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A Chinese media and technology company has offered to mobilise funds to help speed up the implementation of Zambia’s digital migration programme.
China Communication Services company executive vice president Liang Shiping says his company has a financial facility of US$10 billion with Exim Bank from which Zambia’s digital migration programme can be funded.
Mr Liang made the pledge when Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha met him and his management team at the company headquarters in Beijing today.
[ Times of Zambia ]
The Tower crane hovering on top of the old unfinished building at the Corner of Freedom Rd and Katondo street (next to Mususu kalenga building) is a safety risk to the public. The crane is under a heavy load and has been there for along time; the cranes' steel members have obviously weakened due to the load and weather conditions and it won't be long before this causes a disaster. May the Civil authority order for this crane to be demobilised before lives are lost.(By LT blogger)
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A building that was damaged by protestors at Mongu Council premises.
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Hearses and a Fire engine and fire fighting equipment destroyed by protestors during the Mongu riots
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Police officers in riot gear aboard a van going to quell riots in Mongu.
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Protestors taunting the police during the Mongu riots.
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Tear gas and smoke rising over Limulunga village after police ran battles with protestors in Mongu
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Calm and business has returned to Mongu.Here residents are going about their usual business
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Residents in Mongu going about their usual business although more police officers are being deployed to the area.
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Police officers bundled in a van patroling the Central trading district in Mongu
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Police officers on patrol in the Central district of Mongu.
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Calm has returned in Mongu, but the police are still in the Central trading district.
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Second republican president Frederick Chiluba's daughter Verocia gears up for the 2012 London Olympic Games qualifier match against South Africa at Nkoloma stadium.
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Former second republican president Fredrick Chiluba 's daughter Velocia takes a throw in during the 2012 London Olympics qualifier at Nkoloma stadium.
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Zambia national team Coach Dario Bonetti watching the women under 23 at Nkoloma Stadium
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South Africa's Leandra Smeda beats Zambia's Etas Banda during the 2012 London Olympics qualifier at Nkoloma stadium.
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Second republican president Frederick Chiluba's daughter Verocia captured in action during the 2012 London Olympic Games qualifier against South Africa at Nkoloma stadium. Zambia lost 2-1.
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Former Football Association of Zambia(FAZ) vice president Emmanuel Munaile confers with the under 23 national team at Nkoloma Stadium on Saturday.Zambia lost to South Africa 2-1 during the first round of the London 2012 Olympic qualifiers.
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Ministers for Agriculture Eustarkio Kazonga (l) and Education Dora Siliya (r) clench hands with World Food Programme deputy country director Purnima Kashyap after launching the school feeding program.
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Police officers remove a tent from squatters who have illegally taken over land from owners in Lusaka east
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A man with a machet walks along the land where illegal squatters have forced themselves on government land.
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Lands Minister Gladys Lundwe talks to residents of Lusaka east who have taken land illegally from rightful owners
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Some Lusaka based pupils captured curing the national youth symposium in Lusaka
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Education Minister Dora Siliya interacts with pupils during the Youth symposium in Lusaka
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Part of the church building for the Goshali religious sect in Chongwe district that was completely burnt down in a fracas last week after villagers accused the sect members of practicing Satanism
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Part of the church building for the Goshali religious sect in Chongwe district that was completely burnt down after villagers accused the sect members of practicing Satanism.
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United States of America Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella alights from one of the donated delivery trucks at Medical stores in Lusaka
United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has said the PF/UPND pact is currently experiencing some political squabbles because the two parties cannot agree on one aspect of how it will drive the country’s economy forward.
Mr Hichilema said the pact was formed to reduce fragmentation among opposition parties and initiated some policies that needed to be followed and agreed before announcing its leader but that its partners the PF seemed to have ignored what was agreed and wanted to just go ahead and announce the pact president.
Mr Hichilema said this in Lusaka yesterday in response to many questions from people when he officiated at the Zambia Media Forum at Chita Lodge.
Meanwhile, PF leader Michael Sata has said former President Frederick Chiluba was part of the eight member committee who in 1993 recommended that the Barotse Agreement had expired.
At a rally at Muchinga grounds in Matero, Lusaka yesterday, Mr Sata who spoke in Bemba said Government should reveal everything that was said in the committee and not selectively release information.
He accused the State of having arrested him on tramped-up charges of motor vehicle theft and that Government were also trying to make a case out of the US$100, 000 which he said he had been accused of giving Father Frank Bwalya.
Mr Sata also accused Matero Member of Parliament Faustina Sinyangwe of pocketing some money .
Former MMD official Judith Kapijimpanga resigned from the ruling party to join the PF.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Second Republican President Fredrick Chiluba will be pursued using other existing laws such as tax evasion, charges the Patriotic Front.
Commenting on media reports stating that Lusaka High Court Judge Philip Musonda has ordered the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to return the seized properties belonging to Dr. Chiluba, PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda says the move clearly shows that the Rupiah Banda led administration has completely abandoned late President Levy Mwanawasa’s vision of curbing graft in the country.
Mr. Lubinda says the fact that the Republican President’s earnings cannot purchase the kind of properties that Dr. Chiluba owns means that he was engaged in some kind of business.
He says it is unbelievable that properties that the second President may not have acquired using his legal earnings are being given back to him.
Mr. Lubinda states that once the PF assumes power after this year’s general elections, it will make sure that Dr. Chiluba declares taxes.
He says that the resources used to buy those properties are certainly not from state resources even though Presidential emoluments are tax free.
And the Judiciary of Zambia has clarified in statement signed Public Relations Officer Terry Musonda that second Republican President Frederick Chiluba is not a Party to any court proceedings before Hon. Judge Phillip Musonda and has therefore not been mentioned anywhere in the matter, between Tedworth Properties Incorporation (as a plaintiff) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (as a Defendant).
He states that there was no court order to give back Dr. Chiluba properties as shown by the court record adding that the calculation and deliberate creation of a court case and order which have never been presented before the court of law is misguided and unfortunate.
File: Royal Highness the Litunga of the Lozi people Lubosi Imwiko II with Vice President George Kunda at Lealui Palace during the kufuluhela traditional ceremony in Mongu
A CABINET minister has been named in an alleged covert mission to frustrate dialogue between Government and the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) over the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
Clandestine activities have enraged the BRE which has questioned the motive of the named minister accused of holding a postmortem meeting of the activities of the Linyungandambo, Barotse Patriotic Front (BPF) and Barotseland Freedom Movement (BFM).
And police on January 15 seized machetes, knives, catapults and an assortment of fetishes meant to be used in the disturbances arising from the cancellation of a meeting of secessionists on january 14. The owners of the weapons have been arrested.
Sources have revealed that the Cabinet minister organised a group of people to discuss the violence which rocked Mongu and Limulunga.
Sources from Limulunga told the Daily Mail that the Litunga is angry with the minister and has asked relevant authorities within the BRE to establish the motive of such activities.
The source said during the meeting called to discuss the violence, some senior citizens openly attacked Government and demanded that Western Province should secede.
The minister has also angered other Government ministers who wondered what was being discussed on a community radio station whose equipment has since been seized by police.
“The Litunga is shocked by what one of the ministers is doing here. He (Litunga) was listening to the radio and what was being broadcast was confusing because on one hand, Government is talking about dialogue and on the other, a government minister seems to be inciting the people to continue advocating violence and secession,” the source said.
And police have seized an assortment of home-made weapons which included machetes, knives and some animal skins.
The home-made arsenal was meant to be used in attacks on people, who were going to resist secession at the planned meeting of the Linyungandambo, BPF and the BFM.
Western Province police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba confirmed that the weapons were confiscated from supporters of the Linyungandambo, BPF and BFM.
Mr Mweemba said police will continue with their normal operations and denied allegations that his men had started raiding communities and beating up people.
Mr Mweemba has also confirmed the arrest of the top leader of the three groups, a Mr Maxwell Mututwa, who has been behind a spate of violent activities in Mongu and Limulunga.
Mr Mututwa was arrested along the Mongu-Limulunga road when he attempted to switch taxis a few kilometres from Limulunga. The 92-year-old has been the commander of the Linyungandambo, BPF and the BFM.
Mr Mututwa was the BRE prime minister (Ngambela) and is former member of Parliament during the Kenneth Kaunda administration.
Meanwhile, over 200 paratroopers arrived in Mongu yesterday to enhance security in Mongu and along the Mongu-Lusaka road.
Deputy commissioner of police Solomon Jere said more police officers have been deployed in Mongu to beef up security operations.
A check in Limulunga late yesterday revealed that several youths who are being used in the violence are regrouping to cause more confusion.
The youths, who had fled to the plains, are said to be in Mombo in Limulunga but police said they are ready to counter them.
“…DECLARE the Republic a Christian nation while upholding the right of every person to enjoy that person’s freedom of conscience or religion” thus begins the pre-amble to the 1996 Zambia Constitution.
I have spoken to many people who are in favour of this declaration and have learnt several reasons. The most interesting reason had to do with what happened in the last few years before Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s government was replaced. It was the ‘Heaven on earth’ eastern mysticism that had engulfed State House that worried so many Zambian Christians. They feared that if such ‘free experimentation’ with spiritual powers at the heart of government, was allowed, who knows what the tenant at plot 1 may one day do to our beloved country?
Can a nation be Christian without such a declaration? There is no nation on earth that has declared through its constitution, albeit the preamble, that it is a Christian nation!
However, there are many that consider themselves Christian, chief among them is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, whose head of State is ‘Defender of the Faith.’ I learned that this title was once given to one Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler, by the Pope!
The United States, land of the brave and free, declares that ‘all men are created equal before God’ but for 3 centuries continued to deny that equality to many of its citizens! In the minds of the founding fathers, the Christian God may have been meant, but that does not amount to a declaration that the USA is a Christian country. It does not matter whether the green buck is emblazoned with ‘In God we trust.’ Which god?
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha, Heritage Party leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda and his wife Angela and the clergy sing hymns at the commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka.
Islamic republics dotted about the world also claim to rely on ‘God’s law’ according the Islamic faith. What actually constitutes Sharia law is debatable. I believe that when one states something, and in an important document such as the constitution, their meaning must be very clear to everyone.
Putting aside the various definitions of ‘Christianity’ no one can disagree as to what the effect or results of Christianity should be. A friend of mine once told a story of a postman delivering mail to a house in Britain, where a vicious looking dog lived. Seeing the dog, the Post man tried to deliver the post as quietly and as quickly as he could. As he tip-toed towards the house, the owner of the house saw him. Sensing the Postman’s dread, the owner shouted to him, ‘Don’t worry, he is a good Christian!’ That sums it up I think. Christianity is expected to be harmless.
Whatever you call it, I am happy to be part of a nation that fulfils these four principles:
1. Recognises that all men are created equal before God.
Here is the fundamental basis for the rule of law. If we all accepted this, there would be no corrupting of officials in order to gain an upper hand over someone else. I we all recognised this, we would not be too proud to think that we are better than another, but would be humbled to accept that what we have is a gift from God and its purpose is to supplement what lacks in another member of the society. The first recorded question that man ever asked God is, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ It is that question that Jesus answered when He said, ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’ In an imperfect world, this is a hard saying. We all want others to do to us better than we would do to them. I want to drive the best car in the hood. I want the best for myself. Once the comparative adjective is used, someone else will fare worse. The best we can do without supernatural help cannot match up to the standard that calls upon us to ‘love others as we love ourselves!’ This would mean that ‘myself’ would be the poorest person, ‘myself’ would be the hungriest, the most poorly dressed, most poorly housed! The duty of a Christian state would be to level the playing (or fighting) field so that no one has undue and unfair advantage over another!
2. Maintains the sanctity of life.
Human life should not be taken unadvisedly and thoughtlessly. It does not matter how ‘despicable’ one is in another’s eyes, as long as they are human, they should be valued and respected. Laws that allow for the taking of one’s life before and after birth are wrong and un-Christian. Ah, but some will say, what about in the Bible? Weren’t people executed for their sins in the Bible? The answer to that is simple. Israel was a Theocracy and only the One who created life has the right and authority to take it. The executioner was endowed with the wisdom and knowledge of justice, so that there was no miscarriage of justice. However, even in those severe situations, there was the exercise of mercy and the stay of execution!
3. Provides for the poor.
This is a hot potato. There are many self appointed advocates for the poor. I find the Roman Catholic priests like Father Bwalya in Kitwe contradicting themselves here. On one hand, the Church extols those who have vowed the vow of poverty and has beatified their founder; while on the other hand, they blame the state for ‘rising levels of poverty.’ Captain Solo was quoted as saying that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor. If that were the case, we would all be fighting a good thing by trying to get rid of poverty, a means to inheriting the kingdom of God! No, friends, it is the ‘poor IN SPIRIT’ who are blessed, not the poor in material wealth!
Let me try and explain this by using the Biblical Greek words that are translated ‘poor’ in English. Now, that is of utmost importance for us to understand. There is no ‘blessedness’ in poverty. Jesus never said that the poor will inherit the earth! God never ever said that poverty is good for anyone. Indeed, the Jewish people recognised that poverty is an evil intrusion in the life of a person. God wants all men to prosper. The two words that are translated poor mean two different kinds of people. First, there is poverty that relates to ‘low income’ by virtue of the lowly means of livelihood. This kind of ‘poor’ is recognised in the Bible but no one should have pity on a person like this as long as this person is able bodied. Why? It is because given time, ingenuity and opportunity; such an one can rise to be the richest person on earth! Indeed, history is replete with ‘from rags to riches’ stories! However, there is another kind of ‘poor’ of whom Jesus said, ‘will always be with you.’ These are the disadvantaged in our society by reason of infirmity. These can never alter their fortunes without the help and assistance of us all. These are the blind folk we see in our streets, being led forth by a child who will never go to school! These are the weak in body who cannot till the land. All of us whether as individuals or corporately through the State and NGOs have a responsibility towards these people. Let me state here that it is not the responsibility of the State to ‘create employment.’ This is the one fallacy from communism that has continued to simmer through western liberal economics! The Capitalist state does not own the means of production so how can it provide 100% employment?
The State must lay down laws and conditions for the creation of wealth and it is wealth so created that provides employment for the people. What do people mean when they say ‘un-employment is going up?’ What do people mean when they say, ‘poverty levels are unprecedented?’ We tend to borrow terms from other people without really defining what we mean! Indeed what do we mean by ‘development?’ I put it to us all that we will be developed when every child born in Zambia has the highest chance of reaching 120 years of age, when every pregnant woman has a 100% chance of giving birth to a healthy baby, when every child born in Zambia will grow into adulthood and have a means of livelihood ! We will be developed when every person in Zambia can balance calorific intake with body metabolic output .
4. Protects human rights and property and encourages personal responsibility.
The Christian state must ensure that there is adequate security for the protection of individual rights and property. Human rights obviously include responsibilities. We cannot talk about rights without the other. As for the protection of property whether public or private we all have responsibility. To see our most educated children running amok and maliciously vandalising public and private property is shameful. Naturally, theft and plunder of national resources should be condemned and culprits found and punished appropriately when found guilty. It is the duty of the State to enact laws and regulations that will be most effective in bringing this about.
If these things are in our country and abound, we will live in peace as a nation. Indeed if this was so, I would be quiet happy to accept that Zambia is a Christian country, and to me it will not matter whether the President was Buddhist, Hindu, Moslem or atheist or whether it is declared or not! My Bible says that I should pray for those who are in authority so that we live in shalom conditions.
Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) President Charles Milupi has called for dialogue to resolve the problems surrounding the Barotse Agreement of 1964.
Mr. Milupi has said Government should consider engaging the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) and the various signatories to the agreement to resolve the problem.
He said all the signatories to the agreement are available and that government should take advantage of this to consult them and come up with a unified position on the matter.
Mr. Milupi was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today.
He has also urged the Barotse Royal Establishment to engage government on the issue and urged them to clearly state their position and what they expect from the agreement.
Mr. Milupi has since sent massages of condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families and those who were injured during the incident.
Meanwhile,the United Party for National Development (UPND) has said the MMD Government and President Rupiah Banda in particular are to blame for the loss of lives in the Barotseland agreement fracas that took place in Mongu on Friday.
Party president Hakainde Hichilema has said the deaths could have been avoided if President Banda had taken quality time in trying to address the Barotseland issue.
In a statement to QFM news, Mr. Hichilema said the loss of lives and failure to find a solution to the Barotseland agreement misunderstanding is a clear vote of no confidence in the MMD government.
Mr. Hichilema said the concerns being raised by the people of western Province on the unfair delivery of developmental projects to their region are genuine.
The UPND leader observed that Barotseland issue, which has been raised by the people of Western Province, is not only genuine but has the potential to spread to all the parts of the country if not dealt with amicably.
Troubled striker Collins Mbesuma on Sunday inspired Golden Arrows to 2-1 away league win over local rivals Amazulu in Durban.
Mbesuma scored in the 10th and 4th minute before 13th placed Amazulu got one back through Tangeni Shipah on the hour-mark.
The goals were Mbesuma’s first for Golden Arrows since joining them in December after being cast away in the wilderness in July for indiscipline by Moroka Swallows.
The Zambia striker was substituted in the 67th minute after scoring his brace for 7th placed Arrows who recorded their first league win since November 14 when they beat visiting Mpumalanga Black Aces 3-1.
Mbesuma’s career has plummeted since becoming a hit from 2003 to 2006 with the Under-23 team and Kaizer Chiefs but a move to Europe that took him from England, Portugal and Turkey saw his form slump from which he has yet to recover.
Meanwhile in other news, the Zambia under-=23 team today drew 1-1 away to TP Mazembe in a friendly match played in Lubumbashi.
Felix Nyaende scored for Zambia in the 37th minute before TP equalized three minutes later.
Zesco United completed their five-day training camp in Tanzania with a draw on Sunday against Kenya side Sofapaka at Uhuru stadium in Dar-es-Salaam.
Zesco and Sofapaka finished 0-0 in a rearranged match for Fighton Simukonda’s side.
This is after Young Africans withdrew from their scheduled friendly match against Zesco to instead face a Brazilian team currently on tour of Tanzania.
Zesco’s draw came just 24 hours after beating Patrick Phiri’s Simba SC 2-1 at the same venue.
Chileshe Kangwa handed Zesco the win over Simba on Saturday with goals in the 6th and 19th minute of the match.
Mbwana Samatta scored Simba’s only goal of the game in the second half.
Zesco return home on Monday afternoon ahead of their opening Orange CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg match against Liga Muculmana of Mozambique on January 29 at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe.
Flashback: Dr Chiluba, Dr Kaunda and vice president George Kunda during late Siteke Mwale's funeral in Lusaka
By Elias Munshya wa Munshya
In many opinions on Barotseland Agreement of 1964 (BA64), very few comparative studies have been done to see how other countries handled the issue of national unity and secession. Indeed the question of what happened in 1964 is not unique to Zambia alone. Several countries in Africa were faced with similar situations. While not every situation is the same, we could look at what happened in other countries and from their example extrapolate and predict the direction that the Barotseland question is likely to take.
In the 1960s at the time that much of Africa was proceeding to independence several countries had to unite and divide and indeed negotiate on how their future would be. Unity and secession politics happened in Somalia involving Somaliland, Ethiopia and its relationship with Eritrea, in Congo and its Katanga issue, in Tanganyika and its relationship with Zanzibar and indeed in Northern Rhodesia and its relationship with Barotseland. It is impossible in this article to deal with each of these situations.
Except that for the current purpose I will limit myself to the question of how Nyerere dealt with Zanzibar and how Kaunda dealt with Barotseland on the other hand. My argument is that Nyerere was more open and more frank with Zanzibar than Kaunda was with Barotseland. In essence the Tanzanian situation was more responsive to the future than what Kaunda did with regard to Barotseland. Here is why.
The fact that Kaunda negotiated with the Litunga and came up with a deal, means that Barotseland was in many cases different and unique from the rest of other regions in Zambia, otherwise there was not going to be the need for an agreement in the first place. This is more reason why it should be surprising for anyone in our time to discount the significance of the BA64.
It was agreed and negotiated because Barotseland was in itself a unique case. The same situation happened with Zanzibar. While maintaining many cultural ties with the rest of Tanganyika, Zanzibar was known to be a unique region unlike any other region in the rest of main land Tanganyika. This uniqueness was more historical than political. In fact, Zanzibar had enjoyed a few years as an independent nation. It did not even matter which tribes were in Zanzibar or what the population of Zanzibar was.
In the same way, it should not matter which tribes live in Barotseland or the characters of those tribes. The question and recognition we need to make is that Barotseland was a unique region.
Knowing that Barotseland was unique was very clear to Kaunda. With regard to Nyerere, he too knew very well that Zanzibar was a unique area. But when deciding what to do in proceeding to independence made a difference between Nyerere and Kaunda.
Nyerere showed great leadership that took the future into account. As for Kaunda the immediate political scores were more important to him. Nyerere went to Zanzibar and negotiated a unity deal that would ensure some amount of autonomy for Zanzibar in a united nation to be known as Tanzania—the name created from combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Kaunda also wanted to go on similar lines as Nyerere, albeit with lots of differences and changes.
First, Kaunda negotiated an agreement with the Litunga from a position of great strength. He for all purposes left very little options for the Litunga. Mwanawina just had to sign the agreement. Besides, the BA64 was done at a time that the Litunga was at his weakest politically. The political party he would have liked to win in Barotseland had been walloped by UNIP in elections and the British had refused him independence.
Additionally, Barotseland was functionally broke. Knowing this, Kaunda put the Litunga in a corner where he had to sign the deal. With hindsight, Kaunda should have been wiser. Politics do change and it changes very fast. Within two years of independence by 1966, UNIP had lost considerable support in Barotseland and the Westerners were having second thoughts about the BA64 already. Kaunda should have negotiated with the Litunga as equals. He should have not based his decisions on his political popularity at that time since politics change very quickly.
Second, Kaunda made a huge mistake with the BA64 by cleverly making the agreement while robbing it of its legal and constitutional effect. As such whereas we have the BA64, it was never legislated by a Zambian legislature and it was done without a referendum.
In Tanzania on the other hand, Nyerere negotiated a legislated agreement such that the unity of between Zanzibar and Tanganyika to form Tanzania was a constitutional act. Kaunda may have been clever in doing the BA64 without parliamentary approval, what is more concerning however, is that Kaunda sought both parliamentary and referendum approval to toss out Zambia’s obligation in the BA64.
I think Kaunda thought that the BA64 paper would just disappear on its own. He was sadly mistaken, because now every one of us has been able to read the agreement and see what it contained. Hiding it, or even claiming that it has been overtaken by events while making lots of sense would not put the emotions of the Barotse to rest. To avoid further unrest and confrontations, Zambia should talk with Barotseland again!
Third, history is not just on the side of Kaunda’s actions. No region world-over that has some legitimate claim to autonomy can maintain connections with the larger country without negotiation.
Secessionist Katanga is quiet now, because it enjoys some autonomy within a united Democratic Republic of Congo. This is why Katanga’s first Bemba-speaking governor could shut down his side of the border without recourse to Kinshasa. Katumbi has the power to negotiate for mineral interests within Katanga. This simple act of autonomy has for the time being kept secessionist talk in Katanga to the minimum.
The Caprivi Strip uprising was violently crushed in Namibia in late 1990s. The Strip does have some legitimate claim to autonomy and Namibia’s violent reaction in dealing with the Strip only guarantees that the question is not solved but buried only to be resurrected latter.
Canada has its own unique issues with Quebec. To keep Quebec within a united Canada, Canada has had to make concessions that other regions in Canada simply regard to be ridiculous. Quebec’s right to self-determination encompasses immigration, and even taxation. Prominence of Québécois politicians at the federal scene gives the region some amount of pride that has for now postponed the drive towards independence.
With regard to Ethiopia, only war led to Ethiopia granting independence to Eritrea. War ought not to be the case with Zambia. We have seen how Nyerere handled Zanzibar, negotiate and make deals. If Zanzibar is happy, so will Tanzania be.
For Zambia, Kaunda is no longer in power. It is therefore not about what Kaunda did and did not do. The challenge for President Rupiah Banda is to listen, negotiate and make a deal. This deal should not be changed at will by Zambia.
A united Zambia is possible only to the extent that those elements that created it in the first place remain peaceful. You cannot dribble the Barotse on one hand while on the other hand preach a message of peace and unity.
“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings…”
(Proverbs 22:29, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Too often, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same thing the same way over and over every day. But if we are going to live at our absolute best, we should constantly be growing and sharpening our skills. We should strive to learn and grow every single day because when you stop learning, you stop growing. When you stop growing, you stop living.
What are you doing to stretch yourself? What are you doing to improve your skills? Don’t get trapped into thinking that “good enough” is good enough. You were created for more than just average. Today is a new day, and there are new heights for you to climb. Pursue what you love and keep developing that area of your life. Take a class or find a mentor that will help you live skillfully. As you do, you’ll rise up higher and higher. You will stand before leaders and rulers, and you’ll live the blessed life God has in store for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, today I choose to rise out of mediocrity. I choose to give my very best to everything I do. Teach me to live skillfully so that my life is a continual praise to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga and Acting Town Clerk Bornwell Lwanga said the allocations of land to councilors are a normal trend at the council.
Mr. Lwanga said the council has a record of members of the public that have benefited from such land allocations.
Mr Lwanga and the mayor said this in response to a query from ZNBC news.
And The Ministry of Local Government has instituted investigations into the alleged irregular allocation of land by the Lusaka City Council.
Local Government Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said his ministry is concerned by reports that council staff awarded themselves plots at the Lilayi Housing Unit.
Mr Mutetka was speaking with ZNBC News in Lusaka on Saturday.
He says the report will be submitted to police once investigations are completed.
Minutes of the special council meeting of December 30, 2010, have revealed that the Patriotic Front led Lusaka City is alleged to have allocated itself over 90-plots against eleven offered to the public at the Lilayi Housing Development Project.
The housing project has about one hundred and two residential plots, each valued at 40 Million Kwacha.
The piece of land measures approximately 6.3 hectors and follows the successful swapping of land between the council and Lilayi Housing Development.
According to minutes of the special council meeting of December 30, 2010, the office of the Mayor has been given 10-plots while the office of the Town Clerk has been allocated five plots.
Councilors have allocated themselves 45-plots while 16-others have gone to members of staff at the local authority.
The report by the council’s Acting Director of Legal Services on the allocation of plots at the housing project also indicates that 5-plots have been offered to the office of the Deputy Mayor.
It has been agreed according to the minutes that provisional offer letters be issued pending a formal decision by the Plans, Work and Development Committee.
Youth Protesters taunting the police during the Mongu riots.
A named former Barotseland Royal Establishment (BRE) prime minister (Ngambela) is said to be the man behind the insurgency.
The 90-year-old man is believed to have indoctrinated many young people, making them believe that they would be bulletproof if they use his charms.
On January 14, police fought running battles in Mongu and Limulunga with several groups of youths wielding stones, axes and machetes.
The Limulunga royal village, home of the Litunga, was turned into fierce battleground when several youths clashed with the police.
The youths raided a home of one of their own clansmen and beat up another juvenile before police could move in.
They openly taunted and challenged the police, who remained calm until the young men attempted to raid the police camp. The paramilitary police replied by firing teargas canisters.
Leaders of the Linyungandambo, a group calling itself the Black Bulls, BPF and BFM had called for a meeting in Limulunga, dubbed Limulunga Declaration.
And calm is gradually returning to Mongu where police have maintained their heavy presence on the streets and all public places.
Western Province police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba warned that police will continue clamping down on all those suspected of causing confusion in the area.
Mr Mweemba said police have remained alert for any renegades who may want to stir violence again.
“The situation has calmed down but we shall continue with our patrols in Mongu and Limulunga. We do not know what these people are planning now and we shall not give them any opportunity to cause any form of confusion or terror to others,” Mr Mweemba said.
He has also assured inter-city bus operators that the Lusaka-Mongu Road is open and that police have put in enough security measures to protect the travellers.
By late afternoon on January 15, the police had extended their patrols to the townships, particularly those where the suspected youths live.
Meanwhile, Western Province Police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba has dismissed reports that Police shot dead eight youths on January Friday.
Mr Mweemba explained that apart from the two who died, one unidentified man was found lying dead by Police on Limulunga Road around 19:30 hours on January 14.
He said the man, who was killed by unknown people, sustained a deep cut on the left side of his ribs and his hands were crossed on the chest.
Mr Mweemba said the deceased must have been stabbed with a knife. The body is lying in Lewanika General Hospital mortuary awaiting identification, postmortem and burial.
THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a 36-year-old student of Greenwood Institute in Lusaka for allegedly trafficking in cocaine.
Francisco Mayimona, an Angolan national, was arrested at his Makeni home after allegedly being found with four sachets of cocaine powder.
DEC public relations manager, John Nyawali said Mayimona was also found with US$4,900 which was seized as it is believed the money was part of proceeds from cocaine sales.
Mr Nyawali said Mayimona is allegedly one of the drug kingpins that have been supplying cocaine to members of the public along the line of rail.
The suspect is detained in police custody with three alleged accomplices.
In a separate incident, the DEC has arrested 33-year-old Lusaka City Council football club player Cephas Meja for allegedly trafficking in cocaine.
Meja, a resident of Libala in Lusaka, was arrested at his makeshift stall after allegedly being found with six sachets of cocaine.
Meanwhile, Mr Nyawali has said that 74 people were arrested countrywide in the last seven days for trafficking in various quantities of cannabis weighing a total of 406kgs.
All suspects are detained in police custody awaiting trial.
And the Immigration Department in Lusaka has arrested 14 foreign nationals for abrogating various immigration laws.
Immigration Department public relations officer Justine Siame said the culprits were arrested last Tuesday during a night operation in Lusaka.
Mr Siame said in an interview in Lusaka that the prohibited immigrants have been detained and will soon appear in court for prosecution.
“Those arrested were 10 Somalis arrested from Chaisa Township, two Congolese from Mandevu Township, a Nigerian and a Mozambican both of Matero Township,” he said.
Mr Siame also said the department has arrested a Zambian woman in Mansa for allegedly harbouring a Congolese national.
Eight Congolese have also been arrested for illegal entry into Zambia.
Mr Siame said an Egyptian man has been arrested and detained in Kitwe for allegedly working at a named company without a valid work permit and will appear in court soon.
“In Chingola four Congolese were prosecuted and convicted for illegal entry. They were fined K1million each or in default six months simple imprisonment,” he said.
Mr Siame warned that the department will not relent in ensuring that culprits abrogating immigration laws are brought to book.
FOUR church leaders have been arrested for allegedly swindling over K400 million from farmers in Mpongweon the pretext of supplying them with fertiliser.
Mpongwe District Commissioner Rasford Bulaya confirmed this in an interview on January 14.
“Two pastors and two elders are in custody over the swindling of farmers in Mpongwe. They collected money for the supply of fertiliser as a way of supplementing Government’s effort to promote agriculture in the area,” he said.
He said the clergymen supplied only two truckloads of Compound D fertiliser to a few farmers.
Mr Bulaya said the four, who are believed to be running a non-governmental organisation, are remanded in police custody in Luanshya pending further investigations.
Meanwhile, Mr Bulaya has said that Government distributed fertiliser to farmers in Mpongwe as early as October 2010.
He said farmers are now able to adequately plan for their farming activities.
He said government’s Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has enhanced agriculture production in the district.
“We are happy with Government’s commitment in the distribution of FISP as this will enhance national food security,” he said.
Mr Bulaya has also said that 75 percent of rural electrification programmes have been achieved in the district.
He said almost all palaces have been electrified.
In phase one of the programme, Chieftainess Malembeka and Chieftainess Lesa’s palaces were electrified. In the second phase Chief Machiya’s palace was electrified.
Only Chief Mwinuna’s palace is yet to be connected to the power grid.
Mr Bulaya said Kanyenda Basic School, which is about 10kms from Mpongwe clinic, has also been electrified.
Mr Bulaya said other areas will be electrified this year.
He also said a basic school is being constructed to ease the pressure for school places at Ibenga High School and Mpongwe High School.
