By Davies Mwila Secretary General Patriotic Front

1. PATRIOTIC FRONT IS A PRO-POOR PARTY AND WE ARE FRIENDS OF THE WORKING CLASS

The Patriotic Front is by design, by objective and by practice a Pro-poor party. We are friends of the working class.

The people’s heartbeat is our heartbeat and the people’s pain is our pain.

Therefore, when our people are laid siege in very trying environments by their foreign employers and their contact with the outside world restricted for weeks on end without even having an opportunity to see their families…our hearts feel their pain.

When Foreign Investors reportedly begin to engage in racially discriminatory practices that remind us of what our forefathers went through during the colonial period, our pain turns into a passionate defense of our proud African identity.

However, our passion should not turn murderous. For in defending the pride of our Africaness, we lose our basic human identity when we take the life of another human being- not matter the race.

So our hearts equally bleed when the lives of investors are taken in senseless cold blood by our people.

2. WE CALL FOR ZAMBIAN WORKERS NOT TO TAKE THE LAW IN THEIR OWN HANDS

It is against this background that we call on our brothers and sisters; our sons and daughters – the workers not to take the law in their own hands but follow laid down procedures to report any labor-related matters.

3. WE CALL FOR INVESTORS TO RESPECT THE COUNTRY’S LABOUR LAWS AND THE TRADITIONAL VALUES THEY HAVE FOUND IN OUR COUNTRY

By the same token, we call on all investors to respect the country’s labour laws well as our cultural and traditional norms.

When in Zambia, the Zambian way overrides the foreign way. That is the bedrock of our co-existence as a people.

Patriotic Front recognizes the importance of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to our economy. However, the said FDI should not be a curse on our dignity. It must always remain a win-win blessing. It should therefore not be at the expense of the dignity of our people or the sovereignty of any nation, including our nation.

“Ichalo bantu”. The Zambian nation is its people. Any racial abuse of any Zambian by any foreigner on Zambian soil is an affront on our entire nationhood. It is inexcusable anywhere in the world.

While we strongly call on our people not to be violent against any foreign investors, we are equally calling upon all foreigner nationals to treat our citizens with dignity while striving to co-exist in unity. Our co-existence must never be characterised by derogatory and racial double standards on either sides.

4. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE TRADE AND INDUSTRY MUST COME OUT CLEAR ON BUSINESSES RESERVED FOR ZAMBIANS

Let me take this opportunity to our Ministry of Commerce and Industry to clearly state which businesses are categorically a preserve of the Zambian people. If it means amending pieces of legislation, this must be done as a matter of urgency.

It is unacceptable that investors should travel hundreds and thousands of miles within and across continents to come and compete with Zambians in cutting hair and selling chickens and airtime at the market? This must never be the case as it is detrimental to the growth of local businesses.

Patriotic Front wants businesses for Zambians clearly stated in subsidiary legislation and this is a clarion call we are making to the economic cluster and Ministry of Commerce in particular.

In the same vein, we demand that empowerment vehicles like Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) must reposition itself as true empowerment vehicle for emerging and existing Zambian entrepreneurs, especially the youth, women and differently-abled persons.

5. THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR MUST ALSO BE SEEN AND PROVED TO BE ACTION ORIENTED IN ENFORCING COMPLIANCE AND GENERALLY SERVING INTERESTS OF ZAMBIANS

Allow me to speak to the Ministry of Labour to ensure their inspectors are not only reactive but proactive.

Patriotic Front’s ideology is that of a pro-poor party as it is a friend of the working class. Wr urge the Ministry to ensure labour relations are cordial and where workers are violated, sanctions, as provided for under the law, must follow. That is the proactiveness we seek to see. That is the proactiveness our people are asking for.

6. WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE ACTION FROM MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO LEGALLY CORRECT ISSUES WITHIN ITS AMBIT

So since His Worship the Mayor Miles Sampa has apologized, we expect to see more action from Ministry of Local Government and Sister Ministries in legally correcting any prevailing situation with deserved urgency.

7. WE ARE A PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT

We are calling for harmonized relations between the workers and employers, domestic and foreign. We are also calling for a more coordinated and multi-disciplined approach from all stakeholders in working towards improved relations between our citizens and investors from any part of the world.

As a matter of policy, we remain on the side of the vast majority of Zambians that continue to see through and reject the opportunistic immaturity of failed opposition parties and their leadership driven by individuals who have historically been anti-working class. While some of them allege corruption against, which has become an old song, they are synonymous with partisan life presidency of a disgruntled conman who cannot explain his riches.

By Hon Dr. Jonas Chanda

President Edgar Lungu and the PF government must be highly commended for this year’s MAIZE BUMPER HARVEST which has seen Maize production being forecast to increase to 3,387,469 metric tonnes from 2,004,389 metric tonnes produced last year, representing an increase of 69%. And the projected MAIZE SURPLUS this year is 710,000 metric tonnes.

This is only the *FOURTH (4TH) MAIZE BUMPER HARVEST in 26 years.

It is also highly commendable that 93% of the Maize is produced by SMALL-SCALE PEASANT FARMERS, not LARGE-SCALE COMMERCIAL FARMERS. The country has also seen an increase in the production of other crops like Irish and sweet potatoes, cassava, soya bean, and rice.

These bumper harvests are due to Government’s EARLY DISTRIBUTION OF FARMING INPUTS across the country under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), coupled with favourable weather conditions. The PF Government’s huge successes in food production will ensure that the country is FOOD SECURE, has STABLE SUPPLY OF MAIZE TO MILLERS, and enjoys LOWER and STABLE MAIZE PRICES and other food prices. VALUE-ADDITION to and EXPORT of excess food commodities will greatly benefit the country’s economy. Moreover, the URBAN POPULATIONS of Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces* will be even happier with the LOWER MEALIE MEAL PRICES.

The main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), who chose POLITICKING at the height of the CLIMATE CHANGE INDUCED DROUGHTS and CROPS FAILURES in some regions of the country, should be embarrassed at the BUMPER HARVESTS in maize and other crops. UPND firstly mocked President Lungu when he addressed *CLIMATE CHANGE* during the last opening of Parliament, and then went on to UNPATRIOTICALLY call for and illegally declare a “NATIONAL HUNGER DISASTER,” even calling on their “international donors” to turn Zambia into a FOOD BASKET CASE by asking them to donate food to Zambians just to embarrass the President and government while gaining CHEAP POLITICAL MILEAGE.

To UPND’s embarrassment, NO SINGLE ZAMBIAN HAS DIED OF HUNGER. Government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has distributed record numbers of RELIEF MEALIE MEAL and ANIMAL FEED in regions most affected by drought, floods, and crop failures. DMMU is also distributing mealie meals across the country to VULNERABLE GROUPS such as *People With Disabilities, Chronically ill, Female-Headed Households and Child Headed Households.

I, therefore, call on UPND leader Mr. Hichilema to congratulate President Edgar Lungu and the PF government for the BUMPER HARVESTS recorded this year in MAIZE and OTHER CROPS with the *same zeal* he exhibited when ILLEGALLY DECLARING a NATIONAL HUNGER DISASTER. And I also call on Mr. Hichilema to congratulate the PF Government for the REDUCED PRICES OF MEALIE MEAL with the same passion he exhibited when POLITICISING “HIGH” MEALIE MEAL PRICES at the height of the Drought and Crop Failures.

Finally, I appeal to the National Food and Nutrition Commission to work with Ministry of Agriculture and other government institutions to correct the FALSE NARRATIVE that Zambia is the FOURTH (4TH) HUNGRIEST COUNTRY ON EARTH* when the country is recording BUMPER HARVESTS* and *NO SINGLE ZAMBIAN has DIED OF HUNGER unlike the situation in many African, and some Middle East and Asian countries.
Issued by:

By Jack Nyoni

By now, few Zambians will not have heard of Lusaka-based businessman Valden Findlay. He has been in and out of the news for many years, accused of being a drug baron by many, including, Kaweche Kaunda, the son of the first President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, and more recently, by National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili.

The latter has claimed that during U.S. court proceedings against drug lord Vicky Goswami, who was extradited to the United States to stand trial. he was said to be in business with Findlay, with whom he had reportedly taken total control of the Sub-Saharan Mandrax business.

Wherever the truth lies, one thing is clear, that he has a substantial, unethical and unhealthy influence over President Lungu.

Findlay is not an elected official, accountable to the people, nor a paid civil servant, who is accountable to the system. He plays outside the system and uses his spuriously obtained means to exert undue influence on Zambia and its people.

In normal times, this would be bad enough, but with the Coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc with our economy we need our government focusing on the needs of the people and not special interests.

The businessman frequently joins the President in meetings and foreign jaunts, costing the taxpayers untold costs, even though his private jet is reportedly bigger, more luxurious and expensive than the presidential plane.

If only a small part of the tales of drugs and gun-running about Findlay were true it should be enough to ensure that he has zero access to State House.

President Lungu has elections next year and before the Coronavirus reached us the economy was not going in a positive direction. The crisis created by the Coronavirus will hurt incumbents across the world and the President and his team have to go into overdrive if they stand any chance of reelection.
They must be supremely focused and get rid of all the chaff.

Findlay is an albatross around the neck of President Lungu and every time he is seen with the head of state Zambians have more and more questions that they will answer at the ballot box.

President Lungu must make an example of Findlay and excise him from public life and demonstrate that he no longer has any influence, effect or impact on the Zambian Government.
Findlay may not be the sum total of Zambia’s problems, but he is highly symbolic of them. He is someone who does not deserve his position close to the President and has never shown once in his long and shadowy career that he has ever contributed to the betterment of the Zambian people.

Some people in his position have a disguise that they do civic or charitable work that helps those in need. Not Findlay, he is so brazen that he never even considers the needs of the people and our country.

President Lungu should demonstrate that he is the man to continue leading the people, and he can start by showing Findlay the door and allow the criminal investigators to look into his past and present, and tell us finally what is true and what is not.

Then he can feel the full force of the law rather than the full protection of the state.