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You think English is easy?

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By Vanessa Lungu
I have spent most of my 30 something years speaking English with no trouble at all.After all Zambians are one of the most eloquent English speakers on the continent.So when I started teaching my 6 year old daughter to read English I expected it to be a breeze-till her teacher gave her the following text from the internet to read.

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce .

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row .

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow..

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let’s face it – English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship?
Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. – Why doesn’t ‘Buick’ rhyme with ‘quick’ ?

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this .

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is ‘UP.’

It’s easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ?

Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report ?

We call UP our friends.

And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.

We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has real special meaning.

People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

A drain must be opened UP because it is blocked UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary.In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.

It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP .When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP…When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP. When it doesn’t rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so……..it is time to shut UP!

The Stunted Growth of Zambian/African Democracy- A Reason for Concern

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By Chilekwa M. Mumba

It is “half-true” that democracy is taking root in Africa. I owe this “half-truth” to be the end-result of a chain reaction of an African leadership unwilling to let go of power even when time demands that change. Naturally, democracy is a process and Africa is in its infant stage of developing, thus one would need to be careful not to make a quick judgment on its growth. However, “stunted growth” is identifiable even at the infant-stage, and sadly it is clearly manifest in the majority of “democratic” African nations. It is also wholesomely true to say that democracy has several versions, but ultimately the loud majority opinion of the citizens [expressed through various means], should wield a silent but prevailing influence in the direction of the country. Paradoxically, Africa in general and Zambia in particular, our “democracy” is that the minority opinion silently held by the ruling few has a loud and prevailing influence in the direction of the country. These tendencies translate into the unhealthy “symptoms”, that render our democracy to be extremely fragile even in countries classified as “stable” as was evidenced in Kenya and Zimbabwe.[pullquote]There is no limit to what a man can do if he does not mind who gets the credit
[/pullquote]
To validate the said case, as well as identify a possible root cause for this “stunted” growth we will do well to analyze our own country’s current democratic dispensation. We will begin with the deficiencies of our own purported “democratic” political parties that are inherently the front-line institutions for democracy; we Zambians like saying charity begins at home so this is a good place to start. Also keep in mind that Zambia is widely considered to be a formidable democracy at least in the African realm. African politics have a well observed and documented problem with the establishment of democratically inclined institutional values- and this is a trait undeniably evident in our “successful” and major parties in Zambia- whether MMD, PF or UPND.

The “minor” but equally important parties almost always follow suit in this undemocratic route by starting off with a self-appointed (or anointed) “President”, resulting in personality-cult oriented polities. Indeed that is why some comic-witted political analysts refer to such personal parties as brief-case parties- they are after all as personal as a brief case! Comedic opinions aside, the grim and solemn consequence is that not all of these parties fail, but some inevitably survive with these undemocratic tendencies and become the infectious poison to Africa’s democratic growth. This happenstance is definitely one of the foremost negatives surrounding the nature of our democratization, and eventually contributes greatly to the charged stunted growth of the desired democracy. Democratic values in the intra-operation of our parties is a rare commodity, but arbitrary “leadership” is a dime a dozen. In Zambia today, political party leaders do not jostle for leadership positions through transparent democratic processes, but through very open intimidation and intolerance. Resultantly, this crippled version of “democracy” manifests its stunted growth in our elections that are increasingly marred with occasional but serious violence and ever-present vote-buying-all opposite traits of democracy. Some say it’s part of the growth process, but again I reiterate that stunted growth can be diagnosed early, and it will be foolhardy for us citizens to ignore this issue- prevention is better than cure; another favorite Zambian saying.

In summation, it is important that we as responsible citizens and potential leaders of our country demand better from our politicians, by forcing them to democratically legitimize their assumed leadership positions through fair and transparent democratic processes. Do not be mistaken, we do have a reason to be concerned. It will not do for us to nonchalantly continue allowing leaders at the party-level to anoint themselves as Presidents, Chairmen or women of this and that portfolio without due democratic process. This trend that we are unknowingly accepting is inevitably be carried into the annals of state power, with a very tragic experience and end as we have witnessed in our own country.

—

Police suspect suicide in Mabenga’s daughters death

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Michael Mabenga

Police are still carrying out investigations into the cause of Gladys Mabenga Chitika suspicious death. Mrs Chitika who was MMD national chairperson Michael Mabenga’s daughter was found dead in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A family member who sought anonymity said Mrs Chitika was found dead in the early hours of Saturday morning, in her bathroom.

“She was just discovered dead in her bathroom by some family members, we suspect that she could have been beaten by her husband,” she said.

Mr Chitika was arrested on Sunday to assist the police with investigations into the death of his wife.

Police Deputy Spokesperson, Ndandula Siamana said it could not be ruled out that Mrs. Chitika committed suicide.

She, however, stressed that police was still carrying out investigations in the matter to establish the cause of death.

Ms Siamana said Police would issue a comprehensive statement once the cause of death is established.

“For now I can only confirm that the incident was today reported at Chilenje Police but we are yet to establish the real cause of death although some un-confirmed reports suggest that she committed suicide” she said.

The body of the deceased has since been taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

Mr Mabenga who is Lands Deputy Minister was unable to give details of what led to the death and only said the funeral of his daughter was being held at his residence in Lusaka.

Hone students protest

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Science Minister Brian Chituwo (r) and UNZA vice chancellor professor Simukanga after a graduation ceremony at Evelyn Hone college

Students at Evelyn Hone College yesterday staged a protest against Government’s decision to close the college to facilitate the holding of a census.

The college was to close during the three-week period in which the 2010 economic and population census would run. The nationwide census starts today and the measure to close the college would have sent 6, 200 students home.

The students said the main reason the Government wanted the college closed was to have the hostels vacated to accommodate enumerators who would conduct the national counting exercise.

Students Union chairperson Marvin Kapenda told the Times that they had solicited a response from Science, Technology and Vocational Training Minister Brian Chituwo on why the college had to close just because of the census, but no response was forthcoming.

“So the students decided to carry out a peaceful protest and marched to the principal’s office to seek guidance on the matter because they felt that the closing would affect them academically”, said Mr Kapenda.

On hearing the singing and chants, police who were next to the Evelyn Hone were quickly deployed and surrounded the college without entering

According to the students union, the principal contacted the ministry and managed to speak to the permanent secretary who spoke to Dr Chituwo, who was out of town and the latter apparently gave the go-ahead for classes to go on.

The college management then produced a memo signed by the academic director informing the students of the minister’s decision reversal and telling them to go back to class.

“Students will go back to class but are a bit sceptical. First, the students feel that since the initial directive emanated from the minister’s office, the directive reversing the initial decision should come from the same office. Secondly, they question why it is the academic director and not the principal signing the memo informing them of the minister’s decision.

“We think that the management might be buying time and that the minister has not responded,” he said.

“Some students have started taking exams today, and if we don’t have classes, we might not be properly prepared which would mean sitting for the exams next year,” said Mr Kapenda.
[ Times of Zambia ]

3 suspects nabbed for K375m theft

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Police in on the Copperbelt have arrested three men, who include two police officers in connection with the theft of K375 million Kwacha cash from two Tanzanians who were travelling from Dar-es-Salaam to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).

Copperbelt police chief Martin Malama, confirmed the arrest of the trio as part of the investigations in a case in which three men masquerading as Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers and one police officer stopped the bus and robbed the passengers.

He said the bus which left Tanzania on Thursday morning was around 10:00 hours on Friday stopped by three men near Fisenge Police Check Point in Luanshya who searched the unsuspecting passengers and got away with K375 million.

Dr Malama said with the help of the travelling public police have managed to arrest the robbery’s mastermind Oliver Kafisha, who was also travelling on the same bus.

Others arrested are two police officers, constable Oliver Musonda and sergeant Joe Banda, both of the Zambia Police Service Mobile Unit, who were helping police with investigations.

He said so far a total of K13,975,000 had been recovered from the suspects in the process of investigations.

Dr Malama said the suspects are being held in police custody in Luanshya.

He said police have identified the three other suspects who are on the run and expressed hope that with the help of members of the public those on the run would soon be apprehended.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Sata causing Pact confusion, says UPND’s Kalusa

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United Party for National Development (UPND) national youth chairperson Joe Kalusa yesterday said Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata was causing confusion by making decisions without consulting the UPND.

Mr Kalusa said yesterday that it was surprising that the PF had placed an advertisement calling for people to apply for the Mpulungu parliamentary seat when they had not agreed on who contests the seat.

Mr Kalusa said the PF top leadership was causing chaos in the pact formed last year by advertising in yesterday’s Post newspaper calling for applications for candidacy in the Mpulungu parliamentary by-election without a proper agreement with the UPND leadership.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Kalusa also said the call by Mr Sata on QFM Radio last week for Mr Kalusa to face disciplinary action from the UPND was unrealistic because Mr Sata was the one who should be disciplined by the combined leadership in the pact.

He said he would accept to be disciplined if Mr Sata appeared before a disciplinary committee for authorising an advertisement barely three days after UPND chairperson for women’s affairs Chinyama Sekeseke said the pact was yet to decide who contests the seat.

Ms Sekeseke is a member of the PF/UPND technical working group that was charged with the responsibility of making decisions including the selection of candidates on behalf of the pact.

Mr Kalusa said the Mpulungu seat was under the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) and should not be taken by PF without the consent of the UPND.

He said Mr Sata should not be selective in calling people in-disciplined and yet his vice-president Dr Guy Scott authored an analysis, which showed that he was celebrating UPND’s loss of the Luena parliamentary seat.

Mr Kalusa said PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba described UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema as a liar following a statement by the UPND leader that what led to both parties contesting the Chadiza Ward seat was that the pact never discussed and agreed on a uniform candidate.

Members of the UPND were hurt to learn that Mr Kabimba could describe Mr Hichilema as a liar when the truth was that the matter was not discussed.

Mr Kalusa said Mr Sata also questioned his background and yet it was public knowledge that he pioneered the formation of UPND in 1998 and had staunchly maintained his membership to the opposition party since then while other leaders had changed camps.

He said Nkana Member of Parliament Mwenya Musenge should be disciplined by Mr Sata for declaring the PF leader the best candidate over Mr Hichilema in total disregard of the agreement that the candidate would be selected via a transparent process.

Mr Kalusa said the leadership in PF must realise that UPND members also had feelings about who should lead the pact towards the elections next year.

He said the UPND youths have only demanded that the pact should come up with a joint manifesto, the road map, the leadership structure and rules and guidelines to create the waned order.

Mr Kalusa said the other problem that had been cited by the PF leadership was that he had demanded for an explanation on how the opposition party would put more money in people’s pockets, which is a concept that Mr Sata had been promoting.

He said UPND was ready to explain how it would offer free education to the Zambian students and pupils while the PF had failed to offer even a rough explanation on how they would put more money in people’s pockets.

Mr Kalusa said he had worked for several years for the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and the Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and was never referred to as indisciplined.

The pact has lately faced problems and inaccurate statements centered on which of the two candidates was more suitable to lead the alliance amid declarations from each camp that their candidate was the best.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Japan hails Zambia’s recovery

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Outgoing Japanese ambassador to Zambia, Hideto Mitamura has hailed Zambia’s remarkable economic and political recovery in the last three years.

Mr Mitamura said this has led to the change in perception of Zambia by European and Asian investors.

Mr Mitamura said when he officially bid farewell to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern African COMESA Secretary General, Sindiso Ngwenya yesterday.

Reflecting on his 3-years tour of Zambia, the ambassador observed that it was shocking to see how Zambians have peacefully resolved its challenges in both the economic and political fronts.

He noted that Zambia is changing economically and that the interest of investors who left the country is once again shifting back to the country.

Mr Mitamura has,however, called on government to consider venturing into agricultural projects because of the vast unused land that Zambia possesses.

And COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya has commended the Japanese government for their new approach of assistance to Zambia of not only giving aid but also building strong trade relations between the two countries.

Mr Ngwenya noted that Japan has played a critical role in the area of infrastructure development in Zambia which puts the country on the continental market in the area of trade.
[ QFM ]

GBM Arrested

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Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) and Kabwata MP

Kasama Central Patriotic Front-PF, Member of Parliament, Geoffrey Mwamba has been arrested and charged for wife battery.

Mr Mwamba who is popularly known as GBM was briefly confined to Woodlands Police Station before being formerly charged.

Lusaka Division Police Commanding Officer, Greenwell Ng’uni confirmed Mr Mwamba’s arrest in an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka Monday evening.

Mr Mwamba who was accompanied by his lawyer Mumba Kapumpa has been released on Police bond.

The PF parliamentarian will appear in the Lusaka Magistrate Court on Thursday.

Mr Mwamba last week allegedly beat up his wife, Chama, following a domestic row.

Meanwhile, The Centre for Elections and Governance (CEG) says it is disappointed with Kasama Central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba’s stand to justify domestic violence as a cultural norm in marriage.

CEG Chairperson Gershom Musonda has said it is wrong for married couples to fight adding that it was even worse when the home of an elected lawmaker is involved.

Mr Musonda said domestic violence is inhuman, cruel and degrading and that to justify it shows that the Kasama MP has no regard for basic rights of victims, be it men or women.

The CEG Chairperson said this in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today that it was also not correct for Mr Mwamba to say that no political party should interfere in domestic affairs of its violent members.

[pullquote]“We are equally surprised to note that during the interview at Radio Mano in Kasama over the weekend, Mr Mwamba was with two fellow PF MPs namely Given Lubinda and Jean Kapita as well as PF national Chairperson Inonge Wina who all opted to keep quiet about Mr Mwamba’s violent behavior”, he said.[/pullquote]

He said elected leaders, especially at Parliamentary and Presidential level, are law makers who are duty bound to protect human rights including in marriage.

Mr Musonda charged that a political party that condones domestic violence or ignores it can not be expected to protect ordinary people if elected into power.

“We are equally surprised to note that during the interview at Radio Mano in Kasama over the weekend, Mr Mwamba was with two fellow PF MPs namely Given Lubinda and Jean Kapita as well as PF national Chairperson Inonge Wina who all opted to keep quiet about Mr Mwamba’s violent behavior”, he said.

Mr Musonda said Ms Kapata and Mrs Wina should have risen to the occasion to correct their brother, saying that CEG now wonders where the PF women have placed the rights of women in their party if they fail to support their fellow woman publicly.

He said the Patriotic Front is the strongest opposition party in the country and people do not expect it to move forward without an agenda for Zambia free of domestic violence.

ZANIS

Zambia Leave For Yemen Minus Four Players

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Zambia today travelled to the Middle East on Monday ahead of their friendly international against Yemen this week minus four key players.

Goalkeeper Kalililo Kakonje and midfielder Rainford Kalaba are said to be away on trials in DR Congo where they have hope to join the bandwagon of Zambian players who have developed a strong affection for TP Mazembe over the last 12 months.

Also missing is utility midfielder Noah Chivuta who is reportedly about to secure a new club on Monday in South Africa.

Zanaco defender Thomas Nyirenda will also miss the Yemen friendly as he will be away with Zanaco this weekend in Tunisia to play the sides Caf Confederation Cup Group B return leg match against CS Sfaxien.

The development means Coach Dario Bonetti will only have 16 players, all home-based, available for him for the away friendly against Yemen.

Zanaco Move to 3rd in Confed Cup Group B

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Zanaco have risen to third place in Group B of the Confederations Cup after the outcome of Sundays match between FUS Rabat of Morocco and their guests Haras El Hodoud of Egypt in Rabat.

Zanaco benefited from FUS’ 1-0 home win over Haras on Sunday evening just 24 hours after Wedson Nyirenda also won by the same margin against CS Sfaxien of Tunisia to win their first game in Group B after three games played.

FUS lead Group B on 6 points while Sfaxien are second on 4 points level with Zanaco who have an inferior goal difference while Haras are bottom on 2 points.

Meanwhile, Zanaco on Tuesday leave for Tunisia ahead of Friday’s return leg match against Sfaxien in Sfax.

Nyirenda will not be on the bench after he was sent off in the first leg against Sfaxien at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka while four of his players namely Joshua Titima, Venecius Mapande, George Chilguya and Mathews Macha are all one game away from one-match suspensions.

Goalkeepers: Joshua Titima, Racha Kola

Defenders: Maybin Chishimba, Charles Siyingwa, Simon Silwamba, Eugene Shamakamba, Thomas Nyirenda, George Chilufya

Midfielders: Trinity Chalanshi, Sydney Kalume, Lottie Nyambili, Henry Banda, Allan Mukuka, Michael Bwalya

Strikers: Winston Kalengo, Mathews Macha, Venecious Mapande, Makundika Sakala

Weekend Scorecard: Sunday Nkonde Quits As Faz DC Chairman

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Faz diciplinary committee chairman Sunday Nkonde SC has resigned his position.

Nkonde announced his resignation as Faz disciplinary committee chairman today in a brief letter cc’d to Faz president Kalusha Bwalya, Faz vice Emmanuel Munaile and Faz treasurer Bonnie Mwamelo.

“I hereby tender my resignation as Faz Disciplinary Committee Chairman with immediate effect,”

“You may convey the resignation to the FAZ Executive Committee and my gratitude for appointing me to serve in the association in the first place.”

Nkonde’s resignation comes after he was conspicuously missing from chairing last Saturday’s Faz disciplinary hearings held at Chrismar Hotel in Lusaka.

The disciplinary committee meeting was instead chaired by his vice Anthony Kasolo.  

CAF Confederation Cup
Group B

11/092/2010

Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka

Zanaco 1(Winston Kalengo 31″)- CS Sfaxien
 
12/09/2010

Moulay Abdallah Complex, Rabat

FUS Rabat 1(Rachid Rokki 57″)-Haras El Hodoud 0
FAZ SUPER DIVSION
Week 20

12/09/2010

Kabwe Warriors 0- Zesco United 1(Humphrey Luputa 59″)
Faz Division One

Week 28
North
Kalewa 2- Konkola Mine Police 1
Medical Stars 0- Lime Hotspurs 1
Indeni 2- Kalulushi Modern  Stars 1
Prison Leopards 1- Ndola United 0
Mining Rangers 0- Chindwin 1
Zamtel 0- Kitwe United 2
Mufulira Blackpool 0- Mansa Health Stars 1
Chingola Leopards 0- Mufulira Wanderers 0
Muchindu 1- Chambishi 0

South
Riflemen 2- Zesco Shockers 1
Paramilitary 2- Profund Warriors 2
Kumawa 1- Lusaka City Council 1
Lusaka Tigers 2- Green Eagles 2
Nakambala Leopards 2- TP Rangers 1
Kalomo Jetters 4- Mazabuka United 1
Livingstone Pirates 3- Nampundwe 2
Young Green Eagles 0- Kafue Celtic 0
Luena Buffaloes- Communite*
*Not played after Communite failed to travel

Govt’s graft fight not convincing-Simutanyi

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The Centre for Policy Dialogue, CPD, says Zambians are not yet convinced with government’s efforts in the fight against corruption.

CPD Executive Director, Neo Simutanyi, told QFM in an interview that despite president Rupiah Banda’s assurances that his government is committed to fighting corruption, most Zambians are still far from being convinced that the fight against the vice exists in the country.

Dr. Simutanyi says even though government might have allocated more money to the Anti Corruption Commission, there is still more to be done to convince the people of Zambia.

He explains that this has been so because there are still deals government engages itself in that disappoints the general public as to whether government is really committed to this fight.

Dr. Simutanyi however says the fight against corruption is a complicated matter that despite government’s efforts to address the issue, the country’s ranking on the global corruption index is low.

He recalls that even the late president, Levy Mwanawasa used to complain that despite his administration doing so much in fighting corruption, Zambia’s ranking on the global corruption index remained poor.

[QFM]

UPND to pursue Chiluba’s corruption cases

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Second Republican President, Frederick Chiluba
The United Party for National Development, UPND, has vowed to re-prosecute Second Republican President, Frederick Chiluba, for the corruption cases it says he has been dubiously been cleared of by the MMD government.

UPND Vice President, Richard Kapita, told QFM that the UPND will ensure Dr. Chiluba faces justice no matter how long it takes because the party is convinced that Dr. Chiluba stole from the Zambian people.

Mr. Kapita says it is not by coincidence that Dr. Chiluba’s aides are the only ones who have been found guilty of corruption, adding that there is therefore no way the Second Republican President can be found innocent.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kapita has advised Dr. Chiluba to keep quiet on his alleged dubious acquittal, saying he should instead sit down to reflect on the wrongs he committed.

He says Dr. Chiluba should be the last person to talk about these matters because he is at the centre of the whole episode.

Mr. Kapita adds that Dr. Chiluba remains a thief in the eyes of the Zambian people no matter how smart he might try to play his game.

Dr. Chiluba recently said he was genuinely smiling following the Lusaka High Court ruling on the London Judgment

[QFM Radio ]

Dr Guy Scott – Future PF President & Zambian President in waiting – Is it possible?

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Patrotic Front Vice president Guy Scott

By Daimone Siulapwa

WHAT will never be denied as fact when this country’s history is written is how one Michael Chilufya Sata built the Patriotic Front from scratch to make it the second biggest political party in the country in less than a decade.

And it is not like the party was born with any teeth at all. Other than Michael Sata himself, there was no any other easily identifiable name. And when you have Edwin Lifwekelo as the secretary-general, who in essence is the chief executive officer of the party, then you know that you have a lot of work to do. Mr Sata certainly had a lot of work to do.[pullquote]In that regard, Sata deserves respect for building the PF to the level it is today.The success of Sata’s work in so far as building the PF goes is in having the party continuing to be strong long after he has left the PF

[/pullquote]
At the time he was forming the PF, opposition parties on the ground included the United Party for National Development (UPND) led by Anderson Mazoka, the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) under the guidance of Lieutenant-General Christon Tembo and Heritage Party (HP), under the command of Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda.

And that is not all.

There was also the Ben Mwila’s Zambia Republican Party (ZRP), Nevers Mumba’s National Citizens Coalition (NCC), Akashambatwa Mbikusita’s Agenda for Zambia (AZ), United Front For Development and Democracy (UFDD) lead by Humphrey Siulapwa and the former ruling party, the United National Independence Party (UNIP), which has always enjoyed the support of former President Dr Kenneth Kaunda.

During the 2001 general elections, Michael Sata got less than two percent of the national vote while managing to win only one Parliamentary seat. But despite that dismal performance, he never relented, perhaps fueled by his hatred of Levy Mwanawasa. He started going round the country campaigning much to the displeasure of Mwanawasa and the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), who kept on saying elections were over and there was no need to continue with the campaigns.

But he did not listen to them.

He rode on a platform of putting more money in people’s pockets and reducing taxes. He also made Chinese investment a campaign issue. Further, he made the anti-corruption crusade waged by Mwanawasa an issue, declaring that he will pardon former President Chiluba if elected.

The message found resonance on the Copperbelt and in Lusaka, Luapula and Northern provinces. By the time the 2006 general elections were coming, Michael Sata and PF were by far the biggest threat to Mwanawasa and the MMD’s hold on power.

This was so despite the alliance of the UNIP, UPND and FDD, who formed the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). There are some people who think that if it was not for a few irregularities, Sata would have won those elections. Others actually believe he was robbed. Of course the 2008 presidential election story is well-known. To date, Sata remains the second favourite to become President after the incumbent Rupiah Banda.

In that regard, Sata deserves respect for building the PF to the level it is today.

But as we all know, destiny is never in our hands its in God’s hands only. I ask myself, if anything should happen to Mr. Sata that should make him incapable of leading the PF. What next? What would remain of the PF? Will it be able move-on with life smoothly or that will be the beginning of its end?

Since the formation of the party, it has had five secretary general’s. The first was Edwin Lifwekelo, then followed by Guy Scott, then Charles Mumbwa and then Edward Mumbi. The current one is a lawyer and former Lusaka City town clerk Winter Kabimba.

None of the five have ever been elected, all have been appointed and disappointed at Sata’s pleasure and displeasure.

Added to that, for a long-time, Sata did not have a deputy. It was only after a long-time that he elevated Guy Scott to the position of deputy-president after serving as secretary-general. In fact, Guy Scott is Sata’s longest-serving secretary general. It remains to be seen how long Winter Kabimba lasts in that position.

What is the point of all this discourse? Well, if there is something that all this reveals, is the fact in terms of building the PF beyond Sata, the King Cobra has failed.

A decade after its formation, the party has never gone to the convention to amend its constitution or to elect leaders. All national and provincial leaders are appointed by Sata, and Sata alone.

Well, it does not take a genius to know that this is not healthy for the party in particular and democracy in general. The PF should begin to build internal democracy within the party. Yes, Sata may be the founder of the party, but it is by no means a personal entity. Sata is not PF or is PF Sata. These two should remain separate so much so that should Sata decide to stop active politics today, the party should still be able to move-on smoothly.

In fact, the success of Sata’s work in so far as building the PF goes is in having the party continuing to be strong long after he has left the PF. That, is the measure by which Mr Sata will be judged. And not say if Sata resigned or left for any reason, then Guy Scot will take-over. Guy Scot is Sata’s appointee, he has never been elected, and as such, the members have the right to reject his leadership. And just one more thing, the PF has no membership cards, so it is difficult to tell who is a member and not.

In other words, the PF should start preparing for life after Sata. And Sata should start preparing for that as well.

For this reason, I am for the PF going to the convention, so that the party structures can be defined before elections next year. The new draft constitution says the Vice president automatically becomes president without elections when the president of the country is incapacitated or passes on? On the expense of being called a racist, is Zambia ready for a white president 46 years after independence? Or maybe PF is better of with GBM as vice although he seems not to know what he wants and has now dramatically rescinded his resignation.

RB condemns tribal rivalry

editor
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11
President Banda

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has called for a ceasefire to tribal wrangles between Luvales and Lundas in Zambezi in North-Western Province, saying they are unnecessary.

President Banda said in Mwinilunga yesterday after gracing the Chisemwa Chalunda traditional ceremony that the two tribes should be at peace with each other.

“They are brothers, after all they come from the same place, there is no need for petty squabbles. Zambians do not like this,” he said.

President Banda said Government was working flat out to find a solution to the tribal wrangles in Zambezi.

Encouraging peace through out the province, the president said he was happy to see that the Chisemwa Chalunda ceremony had drawn various chiefs from around the North-Western Province.

Mr Banda said with Zambia being a multi-ethnic society that should live above tribal differences, culture should be a unifying factor.

He assured the traditional leaders who included Senior Chief Mujima Nzovu of the Kaonde in Solwezi, Senior Chief Kasempa of the Kaonde in Kasempa, Senior Chief Ndungu of the Luvale in Zambezi and Chief Chizera of the Kaonde in Mufumbwe that his Government was committed to working with them in uplifting the lives of the people in the province.

President Banda who was accompanied by among others senior Government officials, the Minister of Local Government and Housing Eustarkzio Kazonga and Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu said Government was committed to continue working on the T5 Road, the Solwezi-Mwinilunga Road, to ensure it was in good condition.

Mr Banda reiterated that three more contractors had been given works to speed up the tarring of the Mutanda-Chavuma Road.

He said Government would continue providing basic education to all Zambians as it had realised education was the pillar to national development.

Mr Banda said Government was working hard to improve educational infrastructure in the province and countrywide, revealing that K9.4 billion had been set aside to complete works at Mwinilunga Trades Training Institute.

North-Western Province Minister Daniel Kalenga said the people of North-Western were happy with Government development programmes and that US$3.6m mining investment by the Chinese would trigger economic activities in Mwinilunga.

The Lunda Cultural Association of Zambia chairperson Elijah Kalemba called for lasting peace in Zambezi between Lundas and Luvales and thanked Mr Banda being the first Republican president to attend the Chisemwa Chalunda ceremony.

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