A University of Zambia Lecturer has called for the privatization of the institution.

Dr Sam Phiri, a Lecturer in the School of Mass Communication says what was Zambia’s icon of independence and the source of vanity in 1966, is no more.

Dr Phiri says what remains is a drowsy institute which is in deep peripatetic torpor.

“Blotto in poverty, misery and self-pity. It’s a drab, dozy and blue ‘Centre of in-excellence’. We all know why this is so. Blame games won’t wash,” he lamented.

He charged that this mortally sick Centre of “Service and Excellence” is in its near-death thralls.

“It’s not ‘serving’ our country well. No ‘excellence’ in teaching; not much, not much… research takes place there either. We all know why this is so.”

Dr Phiri charged that the truth is, government cannot fully fund this bovine-like behemoth.

“There is no money for UNZA. Worse, for the baby public ‘universities’ statutorily created since 2011. Let’s be realistic.”

He suggested that the solution is in changing the political policy direction of UNZA.

“UNZA can be privatized. UNZA should be reformed, restructured and remodeled so that its aligned to the 21st Century,” he suggested.

He said every other facile attempt will not work.

“What is needed is not a mollifying exercise. What is needed is the radical transformation of UNZA. As it is, UNZA is a ‘stranger’ to the 21st Century.”

“Trying to tinker with funding models that suited the 1960s is a non-solution. It has merely concretized existing problems. This is not 1966. Zambia is poorer than it was in 1966. In fact, let’s just say it: Zambia is ‘broke’. It can’t afford to fund UNZA. Full Stop.”

“Worse, the many new public mini-universities, planted all over the place, un-thinkingly, un-planned and un-strategically. There is no conceivable academic logic to these new edifying mini-stars.”

“For a start, let’s re-examine the policy of mass education. Let’s re-look at the current policy’s denial of elitism for UNZA. This, in spite of an environment which is awash with mini-stars calling themselves universities. Many of them, hyped high schools but with a glorified legal status.”

He said, “Let UNZA be transmuted back into a Centre of Zambian Excellence in both teaching and research. Of course, excellence is directly linked to exclusivity, exceptionality, selectivity, distinctiveness and uniqueness.”

“After Zambia has taken the new policy stance, then let’s look at the Mulungushi University model. Is there anything we can learn from there?”

“If not, let’s seek for another model that will, at least, de-link and distance UNZA from government.”

“Look at this: Three weeks into the 2020 academic year, barely any lessons are taking place. Students, most of them teens, from the rurals, are milling about the unkempt and over grown campus grounds, and potholed roads. Momentarily, they listlessly peep through closed translucent doors into the decrepit lecture theatres. Wondering what could have been.”

“Today, I walked through the UNZA main campus, bemused and saddened to see that hardly any teaching was taking place. Three weeks into the new academic year, several lecture rooms were closed. The doors are shut.”

Why? No one knows, and yet everyone knows. No need to belabour the point. UNZA management has no sparring partner. No one to talk to. They de-recognised UNZALARU recently. Meanwhile, the institutional haste to the nethermost continues.”

“Should we seriously consider privatization? Of course, though not the Chiluba way,” he stated.

LUSAKA Lawyer LEWIS MOSHO has given FAZ President ANDREW KAMANGA, a 24 hours ultimatum to respond to allegations of theft or his firm will proceed to privately prosecute him.

The allegations involve 38 thousand United States Dollars and 24 thousand 5 hundred and 52 Kwacha respectively.

According to a letter dated February 19, 2020, MOSHO informed KAMANGA that his firm NATHAN and LEWIS Advocates is acting on instruction of a client ELIJAH CHILESHE.

CHILESHE informed the Lawyers that after KAMANGA’s election as FAZ President in 2016, he allegedly lied to FAZ by making it pay over 24 thousand Kwacha to Savoy hotel which he and his associates incurred.

He said the bill was not supposed to be paid by the Asssociation but KAMANGA himself and his associates.

CHILESHE also alleged that KAMANGA, on MAY 6, 2017, directed that MONEY be paid from FAZ account in the sum of 38 thousand US Dollars to ENFIN Solution Limited, a company which he has an interest in, without following established procedures and without any supporting documentation.

The letter, which is also copied to GILBERT PHIRI of PNP Advocates, further informed KAMANGA that they have strict instructions to privately prosecute him in an event that he maintains his innocense and decide to remain silent within 24 hours of receipt of the letter.

But when contacted by ZNBC, Football Association of Zambia President, ANDREW KAMANGA told ZNBC News that his lawyers have already responded to the allegations.

With biodiversity vanishing from rivers, lakes and wetlands at alarming speed, a new scientific paper by WWF International outlines an Emergency
Recovery Plan to reverse the rapid decline in the world’s freshwater species and habitats – and safeguard our life support systems.
Published today in BioScience, the Emergency Recovery Plan calls for the world to take urgent steps to tackle the threats that have led to an 83% collapse in freshwater species populations and the loss of 30% of freshwater ecosystems since 1970 – ecosystems that provide us with water, food, livelihoods, and protection from floods, droughts and storms.

Developed by a global team of scientists from WWF, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Conservation International, Cardiff University and other eminent organizations and academic institutions, this is the first comprehensive plan to protect and restore freshwater habitats, which host more species per square kilometre than land or oceans – and are losing this extraordinary biodiversity two or three times faster.

The six-point plan prioritizes solutions that are rooted in cutting edge science and have already proven successful in certain locations: letting rivers flow more naturally, reducing pollution, protecting critical wetland habitats, ending overfishing and unsustainable sand mining in rivers and lakes, controlling invasive species, and safeguarding and restoring river connectivity through better planning of dams and other infrastructure.

“Nowhere is the biodiversity crisis more acute than in the world’s rivers, lakes and wetlands – with over a quarter of freshwater species now heading for extinction. The Emergency Recovery Plan can halt this decades-long decline and restore life to our dying freshwater
ecosystems, which underpin all of our societies and economies,” said Dave Tickner, WWF- UK Chief Freshwater Advisor and lead author on the paper.

Covering approximately 1% of the Earth’s surface, rivers, lakes and freshwater wetlands are home to 10% of all species and more described fish species than in all the world’s oceans.But they are rapidly disappearing with populations of freshwater megafauna – such as river
dolphins, sturgeon, beavers, crocodiles and giant turtles – crashing by 88% in the past half century.

“The causes of the global collapse in freshwater biodiversity are no secret, yet the world has consistently failed to act, turning a blind eye to the worsening crisis even though healthy freshwater ecosystems are central to our survival. The Emergency Recovery Plan provides
an ambitious roadmap to safeguarding freshwater biodiversity – and all the benefits it provides to people across the world,” said co-author, Professor Steven Cooke of Carleton University in Canada.

The Emergency Recovery Plan highlights a variety of measures that together will transform the management and health of rivers, lakes and wetlands, such as treating more than 20% of sewage before it is flushed into nature, avoiding dams on the world’s remaining free
flowing rivers, and expanding and strengthening protected areas in partnership with local communities.

“All the solutions in the Emergency Recovery Plan have been tried and tested somewhere in the world: they are realistic, pragmatic and they work. We are calling on governments,investors, companies and communities to prioritize freshwater biodiversity – often neglected by the conservation and water management worlds. Now is the time to implement these solutions, before it is too late,” said James Dalton, Director of IUCN’s
Global Water Programme.

“We have the last opportunity to create a world with rivers and lakes that once again teem with wildlife, and with wetlands that are healthy enough to sustain our communities and cities, but only if we stop treating them like sewers and wastelands,” said Tickner. “This decade will be critical for freshwater biodiversity: countries must seize the chance to keep our life support systems running by ensuring freshwater conservation and restoration are central to a New Deal for Nature and People.”

Critically, with governments meeting in November to agree on a new global deal to conserve and restore biodiversity at a landmark conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity- CBD, the authors recommend some new targets, including on restoring water flows, controlling illegal and unregulated sand mining in rivers, and improving management of freshwater fisheries that feed hundreds of millions of people. Therefore, WWF in Zambia calls for higher ambitions and setting of higher national targets for enhancing freshwater biodiversity protection through its national CBD strategies and supportive policies, as well as calls for a crystal clear position during the COP 15 meeting scheduled to take place in China
as which the global framework will be adopted. This extremely important as Zambia’s biodiversity faces a number of challenges and threats.

Freshwater biodiversity in particular faces threats from water pollution, damming of rivers, bad fishing practices, threats of invasive species, uncoordinated planning and land use, and unsustainable agricultural practices. Given this there is need for the Government in Zambia to strengthen the implementation of the convention on Biodiversity targets.

WWF Zambia makes a further call on the Zambian Government to embrace key recommendations in the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity which offers quick solutions to addressing current freshwater biodiversity threats and challenges above.

WWF Zambia calls the government to urgent action particularly around the Zambezi river basin which is a major source of freshwater water not only in Zambia but in eight other riparian states. This basin faces great challenges arising from competing demands for water usage ranging from energy generation, abstraction for crop irrigation purposes as well as domestic and industrial uses. Zambia recently discovered uranium deposits in the Northwestern part of the country in the upper Zambezi river basin and mining is currently under way. Recognizing that uranium is a highly radioactive material and Zambia being a member of the international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), It is incumbent upon the Zambian Government to ensure there is maximum protection at all times. The greatest threat is contamination of the river Zambezi which is home to about 65 million people amongst the 8 countries that share this resource.

Issued By: Nachilala Nkombo
Country Director- WWF ZAMBIA