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25 unclaimed bodies buried by SDA and LCC

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25 unclaimed bodies buried by SDA and LCC

25 unclaimed bodies have been buried by the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) working in close collaboration with the Lusaka City Council (LCC).

On 29th June, 2022, LCC caused a notice in the press about its intention to bury 25 bodies following a request from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

Yesterday, the SDA Church Ibex Hill Mission District came on board to provide coffins, disinfectant and conduct a church service for the unclaimed bodies which were buried at Chingwere Cemetery in Matero.

The bodies were buried in accordance with the provisions on section 61, paragraph 41 of the Second Shedule of Local Government Act Cap 281 which assigns a 14- day notice for members of the public to claim and identify any of the bodies and conduct burial.

In a statement issued, LCC Public Relations Officer Kabaenda Makwele expressed gratitude to the works of the SDA Church who always rise to the task of performing noble burials of unclaimed bodies.

“We hope other organisations will emulate the candid works of the SDA church,” he stated

Mr Makwele also thanked the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) management for facilitating the release of the unclaimed bodies.

Kajoma warns people planning to meet at Drug Enforcement Commission in Support of Former First Lady

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Kajoma warns people planning to meet at Drug Enforcement Commission in Support of Former First Lady

Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba has warned people planning to meet at Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to offer solidarity to former first lady Esther Lungu who has been summoned to appear before the commission.

Mrs. Lungu is being investigated by DEC over 15 housing flats which were seized by the commission recently over allegations of being proceeds of crime.

In a media statement, Mr. Kajoba said Police are aware of a plan by some members of the public calling for the unlawful assembly at the Drug Enforcement Commission following the Summoning of Mrs. Lungu to appear at DEC on Tuesday’s 26th July, 2022.

He alleged that some well known people are challenging, wanting to beat the police and planning to cause mayhem by bringing students from the Copperbelt.

Mr. Kajoba people seeking to escort Mrs Lungu to DEC officers are doing a disservice to her as they will be committing an offence of unlawful assembly.

He said the summoning of suspects to DEC is not a unique matter.

“The Zambia Police Service would like to sternly warn members of the public that are calling for the unlawful assembly at the Drug Enforcement Commission following the Summoning of the Former First Lady Madam Esther Lungu tomorrow 26th July; 2022.It is a normal practice for Law Enforcement Agencies when making an inquiry to call someone for an interview. We are further warning people planning to escort her that they are doing a disservice to her as they will be committing an offence of unlawful assembly,” Mr. Kajoba said.

“We are aware of the recordings where well known people are challenging, wanting to beat the police and planning to cause mayhem by bringing students from the Copperbelt. Youths are therefore advised not to be used as tools to disrupt peace,” he said.

Mr. Kajoba said Police have deployed sufficient officers on the route from Copperbelt to Lusaka to ensure that no bus or vehicle carrying suspected protesters goes to the capital city.

“As Zambia Police Service, we shall not allow any person to break the law with impunity; instead we shall deal with the perpetrators individually. We have mobilised enough manpower to deal with those wanting to break the law with impunity. Furthermore, we have deployed enough officers on the route from Copperbelt to Lusaka or any other to ensure that no bus or vehicle carrying suspected protesters will be allowed to come to Lusaka and cause mayhem instead these said vehicles will be impounded and the occupants detained,” said the Inspector General of Police.

DEC has announced that it had taken possession of 15 flats in Lusaka’s State Lodge area belonging to a person by the name of Esther Nyawa Tembo, suspected to be proceeds of crime.

DEC Public Relations Officer Mathias Kamanga has disclosed that the flats had not been occupied for a long time and were built on a property which had no proper registration.

RUGBY WRAP: Bonus Point Puts KPF Top Despite Loss To Diggers

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A bonus point earned from a loss has propelled KPF back to the top of the National Rugby League table.

KPF succumbed to a 6-0 loss to rivals Diggers in the Kitwe derby at home over the weekend.

The Buchi Boys have opened a one point lead at the summit with 42 points from ten matches played.

Diggers, who stayed third, joined second placed Red Arrows on 41 points.

Arrows’ weekend fixture against Lusaka was pushed to a later date.

In the rest of the games, Mufulira Leopards beat Konkola 41-3 with Eagles thrashing Ndola Wanderers 69-0.

Leopards are fourth on the table with 30 points from 10 games and are just a point ahead of fifth placed Green Eagles.

Lusaka, Konkola and Ndola are occupying the bottom three in that order.

Gawa invites HH to Kulamba

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Gawa invites HH to Kulamba

Kalonga Gawa Undi, the King of the Chewa people of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique has invited President Hakainde Hichilema to this year’s Kulamba traditional ceremony.

This year’s Kulamba ceremony will take place on the 27th of August 2022 at Mkaika in Katete.

Confirming the development, Chewa Foundation National Secretary Reuben Kamanga stated that the organizing committee expects high level representation at year’s ceremony from the three countries.

“We expect the President of the Republic of Zambia to be the guest of honor at this year’s ceremony. We are hopeful that we will have high level representation from Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique at this year’s ceremony. Our expectation is that this year’s ceremony will be well attended,” Mr. Kamanga added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kamanga has disclosed that preparations for this year’s ceremony are progressing well.

He stated that in order to raise funds for the ceremony, the organizing committee will hold a fundraising dinner at the Government Complex in Lusaka on 29th July 2022.

He has therefore appealed to the business community to come on board and support the organizing committee in raising funds needed to organize the ceremony.

“We will hold a fundraising dinner dance on the 29th of July 2022 at Government complex in Lusaka. We therefore want to appeal to business community to come on board and support the organizing committee in raising funds for the ceremony,” said Mr. Kamanga.

Mr Kamanga has thanked all companies that have so far come on board to support the Committee in organizing the ceremony.

Lubinda calls on members of the party and general public to offer solidarity to Former First Lady Esther Lungu

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Lubinda calls on members of the party and general public to offer solidarity to Former First Lady Esther Lungu

Patriotic Front Acting President, Hon. Given Lubinda has called on members of the party and general public to offer solidarity to the former first lady Esther Lungu as she appears at the Drug Enforcement Commission.

Speaking at his residence when he received a petition from women who demanded that the harrasment against the former First Lady, Mrs Esther Lungu and the incarceration without trial of former PF Deputy Secretary General, Mumbi Phiri must come to an end, Mr Lubinda urged supporters to on Tuesday, walk to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices on Government road, Ridgeway area.

He said President Hakainde Hichilema was digging pits for his political opponents by his vengeful actions but he will fall in them.

Mr. Lubinda also condemned the failure by the State to include Mumbi on the High Court Cause List since May 2022.

He said it was clear that the State had no case against Mumbi Phiri but was using detention as a form of punishment.

He said the speedy at which Mumbi Phiri was arrested should also apply to try her case.

He urged President Hichilema to concentrate on building the economy instead of focusing on destroying those he perceived to be his political enemies.

And Acting Secretary General, Hon. Nixon Chilangwa MP said the party members should remain strong, and united and should not be intimidated by the tactics of harassment being perpetrated by the New Dawn Administration.

Small holder farmers lack support

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Small holder farmers lack support

Stanbic Bank has pledged its continued support towards growing the agribusiness in the country as a measure to upscale the agriculture sector.

Stanbic Bank Head of Agribusiness Edith Chuma says the private sector, which includes financial institutions, has a role to play in the agriculture value chain process, leading to economic development.

She notes that 70 percent of the agribusiness is from small holder farmers but that they lack access to financial information and market area that can help them through production, hence are taken advantage of.

Ms. Chuma was speaking at the 13th African Union Private Sector Forum, panel discussion that was looking at the role of stakeholders in boosting agribusiness; promoting the use of agro- technologies to improve production and productivity throughout the agriculture value chain at the Mulungushi international Conference Centre.

She noted that there is still a need for development in agribusiness for Africa to realise her potential in agriculture and productivity.

Ms. Chuma observed that the existing value chains are not well organized, structured, and not yet ecologically advanced, coupled with government agriculture policies.

She called for well integrated value chains that give information about productive system management of agribusiness from farm level to the consumer.

She outlined the stakeholders in the value chain including the farmers, input supplier’s, and financial service providers who will bring to the table insurance companies and foreign customers into one place.

“When we move into a more integrated value chain system that will push for better production, the small holder farmers will have access to information to know where their commodity ends and can negotiate for better prices,” Ms. Chuma suggested.

The IAPRI Executive Director noted the need for small holder farmers to have access to technology that can support their production.

Dr. Chance said that small holder farmers need to be integrated into the produce association to help them access the products available such as finances, irrigation methods among other opportunities that help them commercialize.

Dr. Chance noted the need to also set up multi-stakeholder engagements that will create conditions that will help them produce at a high productive level.

And Nkoka Women in Agribusiness Executive Director Nkolala Halwinde highlighted the need to address the cost of financing for small scale farmers which she said is too high.

Ms Halwinde disclosed that a small holder farmer borrows at an interest rate of 38 percent while commercial farmers get between 11 and 18 percent.

Ms. Halwinde noted that if Africa is to achieve a high production rate in agriculture to feed the whole continent, there is need to support small holder farmers.

Extend recruitment of more staff to other ministries

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Extend recruitment of more staff to other ministries

A Ward Councillor in Malambo Constituency of Mambwe District in the Eastern Province has appealed to the Government to extend the recruitment of more staff to other ministries that are currently understaffed.

The Ncheka Ward Councillor Benson Phiri appealed to the government to recruit more staff under the Department of National Parks and Wildlife so that they can quickly respond to emergencies involving human-wildlife conflict in areas like Mambwe District.

Mr Phiri said Mambwe District is a Game Management Area and the department of national parks receives a lot of emergency reports from various chiefdoms which need beefed-up manpower.

Mr Phiri told ZANIS in a telephone interview that because of the understaffing levels of some of the Government departments, residents are the ones who end up suffering when emergencies arise.

“Seeing that some departments are understaffed like the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, for example, let me take this opportunity as Councillor for Ncheka Ward and lobby the Government to extend the recruitment of staff in other Ministries countrywide as it did with the Ministry of Education and soon, the Ministry of Health,” he said.

And Mr Phiri further thanked the Department of National Parks and Wildlife for promptly swinging into action and gunning down one of the Lions that has been terrorising the residents of Ncheka Ward and killing domestic animals.

He appealed to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to also quickly relocate the two Lion cabs that are still roaming the Ward to where they are supposed to be before they cause harm.

Mr Phiri also urged Ncheka residents and other residents of Mambwe District to report such incidents to responsible authorities in good time so that they can act promptly to avoid any possible disasters.

Jonas Phiri, a resident of Ncheka also thanked the Department of National Parks and Wildlife for coming to the aid of the residents before any human life could be lost.

Mr Phiri added that sanity has now been restored in the area and people are now able to move about freely and carry out their daily activities.

In the recent past, a pride of lions has been terrorizing the resident of Ncheka Ward and killed a goat and donkey.

HH is either naive or has extreme appetite for dictatorship – Tembo

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HH is either naive or has extreme appetite for dictatorship – Tembo

INDEED, in Hakainde Hichilema, we have a President who is either extremely naive or who has an extreme appetite for dictatorship or both, Sean Tembo has charged.

The Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader suggested in a press statement that President Hichilema appears to see trial as an unnecessary inconvenience.

He charged that to the President, a person is guilty simply because they have been accused of committing an offence “even if they have not been subjected to any trial”.

Tembo has been using his Facebook page to advocate the release of former PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri, who is in detention charged with murder but yet to be tried.

He has been calling on President Hichilema to either take the Phiri to court or release her.

“Hakainde Hichilema made a very unfortunate statement during his last press conference at State House in which he said if it was up to him, he would change the law so that those accused of corruption can be detained for up to 90 days before being taken to court. Clearly the President appears to have very little understanding on how the rule of law should work,” Tembo said.

“To him, a person is guilty simply because they have been accused of committing an offence even if they have not been subjected to any trial. He sees a trial as an unnecessary inconvenience. For a person who wields so much power as Republican President, that is a very dangerous mindset to have. Indeed, in Hakainde Hichilema we have a President who is either extremely naive or who has an extreme appetite for dictatorship or both. Either way, if we relent in holding him accountable, this country will take so many backward strides as far as the rule of law is concerned.”

Tembo said President Hichilema must aspire to be a better person than those who persecuted him.

“Our advice to Hakainde Hichilema is that he should use the power which the Zambian people bestowed on him on 12th August 2021, to do good for the people. Let him use his presidential power to lift people out of poverty, reduce the cost of living, grow the economy, create jobs, enhance the rule of law and constitutionalism and just make Zambia a better place than he found it when he ascended to office,” said Tembo.

“It is common cause that Hakainde Hichilema was mistreated and persecuted by the previous regime during his time in opposition, but he must aspire to be a better person than those who persecuted him. He must set better standards, for it is on the basis of the standards that he sets today, that he will be treated when he leaves office. He must be continuously conscious of the bed that he makes today, for he shall one day be required to lie in it. Take Mumbi Phiri to court or release her from prison.”

Mumbi Phiri ‘s Prolonged detention is Politically Motivated-Peter Sinkamba

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Mumbi Phiri ‘s Prolonged detention is Politically Motivated-Peter Sinkamba

Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has said that the Minister of Justice’s reported assertions that the prolonged detention of Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri is within the law is is neither here nor there at this point.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Mr Sinkamba said that the minister has no constitutional authority to determine whether the prolonged detention of Mrs Phiri is lawful or not, adding that the issue of whether Mrs Phiri is lawfully detained is neither here nor there at this point.

Mr Sinkamba said that her detention is politically motivated because of her political views and called have called upon the State to either promptly take her to court or release her unconditionally.

Below is the full statement

Minister of Justice is reported to have said that the incarceration of PF Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri is within the law. We beg to differ with the honorable Minister on this point.

Zambia is a Constitutional democracy Republic. The sovereignty authority of the Republic has been assigned to various public and Constitutional officers. With respect to determination of whether an act is lawful or not has been constitutionally delegated to courts of law. A minister has no authority to determine so. An honorable Haimbe being a State Counsel, he is better place to know this than I do. Put simply, he has no constitutional authority to determine whether the prolonged detention of Mrs Phiri is lawful or not. So, the issue of whether Mrs Phiri is lawfully detained in neither here no there at this point.

The issue we have with the prolonged detention is the motivation for her detention. Most of us hold the view that her detention is politically motivated because of her political views.

Hence, we have called upon the State to either promptly take her to court or release her unconditionally.

The issue raised by the honorable Minister of first in, first out is neither here nor there.

Globally, the problem with political persecution is that the executive can use all sorts of excuses to punish their political opponents. Usually, the State uses institutions such as police, secret service and prisons to achieve these ends, many a time fronting cases that are unbailable such as treason, murder, stealing motor vehicle, etc.
We think that the case of Mrs. Mumbi Phiri falls in the category of politically motivated cases because the charge of murder that has been slapped against her does not add up, just like the case of treason that was levelled against President HH.

In a case of murder, the prosecution must prove beyond every reasonable doubt that the said action or inaction of the accused was intentional and with the knowledge that death or grievous bodily harm was its probable or foreseeable consequence. In simple terms, this means that it must be proved that although the deceased died as a result of what the accused did, the action of the accused was intentional, with the intent of killing the victim or causing grievous bodily harm to the victim.

Intents or intentions (which is called mensrea in legal parlance) is very crucial in criminal trials. It is what determines wether the accused be convicted for murder or for manslaughter. When the prosecution fails to prove that the action of the accused person is intentional to cause the death of the victim, the accused will be convicted for manslaughter instead of murder.

As a decorated lawyer of high standing in the country, the honorable Minister knows too well that in criminal trials, the standard of proof is “beyond reasonable doubt”. In simple terms, this means that the prosecution must prove that the accused committed the crime beyond every atom of doubt that the blind will see and the deaf will hear; that the accused person truly committed that crime visible to the blind and audible to the deaf. The honorable Minister also knows too well that it is usually the person who alleges that another person committed a crime that has the onus to prove that the accused person really committed the crime in question.

Now, when we read the story of the murder that occurred in Kaoma, and how it happened, the offence for which Mrs. Mumbi Phiri is alleged to have committed, it is very clear, even from blind and the deaf that in her case, the three ingredients of a murder case are lacking and cannot be proved by the State in any reasonable tribunal.

So, the only reason why State continues to incarcerate her can only be on political motivation grounds.

We earnestly advise the UPND Government to refrain or desist from such tempting abuse.

In closing, we once again appeal to President HH to intervene in the matter and release Mrs. Mumbi Phiri from this clear case of injustice.

Harrowing Voices From The Streets: Sodomy Scare!

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Harrowing Voices From The Streets: Sodomy Scare!

By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst

On a quick glance, he strikes you as someone who has just been scooped out of a barrel of used oil……..caked hair, soiled body, and oily clothes. In his early 20s, he can be seen trudging around Kitwe’s CBD. A bottle of glue never seems to leave his mouth. We shall simply refer to him as the Beast. Given his unkempt appearance, not many motorists bother to pay him any attention. At times they would just leave their earthly possessions in their vehicles, and run some errands rest assured he wouldn’t hurt a fly!

Alas…..behind the façade is actually a crafty individual with an eye for expensive tastes. It was on one of such days that he plied open a sedan’s door and helped himself to a smartphone. He would pass on the gadget to one of the younger street kids with instructions to dispose of it at one of the mobile phone shops within the Chisokone market. The boy was offered a paltry K100 for something that would normally fetch a couple of thousands of Kwacha. The boy didn’t give any qualms about it, anyway!

As he found his way back, he came across a place where some machines seemed to gush-out countless coins once folks pushed in a few coins. Maybe he could try his luck and make a small profit……He changed the notes into coins and positioned himself at one machine. He pushed in a few coins……and then some more coins…….. and then, many more coins. Before he knew it, he was down to one coin! He decided to get himself a fritter and sought his into town making sure he kept his peeled off in case the Beast came looking for him.

Following a tip-off, the Beast decided to go and find him. They bumped into each other around the Spar Center.

“Where’s my money?” he snarled as his eyes glistened with anger. “I’ve been looking for you!”

“Let me explain…..” he stammered.

“There would be no need for that……” he countered as he dragged him away. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not!”

In no time, they found themselves along the rail line, not far from the bus terminus, otherwise known as the ‘Savage Yard.”

“Somebody…….help! Help! Help!” his muffled voice shrieked as the Beast tried to gag him while at the same time attempting to tackle him to the ground as he pulled down his shorts.

As fortune would have it though, there was a legion of ‘call boys’ within the vicinity smoking ganja away from the snooping eyes of the Drug Enforcement Commission. Upon hearing the commotion, the fellas stubbed out their joints and rushed to check. The boy was sprawled on the ground as the Beast tried to position himself, salivating.

The ‘call boys’ immediately descended on the Beast and beat the daylights out of him! “Don’t you know where to find the girls, idiot!” they unleashed the blows all over his body as if they were hitting a punching bag. Meanwhile, the boy briskly pulled up his shorts and took to his heels.

He found his peers at the Pick and Pay area and explained his ordeal to them. “How could he try to do such a thing to you?” the boys were seething with uncontrollable rage. Led by the indefatigable Spax who prides himself as an upcoming pugilist, they launched a manhunt. They cornered the Beast as he limped his way to the sprawling Chisokone market where he thought he could seek refuge. Like a pack of incensed wild dogs, they lunged at him and tore off his clothes as they took turns pummeling him, hysterically. They left him for dead and besieged the market to the chagrin of onlookers.

“Imwe faza (big man) we’ve come to get the phone! Can you please surrender the phone you bought from this one before we run mad,” one look at them revealed the kids weren’t pulling legs. They were howling and hovering around like a pack of hungry wolves.

He quickly produced the phone and asked them to leave, immediately! And so……that’s how the boy escaped being sodomized. We indeed live in a sick society! Day in and out, girls get raped, violently! Boys get sodomized, mercilessly! What are you doing about it?

Next week, we tackle the plight of a 12-year-old boy who was dragged and gang-raped by prostitutes!

Chipolopolo Draw in CHAN Qualifier

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Chipolopolo Zambia drew away with Mozambique on Sunday must now win at home this coming weekend to stay in the hunt for 2022 CHAN qualification.

The match ended 0-0 in Maputo as serial draw kings Mozambique continued from where they left off at last weekend’s 2022 COSAFA Cup in Durban.

It was the same thing at the COSAFA Cup where Mozambique drew in their quarterfinals against ex-holders South Africa and in the third place playoff against Senegal that were both decided on post-match penalties.

In-between, Mozambique suffered a 1-0 semifinal loss to runners-up Namibia.

Sunday’s stalemate leaves Zambia with no choice but to win their July 30 final leg home fixture in Lusaka.

Winner will advance to next month’s final round where Malawi awaits.

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Buying, selling and trafficking dogs for meat is illegal in Zambia

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Buying, selling and trafficking dogs for meat is illegal in Zambia

Lusaka City Council Deputy Mayor Ketty Nanyangwe has said that the buying, selling and trafficking dogs for meat is illegal in Zambia.

Ms Nanyangwe said that the Local Authority is deeply concerned with the deliberate overbreeding of animals for the purpose of trafficking them and other various illegal activities that feed into the horrific trade.

She said that the dog meat trade is contributing to many forms of criminality that are completely unacceptable.

Ms Nanyangwe was speaking during the candlelight vigil in Lusaka last night organised by the Cactus Foundation for the surviving 19 out of 69 Mkushi dogs.

She said the local Authority is in support of the advocacy work being done by the Cactus Foundation and all the supporting animals’ welfare organisations.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Animal Welfare Society Anti Cruelty Officer Michelle Burrato said a truck carrying 69 dogs was last Friday intercepted from Luapula province enroute to Kasumbalesa to be sold on the dogs market.

She has called on all concerned members of the public to continue signing and share the online petition to make the voices clear over the terrible tragedy.

And UPND National Management Committee Member Kostandinos Morianos said dogs have always been considered to be man’s best friend and the case in Mkushi is unfortunate.

Red Arrows and Zesco To Host 4 Club Pre-Season Tournament

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Red Arrows and Zesco To Host 4 Club Pre-Season Tournament

Zambia’s continental representatives Red Arrows and Zesco United will jointly host a four-club pre-season tournament this weekend in Lusaka.

The four-club tournament will be held at Nkoloma Stadium from July 29-August 1.

Green Eagles and Zanaco are the other teams that will participate in the pre-season tournament.

“This is a very important tournament for all stakeholders involved,” Zesco CEO Charles Kalala told Zesco Media.

“The season ahead will be competitive especially for Zesco United and Red Arrows.”

FAZ Super League champions Red Arrows will participate in the 2022/23 CAF Champions League.

Zesco, who finished league runners-up last season, will take part in the 2022/2023 CAF Confederation Cup.

Zambia will field only two clubs in continental competition this season after losing their two extra slots in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY WRAP: Zanaco and Forest Rangers Win

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Forest Rangers, Zanaco, Green Eagles and promoted Nchanga  Rangers had busy Saturdays of  pre-season engagements ahead of the start of the 2022/2023 FAZ Super League campaign  that will kickoff on August 20.

Forest Rangers took the short drive from Ndola to Luanshya to play FAZ National Division 1 side Jumulo whom they beat 3-0.

Peter Mwaangani scored a brace while Bwalya Mataka added the third goal for Forest.

At Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka, Zanaco visited City of Lusaka to play for two friendly sessions.

Zanaco won the first game 1-0 through an Abraham Siankombo 28th minute goal.

Kelvin Kaindu’s side also won the second session beating City 2-0 through John Sikaumbwe and Obino Chisala goals in the 13th and 38th minutes respectively.

Green Eagles were in Chingola on the same day where they were guests of promoted Nchanga Rangers at Watson Stadium.

Eagles won the first game 3-1 and concluded the afternoon with a 1-0 win over Nchanga’s first team.

Long Court Process Forces Harry Kalaba to resigns from the Party he founded to Form a New Political Party

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Long Court Process Forces Harry Kalaba to resigns from the Party he founded to Form a New Political Party

Opposition Democratic Party (DP) President Harry Kalaba has resigned from the party. Mr. Kalaba said that this is due to the delayed court process over the fight for the party’s Presidency.

Mr Kalaba said that he will register a new political party himself with the Registrar of Societies and launch it soon, adding that the launch of the new political party will ensure it lays ground ahead of the 2026 General election.

Speaking during a media briefing at his residence in Lusaka today, Mr Kalaba said the party will also be open to new membership.

Below is the full statement of his announcement

Introduction:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to attend todays’ Press briefing that has been long overdue. As you all know, five years ago, I made a decision to take my fight for humanity to the next level as I felt that life could not be good for me if it was not good for the majority of citizens.

I have every conviction that what makes Zambia lag behind her peers is its failure to pursue a pro poor agenda that is predicated on raising the standard of living of the majority of Zambians. When President Michael Chilufya Sata called me to join the PF, I saw in him a genuine passion and desire to liberate the people of Zambia.without any hesitation, I joined him in his pursuit to ushering in a Pro-poor movement that culminated in the PF winning elections in 2011 and ushering in a pro-poor government. Following President Sata’s election as the country’s 5th President, we did not just embark on delivering unprecedented infrastructure development but also made adjustements to the Pay As You Earn to ensure that it was more accommodating to the poor and less priviledged. His stand on corruption and abuse of office, made MCS not just an attractive leader to work with but also helped Zambia to be a preferred country to invest especially from those who sought to make a difference in peoples lives. The evidence of what we set off to do under MCS’s leadership can be seen today by the number of schools and health posts and hospitals that where built over a 10 year period. Traveling across provinces and countries is easier today because we ushered in a pro poor government that got down to work and addressed the needs of the majority poor in Zambia.

Ten years later, the UPND government was ushered into office and what was their first AGENDA:
i. “Handover the Nation to the Rich and Powerful”
ii. Develop a system that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer
iii. Give concessions to mining houses so that the nation become more dependent on foreign interest
iv. Ignore conventional wisdom and follow what the rich tell you no matter how much it affects the citizens
v. Take away subsidies from the citizens and give it to foreign firms
vi. Take the credit for all good things and blame all the bad things on PF

The challenges the country has had to contend with over the last ten (10) months has given me great conviction that we need to start making the necessary preparations to build a coalition of people and parties that share the passion for a prospersous Zambia that is concerned about the welfare of Zambians. Now is the time to start building linkages that will in 2026 rid this nation of a self serving leadership that prides in making the poor poorer and the rich richer. Now is the time to start the process of giving back the nation to the majority Zambians who were deceived in 2021 and settled for a fraud.
Rule of Law

Whereas the President would like us to believe that he is the best thing that ever happened to this country and that he has levelled the political playing field, his fear of the ineveitable in 2026 has made him so apprehensive to the point that he is even scared of his own shadow. When we last held a Press Briefing and told the nation that the President was the sponsor of the infighting in the DP, people turned up against us and asked us to provide evidence of the same. As fate would have it, KBN Televison made their scoup public in the form of a recording of two senior government officials – the Special Assistant to the President for Politics Mr. Levy Ngoma and the Premanent Secretary for Home Affairs and Internal Security Mr. Josephs Akafumba. That reveletion alone was enough to vindicate us and to show the world that indeed the President has been meddling in the internal affairs of opposition parties. When we engaged the international community over the revelation, they could not help but liken it to the Watergate Scandal but the President opted for total silence knowing very well that the incriminating words that where uttered by his Special Assistance were uttered with his permission.

Feudal Leadership

As a politician, I have sought to drive equity, level the playing field and pursue a non violent political discourse. It is therefore unacceptable for me and indeed well meaning citizens to sit back and watch the very things we condemned in the Past government taking root under the New Dawn government. Under this government that claims to uphold the rule of law, we have seen people being arrested for expressing their freedom of speech. We have seen Hon. Mumbi Phiri being locked up for over 140 days without being taken to court. We have seen Hon. Nakachinda, Mr. Chilufya Tayali and many more suffer at the hands of a government that claims to be a pioneer of freedom of movement and association. While on the one hand Zambians are struggling and can hardly make ends meet, the New Dawn government is being supported by a strong international PR functionary that is aimed at projecting it as the government of the people when in fact it is a feudal leadership, a woolf seeking to squeeze itself in a sheep’s skin.

A leadership that is kin on creating deals through its offshore linkages as opposed to dealing with the inadequacy in the country’s social services. A leadership that does not understand that the value of a leader is in his ability to honor his or her word.

Ladies and Gentlemen;

I want to serve warning to those who seek to exploit Zambia’s resources through the imposition of a puppet government. Enough is enough. It is a shame for former statesmen to hide behind foundations while they facilitate the pillaging of African resources. I want to call upon those former African leaders who are being used as urgents of confusion on the continent of Africa to desist from such devisive activities. While you pretend to be supporting democracy on the continent, the puppet master you have put in office is busy seeking to destroy internal democracy. How do you explain a President who appoints Joesphs Akafumba a man who become prominent after creating confusion in the NDC to be a Permanent Secretary and even giving him the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security? A sensitive ministry for a traitor. How does a President who believes in democracy make it his preoccupation to destroy opposition leaders and their parties?

How does a President who believes in internal democracy send the police after a television station for exposing an audio recording of his Permanent Secretary and Special Assistant planning to frustrate and stiffle an opposition leader? Is this the Democracy their Foundation seeks to promote or may be it is just a façade that is used as a basis of siphoning mineral wealth from unsuspecting Africans?

Ladys and Gentlemen

I will not stand by and watch while things deteriorate in Zambia neither will I stand by and let the lengthy and protracted legal process stand in the way of my pursuing a cause for a better Zambia. It is clear that they are forces at play seeking to frustrate our cause for the economic emancipation of Zambia. Theirs is an agenda to keep us perpertually dependent on foreign interests even for things that we can handle internally.

Therefore, after serious reflection and prayerful introspection, I have made a decision to resign my position as President of the Democratic Party and indeed from the Democratic Party itself. A party that I have over the past five years helped to build having lifted it from a dormant state to participating in the 2021 General Elections and fielding candidates across all the 10 provinces. Subsequent to my resignation, from the DP, we are now proceeding to lodge in an application for the formation of another party.

As you may be aware, this decision has been necessitated by the delay in the disposal of the ongoing case in the Courts of Law. While I am optimistic about the future of our Judiciary, I am concerned by the manner in which our case has been handled and for this reason I have decided to step out and start the task of preparing to participate in the 2026 General Election. Allow me to serve notice to our detractors. There’s No Stopping Us Now!!! This train is moving in full motion. For those who believe in the cause of a Zambia that represents the need of Zambians, to you who believe that we were lied to last year and therefore need to put an end to the lies in 2026, to you the youths who believe that Zambia deserves to be an economic hub of the region going by the many natural resources the country is endowed with, I urge you to join me and lets start working together so that we build a movement that will take back power from self-serving imperialists.

Join me as we embark on this journey to transform Zambia. A journey that seeks to give back Zambia to the Zambians and not the rich who want to pilage the wealth of the nation and shelve it in their offshore accounts in some tax havens.

To my friends and family I want to say thank you.

Finally, let me also appreciate you the Fourth Estate for standing by the truth. I trust as we embark on this journey we will provide you with information to share with the nation and the international community. More importantly, we ask you to be a part of the cause for a better and prosperous Zambia.

God Bless You and God Bless Zambia
Harry Kalaba
2026 Presidential Candidate

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