LOCAL government minister Vincent Mwale says the PF should work hard in order to succeed or else the ruling party will lose and “then they will chase us from our positions and that will make us suffer, as you know it pains to be in opposition.”

And Mwale says governments cannot be changed anyhow like clothes. Meanwhile, PF secretary general Davies Mwila says Petauke Central PF member of parliament and information and broadcasting services minister Dora Siliya rarely attends PF meetings. On Saturday, the PF launched its party mobilisation meeting for Eastern Province at Chassa Secondary School in Sinda district which was graced by Mwila.

However, before Mwila spoke, Eastern Province PF members of parliament were given few minutes each to say a word to the people or to the secretary general and his entourage.

Out of the 19 constituencies in Eastern Province, 16 belong to the PF, two are independents (Sinda and Lumezi constituencies) and one (Mkaika Constituency) is held by the MMD. When called to speak, Mwale, who is also Chipangali PF member of parliament, said the ruling party should lead by example.

“If we say let’s clean up the environment, we should be in [the] forefront to do it as not doing it will be like rising against your government. Let’s work if we are to succeed because if we don’t show, then we will lose [and] then they will chase us from our positions and that will make us suffer as you know it pains to be in opposition…” Mwale said.

Read this article from the original source: Mwale: We’ll Suffer If We Lose.

MINISTER OF FINANCE Margaret Mwanakatwe on Tueday held her first strategic visioning meeting with top management in the Ministry of Finance.

During the meeting, the Minister commended the team for ensuring that economic stability was attained. She reiterated the consensus of Cabinet to improve domestic resource mobilisation.

Mrs. MWANAKATWE asked her top management team to ensure that the actions and performance of the Ministry of Finance met people’s expectations.

Those in attendance at the meeting were Secretary to the Treasury FREDSON YAMBA, Permanent Secretary for Economic Management and Finance MUKULI CHIKUBA, Permanent Secretary for Budget and Economic Affairs Dr. EMMANUEL MULENGA PAMU, Accountant General Dr. DICK CHELLAH SICHEMBE, and Controller of Internal Audit JOYCE SUNDANO. Others in attendance were Treasury Counsel KAWAMA GOMA-SIMUMBA, and Director [HRA] JOYCE NYAMA.

“We have an economy to run, we have an economy to protect, we have an economy to grow,” she said, adding that “we have to intensify our domestic resource mobilisation while at the same time developing sustainable plans for concessional, cost-effective, and value for money external resource mobilisation.”

The Minister requested her team to formulate a plan for offsetting domestic arrears in a systematic manner in order to help dismantle the K9 billion domestic debt. She also directed the team to develop a sustainable plan for timely payment of salaries to public service workers.

Mrs. Mwanakatwe reiterated governments concern with the perception of corruption in some public offices and urged her team to ensure that the Ministry of Finance “demonstrated and practiced transparency and accountability in the discharge of treasury and economic management functions” in order to augment the public confidence in the trustworthiness of the Ministry to mobilise, manage, and keep custody of public resources “without raising credibility and governance red-lights.”

“This Ministry is key and must play its role in assuring the public that the perception of corruption which has been appended to some public offices will be addressed,” she said.

Mrs. Mwanakatwe called for hard work at all levels of the Ministry to ensure that the country reaches Growth Domestic Product [GDP] in excess of 5% and so that “in the near future” the benefits of growth begin to trickle down to the citizenry.

Speaking during the same meeting, SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY FREDSON YAMBA disclosed that the Ministry of Finance was formulating a plan to deal with the obligations that the country will have to fulfill as the Eurobonds fall due. Mr. Yamba assured the Minister that plans were also underway to dismantle domestic arrears and timely pay public service workers.

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, HONURABLE MARGARET MWANAKATWE, MP, WILL TOMMORROW, WEDNESDAY, 21st FEBRUARY, 2018, ISSUE A STATEMENT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ECONOMY IN 2017, THE OUTLOOK FOR 2018, MINISTRY’S FOCUS GOING FORWARD.

Issued By:

//Original Signed//

Chileshe Kandeta
For/MINISTRY OF FINANCE

Read this article from the original source: Mwanakatwe: Let Us Pay Workers On Time.

I‘AM available to serve as republican President if Zambians wish so, says former Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba.
Mr Kalaba said that he did not agree with the way the country was currently being run and that someone needed to change things.
He said that the country was in dire need of a liberator to redeem the nation adding that he was there to see to it that Zambia was saved.
Mr Kalaba made the remarks when he featured on Prime Television Station programme dubbed Oxygen of Democracy on Monday evening.
The Bahati lawmaker indicated that he accepted to be a Cabinet Minister on the basis that he would use the portfolio to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
He however said that the Patriotic Front (PF) government was not the right platform for him to fight for the poor as he had thought it would be.
Mr Kalaba, who resigned his Ministerial position this year, accused government of too many anomalies saying that somebody needed to fight the inequalities under the PF government.
When asked whether he was available to be that messiah, Mr Kalaba said that he was available to serve as republican President if called upon.
“There is nothing wrong to be ambitious, yes I’m available to serve if the Zambian people call on me. There is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kalaba said that it was unacceptable that most shops in the central business district were occupied by foreign nationals while locals had been relegated to the streets.
He charged that poor people were struggling while the rich were taking a glass of wine to attract appetite before every meal.
“No, that is not the reason why I accepted to be Foreign Affairs Minister, I accepted so that I can bridge the gap,” said Mr Kalaba.

Read this article from the original source: Kalaba: Iam Available For Presidency If Zambians Want Me.

GOVERNMENT has procured a loan of $241 million for the design, rehabilitation, upgrading and construction of Lusaka roads under the L400 project.

Chief government spokesperson and information minister Dora Siliya stated in a statement this afternoon following the third Cabinet meeting held on Monday at State House that President Edgar Lungu and his Cabinet agreed to continue with infrastructure projects countrywide as the government was aware that it was through such projects that economic progress could be achieved.

“Cabinet approved the financing of selected roads in the Lusaka City (commonly called the Lusaka 400). An amount of US$ 204,940,174.80 has, therefore, been approved by Cabinet to support the engineering design, rehabilitation, upgrading and construction of selected urban roads in the City and Province of Lusaka, Zambia Project. Therefore, a total of US$ 241,106,088.00 of which 85 per cent (US $204,940,174.80) will be provided by the Export-Import Bank of China while the 15 per cent (US$ 36,165,914) will be provided by the Industrial Commercial Bank of China,” Siliya stated.

“The general scope includes periodic maintenance, rehabilitation (gravel to paved and single lanes to double lanes) and new construction of approximately 400 Km roads, construction of 1 grade separated junction, construction of 90 Km of walkways and re-engineering of 10 junctions in the City of Lusaka project. With this project, the face of Lusaka City is expected to change completely as has been the case with key roads such as Chilumbulu; Burma; Nationalist; the Matero/Lilanda; Old Mumbwa Road and many others in townships. Cabinet further, emphasised the need for all road projects under this project to include drainages and street lighting.”

She stated that Cabinet also approved the engineering design, rehabilitation, upgrading and construction of approximately 152 Km of Selected Township Roads in Kitwe, Chingola and Mufulira in Copperbelt Province – Lot 1 Project.

Siliya stated that Cabinet approved a total amount of US$ 197,391,777.85 to finance the implementation of the engineering design, rehabilitation, upgrading and construction of approximately 152 km of selected township roads in Kitwe, Chingola and Mufulira in Copperbelt Province dubbed, the Lot 1 Project.

She stated that the project also included walkways, street lighting and traffic lights at selected junctions.

Siliya stated that like the L400, the project would also involve the putting up of drainages.

“A total of US$ 232,225,621.00 of which 85 per cent (US$ 197,391,777.85.) will be provided by the Export-Import Bank of China while the 15 per cent (US$ 33,833,843.15) will be sourced by government to ensure a complete implementation of this important project for the Copperbelt Province. Government believes that improving the road network on the Copperbelt Province will facilitate greater economic activity,” Siliya stated.

“This is an important project for the Copperbelt as it will result in the improvement of roads, decongestion of the current road network and improved accessibility to more areas, spurring further investment, economic activities, general development and improved living standards for the people on the Copperbelt.”

She stated that Cabinet had also approved implementation of the electricity service access project, the support from International Development Association (IDA) which amounts to US$ 27,972,919.06.

Siliya stated that government had identified the electricity service access project as a priority project with the main objective of increasing the country’s electricity access in the Zambia’s targeted rural areas.

She stated that Cabinet had also approved the appointment of two government officials on the National Prosecution Authority Board.

Siliya stated that there had been a vacancy in the position of Vice-Chairperson of the Board for the authority and in the position of a member appointed as a representative of the ministry responsible for labour due to staff movements within the ministries responsible for Justice and Labour.

She further stated that Cabinet approved in principle to the introduction of a Bill in Parliament that would provide for the conversion of Medical Stores Limited into a Statutory government agency.

“Currently, Medical Stores Limited is being supervised by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as majority shareholder (98 per cent) and Ministry of Health holds 2 per cent of the shares. Continued placement of Medical Stores Limited under the IDC implies that it will be considered as a profit-oriented entity which is contrary to its mandate. Furthermore, MSL is a grant-aided institution with all its income coming by way of a grant from the Treasury and from Cooperating Partners,” she stated.

Siliya stated that Cabinet also approved the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to repeal and replace the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council Act, No. 10 of 2002.

“During the meeting, Cabinet took note of the information in the brief by the Minister of Finance on the performance of the economy. His Excellency the President and his Cabinet agreed in the past meetings that it was important that the Minister of Finance keeps updating Cabinet on the economic outlook in order to, among other things, check the progress the Patriotic Front government was making in the implementation of policies and where possible, which remedial measures should be taken in order to continue to serve the people of Zambia better as promised. The Minister of Finance in her brief highlighted that: GDP growth continued on a positive trajectory, though at a slower rate than earlier projected; inflation was contained within the projected band of six per cent-8 per cent at 6.1 per cent; relative stability was achieved in the exchange of the kwacha against major trading currencies; the preliminary budget deficit at 6.1 per cent was contained below target of 7per cent;” Siliya stated.

“…the external sector improved as the current account deficit narrowed to US$760.3 million from US$1.037 billion in 2016; and the 2018 outlook shows continued positive growth and macroeconomic stability although risks remain related to financing of the budget, adverse weather and health conditions. The Meeting also expressed the need for government to quickly rehabilitate economic roads such as the Chingola / Solwezi; Kafue / Mazabuka and Lusaka / Mongu roads which were currently in bad state.”

And Siliya stated that President Lungu and Cabinet regretted the loss of lives of six children who drowned in Central Province.
She stated that Cabinet wished all the bereaved families heartfelt condolences and God’s help and guidance during this mourning period.

Read this article from the original source: Govt Gets $470m Loan From China for Lusaka, CB Roads.

LUSAKA Province minister Bowman Lusambo says he joined politics as a cadre and will continue to be a cadre.

Addressing Lusaka Province ministry heads of departments during a handover from his predecessor Japhen Mwakalombe yesterday, Lusambo said his main objective was to deliver on the PF manifesto.

The former Copperbelt minister said he had not come to Lusaka to make friends but to work and change the face of the province.

“We are here to change the face of Lusaka,” Lusambo said, adding

“Lusaka Province needs to change, we have a lot of challenges in Lusaka and I want to assure you that I will work closely with you to transform this country together. Yesterday we had a lot of floods all over, it is not by accident, it’s the mindset of the people who are living here. They don’t want to do the right thing. They want to do the wrong thing so my coming here, we have come to correct things together.”

He thanked President Edgar Lungu for giving him the opportunity and authority to work.

“All of you, you know me, I am not new to all of you, we started politics as cadres and we are still cadres and we will continue to be cadres. We are pushing the manifesto of the Patriotic Front all of us,” Lusambo said.

He warned that he did not want to see provincial staff engaging in politics in their offices.

“We have only one president and that is his excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, that’s all. The people of Zambia gave him the mandate to administer the affairs of this nation up to 2021 and all of us must push the PF manifesto, that is the manifesto we are using, that’s why we call our government a pro-poor government,” Lusambo said.

“So for me, I am here to work, I am not here to make friends, I have a lot of friends, I have a lot of friends out there, a lot of them so I am not here to make friends. I am here to work and I am very good person.”

He said Lusaka had a lot of challenges that needed a lot of hard decisions and warned that in the process of working and making the province better, a lot of casualties would result.

“A good decision is when you have casualties, if you don’t have casualties, just know that it’s the worst decision. A good decision is supposed to have casualties. So we are going to make some decisions that are going to affect people and that will be a good decision,”

said Lusambo.

“I can assure you that as Lusaka, we are sitting on a time bomb and if we are going to put our heads together, the people of Zambia will laugh at us. So my coming in is, we have come to change the face of Lusaka.”

Read this article from the original source: Lusambo: I’ll Keep Being a Cadre.

Acting leader of Government business in Parliament and Chief Whip Steven Chungu says President Edgar Lungu will not retract his recent use of a Bemba idiom “ubomba mwibala alya mwibala”.

Responding to Mazabuka central member of parliament Garry Nkombo on what the president meant by such remarks and whether he would retract his statement, Mr. Chungu who was standing in for Vice President Inonge Wina said there is nothing wrong with the president’s remarks as they were said in good faith.

Mr Chungu says President Lungu and the PF government remain committed to fighting corruption and therefore the remarks have nothing to do with encouraging corruption in the PF government.

But Mr. Nkombo said the president’s remarks have some element of encouraging corruption by those in higher offices and the ruling party.

Read this article from the original source: “Ubomba Mwibala Alya Mwibala” Stays.

PF members of parliament on Thursday told Vice-President Inonge Wina that President Edgar Lungu is being fed lies about the strength of the ruling party.

And Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili says President Lungu is behaving in the same way Rupiah Banda listened to lies that led to his loss in the 2011 elections.

The members of parliament, most of whom spoke their mind, forthrightly told Vice-President Wina, who is also PF vice-president, that the party’s chances of winning the 2021 general elections were thinning as the ruling party was no longer enjoying much support due to lies being told to President Lungu.

PF sources have told The Mast that most members of parliament were deeply concerned about some lies being told to the Head of State by members of the ruling party.

“During this caucus, among those who passionately spoke about the current situation in the ruling party were Hon David Mabumba, the Mwense member of parliament and general education minister, and Hon Kampamba Mulenga, the Kalulushi member of parliament and livestock and fisheries minister. And you know these two are quite committed members of the ruling party and they can’t just say anything from the blues,” the sources said.

“Hon Mabumba at some point told the Vice-President that PF is very disorganized and the party should expect to lose the next elections. But the Veep said that Hon Mabumba should not say PF was disorganized. We don’t know what she meant by that. But she actually also complained that she had observed that MPs only respect the President. Then Hon Kampamba told the Veep that Copperbelt has shifted but the leadership there is cheating the President. She explained to everyone that even when HE went to the Copperbelt during his recent tour, people were organized to say nice things to him and those who had strong views were left out. These are the realities at play. The earlier we realized that we are headed in a wrong direction, the better for everyone. But the most painful thing is that HE, indeed, is being told lies.”

PF chief whip Stephen Chungu, when phoned for a comment, said he could not speak on the details of the meeting and referred this reporter to caucus chairperson Evans Chibanda, the Mufulira member of parliament, or the Vice-President’s office where those authorized to speak were unavailable by press time.

A phone call to Minister in the Vice-President’s office Emerine Kabanshi did not yield any result as her mobile phone went unanswered.

Read this article from the original source: Lungu Is Being Fed With Lies, Complain PF MPs During Caucus With Wina.

POLITICAL Animal Chishimba Kambwili says the PF leadership should continue lying to President Lungu.

He said the failure to tell President Lungu the truth about how they had lost popularity was advantageous to the National Democratic Congress.

“It’s to our advantage, let them be complacent. I would encourage them to continue lying to him while we are working underground. These people NDC is just one of those parties, DC is a baby born with tooth. They will be shocked, they think by them refusing to give us permits, we are not working, they will be shocked,” said Kambwili.

“I can see from the way he speaks, he speaks with that arrogance and confidence as if all is well and yet the truth of the matter is that people is finished, people are not interested in the party. And this thing of bicycles and books has even made it worse. Lungu is just behaving exactly the same way Rupiah Banda was behaving and that’s why there is too much corruption because they think all is about money.”

Read this article from the original source: Kambwili: PF Leadership Should Continue Lying to President Lungu.

VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina says the distribution of books with President Edgar Lungu’s portrait in schools will not stop.

Responding to Katuba member of parliament Patricia Mwashingwele’s statement that the distribution of exercise books with President Lungu’s portrait in schools was indoctrinating pupils, Vice-President Wina wondered why citizens had problems with it.

“Mr Speaker, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu indeed is president for the Patriotic Front but Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, His Excellency, is President of the Republic of Zambia and as such, Mr Lungu’s portrait hangs in our offices, why do we not object? Mr Lungu’s face is displayed everywhere in government institutions. Therefore, it really defeats me to hear a member of parliament complaining about the portrait of the President of the Republic on a book. These are government schools and there is no reason why the portrait of their President should not be seen on the books they use. Mr Speaker, the distribution of exercise books in schools with portrait of the President will be distributed continuously,”

Vice-President Wina said during the Vice-President’s question time in Parliament on Friday.

When queried further by leader of the opposition in parliament, Monze Central UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu why Central Province permanent secretary Chanda Kabwe, a civil servant, was asking parents and pupils to vote for President Lungu when he was distributing books in schools, Vice-President Wina said she was not aware that a civil servant was involved in the distribution of books.

“Mr Speaker, I am not aware of the occasion that the Member of Parliament for Monze Central is referring to where Mr Kabwe was distributing the books in Shibuyunji and that I can vouch that I am not aware of the event and that a civil servant was distributing books,” she said.

And Vice-President Wina described the E-voucher as a success.

“One million farmers were targeted to benefit from the E-voucher programme and out of the one million farmers, over 700,000 have benefitted and quite a number of farmers have deposited their K400 for further inclusion in the programme. We have said several times in the House that this was the first time that this programme was being done on a wide scale and definitely there had to be some hiccups and obstacles here and there in the implementation of the programme but I can assure the House that this programme will continue and we will just ensure that we correct the processes that went wrong in the past season. So, Mr Speaker, I can claim that the E-voucher system is good and it is going to help the Zambian farmers as we roll it out throughout the country,”

Vice-President Wina said. “Mr Speaker, government is taking measures to ensure that the situation that happened in the agriculture sector in the last season is not repeated. So, the government is putting measures in place, including preparing adequate resources for agriculture inputs to be delivered early than what transpired last year.”

On the Constituency Development Fund, she said she was aware that in 2017, a number of constituencies had not received their CDF allocation, adding that it was government’s obligation to ensure that the remaining constituencies that did not access the funds were given in the course of this year.

Read this article from the original source: WINA: There’s No Reason Why Lungu’s Portrait Shouldn’t Be Seen On Books.

BREAD OF Life Church International founder and Bishop Joel Imakando says ill begotten wealth will not last.

In a sermon yesterday at the Blesing Centre where United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema attended, Imakando said the country was faced with the problem of corruption. He urged congregants to denounce corruption, saying it was everywhere and stinking.

“Today we have a problem in this country, a problem of corruption. It stinks, it’s everywhere and when you ask, they will tell that everybody is doing it. It’s now being institutionalized. We need to stand up for what is right, say no to corruption, denounce it and expose it. It’s better to be poor than to gain riches out of corruption. Do you know that the bible says ill-gotten wealth will not last?” Imakando asked the congregation.

He further urged the Church to embrace the spirit of taking over just like Caleb, one of the spiritual giants in the Bible who entered the Promised Land.

“I am speaking to you on a message titled the spirit of taking over. Caleb is one of the spiritual giants in the Bible who entered the Promised Land, the other was Joshua. Caleb has a taking over spirit. Go and take over, it is your time to take over,” Bishop Imakando said.

He earlier prayed for Hichilema and his entourage and asked God to give him the wisdom and that He orders his steps together with all those that surrounded him.

“…We ask that you order his steps and Father we pray for all those that surround him. Let your will be done in Zambia. We also remember our President [Edgar Lungu] that you also bless him, that you will guide him and that he will fear you and do what is right in the land,” prayed Bishop Imakando.

“We also pray for all opposition leaders that Father you will give them direction, that you will counsel them in the way they should go. Father we pray for the Laws of Zambia that they should be respected, we ask oh God for democracy to prevail in Zambia in the Mighty name of Jesus.”

After the service, Hichilema said God would fulfill promises of the people’s needs, no matter how long they wait.

“Through Bishop Imakando, God is encouraging all of us to have faith in Him and that no matter how long the wait may be, He will surely fulfill His promises of our needs and desires,” said Hichilema.

“We only have one Zambia and our task is to unite. We should live as a testament of this oneness not only before the Almighty God but even amongst our neighbours whom we live with on earth.”

Read this article from the original source: Bishop Imakando: Ill-Gotten Wealth Won’t Last.

UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has instructed all UPND Members of Parliament to commence the impeachment process of President Edgar Lungu.

The UPND leader says there are many reasons why the Head of State should be impeached.

Mr. Hichilema cites the refusal by President Lungu to handle over power to the Speaker of National Assembly when the UPND had petitioned the 2016 general elections which was against the provisions of Articles 104 and 105.

He says another ground upon which the president should be impeached is following his recent usage of the Bemba Idiom that ‘Uubomba mwibala alya mwibala’ thereby encouraging public workers to steal public funds.

Mr. Hichilema says the Head of State while in Central province recently indicated that despite losing the elections, he refused to get out of office and that even if he loses the 2021 polls he will not go out.

The UPND Leader says President Lungu is a danger to Zambia’s democracy.

Speaking at the same briefing, UPND Vice President Geoffrey Mwamba says if elections were to be called today; the UPND can win the elections with a 73 percent win.

Mr. Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, says there is no opposition political party that can unseat the ruling PF apart from the opposition UPND.

Read this article from the original source: HH Instructs UPND MPs To Move Motion To Impeach President Lungu.

Kitwe was this afternoon brought to a standstill when hundreds of small scale miners otherwise known as Jerabos celebrated the news that they will now have a stake in the running of the Black Mountain.

Mines Minister Richard Musukwa made the proclamation on his visit to Kitwe alongside Home Affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo and his Copperbelt counterpart saying the legal owners of the Black Mountain Alloys Smelting Limited will have to work with Jerabos.

The declaration is in direct response to the promise by President Edgar Lungu to find a way to empower Copperbelt youths through the Black Mountain which is a slug dump for copper.

Musukwa warned the youths against creating confusion.
The youths took over the Kitwe Central Business District chanting slogans in praise of President Edgar Lungu.

President Lungu on February 19 hosted Jerabos at State House and ordered that the court process between rival parties regarding the running of the Black Mountain in Kitwe be discontinued.

The Head of State brokered a truce that seems to have paved way for the new agreement announced by Musukwa.

President Lungu directed the various youth groups to form a unified cooperative company which Government will grant a large scale mining license under which the commercial interests of the groups will be executed.

Zambia Reports

Read this article from the original source: Finally: Jerabos Granted Legal Access to Black Mountain.

Kalaba has pointed out that Zambia had become an economic shell because “we are refusing to give a chance to our citizens”.

“What kind of a country is this which cannot have [an indigenous] billionaire? We are just good at eulogising other people…That’s why I say ‘Zambians, this is your country and you have to start rising up and reclaim it.’ I did my part and you can only do so much. Ine nalifye foreign affairs minister (I was a mere foreign affairs minister) and that is why when I realised that the position that I had was not helping to change certain positions, I resigned. I have always been pro-Zambia,” he said.

“People are saying Kalaba is doing this and that only for politics; the usual kind of talk in this country [where] somebody who wants to do things the right way [is demonised]. People start saying ‘no, he is just doing politics, he will not go far because his political career is ending,’ let it end! What is wrong with a political career ending? It’s okay.”

Meanwhile, Kalaba, who was accompanied to Kitwe by former deputy High Commissioner to Canada Nedson Nzowa and former presidential affairs minister in Levy Mwanawasa’s government Cecil Holmes, lamented that the current economic state of the Copperbelt was far below the thriving one that offered decent jobs to citizens years back.

“When you remember the old Copperbelt, everybody was dreaming of being on the Copperbelt. This was the place…We had people coming from Chipata, Western Province and everywhere you can think of, coming to work here because money was here on the Copperbelt. This was the heart and it has still remained the heart of this country. However, a lot of things have happened on the Copperbelt, partly because we have had politicians that have played a lot of politics instead of providing leadership. You find that now there is even outsourcing of labour in the mines. This is a big difference from how we have known the Copperbelt. The Copperbelt is now becoming a shell of itself – there has to be a new departure of how we should look at the Copperbelt; it needs to be transformed,” he said.

Kalaba further indicated that failure to entrust Zambian companies with contracts to deliver goods and services to mining firms in the province had worsened financial despondency among the people.

“When you talk about the mines themselves, who is supplying them with explosives today? Who is removing the water from the mines? We have taken foreigners to do those things for us and once you do that, the money is not remaining in this economy but it is being externalised. So, there must be a regulation around that framework to ensure that we have the right regulations in place to protect our people – that has not happened, unfortunately. We are forgetting that copper is a wasting asset. What is wrong with setting up industries here in Kitwe, which industries will add value to copper? What is wrong with setting up industries ku Chingola, ku Luanshya, which will add value to copper? If we could do that, despite the fact that copper is depleting, it could help the Copperbelt be the real old Copperbelt, unlike the shell it is today,” said Kalaba.

“What is happening now is that our people are losing employment everyday because the people we have given to run our mines have not come here for charity – they came here to make profits. When mine owners do not realise their projected millions of money, our people get retrenched and they go on the street and start suffering. If there is a place where people are dying because of depression nikuno ku Copperbelt (it’s here on the Copperbelt)! People are dying a lot because of stress – they are used to working!”

Read this article from the original source: Kalaba: Zambia Has Become An Economic Shell.

The Lusaka High Court has convicted and sentenced Chilanga UPND member of parliament Keith Mukata to death by hanging for the murder of his security guard.

But the court has acquitted his lover Charmaine Musonda who had elected to remain silent in her defense.

. An  update will be published shortly.

Read this article from the original source: BREAKING: Zambian MP Keith Mukata Sentenced To Death.

By Mukosha Funga
Ka Edgar nika kawalala, ngati kafuna kani peleke ku court nili na evidence (Edgar [Lungu] is a thief! If he wants, he can take me to court because I have evidence), UPND vice-president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba told his supporters yesterday.

And GBM says if elections were held today, UPND would win by 73 per cent.

Meanwhile, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says President Lungu is “Koswe Mumpoto” and his party will go ahead to move an impeachment motion.

Speaking at the UPND secretariat during the launch of the Lusaka Province mobilisation programme, GBM charged that President Lungu was a thief.

“PF is a dead party, it is gone, it is finished. I am sure you all believe Hakainde Hichilema, GBM and the entire leadership of UPND. What we said in 2015, 2016 up to today. We told you that this so called government will not take you anywhere. Those of you who have defected, I am sorry to say this, I am sure you realise that you gong’ad yourselves (you fooled yourselves). Mwenze mwazigo’nga. Tenze kumiuza ati kantu aka nika kawalala, ka Edgar Lungu. Nika kawalala. Ngati kafuna kani peleke ku court. I have evidence that he is a kawalala. Natu minister twake tonse nitu kawalala tu Kampyongo (we told you that this little man is a thief, Edgar Lungu is a thief. If he wants, he should take me to court because I have evidence. Even his ministers like [Home Affairs Minister Stephen] Kampyongo are thieves). Now we have evidence before us. That is the evidence we are going to use not too long from now,” GBM said.

“Ninabauza not too long from now that imwe tukawalala. They steal with impunity. Surely you can steal US$1 million pali ka fire tender ka US$250,000? Uzaona Edgar, niku uzilatu natu minister twako nabanzako bamene abo ulinabo, tuma PS twalemela overnight. Ine neenze mu PF, niziba wamene enze na ndalama nawamene enzelibe. So we will just ask them that ‘Edgar mwana, paja ninali kuchosa K2 iwe unakamba ati ulibe manje lelo wachosa kuti ndalama? (Edgar you will see, together with your ministers and your PSs who have gotten rich overnight. I was in PF and I know who had money and who didn’t have money. For Edgar, I can just ask him ‘when I was removing K2, you said you didn’t have so where have you gotten the money today?)’

he said Zambians should blame themselves for electing a leader who confessed that he had no capacity to run the country.

“Ka Edgar kalimyebele ati ine nilibe strategy, mwalekapatikisha (Edgar told you he had no strategy but you forced him). Ine I blame you Zambians, don’t blame Edgar in fact, blame yourselves because he told you that he had no capacity to govern this country but you forced him there. We as UPND don’t want to cry over spilled milk so let us move forward, we need to remove them,” he said.

“Tiyeni tubombele pamo. Natwishiba ati aba naba filwa, nitukabolala. Tu kabolala lekeni myebe, nga tukafika ku 2021, bakatu shila ama problems muli cino chalo pantu bakalya indalama shonse (Let us work together because these people have failed. They are thieves and if they make it to 2021, they will leave us with a lot of problems in this country)…ba PF niba kabolala, bamunshibila insala…they have overtaken us being rich with stolen money but stolen money takes you no where.”

He promised that the UPND, once in government, would recover all stolen funds.

“Mwisakamana imwe ama Zambians tukesamipokela ulupiya. Any money involving fraud leaves a trail, it shows you where it came from and where it went. We will see where Edgar’s money came from, even if he changed names 20 times, we will find it. All the presidents used to steal but not in this way. In the history of Zambia, Lungu is the biggest thief we have ever seen. He has stolen all our money but we won’t allow this at all. They must be ready, even those who are assisting them to steal, [Dr Fredson] Yamba at the Treasury, be ready, you shall be called to explain very soon. We want to know where our money goes. We will carry out a forensic audit at the Ministry of Finance to make sure that every coin that was paid out should be accounted for…so start preparing the prisons,” said GBM.

Read this article from the original source: Ka Edgar Nika Kawalala – GBM.

FORMER foreign affairs minister Harry Kalaba says if the PF insists on maligning his name, he will form a political party and that the ruling party should watch out. And Kalaba has noted that Zambia has currently no leadership but a coterie of politicians whose interest is to promote foreign corporates for selfish benefit.

Kalaba, who is PF Bahati member of parliament, reiterated that formation of his political party would only be talked about at the right time.

It emerged last week that the government had rejected to register Zambian Democrats, a political entity linked to Kalaba. Mark Ngoma, who is a Zambian Democrats representative, has since appealed to the Registrar of Societies on its refusal to register the party.

“I said it last time, though not on this radio programme; nalandile ukutila (I said) ba PF balinjimina (they rose against me) and you heard that they were saying ‘since Kalaba has said there is corruption [in government], let him leave the ruling party also.’ So, if PF is forcing me…So, ine ngabantamfya ba PF ati tabalemfwaya [if they eject me from the party, that they don’t want me) there is no problem – a political party will be formed and that political party, they should watch it because pakwakana ubunga tapaba insoni (when sharing mealie-meal, there is no shyness),” Kalaba said on a special interview on I-Wave radio in Chingola on Sunday evening.

And Kalaba, who resigned his ministerial position on January 2, observed that right now, young Zambians were unable to find jobs because “there are no jobs in this country”.

“If I say there are jobs in this country, I will be lying. We have stopped as a people looking at what can help us as a community. There are no jobs [because] the jobs have been taken by those that came from outside and our only job as Zambians is to vote for leaders so that they go and gain weight ku Parliament, buy the latest vehicles and later come back to show off to ordinary people. But I’m saying that has to come to an end; we need [ordinary] Zambians to begin benefiting from politics. It can’t just be one-sided; Zambians have to take politics in their own hands and they can only do it if they stand up and say ‘not this time’,”

he explained.

Kalaba further noted that Zambian politicians could, during elections time, not seek funding for their political activities from locals because only foreign business people were hugely empowered by the government.

“We must be realistic as a people; the way we are doing things is not right. Why is that we can’t create big local businessmen here in Chingola? It pains me…. When it’s time for elections, politicians go to ask for campaign funds from the Chinese, Lebanese. They don’t ask for campaign money from fellow Zambians. Why? Because balifilwa ukuchita empower ama Zambians but bachita empower abakunse (they have failed to empower local Zambians but foreigners). We need to empower Zambians and I am interested in seeing a Zambian that will be empowered. In this country takwaba nangu ukuba SME; being an SME is selling airtime pa musebo,”

Kalaba lamented.

He also complained about the waning face of Chingola mining town, at one point the country’s cleanest.

“Why is Chingola just looking like Mansa which cannot produce copper? If there is a town where roads are pathetic, it’s in Chingola! So, where is the wealth of Chingola going? Chingola was supposed to be beaming with streetlights, good houses and people smiling all over. But takuli (there is nothing) because indalama ishilefuma muno mu (money from) Chingola tashilebombela mu (is not being utilised here in) Chingola but it’s going to the owners, outside the country. But what I’m saying is that we need to give the people of Chingola a chance. It is sad to see how Chingola is deteriorating; Chingola residents have now been reduced to beggars in their own town which they once called the cleanest town in Zambia,” Kalaba said.

Kalaba added that Zambia needed a leadership that would be accountable.

“We don’t have a leadership right now [but] what we have are politicians who just tell you ABCDE. What we need is a paradigm shift – we need a leadership that will be accountable. We need politics that will speak to the lives of people – practical politics which will help our people. Good politics will produce food on the table, good politics will produce jobs, good politics will produce good roads,”

said Kalaba.

“The job of any government is to have the interests of the people [but] right now we have a government that is more interested in foreign corporates than their own people. What kind of governance is that? What is important for them is to have Shoprite and all those things that are going to suck money from this country and not things that are going to empower the poor people. This country is too rich to have some people live in squalor and to have so much of a discrepancy!”

Read this article from the original source: If PF Continues Maligning Me, I’ll Form a Party – Kalaba.

Barclays Africa Group has announced that it’s rebranding to ABSA Group Limited in all its operations across Africa including Zambia.

Announcing the development, Barclays bank Zambia managing director Mzinga melu says Barclays Africa undertook extensive research internally and externally in a process that included more than 130, 000 conversations with employees and stakeholders about the brand and strategy of the group.

Ms melu says the implementation of this decision necessitates that practical considerations and dynamics are take into consideration in each market so that it is as seamless as possible.

She states that the rebranding to Absa will be completely rolled out by 2020.

And ms melu says the bank intends to double its market share of banking revenue in Africa to 12 percent.

Read this article from the original source: Barclays Africa Group Rebrands to ABSA Group Ltd.

Expelled Roan Member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili, has charged that if a By-election was declared, he would retain the seat with ease.

Dr. Kambwili claims that he is still a force to reckon with and that if the Patriotic Front, or PF, thinks he is scared, they should bless themselves for a rude shocked.

Dr. Kambwili, who is political consultant for opposition National Democratic Congress, or NDC, was speaking today when he featured live on Radio Christian Voice, chat back programme monitored by Mano News.

Read this article from the original source: Kambwili: I Can Retain My Seat Effortless.

The Technical Committee on refining the country’s constitution has recommended that a Presidential Petition should be heard and determined in 30 working days.

The current constitution says 14 days but does not specify whether weekends and public holidays should be counted.

This was during the just ended workshop to look at proposals on clauses in the current constitution that need to be refined.

The Committee has also recommended that all Parliamentary Committees should not sit in camera unless under special reasons.

The committee also recommended that all constitution officer bearers and public service workers should declare their assets.

And Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said the recommendations will be subjected to a group of scholars before the bill is tabled in Parliament this June.

Mr Lubinda was speaking when he closed the meeting in Siavonga.

Read this article from the original source: Presidential Petition In 30 Days?.

NATIONAL Restoration Party leader Elias Chipimo says Chishimba Kambwili should tell the nation everything he knows about the Topstar deal because he was in charge when government embarked on the project.

And Chipimo says if the current government leaders are wise, they would open their eyes and ears to the open rebellion from the people who have had enough of the greed and manipulation of the nation’s resources.

The Lusaka lawyer has further said youths on the Copperbelt have once again been duped into believing a party that was desperate to hold on to power actually cares for them.

Briefing the press yesterday on a subject titled “A headless nation”, Chipimo said Kambwili, the Roan PF member of parliament and former information minister, was the best person to tell the nation what really transpired in the Topstar deal because he was privy to a lot of things.

“We have now entered the so-called digital migration era. This was supposed to be a time when our local media could flourish under new rules and regulations that would enable them to broadcast their content across the country at minimal cost and educate and inform the nation while making a sensible commercial return. Sadly, as with all things that the current administration has been able to lay their grubby hands on, this is slowly turning into a nightmare for the hard-working men and women in the private media sector. To date, we have had no explanation as to why ‘Phase One’ of the digital migration cost only $9.6 million and covered six provinces and yet ‘Phase Two’ somehow required a loan of $273 million to cover only four provinces,” Chipimo said.

“There can be no logic or justification for such an astounding difference and an explanation must be provided to the people of Zambia. We know that Mr. Chishimba Kambwili was privy to a lot of things and can easily provide the requisite data as to what really transpired in this matter. We are ready to work with him to bring the evidence to court in a civil action and will be engaging with him to see how we can bring this issue to the full attention of local and international audiences. We demand answers to some very troubling questions: who was the $273 million paid to? How was it utilised? Why was it acquired on behalf of a foreign company, which is 60 per cent owned by non-Zambians? Where were the payments made? What was the actual cost of ‘Phase Two Implementation’ of the digital migration if ‘Phase One’ cost only $9.6 million?”

He also said there was need for Zambians to know who signed the relevant documentation and on what basis.

Chipimo said Zambians also wanted to know how a digital signal carrier had now become a content provider as well as a pay TV channel at the expense of local media and production companies.

“We must demand an audit before we can be compelled to pay the ever increasing taxes being imposed on us. If our taxpayer monies are being spent in a reckless manner, why should we have to carry the cost of other people’s corruption and greed and mediocrity? Why should we be charged a tax to maintain health services when our ministries are authorised to spend $288,000 on individual ambulances that are worth less than a quarter of that price? Why should we squander our hard earned resources to pay over four times the value of fire tenders and then be made to pay for the cost of maintaining our roads? We demand our rights as citizens to a full audit of the monies that have been spent in our name as a nation,” he said.

Read this article from the original source: Kambwili Knows More About Topstar Deal – CHIPIMO.