By Kapya Kaoma

If you’re like me, you have a big reason to support President HH–his dogs (Anti Corruption Commission and Drug Enforcement Commission) are shamelessly swinging their tails at their biggest catch–Former First Lady Esther Lungu. For so long, in deep darkness these naked dogs dwelt until Bally gave them human meat–his political opponents. Didn’t the ACC/DEC question Esther Lungu when her husband was in POWER? Of course, they did, but as Lungu’s pets. Now it’s HH turn to command these dogs. When he shouts, “Kawalala,” his dogs run without asking why! Well if Bally’s dogs want to bite him, they are free to do so. The only problem is that they must report their catch back to Bally himself. And who bites the finger that feeds him?

The impounding of 15 Flats belonging to Former First Lady Esther Lungu is commendable. Only a foolish person can believe that someone who lived free on taxpayers’ cost for 7 years, married to a Cabinet Minister, and a professional lawyer for many years could build 15 Flats in Lusaka. Is it not long ago that corrupt PF failed to solve the mystery of 48 houses? Our President solved it–the nephew of his Finance Minister is the owner.

Despite allegedly being linked to obscene videos, we still have great respect for Madam Mary Chirwa, the Director General of Drug Enforcement Commission. Bally only picks the best. Who can question her integrity? She is not compromised to head DEC at all. Her ethical statement on the impounded vehicles in Lusaka, and Mrs. Lungu’s Flats was exceptionally sound. Aside from our Bally, nobody else could own a Lexus, Benz and Land Cruisers. The same with 15 Flats–the age of “cliques of thieves” is gone! Bally’s dogs should hunt them down.

Moreover, the 2.8 should report any neighbor who buys an expensive car to the ACC/DEC–aren’t they products of crimes? I don’t believe like Nakachinda that President HH’s “ubututu” makes him believe that he is the only person to exploit business opportunities in Zambia. On the contrary, he is the only Zambian to make it in the world of business.

That’s why his dogs must investigate South African businessman James Ndambo too. We only and only have one billionaire–Bally. If Ndambo wants to compete with our President, his dogs must bite. The Ndambo game is simple; win the hearts of poor Zambians with his millions or billions of dollars (for who knows how much is worth) to demean the most generous Bally. HH’s dogs must bite him–for only our President is entitled to build a mansion worth millions of dollars and possess high-end vehicles. As her honor the Vice President Nalumango told Parliament, President HH was a billionaire long before becoming President–thus to ask questions about his business practices is morally wrong.

I don’t believe Madam Lungu seized an opportunity to make money as First Lady at all. Who doesn’t know she is so kind as to do that which Bally did in a poor nation like ours? The same with Ndambo–who can outsmart Bally? President HH made money by selling government assets under President Chiluba. And who doesn’t know how clean the privatization process was? The clean President FTJ Chiluba, whose legacy our Bally recently praised can testify from the grave. As masses died and lost life-time savings, our President HH made money on their graves. For who becomes rich by feeling the pain of the poor? Only Bally, whose riches have been obtained on the graves of the masses. His businesses, business partners, and companies he holds shares in, are in the public domain.

I am upset that Ndambo wants to dethrone the President in Choma. Why go to Choma, the very stronghold of our clean President? President HH shouldn’t ignore this “South African businessman”. After all, is he not the only and only person who understands the world of business. Put Ndambo where he belongs–in prison or better send him into exile for eternity. Let your dogs prove the source of his wealth. Didn’t they just do so to you, and your clean UPND cadres? Zambians chose you for a reason–to make corruption history as long as it doesn’t affect you, my beloved President.

President HH, you know the tricks of the business, and now the tricks of power. Let pets bite Esther Lungu, bankrupt your opponents until you’re out of power. Then you, your family, and your dogs will join the dance as new dogs swing their tails to the new owner! It is the fight against corruption.

As Bembas say, akatanshi takalisha!

By Fred M’membe President of the Socialist Party

Seeking morality, justice or whatsoever without compassion is cruelty. I don’t personally know Mary Chirwa – the director general of the Drug Enforcement Commission – and I don’t know how she looks like. But if the videos circulating on social media are truly hers then she has been cruelly betrayed by someone she trusted and shared a very intimate relationship with.
This type of betrayal of a relationship of intimacy is worse than unreliability or deception, worse than many acts of harm. It is a special sort of violation, one that jolts against the background of what seemed to be a relationship of deep trust with particular strong expectations of loyalty and intimacy.

Betraying intimate trust requires that trust is given. A relationship of intimacy builds security and lowers normal protections. Many, sometimes for the first time in their adult life, feel they no longer are travelling the dusty roads alone. The intimate secrets of our heart, body can be shared, respected and honoured. When our partner attacks us at this deep level, we tend to see this as disloyalty and betrayal, for it is very difficult to withstand attacks that are directed against one’s self-image at a very deep level.

For whatever reason, transgression, it is extremely cruel to circulate such videos. There are more humane ways of dealing with differences or hurts.

Why are some humans so cruel to others? Where does this behaviour come from and what purpose does it serve?

“Humans are the glory and the scum of the universe,” concluded French philosopher Blaise Pascal in 1658. Little has changed. We love and we loathe. We help and we harm. We reach out a hand and we stick in the knife.

Someone who gets pleasure from hurting or humiliating others in this way is a sadist. And they enjoy it. But why should human beings be so cruel to each other? And how do we justify such acts of sheer inhumanity?

The conventional explanation is that people are able to do terrible things to other people only after having dehumanised them and start to see them as objects without the right to dignity, or even life itself.

Whoever circulated those videos is ready to see Mary dead because if she is not strong she can commit suicide. Throughout history, people have committed all kinds of cruel, degrading, and evil acts toward other people. Many believe that for cruel acts to be even possible, the victims must first be dehumanised by the perpetrators. But is this lack of empathy always at the heart of human cruelty? When one publishes or circulates such videos he is thereby denying Mary’s humanity.

This lack of empathy has always been at the heart of human cruelty. Cruelty emerges when something is wrong with a person’s empathy circuit. A cruel act is generally designed to provoke an emotional reaction from its recipient – meaning that its perpetrator.

The Government through the Ministry of Labour has provisionally lifted a two-week suspension of operations slapped on a Ndola-based Chinese-owned copper mining firm called Macrolink Resources Limited.

Minister of Labour Brenda Tambatamba earlier in July, 2022 suspended operations at Macrolink Resources Limited during a visit to the mine site over poor safety and living conditions at the workers quarters located in the Mwekera area off the Ndola-Mufulira Road.

Ms. Tambatamba and a team from the Labour Department were not happy with the state of sanitation facilities, sleeping rooms at the workers quarters, lack of qualified human resource personnel and failure to have union representation at the mining firm.

After Tuesday’s inspection by a team led by Copperbelt Province Assistant Labour Commissioner Charles Muwowo, the Labour Department announced that operations at Macrolink Resources can resume.

Mr. Muwowo said he was impressed with the improved sanitation facilities, opening of a kitchen unit, the signing of a recognition agreement with the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and the hiring of qualified human resource personnel.

Copperbelt Province Assistant Labour Commissioner told the management to recall the over 100 workers sent home following the suspension of operations.

Mr. Muwowo challenged the mining firm to continue improving the plight of workers in relation to safety and living conditions at the employee’s quarters.

He added that workers at Macrolink Resources Limited must actively get involved in facilitating a safer and good working environment because they are the ones who are directly affected.

“We would like to encourage the workers and management to continue working together for the sake of this investment and job creation. From the Department of Labour aspect, following the tour that we have done together with colleagues from the media, workers compensation, Napsa and other government agencies that are here we can say that we are happy with what has been done so far. Especially from the ablution blocks, the shower rooms and the kitchen. From the rooms we still insist that you improve on mattresses in all the rooms,” Mr. Muwowo said.

“I know we cannot do everything at a go. It is a process. It is continuous improvement so after the tour I have done consultation with the Labour Commissioner at our head office and from our discussions we are now making a decision to temporally lift the suspension. I am using the word temporally because there are still one or two things that need to be done especially in the kitchen. We also need to address the issue of mattresses. Then workers have raised issues of mine safety with regards to protective clothing when they go underground. Our plea is to do the right thing by procuring the right protective clothing because we saw those two miners who came from underground wet. Meaning that the material you have given them is not appropriate. So that is very urgent and this temporal lifting of the suspension is meant for you to address these concerns. Otherwise we are happy for the cooperation you have shown,” Mr. Muwowo said.

Macrolink Resources Commercial Manager Lucas Wang promised that management will continue improving the living and working conditions for the over 100 workers.

Mr. Wang acknowledged that the working and living conditions at Macrolink Resources Limited were not perfect.

“This improvement we have made is not the end for us. This is just a start. From here and from now we will do our best,” Mr. Wang said.

Some workers told journalists that Macrolink should continue improving the plight of workers in relation to safety and living conditions at the quarters.

Others said beside safety and living conditions at the quarters, their management should improve conditions of service.

“We are just appreciating the improvements we have seen. This is a good start and we want the improvements to continue as we are working,” Raphael Ngoti told the delegation.