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The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) plans to start voter registration in May this year with the aim of creating a new voter register for 2021 general elections.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Kryticous Nshindano says the voter registration has been necessitated by the post-election review recommendations from stakeholders and also the delimitation exercise which will give birth to new electoral boundaries.
Mr. NSHINDANO says the voter registration exercise will also enhance register integrity and remove the deceased voters.
Speaking during the media briefing in Lusaka today, Mr. Nshindano, however, said the new register will only be operational in the 2021 general elections.
He also disclosed that the Commission is currently working on modalities to facilitate for prisoners to vote in 2021 general elections adding that they will work with various stakeholders on the process.
The Chief Electoral Officer said the commission has already started engaging the treasury for funding of the voter registration and 2021 General Elections in order to avert late delivery of materials.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nshindano has disclosed that two of the 11 bidders have appealed against the intention by the Commission to award Al Ghurair of Dubai to print the 2021 ballot papers.
He said following the appeal, the Zambia Public Procurement Authority will guide the commission after its complete review of bids and associated documents.
Mr. Nshindano further said the move by the commission to discontinue sponsoring observers to the printing of ballots papers outside, will save the country over 4 point 8 Million Kwacha based on the 2016 general elections budget.
He said the ECZ decision to sponsor observers was done out of goodwill and has no legal obligation to do so adding that is not sustainable in the current economic situation.
Mr. Nshindano however said those that want to observe are free to do so stating that they should communicate with the commission so that they help facilitate logistical support such as access to the facility and other administrative matters.
And on the delimitation exercise, Mr. Nshindano said that the commission is currently reviewing the submissions and recommendations from stakeholders.
He said the Commission will compile a report that will be tabled before parliament for consideration in February.
Mr. Nshindano, however, said the approval of the recommendations to change the number of constituencies is subject to the Constitutional Amendment process.
Two political parties participating in the Chilubi parliamentary by-elections have given the Electoral Commission of Zambia a three days ultimatum to resolve alleged incidences of electoral violence, or they will pull out of the election.
Speaking during a joint press briefing in Lusaka today, United Party for National Development -UPND- Chilubi Campaign Manager Garry Nkombo said the party has raised concerns of alleged violence and other electoral malpractices.
And National Democratic Congress -NDC- Spokesperson Saboi Imboela said if the matters are not resolved, the party will have no choice but to pull out of the race.
But, Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Secretary-General Mumbi Phiri in a telephone interview has denied claims by the two political parties stating that the party is campaigning based on the developments in the area and not violence.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Zambia ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano has urged all political parties participating in the Chilubi parliamentary by-elections to be tolerant and adhere to the electoral code of conduct.
Mr. Nshindano said the commission has received complaints on the matter from UPND, NDC, and PF and has since referred the matter to the district conflict management committee in Chilubi.
Residents in Kakaindu area of Solwezi District in North-Western Province have burnt down a Police Post after word went round that police were holding suspected ritual killers.
Zambia Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said the riots erupted early this morning.
Mrs. Katongo explained that it all started when some people went to report to Community Crime Prevention Unit in Manyama area that they heard some people planning to gas people and CCPU officers apprehended two people who were detained in Police custody at Kakaindu.
She said when word went around that some people were in custody, a mob went to the police and demanded for the suspect and ended up damaging Kakaindu police post leaving some officers with injuries.
Mrs. Katongo said reinforcement was sent and calm has been restored and police are still on the ground monitoring the situation.
She has appealed to members of the public to desist from acts of venting their anger on security infrastructure because doing so may just worsen the security situation in their localities.
Mrs. Katongo said members should find better ways of bringing their concerns before authorities than damaging infrastructure which built for them to get security services.
She said the current trend of destroying government structures is worrying and is a drawback for respective communities as security is meant for the same people destroying property.
The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council has joined others in calling on Derrick Livune, Member of Parliament for Katombora to apologize to Vice President lnonge Wina.
NGOCC Board Chairperson Mary Mulenga said the culture of insults and disrespect seems to have found ‘fertile soil’ in the political realm and NGOCC remains concerned with the continued bullying of women leaders by some politicians especially now that the country moves towards the 2021 general elections.
Ms Mulenga said Zambia has continued to witness violence both physical and verbal amongst political players, the latest being the outburst by Mr Livune targeting Mrs Wina using demeaning and insulting language.
She said this kind of language and politics is what has continued to discourage women against participating in the governance of the country.
Ms Mulenga said the NGOCC has for a long time been deeply concerned with the low numbers of women in decision making positions especially at Parliament and Local Government levels.
She said it is totally unacceptable that 55 years after independence, women, who constitute more than 51 percent of the country’s population remain discriminated from both participating and benefiting from the various development processes and such utterances are a huge recipe for discouraging women to effectively participate in national development.
Ms Mulenga said Mrs Wina, just like any other woman, has the right to participate in the governance of this country regardless of her age and has every right to speak about the development trajectory of the entire country of Zambia.
“We therefore expect our leaders, especially MPs to regard and accord her the necessary decorum befitting her office.We demand that Hon. Livune withdraws the disrespectful, demeaning and insulting statement against Hon. Wina. Zambians are more interested in issue-based dialogue than personal politically-inclined views.
The Katombora UPND member of parliament Derrick Livune recently told Vice-President Inonge Wina to learn to live decently, especially that the octogenarian “has no more future in politics”.
Mr Livune said Vice-President Wina is only wasting taxpayers’ money because her presence wherever she goes produces no impact.He said Vice-President Wina must retire to the farm where she can live as a mother, probably with decency.
PF members in Kazungula complained of hunger to Vice-President Wina, saying they had not received relief food.
The UPND and the National Democratic Congress have threatened to pull out from the Chilubi Parliamentary by election should the Electoral Commission of Zambia fail to address the electoral related concerns they have raised.
The two political parties have given the ECZ three days in which to address the concerns among them bribery, violence and intimidation all perpetrated by the ruling Patriotic Front to disadvantage other players.
UPND Chairperson for elections Gary Nkombo told Journalists at a joint media briefing today that the ECZ despite having been notified, have allowed the PF to distribute materials to the electorate among them food through the DMMU, clothing and money which amounts to vote buying.
Mr Nkombo said the election must be postponed until a level playing field is created for all political parties to campaign.
He said it is regrettable that the ECZ has failed to take charge of the election and have instead allowed the PF to carryout their mandate.
And Mr Nkombo said Chilubi has turned into a war zone and the two political parties do not want to lose any life.
Meanwhile, Mr Nkombo says the Electoral Commission of Zambia has confirmed writing to the Disaster Management and Mitigarion Unit warning them against distributing mealie meal to Chilubi because it amounts to Electoral malpractice.
He expressed hope that the ECZ will be compelled to act on the volatile environment in Chilubi to prevent any loss of life.
And speaking at the same briefing, NDC spokesperson Saboi Imboela said her party will be compelled to pull out if the ECZ does not act to prevent loss of lives.
She said it is sad that the PF has taken over the mandate of the ECZ and are breaking the law with impunity.
Social media giant Facebook has today taken down a page belonging to controversial South Africa-based Nigerian prophet Andrew Ejimandu popularly known as Seer 1, on grounds that it violated its community standards on bullying and hate speech.
A check on Facebook Friday morning revealed that Seer 1’s page which had thousands of followers was unpublished.
In a video recording that has gone viral on social media, Seer 1 is seen making threats against unnamed Ministers in the PF government, some members of parliament and mayors whom he says had sought assistance of his “powers” to win elections.
He told them to return the power in 20 days from Sunday last week or face death.
In another live video which he dubbed address to the nation of Zambia, over 22,000 people are believed to have watched the broadcast in which he reiterated his threats.
It is believed that some high ranking Zambian officials wrote to Facebook to protest over Seer’s threat saying it has potential to destabilize the nation.
The United Nations (UN) has described Zambia as a symbol of peace and political stability in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region.
United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres has hailed Zambia for having remained a beacon of peace and stability in the Southern region as well as being an important member of the global governance body.Mr Guterres has also extolled Zambia for her continued desire to promote peace in the world by remaining one of the major contributor of peace troops to peacekeeping missions in the world.
Mr Guterres said this when he received the letter of credence from Zambia’s new Permanent Representative to the United Nations, His Excellency, Ambassador Dr Ngosa Simbyakula at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Before his appointment as Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb Dr Simbyakula was Zambia’s envoy to the United States of America in Washington DC.He said the UN would continue to offer its total support to the Government of the Republic of Zambia for her effort to continue sending peacekeepers to countries where peace and political stability had remained elusive.
Mr Guterres informed Amb Dr Simbyakula that Zambia had remained an excellent friend and partner to the United Nations especially in the cause of providing shelter and other basic social needs to refugees.
“Zambia has been a symbol of peace and stability in the region. Zambia has been a peacekeeping country and I want to assure you of total support to the Government of the Republic of Zambia. You have played a tremendous role in taking care of refugees. Zambia has been an active member of the UN and we appreciate your role,” Mr Guterres said.
And His Excellency, Amb Dr Simbyakula has pledged Zambia’s commitment and support to the United Nations in its endeavor to achieve the objective for which the global governance body was formed.
Amb Dr Simbyakula said Zambia shall continue to partner with the United Nations in promoting peace anywhere in the world and would therefore continue contributing peace troops to peacekeeping missions.
He said Zambia was an oasis of peace and would therefore wish that all nations to be peaceful.
Amb Dr Simbyakula said climate change was among the challenges Zambia was facing and would work closely with the UN in finding solutions that would mitigate the devastating effects of the phenomenon.
“Mr Secretary General, I bring to you warm greetings from His Excellency, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia. I want to assure of Zambia’s support as we work together to achieve the objectives of the United Nations. Zambia is committed to peace and stability and that is why we shall continue providing out troops to peacekeeping missions. We are an oasis of peace and we want peace to prevail everywhere in the world,” Amb Dr Simbyakula said.
His Excellency, Ambassador Dr Ngosa Simbyakula, the new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations (UN) presenting his letter of credence to United Nations General Secretary António Guterres at the UN Headquarters in New York. Picture courtesy of UN.
Issued by:
Wallen Simwaka
First Secretary (Press)
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations
It is unthinkable on the part of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to be contemplating on hiring an Expatriate coach for the Zambia national men’s football team, at the expense of a robust football development approach in the country. It is common knowledge that the country is in critical need for a vigorous revolution in football, which is increasingly becoming an important tool in promoting a multicultural and integrated society, as Zambia searches for a uniting inter-tribal identity. However, developing football top down instead of vice versa is not so sustainable in a country with meagre resources. The resources that are earmarked for an Expatriate coach, understood to be in colossal amounts, can instead go a long way, if utilised in developing grassroots football and other youth development initiatives.
If the various national teams that represent Zambia at different levels have to make an impact, then development has to start from the bottom, that is, the grassroots, and not from the top as in the men`s national football team. Zambia has able men and women that can do this job effectively at reasonable rates, for as long as they are given the resources needed to undertake this responsibility. The inferiority complex of always thinking that only a “Muzungu” will come to sort out Zambia’s local challenges, should once and for all, come to an end. Of course, there are areas in the country in which Zambia might need an Expatriate to come and lead for a certain stated period, such as making an Aeroplane engine for the soon to be reinstated Zambia Airways, but not for coaching a football team that meets fortnightly. A rotation of local coaches from the top professional teams in the country has always been a good solution, and must be sustained.
The recent under performance of the men’s national football team cannot entirely be blamed on the coaching staff, but on how football development, and sport in general is organised and structured in the country, especially at grassroots level. For a long time, grassroots level sport in the country has been neglected by different stakeholders including government institutions tasked to develop it. For example, 55 years after the country’s Independence from the colonial powers, Zambia does not have a single Primary or Secondary School majoring in sport and physical activities or one that has a deliberate Sports Education Curriculum Model. On the other hand, Kwame Nkrumah University College in Kabwe that has for years produced great men and women running sport in the country do not even have a running track, a standard football pitch nor a basic gymnasium that a College or University offering Sport Education Courses should naturally have. Despite all that, should FAZ be fixated on spending colossal amounts of resources on a single Expatriate to come and teach Zambians only about how to qualify and win the Africa and World Cups, instead of investing the money into the missing sports infrastructure first? FAZ ought to think twice.
Of course, football has taken the world by storm, to use a cliché, and each country would like to associate itself with the trend. However, countries with meagre resources like Zambia should be very careful in the way they want to participate in football business, which unfortunately has become complex and intrinsically controlled by powerful cartels within institutions locally and internationally. Just because Denmark has a foreign coach does not mean, even Zambia should hire one. For Denmark to involve a foreign coach for the men`s national team, it is probably because they have satisfied their grassroots base. Each community has standard football pitches to cater for the population of youths in that particular geographical area, and the youths are naturally going up the ladder and into the various national teams. Considering how much money Zambia has spent on hiring Expatriate coaches for the men`s national team starting with the famous Herve Renard, it must surely be an amount that is able to build high standard football pitches for grassroots football across the country. From Namushakende in Western Province to Nabwalya in Muchinga Province, from Kabanda Yejima Yejima in North-Western Province, to Siatwinda in Southern Province, from Mpweto in Luapula Province to Mlolo in Eastern Province. FAZ could invest in basic sports infrastructure to support football development that could become a beacon for other sports disciplines as well. Thousands of youths could then enjoy these facilities and structures that could in turn support the development of their skills for the benefit of the country.
It is sad to note that community football pitches such as the Kalingalinga ground in Lusaka that has produced national team material, such as Fwayo Tembo, Roger Kola, Boyd Mwila, Jimmy Njobvu, Racha Kola, Hichani Himoonde, Given Singuluma, Justine Zulu and William Njobvu to name but a few are still dust “Kalukungu” pitches.
It is sad to note that community football pitches such as the Kalingalinga ground in Lusaka that has produced national team material, such as Fwayo Tembo, Roger Kola, Boyd Mwila, Jimmy Njobvu, Racha Kola, Hichani Himoonde, Given Singuluma, Justine Zulu and William Njobvu to name but a few are still dust “Kalukungu” pitches. FAZ should be courageous enough to reset their mode of operation from focusing too much on the men`s national team where they spend colossal resources, to focusing on grassroots football development. This is the time for FAZ to emulate what other partners in football development in the country are doing. For example, the efforts that the Bauleni United Sports Academy (BUSA) in Lusaka has embarked on, should be commended and supported by FAZ and other government wings charged with youth development. By their own initiative of lobbying from local and international partners in youth development, BUSA has adopted a football pitch and a running track at a local primary school. They have created water articulation points that help in taking care of the grass, in addition to providing 24 hours security. As a result of such efforts, BUSA has contributed a huge stake to the women`s national team with the likes of Hellen Mubanga, Barbra Banda, Mary Mwakapila, Mary Mulenga and Judith Zulu to name but a few.
That said, FAZ does not need a Blue Print from abroad for football development when we have institutions in the country trying out new strategies that are after all working. FAZ should not shy away from adopting other ways of implementing football education such as the BUSA strategy. Other sport for development NGO`s in Zambia such as the EduSport Foundation, Sport in Action and NOWSPAR among others, have done their part in believing in the grassroot sports base, especially in the under-served communities. In the late 1990`s these NGOs together with a few community based football academies like Chiparamba Great Eagles, Lusaka Youth Sports Academy, EduSport United Soccer Academy, and Afri-Sports United of Kitwe etc, started a ripple of community football development. It could be argued that this process that started in the late 1990`s culminated into the Zambia men`s team winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012. FAZ affiliated professional teams benefited from this process too, but did very little to directly support these institutions that clearly contributed positively to the building of their competitive leagues, and ultimately feeding into the various national teams.
Zambia has abundant raw material in terms of young talent, but all that is required is a more organised and progressive system that could help the youths develop and blossom into national team material and responsible citizens. FAZ has this important opportunity to harness the power of football by developing the base first before focusing too much at the top. FAZ should highly invest in community football at grassroots level by providing countrywide structures and contributing directly to infrastructure development in every corner of the country, and not just along the line of rail. The youth gangs that recently terrorised innocent citizens like the Tokota Boys and the SOD of Kitwe could be prevented if organised sports and recreation facilities are adequate for the growing youth populations in the country. The power of football and other sports could be used in this regard, and FAZ should not close their eyes by focusing only on professional football, when the under-served communities need basic sports infrastructure. Workable partnerships with different stakeholders like the business community, the Sports NGOs, the local schools, the sports academies and the local civic leaders could be a way forward. The newly established artificial pitches in Lusaka is one example where FAZ could zero in, establish partnerships beyond a handshake, and expand similar concepts to other areas in need.
FAZ should start operating outside the box by deliberately investing in a youth driven project (Talent Bank) that will nurture sports talent from all parts of the country, a project that will inspire every youth to attend, a project that will provide camping facilities to different community football academies and professional football clubs. A serious project that will not only nurture sports talent but also, one which could equally produce basic sports equipment using local material. It is quite frustrating to note that we are in the 2nd Decade of the 21st Century, Zambia cannot still produce any basic sports apparatus such as nets, balls, water bottles, bibs, cones and so on locally, when the country has abundant raw material like rubber and leather. FAZ is capable of supporting local communities with basic facilities installed with water articulation and lighting systems that could allow youths to participate in activities even after hours. The abundance of ground water and a powerful sun light in Zambia could be taken advantage of to provide solar powered water supply and floodlights in these community sports and recreation facilities for youths. All that such projects need to do is, doing things differently to suit the local context rather than what other countries are doing. As PLO Lumumba emphasises, it is time for African institutions to carve out their own destiny as demanded by local needs, rather than how other regions are doing it.
Winning the Africa Cup or the World Cup is great, and it brings happiness to the winning country. However, it does not add much value to the country as compared to the value, investing in basic grassroots sports facilities and programmes could bring. Thus, FAZ should think twice where to invest more if they have to achieve big on the international stage, as there are no quick fixes, but long-term investment. The Africa Cup and the World Cup could easily be achieved if proper investment in local communities is satisfied, and that might be the gap missing in the development of football in the country. Brazil for example has reached high levels in world football because in every corner of any local community, there is an organised sports ground for children and youth utilisation, supported by the FA and the government. In this regard, FAZ could invest heavily in the Teachers Colleges by providing them with a sports coaching and management education package, because Teachers are found in every corner of the country upon graduation. Thus, FAZ could be assured of spreading their tentacles across the country through the Teachers Colleges sports education model.
At another level, instead of keeping on hiring and firing foreign coaches, FAZ through government could engage more established countries in football development where coach education training or attachments could be done. Zambian aspiring coaches, especially the youth could be attached to different clubs at international level for longer periods ranging from 6 months to 3 years, so as to learn the ropes of becoming confident football coaches and managers. The difference between a local coach and an Expatriate “Muzungu” could only be the absence of exposure to other systems that are seemingly doing better than Zambia. Thus, engaging international partners to help provide long-term attachments in their respective countries could be a sustainable solution than serially hiring and firing coaches. However, all things considered, the current stream of local coaches are capable enough to coach the senior men`s national team as the country prioritises investing in grassroot football development and coach education.
The once dusty “Kalukungu” Bauleni ground revived and renovated by Bauleni United Sports Academy (BUSA) in Lusaka.
By Kabanda Mwansa
The author is a Zambian social commentator and a PhD research fellow at the Centre for Child and Youth Competence Development at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. He is also the co-founder of the EduSport Foundation, Zambia.
Zambia has made some strides in aligning its Mining policy to the Africa Mining Vision, says the Center for Trade Policy and Development.
According to a detailed gap analysis conducted by the CTPD of the Africa Mining Vision, more energy however needs to be channelled to fully domesticate the AMV at the Country level.
Webby Banda, the CTPD Senior Researcher Extractives says under Fiscal regime, the Zambian mining fiscal regime has not been consistently applied over time and the Zambia Revenue Authority still seems to have challenges with administrative capacity.
Mr Banda said Radical shifts from profit-based to revenue-based tax instruments in recent years seem to confirm this and all mining revenue is deposited in the consolidated fund.
He said this makes it lose identity because it cannot be tracked to any public expenditure.
Mr Banda added that Geological and mineral information systems under geological and mineral information systems, it was moted that Geological Survey Department is underfunded or poorly resourced making it difficult to effectively discharge its responsibilities.
He said there are no enforceable arrangements for mining companies to deposit information with the Department and this makes mining companies have a monopoly on geological and mineral information.
“Environmental and social issues Under Environmental and social issues, the following key issues were unveiled; No clear policy framework and legislation exists to deal with post-mine closure issues; and current legislation does not contain any land use policy and law”, Mr Banda added.
He has since recommended that government should maintain stability in the mining fiscal regime by designing a tax system that will stand the test of time.
Mr Banda said government should also match the administrative complexity of the designed tax instruments with the administrative capacity of Zambia Revenue Authority by establishing an independent mineral stabilisation fund that is not tied to the consolidated fund.
He said government should further legislate an Act of Parliament that transforms the Geological Survey Department into a state agency with its governing board and sustainably fund the Geological Survey department using a portion of mineral royalty.
Mr Banda also sugeated that government should establish compelling mechanisms that force mining companies to deposit geological information with the government, Develop clear land-use policies and laws and Develop policies and laws for the management of post-mine closure issues.
He said the above policy recommendations once implemented will go a long way in spurring broad-based sustainable growth and social-economic development in Zambia and Africa at large.
Mr Banda says these will also provide a platform for Zambia to fully benefit from its natural resources acting as a key to alleviating poverty levels.
The Africa Mining Vision is a continental policy framework that was created by the Africa Union in 2009 to ensure that Africa prudently utilises the wealth of its natural resources.
The AMV seeks to promote transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of Mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and social-economic development.
The AMV is based on nine pillars namely, Fiscal regime and Revenue Management; Geological and Mineral Information Systems; environmental and social issues; building human and institutional capacities; artisanal and small scale mining; mobilising Mining and Infrastructure Development; Mineral Sector Governance; Research and Development, and linkages and diversification.
Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela has urged the people of his constituency and the people of Luapula to take farming seriously.
Speaking when he visited his 20 hectares farm in Pambashe Constituency in Kawambwa District, the lawmaker said he is impressed with the Ministry of Agriculture response towards the eradication of Army-worms.
Mr. Chitotela said his constituency has experienced minimal army worms ravaging maize fields but the department of Agriculture in the district has been quick to release the chemicals to farmers.
His land comprised of crops such as Maize, cassava and groundnuts.
He observed that not long ago, President Edgar Lungu visited Kawambwa district and emphasised on the need for people to venture into Agriculture.
Mr. Chitotela notes that Kawambwa district is endowed with good rains making it an Agriculture driven area.
He explained that with the agriculture potential that the region has, maximum effort needs to be put in by the people to make Luapula the nations food basket.
The Minister added that he has taken up the step of farming so as to encourage people in his constituency to take Agriculture seriously.
Mr. Chitotela has since encouraged residents in his constituency to seriously take Agriculture as an economic activity.
The Constitutional Court has dismissed a case in which UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema was challenging President Edgar Lungu’s decision not to hand over power to the Speaker of the National Assembly during the hearing of the Presidential election in 2016.
Judge Professor Margaret Munalula says in her judgment that both President Lungu and the Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini could not be held to have been in contravention of any constitutional provision when President Lungu continued to perform the executive functions.
Judge Munalula further ordered for each party to bear its own cost.
This is because of the importance of the issue raised as it is constitutional in nature.
In this matter Mr. Hichilema and his then Vice President then Geoffery Mwamba petitioned the Presidential elections and wanted the court to order President Lungu to hand over power to Speaker of the National Assembly pending the outcome of the petition.
Mr. Hichilema and Mr. Mwamba argued that the continued stay of President Lungu in the office, while his election was petitioned, is contrary to the provisions of the Constitution.
But, Attorney General Likando Kalaluka asked the court to dismiss the petition because Mr. Hichilema and Mr. Mwamba were not entitled to the remedies they were seeking.
In her judgment, Judge Munalula said the court entirely agreed with the position of the Attorney General.
The Court further said that it did not see a provision in the Constitution that allows the Speaker to assume Office of the President under the circumstances of the 2016 Presidential elections.
The other judges that heard the matter are judges Anne Sitali, Mungeni Mulenga, Palan Mulonda and Martin Musaluke.
I must confess: Late last night, like over 20,000 ordinary Zambians; many of whom non politically aligned, including PF members and sympathizers I presume, opted to use our very expensive internet bundles to listen in to an open conversation hosted by a named prophet.
Now, I cannot remember a day in recent history, when Zambians have provided an individual with such kind of a virtual audience, let alone the kind of attention the named individual received. It was staggering to watch.
Many of us watched out of curiosity. Some out of a genuine search for answers. Others simply tuned in out of sheer disbelief at the very suggestion, however remote and potentially bonkers, that the country we thought we had been building, and the collective values we say we profess and have attempted to even codify in our Republican constitution; may altogether be a farce and a facade for something else only a handful of very powerful individuals might have knowledge of.
It is like we are living in a fantom bubble where nothing really is real.
Now, I often like to exercise a great deal of cautious skepticism when it comes to matters of religious extremism, ritualism, and fanaticism. I prefer to watch from a distance as a way of keeping some grip on my own sanity, so be rest assured; I would be the last person to pin the future outlook of our collective fortunes on what the man holding some crystal ball says.
Yet make no mistake: the fact that a sizeable majority of people are prepared to entertain alternative rationality to the problems Zambia and her people are facing, simply means the government has lost the trust of the people who elected them. Zambians no longer believe that the PF government and those serving in it have the best interests of the country at heart, especially that the party in power and many of those close to the circles of power have been accumulating an enormous amount of wealth at such an exponential rate, when our national productivity is at an all time low and everyone is suffering. How are these individuals managing to generate so much wealth so fast when the underlying economy is dead? How are they making their money? Where is it coming from?
When we say they are stealing, they say they are not. But when the economy is at its weakest, people are prepared to turn to alternative interpretations of how a small group of people has managed to get so incredibly wealthy in the middle of such economic destitution and turmoil.
To the opposition, especially the main opposition; the lesson is simple – Zambians value honest hard work. But above all, we love our God too much that any one individual or group of individuals, or indeed a political establishment that anchors its grip on power on forces of darkness, falsehoods, lies, and deceit will be gotten rid of the moment the people experience an epiphany.
This is where we are right now.
It seems the people we thought we knew, the government we thought we had, the leaders we thought we elected, MAY not exactly be who they say they are or indeed whom we thought they were.
It feels like one big con.
Now, whatsoever you believe, I urge you, countrymen and women, to earnestly pray for our country.
The country is under attack and the enemies are among us.
No one single individual or opposition political establishment must seek to benefit from the salvation Zambia is about to receive, except the people themselves who have suffered incredible torment at the hands of those who should have protected them.
God is about to scatter our enemies and he will install for us the kind of leadership we deserve because he has raised enough honest, hardworking men and women to provide the right kind of leadership and look after the interests of his sons and daughters here on earth.
However long it takes, Zambia shall indeed be free.
Bushinga Primary School in Itezhi-tezhi will this year have the first-ever grade eight classes after the opposition Socialist Party donated building materials for the construction of a 1 x 2 classroom block at the public school.
Several residents of Itezhi-tezhi district of Central Province have commended the leftist Socialist Party for the support rendered in uplifting primary school infrastructure in the area.
George Mukile, a former head teacher at Bushinga Primary School, said what the Socialist Party has done was commendable as it will motivate pupils who are now going to be learning in a conducive environment.
Mukile disclosed that infrastructure development and lack of secondary schools have always been a challenge in the district.
He, however, said the donation of pockets of cement, flush doors and other building materials by the Socialist Party will go a long way in improving the infrastructure at the school.
“I’m very thankful to the Socialist Party for the donation, and again let me thank them for trying so hard to narrow the gap between the poor and rich. Because the way we are living in this country currently, is not good even if we are saying it’s One Zambia One Nation there is nothing like that. It’s like others are living in America but we are all here in Zambia,” Mukile said.
He observed that currently, development was not shared equally in the country, something which has to come to an end as demonstrated by the Socialist Party bringing everyone on board.
And Mukile has noted with disappointment that elected members of parliament, council chairpersons and councilors in the area have allegedly failed to develop their areas despite voters trusting them.
He challenged them to always remember that education was key to success.
“Let me just be very open, as for our member of parliament, since we voted him into office he has never done anything. Not even heard of a single meeting, just to be very open. Maybe councilors because sometimes they go to the council chambers, and their voices are not head as they were voted to be the voice of the people,” said Mukile.
The Socialist Party donated some building materials to Bushinga Primary School for the construction of a one by two classroom block in order for the school to start grade eight classes this year.
Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu has hailed the cordial and closer ties that have existed between Zambia and Zimbabwe since the time of the liberation struggle particularly, for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The President described the relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe as inseparable and that the collaboration between the two countries is further enhanced by the membership of the duo to the SADC, African Union and other regional and multilateral bodies.
The Head of State recalls how the two countries are fondly referred to as Siamese twins adding that Zambia and Zimbabwe has been working very well since the liberation days.
“As you go back to Zimbabwe, please convey a message of solidarity to my brother President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Your Excellency, thank you so much and God bless you and wish you well in your future endeavors,” the President said.
The President said this when Zimbabwe’s High Commissioner to Zambia Gertrude Ratidzo Takawira, paid a courtesy call on him to bid farewell as she winds down her tour of duty in Zambia.
Earlier, the High Commissioner expressed gratitude to President Lungu for the support rendered to her during her tour of duty in Zambia.
She applauded specifically the support that the Zambian Government rendered to Zimbabwe in 2016 when the country faced food shortages due to drought and Zambia came to that country’s aid.
“Thankyou for your support, generosity and hospitality that made me very comfortable during my stay in Zambia,” the High Commissioner said.
The Government has advised Zambians on short term visits to China to register their presence with the Embassy in Beijing and the Consulate in Guangzhou.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Joseph Malanji said the Zambians currently in China or those planning to travel should identify the nearest point of registration in order for the Mission to take stock of nationals on short-term stay.
Hon. Malanji said the Government is aware of the 200 students in Wuhan City in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, and that the Mission in Beijing has continued to reach out to the Zambian community through dissemination of valuable information on precautionary measures to be taken.
“We have about 4,000 students studying in China spread across 30 cities both on Government to Government and private sponsorship. In this particular situation we have 200 students who are in Wuhan City. The Government has continued to offer support, disseminate information, advising students on movements and other precautionary measures that they need to take in the wake of the outbreak of the disease,” Hon. Malanji said.
The Minister advised the Zambian students that are currently on vacation to stay in touch with their universities and the Zambian Embassy in Beijing regarding the fresh opening dates considering that the spring semester has been postponed until further notice.
Hon. Malanji noted that no Zambian had been affected by the coronavirus.
“We are lucky that was the period when the people were having their new year, a good number of students are here in Zambia,” he said. “To those in China, our Mission is working effectively disseminating information on how their movements should be and the measures to take to prevent infection.”
Hon. Malanji said Zambia is currently not considering the evacuation of its nationals and is confident that the Government of China is doing everything possible to stem the tide of further infections.
“This is a disease that requires proper diagnosis and considering that this is something that China has handled before, the country is more advanced to handle outbreaks of such a nature. We do not have a case in China attached to a Zambian national and we pray that this of course does not directly affect us,” said Hon. Malanji.
The Chinese Government has assured that the outbreak is manageable and therefore there is no need for evacuation of foreigners from China. Further, foreign envoys have been assured of support from provincial governments to their nationals in case of emergencies. In this regard, the authorities have provided hotlines for any emergency that may arise among foreigners in Wuhan and other cities in Hubei Province. The Zambian Mission has since shared the hotlines with the students along with relevant contacts of Zambian Mission staff.
Since December 2019, China has been hit by the flu-causing virus identified as Coronavirus that has claimed 170 lives, with 7,711 confirmed cases of pneumonia as of 30th January, 2020, according to Chinese Health authorities.
