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As the Bank of Zambia sets to announce the Monetary Policy Rate for quarter one, the Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) would like to urge the Bank of Zambia Monetary Policy Committee, to consider the broader economic situation as they determine the 2020 first quarter monetary policy decision.
There is need to consider the liquidity situation, economic growth prospects and indeed the already high cost of borrowing. The Bank of Zambia should also work at harmonizing its policy decision with the recent fiscal measures proposed by the Minister of finance,Honourable Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu, during his address on the state of the economy.
CTPD therefore advises the Central Bank to maintain the Policy rate. Zambia’s inflation has been on the rise, at 11.7 percent in December 2019, and 12.5 percent in January 2020. This rise in inflation would justify another upward adjustment in the policy rate or reserve ratio
requirement in order to revert to single digit inflation, towards the 6 to 8 percent target. It should however be noted that increasing the policy rate would result in increased liquidity constraints, higher cost of borrowing and a further contraction in economic activity. This is
certainly not in line with the fiscal measures aimed at stimulating growth through the private sector.
In considering the bigger picture, the Monetary Policy Committee should at the least maintain the policy rate in order to provide space for the fiscal measures to take effect. The Minister of Finance recently outlined a number of fiscal measures aimed at improving the debt situation. These included a suspension or moratorium on contraction of selected nonconcessional loans, cancellation of selected external project loans and re-scoping of selected externally financed projects. If these measures are implemented, the Kwacha is likely to
appreciate and thus reducing the inflationary pressure.
Furthermore, the Minister of Finance, asserts that private sector activity has been stifled by liquidity constraints associated with higher debt service payments and the accumulation of domestic arrears.
As the Ministry of Finance is slowly taking action to increase liquidity through the dismantling domestic arrears, the Bank of Zambia, should not be taking a counter action such as increasing the policy rate. Increasing the policy rate, though justifiable on the account of higher inflation, is not consistent with fiscal policy and would negatively affect Zambia’s growth prospects.
Issued By Mr. Bright Chizonde
Senior Researcher-CTPD
The World Health Organization WHO has published desirable doctor–patient ratio as 1:1,000. Yet, over 44% of WHO Member States reported less than one physician per 1,000 population. Zambia, like other low-middle income countries in the world, is working towards the attainment of universal health coverage and access to quality health care for all by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda.
According to the World Health Organization, the doctor-patient-ratio in Zambia is pegged at 1 doctor for every 12,000 patients – as opposed to the WHO’s acceptable standard of 1 physician to every 5,000 people. Data from the Ministry of Health shows that the estimated shortage of Doctors, Nurses and Midwives is about 14, 960. However, with projected population growth, the deficits more than double to 25, 849 by 2020 and more than 46, 000 by 2035. To enable the health sector attain the milestone of curbing the shortage of human resource for health capital development, one strategy is for public and private higher learning institutions to contribute to helping government realize the recommended goals. In line with the Zambia Vision 2030 and National Health Strategic Plan 2017-2021 of having a nation of healthy people and mission of providing equitable access to quality, safe, and cost-effective medical facility for all, attainment of such a vision requires a robust health care workforce to deliver the service.
At present, Zambia only has four government run institutions that train doctors, namely The University of Zambia, The Copperbelt University, Mulungushi University and recently opened Levy Mwanawasa Medical University. In addition, there are a few private universities such as Texila American University, Lusaka Apex University, Cavendish University and University of Lusaka, bridging the gap in the medical training sector and their output is not enough to reduce the deficit in the coming years. The total number of Health Professional graduates increased from 2, 246 in 2010 to 3, 539 in 2013.
A Dermatologist at the University Teaching Hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity said she is in a department which gives her liberty to properly interact with her patients. However, she recalls how busy her time was in departments such as Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Because of the number of patients she had to attend to, time to talk to her patients was limited. She says she had to attend to an average of about 30 patients in any given shift. She applauded governments’ efforts at employing more doctors in the field of medicine to attend to the growing population.
Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said that government has embarked on a seven-year project to build six hundred and fifty health centers across the country and increase medical training schools. Around 200 students graduate from Zambia’s two government run medical training schools annually. Dr Chilufya said most of the medical students that graduate are accepted for practice in hospitals across the country. However, due to poor working conditions in Zambia, they later travel overseas, especially to the United Kingdom, in search of greener pastures. “Zambia has to almost double the number of health workers from current 42, 630 to 80, 274 by training and recruiting an additional 37, 644 health personnel by 2025.”
According to the National Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan for 2018 – 2024, it is government’s position that absorption of health workforce either by government, the private sector or development partners should be prioritized in the next 5 to 10 years.
Private run Texila American University Vice Chancellor Dr Vijayakumar says his institution aims at training competent students into exceptional doctors. He adds that quality of doctors produced by the university is a priority because people’s lives depend on it. “The ultimate purpose of our Health Programs is to strengthen the health sector and services in Zambia and the region by training health professionals with unique technical skills that are essential to support and complement the health care services provided by government. Texila commits to contribute to human capital development that meets the legitimate need of unmet medical services, especially in the rural and service-deprived areas, by creating a strong and sustainable health care professionals human resource base for health care in Zambia and the region; expand efficient medical services to rural, primary and tertiary health care settings; and empower citizens through transformative quality education of high school graduates to pursue a career in health care”, he said.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Lieutenant General Paul Mihova has called on Zambians living in the United Kingdom to invest back in their home country and be part of transforming Zambia.
The High Commissioner made the remarks when he addressed various Zambian Association groups at the ‘Greet and Meet ‘event organised by the Zambia High Commission.
The High Commissioner urged Zambians in the Diaspora to live in unity and contribute to Zambia’s development and join hands with Government to realise the dream of a prosperous Zambia together.
He said it was the responsibility of Zambians both at home and abroad to work together to develop Zambia and urged the diaspora to use their network of contacts here in the UK, to access capital and technology that they can use in developing Zambia.
The High Commissioner further called on Zambians in the UK and Ireland to come together and establish a formal structure for engagement with Government and also create a Diaspora Association that can raise capital for investment projects that can go towards the development of the country.
The High Commissioner said Diasporas are rich in knowledge and experience and have access to capital that could give them an edge.
“We are here because we are Zambians and we love our country Zambia. We are here to renew our duty of working together with a common purpose of contributing to national development from the diaspora perspective. The High Commission is keen to work closely with all of you without leaving anyone behind. This Mission exists because of you. We believe in transformational and servant leadership and we are at your service,” he said.
The High Commissioner said the government has introduced a Diaspora policy to promote the participation of the Diaspora in the development of the country and by working together Zambians can make a difference in their own country.
And Lieutenant General Mihova implored nationals in the diaspora to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner, wherever they are, to maintain the good image of the country in the international community.
He said Zambians in the Diaspora should serve as their country’s ambassadors by speaking good about Zambia adding that it was incumbent upon Zambians in the diaspora to promote Zambia in their country of residence irrespective of their political and religious beliefs.
“To all fellow Zambians, I say we all have a duty and obligation to be patriotic, to protect and defend the unity and peace that we treasure so much. Be ready to contribute in the development of your country. His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has continually reminded us that he wants to see a developed Zambia that does not leave anyone behind as such, it is therefore, necessary that all Zambians, irrespective of political or religious affiliation and working together with others, must ensure that we accomplish our development targets set-out in the vision 2030 to ultimately become a middle-income country. Wherever you are, bear in mind that you play a significant role and the country needs your input to develop” he said.
Zambian Association group represenatives who attended the event made use of the opportunity to engage with the High Commissioner and Diplomats on various topics of their concerns related to the Diaspora Policy and how they can invest in Zambia.
High Commissioner Mihova introducing his wife to the Zambians in the UK
Issued by Abigail Chaponda (Mrs.)
First Secretary | Press and Public Relations
Zambia High Commission in the United Kingdom.
Improved weather forecasting tools are giving farmers in Zambia the support they need to build resilience & prepare for more frequent climate shocks
By Moses Zangar, Jr.
After Grace Vandika’s crops were wiped out in a drought that scorched much of Zambia last year, she has been glued to her radio, anxiously awaiting weather reports in hopes that her village will receive enough rainfall this farming season.
Unusually high temperatures, on top of a lack of rainfall, have hit crops and livestock in Vandika’s village in Chongwe District, 45 kilometres east of the capital, Lusaka.
‘The weather is unpredictable these days. In the past, we could look at the sky or gather at our traditional ceremony to forecast the timing and quantity of rains. You can’t be sure anymore’, the 52-year-old farmer said.
Traditional knowledge in a rapidly changing climate
Like many small-scale farmers in Zambia, Vandika has always relied on traditional weather indicators to manage her crops. But increasingly unpredictable weather linked to climate change has upended her usual sowing and harvesting times, leading to lower yields and putting many farming communities at risk of food insecurity.
Relying on farming
Agriculture accounts for 20 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and employs about two-thirds of the workforce. Domestic agricultural production feeds over half of Zambia’s population of 17 million people, and women are the primary producers, accounting for 78 per cent of the country’s small-scale farmers.
But in recent years, extreme weather conditions such as severe dry spells and floods have hit Zambia’s rain-fed farmland hard, posing serious threats to the livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers.
Trusting the science
‘Most small-scale farmers are still relying on their indigenous knowledge of weather forecasting. Convincing them to trust the scientific forecasts and adopt sustainable agricultural practices is one of the biggest challenges we face’, says Edson Nkonde, Director of the Zambia Meteorological Department.
Last year, Sitamble Tafuma, 54, of Lukoshi Agricultural Camp in Chongwe District planted maize on her 5 hectares of farmland but suffered a severe crop failure and had to borrow money to prepare for the upcoming farming season.
Disappointed by her traditional weather forecasting techniques, she too is anxious for the rains to come early so she can take advantage of favourable planting conditions and ultimately feed her eight children.
The staggering cost of drought
Climate change is already impacting food security and economic growth in Zambia.
Droughts and floods over the last 30 years have cost Zambia more than $13.8b according to recent estimates, which is equivalent to approximately 4 per cent of annual GDP. The impacts of climate change could cost the country an additional $4.3b in lost GDP over the next decade if immediate climate actions are not taken.
Finding solutions
An integrated approach, boosting progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is needed to tackle these challenges.
Aiming to limit the negative impact of climate change on farmers, the Government of Zambia, through a United Nations-led partnership including UNDP, FAO, and WFP, with funding from the Green Climate Fund, is implementing a 7-year project (known locally as the SCRALA project).
Led by the Ministry of Agriculture, the SCRALA project is helping farmers in 16 districts across five provinces better cope with climate change threats through modern technology, sustainable agricultural techniques and enhanced understanding of climate issues.
Since the project was launched in February 2019, over 170,000 small-scale farmers have been directly involved, says Maziko Phiri, the project manager.
‘The idea behind the SCRALA project is to let farmers involved in the frontline fight against climate change access real-time climate information, obtain weather-based insurance, and use drought-tolerant crop varieties’, he said.
Location-specific predictions in local languages
There are 73 local languages spoken in Zambia, but weather reports were only available in English, making them inaccessible to a large part of the rural population.
To broaden the reach of weather updates, the project partners with community radio stations to interpret and broadcast weather information in local languages and intends to train the presenters on how to better interpret the information.
Each hour, the community radio stations pass on weather information including cost-benefit analyses of which crops to grow, as well as new techniques in climate-smart agriculture to help farmers adapt to erratic weather.
Combining traditional knowledge, science & action
Two female Meteorological Assistants collecting rainfal data
With 20 more automated weather stations added to the existing 68 stations under a previous UNDP-supported project, the Meteorological Department is taking important steps to give farmers accurate weather information, tailored to specific locations, which will allow farmers to plan better and optimise the planting season.
The Meteorological Office is also working to draw lessons from indigenous knowledge for guidance, based on strategies farmers previously used to cope with bad weather.
‘Farmers have the best repository of weather information, stored over generations. A better way to help them build resilience to climate change may be combining that knowledge with modern tools such as improved weather prediction,’ says Fesiano Banda, Chongwe District Agriculture Coordinator.
Forums for action
In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the department holds forums where they share forecasts and agro-meteorological tips on how farmers can prepare for the coming farming season.
For instance, if the forecast flags a dry spell coming, the agriculture extension officers might suggest that farmers plant drought-tolerant or early-maturing crops such as millet or sorghum, Nkonde said.
For Grace Vandika and Sitamble Tafuma, such help can’t come soon enough. They now listen to agro-meteorological advisories from extension officers and their community radio station and have moved away from traditional weather-forecasting techniques that have become increasingly inapt.
The up-to-date weather and climate information is now readily available from the Zambia Meteorological Department for thousands of farmers like Vandika and Tafuma.
‘Improving timely access of small-scale farmers to accurate, intelligible and useable climate information and early warning systems across Zambia has the potential to significantly improve lives, build resiliency and support global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals’, says Lionel Laurens, the UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia.
The author is Communications Specialist with the Environment Unit at UNDP Zambia.
Some women farmers are diversifying into rice farming thereby heeding President Lungu’s call to diversify into other cropsAgro-meteorologist Kenneth Sinachikupo simplies the season forecast in local language on the radio
Their Majesties, the Litunga, Kalonga Gwawa Undi, Nkosi yama Nkosi Mpezeni and Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu Kanyanta-Manga II have been meeting for the past few months to discuss various national issues. And it was observed that their active participation in the national affairs of our nation would only be effective if their role was spelled out in the Constitution and this could therefore be done by the insertion of the following new clauses in Bill 10/2019 i.e., after clause 58 on page 18 and after line 27:
59. The Constitution is amended by the insertion of the following new Article
immediately after Article 168.
168A (1) There is to be established a Council of Paramount Chiefs.
(2) The Council of Paramount Chiefs shall consist of the Litunga, Kalonga
Gawa Undi, Nkosi yama Nkosi Mpezeni and Mwinelubemba Chitimukulu
(3) The members of the Council of Paramount Chiefs shall elect a Chairperson
And a Vice-Chairperson every five years from among themselves.
(4) The functions of the Council of Paramount Chiefs are to provide advice to
The President and the House of Chiefs as prescribed.
The challenge here lies among UPND Members of Parliament from Western Province, who according to their party’s directive are opposing Bill 10 and have been instructed to immediately walk out of Parliament whenever the Bill is tabled. And therefore in this respect, every Honourable Member of Parliament will have to decide whether to be loyal or show allegiance to politics or tradition! In essence, this actually means, they have to choose to be loyal either to Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, the UPND President or to His Majesty King of Barotseland, the Litunga (who is honoured and distinguished with the supreme title of Litunga i.e., earth and owner of the land).
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9: ‘’What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again.’’ Hence the saying: ‘’a driver who does not use a mirror to look back will one day make a fatal accident.’’ It is also said that the world is three days, i.e., yesterday, to-day and tomorrow. And if you do not know yesterday, then you won’t know what day today is and certainly tomorrow will take you by surprise.
In his paper, Barotseland: The Secessionist Challenge to Zambia, Gerald Caplan wrote: ‘’… in 1963, the UNIP-ANC coalition government initiated reforms in the Barotse Government. Mwanawina was informed that the Katengo, one of the traditional councils of Lozi Government was to be an elected body. The results gave UNIP, a victory exceeding its own most optimistic predictions. They collectively gained 84 per cent of 25,000 votes cast…….. and thereafter when a Lozi delegation met representatives of the central Government, the traditional contingent predictably argued that, if Barotseland were to remain part of Zambia at all, it must be on the condition of virtually complete local autonomy. Less expected was the support this stand received from the delegate’s elected Katengo councilors, all of course UNIP members. Attempting to be both Lozi patriots and Zambian nationalists, they differed from the Litunga’s appointees only in degree, not in kind. They wished to remain ‘part and parcel of Zambia’, but with Barotseland’s special status left intact.’’
We have to realize that tradition has a much longer span of life than politics. And besides, traditional rulers stand on a superior moral ground than politicians. A English man Walter Begehat was quoted in the book, Studies in African Politics to have said: ‘’Royalty (tradition) is a government in which the attention is concentrated in one person doing interesting actions. A Republic (politics) is a government in which that attention is divided among many, who are doing interesting actions. Accordingly, so long as the human heart is strong and human reason weak, Royalty (tradition) will be stronger because it appeals to diffused feelings and Republic (politics) weak because it appeals to the understanding.’’ During the 2014 Easter commemoration, a Catholic priest, Father Charles Chilinda in his sermon said, ‘’…but like in all political spheres, power is femoral, transient and short-lived as well as delusional because reality often catches up with an unexpected vengeance.’’
We have to understand that a ‘’stand’’ is not necessarily a point of view. Taking a ’’position’’ requires us to choose to either for or against a certain issue, but taking a ‘’stand’’ recognizes all points of view and allows each one to exist and be heard. There is therefore a difference between taking a ‘’position’’ and taking a ‘’stand.’’
Mr. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe (the most famous and highly respected Bemba political hero) and Mr .Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba are the names that are etched in our archives among the principled Bemba politicians of conscience. Mr. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe resigned as Zambia’s Republican Vice-President because ‘’The people from Northern part of Zambia, the Bemba-speaking people have suffered physically and sometimes been beaten. They have suffered demotions and suspensions because of my being Vice-President. I cannot sacrifice any longer these people. If such activities continue, they would lead to difficulties in the nation. I, therefore, refuse to be part and parcel of any bloodshed that may be the result of self-aggrandizement.’’
Mr. Mwamba had risked his own life besides his businesses by standing on the principle of being loyal not only to me personally but to the Bemba people and tribe. Mr. Mwamba being a member of the Bemba royal family failed to betray his tribe for the sake of money and position. In fact before Mr. Mwamba had paid a courtesy call on me in Kasama, he even took a precaution step by inviting two officers from the Office of the President to monitor our meeting. But President Sata later censured him ‘’for failing to show collective responsibility on his part as a Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament for the ruling party.’’ (The Post 24th December 2013).
And defiance Mr. Mwamba resigned as Defence Minister: ‘’ …it’s important for Zambians to know that I hail from the Bemba royal family and it is therefore unacceptable for President Sata to stop me from visiting my grandfather. There is no way I am going to forsake my own blood for the sake of politics. So for me as GBM, I am sorry. I am a very principled person and I resign from government.’’
‘’Collective responsibility’’ in this respect meant that Mr. Mwamba would have forsaken his cultural heritage for the sake of being a Cabinet Minister and PF member of Parliament! The Honourable Members of Parliament from Western Province are in the same predicament of ‘’collective responsibility’’ as members of UPND.
And whatever decision the Honourable Members of UPND will ever take will be etched in the archives of Lozi political history, just as we remember the heroic decision to stand for tradition by the members of the Katengo, inspite of being UNIP members, way back in 1963.
Suspected political party cadres Monday evening stormed Intercontinental Hotel to disrupt a Law Association of Zambia sponsored Public Debate on Bill Ten.
And LAZ President Eddie Mwitwa says it’s disappointing that cadres could be ferried to disrupt proceedings.
Mr Mwitwa said he was disappointed with the conduct of the cadres who have not been identified.
He has since called on the Zambia Police Service to quickly bring to book whoever disrupted the debate.
But one of the discussant Tutwa Ngulube, has distanced the PF from the disturbances.
Mr Ngulube who is also Kabwe Central Member of Parliament says he knows the people who came into the auditorium saying they are from Southern Province.
But another discussant Cornelius Mweetwa, of the UPND claimed that those who disrupted the debate are PF members from Inter-City Bus terminus.
Mr Mweetwa said this is the reason that Mr. Ngulube, did not scamper for safety like other Discussants but remained seated in the auditorium when the cadres were walking about disturbing the debate.
A photo has surfaced of HH and his wife Mutinta having lunch together with GBM and his wife Chama at GBM’s home in Johannesburg in South Africa.
This follows Mr. Mwamba’s accusations at the PF interactive forum that he had never shared a meal with the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema.
“I was his vice but I never ate with him. After campaigns I eat with President Lungu. HH eats alone and moves with water in his armpits. I wonder what he is so scared of, when President Lungu who has the instruments of power eats with people.
I eat fritters with President Lungu and I know HH loves ifitumbuya too except he eats them from his bedroom. What kind of a leader is he who eats in privacy and away from his people.
HH is bitter and he himself doesn’t know why he is so bitter
“What kind of a person who eats alone. I have never eaten with him” Mr. Mwamba said, emphasizing that the party under Mr. Hichilema will not go anywhere unless maybe under a different leader and described him as a loser and wondered why all his vice presidents have left him.
“I can tell you, I worked closely with him and I know who he is and I can assure the Zambian people that Mr. Hichilema is not the best person to lead this country because he has something behind his back. I am saying this in front of cameras and you, close to him, tell him that these are the views of GBM and I want to tell you the honest truth” Mr. Mwamba said.
Findings of Police Investigations in to a report of Malicious Administration of a Chemical substance (gassing) at Arthur Wina School in Chilenje
After receiving the report of alleged gassing at Arthur Wina School between 12 00 hours and 12 30 hours, it has been established that the whole issue came about as a result of a false alarm raised by a pupil in the grade nine class in question who shouted “gas.”
This brought about commotion and a stampede as all the pupils jostled for safety.
Therefore, as Zambia Police, we dismiss the report of alleged malicious administering of chemical substance reported at the said school and state that the whole scenario was as result of an alarm which led pupils to panic. It was a hoax.
We further call upon school authorities to help in giving hope to their pupils during this period and discourage them from raising false alarm.
ESTHER MWAATA KATONGO
ZAMBIA POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
Zambia has been drawn against Namibia for a second successive CHAN group stage game at the tournament Cameroon will host this April.
The two sides met at the 2018 edition in Morocco where they drew 1-1 en route to both making a quarterfinal exit.
2016 fourth place finishers Guinea and Tanzania complete Group D.
Chipolopolo head into their fourth CHAN after quarterfinal finishes in 2018 and 2016 and a third place finish at the inaugural tournament in 2009 held in Cote d’Ivoire.
Cameroon will host the CHAN from April 4-25.
Chipolopolo will face Tanzania in their opening Group D game.
CHAN is a second tier AFCON exclusively for domestic league players.
The question of tribalism vis a vis politics in Zambia is buried in great hypocrisy. Politicians crocodile tears may flood our radio and TV stations, Rev. Sumaili condemn it, Lungu and HH promise to end it–but the truth is they are beneficiaries of wako ni wako politics.
I am ashamed of tribal politics, but also disappointed by the untold and shameful hypocrisy–tribalism is at the core of Zambian politics. Who among us has never passed a tribal comment when among our own? “What do you expect from a Tonga; Bemba; Lozi, Chokwe etc.” Let the one who has never committed the sin of tribalism be the first to cast stone to paraphrase Jesus’ words. That a PF cadre said it aloud during the Chilubi by-election does not absolve UPND from tribalism. Politicians may publicly denounce it, but when the race heats up, tribalism becomes the only road to winning elections.
Tribal identification is the conceptual frame through which we participate in democratic politics. That vice President Inonge Wina is Lozi does not mean tribalism does not exist in the PF. Neither can the Presidency of Lungu absorb PF of tribalism. In fact, the appointment of our sitting Vice President was a strategic move that sought to get some tribal votes from the Lozi and Tonga communities. Similarly Hakainde Hichilema’s selection of GBM as a running mate was another tribal strategic move to court Bemba votes. GBM did not even know how to sell HH to his tribal audience. “If you vote for HH,” the wife battering GBM said, “akamifunda ifyakuteka in’gombe” (he will teach you how to keep cattle)–recasting the kachema massaging in the Bemba mind.
The PF Chilubi tribal remarks are shameful, but they are used in nearly every Parliamentary elections where the majority identify with one tribe. The so called “vetting process” for those seeking to contest Parliamentary elections is covered in tribalism. The tribe of the candidate as well as one’s village of origin are critical unearned privileges that parties take into consideration. To adopt Keith Mwanga to contest parliamentary elections on the PF ticket for Mambilima constituency and Kapya Kaoma on the UPND ticket in Dundumwezi will be considered political suicide. In fact, independent candidates will exploit tribal identifications against both of us; we will not win those seats.
Actions speak louder than words. The Dundumwezi presidential results remain in my mind. How else can one explain it? It is not tribalism, but strongholds, one says. I don’t buy into this myth. The language of democracy is the ballot which is an indicator of how we view each other. I agree. People need to be represented by their own. But this very concept promotes wako ni wako.
The PF and UPND will contest the 2021 elections. On constituency level, the PF will get almost all the seats in Bemba dominated provinces, while UPND will win Southern and Western Provinces. Worse still, elected MPs will be natives of these regions. Expect HH to win the majority votes in Southern province, while Lungu will win Eastern Zambia. And in closed meetings, both HH and Lungu are busy strategically playing tribal cards while appearing non-tribal in public. They may term each other tribalists, but their victory is counting on tribal votes.
It is important to realize that tribalism was ingrained in our politics long before independence. Colonialists exploited it to divide and rule–and so are our politicians. Masses of Zambians would rather vote for a frog (as they did under the UNIP regime) than give their votes to Hakainde. Being Tonga disqualifies him from becoming the President of Zambia. Likewise the majority of Tongas will never vote for Lungu because he is not Tonga. Like Donald Trump, HH “can shoot someone” in Cairo Road, but masses of Tongas will still vote for him.
Tribal identification is of critical importance in competitive politics. Unless appointed by the President, no Tonga will represent Luapula Province as MP, or Bemba win an election in Southern province. Thus political parties always work to ensure that Tongas represent Tongas, and Bembas do the same. It is for this reason tribalism will continue to surface in our daily political discourse.
It pains to call a spade a spade but to pretend otherwise is to bury our heads in the sand. Unfortunately wako ni wako exists in Churches too. In organized Churches including UCZ, the Baptist Church, the Brethren in Christ Church, and the Evangelical Church in Zambia, for example, tribal affiliation determines who occupies most senior offices. In fact, some pastors speaking against tribalism are beneficiaries of the same–they hold power because of their ethnicity.
Yes we can point to intermarriages and Christianity as erasing tribalism. Such arguments are akin to saying inter-racial marriage erases racism. The opposite is true. I wish I could think otherwise, but we are tribalists, tribalists and tribalists! I rather face this fact than pretend to be non-tribal when my lifeworld is covered in it.
We need serious discourse on tribalism; current crocodile tears are not enough. Only then would the truth will set us free. (John 8: 32)
Heavenly Father, we approach your throne with contrition and repentance as a nation.
We have sinned against you as individuals, as families and as a nation. We have honored and worshiped other gods besides you. We have bent our knees before idols and witchcraft. We have sought for power from evil spirits and have indulged in human sacrifice for the purposes of acquiring power. As a result, you have turned your back against us and closed your ears from hearing our cries.
You have given us up to the cravings of the flesh and we have become a danger to ourselves. Poverty has continued to spread as a cancer. We are a heavily indebted country with no easy way of escape. We are
divided along tribal lines and the church is mostly silent on issues that really matter to the common man on the streets.
Today, the 16th of February 2020, as a nation, we come in humility to repent for our evil ways. We ask for your mercy and forgiveness. We ask you Lord, to give us another chance to amend our ways. We ask for your power to help us live up to our confession today.
You have promised us in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, seek my face and turn away from their wicked ways……
I shall heal their land.”
We pray for the healing of our land. Cleanse it from all influence of satanism, occultism, witchcraft, sorcery and all forms of evil. Execute judgement on all those who perpetrate these evils in our land. Expose them and remove them by your power. Let Zambia be Saved. We paralyze and prohibit the forces of evil from interfering with the plans you have for our country.
Father, we thank you for exposing the vices of evil that have characterized the politics of our nation. We thank you for the holy anger that you have given to Zambians in general to fight for their nation. Lord see how your people have responded to this call to prayer. From all provinces of our nation. From all our 73 tribes, from all denominational backgrounds. Both rich and poor. Both white and black. Both from the ruling party and opposition parties. Lord, now that you have exposed the once hidden witchcraft, incline now your ear to our cry and heal our land. Let righteousness exalt our nation from this day forward.
In the name of Jesus’ Christ, we now decree that Zambian politics shall be established in righteousness, and upon the values of the Christian faith in line with our identity as a Christian nation. We decree that no person, who draws power from the dark forces of hell shall ever rule this country. We decree that the eyes of every Zambian be opened to always choose righteousness above evil. We decree that the spirit of the dead which has cast a spell of sleep on Zambians be broken today in the name of Jesus. Zambians shall henceforth make intelligent and informed decisions on behalf of future generations. We further agree that love and unity shall become the national song for all Zambians.
Today, we stop and prohibit all ritual killers and issue a heavenly restraining order against them. They shall not function as we have disempowered them and they now remain ineffective and impotent. Their powers shall no longer make them invisible or turn into animals within the borders of our nation. Those who fly at night in order to take human life, from today, their flying powers are withdrawn through the efficacious blood of Jesus Christ.
We restrain the wholesale killings of suspects without judicial process. We pray for the police and the security wings that they execute their responsibilities with vigor in the fear of God. We pray for the President of Zambia, Mr Edgar LUNGU and his Government to take responsibility and do all that is necessary to keep Zambians safe. We pray for the church to rise up and be the guiding light to the nation by being brave to freely condemn the evil which has injured our prospects of development.
We now invoke the power of the blood of Jesus on our nation. The death angel has no access to our families and our nation because of the blood of the perfect lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Father, when you see the blood of your son on us, protect us from the assault of the angel of death. We now restore peace and order in the nation. The enemy has been defeated. The blood has prevailed and Zambia shall be saved.
We send the ritual killers into confusion. They shall now start to kill each other until the land is cleansed.
Zambia shall become a praise to the nations. Zambia is United. Zambia is prosperous and Zambia’s leading position amongst the nations of the world is now restored.
We decree it while upholding the efficacy of the blood of Jesus as our weapon of warfare.
In Jesus’ name we Pray.
Amen.
The Patriotic Front has wondered why the UPND is panicking over remarks made PF Deputy National Chairperson for Mobilisation Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba that he is aware of the people behind the gassing of citizens.
PF Media Director Sunday Chanda says the reaction from the UPND resembles that of the guilty ones being afraid.
Mr Chanda has questioned when it became the UPND’s business to dictate how and when members of the public should pass on any information to law enforcement agencies in this matter to do with gassing of innocent citizens.
He said not long ago Mr. Hakainde Hichilema assured the public that once his party forms Government, all these things will be a thing of the past.
“Maybe Mr. Katuka should tell the public how Mr. Hichilema’s solution looks like. That would interest the public because we are all looking for a speedy solution. That should be Mr. Katuka’s concern”, he added.
Earlier today, the UPND urged the Police to immediately summon PF Vice Chairperson for mobilisation Geofrey Mwamba for questioning and tell Zambians what the PF know about ritual killers and gassing of citizens.
UPND Secretary General Stephen Katuka said GBMs long silence has cost some lives and people are in panic and yet Mr Mwamba says he has the information on his finger tips.
Mr Mwamba says Zambians have always had strong and compelling suspicions that the PF regime are aware of the people behind the ritual killing and gassing of citizens in their homes.
He said true to these widely held views, senior PF member GBM is today quoted by the ‘Daily Nation’ about knowledge of the people behind these heinous crimes, and that he has infact been aware for the past five years.
The Chinese contractor building the Kafulafuta dam has written to its subcontractors to say work has halted because of delayed payments from the government.
China National Complete Engineering Corporation (CCEC) is building the $499m Kafulafuta Dam on the Copperbelt, a project that will provide fresh water for some 1 million people.
On 5 February, it wrote to subcontractors to say that operations had been suspended.
Bruce Mwamba, secretary general of the Consortium of Local Contractors and Allied Suppliers said, “This is not good news for the subcontractors. A total of about 15 are affected. This means that 450 workers will be affected as a result of this indefinite suspension. We appeal to the relevant authorities to fund the contractor.”
However, Copperbelt Minister Japhen Mwakalombe disputed the reports saying the works had been halted because of heavy rains.
“You know very well that in any construction, it is not advised to continue with works when the ground is wet. So, the works have just stopped because of the rains,” he said.
The Kafulafuta Dam was commissioned in October 2018 and is due to be finished by the end of next year.
It will have a catchment area of 2,500 sq km with water supply capacity of 330,000 cubic metres a day and total volume of 125 million cubic metres.
The length of the dam will be about 1,300m and the surface area of the reservoir will be 19.5 sq km.
CCEC is a subsidiary of the state-owned the National Machinery Industry Corporation, or Sinomech for short, and specialises in power projects around the world, including two power plants in Nigeria.
I write with dismay the way the city of Lusaka is now. Our President has directed all Lusaka citizens to keep Lusaka clean It appears when he says this people think of only at City centre, Soweto market, city market, Freedom way, chachacha and Cairo road and drainage system along Lumumba road.
Meanwhile the road behind the Show grounds near Bank of Zambia Sports Complex and behind Parliament Motel is an eye sore.Lusaka and Sewerage company is a let down. We can not leave everything to the mayor of Lusaka. We need to take care of our surroundings including our homes.
The drainage behind Parliament Motel has been broken down for a decade now and Lusaka water and sewerage company has failed to un block and pump that sewer water from the drainage. Are we serious as Zambians? Wake up Lusaka water and Sewerage company . Please do not look to maximise profits but give professional services to this city.
Zesco United’s 2-2 away draw against Power Dynamos has been welcomed as a sign of progress after going a third straight games without a loss for the first time in 2020.
Sundays draw at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe saw the defending champions collect 5 points out of a possible 9 after starting 2020 with four defeats and one win prior to that in January.
Zesco’s mini revival began with a 0-0 home draw against struggling Nakambala Leopards on February 5 before beating last placed Mufulira Wanderers 2-0 away on February 9.
“We have started scoring, we scored two goals in Mufulira and today(Sunday) again we have scored two more goals. That is a good sign and we need to continue,” Zesco assistant coach Alfred Lupiya said.
The result saw Zesco rise from fifth to third on 39 points, three points behind leaders Forest Rangers and adrift of second positioned Green Eagles.
” We haven’t really recovered but we are on track, there is tremendous progress. When your team is scoring it makes the coaches feels good,” Lupiya said.
“It is hard work, it wasn’t an easy game but we told our boys to fight until the bitter end because as champions, we have to go that exrea mile to defend our title.”
Next up for the defending champions are fading fifth placed Napsa Stars who have lost their last two games and exchanged places with Zesco in what has also been a rough start to 2020 in which they have lost four, drawn two and won one game.
2019 /2020 FAZ SUPER DIVISION
WEEK 21
15/02/2020
Nkana 0- Forest Rangers 1(Adams Zikiru 66’pen)
