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The Week in Pictures
Tribalism in Zambia—Zambians Speak Up
By Wesley Ngwenya
This is a subject that continues to make headlines in Zambia especially with our politicians. I am not going to focus on what the politicians are saying or not saying. But let me talk about my experiences interacting with Zambians of various backgrounds, here in Zambia, what they are saying about the Tongas. For some reasons when we talk about tribalism, in Zambia, the Tonga word is almost always in the same sentence. Should it really be like that? Here are the experiences;
No.1
I shared a house in Kabwata area with a single mother of five children. She was a marketeer at Soweto Market. Her ethnicity is Mambwe. During my year or so in that house I heard her make so many outrageous statements about the Tongas. One day, after she stated that Tongas were very selfish people and that is why she cannot vote for a Tonga person, I asked her to name five Tonga people that she knew who were selfish. She was taken unawares, so I helped her. “Can you think of a Tonga person who was your neighbour, workmate, in-law, friend, etc who you knew personally and was selfish?”, I asked. She could not think of any even after giving her several minutes. She later admitted that it was what people were saying. She grew up being told that. Imagine what her children were learning from her. Which brings me to my next experience.
No. 2
This took place when I was playing a basketball game with some guys in the neighborhood. During my break I was on the sideline with a group of 7 to 10 year olds who were watching the game. One boy remarked, “mwamu wona uja atamanga monga chi mutonga”.
In another incident, a group of 7 or 8 year old girls were walking just ahead of me when one girl said, “mutonga a vuta, sini ga kwatiliwe ku mutonga ine.”
No. 3
I was on a minibus headed into town. The bus stopped at a station where the conductor was waiting on some passengers who were not in a hurry to get on the bus. One of the two guys who were seated behind me in the backseat who were drinking chibuku remarked, “so fi tonga”. As if by reflex, I turned around and gave that guy a few blows.
No. 4
On a bus to Livingstone there was a fairly large woman seated a few seats in front of me but on the other side of the isle. I don’t know if she was looking for attention or what but she made several tribal remarks against the Tongas in Chibemba. Somewhere after Monze she was saying things like, “ba tonga oko be kala so kumushi” then later she said something about “ba tonga kushishita.” No one said a word on the bus. I certainly was not in the mood. Can you imagine what would happen to a Tonga making these remarks on a bus to Kashikishi?
These are only titbits of many stories that people on the ground are saying or not saying. It certainly is heartbreaking when you hear a seven year old making such tribal remarks. What does a seven year old know about Tongas? Tribalism in Zambia is deep rooted in our families. We entertain it and love to insult other ethnic groups. In my experience Tongas have been the victims of tribalism. I am yet to find a Tonga who says all these things about whoever. If they do maybe they do so in the confinements of their homes.
What really shocks me about these things is how people can have the courage to make such statements and get away with. Even more shocking is the silence. A person will insult Tongas or Lozis and yet no one stands up to reprimand such a person for the tribal remarks. Why? It is because it has become part of our culture to scorn the Tongas? How about if it were the Tongas who were making all these outrageous statements about other tribes? Will these statements be received with the same silence?
One does not have to be Tonga to respond to this. One just needs to be Zambian. Like I told the people on that bus after hitting that young man. Some started saying so “you are Tonga?” Well, you don’t need to be Tonga to be angry at such hatred against the Tongas. The issue of ethnicity in Zambia is still very rooted in our society. People are still judged by the language they speak or where they come from. We are still long ways to fighting tribalism in this country. We need a cultural revolution for many people to realize that we are all the same despite our various backgrounds. By the way, why don’t Tongas never speak out for themselves? Where are you hiding?
Govt to extend mobile voter registration exercise
Home Affairs Minister Mkondo Lungu says government is looking into the extension of the mobile voter registration exercise to ensure that the 2.5 million target of registered voters is met by the electoral commission of Zambia ECZ.
Mr. Lungu said it would be necessary to extend the mobile voter registration exercise to accord more people register as voters.
He noted that the figures of registered voters are evidence enough that most people did not manage to register as voters.
Mr. Lungu, however, said the extension of the exercise would depend on government’s financial resources.
The mobile voter registration exercise came to an end on the 30th of November 2010 with calls from stakeholders to extend the exercise to meet the 2.5 million target set by the electoral commission of Zambia ECZ.
[ QFM ]
Regional administrators eye Fifa position
Danny Jordaan (South Africa), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Cuthbert Dube (Zimbabwe), John Muinjo (Namibia) and Adam Mthethwa (Swaziland).
These are the football administrators who will be vying for the vacant Fifa executive committee and CAF committee post when elections are held in Khartoum, Sudan next year on February 23 to choose a replacement for South African administrator Molefi Oliphant. Oliphant has said he would not be seeking re-election.
The vacant position is to be contested only by football administrators from the Southern African region who would have been nominated by their respective national football associations. In an interview with The Zimbabwean, a source privy to the goings within the Fifa and CAF corridors of power revealed that Jordaan and Bwalya – both respected figures in African football circles – are the favorites to land the post.
“I would say that Jordaan has a better chance than anyone else to replace Oliphant. He was leader of the team that put up a world cup that is being described as the best ever so this has really put him in good stead,” said the source. “He is now a respected football administrator and his reputation continues to grow in leaps and bounds. Bwalya, who is one of the continent’s most accomplished former football stars, also has a good chance,” he added.
The source pointed out that although Zimbabwe is seen as one of the football powerhouses in the region, Dube’s candidature is likely to be tainted by the match fixing allegations that are being leveled against some officials at Zifa.
Fifa has of late been heavily descending on corrupt African football officials and recently suspended four of its executives for various offences.
Nigeria’s Amos Adamu, Tunisian lawyer Slim Aloulou, Fifa referees committee member Amadou Diakate and Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana form part of a group of six football officials that have been banned by Fifa’s ethics committee for a number of breaches.
Most of the officials were banned for accepting bribes for votes while Bhamjee was banned for four years for selling World Cup tickets in Germany in 2006. “One cannot say with certainty that he (Cuthbert Dube) was involved in those allegations but as the current chairman of Zifa, it certainly does not bode well for his Fifa and CAF aspirations. “Fifa is frowning on corruption and their recent actions prove this. The rest of the candidates will be edged out by the fact that their countries are largely considered as lightweights in the region,” said the CAF source.
[http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk]
Danny Jordaan and Kalusha Bwalya’s profile summaries
Danny Daniel Alexander Jordaan Profile Summary
South African Sports Administrator
Date of Birth: 03-09-1951 Place of Birth: Port Elizabeth
Current Position(s)
Member, National Lottery Board, (2001 – present) Member, International Marketing Council, Pretoria (2001 – present)
Member, Marketing & TV Board FIFA, Zurich, Switzerland (1998 – present)
Previous Position(s)
Chief Executive Officer, 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (2004 – 2010)
Chief Executive Officer, World Cup Soccer Bid 2010 (2001 – 2004)
Education
Honorary Degree(s)
- University of South Africa
- Honorary Doctor of Administration
Degree(s)
- University of South Africa
- Bachelor of Arts
- University of Western Cape
- UED
- University of Western Cape
- Bachelor of Arts
Danny Jordaan is a South African sports administrator as well as a former lecturer, politician and anti-apartheid activist. He also had a leading role in the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, as Chief Executive Officer: 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Johannesburg.
[http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/user/2150]
Kalusha Bwalya Profile Summary
(born August 16, 1963 in Mufulira), known as simply Kalusha, is a Zambian footballer and coach.
He is Zambia’s most capped player, all-time top goalscorer, and is regarded as the greatest Zambian player to play the game.
He was named African Footballer of the Year in 1988 by the magazine France Football, and was nominated for the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year where he was voted the 12th-best player in the world.
He currently serves as a standing committee member at FIFA and the Confederation of African Football and as of 2008 is the president of the Football Association of Zambia.
Previously he was vice president.
In the first half of 2006, Bwalya resigned from his position as the Zambia coach but having served as vice president of the Football Association of Zambia until 2008, he was voted in to be president as of 2008. This was as a result of pressure from members of the Football Association of Zambia as well as the media.
Administrative career
He currently serves as a standing committee member at FIFA and the Confederation of African Football and as of 2008 is the president of the Football Association of Zambia. Previously he was vice president.
In the first half of 2006, Bwalya resigned from his position as the Zambia coach but having served as vice president of the Football Association of Zambia until 2008, he was voted in to be president as of 2008. This was as a result of pressure from members of the Football Association of Zambia as well as the media.
Playing position Free Role Forward or Winger
Soccer career
Years Club
1979–1980 Mufulira Blackpool
1980–1985 Mufulira Wanderers
1985–1989 Cercle Brugge K.S.V.
1989–1994 PSV Eindhoven
1994–1997 Club América
1997 Necaxa
1998 Al Wahda
1998 Club Léon
1999 Club Irapuato
1999 CD Veracruz
2000 Correcaminos UAT
Honours
2 x Eredivisie (Dutch League): 1990-91, 1991-92.
1 x KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup): 1989-90.
1 x Johan Cruijff schaal (Dutch Super Cup): 1991-92.
2 x Pop Poll d’Echte Cercle Brugge K.S.V.: Player of the Year: 1986-87 & 1987-88.
1 x African Footballer of the Year: 1988
2 x Cercle Brugge top scorer: 1987 & 1988.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalusha_Bwalya]
3 members of one family arrested for drug trafficking
Three members of one family in Lusaka’s Makeni area have been arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) for drug trafficking.
Lucas Avraam aged 39 and his brother Niklaos Avraam, aged 37, both Greek nationals, were arrested at their Makeni homes after they were found with different quantities of cocaine weighing over 10 grams.
Gavrille Avraam, aged 44, who is believed to be a Greek national but claims to be a South African, was arrested together with the two after he was also found with his own contraband.
The arrest of the three businessmen believed to have been supplying cocaine to members of the public at an identified entertainment spot situated in Makeni has been confirmed to MUVI TV news by DEC Public Relations Manager, John Nyawali.
And Mr. Nyawali has told Muvi TV news that 41 people were arrested countrywide in the last five days for trafficking in different quantities of cannabis weighing over 150 kilograms.
These include two Tanzanian nationals who were found with 69 bundles of Mirra weighing 30 kilograms.
[ MUV TV ]
Lusaka’s Kalikiliki residents complain over footbridge
The residents are alleging that the standard of the bridge does not equal the amount of money that was pumped into the project.
They have further alleged that the bridge will worsen the flooding adding that a much better bridge would have eased up their movement during the rainy season.
However the Lusaka City Council has stated that the structure which is deemed substandard had the blessings of its engineers.
LCC Public Relations Officer, Henry Kapata, said more than thirty five million kwacha from Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was used to put up the structure.
He said the move to use concrete material was arrived at as a mitigating measure against vandalism.
And area councilor James Maimba told Muvi TV News that he has never handled the money for the project other than playing a monitoring role.
[ MUV TV ]
Zambia Seek Spark Against Somalia
Zambia face winless Somalia on Friday looking for a win to see them through to the quarterfinal of this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.
Zambia is in second place in Group A on four points level with leaders Burundi who face third placed Tanzania on three points in their final preliminary round matches.
Dario Bonetti’s side must win to guarantee their last eight spot for a second successive Cecafa Cup outing.
Meanwhile, Bonetti will be looking forward to an improved performance after his team stuttered to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday against leaders Burundi.
However the team looked very basic on Tuesday and Bonetti is surely now hoping that he could have had the quality of bad-boy players Rainford Kalaba and Felix Katongo to call upon.
Strikers Felix Sunzu has failed to click in attack,Venecious Mapande is blowing hot and cold in the Dar heat although captain defender Billy Mwanza has led with a heart in abrasive fashion.
But whatever the case, Zambia need victory for fans to have some positive news to talk about in the midst of the mayhem of the Faz wrangles.
Fifa is unfair- Gen Miyanda
General Godfrey Miyanda has expressed his concern about Fifa’s official view on the Faz wrangles.
Gen Miyanda said in a statement that Fifa was not fair in its judgment by siding with the Kalusha Bwalya executive in the over the crisis and inviting his faction and government to Zurich on December 21 to discuss the impasse.
“Fifa is wrong, double wrong to have endorsed the meeting in Kabwe before both meetings had taken place,” General Miyanda said.
“FIFA should have waited for and demanded for factual reports from the two groups. It is the same FIFA that advised them to reach the two-thirds threshold but later changed the goal posts. Clearly the FAZ arithmetic is wrong.”
And the General wondered what really amounted to government interference after republican president Rupiah Banda, who is also Faz Patron, recently called for dialogue between Kalusha and leader of the November 26 ECM Andrew Kamanga just months after playing a pivotal role in Dario Bonetti’s appointment as Zambian coach.
“He has been claiming that he did not want to interfere in Faz matters,” the General and former republican vice president said.
“But not so long ago, when Faz was about to recruit the Italian coach, and the public was against that, Patron Banda intimidated everyone by saying that if that coach was not recruited he would not continue to raise funds for Faz. I am very sure that if the Patron had called the two groups to a meeting before their ECM’s they would have responded positively. Now it may be too late because the horses have already bolted from the stable. What is necessary is first to rein them in, which is the purpose of this statement.”
An Open Letter to Members of Parliament
By Henry Kyambalesa
It is encouraging that some of the suggestions made by Zambians regarding the contemplated new Republican constitution are incorporated into the just-released Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2010. We are clearly getting closer to the enactment of a Republican constitution that will stand the test of time!
I, however, wish to make a few comments and suggestions (relating to a sample of Articles in the Bill cited above), which are designed to make the Bill more acceptable to the majority of Zambians, and more credible in the eyes of the international community.
The Preamble:
The first three paragraphs of the Preamble should read as follows:
“We, the people of Zambia, by our representatives assembled in our Parliament,
ACKNOWLEDGE the supremacy of God Almighty;
UPHOLD the right of every person to enjoy that person’s freedom of conscience or religion; …”
There is no country in the world today that can claim to be a Christian nation in its national constitution other than the State of Israel. But, unfortunately, the Holy Land DOES NOT even have an official religion! And only 2.1% of Israelis are designated as being Christian, while 76.3% are designated as being Jewish, 16% as being Moslems, and so forth.
What is really driving us to this level of religious fanaticism? Is it not enough to acknowledge the supremacy of God Almighty in the constitution?
Anyway, the Republican constitution should be a neutral document that should not appear to discriminate against atheists or pagans, or those who believe in Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or Jainism. All these segments of Zambian society have a genuine stake in the Republican constitution and, therefore, deserve to be respected in spite of the fact that they are currently not as large as their Christian counterparts.
Christian Values and Principles:
Article 144 of the Bill, which is about Christian Values and Principles, should be removed because “directing the policies and laws towards securing and promoting Christian values” or beliefs which it espouses would be inconsistent with “upholding the right of every person to enjoy that person’s freedom of conscience or religion” that is enshrined in the Preamble.
It is also not consistent with what is enshrined in Article 201(2)(a) of the Bill, which states that a political party shall not be founded on a religious basis, among other things. If it would be permissible for the national government to generate “policies and laws towards securing and promoting Christian values …,” why would it be wrong for a political party to fashion its existence and contemplated policies and laws that would have a religious bearing?
There is also a contradiction between Article 201(2)(a) cited above and Article 201(1)(g), which states that “A political party shall promote the objectives and principles of this Constitution and the rule of law,” which would essentially include the promotion of Christian values and principles!
By the way, there are no such things as “Christian values” or “Christian principles.” I know this because am actually a devout Christian! It is, therefore, not a good idea to load the Republican constitution with such unconventional terms.
Qualifications of Presidential Candidates:
The requirement in Article 34(1)(c) of the Bill that presidential candidates should have been resident in Zambia for 10 consecutive years preceding any given presidential election are clearly designed to exclude certain individuals from contesting the Republican presidency. It is obvious that this Clause could not have been included in the Bill if the MMD presidential candidate in the 2011 general elections—that is, Mr. Rupiah Banda—had been working or studying in a foreign country over the last 5 or so years.
What is really the rationale for such a Clause? Apart from mimicking other countries which have a similar requirement in their national constitutions, what is it supposed to achieve?
There are many reasons why Zambians temporarily reside in foreign countries, such as to pursue studies, to work for the Zambian government in foreign missions, to work at foreign-based branches of companies registered in Zambia, to pursue investment opportunities, to seek employment due to the widespread unemployment currently obtaining in the country, or to serve the country at the African Union, SADC and COMESA regional offices.
These are all good reasons why some Zambian citizens have, now and again, found themselves temporarily residing in foreign countries. Why, then, should their native country’s constitution deny them the opportunity to vie for the Republican presidency?
Besides, there is really nothing sinister about Zambians who may happen to reside in foreign countries for 10 years prior to any given presidential election. In fact, we should consider it a blessing to have citizens who have lived in foreign countries to contest the Republican presidency because of their wide exposure, as bystanders, to the strengths and weaknesses of different modes of governance applied in different national settings.
Technically, the requirement affects even citizens who are currently serving our beloved country in foreign countries, such as Dr. Nevers Mumba and Dr. Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika, and politicians like Mr. Tilyenji Kaunda who, I believe, conducts a business in neighboring Zimbabwe. Or is there going to be subsidiary legislation designed to exempt such people from the requirement?
No Amendments, Please!
From the beginning of the on-going constitutional process, there has been a general clamor by Zambians for a completely new Republican constitution. Any deviation from this expectation is, therefore, autocratic and a reflection of the political malfeasance which has become ingrained in our beloved country over the years. And, by and large, Zambians expect the new Republican constitution to include the following:
(a) Provision for the appointment of ministers by the Republican President from among persons qualified to be elected as members of parliament, but who are not members of parliament;
(b) Provision for the election of the Republican President under a system where the winning candidate should receive not less than 50 percent plus one vote of the valid votes cast;
(c) Provision for the Republican Vice President to be elected as a running mate to any citizen seeking to be elected as Republican President;
(d) Provision for a consultative, transparent and accountable debt contraction law designed to give power to Parliament to oversee and approve all loans to be contracted by the government on behalf of Zambians; and
(e) Provision for religious neutrality by removing the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation and any related Articles and Clauses.
If these concerns cannot be addressed now, we should hold the forthcoming tripartite elections under the 1996 constitution in its current form. There is really no wisdom in trying to push through a constitutional Bill which has so many contentious issues and inconsistencies—the kinds of issues and inconsistencies which are predictably going to elicit nationwide demonstrations and potentially culminate in losses of property and human life.
The Swedish Week in Zambia 6-12 December
Sweden and Zambia celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations and development cooperation this year. The Embassy of Sweden in Lusaka will shed light on this by a variety of activities – during the Swedish Week 6-12 December – encompassing all aspects of Swedish-Zambian relations, such as trade and commercial ties, development cooperation, political dialogue, cultural exchange and more. The Swedish Week further aims at promoting Sweden and Swedish businesses, Swedish policies in various sectors, Swedish openness and Swedish culinary traditions.
On the program are activities such as-
* Swedish movies,
* open doors at the Embassy of Sweden (for the public and media to meet our staff, scrutinise our development cooperation in accordance with the Swedish principle of public access and accountability),
* possibilities to share views on corporate social responsibility (CSR) with Swedish businesses,
* promotion of Innovations Against Poverty (a Swedish program that challenges the private sector to develop products and services to fight poverty and climate change),
* seminars on maternal health and human rights,
* consultative forum on child rights and the private sector,
* exhibition about Sweden as one of the world’s most innovative countries,
* seminars on women in agriculture and about Zambian youth,
* the possibility to get to know more about Swedish literature both for children and adults,
* fund raising for the Dag Hammarskjöld school in Ndola.
* Swedish traditional cooking at the menu at the InterContinental Hotel,
* the Embassy will also launch a Celebratory Publication where the Swedish-Zambian relations over this period are depicted from many angles.
and much more!
Most activities are open to the public and free of charge.
Mbikusita –Lewanika leads EU Parliamentarians in prayer
Zambia’s Ambassador to the EU, Dr. Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika yesterday led scores of European members of Parliament (MEPs), royal families and other dignitaries from across Europe in fervent prayer for secular Europe to return to the God of the Bible and Christian values on which the European continent was founded.
At a packed annual prayer breakfast for members of the European Parliament held at the EU parliament in Brussels, Dr. Mbikusita-Lewanika beseeched God on behalf of Europe to remember the continent in mercy and save it from a moral crisis and economic woes.
The prayer breakfast, also a global event held in major cities of the world, was a gifted opportunity for the Zambian Embassy in Brussels to connect with several members of the European parliament.
Speaker after speaker on the prayer breakfast’s theme: Serving like Jesus in public life, lamented Europe’s fall from moral grace and challenged members of the European parliament to take a stand for Jesus Christ in the public sphere so that Europe could return to the faith of its founding fathers and mothers and the Christian values that enabled it send missionaries across the world where they pioneered education and health sectors.
This is contained in a statement to ZANIS from the Zambian mission in Brussels signed by Assistant Secretary for Press Samuel Ngoma.
And in his main message, Liechtenstein’s former Ambassador to the EU, Prince Charles-Louis de Merode, regretted that prayer in the high strata of society was now more seldom and rebuked those who were putting Jesus Christ on the back-seat of public life.
He challenged Europe’s secularists to take a cue from its wintry dark weather under cloudy skies which by no means meant there was no sun behind the clouds. “In the same way, we may not see God but that does not mean He is not there. Faith is an act of realism,” said Prince Merode.
One after another, the European dignitaries warned that for as long as there was no morality, there would be no real values in Europe as God had been taken out of the public sphere and the huge onus was on MEPs to now let their light shine.
Later, Dr. Mbikusita-Lewanika was chosen to be a panelist in a continued discussion after the breakfast within the EU premises where discussants shared similar cries, burdens, values, fire and hope for Europe to stand up against the continent’s vices such as drug abuse, hedonism, teenage delinquency, abortion and gay marriages.
ZANIS
It is time to do away with final examinations in Zambia
By Wesley Ngwenya
This week all the examination classes in Zambia would have finished writing their final examinations. The examination classes, in Zambia, are grade seven, grade nine, and grade twelve. These grades have to go through a week to a month of continuous rigorous testing with each exam sometimes lasting up to three hours.
Every year, there are allegations of exam malpractices all over the country as students and teachers alike are under pressure of meeting the expectations of parents and administrators. This month, I ran into several groups of grade twelve students who were actually reviewing exam papers that had leaked. Apparently, this was happening in Chilenje, Kabwata, Matero, Chelston and pretty much all over Lusaka. This got me thinking—do we really need these examinations? Or rather, are examinations the best way to evaluate academic performance?
It is very clear that exams, in Zambia, have lost their purpose. If exams are there to eliminate students so that they do not progress to the next grade then maybe they can be justified. However, if they are intended to distinguish students who are outstanding academically to those who are not then they are obviously way off the target.
Our current education system in Zambia revolves around exams. Students in primary, secondary and even college spend their time focussing on the final exams. There is little or no time for creativity during their time in classes. Students don’t have the luxury of exploring their interests and stretching their minds. It’s all exams exams and exams. How can a two hour exam determine how good of a student you have been in the last twelve years? Surely, it is time our educators revised our system. We need our students to be able to pursue their interests. Let them work on projects and be more innovative. There are quite a variety of areas that our students can be involved in within our country. I would be eager to see our students in secondary school pursue interests in environmental issues, botany, mining, irrigation, climate change, e-commerce, and many more.
Instead of having an exam oriented syllabus, there is need to focus on continuous assessment. Then students would focus on issues that are relevant to them. I have been recently learning a lot about the various names of Zambian birds from the children of my American friends. I feel ashamed of myself that I cannot name more that ten varieties of our birds and yet we have thousands of varieties here in Zambia. Many of our students have not seen a lion or many of our beautiful wildlife but they are expected to write lengthy essays, during exams, about the wildlife in Zambia. Many of our students have never seen a test tube but they are expected to use them during their final exams. What is, therefore, the use of these exams, to make them fail?
The United States has the SAT or ACT tests which are “sort of” used by some colleges for admission. However, in college, you do various things in your chosen major to earn your degree—you attend classes, do assignments, projects, research papers, group discussion, focus groups, presentations, field trips, internships, tests, exams, and many more. I remember that I had an exam on Friday and was graduating of Sunday. This was possible because my exam was only a small component of the whole course. On the other hand, here in Zambia, our colleges are infested with exams. Students are forced to do certain things such as having an affair with their professors so they can make the grade. Professors at our colleges and universities have become so powerful because they hold the key of success for many of their students. A professor can choose to fail if they don’t like you or you refuse to have a relationship with them.
Sadly, many other colleges have mushroomed in Zambia so long you are able to pay them exam fees. I checked out one of these colleges where the registrar told me all I needed do was pay a few thousand dollars then I can get a few books and go study at home. After that come back in December to write the final exams and you get your MBA hmmm! Sounds interesting, absolutely not. Sounds familiar, absolutely. That’s not exactly what I envisioned I would have to do to earn my MBA.
Our schools are graduating people who are unable to write a business plan, solve a simple mathematical problem, interpret basic information let alone articulate themselves in our official language. Little wonder why we have mediocre minds in positions of leadership in Zambia. I say it is time to do away with these ridiculous exams and introduce continuous assessment in all levels of our education system. Maybe we can introduce boxing. Yes boxing where we pair each other and knock each other down and the winner advances to the next grade. Can you imagine how many world class boxers would come out of Zambia as a result? Better than getting a distinction in school but you cannot afford to go to college or find a job, right?
251 Zambians get HIV/AIDS infected daily – UN
The United Nations UN says 226 adults and 25 children get infected every day in Zambia.
UN Resident Coordinator Kanni Wignaraja, however, said that it is gratifying to note that most men are voluntarily choosing circumcision while mothers are accessing services to prevent passing HIV to their infants .
Ms. Wignaraja also stated that only 15 percent of adults in Zambia know their HIV/AIDS status.
She was speaking at the commemoration of World AIDS Day in Lusaka today.
Ms. Wignaraja said milestones reached in Zambia have been made possible because of the existing unity among families, communities, government, and cooperating partners.
She has since called on all cooperating partners not to discriminate anyone with the diseases as death is possible in everyone’s lifetime.
On the global level, Ms. Wignaraja said new HIV/ AIDS infections have reduced by 20 percent.
The UN Resident Coordinator said that there are less people who are being infected with HIV and dying from the pandemic.
Ms. Wignaraja has noted that with commitment and solidarity, the fight against HIV/AIDS is assisting the world community to pay more attention against the epidemic.
“As stated by the United Nations Secretary General, we have significantly reached the first part of the Millennium Development Goal 6—by halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV. We must continue to chart a new and bold path ahead,” She said.
[ ZANIS]
Lightning strikes dead Kasama Boys High School pupil
A 17-year-old pupil of Kasama Boys High School died on the spot after being struck by lightning.
The incident happened on Monday evening following heavy rains experienced in the District.
Kasama Boys High School head teacher Alex Mulenga confirmed the death of a grade eleven pupil whom he named to ZANIS in an interview, yesterday.
Mr. Mulenga explained that the pupil met his fate while he was returning home from Newtown area.
The body of the deceased is lying in Kasama General Hospital mortuary awaiting burial.
In a related development, a one by three classroom block at Musenga Basic School in Kasama has had its roof blown off by heavy rains coupled with strong winds.
This came to light when Mr. Mwansa and Ms. Mvula visited the school yesterday to check on the extent of the damage to the school infrastructure.
The DC assured school authorities that government would soon repair the damaged infrastructure so that lessons at the school could continue without disruption.
[ ZANIS ]
Kalu-Faz Threatens Police Action
The Kalusha Bwalya-led FAZ faction has threatened to report the November 26 bloc to the police for allegedly purporting to be speaking on behalf of Football House.
“The Football Association of Zambia has noted that in the last few weeks there has been a group of people acting and purportedly speaking on behalf of the association as we as engaged in the illegal and unauthorized use of the Faz name, logo and letterheads,” Faz general secretary George Kasengele said in a statement.
Kasengele said those using any registered Faz trademarks face prosecution for criminal conduct and will be reported to the police.
“The Football Association of Zambia will therefore not hesitate to take action against those involved in such illegal vices this will include reporting such people to the appropriate action,” Kasengele said.
The November 26 bloc led by Andrew Kamanga has yet to open a registered physical address and have said they will do so in due course.