By Mingeli Palata

The other day I got on a bus from Stanley bar in Lusaka town and if you have been on a woodlands flash bus at 9pm then you know what my experience was like. There were two or three drunk guys headed for Kabwata, the ‘working class and a couple of other nobody’s like myself. I sat in the corner making sure my phone was hidden from the infamous Staley Bar phone snatchers while getting some fresh air from the open window.

The late night bus discussion started soon after we took off and this time around it was about the extension of the proposed National Constitutional Conference mandate by twelve months. I was surprised to learn how the chaps I stereotyped as loud and drunk possible PF cadres articulated themselves in their arguments against the extension of the NCC’s mandate. In their opinion, the extension of the National Constitutional Conference is not in the best interests of Zambians seeing as the country is facing a number of problems like the souring food prices and lack of fertilizer in the districts. In their own wisdom, they noted that the NCC costs K300m every year and that the money could for instance help the homeless in Mazyopa. (Internally displaced people)

The debate got sweeter by second and I was getting tempted to get off my shelf so as to add to the discussion. But before I could put my thoughts together, the discussion switched to the issue of the so called rebel PF MP’s and so I quickly lost interest and put my i-pod on- pressed play on a song by the Mulemena boys- intambi. Yet soon thereafter, a commotion developed in the bus- forcing my attention. Apparently a big argument was taking place between some MMD and PF cadres. The two parties obviously disagreed on some issues and were now venting out insults against each other. What really bothers me is that this is not the first time I have heard or witnessed party cadres squabbling. You may be saying come Mingeli! What do you expect? Those are just party cadres! But wait a minute! Can RB stand Sata’s presence or the other way round? Why is it that the two cannot stand on one platform to debate issues of national importance?

There is grave lack of intolerance and reason in the way Zambian politics are played. You may say that’s it’s the way politicians are and call me naive but I think its much more then politics because its starts with you actually. Some of you may recall the articles I wrote prior to the October 30th Elections, it was quite interesting how when I criticized RB- I was called a PF sympathizer, when I questioned HH- I became tribalist and when I ridiculed Michael Sata- I was called RB’s boy. Ironic, isn’t? Now imagine if any of the operatives belonging to the aforementioned political parties took the questions I raised into serious consideration, the political landscape would have been a little different. As I speak there is trouble in the UPND camp, the same questions we raised are being echoed by some prominent UPND members. Sata lost the elections due to the same regionalism and the personality cult mentality we spoke about and RB’s image is not the best today because of the companions we had warned him about.

If only we could debate constructively, this country would go a long way. Instead of completely brushing aside views that seem to challenge your own, it will be good to try and listen. There was a cheaper way of ushering a new constitution, if only the civil society, politicians and leftist commentators like the author were heard.The situation would have been different but now we may not even have the 2011 elections under a new constitution. Further to which one wonders what is wrong with PEACEFUL demonstrations calling on the government to put their act together visa-vies the food, employment and fuel situation in the country. This is the same freedom of expression that we keep talking about. What harm does a hungry person demonstrating his displeasure over the fact that he can no longer afford a bag of mealie meal cause to a mighty state?

We are way past political and social infancy and should now strive towards embracing divergent views and putting politics aside to focus on making ours a better country. This calls each and every one of us to focus on the more important things; the welfare of the Zambian people and not politics. Did you notice that a combination of the MMD, PF and UPND manifestos is actually the panacea to Zambia’s economic misfortunes? Yet before we put shallow politics aside, before we concentrate on the gist and not the pizza and before we open our arms to opposing views; we are but miles away from reaching the Promised Land.

Government has withdrawn the offer to host the 2011 All Africa Games. Chief Government spokesperson, who is also Information and Broadcasting services Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, said  the decision to withdraw the offer has been made to save money towards enhancing food security in the wake of the current global economic crisis.

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said government decided to channel resources towards the provision of essential services to cushion the impact of the rising food prices in Zambia and the rest of the world.

Gen. Shikapwasha said the escalating food prices, declining commodity prices which have affected copper earnings and the decline in government revenue, which are due to the global financial crisis, have forced the Zambian government to forgo the hosting of the games.

Gen. Shikapwasha announced the decision at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

The minister, however, noted that government has re-prioritized it spending plans for the 2009 to 2011 Medium Expenditure Framework to concentrate on a few important programmes.

He stressed that government has decided to shift about K800 billion to identified priority areas, which include food production, hospitals, schools, water and sanitation and roads.

He  noted that government will continue to finance the construction of hostels at all the universities and colleges that were to have been used by participants as the contracts have already been entered into and infrastructure would benefit the institutions

Government says it has received information indicating that some political parties will go ahead with planned demonstrations this weekend over mealie-meal prices.

Home Affairs Minister,Kalombo Mwansa, says the law will deal firmly with people agitating violence over mealie-meal prices.

Dr. Mwansa says law enforcement agencies will not allow anyone to disturb the peace that the country has enjoyed over the years.

He said Ring Leaders of the planned demonstrations will face the wrath of the law.

Dr. Mwansa said there is no need for people to demonstrate as prices of mealie-meal are slowly going down.

He said opposition political leaders should not resort to organising demonstrations but advise government on how best the prices of mealie meal can be reduced further. President, Rupiah Banda, says demonstrating over critical issues affecting the country can only plunge the nation into chaos.

The President says dialogue is the best alternative to addressing national challenges.

He says his door is open to opposition leaders and other stakeholders for dialogue on national issues.

President Banda was speaking in Chongwe on Friday when he called on Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamabo of the soli people.

The President also said government will ensure that the effects of the global economic crisis are mitigated.

And Chieftainess Nkomesha said she is confident President Banda will address the problems that the nation is facing.

She said her chiefdom is ready to support government in its efforts towards develop the country.

ZNBC

President Rupiah Banda has asked newly appointed government officials to ensure that they work hard and contribute to addressing the challenges of global financial melt down Zambia was currently facing.

Mr. Banda said this at State House today when he swore in Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs, Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika and Permanent Secretary in charge of Administration in the Office of the Vice President, Davies Sampa.

President Banda described Mr. Lewanika as one with a better understanding of national, regional and African politics.

He urged Mr. Lewanika, who is also one of the founding members of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), to work hard and help strengthen the party and the government.

And speaking to journalist after swearing in, Mr. Lewanika said his appointment was a privilege for him to contribute to government and serve the country.

He has since pledged to do his best by ensuring that President Banda succeeds in serving the nation.

Others sworn in are Permanent Secretary in charge of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, Anne Sitali and Chief Analyst for Press and Public Relations at State House, Dickson Jere.

President Banda urged Mr. Jere to clarify issues and challenges currently affecting the country in the wake of the global financial crisis and plummeting copper prices.

Mr. Banda expressed confidence that Mr. Jere will work efficiently in discharging his duties of explaining to the citizens of Zambia, the critical time the nation is going through.

He said Mr. Jere should explain to Zambians the reality of reduced copper prices because the resource was a key to the economy of the country.

To Mr. Sampa, President Banda said the former should use his long experience in the civil service to assist the Vice President, who is also Minister of Justice, to discharge his duties efficiently.

Mr. Banda described Mr. Sampa, who is his former senior private secretary when he was the vice president, as a loyal civil servant to the government and urged him to continue working hard in his new office.

And President Banda said he had no doubt that the newly appointed Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary for Legal Affairs, Anne Sitali, will utilize her professionalism and knowledge of legal matters to efficiently discharge her duties.

Meanwhile newly appointed Chief Analyst for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere, pledged to develop cordial relations with the media in the country with the aim of informing the nation efficiently.

Mr. Jere, who described his appointment as a challenge, said he will endeavor to address the challenges pointed out by President Banda.

ZANIS/CM/KSH/ENDS

The Ministry of Health says the issue of child survival is a disaster in the country.

Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao noted that government is concerned that the country is losing children at a worrying rate saying parents especially young mothers need to be educated on child health and survival issues.

Mr. Simbao noted that neither the President nor government takes pleasure in seeing children under the age of five dying from curable and preventable diseases.

He said child survival is a major health problem that needs strengthened inter ministerial intervention.

The Health Minister was speaking in Lusaka today at the Accelerated Child Survival and Development Policy Roundtable.

“Zambia is one country committed to the Millennium Declaration to address child mortality and quite much has been done. However much still needs to be done,” said Mr.Simbao.

And UNICEF Resident Representative, Lotta Sylwander said meeting the challenges of the deprivation and disadvantage of Zambia’s children requires concerted action at the local level, in communities and at national level.

Ms. Sylwander said Zambia is facing a significant burden of poverty, insecurity and ill-health.

“In this prevailing context, children are taking the most difficult burden. There are more poor children than adults,” said Ms. Sylwander.

She pointed out that improving results for children depends on renewing their hopes and aspirations.

Earlier United Nations Resident Coordinator, Macleod Nyirongo revealed that every year 9.7 million children under the age of five die world wide mainly due to preventable diseases such as malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhoea.

Dr. Nyirongo further revealed that in Zambia alone, over 100,000 children die every year before reaching their fifth birthday saying 40 percent of these deaths occur in the first month of the children’s lives.

He pointed out that meeting the global tally for the child survival MDG will require that over the next seven years the country cuts half the number of children who are dying before their fifth birthday.

Dr. Nyirongo called for serious investment in the health of young children saying this is one sure economic perspective.

The UN Resident Representative said more needs to be done to increase access to treatment and means of prevention to address the impact of some of the diseases.

And the USAID Mission Director Melissa Williams said the US is committed to child health programmes and to reduce child mortality by two thirds by 2015.

Ms. Williams said the survival of children is key to Zambia’s future and development.

She said the US was pleased with some of the programmes put in place by government that aim at reducing child mortality.