1.
2.
3.
Satirical Renditions
How Michael Sata can win the 2011 elections
By Son Mumbi
disorderly our society has become. Even the Copperbelt Kaponyas despite seemingly contributing to the air of disorder are tired of it.
One Kaponya, in the very expressive language of the Copperbelt informed me that he was going to vote for Sata because inga natumpa, bakani lopola “when I am foolish he will spank me”. With such a large following on the Copperbelt and in Lusaka it is very surprising that Michael Sata has failed to run an orderly disciplined campaign.
Instead, despite attracting large crowds of youth to his rallies he failed to drag these disgruntled young people to the National Registration Offices for them to get the national Ids that would at least enable them to register as voters. Sata has spent the previous elections moaning about his stolen rural vote.
I find this incredibly naïve, of course his rural vote will always be ‘stolen’ if he does not have his own party members there to monitor. A useful suggestion, rather than relying on bourgeois campaigners and monitors who disappear when there is no sight of a financial allowance, he should engage the Kaponya his most trusted followers for the job.
Should Michael Sata manage to flex the disciplinarian tendencies we seem to believe he has, we should see Kaponya’s camped (and not in guest houses) monitoring the 2011 elections in the remote rural areas. What he should also do is make use of Kaponyas quick numerical skills (note the money changers at Copperbelt and Lusaka bus stations). At election stations they will count how many people actually turned up to vote. To organise all this requires order and if Sata is able to execute this, maybe the Copperbelt Kaponya are onto something.
Son Mumbi
Zambia has potential to become a power house
Government says it recognizes the potential the private sector has in creating and promoting employment in the country.
Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Catherine Namugala was speaking when she officiated at the launch of Legacy Holding Group’s multi million dollar Heart of Africa Mixed-Use project in Lusaka last evening.
The project which has been estimated at US$150 million will include the construction of a five star hotel, an indoor shopping mall, restaurant, 850 residential units and an 18-hole PGA standard Matkovich golf course.
Speaking earlier, Legacy Holding International Chairman Bart Dorrestern said Zambia has the potential to become the power house of Southern Africa.
Mr. Dorrestern said the country has a fertile investment environment that makes it attractive to investors.
He also noted that Zambia is endowed with vast tourism potential as the country is rich in natural resources.
Mr. Dorrestern called on Zambians to realize the potential the country has and work toward improving the country’s economy.
Ms Namugala said government was proud to be associated with developmental projects where indigenous Zambians had a stake in them by way of being shareholders.
She said it is for this reason that Government will endeavor to ensure that it continues to create a conducive investment climate in order to reduce the poverty levels in the country.
Ms Namugala said the development initiatives were timely as they would help Government defray the effects of the global economic crunch through revenue that was would be generated from them.
Impossible for MMD to win in 2011 without RB, Teta
THE MMD says President Banda is the best candidate for the ruling party to contest the 2011 general elections.
MMD information and publicity chairperson, Benny Tetamashimba, said in Livingstone yesterday in an interview that it will be difficult for the MMD to win the 2011 tripartite elections without Mr Banda.
“President Banda has no choice but to accept the party decision to adopt him as presidential candidate in the 2011 general elections.
President Banda is wrong to state that he will consider accepting the party’s adoption because he is the only capable person who can lead the party to victory in 2011,” he said.
On Tuesday, Mr Banda said he will be ready to be adopted as presidential candidate in the 2011 tripartite election but emphasised that his adoption will have to be on merit.
Mr Tetamashimba said the MMD is banking on Mr Banda for the 2011 presidential election battle.[quote]
“The MMD has no any other candidate for the convention and for the subsequent general election in 2011. It will be impossible for the MMD to win the elections without President Banda.
“The President was wrong when he said he will consider accepting the party’s decision to adopt as presidential candidate.
As far as the MMD is concerned, he is the only one. He is the man we are going to vote for at the convention and we shall adopt him as our presidential candidate,” Mr Tetamashimba said.
He said it will not be a matter of choice or consideration for Mr Banda to accept the adoption because the party has “already” resolved.
Mr Tetamashimba said it will be difficult for the MMD to sell any other candidate other than President Banda.
He alleged that those aspiring to contest for the MMD presidency are only working at destroying the party.
Mr Tetamashimba said the MMD is happy that President Banda does not want the ruling party to adopt him without other contestants.
He said President Banda is a democratic leader who wants to be adopted on merit and not on the basis of being unchallenged.
“Whether the President wants it or not, he will be the one to lead the MMD to victory in 2011. The other people who want to contest the MMD presidency will just destroy the party.
For now Mr Banda is the most suitable candidate the party has and we are not going to risk by thinking of adopting someone else,” Mr Tetamashimba said.
He said every part of the country is looking up to President Banda to lead the party in the next general elections.
And Southern Province MMD chairman Solomon Muzhyamba said the party has made a thorough assessment of its members and is satisfied that President Banda should be adopted for the 2011 elections.
Mr Muzhyamba said the party has evaluated and assessed Mr Banda and is confident that he is the only suitable candidate.
He said the MMD is determined to see to it that Mr Banda is also elected as MMD president at the convention in 2010.
“Our declaration that President Banda shall be a presidential candidate in the 2011 elections is not from without.
We have assessed the President and we are satisfied that he is the only man who can steer the party to victory in 2011. So the revolution we have started will be sustained and by 2010, the whole country will be singing RB 2011,” Mr Muzhyamba said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
When secrets can not be hidden-Part 1
By Indi
I was five year old when I left the southern province with my young sister to go to live on the Copperbelt. The Copperbelt (CB) was the place to be at that time, the mines were giving the best jobs and scholarships, the best private schools could be found here, visas to shop in the UK were unlimited, the Duty Free shops where everywhere and of course it was a big thing to miss the Trade Fair.
I loved the trade fair and took pride in how many candyfloss I could eat in one day. So the idea to travel to the CB and live with my very rich uncle and his wife sounded like was the best thing that could ever happen to me. My parents had allowed us to stay with my uncle for the first three years to be able to attend the mine schools there. As my aunt and uncle had no children, it would be an ideal thing to do but all those details and more did not matter to me as I was going to live in the place of my dreams.[quote]
The first weeks of arriving there were heaven on earth, I had no idea that this would soon change. I soon became my uncle´s sex pet. It all started with simple sexual sayings like, “you do not have your breasts yet at your age?”, “What lovely long straight legs you have!” etc. I took these comments as compliments and also eyeopeners to pray that I would develop fast and have breasts. But I liked being with uncle, he just showed us the best times in life.
The comments would change to small touches on my private parts and chest. I was five years of age and thought it was some kind of game that I really did not want to play. It was then that I started to get weary and shy of being in his presence.
Uncle who was 36 years at the time began to play “games”. Games that were secrets never to be told. Uncle`s game of touch would turn to showing me pornographic movies. My parents never allowed us to watch any form of kissing in any movie, magazine or newspaper. So when the porno movie started, I did what I always did, cover my eyes with my hands and hope that it would soon be over. I never knew what I was watching but it was full of sounds and not words. I run out of the room to my sleeping room. I did not want to disobey my parents.
By the time I turned six, the movies, touching games had soon began to be a part of my weekly life. I was afraid to tell because I was just so scared Then the sexual molestation began, the bait was my young sister. If I refused to do what he said, he told me that he would go after my sister and kill us. I never wanted that. I had to protect my sister. So I surrendered to his demands. I never understood this but I knew this game was not what I ever wanted to play and I just wanted to go home. My aunt was always busy and attended every single party/event there was to attend. After all she was the Boss´ wife and a very important person in the community.
But the holiday we were to come home, my aunt had her first baby and unfortunately we had to stay. But my parents did come and visit us, but I never got around to tell them what was going on. I cried so much the day they came but everyone around me including myself said it was homesickness. My parents were surprised to see that I was no longer carefree (Ii have to admit that I was very lazy in terms of doing house chores) but became so clean and concerned. The truth was, I thought my hard work would make me so tired that I never woke up to do what my molester wanted.
My abuser would soon get tired of his molesting and wanted more. Three days before my seventh birthday, he took me in his big car for a ride with his young son. We rode to a river bank or was that a dam, I never can remember. He took me out of his car and slapped me so hard, I could not understand why. His son was quietly sleeping and I looked around for someone nearby, but there was nobody. He kicked me so hard in my stomach. I was so confused and in pain that I just did not know what to do. It was in my confusion and crying that he raped me. The feeling was like that of the sharpest razor cutting me down there. He told me it was a way to make me feel like a woman, to be mature and he was doing me a favor and if I told anyone he would kill me.
All I did was try to scream, but his hand was over my mouth, and cry and wish never to be a woman because what I felt during the rape hurt me so bad. I was bleeding and thought I was going to die.
When we returned home, he was laughing and being nice and acted like nothing had happened. My aunt noticed my sad face and the blood on my clothes and she asked me what had happened and he was fast to say I had began my menstrual period. I did not know what those words meant and agreed to what he said. I went to bath asking myself did every woman go through this to become a woman? What about my mum, did she go through it too?
I never died that night but I held my sister so hard because I did not want her to feel what I felt. I cried myself to sleep. The next morning the pain was still there and I could barely walk, so I stayed in bed. My aunt came in and told me things about “periods”, something that made no sense to me. She also warned me to stay away from boys as I could get pregnant. The bleeding had eventually stopped but the pain was excruciating. I hated to have to urinate.
Within a week of this experience, my abuser carried on sexually abusing me. I kept asking, how many times do I have to be cut down there to become a woman? As he sometimes came into my room late in the night, I would always be up and awake and loud hoping that my aunt would hear what was going on. But all my efforts were in vain as we lived in a very large house.
That year my cousin had been killed in a car crash, so we had to go to the funeral. As we sat around the fire, I told my abuser´s sister and a number of other relatives that were willing to hear how my uncle had sometimes late in the night come into my room.
….to be continued
Kabwe High Court discharges juvenile
A Kabwe High Court has discharged a juvenile, accused of defiling a fellow juvenile.
Particulars of the offence were that on May 16, 2006 in Kabwe District, a boy aged 15 had carnal knowledge of a girl aged 13.
The juvenile was later arrested and charged for defilement of a child contrary to section 138 cap 87 as amended by Act 15 of 2005 of the laws of Zambia.
In mitigation on behalf of the juvenile the legal advocate asked the court to exercise leniency as the juvenile convict, who is now 17 years old, is a grade nine pupil at Kalonga High School.
He, further, said since the juvenile has stayed in custody for two years, it is punishment enough for him and hence pleaded with the court to consider discharging him.
In passing the sentence, Judge Timothy Katenekwa, said he discharged the juvenile after taking into consideration that he was a first offender and a school going child.
He told the juvenile that since he has been in custody since 2007 he would, therefore, take into account the Social Welfare report and would be lenient and offer him a second chance.
Judge Katenekwa discharged the juvenile on condition that he does not engage in any sexual offence.
He reminded the juvenile that if he commits a similar offence within the period of two years, he will be jailed and charged for both this case and the one he will commit.
ZANIS/ENDS/DKS/HN/MC/SJK
Headman commits suicide
Headman Chalwe Kalima of chief Kasomabangweulu’s area in Samfya has committed suicide.
The 78-year old headman, James Chitonge, hanged himself by the neck to a tree behind his house in the early hours of yesterday.
In a suicide note left behind, the deceased said he decided to take his life because he was being accused of killing a relative using witchcraft.
Police rushed to Chalwe Kalima village and collected the body of the deceased that was found still hanging from the tree.
The nephew to the deceased, Brian Musama, said his uncle was a lonely man who had been accused of practicing witchcraft on several occasions.
He said every time a person died in the village the headman was accused of being behind the killing through witchcraft.
Mr Musama said people in the village had rejected the headman to an extent of refusing him from presiding over the traditional affairs of the area.
He said on Tuesday, a relative who had been sick died and the headman was accused of being behind it.
Mr Musama said the headman decided to commit suicide out fear of being lynched through mob justice.
ZANIS/ENDS/IMD/EB
Response to global crisis should position Zambia to sustain economic gains
President Rupiah Banda says there is need to respond to the global economic crisis in a manner that does not just mitigate its effects but positions the country to move forward and sustain its economic gains.
Mr. Banda said in light of the global crunch, there was need to take measures that would strengthen the competitiveness, infrastructure, food security and the resolve of the country to prosper.
He said the effects of the crisis were real as manifested by the closure of some operations and job losses in the mining sector.
Mr. Banda said the country’s response to the global financial crisis had to ensure that there was an adequate safety net to protect the vulnerable in society in a bid to moderate their suffering due to job losses.
The President said a reduction in government’s revenue collection was a wake up call not only to implement resolutions made in many fora such as previous indabas and the north–south corridor meetings, but to diversify the economy away from dependence on copper.
Mr. Banda was speaking in Livingstone today at the opening of the sixth Zambia International Business Advisory Council (ZIBAC )conference held at Zambezi Sun Hotel under the theme, “Global Economic Crisis: Zambia’s Response to growth and competitiveness.”
He said there was urgent need to maintain food security by prioritizing measures to support the continued growth of the agricultural industry.
Mr. Banda also called for the creation of a conducive business and investment climate by way of producing quality goods and services if the country was to compete favorably in the global economy.
He also stressed the need to implement and effectively monitor reforms under the private sector development program.
To that effect Mr. Banda said government had put in place a framework for monitoring the implementation of all agreed policies, programs and projects on a monthly basis to ensure bottlenecks in the implementation process were easily identified.
He assured the private sector and co-operating partners that government would continue attaching strong political will and commitment to private sector development.
Mr. Banda said government would continue to appreciate all the support from its cooperating partners in order to implement phase two of the private sector development program.
And speaking on behalf of Zambia’s cooperating partners at the same function, Dutch Ambassador to Zambia, Harry Molenaar said their primary purpose was to reduce poverty.
Mr. Molenaar said Zambia had scarce resources and needed to double its efforts to attract foreign investment.
He urged government to promote local investment by enhancing operations of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Mr. Molenaar said the country’s cooperating partners would strive to promote business competitiveness and a vibrant private sector through continued support of private sector development programs.
And moving a vote of thanks, Zambia Business Forum Chief Executive Officer Reginald Mfula said concerted efforts from all economic players in the country were needed to minimize the impact of the global crunch.
Mr. Mfula said implementation of solutions already identified and those yet to be agreed upon between government and the private sector would result in poverty reduction, job creation, more domestic and foreign investment and food security among others.
He said implementation of programs in a timely manner was a key factor in attaining sustainable economic development.
Mr. Mfula said there was need by the civil service as implementers of government policies to move beyond appreciating policy change by understanding the importance and urgency of the challenges the country is currently facing.
ZANIS
Mandatory HIV testing case fails to take off
The HIV case involving two former Zambia Air Force (ZAF) employees who were subjected to mandatory testing for HIV without their knowledge and dismissed due to their HIV status failed to take off at Livingstone High Court today.
This was because the state’s lawyer was not there resulting in the case being adjourned to July the 15, 2009.
The case involving Stanley Kingaipe and Charles Chookole both residing in Maramba township in Livingstone are seeking reinstatement and damages for mental and emotional anguish.
Kingaipe and Chookole were allegedly subjected to an HIV test without their consent and given anti-retro-viral treatment without their knowledge in 2001.
And in October 2001, without their knowledge and participation, a medical Board reviewed their medical records and declared them permanently unfit for service but continued to work at the ZAF for a full year after the Board’s decision.
And some people living with HIV/AIDS who came to the Livingstone High court premise area were geared to hear the court proceeding in support of their colleagues.
Lloyd Bwalya, Livingstone District Coordinator of the Zambian People living with HIV/AIDS said he wanted to witness the court proceedings as a way of giving support to his colleagues.
Mr. Bwalya said HIV patients should not be discriminated and stigmatized because of their status.
ZANIS
Political leaders advised to desist from attacking President Banda
An opposition official in Mazabuka District has called on politicians to desist from attacking President Rupiah Banda and instead offer constructive criticism that will improve the livelihood of the people.
UPND Magoye branch chairperson, Ackson Mainga told ZANIS in Mazabuka today, that the current attacks being targeted at President Banda are not healthy for the country’s development agenda.
Mr Mainga charged that opposition political leaders especially UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and PF leader Michael Sata should realize that politics of insults cannot take the country forward as people are not interested in the volume of attacks but development.
He advised politicians with the people’s interest at heart to engage the President in meaningful dialogue over the problems confronting the nation rather than engage in witch hunting.
Mr Mainga added that even the purchase of hearses and mobile hospital should not raise eye brows among opposition leaders because government is there to provide a service to the people of Zambia.
He said people in Magoye are not happy with the incessant attacks on the President whom they said has done well since being voted into office six months ago.
ZANIS/MKM/HC/ENDS
Mwata Kazembe asks for palm tree seedlings
Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people in Luapula Province has appealed to Government to consider providing palm oil seedlings to his subjects.
The Mwata Kazembe said his area had favourable conditions for palm oil tree cultivation.
He made the appeal when Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa and provincial Agriculture Coordinating Officer (PACO) Odineya Chisala paid a courtesy call on him at his palace during inspection of the palm oil plantation project in his area.
The Mwata commended government for the palm oil project but observed that it would be more helpful if households could also be supplied with the seedlings to plant.
He noted that once his subjects were empowered with the plants, government would cut off the trouble of sourcing for land where to plant the trees.
The Mwata Kazembe said cost of maintaining the palm trees would be reduced because individual households would be given manageable quantities of plants unlike when a single farmer is given a lot of plants to manage alone.
Last month, government imported an improved variety of 20,000 seedlings of palm trees from Costa Rica at a cost of $20,000 United States Dollars in an effort to economically empower the local people.
Luapula is the only Province where this project is being undertaken.
ZANIS/AM/CMM/MKM/ENDS.
Luvales still poor despite having mines
Poverty levels among the Luvale people in Northwestern Province are still on the increase despite the opening of the Kasanshi and Lumwana mines in Solwezi.
Chairperson of the Society for Poverty Reduction, John Lijimu, said majority of those employed in the mines were people from other provinces and not the Luvales.
He complained that people were still wallowing in abject poverty despite opening of the mines.
Mr Lijimu said in an interview in Kitwe today that government should devise a deliberate policy that would compel people from the area given the first priority of being employed when vacancies were able.
And Mr Lijimu has called on the government through the Road Development Agency to begin levying heavy trucks transporting copper and other minerals from Northwestern province.[quote]
He said the money to be raised from these trucks could be channeled towards the repair of the road.
Mr Lijimu said currently the state of the chingola-Solwezi road has become an eyesore because it has been damaged by the heavy trucks.
The chairperson suggested that government should also allow investors to open up a railway line to Solwezi as this was the cheapest way of transporting goods other than by road.
ZANIS
Support a Zambian filmmaker
Zambian filmmaker Chansa Tembo has been named a finalist in the U.S. Embassy’s inaugural Democracy Video Challenge online film contest. Mr. Tembo will compete with two other African filmmakers for the chance to win an all-expenses trip to Washington, DC, New York, and Hollywood to represent the continent of Africa in the worldwide contest.
The Democracy Video Challenge is a combined initiative between the U.S. State Department and the on-line video sharing site YouTube. Filmmakers from around the world were asked to submit films that answer the phrase “Democracy is…” Films could not exceed three minutes or use copyrighted material, but there were no other limits to filmmakers’ visions.
Mr. Tembo beat long odds to become a finalist. The contest received more than 900 submissions from 95 countries. Zambia led Africa with nine original entries.
Mr. Tembo’s film, entitled “Democracy is like a smoothie,” shows a variety of fresh fruits being blended together. The film asserts that “democracy is like a smoothie of blended philosophical ideas, ideologies, cultural norms and aesthetic values.”
Winners will be determined by a public vote which is underway now at http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge. The public can vote for videos by giving them a thumb’s up.
Article source
Press Releases
Lusaka Filmmaker Named Finalist In Worldwide Democracy Video Challenge – Zambians Encouraged To Vote Online To Determine Winner
Tuesday, May 2009. Lusaka.
http://zambia.usembassy.gov/pr05192009.html
Chibuluma rugby coach dies
Chibuluma rugby club coach Patrick Phiri has passed away at Ndola Central Hospital after two weeks in the intensive care unit.
Phiri, 43, has been admitted to the hospitals ICU since may 9 on the day he and the 25-man chibuluma team were involved in a road accident when they team bus overturned following a tire bust on the Ndola-Kapiri road.
The team was on its way to Kabwe to play a ZRFU league game against Green Eagles on the same datye when the accident occurred.
Chibuluma chairman John Chibuye confirmed Phiri’s death in a statement and said the coach died at 11:20 this morning.
“I wish to announce the death of our Coach Patrick Phiri, who passed on today 20th May around 11:20hrs at Ndola Central Hospital,” Chibuye said.
Phiri is the only person to die in the accident that left 19 players injured.
His funeral is being held in his home town of Kalulushi and he is survived by a wife and four children.
SOUTHERN SUN ARE 2009 CASTL 7’S PARTNER SPONSORS
Southern Sun have renewed their partnership sponsorship deal for the 2009 Castle 7’s International that will take place at Lusaka rugby club from June 13-14.
Southern Sun Ridgeway general manager Adrian Penny said at a media briefing today that the hospitality package for the castle 7’s is worth US$60,000.00.
Penny said his hotel will offer discounted accommodation for the teams and officials during the castle 7’s.
Southern Sun Ridgeway will also host the 2007 Castle 7’s official opening dinner on June 12.
The hotel will be partner sponsors for the Castle 7’s with the Zambian Breweries Group with whom they have enjoyed a 10-year relationship with the tournament since it began in 1999.
Meanwhile, joining the two will be Finance Bank and Stanbic Bank who will be this years Castle 7’s associate sponsors.
Zimbabwe are the defending champions and are eying a third successive Castle 7’s title when they take part in this years tournament.
Africa Freedom Day Weekend Football Fixtures
Here are this weekends Africa Freedom Day Holiday football fixtures.
az Premier League
23/05/2009
Week 11
Zamtel-Lusaka Dynamos
Zanaco-Nakambala Leopards
Choma Eagles-Young Arrows
Red Arrows-Chambishi
Konkola Blades-Power Dynamos
Roan United-Zesco United
Green Buffaloes-Kabwe warriors
Forest Rangers- City of Lusaka
25/05/2009
Week 1
City of Lusaka- Chambishi
Week 2
Red Arrows-Lusaka Dynamos
Week 4
Zesco United- Power Dynamos
Division 1
Week 12
23/05/2009
North
Indeni- Chindwin
Mining Rangers- Nchanga Rangers
Mufulira Blackpool-Afrisports
Chingola Leopards-Mufulira Wanderers
Zesco Luapula-Muchindu
Lime Hotspurs- Kalulushi Modern Stars
Prison Leoaprds-Luanshya United
Ndola United- Kitwe United
Nkana- Kalewa
South
Luena- Paramilitary
Nampundwe-Riflemen
Livingstone Pirates- Petauke United
Green Eagles-Zamcoal Diggers
Mazabuka United-Lusaka City Council
Profund Warriors-Kascol
Police Bullets-Nkwazi
Lusaka Celtic- National Assembly
Young Green Eagles-Lusaka Tigers
Rescheduled Fixtures:
25/05/2009
North
Week 2
Luanshya United- Mufulira wanderers
Muchindu- Nchanga Rangers
South
Week 6
Luena- Kascol Rangers