WHY I SUPPORT GENERAL MIYANDA – KASEBAMASHILA
“Or how can a defender score and celebrate own goals or even aspire to be a top scorer? Or how can a hunter so accurately shoot his own feet. Or how can a team player fight and knock out his teammate?”
I read General Miyanda’s statement “A Call to join the ‘SIM -CARD’ Crusade….” and “Gen. Godfrey Miyanda responds to online comments…” plus both sets of comments. I deliberately replied late to allow others chance to discuss. I also had an opportunity to chat with General Miyanda offline.
I was happy to read of his online readership of comments and my emails just as I was of HH’s listenership of UNZA Radio (91.7fm) “Lusaka Star” when I featured there on the same subject of SIM registration on Monday, 6th January, 2014. Dr Nevers Mumba earlier confirmed readership and emailed his 100% support.
In his reply, Gen. Miyanda indicated reluctance (not offense or censorship as suggested by PF) to “‘blogging’ because of the intemperate, personal and abusive language” and some comments fell right into that pitfall. He disarmed himself of his political title yet he was attacked as a politician and a person.
I also found pro SIM registration submissions suffering from two other weaknesses, ideal or foreign versus reality or local and secondly here-is-my-position-what-is-the-motion arguments. For example, U.S, British and South Africans safeguards are not contextualized nor the role of the youth in ICTs or the quality of debate abroad. My other points are:
1. No comments indicated reading SI 65 of 2011 which was hurriedly written by MMD on 04th July, 2011 (Mukanga has said 28th June, 2011) before the September 2011 election they lost power to PF. Otherwise, I should not read nor reply to a mind that has not read.
2. ZICTA has refused, failed to communicate, cite or cancel or update the law it is enforcing. ZICTA’s mandate is promoting access to ICTs not security for ICTs. Why won’t ZICTA print copies of SI 65 of 2011 for those who can read? Why has ZICTA (www.zicta.zm) after reminder omitted SI 65 of 2011?
3. There must be subscribers “use” (quality of service) before and above “abuse” or security. Why don’t foreign examples refer to speed and cost of ICT services abroad?
4. SI 65 of 2011 is not about personal nor national security as assumed outside its text. The collaboration with Zambia Police is minimal, no mention of Interpol, no bilateral or regional cooperation.
5. SIM registration should be done by Mobile Service Providers (MSPs) as before 2000 (Gen. Miyanda’s MMD law) and is done in other countries. SIM registration here is by ZICTA with the Minister who appointed the ZICTA board cheerleading.
6. ZICTA SIM registration form was designed to be an application (not subscription) which could be approved or disapproved by a ZICTA officer. MSPs SIM registration forms still have the “declaration” for prosecution for fraudulent information which by extension may include change of address, handsets, SIM replacement without updating the data.
7. Gen. Miyanda’s opinion on security could be respected. A SIM card is not security gadget neither is it suddenly a threat. If it were a security threat, arrest the manufacturers. It is even already registered as an identity or number. ZICTA must tell the nation the damage non registration has caused in about 15 years and how deactivation will solve that problem. Anyhow, no security can be debated publicly, online and offline, and still remain security. And even without a drill! (I suppose criminals are laughing at our debate all the way to the banks.) Security could be prevention, investigation and prosecution. What level is SIM registration? ZICTA should have invested its SIM registration funds into Zambia Police ICT training. Let’s read each other before we comment. Let’s be relevant. And most of all, let’s find and read SI 65 of 2011.
8. I further wish to comment, forgive the expression, anyone with a brain above their ankles, will know it is the constitution that enters into international conventions, agreements and treaties with other nations and laws, not an SI authored by an individual. I am shocked at the irrelevance, illogicality, poor quality of thought in some arguments (not debate as debate respects points, rules and opponents); no wonder the poor quality of ICT service taken for normal.
9. How, in the world, can someone argue when so wrong and when they should learn or argue against someone from whom they should learn? “Or how can a defender score and celebrate own goals or even aspire to be a top scorer? Or how can a hunter so accurately shoot his own feet. Or how can a team player fight and knock out his teammate?”
10. I am shocked at the keenness of those defending ZICTA spoiling their own case with insults and contradictions, which two pitfalls never enter courts of law nor win cases. Or why is PF ready to die or kill defending an MMD SI 65 of 2011 or the MMD constitution? Please, learn not to debate an SI (written by an individual) with someone holding a constitution (written by “We the people….”)! Gen. Miyanda’s approach is not to care about SI 65 text when the constitution is the deal breaker or a checkmate! That simple. I hope the above pro SIM registration arguments are not the legal arguments in ZIALE examinations although I realise this topic pass rate is lower.
11. Therefore, Gen. Miyanda singlehandedly scored four unanswered goals; (1) read the constitution as well as “insults” (2) recruited for class action (3) conducted a mock court session to understand the opponents (4) has proved ZICTA and you its “abusive” defenders cannot be trusted with personal particulars of others or power.
I am already enlisted with General Miyanda’s “class action” and those opposed could enlist with ZICTA so that we meet and debate in The High Court. We could agree and “apply” for a no nolle prosequi clause.
Happy Jubilee Year Zambia!
Kasebamashila Kaseba, Lusaka subscriber
I don’t need to read this crap. Send me your address l sponsor a trip for you around the world so that your eyes can open. Too much politics in Zambia over nothing. Find something tangible to do than wasting our time sha.
The point General Miyanda and the author of this article is making is simply that ZICTA as a Govt institution does not have to be the organisation “owning” the personal information that is given (point 5 in the article). Registration with your service provider (MTN, Airtel or Cell Z) is and should be ok (as is the case in many countries) and this alone should suffice in the case of tackling cell phone related crime. The Police can obtain any relevant information from the service provider if you or any one reports a related crime.
The author and Gen Miyanda argue that ZICTA and Govt haven’t made a case for why this should be Govt owned and what “national security” is at risk. Very good point and judging from PF’s record there is something sinister and malicious about this drive.
How many have you afforded to sponsor around the world, to date???
Save us the Yap man!!
Uli na boasting iwe ayi.
My advice to Miyanda and Kasebamashila is not to register their SIM cards and stop boring us with you theories. Don’t you guys have better things to do? Do you know that initially when phones were introduced in this country you needed an ID to buy a SIM card? Stop using phones you fuuz if you are offended and get a life. For me I have registered my SIM and going on with my life. Next you fuuz will start telling us not to have NRCs, birth certificates, drivers licenses etc and we go back to living in the bush like wild animals. Has Miyanda explained his Village concept yet?
Intellectuals disagree on principles without using words like ‘Fuuz’ for ‘fools’. Sometimes the use of certain words would tell a difference between civilized and uncivilized people in a democracy, and I now realize how important it is for people to be taught civic education. Debate the ISSUES not personalities.
This issue has both merits & dimerits, e.g. If Sata and his group use their simcards for crime related calls nobody will question or arrest them, but other groups if they do they will be arrested and charged. So just defend your opinions without rubbishing other people’s.
#Lion Katemba Chupo fuuz is not an insult. Foolishness, the quality of having poor judgement or little intelligence. It is a quality of a person like you for a example. This word is used several times in the Bible even by Jesus himself to describe pipo like you Miyanda and Kasebamashila. Useless the bible is uncivilized also.
let us think beyond Sata; suppose a “good” person like HH or the General himself becomes president, are you still going to rubbish the SIM card resgistration?
#Lion Katemba Chupo,The word you are disputing is defined “the quality of having poor judgement or little intelligence”. It is used even in the bible to describe pipo like you, Miyanda and Kasebamashila. It is not an insult
@kci, in my comment above I have not used the word insult/slur at all, so to allege that I have used that word could be defined as ‘poor judgement or little intelligence’. This therefore means that ‘YOU’ eqaully are like me, Miyanda and Kasebamashila. We are now four.
One sometimes can tell the calibre of people and levels of their understanding by reading their comments or postings. If this is offending to you or indeed ANY other persons, I offer my apology. “Rubbishing meaning litter or debris was not meant to insult you or others, but that debate the issues intellectually”.
Look at you. You move from phones to village concept. Just argue your point without abusing others. Do you have to call other people names?
@2. You have the right to be bored because you’re a nonentity. Let those who will be directly affected by this requirement voice out their concerns. It goes without saying that the Zambian people voted into state house a ruthless dictator. Mr. just wrap up!
In the countries I have been and worked in SIM card registration is a must. I am not talking about countries very far but Tanzania, Middle East, China and Kenya. The problem we have in Zambia is that everyone knows everything!
Becoz you are still living in countries where FREEDOMS ARE CONSIDERED LUXURIES & NOT RIGHTS!!! Talk of travelling abroad!!
So why is a must?
What you have written my friend is too ambiguous.Stop supporting nonsense using nonsensical arguments. Your article has failed to drive your point home.Your political message is the one which is more clear in this than the moral behind the sim card registration.Yawn !
You YAWN TOO MUCH, that’s why your head is empty!!!
We ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR FREEDOMS & RIGHTS!! Chumbu munshololwa should know ati tuka mulonga ku chimbokaila!!
Oh no ! It hurts me that i have just wasted about five minuets of my precious time reading this drivel.Dude let it go.This exercise is for your own benefit.Tell the same to the general.
I agree, i have read it twice and I could not get what his point is. Why is he opposed to SIM card registration?
What hurts even more about these guys is that because you do not get their point, you are forced to read through over and over again and still they are not making any sense.
Theories,theories!!Why cant you guys stop boring us with theories!!Do you think my grand mother in the Village will understnd all these theories and upper market analysis of the issue at hand?General Miyanda has failed to explain his Village concept and thats why he has always failed in his attempts to become president of Zambia.Be practical guys and stop presenting theories in public.In any case no matter how much you protest the PF government will not reverse the registration of Sim Cards.Go with the flow or your sim card will be rendered useless when they deactivate all unregistered sim cards.Iam sure then you will start another futile compain to extend the registration exercise!!
sim registration is the must to these countries that are never peaceful, this exercise is not even important to you a common citizen its just a favour you are doing to Q up for sim registration, but it is important to sata (the head of state) and it will be used by: intelligence wing, and the ECZ during voting time to rig elections, just like his excellence the president of the republic of Zimbabwe Mr Robert Mugabe. also this is the sign of dictatorship in the name of democracy.
the government is now working on the strategy of how to win the 2016… the recruitment of civil servants will not be done until the year of election, massive recruitment will be done in all ministries after staving you with jobs, and say more money in your pockets.
If you support SIM registration at least back it up with facts and we will counter your argument. ..if you are incapable of doing this save your energy for political articles.
Iwe chi Jay Jay just go and watch your premier league or post your usual anti-Kalusha posts and not this sim nonsense.
albert you are retard of pf dont try and sound smart and rich everybody knows you are a pf kaponya so shut up no one is interested in you or your kaponya opinion lmao you able to sponsor people now you clown that fails to look after his family yes we know you kaponya iwe
As far as I am concerned this issue is a no brainer as I registered both my simcards last year. Luckily for me I have very little to fear. I work for a multinational, I have free political will and I use my phone productively. FINITO!
How many people own smart phones? Have chip and pin ATM cards? Correct me if I’m wrong, I understand that as long as I have a smart phone everything I do on my phone and my ATM card is monitored even though I have not consented to divulge my info….. I have registered my airtel SIM so as not to keep buying one each time I go to zed…
I could easily go for a phone without all the latest software or Apps or even keep my money in my house but truth be told I may never remeber where I kept my money or be able to keep up with friends and family
The big picture here is about registering simcards, it`s about who owns the data in those registration once you register your sim. If the data was for the mobile companies then well and good, No problem. But the problem is that the data is for Zicta in short govt,or should I say PF and Sata. It doesn`t mean that the next president is exempted. It`s the human factor that is of concern. You don`t have to be a rocket scientist to put one on one,that any African politician Sata included will abuse such data. Therefore it makes sense to leave such data in the hands of the mobile providers. In a case where the police wants to use the data,then a warrant can be issues to the mobile operator to release such information but not Govt. Zambians please think hard before you sign off to victimization.
I worked for a Mobile company in Zambia and the realities are serious on the abuse of Cell Phones.This includes Politicians, Thieves, Husbands/Wives and lot more.
Once a crime is committed it is not easy to get down to the perpetrators easily in the currently setup so the only way is registration.
People go drinking using their own Money and drive own cars abuse came in drank and driving more accidents (deaths even of innocent people) so rules of Engagement have changed in order to save others. Therefore Sim Card registration is an Excellent issue unless those that habour evil intentions like we have seen. by the this is not a PF programme but MMD.
Wherever you Go world over, where services are offered like in this context KYC (Know Your Customer) is a must.
But are we customers for ZICTA? Let this data be stored by the providers of the sim cards. ZICTA being a GRZ oriented institution, every Jim and Jack will simply have access to you data even without even a police report.
Ba Mwansa if they really what to get information about you they can do it even without you registering your simcard, you know as much as i do that you’ve left your details all over the place, all they would need to do is to collect it. How is it ok for a service provider-a foreign company-to store your details and not your own government and how difficult would it be for the authorities to order the your service provider to release your details?
I’m sorry but people against this SI are starting to look petty and stnpid. Don’t just register and stop boring us with your unnecessary paranoia.
It makes me wonder what the General is Scared of, he was preaching about village concept not so long ago, Sim registration also part of it just like in the neighbor hood we need to know who is our neighbor this enhances security. We like wasting time on issues which don’t need much debate, am made to believe that the General is mostly negative on national issues that come from others unless from himself. General Stop being Self centered and embrace a huge picture than those little concerns.
Well govt should have just operated the NSA way period, expecting people to register their SIM-cards is just nonsense and extremely suspicious. In Zambia the mobile service operators should do that if they want or govt should mandate them to do that and at the same same time stop those tuntemba selling Sim-cards at every corner of the streets. Just ignore the PF govt and their rhetoric!
Very few of us hv an eagles eye. That is to see beyond than what meets the eye.Others here are seeing this as jst sim registration. Gud for u. What I’m seein imagine your in your toilet & someone is watchin u. Imagin you on top of ur wife and this stranger kips a tit closer look. This is wht it is. Its similar to having “big brother” watching over u. How many know snow. Whenever u send ur blog msg someone wil know its coming from such and such a person of house number such and such & dot be surprised if u visited by thieves. I hv warned u thts how govts operate. We heading to that. In American right now there’s massive pressure to reform invasion of privacy laws. Thanks Ba Miyanda being a free thinker & speaking on behalf of many though very few can see it because they hv never been…
Sim registration everywhere is a must. When you buy a hand set you sim card is registered that is inclusive your details. We Zambians are too much of ‘Mr knowing.’ The world is very complicated and dangerous to live in. The sim card registration will not only help to ehance the security for the country but also that of the people using the phones.
mr hangers around miyanda has treated us to his circus and its now a time wasting debate. Just register bwana failed soldier coup plotter. They wont drag you out of zaire (congo). Another bafoon mounts a futile disjointed lame illogical logic to convince us, his fellow bafoon was right.
George Bush you have no brain. Miyanda is way ahead of you in thinking. he cannot rule Zambia unfortunately because he is too honest, incorruptible and too straight forward which goes against you and most Zambians. Corrupt *****s will NEVER elect a straight forward person like Miyanda. YOU bush, you are one of the corrupt ones……..like everyone else. Miyanda is the only politician I trust, not even the uncivilized Ukwa, I don’t trust him either…..
If you don’t want don’t register,no one would be dragged to court over this. Payphones and Internet cafes are everywhere on our streets for the criminals and the paranoid that wouldn’t want to have their details on the register.
DON’T REGISTER!! Its really that bad simple. Be patient wait until the General becomes President to own an unregistered sim card.