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Auditor General Anne Chifungula shows off the ACCA achievement award she received in London last week
The Auditor General of Zambia Annie Chifungula has scooped this year’s Association of Chattered Certified Accountants (ACCA) achievement award for outstanding performance.
Ms. Chifungula, who received the award last week on Thursday in London, said the achievement award is in relation to her contribution to her office and the audit profession.
She told journalists at her office that the achievement is important because her office has continued to demonstrate professionalism and contributing auditing products to the country.
Ms. Chifungula said her office has continued to prove its relevance to national development despite the difficult circumstances it sometimes goes through in ensuring objectivity, transparency and accountability.
She noted that the office has also increased its audit coverage and improved the quality of work by expanding the operations of the office in all provinces in the country.
Ms. Chifungula observed that the ACCA achievement award has raised the Zambian flag adding that the award reflects the outstanding performance and team work of the Auditor General’s office.
She also urged employees at the office to remain committed to team work in order to overcome the challenges it is faced with.
Ms. Chifungula has since dedicated the award to her office and the country adding that the award could not have been bestowed on her without cooperation from other employees.
The Auditor General has been awarded with the 2008 ACCA achievement award in recognition of her outstanding performance and contribution to developing the accountancy and finance.
It’s the year 1969, President Kenneth Kaunda summons Chief Justice James Skinner to explain a judgment passed by Justice Evans that the President did not agree with.
“I am satisfied that Justice Evans has acted on the principles of Justice,” Skinner said. “It is one of the functions of the judiciary to criticize the action of the executive or its individual servants whenever the need arises. If that right is denied then the courts would no longer effectively carry out their duties.”
The interchange between President Kaunda and the Chief Justice Skinner was followed by organized and widespread demonstrations against the judiciary throughout Zambia. An attack was then made on the High Court in Lusaka by the Zambia Youth Service, a uniformed force of the Republic.
The building was broken into, in consequence of which members of the judiciary had to barricade themselves in chambers. The demonstrations that were held throughout the country lead to several magistrate court buildings being broken into. Posters grossly abusive to members of the judiciary were carried by the demonstrators and offensive statements concerning Chief Justice Skinner and Mr. Justice Evans were made by officials of UNIP.
This outburst however, shocked President Kaunda. This was the scene of events in September 1969 that lead Chief Justice James Skinner, to resign. He had been legal advisor to UNIP and a close friend of Kenneth Kaunda. He had been highly influential in helping to steer the country towards independence. He was the only white minister in Zambia’s first government when he held the justice portfolio.
In his letter of resignation, he stated that the abuse to which he was subjected by UNIP officials must have affected the confidence of “the common man” in him as chief justice and in a judiciary headed by him. Confidence in the judiciary was a delicate bloom in Africa, he wrote, “and I am not going to risk destroying it in Zambia”. He felt that if the rule of law was to prosper in Zambia, ordinary Zambians must have confidence in the judiciary, only then would full democracy be brought about .
President Kaunda seeing Skinner off to London
Skinner was adamant that the independence of the judiciary was necessary to preserve democracy and the rule of law, and thus resigned. He was unwilling to work in a system that betrayed these principles although, President Kaunda condemned the violence that had occurred. He later apologized for what had happened and invited Skinner to resume his duties, Skinner declined. President Kaunda was caught between his respect for an independent Judiciary and the nationalist outrage of Zambian citizens over the Portuguese who had been bombing Zambian villages in order to hit the anti-Portuguese guerrillas.
Skinner believed that the anti-white riots of 1969 stemmed from the atmosphere created by the early years of white minority rule in Rhodesia and the bombing of Zambia by Portuguese planes from neighboring Angola.
He however remained on good terms with President Kaunda after his resignation.
He had been appointed to the position of Chief justice in March 1969 and resigned in September of the same year after this clash with President Kenneth Kaunda over the freeing of the two Portuguese soldiers who had been sentenced to two years imprisonment for illegally entering Zambia.
The two men were freed by another high court judge-an Englishman, Justice Evans who referred to the cases as trivial. Skinner had supported his colleagues decision and in the ensuing demonstrations, anti white demonstrators ransacked the high court in Lusaka.
Who was James Skinner? Born in Clonmel, Republic of Ireland in 1923, James Skinner came from a legal family with strong nationalist views. His grandfather was a solicitor; and his father the County Registrar for Tipperary. Skinner was educated at a Jesuit school, Clongowes Wood College, where he first developed his skill at debating. He went on to read law at Trinity College, Dublin where he was a member of the debating and historical societies.
After graduating he was called to the Irish Bar by King’s Inns in 1946 and practiced as a barrister on the Leinster Circuit. In 1950 he married the daughter of a German schoolteacher and was called to the English bar (Gray’s Inn).
In 1951, in response to a newspaper advertisement he moved with his wife to Northern Rhodesia where he joined a practice which became Wasserberger, Flemming and Skinner.
The Nationalist movement was beginning to gather momentum and, as a radical from an Irish Nationalist background, he found himself defending Northern Rhodesians (Zambians) who were being prosecuted by the British. He said “I did not like the social or racial atmosphere at that time and I reacted against it”. Mr. Skinner was one of the first white men to join Dr.Kaunda’s United National Independence Party when it was formed in 1960. He became the party’s legal advisor and deputy director of elections. Mr Skinner became a Zambian citizen by registration.
He was ostracized by many whites. Friends cold shouldered him, acquaintances ignored him and strangers insulted him.
In 1962 he risked a jail term by refusing to register for potential National Service under the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Defense Act, stating the Federal Army was a terror force used to oppress the majority of Northern Rhodesia’s citizens.
He stood for parliament in the same year but lost for lack of European support in the very complex voting system of the time. Undeterred he continued to campaign for UNIP and two years later he won Lusaka East on the basis of “one man one vote” beating his African opponent by a handsome margin. He was the only white man to be returned by electors who were all African.
He was a private secretary in the pre- independence government of Northern Rhodesia and became Zambia’s first Minister of Justice when independence came in 1964.
He was involved in top level policy making decisions and played a major role in drawing up Zambia’s constitution.
He wrote UNIP’s judicial policy a cornerstone, of which was that Zambia would have an independent judiciary. At the time he clarified in a letter in the Leader that “Independence” implies freedom from interference by the Executive or Legislative”. A principle he fought to uphold for Zambia when he later resigned as Chief Justice.
He was a firm believer in nationalizing the judiciary and had pressed Mr Mainza Chona, who became independent Zambia’s first minister of justice, to complete his legal studies.
He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel for Northern Rhodesia in 1964 and remained a key figure in UNIP, helping draft the nation’s constitution.
He was minister of justice from October 1964-January 1965. Attorney General from January 1965 – March 1969, in addition Minister of legal affairs January1967 – December 1968. Chief Justice from March 1969- September 1969.
On his return from Zambia, he practiced at the Irish Bar before being appointed Chief Justice of Malawi in 1970, a position he held for 15 years.
During the presidency of the dictatorial Hastings Banda he managed to ensure the stability and independence of the judiciary.
He returned to England in 1985. In 1986 he took up a further high judicial office in the UK as a Social Security Commissioner, a post equivalent to that of a high Court Judge, where he heard appeals on points of law relating to Social Security. He underwent a triple heart bypass operation during this period. This did not, however, dissuade him from continuing his professional career until he was 72, the statutory retirement age for judges.
Outside of work, Skinner was a prolific reader, particularly of history and Irish Affairs. He is survived by his wife and by his three sons and two daughters.
James John Skinner QC was born on 24 July 1923. He died on 21 October 2008 aged 85.
For the first time ever, there will be two teams from the Southern Province playing top-flight football in one bound next season after Nakambala Leopards bounced back after a term away while Choma Eagles will be making their debut from Faz division 1 south.
Choma beat Chilanga Heroes 1-0 at home to finish on 75 points, one point ahead of Nakambala who also won by the same margin away at National Assembly at the end of the final round of 32 matches of the season on Sunday.
However, for a second successive season, Riflemen finished third best on the final stretch despite also finishing on 74 points after also winning 1-0 away to Young Buffaloes.
Nakambala, coached by former Lusaka Dynamos and Zamsure coach Weston Mumba, beat Riflemen to the second promotion place thanks to a better goal difference.
Choma’s promotion comes a season after they relocated from Lusaka West to Southern Province changing name from Builders Brigade to Choma Eagles.
The Southern duo will join another promotion double-act this time from Ndola when Forest Rangers and Zamtel join them next season from Faz division 1 north.
Meanwhile, in the battle for survival in the Faz top-flight, there seems to be no end to Nkwazi’s free-fall after losing their second game in a roll when they lost 1-0 away to fellow strugglers Konkola Blades today at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe.
Thomas Nyirenda’s 18th minute goal was enough to see Blades rise from 15th place to 12th on 31 points with two games to go while Nkwazi tumble a spot from 14th to replace their hosts in second from bottom.
Ruling MMD founding member Caine Mweemba has welcomed the proposed increased salary for office bearers and senior government office holders saying the move was positive as it would help cushion inflationary trends in the country.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS on Sunday, Mr Mweemba said it was only a normal trend that whenever civil servants are awarded a salary increase, it should also affect all top government office bearers including the President.
He took a swipe at Patriotic Front leader Micheal Sata for his continued attacks of President Rupiah Banda over the salaries saying he should stop window dressing over the matter as even his Vice President Guy Scott has appended his signature.
He has urged President Banda to go ahead and append his signature to the revised bill for increased office bearers salaries.
However, he suggested to the president to also increase student allowances for the University of Zambia (UNZA) and
Second republican president Frederick Chiluba at his kabulonga residence
the Copperbelt University (CBU) before awarding the incressed salaries to the politicians.
President Rupiah Banda, when as Acting President refused to append his signature to parliamentary bill for increased salaries of the executive and parliamentarians and sent back the to the house for revision.
Ruling MMD MPs and some opposition members ruled in favour of the 15 percent salary, a development that has not been well received in sections of society.
However, Chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha , during a press briefing on Saturday, advised Zambians to move away from the 15 percent salary increment for constitutional office bearers to allow government to look at the problems of the global economic crisis and its effects on the country.
And Second Republican President Frederick Chiluba also hailed the increase of salaries for office bearers saying it would help in their work.
Dr Chiluba told the media in an interview, Saturday, that government should however also increase civil servants’ salaries as well.
Choma Mayor Geoffrey Makaya has urged civic leaders not to allow partisan politics to derail development programmes.
Closing a UNICEF workshop on Water and Sanitation for the southern province Artisan Association at Choma hotel yesterday, mayor Makaya said there is danger to involve politics in development programmes.
He said council should rise above partisan politics and work to attain development in their respective wards.
Mr Makaya said tension between development agents such as technocrats and councillors over whose is superior in spearheading development is unnecessary and counter-productive.
He said politics should not interfere with the work of other stakeholders in the development process of the wards.
Mayor Makaya urged members of the Artisan association not to use the knowledge gained from the workshop to exploit communities out of the hard earned resources.
He said the work of artisan calls for sacrifice in addressing water and sanitation problems in rural communities.
He urged the artisans to fully implement the village level operation and maintenance of water points so that communities can have access to safe and clean water.
And Southern Province WASHE (Water Sanitation and Health) monitoring officer Leonard Mukosha said though the job on artisans was not rewarding enough, they played a crucial role in the maintenance of hand pumps and latrine construction in rural areas.
Mr Mukosha urged the artisans to continue sacrificing in maintaining hand pumps for the benefit of their respective communities.
Central province Minister Ackimson Banda says it is government’s desire that all citizens accessed quality health care especially in the rural part of the country.
Speaking when he handed over a newly constructed maternity ward to the ministry of health at Serenje district hospital , Sunday, Mr. Banda who is also Serenje member of parliament said government would ensure that health services were delivered as close to the people as possible.
Mr. Banda told a gathering that included Central province permanent secretary Deny Lumbama that the MMD administration was committed to improving the social economic well being of the people of Zambia.
He said government through the provincial administration, has sourced K225 Million to construct the maternity ward in the district.
Mr. Banda urged the health management and people of Serenje to look after the building well so that it could benefit the community and particularly the expecting mothers.
And provincial Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama said the provincial administration was striving to supplement the efforts of line ministries in social service delivery.
Mr. Lumbana said the maternity ward was one of the eight facilities the provincial administration attended to starting last year adding that at Chitambo hospital, water and sanitation was improved apart from expansion of Masansa clinic and Ipongo Clinic, in Mkushi and Chimbombo districts respectively.
In Kabwe, Mr. Lumbama said the Kabwe general hospital mortuary was expanded.
He also appealed to the health management to take care of the maternity wing and encouraged them to strive to equip the ward with facilities saying he was aware that the department received quite substantial amount of money every months.
Mr. Lumbama said from the funding, the department could be putting aside a bit to improve such facilities like the maternity ward instead of just waiting that other people could do it for them to try to do things at their level.
He said in Chitambo constituency, there was a lot of work which needed to be done.
He appealed to the district director of health Dr. Tiza Mfune, to ensure that work to complete Mulaushi and Yorum Mwanje clinics were done quickly.
He urged Dr. Mfune to start positioning staff to be sent to work in the clinics so that they can give service to the communities and asked the health management team to take particularly attention on the workmanship and materials which are being used at Chipungu and others to get there because the reports reaching his office were sad.
And district director of health, Tiza Mfune commended government for constructing a maternity wing at the hospital saying it will create and privacy for expecting mothers.
China has called for further strong social-economic ties with Zambia.
The vast Asian country’s Communist Party leader Liu Qi has called for strong working relations between the two countries.
Mr. Qi said there was need for the Chinese people of continue coming to Zambia in future especially in the tourist capital, Livingstone in particular to promote the trade links that exists between the two nations.
He said this Sunday when he paid a courtesy call at Senior Chief Mukuni of Kazungula district at his private zoo.
Mr. Qi stressed the need for the two countries to continue working tirelessly in improving the welfare of their people.
And Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe in his welcoming remarks to the Communist Party leader and his delegation emphasized the need for the Chinese government to help market Zambia as a best destination for investment.
Earlier in the morning, the Communist leader and his delegation that were in a company of Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe, Livingstone Member of Parliament Sakwiba Sikota and other senior
government officials visited the Victoria falls for site viewing.
Mr. Qi who arrived in Livingstone last evening left the country around 11:00 hours Sunday morning at Livingstone International Airport and was seen off by the Provincial Minister Daniel Munkombwe, area
Member of Parliament Sakwiba Sikota, Livingstone Mayor Grace shafiki and other senior government officials.
The Anti voter Apathy AVAP has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia ECZ chairperson Justice Florence Mumba to quickly start the process of Voter Registration before for the 2011 elections.
AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo said there was need for Justice Mumba to direct the ministry of finance and national planning to consider putting ECZ on next year’s budget to carry out the voter registration.
Mr Tembo noted that this will ensure that ECZ continues the Voter Registration exercise on time adding that this should also be a continuous process.
He told ZANIS in an interview, Sunday, that the Finance ministry also needs to have a political will that shall lead to ensure that ECZ continues funding the voter registration exercise is successful.
Mr Tembo has also called on ECZ to also implementation of a special voter which is stipulated in the Electoral Act of 200 section No 24 which provides the special vote for people with disabilities , journalist , police office and pregnant women can be allowed to vote any where because they are on duty in place different from were they registered as voters.
The AVAP Director further noted that about 3.9 million people in the current register were sidelined in the just ended presidential elections because the register is out dated.
Mr Tembo pointed out that this so because the electoral Act has been bleached he further urged Chairperson Justice Mumba to ensure that the Electoral Code of conduct should be amended.
He noted that without amending the code of conduct they can not provide for a free and fair election as the electoral Code of conduct always bleached hence the need to strengthen the Act.
The Copperbelt Veterinary Office has impounded a truck carrying rotten beef carcasses worth K45 million from the Senanga Abattoir in Western Province destined for the pots of the consumers in Kitwe.
Provincial Veterinary Officer Dr. Alisheke Mutemwa told ZANIS at the disposal site in Ndola that he wondered how the truck managed to pass through all the police road blocks with smelling carcasses all the way from Senanga through Mongu to Ndola enroute to Kitwe.
He said the truck was impounded yesterday and that the rotten cattle carcasses were a risk to public health and wondered why the transporter agreed to ferry the carcasses when the truck’s refrigeration was not working.
He said it was bad business practice to allow rotten cattle carcasses to be transported from one place to another without following the right procedures.
He said the impounded truck might just be a tip of an iceberg, as the meat company connected had been a culprit of ill practices on many occasions in the past.
The driver of the Scania Truck in question ABL 4234, Mutafela Nyambe told ZANIS that he was instructed to ferry the cattle carcasses to the Copperbelt because they were going to waste and needed to be disposed of quickly.
He said the owner of the meat knew that it was not right to keep the carcasses in a cold room that was not working.
He said his office would step up efforts to curb the scourge to protect citizens from health hazards.
Government has urged traditional leaders in Northern Province to help change their subjects’ work culture to attain meaningful development.
Newly appointed Northern Province Minister Charlse shawa made the appeal in Kasama, Saturday, when he paid a courtesy call on senior Chief Mwamba of the Bemba speaking people at his palace.
The Minister who was flanked by Acting Permanent Secretary Gabriel Kaunda said the MMD government regarded chiefs as partners in development hence the need for the two parties to work together to transforming people’s negative attitude towards work.
He said the province was endowed with abundant natural resources which should be exploited in order to improve people’s living standards.
Mr Shawa observed that the province had good agricultural soils which could be used to produce enough food for the whole country and abundant tourism potential.
He said, Government was committed to transform the province into an economic zone.
The Minister also cautioned Civil servants not to look down on the local people just because they do not have degrees.
Mr Shawa was reacting to the senior chief’s complaint that some civil servants were partly to blame for the negative attitude toward works as they were fond of looking down on the local people.
Meanwhile, Senior Chief Mwamba has welcomed the appointment of Mr. Shawa as Provincial Minister for Northern Province.
The Senior Chief pledged to work together with the new Minister to enhance development.
The senior Chief however, appealed to President Rupiah Banda to consider appointing people who have worked in the province to the position of permanent secretary as they were familiar with problems affecting the local people.
Mr. Shawa was until his appointment Eastern Province Minister. He has taken over from Mpulungu Member of Parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo who has moved to the Ministry of Energy as deputy Minister.
“Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains” (Colossians 4:3, NLT).
Today’s Word from Joel and Victoria
Paul was writing these words while he was in chains in prison. He was arrested for preaching the gospel. Everything in his surroundings shouted “limitations,” but instead of looking at his surroundings, Paul kept his eyes on the limitless God. He kept looking for the open door of opportunity that God would have for him next.
No matter what “chains” you may feel like you are in today, remember, we serve a God who’s in the business of setting people free. Remember, He has equipped you with His power. He’s promised to walk with you all the days of your life. When doors look closed all around you, when your surroundings look limited, when you feel like you’re in chains, remember, God is still at work in your life.
Like Paul, keep your hopes up. Keep expecting. Keep believing. Pray for those opportunities to be opened to you. If you fall, get right back up and press forward with even greater determination to accomplish the dream that God has planted in your heart. The prayer of the righteous avails much, so keep praying because He promises to break the chains and open doors of opportunity in your life.
A Prayer for Today
Father in heaven, I choose to take my eyes off my surroundings and focus on You. I choose to focus on the passion and dream You’ve planted in my heart. I trust that You are working behind the scenes, opening doors of opportunity. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
Former Kafue Textile of Zambia workers occupying company flats say they are fed up with government’s delay in selling them the houses despite having the sold the company to investors.
The aggrieved workers who have since formed a committee to help them speed up the process of buying the flats ,said they are in process of taking to the streets to demonstrate on the issue.
Speaking to ZANIS in an interview today , Chairman of the committee Anthony Kintu said they where suppose to have bought the houses in 2004 when they were given a 50percent of their benefits but this did not happen.
Mr. Kintu said the offer for the houses were suppose to be deducted from the 50 percent but since the KTZ flats where under the Zambia Privatization agency ZPA, there where issues of creditors to be finalized.
He said those KTZ workers who resides in the INDECO estate houses had their offer dedicated from their 50 percent and they immediately became legal owners of the houses they resided in.
Mr. Kintu told ZANIS that they were told that this finalization will not take long and they could soon be legal owners of the flats , he said it has now been four years and the offers have still not been given.
He said that they have since been to the ministry of commerce and the ministry of finance but they were told that cabinet office will authorize the release of their offers . he said they have waited for the release of the offers but in vain.
One of the angry residents Mr. Bydon Gondwe wondered why the government managed to give residents in Nitrogen chemicals of Zambia NCZ flats their offers to allow them to buy the houses when the KTZ Flats residents were the first to be told that they were going to by their houses.
Mr Gondwe said it was surprising because NCZ has not been sold but they have managed to buy their houses without any problems but with KTZ which has been sold , they have to go through all this trouble .
He said government should tell the residents if they are not eligible to the houses.He said if government does not want to give them the houses , the residents should be told whom they want to give to.
Zesco United exorcised ghosts of their recent past when they beat Lusaka Dynamos 5-4 in on post-match penalties after a scoreless draw in their Barclays Cup semifinal match-up played at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola today.
Zesco finally got some relief over Dynamos who beat them 1-0 in the BP Top 8 final played on November 8 at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.
The defending Barclays Cup champions will face Power Dynamos in the finals on December 6 at a venue to be advised in an all Copperbelt cup derby.
Power also won via post-match penalties after beating Green Buffaloes 4-2 in their semifinal match that ended scoreless at the same venue.
This will be Power’s first cup final since 2003 when they won the Mosi and Coca Cola Cup’s.
Meanwhile in the Zesco-Dynamos match, defender Hichani Himoonde stepped up to convert the first penalty before Jonas Sakuwaha leveled shortly thereafter for Zesco.
Dynamos midfielder William Njovu made it 2-1 before Zesco defender Rogers Kamwandi restored parity.
Dynamos striker Stanley Nshimbi sent Zesco goalkeeper Jacob Banda the other way while Innocent Mwaba kept the defending champions in the hunt to make it 3-3.
However, former Zesco midfielder Donwell Yobe handed his old club the advantage when he skied his penalty.
Zesco’s burden was taking care of by striker Lottie Phiri kept his cool to convert the deciding penalty to send the defending champions through to the finals.
The recent copper boom has been short lived. From about 2005 when there was massive reinvestment in the mines and speculation of more, the Copperbelt and Lusaka saw a proliferation of all manner of mine suppliers- Robin Hood copper recyclers (stealing from the mines dump to sell to ‘venture capitalists’).There was a boom in trade with Dubai, China, Dar es Salaam.We saw an increase in property investment, transport and prostitution (Solwezi notably). And boy did it boom! A check on the social spots of the Copperbelt town of Kitwe and one was likely to meet all manner or businessmen and a few businesswomen.
There were excursions across the border into Congo and into the new wild west of Zambia, North Western Province to get villagers to dig for copper using crude tools and haul 50kg bags of ore on the backs. Stories of copper truck hijacks became the norm. The Chinese where the villains of the show. While a not too close look revealed that other country nationals were the villains also, namely Australians, South Africans and Zambians too! Pot-bellied Zambians and Afrikaners with attractive mistresses to swing
around the town with sleek 4 by 4’s.They lounged around the popular night spots with very attractive mistresses, who if times had really been good, might have been walking the cat walk. Well that is all coming to an end!
My advice to all local mine suppliers, transporters, copper labour exploiters, start farming now. The good times are coming to an end. A global economic depression is inevitable. Forget about joining an NGO and stealing aid money for a ‘poverty’ project, there will be no money for Africa from the West.Not with increasing poverty levels in America and Europe; they will look to their own first. Forget migration, it will only get harder for you to get in, you won’t get past the British Embassy.
Local businessman, with the loot you have left from copper ‘gains’ invest in a low energy consuming tractor to help you cultivate the land, not the new set of shiny wheels you have been contemplating. Do not grow maize, fertilizer subsidies only come during election period. Grow sweet potatoes,groundnuts and soybeans. Practice plant rotation, yes you remember it from secondary school production unit.Plant indigenous trees, keep hardy chickens. Avoid goats and large herds of cattle, they overgraze, but you might want to keep a few pigs, they are not picky about what they eat. To avoid energy problems, go solar, forget about that diesel generator you were planning to buy in Dubai.
And lastly, if you are going to have multiple partners, marry them under traditional polygamous arrangements, and stick to those that you do marry. Be open about it, sly sneakiness won’t do you any good when things are falling apart. Besides, honesty is the best way to get the co-operation of your wives for that extra labour. By being open and sticking to your partner or partners you also minimise the risk of contracting HIV, drugs may get very expensive when things fall even further apart.
If the above is all too much, I recommend an honourable death, volunteer your services to the SADC peace-keeping mission for the DR Congo, Laurent Nkunda is guaranteed to kill you, but at least you would have done one good service, to possibly enter heaven. Isn’t that what most Zambians want judging from the proliferation of pastors in every conceivable social setting, even public transport.
MMD Acting president and national chairman, Michael Mabenga, has warned senior party members of stiff sanctions if they continue issuing policy statements on party affairs to the media without clearance from the national secretary or acting president’s offices.
Mr Mabenga, who is acting party president, said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that he was dismayed by the “complete breakdown of discipline” following the October 30 presidential election in which the MMD emerged victorious.
“I am directing that no statement on policy or administration of the party shall be entertained from any leader without clearance from the office of the national secretary or the acting president.
“This must be taken as a serious directive, a breach of which will attract stiff sanctions,” he said.
Mr Mabenga said some leaders from senior party organs had embarked on divisive campaigns by allegedly inciting party members to issue statements in the press that could create an impression that the MMD has no leadership or was deeply divided.
He said the party’s victory in last month’s election was a product of the collective efforts of the general membership and sympathisers.
Mr Mabenga said it was the sum total of every individual vote cast in favour of the MMD candidate, Rupiah Banda, that made him become fourth President of Zambia.
Mr Mabenga said the MMD campaign team that was managed by party election chairman, Mike Mulongoti, was cleared by the presidential candidate and appointed by national secretary, Katele Kalumba, under his authority as party acting president.
He said the recommended structures, which the campaign team utilised, did not create any vacuum in the party leadership or decision-making with respect to the campaign.
“I wish to note, however, that the press utterances that have been issued after MMD won the election have not pleased me and cannot be pleasing to any of our hardworking party members,” he said.
Mr Mabenga said the party leadership had not yet received a report from the campaign team for it to start making any statement on how the election strategy was conducted.
He said MMD senior members should recall that the late President Mwanawasa aborted a post-mortem of the 2006 elections to avoid divisions and accusations.
“As acting party president, I am awaiting a report from the campaign committee before the national executive committee meets. This report will show, in a judicious way, an account of how the team executed the campaign across the country,” he said.
Mr Mabenga said he had directed Dr Kalumba to table the campaign committee’s report after he had received and scrutinised it.
“I insist, however, that such an exercise cannot, with all objectivity, be conducted in the press,” Mr Mabenga said.
[Zambia Daily-Mail]
