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The ministry of health says the health personnel in Livingstone are on alert to curb any possible outbreak of Cholera in the district.
Ministry of Health Spokesperson, Canicius Banda, was responding to questions on what the Ministry had put in place to prevent the spread of cholera to Livingstone following the outbreak of cholera in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
He said all districts in the province have cholera preparedness committees aimed at curbing the outbreak of cholera at that level.
Dr Banda said Livingstone had a cholera preparedness committee in adding that the committee was on high alert and would ensure that awareness programmes are intensified on the outbreak of cholera.
He said the inspection of meat by health personnel at the market places has been on-going to ensure that the meat sold is of high standards.
Dr Banda also noted that any Zimbabwean national, who would be found with cholera in Livingstone, would be treated.
A check by ZANIS this morning at the Victoria Falls border post found that health officials were on alert and were refusing Zimbabwean nationals entry, into the country with foodstuffs.
The World Health Organisation, WHO, reports that nearly 300 people have died in Zimbabwe in recent weeks in a cholera outbreak which has hit about 6,000 people.
Government is happy with opposition Patriotic Front, PF, Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili, for helping explain the reduction on perks in the emolument bills passed in Parliament for Constitutional office bearers.
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, said government is happy with Mr Kambwili’s honesty that he voted for the increment in emoluments because the current perks were inadequate.
Leutenant General Shikapwasha, told ZANIS in a statement that Mr Kambwili should be commended for boldly helping PF leader Micheal Sata to understand that the passing of the emolument bills were justified as the perks were a reduction on the earlier ones which had been passed but which President Banda refused to sign.
“Government wishes to commend Patriotic Front Roan Member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili for his honesty in shedding more light on the emoluments recently passed by parliament,” read Ge. Shikapwasha’s statement.
“Iam pleasedb that the Roan MP who is considered a confidante of Mr Sata has boldly and honestly informed his boss that he voted for the increment in emoluments because as an MP he deserved them, describing the current emoluments as “a joke”
He described as falsehood remarks by PF Mandevu MP Jean Kapata that the opposition MPs were misled and lacked guidance from party Vice President Guy Scott and Chief Whip Yamfwa Mukanga on the voting system.
He said Ms Kapata was being dishonorable by blindly following orders by PF leader to mislead the public that the opposition MPs were misled hence their voting for the passing of emoluments.
My name is Jabulani Ntazana Dhlakama. I was born in Zambia on the 9th of june 1987 under the name Ntazana Nchinga to my mother Martha Chitundu Bowa and the father I never knew, Richard Nchinga. He worked in lusaka at that period as an accountant but never married my mother.
Once seperated, my mother married a Zimbabwean, Dumisani Dhlakama who adopted me as his son and moved us to Zimbabwe. Please help me look for my father, brothers and sisters.
Even as you start to read this article, President Banda may be seated in his office gazing at Zambia’s hottest bill, wondering whether to append his signature to it or not. How I wish he could take time to learn what his masters/employers feel about the proposed 15% salary increment to constitutional office bearers. More so because the laws of this land have it that public office bearers are servants of the people, yes, us the people, you reading this article and me. As such, we the people naturally should have a say when our servants or workers seek a pay rise, not so?
We have taken time to listen to your argument for the pay rise and we see little sense in it. This so because of a number of reasons – the first being that we have given you a job, but you failed lamentably even after saving your necks from job losses the last three times we reviewed your performance.We had hoped that you would improve, but you have let us down. We have given you the opportunity, the resources and we have even volunteered to help you make ours a better country, but you have failed us dearly for 17 years. We, in fact, find it rather provocative that you have the audacity to ask us your employers for a pay rise when you have failed to deliver.
More than 70% percent of Zambians are living in abject poverty. Poverty according to the United Nations is living under a dollar a day. A dollar is about K4000 and is nothing near what we need to feed our families. A Pamela (rationed mealie meal), which we survive on used to be K500.00 a few months ago about is now K1, 200.00. We need at least two of these to survive. The cost of food is going up with each new day. The clinics are far off, are too few and don’t even have the staff and medicines needed to help our ailing children, brothers and sisters. We all can’t afford private clinics and the mere thought of Morningside Clinic is too far fetched.
You have also failed us on the educational bit, dear sirs and madams, 44 years after independence our beloved country only has two universities. Not enough to carter for the huge demand out here. Year after year, we are producing legions of ill prepared school leavers into mass unemployment. Higher education is only available for the elite few, whereas the vast majority cannot afford the expenses that come with private and other public colleges. Our smaller children sit on bricks and their teachers have no chalk. The teachers are unmotivated and our children are uninspired. No hope for a good future; just shattered dreams.
Ours is a country where its better to be foreign than to be Zambian.The laws, attitudes and culture favors others. The best deals in government are given to foreigners, the best resources, the best land, the tax system and the work culture favors others apart from our the children of this land.
We have no ownership of this country. How many Zambians own a building along ‘Freedomway’ Road? How many Zambians own a mine? Why is it that tax cuts are only given to foreigners and not us?
You have failed us. You don’t need an increase. If anything you need a decrease. You need to be fired.
It is strange that when the rest of the world is in an economic crisis, when copper prices are low, when farmers can’t afford farming implements, when mealie meal prices are at their highest, when UNZA students don’t know whether they will complete this semester or not… You come and say you want a pay rise. Ironic!
Kindly rescind your intentions, dear sirs and madams, unless the pay rise will be across board; policemen, teachers, nurses, doctors, carpenters, plumbers, traders, marketers, marketers, the army, servicemen and women. Only then can you justify your pay rise.Otherwise your pay rise will be an act of gross injustice, irresponsibility and selfishness.
Besides, President Banda stands to gain a lot of mileage if he chooses not to assent to the bill; he needs some good PR right now. Don’t you think?
Source of data for the tables include- Times of Zambia,Daily Mail and Parliamentary Bill Memo
[TABLE=19]
[TABLE=20]
Assuming all allowances are collected ,the total income per annum based on exchange rate of $1 = K 4600 and R1 = K460
Economic experts have said the on going economic slow down in Zambia, which has seen the local currency depreciating against major convertible currencies, is a phenomenon induced by global market forces and will need economic strategising to mitigate.
Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) chairman, Dev Babbar and economic consultant Oliver Saasa in separate interviews pointed to the global economic developments as the main influences on the local economy currently.
Professor Saasa said that the depreciation of the Kwacha against major convertible currencies was as a result of low copper and other metal prices on the world metals market.
Prof Saasa said much of the Kwacha’s depreciation was as a result of the global financial crisis, which had deprived financiers money to invest in other economies.
He said what could be done for the Zambian economy was to maintain high production levels.
Prof Saasa urged the manufacturing sector to stabilise production costs because this was the only way that the sector could manage to keep afloat in the current difficult times.
He said there was need for all stakeholders to present a calm investment picture of Zambia through both speech and actions.
Prof Saasa projected that the economy may not manage to attain the targeted seven per cent growth rate under the current circumstances.
A slump in the price of copper arising from dampened demand saw foreign exchange inflows from the export of the metal dwindle in the last six months or so.
The mining sector had experienced a boom in the last seven years, largely because of soaring metal prices riding on a huge demand for metals by economies like China and India.
Since April how ever, metal prices have been in free fall on the LME, with the price of copper falling from the record high of US$8,900 then to below $3,500 as at the end of last week.
The slow down in the economy has seen prices of commodities including the staple maize meal rise in the last two months.
Mr Babbar retaliated that the Kwacha’s decline was a function of global economic issues whose effects on an economy like Zambia’s, which is still in its development stages, cannot be avoided.
Zambia had adopted an open market economy, which is susceptible to any development in the global economy.
Economics Association of Zambia(EAZ) president, Mwilola Imakando said the current fall in the value of the Kwacha was based purely on economic factors and had nothing to do with local politics or any other non economic factors.
“The local economy is responding to market forces following developments in the global economy, any other view on this is mistaken.” Dr Imakando said.
The EAZ president said that at the moment, Zambia was experiencing a low inflow of foreign currency owing to reduced copper earnings because of the metal price slump.
Consequently, this had exerted much pressure on the local currency as per the supply and demand rule.
He said it was likely that demand for metals would still be dampened in the near future meaning that the foreign exchange inflow would yet still be affected.
“Zambia has no control over the pricing of metals on the international market, the strategy should be to diversify the economy and promote high value crops including cotton and tobacco to enhance export earnings,” Dr Imakando said.
In this way, the fall in foreign exchange inflows would be compensated to a certain extent.
NATIONAL Democratic Focus (NDF) president, Ben Mwila yesterday told a Lusaka magistrate’s court that he gave second Republican president Frederick Chiluba’s wife, Regina, US$100,000 for her business.
Mr Mwila told Principal Resident Magistrate, Charles Kafunda that he gave Mrs Chiluba the money for her business to buy property.
He was testifying in the case in which Mrs Chiluba has been charged for being in possession of property suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully acquired.
Mr Mwila told the court that he gave Mrs Chiluba the money without security and that there was no agreement signed.
He testified that it was not the first time he was lending out money to individuals and informed the court that he also had dealings with the late Baldwin Nkumbula, among others.
In cross-examination by state prosecutor Dennis Simwinga, Mr Mwila admitted that he wanted the court to believe that he gave Mrs Chiluba the money without any security.
He said it was not his business to know the property that Mrs Chiluba wanted to acquire and that they agreed that he would take security once the property was registered.
Mr Mwila said he knew Mrs Chiluba in the political arena and that she was one of the most dependable political cadres and that was how they built a relationship.
He admitted that he would regret it if she was sent to jail and that nobody would be happy with that.
The defence has since closed its case and judgment in the matter has been set for March 3 next year.
Government says economic hardships coupled with unclean environment are among the causes that contribute to high disease prevalence among children in the country.
Central Province Permanent Secretary, Danny Lumbama, said government is concerned with the serious threat that diseases in infants have to national economic development, hence its tireless efforts in the provision of health services targeting under five children at health centers across the country.
He was speaking at the launch of the Child Health Week campaign in Kabwe today.
He government through child health week, campaigns have managed to scale down infant mortality rate and improved the health of children in the country.
Mr Lumbama, however, indicated that government has implemented various strategies in collaboration with partners to ensure the continued survival of the Zambian child.
Speaking, earlier Acting District Director of health, Beatrice Kafulubiti, noted that child health week is a very important week for all children.
Dr Kafulubiti said during child health week, children under the age of five, will receive deworming medication, Vitamin A supplementation and have the growth monitored.
She explained that children from the age of Six months to 59 months will be given Vitamin A supplements and those from 12 months to 59 months will be given De-worming medication
Community Development and social services minister Michael Kaingu (second from left) was among students who graduated from the management college of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) at the weekend
Community development minister Michael kaingu was conferred the Degree of a Masters of Business administration MBA, Tourism Development and management with distinctions in accounting for Decision making managerial finance.
The Management College of South Africa (MANCOSA) graduation ceremony was held at intercontinental hotel in Lusaka, Sunday.
MANCOSA managing Director Professor Hussen Rasool said lack of control in management levels has caused the global financial Crisis hence the challenge is to remain contributing to the economic development.
Professor Rasool noted that risk management polices in the banking system are responsible for the currentfinancial global crisis and has also created the in balances in the countries in African.
Speaking at the ceremony Education minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa says tertiary education plays an important role in the development of the nation.
Professor Lungwangwa said the education level enables students to to be in outreach programmes that help develop the country.
Prof. Lungwangwa said there is need therefore to invest more in education in order for the country to achieve the vision 2030 adding that it was through education that the country can truly reduce poverty.
The minister noted that there was also need to re-orient the values and attitudes for students that will effectively educate them on apprenticeship that will help create jobs and wealth creation in the country.
The K24 billion project to construct a girls technical high school in Solwezi has failed to take off.
Solwezi East member of parliament, Richard Taima says the contractor has not started working on the project despite receiving the initial 10 percent down payment.
Mr. Taima who is also commerce deputy minister said his office is following up the matter with the Ministry of education to address the delay in the project.
He said government has already set aside sufficient funds for the school project.
Government earlier this year released some money for the construction of Mushindano girls technical school in Solwezi.
The constractor was supposed to have started working on the project seven months ago but has not yet done so.
The Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources has embarked on a programme to promote rubber plantations in Luapula province.
The Ministry will soon mount an awareness campaign to sensitize people on the economic value of rubber production. Measures are also being worked out to encourage establishment of out-grower schemes with the participation of the private sector.
Two rubber plantations have so far been established in Kawambwa and Nchelenge districts under the investment promotion rubber project, targeting to plant 300 hectares of rubber per year. More than K500 million has so far been committed to the project which aims at ensuring that, apart from over coming poverty, Zambia becomes self-sufficient in rubber and rubber product production.
The project which is being spearheaded by the Forestry Department has cheered Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Catherine Namugala. Ms Namugala is confident that, given the value of rubber, Zambia’s economy will be bolstered if the industry is effectively promoted.
Ms Namugala says her Ministry will ensure that mass awareness on the value of venturing into rubber production, was raised and the necessary enabling environment created to attract investors into the industry.
Speaking when she addressed Directors in her Ministry, Ms Namugala also urged the Forestry department to encourage tree planting rather than degazetting of forests for human settlement.
The Minister noted that de-gazetting of forests would result in loss of biodiversity which would affect the environment negatively. She said the planned re-introduction of Forest Guards would go a long way in ensuring the protection of forests in the country.
The Minister said there was also need to aggressively promote bee-keeping among communities, noting honey production also had great potential to contribute to economic empowerment of people and help alleviate poverty.
Meanwhile, Ms Namugla has lamented the low annual budgetary allocation of K51 billion to her Ministry. The Minister noted the sum of money given to her Ministry was not enough.
She said the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources was of great economic significance to the country and thus required more resources to fulfill its obligation of contributing to the nation’s revenue base. She said the Ministry had the potential to create wealth and improve the livelihood of people in the country.
Ms Namugala who was flanked by Deputy Minister for Tourism Moses Mwangala and Permanent Secretary Mukuka Zimba, commended management for cultivating a good working relationship with cooperating partners. The Minister stressed the need for team work to ensure that the Ministry forged ahead in contributing to the economic development of the country.
Zambia national soccer team coach Herve Renard giving tips to players during training at Barclays sports complex in Lusaka.
Hopes of Copperbelt fans getting another serving of a high profile match have been dashed after Faz decided to take the Barclays Cup final to Woodlands Stadium next month.
The development means any Copperbelt football fan wishing to watch the regional cup final derby between Zesco United and Power Dynamos will have to travel to Lusaka on December 6.
Disappointing crowd attendances during the last three cup and international games staged on the Copperbelt by Faz have prompted them to take the Barclays Cup final to a more lucrative locale in Lusaka.
Paltry crowds recently characterized the Zambia and Egypt Under-20’s Africa Youth Cup qualifier at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola on October 11 including the BP Top 8 final at the same venue on November 8.
There was also a poor crowd turnout for last Saturdays Barclays Cup semifinal doubleheader at Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola that saw Zesco beat Lusaka Dynamos and Power defeat Green Buffaloes on post-match penalties after scoreless draws in their semifinal games respectively.
However, Copperbelt fans will still have the privilege of watching Zambia and Angola’s 2009 Caf Africa Nations Championship 2nd round, final return leg qualifier to be played at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe on December 13.
Meanwhile, Zambia leave for Luanda this Friday ahead of Saturdays 1st leg clash away to Angola.
Zambia gathered in Lusaka today with 20 players in camp with two more still expected.
The missing duo is striker Felix Sunzu Junior of Konkola Blades and defender Mulenga Nyambe from Zesco United.
2008 Barclays Cup Semifinals
22/11/2008
At Trade Fair Grounds, Ndola
Green Buffaloes 0- Power Dynamos 0*
*Power win 4-2 pp
Lusaka Dynamos 0- Zesco United 0*
*Zesco win 5-4 pp
Final:
06/12/2008
Woodlands Stadium, Lusaka
Zesco United – Power Dynamos
Faz Premier League Week 29
22/11/2008
City of Lusaka 1(Lee Ngoma 41″)- Roan United 1(Arthur Kasoloki 43″)
Kabwe Warriors 0- Red Arrows 1(Lawrence Pondani 15″)
Young Arrows 1(Juma Lwipa 35″) -Green Eagles 1(Kebby Hachipuka 33″)
23/11/2008
Konkola Blades 1(Thomas Nyirenda 18″)- Nkwazi 0
Faz Premier League
Week 29
26/11/2008
Zesco United – Nchanga Rangers (TBA)
Green Buffaloes- Zanaco
Lusaka Dynamos- Chambishi (TBA)
Power Dynamos – Nkana
After games Played 14/11/2008
LEAGUE, INTL & CUP:
Roger Kola (Zanaco): 13
Emmanuel Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors): 12
Aubrey Zulu (Green Eagles): 12
Simon Bwalya (Power Dynamos): 9
Francis Kombe (Power Dynamos): 9
Mathew Macha (Nchanga Rangers): 9
The Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) is exploring various options to ensure that all citizens have access to the empowerment fund.
CEEC Director General Mable Mungomba told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the move has been necessitated by the absence of commercial banks in some districts to facilitate access and distribution of the funds.
Ms. Mungomba said some options so far discussed are the use of micro-finance institutions, District Councils and Postal services.
She explained that each avenue is being assessed for its merits adding that the Commission has since tasked a team of staff to travel to various districts without banks to make an on-the-ground assessment on the best and most efficient strategy for citizens’ access to the funds.
A financial inclusiveness survey undertaken by CEEF has revealed that 21 districts operate without banking services.
Ms. Mungomba’s was responding to reports that funds meant for Citizens Economic and Empowerment Commission (CEEC) for Chavuma District are lying idle at the Zambia National Commercial Bank in Solwezi because Chavuma District does not have a commercial bank to facilitate access and distribution of the funds.
Chavuma District Commissioner Frobisher Fulayi, who is also Chavuma District CEEC Chairman, recently launched a passionate appeal to the CEEC to review the system of accessing and distributing the funds as some districts lack commercial banks.
CEEC funds are presently accessed and distributed exclusively through commercial banks.
The Media in Zambia has strongly rejected calls by some Members of Parliament to regulate the media by a statutory code.
The Five media bodies have since called upon government and progressive Members of Parliament to condemn and reject the call for the media to be regulated by a statutory code.
In a joint communiqué delivered in Lusaka today, the Media Institute of Southern Africa-MISA Zambia Chapter, the Press Association of Zambia-PAZA, Zambia Union of Journalists-ZUJ, the Media Council of Zambia-MECOZ and the Press Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers said calls to regulate the media by a statutory code were made with emotions and should not be accepted.
Reading the Communique at a Press briefing MISA Zambia Chapter Chairperson Henry Kabwe advised the Parliamentarians to allow the media regulate itself through MECOZ saying emotions should not be allowed to wash down the democracy that the country is enjoying.
Mr. Kabwe called upon the Parliamentarians to focus their attention on the Freedom of Information Bill and the Zambia National Broadcasting Act.
Speaking earlier, Transparency International Zambia -TIZ Executive Officer Goodwell Lungu said calls to regulate the media through a statutory code are highly misplaced and should be withdrawn.
Mr. Lungu noted that it is unwarranted for Parliamentarians to start calling for media regulation at a time the people needed information for development.
Meanwhile, Forum for Democratic Process-FODEP President Stanley Mhango said the media has been a significant contributor to Zambia’s electoral process.
In a speech read on his behalf by FODEP Information Officer Macdonald Chipenzi, Mr. Mhango said a free media was vital in the promotion of democratic tenets.
And MECOZ Chairperson Sister Rose Nyondo noted that none of the media could however stand head high to claim they performed professionally during the just ended Presidential elections.
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.
