The Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has said that they will not participate in the Chilubi by-election slated for 13th February 2020.

In a statement circulated to Media houses today, MMD National Secretary Hon. Elizabeth Chitika said that the party is currently taking stock of it’s structures.

“Up Until the 5th of November 2019, our Party was engulfed in leadership wrangles that lasted for the last three years. This affected our structures and members. After the judgment, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our party guided that our party should continue with it’s reorganisation exercises going on Countrywide and with the inspections of all party structures”, Hon. Chitika said.

Hon. Chitika then said that the MMD would not participate in the Chilubi by-election.

“Following the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) of the date for the by-election in Chilubi Constituency and three (3) local government in other places, I wish to announce that the MMD shall not be participating in these elections as the Party is busy taking stock of its members and mobilizing the party structures that were disturbed in the past three years”, Hon. Chitika said.

“Furthermore, We as the MMD shall not support any candidate nor party that will participate in these elections”, Hon. Chitika.

Hon. Chitika further called for peaceful campaigns in Chilubi Constituency.

“We as the MMD would like to take this opportunity to advise all the Political players that will participate in these elections to conduct a Violent free Campaign. We also urge the Electoral Commission of Zambia to be firm and fair referees. We wish the great people of Chilubi Island all the best”, Hon. Chitika said.

Meanwhile, the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) President Dr. Nevers Mumba has challenged the Party leadership in Southern Province to produce a Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Constituency in 2021.

Dr. Mumba, who kicked off his MMD Countrywide tour yesterday, was in the Company of his Party’s National Secretary Hon. Elizabeth Chitika, National Youth Secretary Mr. Gregory Mofu, Southern Province Chairman Mr. Michael Kashinka and other Senior MMD leaders. His first stop was Mazabuka.

Addressing Mazabuka District, Constituency and Ward officials, Dr. Mumba said that Southern Province had a special place in his heart.

“Today marks the beginning of the long-awaited Countrywide tour of the MMD Structures. We have decided to start with Southern Province and Mazabuka in particular because it holds a special place in the heart of the MMD. Southern Province was one of our first Strongholds. Mazabuka produced one of the finest MPs MMD ever had in the late Bennie Mwiinga. To me, this place is special because not only did I do my schooling from Southern province at Hillcrest, but most importantly I got Born Again in this great province. Southern Province also gave me the highest votes at the Convention that elected me as Party President of Our Party, the MMD”, Dr. Mumba said.

Dr. Mumba was extremely happy to find all the MMD structures in Mazabuka intact. He said he was encouraged to find the same team of leaders in Mazabuka both at District and Constituency levels.

“I have heard some people say that MMD is dead. How can we be dead when you leaders are still here? I salute you for weathering the storm these last three years. Your resilience is heart-warming,” Dr. Mumba said.

Dr. Mumba then challenged the MMD Leadership in Mazabuka to produce an MMD MP in 2021.

“Lastly, as the Party President, today I am directing you to give us a Member of Parliament for Mazabuka Constituency in 2021. Mazabuka was one of the first Constituencies we scooped in 1991. Mazabuka is a gateway to Southern Province. If we get back Mazabuka, we get the gateway and we will be back in Southern Province. So am challenging all of you to give back MMD the Mazabuka constituency,” Dr. Mumba said.

By Sunday Chilufya Chanda

One would have thought that by being an academician, UNZA don Sishuwa Sishuwa would be a person whose outlook would be guided by empirical evidence and objectivity.

Far from it! The prejudice and cynicism in his recent article in News Diggers wherein he attempted to disparage and “hex” President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s announcement that he had significantly reduced his salary in solidarity with the masses, confirms what many Zambians already know; Sishuwa is part of a political coven of chronic cynics.

Sishuwa and his ilk don’t mean well. They are druids of doom and gloom. They never see any good in any good deed or any positive achievement of the President and the PF Government.

On the other hand, they promote hate and bitterness in a bid to stir up anti-government sentiment. They scheme to incite mayhem and disorder, so that they may manipulate an opportunity to impose on Zambians their disorderly and regionally inclined “warlock” who has been rejected by Zambians six times (and counting).

It would be pointless to even try to explain the President’s goodwill in reducing his salary, and the fact that such a reduction for Senior Civil Servants and Parastatals would be a demonstration of leaders ready to sacrifice, because Sishuwa and his kind have already deliberately made up their minds and taken up a position of “no matter what you say or show us, we will not listen to you”.

Are they being realistic when they say that PF has done nothing good at all?

What about the increased enrolment in schools, because of the boom in the construction of schools across the country? Is that a “crisis?”

What about the increase in fully stocked clinics and hospitals? Is that a “crisis”?

What about the significantly improved road infrastructure and bridges across Zambia? Is that a “bad thing”?

We could go on and on until Kingdom come cataloguing President Lungu and PF achievements, but whats the point when some people who are living in denial like Sishuwa have made up their minds “ukufwa na no”!

Their scepticism has become septic. It is eating them up.

“U’ushitasha mwana wa ndoshi nangu endoshi ine”, the Bembas say!

Zambia’s national electricity utility company, ZESCO Limited, has issued a statement to the public saying that the company is working round the clock to slightly reduce load-shedding hours on both  New Years’ Eve and New Year’s day, to allow customers celebrate these important days with their families.

The company said that the decision was arrived at to let Zambians enjoy quality family time on New year’s eve and day,  despite the sustained low water levels at the main reservoirs that has adversely affected generation and that the gesture is aonly applicable to domestic customers.

Below is the full statement

ZESCO WILL ENDEAVOR TO LESSEN LOAD SHEDDING ON NEW YEARS’ EVE AND DAY FOR DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS

ZESCO Limited wishes to inform its esteemed customers in the domestic category that the corporation is working round the clock to slightly reduce load shedding hours on New Years’ eve and day, to allow customers celebrate these important days with their families.

This decision was arrived at to let our customers enjoy quality family time on New year’s eve and day despite the sustained low water levels at the main reservoirs that has adversely affected generation.

“The corporation cannot however state specific hours of reduction in load shedding due to unpredictable constraints on the system, suffice to say that this is a gesture of goodwill to our customers who have endured long hours of loadshedding for some time now”.

As a Corporation, we attach great importance to this period as it is a time that promotes the social wellbeing of our customers by bringing families and communities together.

We thank our customers for their cooperation and support during this difficult period.

We however continue to appeal to our customers to continue employing energy efficient initiatives such as switching off all non-essential appliances by using gas for cooking and solar and energy efficient lighting sources to help conserve the available power.

We take this opportunity to wish our customers a prosperous New Year as we hold hands in prayer for more rains as the season progresses.

Issued by: Hazel Zulu (Mrs.)
Public Relations Manager

“

Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has charged that utterances by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema that the Electoral Commission of Zambia is plotting to rig the 2021 elections is a sign of desperation.

In a statement released in Lusaka, Mr Lusambo urged Mr Hichilema to desist from attacking governance institutions such as the ECZ.

He charged that the ECZ has attained high levels of credibility in the manner it has managed elections since independence.

“Hakainde Hichilema’s latest attacks on the Electoral Commission of Zambia and its Chairperson Justice Essau Chulu is another misdirected attempt at making himself politically relevant,” Mr Lusambo said.

“His allegations that the ECZ wants to rig an election which is two years away can only come from a man who is a desperate loose cannon sensing a 6th successive defeat,” he said.

“To begin with, Hakainde’s allegations lack basis because every Zambian knows that the same ECZ that Hakainde is attacking today has conducted very successful elections through out our country’s history.”

“It was the same ECZ that managed a tense election in 1991 that saw MMD defeat a more robust UNIP. It was the same ECZ that managed the hotly contested 2011 election that saw the PF defeat a well oiled MMD machinery which was at its peak.”

He added, “The same ECZ that Hakainde chooses to vilify today has managed countless by-elections which has seen the UPND emerge victorious. Not too long ago, the same ECZ Hakainde is maligning today managed the Sesheke and Katuba by elections and the UPND won those elections and because his party won, Hakainde never accused the ECZ of working with the PF.”

Mr Lusambo said all right thinking Zambians should simply dismiss Hakainde’s rantings as mere lamentations of a privatization criminal who lacks the basic understanding of politics.

“Hakainde is that player who enters the pitch knowing that he has already lost the match. To save face, he starts blaming the Referee. Let it be known that the ECZ is an independent institution which is key for the growth of our young democracy.”

Mr Lusambo added ,”As a leader of a political party, Hakainde should be working towards making recommendations on how we can strengthen our democratic institutions and not assaulting their integrity and characters of the men and women who have agreed to serve the nation in these institutions.”

Mr Lusambo has since warned Mr Hichilema to stop promoting violence with his careless outbursts.

“let me warm Hakainde that the chaos that he is fanning will not be tolerated. Zambians are peace loving people who cherish the tranquility that the country has been renowned for.”

“Any attempts by Hakainde and his cult members to disrupt this peace will be dealt with severely. As Lusaka Province Minister, I send a strong warning to Hakainde to behave himself, grow up and allow democracy to speak. It’s Zambians who choose their leaders and not the ECZ and since 2015, Zambians have been choosing President Edgar Chagwa Lungu because they are not ready to vote for leaders who are childish, who can mortgage the country to the highest bidder and who will introduce same sex relationships and cult politics.”

Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) President Nevers Mumba has called President Edgar Lungu to emulate the late President Levy Mwanawasa and call for an economic Indaba following recent events such as fuel and tariff increase that has cause many Zambians to lose hope in the country’s current economic trajectory.

In a statement released to the media, Dr. Mumba said that waiting for a regime change in 2021 is just too far for many Zambians to just sit back and watch the country be overtaken by economic and social problems, but suggested that President Lungu, being in charge today still has an opportunity to positively effect this change.

“My view is that #2021 is too far for us to just sit back and watch ourselves get overtaken by economic and social problems. I suggest that President Lungu is in charge today, and therefore, still has an opportunity to positively effect the  change,” read the statement

Below is the full statement

Following last week’s fuel price increase and the announced power tarriff hike, I wish to make the following observations.

The price hike may have worked to further fuel the idea that most Zambians have lost hope in the country’s current ECONOMIC trajectory and unless the PF government does something DRASTIC and SOON, the OPPORTUNITY to overturn the problems that we face as a nation may LAPSE, and in that case, large sections of Society will feel that the only solution to this is a #regime #change in #2021.

However, my view is that #2021 is too far for us to just sit back and watch ourselves get overtaken by economic and social problems. I suggest that President Lungu is in charge TODAY, and therefore, still has an OPPORTUNITY positively EFFECT change. However, I also believe that this is NOT a task for the President ALONE. Rather , it requires a CONCERTED EFFORT, not just among political players but ALL STAKEHOLDERS across industry, business, The Financial Services the civil service and the general citizenry working together.

We MUST, open up our minds to the idea that #together , we can come around the table of dialogue and create a national solution that ensures a win for the people of Zambia.

I wish to challenge His Excellency, President Edgar Lungu to emulate Late President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa and consider calling for an
#ECONOMIC #INDABA drawn for all major economic players to sit and resolve the factors that are eroding our Fiscal and monetary performance indicators. In order to do this, we need to start from a point of to genuine dialogue and trust, calling on participants from across this political, and regional divide to consider the following key points:

Key Economic Points to Consider

The #Fuel #Price #Hike and the #ZESCO power tariffs hike which are upon us were #Expected . There is no hiding away from the fact that a weak kwacha will ultimately lead to higher prices of major imports.

As a nation, we need to strive hard to bring down the #Exchange #Rate if we are to have any chance of arresting these price increases.
In fact, we expect that following this fuel hike, all other goods and services will go up because transport costs are an input cost in across all sectors of the economy. This, unless addressed, and soon, may lead to #hyperinflation .

It is time to #dialogue as a nation. Time to sit around the table with all key stakeholders from across the industry. This economic Indaba should include the major players such as the #Mines and #Road #Contractors .

We must find a way to arrest capital flight arising from the rampant externalisation of #FOREX .

Somebody, somewhere must provide temporal relief by keeping Those dollars within the local banks. The PF government must pro-actively NEGOTIATE this and put this on the table and make sure it works.

It is my humble submission that these suggestions are looked into away from the lense of partisan allegiance and supported by ALL WHO LOVE ZAMBIA.

We have no other choice.!!!!

We remain focused on the idea that even though times are hard and the future seems bleak, we have Hope, Hope that together we can find solutions where previously we only had fights.

I thank you, and God Bless Zambia.

Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba
President, MMD

The government has stressed that all the country’s fundamentals of governance such as the rule of law, transparency, accountability, economic, political and social stability are intact and functional.

Acting Chief Government Spokesperson, Stephen Kampyongo says this is contrary to opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema that the country’s economic and governance systems have broken down.

Mr. Kampyongo says it is NOT unusual for Mr. Hichilema to paint the country black because he is a sadist, who sees nothing good about his own country.

He says Mr. Hichilema is under a misguided view that he alone has a monopoly of wisdom when he is not.

Mr. Kampyongo, who is also Home Affairs Minister told ZNBC News, that listening to Mr. Hichilema’s Press briefing there is nothing that Mr Hichilema has to offer as the government is on course in implementing various measures to turn the country’s economy around.

He said it is also wishful thinking for Mr. Hichilema to assert that an early election is necessary to get the country out of the current economic challenges.

Mr. Kampyongo said Mr. Hichilema’s allegations of Zambia being a police State is baseless and targeted at the Perceived international sympathizers.

He said that the fact that Mr. Hichilema and his party functionaries are able to hold press conferences and go around the country to address public meetings and rallies is proof that Zambia’s political environment is democratic in which all stakeholders are free to participate.

Mr. Kampyongo, however, said this does not mean people should act outside the law in their political discourse.

He said that Mr. Hichilema is an unpatriotic Zambian and should desist from making wild allegations against government officials.

Mr. Kampyongo said that Mr. Hichilema should report any such allegations to the law enforcement agencies if he has evidence instead of playing to the gallery.

He said that Government under President Edgar Lungu reaffirms it’s committed to working tirelessly improving the welfare of the Zambians people.

Mr. Kampyongo said this is being done through honest acknowledgment and assessment of the challenges at hand and will NOT fantasize over the lives of Zambians.

The African Development Bank has written to the Ministry of Finance to confirm it’s lifting of the temporal disbursement sanctions that were imposed on Zambia.

This follows the clearance of a delayed obligation of US1.4 million to the Bank.

And the European Investment Bank has disbursed EURO 21.9 million to clear contractor arrears for works done on the Great East Road between Luangwa Bridge and Mwami Border Post in Eastern Province.

This brings to EURO 61.9 million, the total disbursements made to date on the EURO 80 million project.

The outstanding balance of EURO 18.1 million will be accessed from the EIB once the on-going tender processes for construction of the Chipata Dry Port and weigh bridges for the Great East Road are concluded.

the African Development Bank has written to the Ministry of Finance to confirm it’s lifting of the temporal disbursement sanctions that were imposed on Zambia.

This follows the clearance of a delayed obligation of US1.4 million to the Bank.

Commenting on these developments, Minister of Finance Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu has thanked the EIB for disbursing the funds that were committed for the Great East Road Rehabilitation Project.

“The Zambian Government remains committed to implementation of the medium term debt management strategy and will apply it’s best efforts to ensure that foreign debt obligations are cleared as they fall due,” added the Minister.

Dr Ng’andu has thanked all cooperating partners for their support during the year and for their commitment to the high-level policy dialogue process in the quest to strengthen their development cooperation with Zambia.

Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Chanda Kasolo was fired this morning by President  Edgar Lungu for what the president termed as giving contrary focus to a statement by State House on the proposed reduction of salaries of high income earners in the public service.

President Lungu through his Spokesperson, Isaac Chipampe directed that top bracket earners in the public service should suffer a reduction in their salaries to cushion the impact of the vulnerable during this economic crisis.

But Kasolo said the directive was voluntary as contractual and legal obligations would restrict the directive.

Mr. Kasolo who confirmed his dismissal in an interview Monday morning said he received a letter from the head of state last night.

“Hello everyone, I have had my contract terminated following my radio and tv showing last night regarding the Directive to cut salaries.” “I really enjoyed working with you. God bless and please give your support to the incoming PS. Love you all,” Mr. Kasolo.

He has since thanked President Edgar Lungu for allowing him serve under his reign.