TEMPERS today flared in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court between the prosecution and defence over the adjournment of the case in which a Nigerian prophet Isaac Amata (r) is accused of drug trafficking.

This was after the prosecution failed to commence trial due to the absence of witnesses.

Magistrate Brian Simachela adjourned the matter to February 14 for trial.

Prophet Amata, 45 is alleged to have trafficked in 26.29 kilograms of Ephedrine on January 24 without lawful authority.

However, the prosecutions applied to have the matter adjourned of which the defence objected to.

“We are unable to proceed with trial today because the witnesses have not come. We intend to call about seven witnesses of which one is from Nigeria, the other one from South Africa and the rest are Zambians. The two witnesses from South Africa and Nigeria could not make it due to logistical challenges. One of the local witnesses is out of town and the other one is at High Court,” submitted the State.

The defence counsel, however, objected to the application saying that the trial date was set by the prosecutions and should not be changed.

The defence said Amata was arrested in Zambia and there was no need to bring the witness from other countries and that the State did not indicate on whose side the logistical challenges were.

“The available witnesses should testify. It is the court to decide at the end of the trial whose testimony is relevant…one wonders why the witness travels out of town when he/she knows the matter is coming up today,” the defence said.

Ruling on the matter, magistrate Simachela said he had considered the application and the objection but ordered that trial commences with the available witnesses.

But the State insisted that they were not ready to bring the witnesses.

The defence then said the prosecutor was being arrogant, a statement that the latter did not like.

Magistrate Simachela, however, said “I have observed tempers are rising from both the State and the defence counsel. I order the defence counsel to withdraw the word arrogance and the State to withdraw the word marketplace.”

The matter was adjourned to February 14.

Read this article from the original source: Tempers Flare In Court Over Adjournment of Nigerian Prophet’s Drug Trafficking Case.

United Party for National Development Deputy Chairperson, Pastor Kangwa Chileshe says there is nothing President Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front can do to kill the desire for Zambians to change government and vote for United Party for National Development.

Pastor Kangwa says the Patriotic Front has tried all it can to destroy President Hakainde Hichilema and UPND but all efforts have failed.

Speaking on Christian Voice Radio this morning, Pastor Kangwa said UPND President Hichilema is a bankable and reliable product to lead the country out of poverty.

“They have been a lot of unfounded accusations and allegations on President Hichilema all in a bid to dent his image and all has failed, am telling you if President Hichilema was guilty of anything he could have been arrested by now,” said Pastor Kangwa.

Pastor Kangwa said President Hichilema has consistently told people his family and educational background but people have chosen to say what they know can dent his image fortunately that not worked because Zambians have made up a decision and have the desire to vote for UPND.

However he said he was so inspired the first time he met President Hichilema at his residence because he showed humility.

“UPND is ready to take over government and the vision is there to make life better for the Zambian people and will address all issues affecting people and use the natural resources as wealth to improve the welfare of the people,” said Pastor Kangwa

He said Zambia is a Christian nation and should not promote witchcraft as that invites a curse on the Zambian land.

Meanwhile Pastor Kangwa said UPND once in government will uphold by the principles of Christianity while appreciating the rights of other religions to worship.

Read this article from the original source: Chileshe Kangwa: Zambians Eye HH For Presidency.

OPPOSITION UPND Supremo Hichilema Hakainde has indicated that he had told his lawyers to look at a circulating video where President Edgar Lungu was captured saying, “even if you vote us out, we’ll not move out”.

“Most of you have seen that there is a video circulating where Lungu was confessing that he and his party was voted out of government in 2015 and in 2016. Then he fools the women there [in the video] that even if the people of Zambia voted me out, siningachoke (I can’t leave). The Mast has carried it today (yesterday)…. I have already told lawyers [that] here is the confession of a window cleaner…. The one who steals elections! The lawyers will do their bit on what you have listened to. But the rest of us should not wait for lawyers,” he said.

And Hichilema noted that the PF government was selling national assets so that “when the UPND able leadership comes in”, it would have no assets to depend on to turn the wheels of the economy.

“Let me announce today that secretary general’s office, national chairman’s office, by [the] end of tomorrow, I want a letter issued to the permanent secretary [Ministry of Agriculture] Shawa to tell him that if he continues with the sale of the NRDC, we’ll hold him responsible because he is the controlling officer in the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.

“[Gertrude] Imenda, [Patrick] Mucheleka I want that letter to go to Shawa. We are men and women of order! We are saying no more talking [about] general stuff; we’ll write to Shawa not to continue with the sale of the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC). So, mulembe nkalata and from there, we’ll follow it with legal action. But we want to hear Shawa’s response first.”

Hichilema added that another letter to be written by the party secretariat should be to the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Tourism to stop the sale of Chichele Presidential Lodge in Luangwa district in Eastern Province.

“The PS (permanent secretary) – Eastern Province has confirmed that it’s a temporally sale – what is a temporally sale? Stop selling national parks, including Chichele Presidential Lodge. Chairman of the party, I’m not looking at these two letters; you are going to follow these letters and make sure that before 17:00 hours tomorrow (today) these letters have been delivered to these permanent secretaries,” he directed.

On ZNBC unionised workers who are demanding for better conditions of service, the opposition leader demanded that the PF government attends to the needs of their public relations wing’s staff.

“The very ZNBC they are abusing every day…they are using ZNBC staff to divide our country – not because the ZNBC staff want to divide our country. No! They are being used! But we behave differently; we are kind to all and speak even for ZNBC staff – pay for the salaries of those people you are abusing because they are citizens of this country. Ndalama zayenda (money has gone) to TopStar! Ziyenda ku China instead of paying the ZNBC workers who are reading their fake news, as Trump would call it. What kind of people are these in government who can’t pay the salaries even for the people they are abusing?” wondered Hichilema.

Several UPND members of parliament and other senior party officials attended the press conference.

Read this article from the original source: HH Instructs Lawyers to Look At Video Circulating Showing Lungu Refusal Of Conceding Election Defeat.

Dear Editor,

THEY say self -deception is an act of lying to yourself or of making yourself believe something that isn’t really true.

I am just thinking of what could be going on in the minds of Chishimba Kambwili and Mwenya Musenge, the architects of floating NDC.

True, if it took Mr Michael Sata (MHSRIEP) 10 years of political clanking before entering State House, what gives the two political charlatans an idea that they can do it in 2021?

I am thus compelled to believe that the gods first make mad those they want to destroy.

Look at the conduct of Kambwili or Hakainde Hichilema. Hardly inspiring and totally lacks statesmanship. All their razor-sharp tongues know are invectives.

They think that by talking tough people will think that they are plucky enough to easily walk into State House and become presidents any time.

Even with the acquisition of a bogus PhD, Mr Kambwili has still remained a political moron he is.

Mr Kambwili now portrays himself as the most intelligent politician Zambians have missed for a long time and that is more the reason he has taken to gibberish.

I am not worried about empty tins making too much noise but should we allow them to land on our feet? Ati Dr Kambwili… my foot!

In my conclusion I wish to assure both UPND and NDC and in particular HH and Kambwili that they can forget 2021 because of the kind of tribal politics they are playing.

The two men are prone to fantasy personality with overactive imagination. They are hostages of worldplay with no real future. Some call it chasing the wind.

Theirs is a task that is meaningless, void of purpose or benefit and leading to no particular political destination.

For now all they can do is to insult those in authority to please their egos.

Time will tell.

Josiah Soko, Salima Road, Matero

Read this article from the original source: OPINION: Kambwili, HH Living In Self-Deception.

Finnish Ambassador to Zambia Timo Olkkonen has observed there is a lot of talk on the fight against corruption in Zambia which is not accompanied by action.

Mr Olkkonen says there is lack of action against those cited in the Auditor General’s report for misappropriation of public funds.

He has told Q-news that government should consider giving the Anti-Corruption Commission more powers and allow it to work independently.

Mr. Olkkonen has also questioned the public procurement process in Zambia, saying it is not fair and transparent.

He says some European companies have been complaining that the procurement system is not transparent especially with regards to single sourcing practices which may lead to corrupt practices.

Mr. Olkkonen has also called for the protection of corruption whistle blowers.

Read this article from the original source: Finnish Envoy Speaks Out On Corruption in Zambia.

HOME affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo says the only job he knows is to arrest those that insult President Lungu.

Meanwhile, Kampyongo bragged that he is in charge of the police and that when one sees police acting, they should know that he [Kampyongo] is behind it.

Addressing Masala residents and marketeers who gathered as President Lungu toured the market and the nearby houses yesterday.

“We don’t have size; even if you say forward [UPND slogan] and go back, revise. Ala ifwe tatwakwata na size. You insult Kateka, twalonga, enchito twaishiba ifwe (president, we arrest, that’s the job we know). One Zambia, one nation,” said Kampyongo.

“When you see Charity Katanga (Copperbelt police commissioner) acting, know that Kampyongo is behind, that is the football we play us. Those foreigners who come and do other things, immigration comes in, then you know it’s me (Kampyongo). When we come to Ndola to clean, I know there are a lot of confused chaps here. I will come to clean very soon. Ba youth, even you I’m coming for empowerment, this year will not end.”

Read this article from the original source: When You See Police Acting, Know I’m Behind It – Kampyongo.

CHISHIMBA Kambwili has said the donations being given by the PF and its countrywide mobilisation exercise will not make Zambians change their minds. And Kambwili, the Roan PF member of parliament and NDC political consultant, says pressure the PF is getting from the NDC is just a tip of the iceberg as 2021 draws near.

Commenting on the PF’s party mobilisation and presidential tours, Kambwili, the NDC consultant, said the gifts the PF was giving to Zambians would not make informed voters change their mind as they would apply the ‘Donchi Kubeba’ strategy which the ruling party rode on while in opposition.

“They have felt the pressure of NDC but it’s too late, the people have already changed their minds,” Kambwili said.

The former information and broadcasting minister and chief government spokesman accused the PF of bribing voters with bicycles and free books after massive pressure from the opposition. He challenged the PF to state where they got the money to be buying bicycles and books for people when the ruling party had no money-generating businesses.

“And this idea of wanting to bribe people with corrupt money is making it even worse. All this time, why were they not giving the aged some money? Why were they not buying bicycles for people? Mwila the other day announced that they were going to give 178 bicycles to each constituency. Can they tell us where they got the money? PF is broke,” Kambwili said.

He said the PF would cry owing to massive pressure from NDC ahead of the 2021 elections. Kambwili said the PF’s sudden “Santa Claus act” was a clear indication that “the ruling party is using corruptly acquired money to bribe voters leading to the 2021 elections”.

“PF doesn’t run a business, where have they gotten K178,000 to buy bicycles and 40,000 books per constituency? Let them tell us where they have gotten the money, this is proof that they are corrupt. We are not against people giving free books but when the money is gotten out of corruption, then we have a problem with it,” said Kambwili.

“They are doing acts of corruption, stealing from the people and then start using the same money to buy bicycles to bribe them in order to get votes. It will not work. We have told our people that collect the bicycles but tell them ‘Don’t Kubeba’. The pressure will continue, wina azalila.”

On January 18, the PF announced the launch of its party mobilisation programme countrywide with a call to all members of the party to exercise high levels of discipline. PF secretary general Davies Mwila warned party members fond of insulting senior officials on social media and blogs that they risked facing disciplinary action.

“In this year, 2018, the party will not tolerate indiscipline. This is the year to mobilise new members and grow the party,” said Mwila.

Read this article from the original source: PF donations, Mobilisation Won’t Change The People’s Minds – Kambwili.

ZNBC is a sleeping giant. It does not need the K5 TV Levy which staff and management are endlessly crying for. It is ridiculous and unbelievable that following the removal of TV Levy management from ZNBC management, the institution has landed in a serious financial situation to the extent of failing to pay salaries to staff.

With the current infrastructure and other resources at its disposal, ZNBC has potential to treble the revenue generated. It can be self-sustaining by generating own resources more than enough to meet its salary and other obligations, and without being dependent on TV Levy.

​
The trouble is that both management and staff are self-preserving and seeking political guarantees. They fear to make decisions that are in public interest as is dictated by the Constitution of Zambia.

Instead, they prioritize to make short-term decisions to appease politicians, all for safeguarding own jobs.

Yet, we the People of Zambia have done our part to ensure no public service worker is victimized for performing duties in public interest. We have provided the constitutional guarantees by enacting Article 173.

Through Article 173, we have provided guiding values and principles of the public service delivery which include maintenance and promotion of the highest standards of professional ethics and integrity; effective, impartial, fair and equitable provision of public services; prompt, efficient and timely response to people’s needs; commitment to the implementation of public policy and programmes; and accountability for administrative acts.

Armed with these constitutional guarantees, no politician can victimize them provided they operate within the limits of guiding values and principles of public service. Any unconstitutional victimization is void absolutely, and of no legal effect. So, really, there is absolutely no reason why management and staff at ZNBC should allow shoddy service provision, all for fear of victimization by politicians.

Put simply, woes at ZNBC are self-induced. Management and staff have dug own graves and nailed own coffins. Staff, especially, will continue to endure hardships, provided they chose political guarantees and self-preservation over constitutional guarantees.

As I have said time and time again, there is no better guarantee than a constitutional guarantee.

Peter Sinkamba

Read this article from the original source: Sinkamba: ZNBC Management And Staff Have Dug Own Graves And Nailed Own Coffins.

WYNTER Kabimba says Rainbow Party’s political approach is to go down to the people and mobilise them quietly unlike embracing people that are contaminated with the defection syndrome.

And Kabimba has called the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a grouping of “disgruntled Bemba characters”.

Meanwhile, Kabimba, who is the Rainbow Party general secretary of the Central Committee, said the question of which political party will win the 2021 general elections will be answered by the country’s population and not the leadership of concerned political parties.

There is currently a noticeable battle of supremacy involving the UPND, ruling PF and the NDC. The Rainbow Party, on the other hand, seems to have lost its political pageantry it came with on the political scene three years ago. But Kabimba, in an interview, explained that the Rainbow Party had a different approach from the rest of the political parties.

“If you watch what is happening, you’ll see that all these political parties believe in the politics of defections – parading people, even if it is just one person, that they have moved from this political party to our political party and that kind of thing. You’ll not find the Rainbow Party parading anybody. That is one major difference because as far as we are concerned, the defectors are just the same people,” Kabimba explained.

“If you examine them, they are just the same defectors and so, how political parties and their leadership get fooled by this group of people is one thing that we do not understand in the Rainbow Party; that a person can be PF today, join another political party tomorrow and two weeks later, come back to PF! How can you trust an individual like that? What it means is that this guy believes neither in the PF nor the political party where he had defected to. [But] our approach is to go down to the people and mobilise the people quietly. Approach number [is that] we are trying to recruit new people in our political party – the people that are not contaminated with the defection syndrome.”

He added that the Rainbow Party, a socialist-oriented political formation, believed in speaking when it had a message to the Zambian people.

“And the message is how we are going to better their lives than it is today. So, when those messages land on fertile ground, then the issue of 2021 is left to the people. It doesn’t have to come from an orchestra of the party leadership that 2021 we are winning. How can everybody win in 2021? There can only be one winner!” he noted.

And Kabimba stressed that the central message of the Rainbow Party was that no change shall come about for as long as the capitalist system reigned high.

“We believe in sending a message to the Zambian people; how is Rainbow Party relevant to your lives? How can it better your lives? How can you believe in this political party? The centrality of our message is this; the Zambian people will see no meaningful change to their lives as long as the economy of this country is not transferred into their hands – as long as the Zambians are not made to be the major players in the economy of their country,” he observed.

“What do the other political parties believe in? The PF believes that this economy is [going to] be run by the Chinese. So, Chinese investors have become a major factor in the policy of economic development under the PF. The UPND believes in the same thing; they believe that this economy can only be transformed by bringing in more and more foreign investors, except that they should not be Chinese. So, there is no difference between the two political parties!”

Meanwhile, Kabimba called the NDC, whose consultant is Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili, a tribal conclave.

“The NDC, I mean, as far as we are concerned, NDC is not even a political party that we should be talking about. I have not heard any message from the NDC other than the fact that this is a grouping of disgruntled Bemba characters! That is the NDC; Kambwili is Bemba, Eric Chanda is Bemba, Mwenya Musenge is Bemba-speaking. When you look at the list, it is a conclave of Bembas! They have no message for the Zambian people other than preaching Bemba hegemony,” he said.

“Their message is that this country can only be run by one ethnic grouping, they believe in ethnic hegemonism. That’s what they believe in! Even the corruption that Mr Kambwili is talking about, he is talking about it because it is not him doing it, not that he believes that corruption is bad. He is talking about it because it is not him doing it; the tools of corruption have been taken away from him [and] that’s why he is crying to the high heavens about corruption. So, that analysis I have given you makes you see how the Rainbow Party stands out to be different from all political parties.”

Asked about ‘developmental’ tours that are being conducted by President Edgar Lungu, Kabimba said “I laugh when I see the President going on these tours to inspect developmental projects”.

“I think that if the President was serious about the responsibilities of his office, it wouldn’t be worth his time to go and look at the [construction] stage a hospital has reached in one district or the number of kilometres that have been covered in the construction of a road. I don’t think that is worth the President’s time,” Kabimba said.

“Just like I laugh when I see a PSs (permanent secretaries) and ministers inspecting road projects; even making comments that this is a good road. Where did you train to be a road engineer to be able to determine that this a good road? Where do you get the qualifications as a minister, as a PS to be able to determine that the construction of a particular road meets the engineering specifications?”

He further accused ministers and permanent secretaries of not understanding their responsibilities.

“You have a PS, for example, in [the Ministry of] Water, Bishop Eddy Chomba, who goes round giving us the American slang ‘wora, wora,’ (water, water). Where did he train as a water engineer? What I know is that the PS is the chief administrator in the ministry – he is not an inspector. So, the point I’m making is that the purported tours by the President to go and inspect developmental projects are not worth the time of that office. There are more serious issues that the President must be losing sleep on than inspecting the stage development of a hospital,” said Kabimba, a former justice minister in Michael Sata’s government.

Read this article from the original source: Defectors Are Just The Same People Fooling Politicians, Says Kabimba.

President Edgar Lungu has called on the church in the country to consider engaging some politicians who are practicing cheap politics of malice and advice them to be better.

The Head of State has also emphasized that he is always going to be available to the church and is ever ready to heed its advice and counsel.

Speaking when he attended church service at the UCZ Chimwemwe congregation in Kitwe, President Lungu says he is ever ready to engage the church and hear their advice.

And the Head of State states that as a human being he is bound to make mistakes and sometimes fail and it is the role of the church to provide him with counsel.

President Lungu has expressed disappointment with the type of politics’ some players are practicing.

He furthermore states that he is happy that he has been encouraged to ignore the detractors but that he has however chosen not to ignore.

Read this article from the original source: President Lungu Ready to Heed to Counsel of Church.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Kapetwa Phiri says ministers have contributed to the commission’s inability to carry out investigations successfully because controlling officers are hesitant to release information due to fear of being fired.

And Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson Howard Kunda says the weak and long procedure of instituting disciplinary action on officers who flout financial regulations with impunity, has contributed to the rise in the number of queries in the Auditor General’s report.

Speaking at a seminar for ministers and controlling officers on financial management at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Wednesday, Phiri said the Commission had noted some invisible influence from ministers on controlling officers, dictating on how the handle financial mismanagement.

“We have had an opportunity to drastically reduce financial irregularities, for we have put in place adequate laws and systems that can help officials to do the right thing at all time. These laws include; provisions of the constitutions such as national values and principles, the Public Finance Act, Zambia Public Procurement Act, the Anti Corruption Act and internal audit systems. However, these laws are being abrogated by controlling officers and this usually poses a challenge on the Commission. Sometimes controlling officers do not cooperate to ensure that witnesses are made available. They also don’t provide timely information when they are requested to,” Phiri observed.

“We have also noted some invisible influence of ministers on controlling officers to either take action or not to take action. Sometimes minsters do threaten controlling officers with transfers, demotions and even dismissal. So I think this has contributed to lack of action or delay in taking action on the part of controlling officers even where recommendations have been made for administrative action. I want to state here that this is wrong and it is in contravention of section 8 of the ACC act. We also know that there are threats on whistleblowers by controlling officers. But the fight against corruption needs the support of ministers and controlling officers. If this happened, it would culminate in prudent application of financial resource for the intended purpose and for the benefit of all Zambians. But the question still remains, can corruption be eliminated in Zambia?,” wondered Phiri.

Read this article from the original source: PS’s Work In Fear, They Risk Being Fired If They Blow The Whistle – ACC.

Chishimba Kambwili says President Edgar Lungu has given Zambians enough reasons for impeaching him, saying the sooner the process starts the better for the country, because the Head of State has demonstrated his lack of capacity to lead the nation.

And the PF media team yesterday promptly moved in to defend the President’s controversial statement made during a PF dinner event in Ndola.

During the PF fundraising gala, the Head of State said Zambia belonged to PF and PF belonged to Zambia.

“My first remarks are to simply thank you for finding time to come and congregate here and support the cause of the party, PF, which is the cause of the people. PF belongs to Zambia and Zambia belongs to PF. Whether you voted for us, whether you believed in us or whether you despised us, we are in charge,” President Lungu said.

“There was a time that people believed that PF is full of ignoramuses, people who knew nothing and have never been to school, that was the selling point of the opposition, mwiba sala aba taba sambilila but look at what we have done, we have transformed the economy of this country because we listened to you the educated. There is no secret to being successful as a leader, just listen to the wise guys around you and you succeed. ‘Edgar Lungu is not an economist therefore he will grind this country to a halt’ but look at where we are, the only accusation now is ‘the rains can’t come to Zambia because of PF’, now the rains have come, I don’t know what they will say.”

President Lungu concluded his remarks with a Bemba expression “ubomba mwibala alila mwibala”, which is commonly used to justify pilferage, as it loosely translates “he who works in the cornfield eats what is in the cornfield”.

“I am glad that finally this gathering has taken place, I should have come here much much earlier but your patience has paid because I am sure the numbers have swelled and the 10 million you were talking about has been achieved tonight. We came into government without money, so we will leave government without money but the Zambian people will get all the benefits, that must be made very clear. We are your servants, we listen to you, but finally, and most importantly, those of you in charge of managing these resources, please don’t let these people of Zambia down. There is a saying I used two days ago and I will use it again ubomba mwibala alila mwibala but tabatila ati ulye nembuto kumo (he who works in the cornfield eats what is in the cornfield, but don’t even everything including the seeds),” said President Lungu.

“We have had, even projects like this one end up going in the ground because people end up eating everything. That’s why there is what we call contingency. If what you want is to be paid for this project, please tell us so that we provide 10 per cent contingency so that you don’t steal our money. Several times, well meaning projects have ended up in shame, in ruin because the people managing them have not behaved properly. Let this be a start so that people can learn from us that we can be trusted with their contribution of trust in the party and I can tell you that if we handle this money properly, K10 million is nothing, we can be talking about K25 million in a very short time. Good deeds will inspire others to give us the money but immediately they hear that there is misappropriation of the moneys and they cant see where the money is going, they will withdraw quietly. I am saying this seriously because we have just reviewed a report that the party just contributed 10 boreholes to the Copperbelt and three of them have ended up at officials residencies and we are investigating that. Ten boreholes were donated to the party to give to the communities and vulnerable groups but three of these have ended up in households or farms belonging to some officials. So we will investigate and there is nothing like ‘I will refund, Kamfinsa has got room for one more criminal.”

Immediately the President made the statement, PF youths present at the event started circulating a video clip, accusing President Lungu of encouraging theft.

Noticing the social media backlash, PF media director Sunday Chanda tried to justify the statement from the President.

“Following a video being circulated by opposition members, let me state that ‘Uubomba Mwibala, alya Mwibala lelo tabatila ulye nembuto Kumo’, is a Bemba idiom meaning that while a person is expected to be rewarded in a manner they deserve from their labour, they are not permitted to consume the seed (What they don’t deserve),” said Chanda.

But Kambwili said time to impeach Preisdent Lungu was now.

“That is corruption. The President is encouraging corruption because that man is corrupt, I have said it. I don’t know how many times I am going to say that this man doesn’t mean well for Zambia. It is high time the Zambians kicked him out of office. How can a president be encouraging corruption? That means that you are supposed to pilfer from where you operate, from where you work from and I think it is unfortunate that you can have a president who can say such things. Of late, the man has become very careless in the way he talks, but that is typical of people who have accumulated so much wealth that they have not worked for. So you can forgive him, the man is drunk with the money that he has not worked for. It is unfortunate that the president can be the one to say that ubomba mwibala alya mwibala. It is extremely unfortunate,” said Kambwili.

“He is not consistent with what he says, just three, four days ago he was opening that seminar for ministers and he was discouraging people from misappropriation of money and corruption, then four days down the line he goes to say ‘ubomba mwibala alya ifya mwibala so what kind of a man is he? We have a problem and I think the faster we start impeachment procedures, the better for us Zambians. The man needs to be impeached. And I want to thank the people of Mufulira for showing him, telling him that enough is enough. They refused to go for his meeting, he was addressing small children in Mufulira. Thank you to the people of Mufulira for saying no to corruption, no to bad governance.”

Read this article from the original source: Kambwili: Lungu Must Be Impeached For Encouraging Theft.

Pambashe pf member of parliament ronald chitotela says people have misinterpreted president edgar lungu’s use of a bemba idiom ‘uubomba mwibala alya mwibala’.

Mr. Chitotela who had accompanied the president to the copperbelt has told journalists in lusaka that the media only picked the idiom without explaining the context it was used.

He says president lungu was urging the pf provincial leadership to ensure the monies received from the donor community for the construction of the party provincial administration block should factor in the management fee which is ten percent.

He says they should not eat what is not for them apart from the ten percent management fee.

Mr. Chitotela states that it is unfortunate that the media in question only cut from the bemba idiom to twist it and sound as if the president was encouraging his ministers or any other official to steal public funds.

Mr. Chitotela, who is also housing and infrastructure development minister, says the president has already demonstrated his resolve to end misuse of public funds during the workshop for ministers and controlling officers last week.

Read this article from the original source: ‘Uubomba Mwibala Alya Mwibala’ Has Been Misinterpreted-Chitotela.

President Edgar Lungu says he considers himself a success because no one believed in him but he is Head of State today.

And President Lungu has asked clergymen to counsel politicians who are causing confusion saying if not stopped, they can create confusion for everyone, including innocent people.

Speaking during a Chimwemwe UCZ service yesterday, President Lungu said he never know he could be president.

“I never knew I would be president but here I am. I never knew I would be a success story but here I am. I consider myself a success because no one believed in me but God saw it fit to put me here. That’s why in him and through him, with him and the church, I believe we are doing very well,” President Lungu said.

“You have taught me not to listen to what people say but I am only human. Last week I was told ‘there is no rain in Zambia because PF has got wrong policies in place, today we have got floods all over Zambia, I don’t know whether the floods are because PF has got no proper policies in place. I am very happy that you told me to ignore some of these things, however, I have chosen not to ignore. I listen to everything, even when they insult me I listen but there is no sense in that. I want to make it very clear that I hear all the voices especially when they are coming from people who think they are very clever but I only pick those which are going to help me in my job as president.”

President Lungu said he would always be available to the church.

“We are where we are because of you. We are your servants and your servants and the servant listens to the master and the master is you. To the church, my message is that please don’t give up on us, keep praying for us, that’s your first duty. The second duty is to counsel us, to advise us to do the right thing. As for me, I will always make myself available to the church. That’s because I believe I am here because God allowed it and in his own wisdom and grace, he will use me the way he wants to. As a human being, I am bound to make mistakes, I am bound to fail, but please advise us. The same should be done to all those who aspire to become presidents in whatever form,” he said.

“Ba bishop, abantu nga balelanda ine ndonfwa. Nomba nsalamo ifya mano…nomba nga nifyauwelewele, nshumfwa nokumfwa (Bishop, when people are speaking, I listen. But I choose the sensible things, if they speak foolish things, I don’t listen).”

Read this article from the original source: Lungu: I Consider Myself a Success.

HAKAINDE Hichilema has told Zambians says he and his party will stop the alleged theft going on in the PF government. And Chishimba Kambwili says President Edgar Lungu is “a shameless corrupt man” encouraging theft of public resources.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, popularly know as GBM, says the ‘ubomba mwibala, alya mwibala’ idiom can only be used to justify theft at a place of work.

President Lungu on Saturday told government and PF officials on Saturday night during the fundraising dinner for the ruling party’s convention centre’s construction that “ubomba mwibala alya mwibala [a field worker eats from the same field]”, a Bemba idiom.

President Lungu, however, cautioned that “but tabatila kulila nembuto pamo” (don’t eat together with seeds).

“…there is a saying I used two days ago and I will use it again, uubomba mwibala alya mwibala but tabatila kulya nembuto kumo,” said President Lungu amidst applause from those in attendance.

Commenting on President Lungu’s statement which has attracted widespread reactions on social media, with many Zambians wondering why the Head of State made such a statement that was open to varied interpretations, Hichilema, the UPND president, accused President Lungu of being preoccupied with self-aggrandizement.

He said his statement on Saturday night in Kitwe was a confirmation of the “his corruption and public theft”.

“When a so-called leader is corrupt, they do not care about the suffering masses, their preoccupation is to steal from government and steal more and more to enrich themselves. And as such, sentiments made by Mr Edgar Lungu of PF that ‘Uubomba mwibala, alya mwibala’ are a confirmation of his corruption and public theft but we will stop him [President Lungu] from stealing anymore, soon,”

Hichilema said.

He said President Lungu’s statement clearly demonstrated that he would leave the government of Zambia bankrupt.

“Clearly, watching and listening to the man, he literally says he will leave the government of Zambia bankrupt. Who says a thing like that? Only a man whose preoccupation is self-aggrandizement using public resources. Public resources meant to alleviate poverty in our country are being diverted to individuals. Is this the kind of government our country needs to progress?” Hichilema asked. “We have always known that our country is in the hands of corrupt individuals but what we didn’t fathom was the level of impunity with which corruption is being encouraged.”

He vowed to take decisive actions to stop President Lungu and his government from further depleting the country’s reserves.

“In view of that and by virtue of this statement, we wish to state that we shall take decisive actions to stop Mr. Lungu from further depleting our country’s resources. If it means writing to international institutions that are fighting corruption and plunder of public resources, we shall do so in order to protect our country’s properties from being individualised. Fellow citizens, time to unite and act is now, let’s save our country’s economy and democracy for our future generations. Mr Lungu and his corrupt associates must know that ‘umulandu taubola’,”

Hichilema warned.

Read this article from the original source: HH: We Will Stop PF Looting.

HOME affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo has told Roan member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili to stop accusing the Patriotic Front of being corrupt because his growing “pig” body is a result of the Youth Empowerment Fund.

Speaking when he addressed PF ward, constituency and district leaders at Buchi Hall in Kitwe on Sunday, Kampyongo, who is also PF national youth chairperson, said Kambwili did nothing for the youths when he was in charge of the Youth Empowerment Fund.

He said instead, Kambwili enriched himself.

“We once had a national youth chairman [Kambwili] and the only empowerment we have seen from him is his growing pig body and we have not yet seen anything happening on the Copperbelt because the only thing he knows is to fight with the mayor of Luanshya and he comes [and says] that he wants to be a president! All those who used to misbehave, they have not been brought back in Parliament,” Kampyongo said.

He said all those who had left the PF because they had intentions of being “president of a party” would not find their positions. Kampyongo said Zambians should be aware that leadership was not fought for but the people were the ones that chose leaders.

He said those who had given themselves positions of secretary general [in apparent reference to Mwenya Musenge] in their newly formed parties [National Democratic Congress] should learn from the downfall of Rainbow Party.

“Now just because your stomach is full of water you want to be a leader and after being denied, you leave! One thing you should know is that when you come back, you will not find your position. Even us, they had entered in our constitutions but I won. After they lost, they said they want to make their own party and you give yourself a position of secretary general; you people should learn from Rainbow Party,” said Kampyongo.

Read this article from the original source: Kambwili Is Growing ‘Pig’ Body Due To Youth Funds, Charges Kampyongo.

Housing and Infrastructure Minister Ronald Chitotela says the ‘uubomba mwibala alya mwibala’ bemba idiom attributed to president Edgar Lungu is being misinterpreted by members of the public.

Mr. Chitotela in an interview has clarified that the head of state was merely cautioning members of the patriotic front on the Copperbelt not to misuse the funds meant for the construction of the party complex, whose ground breaking took place over the weekend.

And speaking alongside Mr. Chitotela, his home affairs counterpart, Stephen Kampyongo Minister who is also PF Youth Chairperson says it is unfortunate that Zambians can start debating the matter when the president was just giving a warning to party members.
during a fundraising dinner in Kitwe for the construction of the PF convention Centre on Saturday night, president Lungu, who was on the Copperbelt on a three-days working visit told party functionaries, sympathizers and some government officials present that “uubomba mwibala alya mwibala, tabatila kulya nembuto kumo” translating that members are free to ‘derive’ benefits from their work but do not finish everything.

Read this article from the original source: Minister Defend President Lungu’s Idiom.

SOCIALIST Party interim secretary general Dr Cosmas Musumali has likened President Edgar Lungu’s remarks that uubomba mwibala, alya mwibala to the thieving mentality of former Congolese despotic president Mobutu Sese Seko.

During a fundraising dinner for the construction of a PF convention centre in Kitwe on Saturday night, President Lungu told PF members and officials that they were free to ‘steal’ government resources but that they should do so minimally.

President Lungu, who was on the Copperbelt on a three-day ‘working-visit’, told party functionaries, sympathisers and some government officials present that “uubomba mwibala, alya mwibala, tabatila kulya nembuto kumo (literally meaning, you are free to ‘derive’ benefits from government resources but do not finish everything).”

But Dr Musumali said officials in the PF government were “parasitic” on State resources.

“It’s like Mobutu Sese Seko who would tell his generals, civil servants and many others that when you steal, don’t be caught. It’s the same mentality! It’s basically a State that is parasitic on public resources and its citizens, it’s a State that does not believe in the virtues of serving this country. Our President is paying lip service…” Dr Musumali said when he featured on Let the People Talk programme on Radio Phoenix yesterday.

On fuel price increments, Dr Musumali, who is an economist, said fuel was part of the energy portfolio that could not be looked at in isolation.

In May 2016, the Saudi government, through the Saudi Fund for National Development, offered a US $20 million revolving fund to supply cheaper oil to Zambia and reduce domestic fuel prices for the next five years.

President Lungu visited Saudi Arabia in May 2016 and during his two-day State visit, Zambia’s Ambassador to that country Ibrahim Mumba said the offer was in its final stages.

Zambia, according to PF government functionaries, is or was expected to start benefiting from cheaper oil after a month.

But prices of fuel in Zambia have continued to be increased.

The Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) has adjusted upwards the pump price of fuel, citing changes in two main variables that influence the price of the commodity.

ERB Board chairperson Raymond Mpundu on Monday stated that oil prices had increased on the international market whilst the kwacha had depreciated.

A litre of petrol would now cost K13.75 from K12.97, representing a six per cent increment while diesel would costK12.01 from K11.09, representing an eight per cent increment.

Kerosene would be sold at K8.85 from K7.82 while low sulphur would be selling at K14.30 from K13.38.

“You cannot get a solution that is just for petroleum. You have to look at the other sources of energy and that energy mix is very important and this is not something that you plan overnight – this is something that you give a lot of thought to. So, the question should be where are we going to get our [alternative] sources of energy in the next five, 10, 20 and 100 years from now? 15 years from now, we’ll be about 28 million people and we have a fairly good idea of how the economy is going to look like and from there we can project the energy requirements for Zambia,” said Dr Musumali. “There is something more to it in Zambia [about fuel prices]. Even when the prices [of oil] are lower at the global level, a poor person in Zambia does not enjoy those low prices. But when the prices go up, it’s almost automatic – Zambians are loaded with those increments. This has to do with the cartels that dominate the petroleum industry in Zambia. But it has also got to do with government that taxes petroleum products very heavily. It has also got to do with lack of investments in the strategic infrastructure that you require for petroleum products. Years back, they did set up Indeni and Indeni is an old piece of infrastructure. You would have thought by now we would have one of those in every province. By now, we would be connected to Cabinda in Angola and we would be getting our oil feedstock from there and process it and then distribute it countrywide. But we have not invested appropriately; Indeni is not a proper refinery.”

Read this article from the original source: Musumali Likens Lungu’s uubomba mwibala Remark To Mobutu’s Thieving Mentality.

IT’S time we worked together as opposition parties; we cannot continue keeping a thieving government, says NDC consultant Chishimba Kambwili. And Kambwili, the Roan PF member of parliament, says he does not know what happened to the oil deal struck between the governments of Zambia and Saudi Arabia for the supply of cheap fuel because he is no longer in government.

Addressing the media at his residence in Lusaka yesterday, Kambwili said he would call on other opposition leaders to mount a crusade against the Patriotic Front government.

He said he would call UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, FDD’s Edith Nawakwi, United Progressive People’s Saviour Chishimba and other opposition leaders so that they could work together in picketing President Lungu’s “thieving government”.

“I think I will have to engage president Hakainde Hichilema, I will have to engage president Nawakwi, I will have to engage president Saviour Chishimba, na bakalamba bandi ba Mulongoti and all the opposition and civil society. We need to start massive demonstrations against this thieving government which can even dare tell you that uubomba mwibala, afwile ukulya mwibala but mwilalya ne nseke,” Kambwili said.

“This is a very serious incitement to the PF government. And for those who think this is a simple statement, come to Lusaka and see the buildings. Zambians need to come together, we cannot allow a thieving government to continue at the expense of the suffering people. My appeal to the people of Zambia, we cannot continue keeping a thieving government. I feel sorry for the people of Zambia that we have been taken for a ride for too long.”

He further urged the members of parliament, both from the opposition and PF, to move a motion to impeach President Lungu when Parliament resumes.

Kambwili said there had been a number of PF members of parliament who were eager to move the motion.

“So people of Zambia, we must start massive demonstrations against this thieving government. I also want to appeal to all the MPs that it’s now time that we took in the impeachment motion against President Edgar Lungu. For your own information, it’s a secret ballot and [I] have spoken to a number of PF MPs who have agreed with us that it’s high time that this man is impeached. He has become an embarrassment to the nation, not only about corruption. The other day, he was in Keembe and he said ‘you people you voted us out in 2015 but we are still here, even in 2016 you voted us out’; how can a President become so arrogant that he can tell off voters?” he wondered.

Kambwili further said a selfish man in the Presidency who had concentrated on his pocket alone had robbed the poor.

“Every day is a disaster under Lungu, every decision is a disaster under Lungu, and poor people have been robbed by a selfish man. President Lungu, stop concentrating on your pocket and wake up and smell the coffee. You have disadvantaged the poor people all because you are enjoying corrupt money and developing big cheeks, you have decided to say ‘uubomba mwibala alya mwibala’,” he said.

Kambwili warned President Lungu that Zambia was not his personal-to-holder country where he could treat people in a manner he pleased.

“…all you are doing is attending irrelevant dinners to raise money for your 2021 campaign. What kind of President addresses people only at fundraising dinners and airports? You have failed to address real issues like the failed e-voucher and re-opening of the mines, all you do is play, travel and buy expensive clothes and watches as well as wine and dine. The citizens are looking to you now to get serious and lead the country, but you have failed miserably because all you can think of is the next big deal you’ll have a commission in. You are certainly the least caring President with no vision whatsoever,” he said.

“You have destroyed our country and you have hurt the poor. Prices of commodities are going to shoot up, from mealie-meal to cooking oil to salt, not forgetting that the general cost of living has risen beyond measure. Surely how can we have such a president?”

Asked about the Saudi Arabia Oil deal he bragged about when he was information minister, Kambwili said he was not in government, hence did not know what transpired in his absence.

“I am no longer in government, limbi balilyamo kano tukafwaye abakuchita (may be they have gotten bribes, unless we find people to) investigate. Because when the President came back from Saudi Arabia with Kaizar [Zulu] and them who had gone there, they promised that they had struck a deal where there was going to be oil which will be coming straight from Saudi Arabia; straight government-to-government and that when you cut off all the middle men, the price was going to be at that time K5 per litre but now I am not in government,”

said Kambwili.

“Namumona ifyo balekula, bafwile balapoka ilya iyapa mulu (you have seen how they are building structures, it appears they are getting the commissions), you can’t trust these people. Bushe mung’anda nga namwishiba ati mwaliba kabolala elo impiya yaluba kuti mwapapa (if in a house you realise there is a thief and money disappears, would you be surprised)? So nababene abanensu ni ba pompwe so nga fyalubanafye kwishiba ati nabalya (even our colleagues are thieves and if things don’t move well, just know that they have eaten). How can you allow ERB to increase the price of fuel after the unfair decisions you have made against the poor?”

The government increased pump prices of fuel on Monday night by about K1 per litre, saying the hike was necessitated by the kwacha depreciation and increase in crude oil prices.

Read this article from the original source: Kambwili Calls On HH, Other ‘Sensible’ Politicians To Demonstrate Against Lungu’s ‘ubomba mwibala’.

President Edgar Lungu has fired Minister of Water Affairs Lloyd Mulenga Kaziya.

President Lungu has also moved Hon Margaret Mwanakatwe as new Minister of Finance while Christopher Yaluma has gone to Commerce, Trade&Industry.

President Lungu has also moved Hon David Mabumba to Ministry of Education while Energy has gone to Mathew Nkhuwa.

Hon Dennis Wanchinga replaces Kaziya.

Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo has been swapped with Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe.

Hon Richard Musukwa is the new Minister of Mines.

Felix Mutati is the new Minister of Works& Supply.
President Lungu has also elevated Stephen Chungu as Chief Whip while his deputy is Remember Chanda Mutale

Read this article from the original source: Lungu Reshuffles Cabinet: Mutati Drops to Works & Supply, Dora Goes To Information.