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HIgh Court
LUSAKA High Court Justice Florence Lengalenga has dismissed the petition challenging the constitutionality of holding the 2016 presidential elections as well as determining President Edgar Lungu’s tenure of office after the January 20 2015 election.
And spokesperson for the petitioners, Zambia Republican Party president Wright Musoma says they would not sit and watch the Republican Constitution being abrogated due to failure to interpret appropriate clauses, as they have already instructed their lawyers to appeal to the Supreme Court.
This is in a matter in which Richard Mumba, Simemeza Syachoke and Mr Musoma petitioned the Attorney General for the determination of a presidential tenure of office following the incumbent’s sudden death.
The petitioners cited the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Attorney General and the 11 presidential candidates in the January 2015 presidential election as respondents, but later removed the candidates and retained the ECZ and the Attorney General.
The petitioners challenged the constitutionality of the 11 August 2016 presidential elections when President Lungu was still within his five-year tenure mandated by both the old Constitution and the newly assented to Constitution respectively.
Mr Musoma said while they respected the ruling of the High Court, they were already in the process of appealing to the Supreme Court.
“To us the judge erred because the petition was not heard, and based on the preliminaries given by those who joined the matter, she dismissed the petition.
“We have been treated unfairly. We are appealing because we are not satisfied with the ruling,” he said.
Mr Musoma explained that while the Ms Justice Lengalenga ruled that the petitioners lacked locus standi to bring the matter before court, he said every Zambian had the right to defend the Constitution when they felt the law of the land was being abrogated.
“Both the old and new Constitution states that when a President dies, his term ends. And that is why in Zambia, we do not hold presidential by-elections, and each presidential tenure has a five year mandate.
“So we already have a substantive President and there is no need to hold another presidential election 20 months into President Lungu’s five-year term,” he said.
Heritage Party president Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda joined the respondents against the petition, terming the applicants as President Lungu’s agents to defer the 2016 presidential election.
The petitioners requested the High Court to defer the 2016 presidential election to 2020 to allow President Lungu finish a five-year term of office as prescribed in the Republican Constitution.Cholera cases rise
TOURISM and Arts Minister Jean Kapata (gesturing) in a conversation with Muchinga Province Minister Gerry Chanda (centre) and Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor for administration Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula in Linda Township in LusakaKanyama Member of Parliament (MP) Gerry Chanda has said the constituency has experienced unprecedented development during his tenure of office.
Colonel Chanda, who is a Patriotic Front (PF) MP, said Kanyama constituency had only two tarred roads in 2008.
Col. Chanda, who was elected Kanyama MP in 2011, said there were now over 15 roads that have been upgraded to bituminous standards.
The Kanyama lawmaker said this in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka.
“Kanyama constituency has seen unprecedented development under my tenure and l am determined to develop it further in all key sectors of the economy to benefit the electorates in my area,” he said.
He named some of the roads that have been worked on a Kanyama-Mtandabantu, Kanyama-Garden House, Kanyama-Zingalume, Kanyama-Mbasela and some roads within Kanyama compound.
Col. Chanda, who is also Home Affairs Deputy Minister, said a good road network was vital for accelerating economic development.
He explained that the perennial flooding has greatly reduced in the area.
He has since urged the people in the area to visit the Kanyama constituency national assembly office to get updates on their area and to interact with him.
The MP has meanwhile commended non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and some investors that are operating in his area to supplement the efforts of government.
Col. Chanda however regretted that cholera has continued to afflict the people in the constituency but commended government through the Ministry of Health for efforts towards addressing the waterborne disease.
He has since reapplied to recontest his Kanyama parliamentary seat on the ruling PF ticket on the August 11, 2016 general elections.
FILE: INFORMATION and Broadcasting Minister Chishimba Kambwili (r) and Choma Central Member of Parliament Conelius Mweetwa laugh and applause the dance by St. Mark’s Secondary School culture group (not in picture). This was during the Youth Day celebration at Choma stadium
The UPND says the PF has taken the country more than 30 years backwards when people were queuing for commodities.
UPND Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said people are now queuing up for mealie-meal and are being forced to buy one bag per person because of PF government’s failure to plan for eventualities.
Mr Mweetwa said despite advise from various stakeholders for government to ensure that the country has enough food stokes before exporting the PF ignored them and now the country is grappling with the shortage of the commodity.
He said it was only during the UNIP days that Zambians were forced to queue for commodities and that it did not make any economical sense for people to be forced to only buy one bag mealie-meal when they can manage more.
“We have been taken back to more than 30 years of UNIP days queuing for mealie-meal even now when go to shoprite and you have money we are being told you can only buy one bag yet we told the Minister of Hon Given Lubinda please can you announce the maize flow price so that it can influence market prices and for farmers to have an option to sale to government or the private buyers so that we can have household and national food security but they were busy saying we are monitoring moisture content now look at the moisture content which they are monitoring we are threatened with food security which is also a national security issue,” he said.
He added ” we are now being proud of impounding 30 trucks or trying to export maize to our neighbours when they are the ones who were telling as that now we want to promote the private sector to be able to export maize when you have no vision.”
The country has been facing mealie-meal shortages with some shops being directed to sale only one bag per individual.
On Monday Chingola residents accused government of not being strict with the people smuggling the commodity to the neighbouring DRC. The residents queued for hours at Pick n Pay Chingola were the commodity was available.
The annual rate of Inflation for the month of March has recorded a marginal decline, the time since May last year.
Central Statistics Officer Director John Kalumbi told a media briefing that annual inflation fell to 22.2 percent in this month compared with 22.9 percent in February.
“The decrease in the annual rate of inflation was mainly attributed to non-food items,” Mr. Kalumbi said.
Food inflation however rose by 0.5 percent in March.
Non-food inflation reduced to 17.9 percent in March from 19.1 percent in February, mainly because of price movements in imported motor vehicles, charcoal, firewood and certain household cleaning products.
Inflation has been on an upward swing climbing from 7.7 percent in September.
MINISTER of Higher Education Michael Kaingu has dispelled rumours circulating that he does not have a Grade 12 certificate. Dr Kaingu released a letter confirmation from the Examination Council of Zambia confirming that Dr Kaingu does have a Grade 12 Certificate. According to the letter, Dr Kaingu sat for Examinations in 1972 with the Examination number of F 090 7.
Dr Kaingu has been vocal on allowing people with higher qualifications, but without a Grade 12 certificate to be allowed to stand for elective office.
According to Dr Kaingu, in the olden days, people without Grade 12 certificates were allowed to pursue various disciplines at universities if they passed aptitude tests.
“People should, therefore, understand that any college certificate or university certificate is higher than a Grade 12 certificate.
“So as people debate this important issue in the Zambian Constitution, let them compare the two and it is important also that people know or understand what is higher between the two,” he said.
Dr Kaingu said although he cannot speak on behalf of the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ), it is important that people understand what qualification is higher between Grade 12 certificate and a university certificate.
Dr Kaingu said that it is unfortunate that ECZ is demanding Grade 12 qualifications from aspiring candidates and is overlooking their tertiary qualifications attained over the years.
He said there is need to know exactly what is required in demanding for the minimum qualifications as set in the clause for minimum qualifications.
Dr Kaingu said education is not cognitive and is not attained in a straight line as many can attain it in different ways such as through crafts, degree and PhDs.
“Even when we talk of cognitive knowledge – who is more developed in public knowledge, a grade 12 or a person who is holding a diploma,” Dr Kaingu said.
Dr Kaingu said the country’s education system has what is called Zambian Qualification Authority Framework which starts with the Examinations Council of Zambia as the number one qualifications followed by Technical Education, Vocational Training and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) and higher qualifications authority.
He said the qualifications are in levels from one to 10.
Level one is grade seven certificate, level two A is grade nine and level two B is grade 12 certificate. Levels from three to five are crafts certificates which are certificates from trade schools and other colleges.
Level six is a diploma, level seven is the first degree, level eight is post-diploma, level nine is master’s and level 10 is a PhD.
Dr Kaingu said the framework is clear that a person who has a crafts certificate is more qualified than one with a grade 12 certificate.
HIV testing
The Ministry of Health has disclosed that Global Fund has procured 10,000 HIV Test Kits through UNDP that are in the country and will be delivered to Medical Stores Limited.
Ministry Acting Spokesperson Dr. Tasila Pitters says the stock is projected for use in the next two months and distribution will start today, 31st March, 2016 starting with Lusaka.
Dr. Pitters said the Ministry will on 4th April, 2016 receive another consignment of 15,000 Test Kits from PEPFAR which is planned to be in stock for the next two and half months while the Churches Health Association of Zambia has provided 80 Kits.
She said the Ministry of Health will procure another consignment later on through Global Fund.
A coalition of civil society organizations recently expressed concern regarding the countrywide shortage of HIV test kits.
Recently a consortium of civil society organizations which included NZP+, the Coalition of Zambian Women Living with HIV/AIDS (COZWHA), the Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC), the Zambia Network of Religious Leaders Living with or personally affected by HIV and AIDS (ZANARELA) and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Zambia (AHF Zambia) expressed concern over the continued shortage of the HIV test kit in the country.
The CSOs warned that unless situation was addressed, the community of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLA) would have no option but to embark on mass action.
Recent developments such as the delivery of expired test kits to facilities in February and the expiration of about 500,000 test kits in the country’s’ medical store highlighted Zambia’s poor supply chain management system. If this system is not dramatically improved there are likely to be grave consequences for the nation’s HIV/AIDS response.
Reuters reports that Glencore’s plan to invest over $1.1 billion in Zambia to sink three copper mine shafts with new technology that will extend mine life by over 25 years, is pushing the kwacha to its highest in two months.
By 1040 GMT (6.40 a.m. ET) the currency of Africa’s number 2 copper producer had gained 1.3 percent to 11.1100 per dollar, its firmest level since Jan. 19.
“The news from Glencore obviously sent a positive signal but overall we are seeing a lot of dollar supply with very little demand,” analyst Maambo Hamaundu said.
Glencore plans to make the investments between now and 2018 and it was expected that Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) would be turned into a world-class mining operation by 2023, it said.
“We firmly believe that we shall be able to overcome the challenges that we face today as a company and become profitable and operationally efficient,” Mopani said in a statement.
Glencore was fully committed to Mopani and had invested over $3 billion in upgrading infrastructure and in major capital expansion programs since 2000, Mopani said.
An electricity shortage in the southern African country and weaker copper prices have put pressure on Zambia’s mining industry, threatening output, jobs and economic growth.
FILE: Permanent Secretary for Minister of Youth sports and child development Ms Agnes Musunga sings the memorandum of street vendors with the President of Street Vendors Association Mr Teddy Sinkala
ASSOCIATION of Vendors and Marketeers (AVEMA) president Able Chikwa has urged street vendors across the country to rally behind the leadership of President Edgar Lungu because of vision to empower through Presidential Fund Initiative.
Addressing street vendors at the council chamber in Chipata on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Chikwa said President Lungu had a heart for the street vendors and marketeers alike.
He said President Lungu had embarked on various programmes aimed at alleviating poverty as well as uplifting their wellbeing as street vendors.
Mr Chikwa said President Lungu had shown commitment in alleviating the people’s welfare more especially street vendors by allowing them to sell in the streets.
“A good example is in Mansa where street vendors were removed from the streets but after the intervention from the central Government, the vendors are back on the street,”he said.
Mr Chikwa said that President Lungu was a caring leader who was siding with the street vendors and marketeers across the country.
He said people should re-elect President Lungu in the August 11th general elections so that he could continue empowering them with loans.
He also said the Presidential Initiative Empowerment Fund in Eastern Province has been marred with challenges of people who were not marketeers applying for the loans.
He said that most of the people that have applied for the funds were not real traders adding that the situation has led to the number of applicants increasing beyond the targeted number for most districts.
Mr Chikwa emphasised that the only true beneficiaries of the funds were Zambian marketeers and street vendors whom he said would not be removed from the streets.
He said that the Presidential Initiative Fund registration process would ensure that no foreigner was registered for the loans considering the fact that the province shares borders with Malawi and Mozambique.
He said all applications that would be approved by his association are those that were accompanied with a photocopy of a Green National Registration Card (NRC).
The meeting was attended by Patriotic Front(PF) Provincial Secretary Eddie Kapalu, AVEMA vice president Kunda Chitotela and AVEMA provincial chairperson Susan Ngoma.
The team is currently gifting soft loans to street vendors and marketeers in Chipata district.
Mayor for Livingstone Milford Maambo (left) during the installation of the mayor and deputy mayor in the tourist capital
THE Livingstone Magistrate Court has acquitted two suspended United Party for National Development (UPND) councillors who were facing one count of obtaining money by false pretences.
This is in a matter in which the Milford Mambo,46, who is former Livingstone Mayor and former UPND councilor for Simoonga Ward, as well as Ziwa Ziwa, 39, former UPND Musitunya Ward Councillor, were facing one count of obtaining money by false
pretense contrary to section 309 chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
It is alleged that on a date unknown but between April 27, 2015and January 18, 2016, the duo jointly whilst acting together did obtain K47,000 from Davy Ngulube by falsely pretending that they had a plot for sale when in fact not.
But when the matter came up before Livingstone Magistrate Michael Mulalelo yesterday for the commencement of trail, the complainant Joan Ngulube who was in the witness’s docket raised her hand to the surprise of the state and told the court that she had an application to make.
Ngulube old that court that her application was that of wanting to withdraw the matter because she had been given her money in full by the accused persons.
The state then objected to her application saying that the matter was a criminal case which meant that it was now the state verses the accused persons and the complainant had no right to withdraw the case.
“The witness must note that this is a criminal matter. The state is not ready to accept her application and we object to that. This is a criminal matter where the state has interest in. There is no
documentation which shows that the complainant did receive the money.
“We are therefore applying for an adjournment to April 13, 2016for commencement of trail because it appears the witness is not ready today. We also want to verify whether she has been paid and also consult authorities,” the State said.
However, the complainant who was scheduled to be the first witness insisted that the matter be withdrawn because she has documents showing she was given back the money.
“I have the documents showing I have been paid. This is why I find it convenient to withdraw the matter. I had even left but I was called to come back,” she said
The state again attempted to object saying that she was merely a witness who has no right or say in the matter as the state had already stated.
This prompted Magistrate Mulalelo to make a ruling and acquitted Ziwa and Maambo.
“The witness being the complainant in this matter has the right to withdraw the matter. I will allow her application and the two accused persons are hereby acquitted,” he said.
FDD leader Edith Nawakwi has reiterated that she is not interested in becoming a running mate in this year’s general elections.
Mrs Nawakwi has also invited the other two front runners UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema and President Edgar Lungu of the FDD to instead serve as her running mate.
She said this in a video message released by her media team.
There has been widespread reports that Mrs Nawakwi has been trying to propose that she be appointed as President Lungu’s running mate.
Over 4,000 Civil Servants who were retrenched in 1999 under the Public Service Reform Programme in national interest have expressed anger and frustration at government’s failure to pay them their dues.
In a statement Bernard Azele who is Chairman of the group said they won a court case against government in 2011 but that government has not paid them their dues despite the court ruling in their favour.
Mr Azele said just like another person they need to pay rent, send their children to school hence was wondering were government thought they are getting the money to foot their bills as it has held on to their money for more than 5 years.
“We also live in the same capitalistic world as everybody else where we are expected to pay, rent send our children and grand children to school. Now if we are not being paid for the court case we won, what service are you going to offer? We think government may wish to know that many colleagues have had strokes and eventually died leaving there money behind,” he explained.
He said government should look into the plight of retirees in the country.
“We are saying quality service to the retirees is a right for every citizen and the government to prioritize certain issues such as that of retirees. We have been pushed into debts before we had to think ways to survive because government has neglected us.
We think it is prudent that government should realise that we were the engine of our great nation Zambia to be where it is today, why should we be suffering in our own country?” he said.
File:SACCORD Executive director Boniface Chembe captured in the audience during the presidential debate
SACCORD has called on members of various political parties in the country to respect the decisions made by their leaders if the country is to have free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
Commenting on the national indaba by political party leaders which was held on tuesday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe said there is need for the followers of political parties should ensure that they support the commitment by their leaders.
He said yesterday’s resolutions by the various political parties that attended the indaba should be supported by all well meaning Zambians including stakeholders involved in the electoral process.
“We hope that all stakeholders will support the solutions that were arrived at and especially those who belong to political parties and those who support these parties, expect that once they respect the decisions of their own parties and support them in ensuring that the country we create an environment for holding free,fair credible and peaceful elections.
“As SACCORD we commend our political leaders for taking time off their busy schedule during this busy campaign period to dedicate themselves to discuss what we had increasingly deemed to be a national crisis and which required a national solution namely political violence. We have taken not of the resolutions that were arrived at by our political leaders and those resolutions are salient and require the support of all Zambians including all stakeholders involved in the electoral process it is clear that political violence had become an immediate and clear present danger to the peace, stability, unity and security of our country hence the need to address the scourge by our political leaders,” He said.
He also reiterated the call for Zambia Police Service to administer the POA in a manner which does not discriminate.
“We hope that the Zambia Police Service will be able to endeavour as much as possible to allow all Zambians irrespective of their political affiliation to enjoy their freedoms of association, expression as well as assembly. We hope that perpetrators of political violence who injure people, murder people, destroy public or private property will not be tolerated irrespective of their political affiliation, but brought to book away from the tendency of what appears to only bringing those who belong to the opposition to book,” he said.
He further said politicians should desist from politics of hate speech.
“We also believe that it is important that issues of hate speech are addressed. You can not resolve the many problems that our great republic face, we have got problems of poverty, unemployment, poor infrastructure and high levels of illiteracy and those can never be addressed through hate speech but rather through politics of ideas policies, manifestos and messages and that is what the people of Zambia want,” he said.
Copperbelt University
Government says a Committee has been appointed to assess the fulfilment of conditions set for the re-opening of the Copperbelt University.
The Committee which was set up on Tuesday is expected to finish the assignment by 7th April, 2016.
The Committee comprises Ministry of Higher Education Permanent Secretary,
Mr. Owne M’gemezulu, Secretary to the Bursaries Committee Ms. Irene Chirwa and Kitwe District Commissioner Mr. Chanda Kabwe.
Others are CBU Chaplin Fr. Chilufya and Copperbelt Police Commissioner Ms. Charity Katanga.
Higher Education Minister Michael Kaingu on 3rd February, 2016 shut down CBU and UNZA following days of violent demonstrations and arson attacks.
A number of conditions were set before the two institutions could be allowed to reopen.
The Committee was appointed to determine the fulfilment of the conditions with a view to open CBU and prepare a report and recommendations to Dr. Kaingu whether the University has fulfilled the conditions and is ready to re-open.
Some of the conditions outlined by Dr Kaingu were that the universities must ensure the sufficient and effective security measures have been put in place to regulate the entry and exit of visitors to the Universities.
This should include sealing off all porous points, strictly enforcing the use of students’ identity cards, installation of floodlights and security cameras and provision of walkie-talkie radio communication to security officers.
He also asked the universities to ensure that all students are made to sign a commitment form to pledge not to indulge in violent protests.
Other conditions were that the universities were to ensure that the office of the Dean of Students designs programmes aimed at instilling discipline in students by sensitizing them on social dialogue, non-violent engagement and other dispute resolution processes.
Dr Kaingu also asked the university managements to surcharge all students on Government Bursary for damage caused to both public and university property.
He also demanded that all those that were identified and submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education as ring leaders for the violent protest should be expelled as they are inimical to the academic life of the Universities. These include students and staff.
PF Deputy Spokesperson Frank Bwalya says his party is relieved that former vice President Guy Scott has finally left the party and endorsed UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.
Speaking at media briefing this morning Mr Bwalya described Dr Scott as a pebble in the shoe of the party which made it difficult for the party to move forward.
He said despite President Lungu’s tolerance by letting Dr Scott remain as a member of the party’s Central Committee he continued to rebel against the leadership of the party President.
“Dr Guy Scott remained a member of the Central Committee which is the supreme organ of the PF and he was entitled to the respect of senior members of the party. He was accommodated and respected despite his notorious appetite for negative statements about our party and President Lungu in particular.
“So it became the case of bringing a horse to the river but failing to make it drink. In short what we are saying is that Dr Scott was not side lined and forced to rebel against our party and its leader Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. The open secret is that immediately Dr Scott’s plan to impose a leader on PF was defeated he embarked on a destructive mission to stop Mr Lungu from becoming Republican President and he did it in a manner that threatened the survival of PF. His comments that time and even recently clearly point to the fact that he didn’t vote for Mr Lungu. So he has just decided to openly work against Mr Lungu again just to spoil the soup, ukufilila munsenga, as the Bembas would say.
“Given the above background one would be right to say that Dr Scott was like a pebble or stone in the PF shoe that was making it difficult for us to walk properly. Now that Dr Scott has decided to endorse the man who called him the most stupid white man, we are relieved. If Dr Scott had not done what he has done he would have remained the destructive enemy within who keeps stabbing family members in the back. We believe that since enemies don’t mean well it is a lesser evil to allow them to leave and fight you from outside than inside,” he said.
He also accused Mr Hichilema of paddling tribal talk.
“Many Zambians heard for themselves the UPND leader on Radio Phoenix on Tuesday 29th March 2016 in the morning accusing the PF government of persecuting people with surnames from a certain region for belonging to UPND. Since Mr Hichilema talked about one region it is common knowledge that what he was saying was that Tongas were being transferred or fired from the civil service on suspicion of belonging or indeed belonging to UPND. This is a very dangerous statement coming from a man who wants to govern our peaceful country, a country that is making strides to overcome tribalism.
“One thing is clear that civil servants are not allowed to participant in active politics let alone partisan political activism that derails government programmes regardless of their tribe. Successive governments have been firm in dealing with renegade civil servants and I do believe that if the UPND formed government they would not tolerate it.
“But to claim that it is civil servants from one region who are being fired or disciplined for destructive political activity is not only wrong but highly irresponsible because such reckless statements have potential to fuel tribal hatred and rivalry, factors that have caused serious problems including genocide in other countries. I am Tonga and I know many professional Tongas who belong to various opposition political parties and don’t worry about losing their job,” he said.
Below is the full press Briefing
PATRIOTIC FRONT PRESS STATEMENT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016. SALUTATIONS Distinguished members of the Media, Patriotic Front officials, Distinguished invited guests, Brothers and sisters.
INTRODUCTION
We have called this press conference to address some matters that sections of the public have started raising in the aftermath of the decision by former Republican Vice President Dr Guy Scott to endorse the candidature of the United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema in the forthcoming presidential and general elections. We believe that many Zambians who look at our party, the Patriotic Front (PF) as the only party with a demonstrated commitment to unite our country and lead it to prosperity are genuinely seeking answers to certain questions so that their hearts can be at rest in the midst of a political environment highly polluted by unprecedented malicious propaganda and notorious falsehood.
It is our intention during this press conference to also address other matters of equal importance to our party and Zambia.
PRESIDENT EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU – MR WALK THE TALK WITH A BIG FORGIVING AND LOVING HEART
Following the decision by a few of our members to endorse the candidature of the UPND leader Mr Hichilema some people have started asking whether this development points to President Lungu’s failure to embrace and accommodate all party members especially senior members that opposed his ascendancy to the position of PF Party President and later that of Republican President.
The truth is that President Lungu has a very big heart to accommodate any willing member and has demonstrate a rare form of forgiveness and love towards those that many Zambians thought he would discard given the happenings after the death of President Michael Chilufya Sata. Mr Lungu said that he saw nothing wrong with members of a political party competing for leadership in a constructive manner within the perimeters of democratic contest. So when he was sworn in as Zambia’s sixth Republican President he walked the talk by opening his arms to embrace everyone. That is how my brothers namely Mr Chishimba Kambwili, Given Lubinda, Mulenga Sata, Miles Sampa and many others found themselves in the inner circle of President Lungu as full cabinet and deputy ministers.
President Lungu decided to appoint a woman as Republican Vice President for reasons including those well known to the Zambian public regarding affirmative action to promote the participation of women in the governance process by promoting them to key decision making positions.
Dr Guy Scott remained a member of the Central Committee which is the supreme organ of the PF and he was entitled to the respect of senior members of the party. He was accommodated and respected despite his notorious appetite for negative statements about our party and President Lungu in particular. So it became the case of bringing a horse to the river but failing to make it drink. In short what we are saying is that Dr Scott was not side lined and forced to rebel against our party and its leader Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. The open secret is that immediately Dr Scott’s plan to impose a leader on PF was defeated he embarked on a destructive mission to stop Mr Lungu from becoming Republican President and he did it in a manner that threatened the survival of PF. His comments that time and even recently clearly point to the fact that he didn’t vote for Mr Lungu. So he has just decided to openly work against Mr Lungu again just to spoil the soup, ukufilila munsenga, as the Bembas would say.
Given the above background one would be right to say that Dr Scott was like a pebble or stone in the PF shoe that was making it difficult for us to walk properly. Now that Dr Scott has decided to endorse the man who called him the most stupid white man, we are relieved. If Dr Scott had not done what he has done he would have remained the destructive enemy within who keeps stabbing family members in the back. We believe that since enemies don’t mean well it is a lesser evil to allow them to leave and fight you from outside than inside.
Nevertheless, we are left wondering why this man who claims to be a very experienced politician has decided to hang on to a party that he claims is finished. Moreover, a party led by a man he hates with passion. When he was announcing his endorsing the man who called him the most stupid white man at Chainama Hotel in Lusaka on Monday 28th March 2016 he even sung his usual song that he wouldn’t go back to PF and yet he is clinging on to his PF membership. Is this the proverbial case of one eating what he claims to be rotten? This is very strange but we don’t know whether Mr Hichilema had this behaviour in his mind when he called his friend the most stupid white man he had ever come across. Anyway, it is now very interesting to note that Mr Hichilema claims to be more popular because even the man he branded the most stupid white man is supporting him.
PUPPORTED DEFECTIONS FROM OUR PARTY PF AND WHETHER WE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT THEM
As far as we are concerned there has been very few real defections from our party to other parties. Some people are mistaking those who are endorsing the man who called Dr Scott the most stupid white man while clinging on to PF membership as defectors. These people including Dr Scott and Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba are not defectors but members of PF who have decided to go public with their scheme of de-campaigning Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. So the case of Dr Scott is like that of a husband proposing to marry his own wife. We wish to let the public know that real defections are coming and when they happen everyone will see how attractive the PF has always been.
As for Mr Miles Sampa he is not a defector from PF to UPND. He left our party to expose the scandal of belonging to two political parties at the same time namely Democratic Front (DF) and PF. The public knows that he formed DF at the time when his uncle President Sata was still with us. Then he led DF into the so-called Orange Alliance. DF got deregistered and the Orange Alliance ejected him. So Mr Sampa just came from his own house to go and endorse the man who called his friend Dr Scott the most stupid white man.
In fact, DF has not lost anything because it was deregistered and the Orange Alliance expelled him. We just pray that this political novice has realised that two months is a long period in politics given what he has gone through after voluntarily leaving PF.
We know that some people would want to cite Mr Robert Sichinga as a PF member who defected to UPND but that would be tantamount to refusing to believe the man. He said when UPND paraded him that he was not re-joining UPND because he had always been their member. In this case we can safely say that what kept alive his relationship with PF was a job from basebele (in-law). Of-course when the PF presidency became vacant many people overrated themselves.
Therefore, we are very proud of former UPND Vice President Mr Richard Kapita and former trustee Mr Maybin Mubanga who left UPND and joined us. Many more are on their way coming.
We wish to state categorically that we are not worried about those power hungry individuals who have chosen to endorse other candidates as a way of fighting Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Their schemes are bound to fail.
Against the foregoing, we wish to state that PF is very strong and will keep getting stronger. The huge numbers of people applying to stand on our ticket in various constituencies is but just one indicator of the popularity of our party.
THE ACCUSATION BY MR HAKAINDE HICHILEMA THAT PF IS VICTIMISING CIVIL SERVANTS WITH SURNAMES FROM A CERTAIN REGION
Many Zambians heard for themselves the UPND leader on Radio Phoenix on Tuesday 29th March 2016 in the morning accusing the PF government of persecuting people with surnames from a certain region for belonging to UPND. Since Mr Hichilema talked about one region it is common knowledge that what he was saying was that Tongas were being transferred or fired from the civil service on suspicion of belonging or indeed belonging to UPND. This is a very dangerous statement coming from a man who wants to govern our peaceful country, a country that is making strides to overcome tribalism.
One thing is clear that civil servants are not allowed to participant in active politics let alone partisan political activism that derails government programmes regardless of their tribe. Successive governments have been firm in dealing with renegade civil servants and I do believe that if the UPND formed government they would not tolerate it.
But to claim that it is civil servants from one region who are being fired or disciplined for destructive political activity is not only wrong but highly irresponsible because such reckless statements have potential to fuel tribal hatred and rivalry, factors that have caused serious problems including genocide in other countries. I am Tonga and I know many professional Tongas who belong to various opposition political parties and don’t worry about losing their job.
Therefore, we wish to assure all Zambians that PF will respect their constitutional right and freedom to belong to a political party of their choice. We shall never engage in witch-hunting targeted at one tribe in a country where it is common to find members of the same family belonging to different political parties. Moreover, PF shall continue to promote the motto of “One Zambia One Nation”.
Therefore we urge Zambians to reject leaders who are trying to ride on tribe for cheap political milage. Such leaders are a danger to continued peace and stability in our great country.
One Zambia One Nation.
God bless Zambia.
I thank you. FRANK BWALYA PF DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON
Zambia next 2017 Africa Cup Group E opponents Guinea Bissau are feeling confident about securing their home game against Chipolopolo in June.
Guinea Bissau stealthy rose to the summit of Group E after 1-0 home and away victories over bottom placed Kenya to take a one point lead of the pool.
The Group E victories were coach Baciro Cande first in charge since taking over from Paulo Torres who left the job in February due to a four-match CAF ban that ruled him out of the qualifiers.
Torres was banned following a bust-up with a match official in their 0-0 away draw against Zambia last June.
Guinea Bissau next host Zambia on June 3 in a penultimate Group E fixture looking for a win that could end Chipolopolo’s interest in the qualifiers.
“We are now top of the group and with two matches remaining we can think about the dream,E Cande is qouted by Portuguese sports daily O Jogo.
“We want to build on this latest win as we head to the next game.”
Guinea Bissau have 7 points while second placed Congo and third positioned Zambia are separated on goal difference tied on 6 points.
Kenya are bottom with 1 point from four games played.
