North-Western Province at the request of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

The company has through its Wildlife Management Team of Trident Foundation Ltd (TFL) conducted a capture and restocking operation for the Park.

Through TFL and following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2014 with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), FQM is a private management partner of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in Zambia.

The MoU was for the protection and rehabilitation of the West Lunga Management Area whose animal population had been depleted due to massive poaching.

Speaking during the release of the first consignment of the animals into the West Lunga National Park, FQM Trident Programme Lead for Wildlife and Forestry Management Dr David Squarre said the initiative by the mining firm to promote wildlife conservation was a unique one.

“The idea is to form within this area a wildlife economy and a community that is aware of the importance of conserving wildlife. We are actually demonstrating that apart from the mining activities, the mining company can support wildlife conservation by bringing together two opposite extreme players. This is a clear demonstration and I think it is the first of its kind where we are actually bringing in two players, that is the mining and wildlife conservation,” Dr Squarre said.

He said supporting wildlife conservation would help local communities optimize the social and economic benefits realized from the mining and ecosystem services from wildlife.

“The decision was actually to bring in animals here so that we can restock the national park as a request from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. What FQM would like to see in future is that this national park becomes sustainable and supported by the community to demonstrate as an example of what public-private partnership would bring,” he said.

Dr Squarre said FQM Trident had incorporated the West Lunga National Park as part of its corporate social responsibility and was providing technical support to the law enforcement officers such as provision of equipment, uniforms, food rations and fuel among others.

FQM Trident has donated 40 impala to the DNPW which were released into the West Lunga National Park in North-Western Province. The team also restocked the Ntambu Community Game Ranch with three male eland and six sable antelopes.

The animals were captured from the Trident Wildlife Sanctuary which is adjacent to the Mine, harbouring 13 animal species that were introduced for breeding purposes.
Dr Squarre said the mine, working together with DNPW had established adequate security around the 11,000 square metre-plus national park so that the animals could multiply as part of the restoration programme for the West Lunga National Park to restore its ecological function.

And DNPW representative, Michael Phiri who is a wildlife police officer stationed at Jivundu Wildlife Camp, thanked FQM Trident for its support in terms of law enforcement at one of the biggest national parks in the country.

“The national park was depleted and we are very grateful to the mine for conceiving the idea of bringing in animals for restocking,” Phiri said. Story courtesy of Suma Systems.

Saboi Imboela writes to HH over Chellah Tukuta’s remarks against her

Chief Editor
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Saboi Imboela writes to HH over Chellah Tukuta’s remarks against her

National Democratic Congress (NDC) President Saboi Imboela has written to Republican President Hakainde Hichilema to complain over alleged blatant disrespect for women by people serving in the New Dawn government and UPND cadres.

Immediate past State House Photographer and UPND supporter Chellah Tukuta this week issued negative remarks against Ms. Imboela that borders on sexual harassment.

Mr. Tukuta was responding to Ms. Imboela’s remarks against him suggesting that President Hichilema recently transferred the photographer from State House to the Embassy in Brazil because of making homophobic remarks relating to the recently held controversial Lusaka July.

“An elderly woman like you is embarrassing the University of Zambia with your kind of reasoning and makes us wonder if there’s another UNZA because most UNZA graduates are so intelligent and their reasoning top class. If you want me kulandafye not passing mumbali.The way you are doing politics is dangerous and I feel pity you won’t go anywhere with that approach. Whenever you dream ghosts on top….You suddenly begin to act very strange maybe you need a man in flesh to service your needs otherwise mwalapena,” Mr. Tukuta told Ms. Imboela in a Facebook post.

In a letter to President Hichilema which has also been copied to the international community, Ms. Imboela said she has a right to provide checks and balances without being insulted by UPND leaders.

Ms. Imboela said the trend of insulting female opposition political party leaders by the UPND is worsening.

“The UPND has been in office for a year now and while there are a few areas were your party has scored, the issues of gender, women and blatant disrespect of women by your officials, UPND cadres and people that surround you is becoming a huge source of concern. As a member of the opposition and a President of a political party for that matter, I have a Right to provide checks and balances in whatever way I see fit, without being insulted by your party leaders. The UPND is not the first party to be in office and there were no insults like this from all your predecessors, at least not to this extent.I wonder why criticisms by female leaders are said to be due to sexual starvation by your party members and yet we do not hear them say the same about the men. We never say that men are making bad political decisions due to impotence, low libido, homosexuality and other staff,but stick to politics and not deteriorate the political discourse to assume bedroom issues of male leaders, as they do with women,” Ms. Imboela wrote.

She charged that insults being targeted at female opposition political party leaders by the UPND seem to have government blessings.

“So I urge you, Mr. President, to bring sanity to our politics because if we hit back, the Zambian political discourse will be filled with bedroom assumptions and not real issues, like we see in other countries. Or as it was before your party ascended to power. I write this letter to bring to your attention the latest insults that one of your appointees has written against me. Kindly find enclosed my article on Chellah Tukuta’s diplomatic appointment and his response on the same. I know that anyone who insults in your name or is a UPND supporter has immunity for such despicable behavior, but I want to put it on record that these are the kinds of insults that most of your officials hurl at women just in case you never see them. These are people that are working for you and supported by you, all because the insults are against the opposition, they seem to have government blessings,” Ms. Imboela stated.

She continued:”I have also copied the international community so that they know what is going on in the Country and the levels of abuse that women are undergoing under your watch, by people that are so close to you. And also the same way we run to the IMF and other institutions for our economic decisions, maybe politically we are also unable to govern ourselves with civility.For this reason, I call upon your office, the international community and all well meaning Zambians to help stop this kind of discourse because when it deteriorates further, no one will be spared. Even the Sedition law will not work for you as President because you will not manage to jail everyone and people will begin to insult you without defaming you.”

Ms. Imboela said insulting female opposition political party leaders by the UPND is totally unacceptable and has to stop.

“Your people and probably even you,justify that it is in order to attack and insult the female opposition leaders like that. Any political comment we make ends up in our bedrooms and you are watching that. That is totally unacceptable and has to be brought to a stop,otherwise no one’s bedroom will be safe. We criticize you and your government based on the policies, pronouncements and decisions you make. We also always try to go beyond the reasons you give to the public and analyse, as well as give the public the reasons we feel you make certain decisions. You were in the opposition for a long time sir, you know how this works.So to always receive insults that leave the political platforms and enter our bedrooms as women is totally unacceptable. You need to bring a stop to this otherwise, I repeat,no one’s bedroom will be safe.Be it that of men and women, or even yours Mr. President. And let me emphasise that bedroom Affairs are private and so people make all these disgusting remarks towards women based on assumption.So there will be nothing stopping us from making assumptions about men also. So if all women that comment on politics are sexually starved, then maybe Zambia is being poorly governed due to impotent men. Such levels of discourse will continue to make this country look and get filthier and civility in our politics will continue to elude us,” she said.

“I wonder why your people think that sex
and politics are one and the same thing and that they can openly discuss women’s sexuality like that. We are some times insulted by boys and girls young enough to be our children and as long as they call them selves praise singers and insult us for your benefit they feel protected.Some times it is big people with wives, daughters and mothers that feel comfortable insulting someone else’s daughter, wife, mother, spouse or sister.As a mother of 3 children, it really pains me to see a Zambia that has lost so much direction and respect for women in just one year of your presidency. Sadly, most opposition and ruling parties in Zambia never have good relationships, but not what we are seeing under your leadership. This is totally unacceptable. I look forward to your urgent guidance in this matter and hearing from you soon,” Ms. Imboela concluded.

Last June, UPND Presidential Advisor William Banda issued insulting remarks against New Heritage Party President Chishala Kateka for staging a solo protest in Lusaka.

Mr. Banda, a former UNIP Vigilante, accused Ms. Kateka of being sexually starved after her lone protest over high cost of essential commodities earlier this week.

Interesting and yet unproductive discourse on Sodomy & Homosexuality!

Chief Editor
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Interesting and yet unproductive discourse on Sodomy & Homosexuality!

By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst

Interesting discourse has taken center stage lately in the nation about no other than sodomy and homosexuality! As expected in the era of internet, social media has obviously been set ablaze with conflicting views from everyone who reckons they ought to add their voice to the debate, somehow…….from the clergy in both established and struggling Churches, individuals attempting to cut their teeth in politics and activists trying to assume the role of heroes, senior citizens watching life fast pass by and individuals eager to prove that they remain morally upright in this SINFUL world!

While some people have argued it’s only now that the practice has notoriously become prominent, others have insisted it would be hypocritical to pretend it’s only now such a phenomenon is being introduced in the nation. It has been there for ages, they insist……only that society has talked about it in muffled tones.

One such interesting discourse we were able to capture was on Facebook was on Andrew Sakala’s page! Readers might be keen to learn that Mr. Sakala is a veteran scribe with many years of experience under his belt having plied his trade at the Times of Zambia, ascending to a coveted position as editor, and most recently as president of the hitherto influential Press Association of Zambia.

“Truth be told, ” he wrote. “While some including some Church leaders are pointing fingers at the state for the rise in LGBTQ cases, the truth is promotion and normalization of this culture is taking place right in our homes. How? Check the movies, reality shows and even cartoons on pay TVs such as DStv, Gotv and Top Star.”

Alderman Patrick Tembo who once served as Mayor of the city of Kitwe had a contrary view. He argued that it is unfortunate that our society has become a dumping ground for what he termed, “filthy, immoral and strange practices which are tied to the aid we are receiving from the imperialists!” He somehow hinted that there didn’t seem to be sufficient political will on the part of the current administration to curb the vice.

In agreeing with Alderman Tembo, Joseph Phiri argued that the curse upon us is poverty. He felt that It’s like we have no choice but accept the practice lest we will not get additional loans.

This was, however, immediately shot down by David M Mwanangombe. He couldn’t help but wonder what the so-called Lusaka July which was introduced during the PF regime was all about. “Tasila Lungu and Miles Sampa have prominently graced that event in the past, long before UPND got into government. Can they shed some light on it?” he asked.

Charles Lukonde weighed in arguing that one had to be nuts to think that some of our people have become gay within a space of 12 months! He contended that thieving ex- ministers……nay, a clique of thieves, PF criminals and their surrogates were hellbent on derailing the new government buoyed up by a rotten judiciary and the corrupt police service where a deputy IG was a thief! “The New Dawn Administration has on several occasions stated that they do not support gay rights, both before and after they came into power. Who is on record having pardoned a gay couple when the courts found them guilty?” he wondered.

On the other hand, Innocent Daka revealed that they grew up alive to the fact that ‘bazungu’ priests in Anglican and Catholic had abused boys associated with their churches. “In the 1980s when we were young, we used to hear whispers in our community how alter boys and priests had developed some peculiar strong bonds. Alter boys, some of them who are priests today would confess having been molested by priests!”

Patrick Kabanshi insisted that these things have always been a part of our society. He argued that, “We gain absolutely nothing by wishing them away! I think the solution first lies in admitting that this is here to stay and we then figure out how best we can strike some balance of living with it.”

Given the forgoing, it is quite clear homosexuality has always been very much part of our society just like your other list of “SINS” as highlighted in the Bible no matter how much we try to pretend and condemn it or turn some people into eunuchs.

Even if we round up all those we consider as ‘queer,’ dump them in the dungeon and throw away the keys, the walls of prison won’t change their sexual orientation. They’d still continue enjoying themselves in there, and once they come out, they’d carry on as if nothing happened to them. As Kabanshi seems to suggest, the best is to get to know these folks and understand them. If it is something that requires prayer, let us pray for them but if it something that we can’t change such as hereditary, let us stop hiding in the so-called culture and accept them as they are!

Let us avoid emotions or insults and debate intelligently…….

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