President Edgar Lungu’s recent appointment of Margaret Mwanakatwe as Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister has attracted broad approval from Zambians.

President Lungu nominated Mwanakatwe to parliament and appointed her to his first cabinet, which also comprises Mrs. Inonge Wina as Vice President, in what is seen as a step forward for gender equality in government, although there is still very far to go.

According to her Wikipedia biography, Mwanakatwe was the first Zambian and first female chief executive at Barclays Bank Zambia. She was also the first woman CEO in all of Barclays Bank’s African subsidiaries. She rose to the position of Managing Director at Barclays Banka Zambia before being appointed Managing Director and CEO at Barclays Bank Ghana in 2004, before later joining United Bank for Africa.

This appointment signifies President Lungu’s intention to bring the best of Zambia together to tackle the many challenges that must be addressed with the utmost urgency, a spokesperson for the new administration says.

Other Zambian citizens interviewed in and around Lusaka regarding Mwanakatwe’s appointment were supportive.

“She is seen as very successful; a pioneer,” said Malcolm Mulenga, an employee at Spar supermarket. “Maybe she can pave the way for other young women to follow.”

Jaston Chimbaka, a Lusaka businessman, also commended President Lungu for “overlooking barriers of gender inequality that typify African politics. This addition is an injection of experienced corporate acumen and tested leadership and another breath of fresh air to the cabinet”.

Online political commentator Ornam Mulenga remarked that “The importance and benefit of having Margaret Mwanakatwe at the Ministry of Commerce and Trade is the investor confidence that comes with such rare and unique appointments for the country. Looking at her international standing and reputation in the financial sector, she is expected to work extra hard to attract Foreign Direct Investment(FDI)”.

While the appointments of Wina and Mwanakatwe are welcome, Zambia still has quite a long way to go in the eyes of many gender equality groups. The current parliament only features about 11% women, which is far below the regional average and well below the Milennium Development Goal of reaching 30%. Local government representation is also very low at less than 6% while only 19 of Zambia’s 287 traditional leaders are women.

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For people with low intellect endowment see the results of the last election as a reflection of tribalsm. For people who are followers of political events in the country they look at the results differently.

It was a protest vote against tribal domination. How do you appoint people in all structures of government predominantly from one region. How do you allow all the lucrative government contracts to be controlled by people from one region. How do you brag that our areas will not see development unless we vote for You? Why you tell us that all your roads are tarred and electricity has gone to your thatched Villages! Are you sure we were going to vote for you to have a share of the national Cake? We voted for a party of choice.

This country belongs to all Zambian. We can never in prural political dispensation allow discrimination because people chose a preferred party than yours. Maybe you are not attractive. Are you sure people could have been blind to the pangas, devaluation of the kwacha, ailing economy. Brutal in-fighting, corruption, bad governance, low quality of leadership etc. THE OTHER SIDE IS THE ONE WHICH VOTED ON TRIBAL LINES, ignoring the ills brought about by RB and Satas mismanagement of the country.

Jonas Shakafuswa

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The nail biting appointment process that hopefuls feel is going on painfully slow has had a new addition in former Information Minister Joseph Katema who has been sworn in as new Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister.

Republican President, Edgar Lungu swore in Dr. Katema together with newly appointment appointed Commerce Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe, State House Deputy Minister, Mulenga Sata, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja and Zambia Air force Deputy Commander, and Major David Muma.

President Lungu has been shaking up the government make up since assuming office after winning the January, 20 elections.

The process is getting nervy for many who fear for their jobs as some new comers are thrown in the mix.

Former Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations George Chellah has joined the queue of casualties so far.

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First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda has been admitted to Lusaka Trust Hospital for an unknown illness.

And President Edgar Lungu this afternoon took time off his busy schedule to visit Dr Kaunda and offered prayer for him.

Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has directed Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner-General Berlin Msiska to expedite dialogue with mine owners and promptly resolve the impasse over the new mining tax regime.

According to a statement by Amos Chanda, President Lungu issued the directive after he addressed a special session of Cabinet to consider the impasse over the new mining tax regime and the outstanding VAT refunds for mining companies.

The President said he wants an amicable settlement that must end in a win-win outcome for both the mining companies and the people of Zambia.

On the VAT refunds status, the ZRA Commissioner-General and Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda reported that a statutory instrument to regulate the payment of refunds would be ready in a matter of days to deal with future payments.

Mr Chikwanda emphasised that government was actively engaged in dialogue with the mines and there is therefore no cause for panic and blackmail from any quarters.

The Head of State has directed that in the light of the existing legal dilemma regarding claims that have already been submitted, new negotiations must therefore be opened to address mechanisms under which any payment would be settled.

The special session of Cabinet comprised the Vice-President Inonge Wina, Mr Chikwanda, Minister of Justice Dr Ngosa Simbyakula and Minister of Commerce Trade & Industry, Mrs Margaret Mwanakatwe.

The Minister of Mines will join this committee of ministers tasked to tackle the mines tax impasse.

The ZRA Commissioner-General, Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba and Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Felix Nkulukusa were also in attendance.

Meanwhile, President Lungu has reverted Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu to the Bank of Zambia as Deputy Governor-Operations.

Dr Ng’andu has been on secondment to the civil service as Permanent Secretary for Mchinga Province.

In his letter to Dr Ngándu, President Lungu reminds him that position of Deputy Governor Operations is a critical position especially at a time when the country faces intractable challenges in both the domestic and global economies.

President Lungu says there is a compelling need to use monetary policy to stimulate the economy and it cannot be business as usual.

The President says it is his hope that Dr Ng’andu will reinforce the Governor and initiate meaningful dialogue with commercial banks to close some avoidable loopholes that induce injurious outflows of the country’s meagre foreign exchange.

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The Rainbow Coalition says the appointment of Justice Irene Mambilima as Chief Justice will restore the integrity of the judiciary.

Rainbow Coalition Executive Director Cleophas Phiri notes that the country has for a longtime been in limbo with regards to who can excellently preside over the judiciary.

Phiri says it has also been difficult for the judiciary to perform as an independent institution.

He says the appointment of Justice Mambilima has therefore come at the right time.

Phiri adds that there is no doubt that Justice Mambilima will restore the confidence and trust of the Zambian people in the judiciary.

The post Mambilima Bringing Integrity to Judiciary – Rainbow Coalition appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) says President Edgar Lungu’s impending holiday before he has appointed his full Cabinet is ill timed.

FDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says much as the President is entitled to a holiday, the timing is wrong especially that he has been in office barely two week.

Mwanza notes that what the people of Zambia expect from the Head of State is for him to first finish constituting his Cabinet considering the important role Cabinet Ministers play in running the affairs of government.

He says the President should understand that he cannot continue to function without a full Cabinet, adding that without a full Cabinet in place, it means that most of the work in different sectors of the economy has been stalled.

Mwanza notes that President Lungu has only a few months to show the people of Zambia what he is capable of ding thus it is important for him to put up a full Cabinet as soon as possible so that the Ministers begin to work.

Source: Qfm

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Under fire opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy president Nevers Mumba has taken his party’s problems to President Edgar Lungu after he sought a meeting.

Mumba met Lungu and among the sticky points he raised was the role played by former President Rupiah Banda that saw the ex-Head of State tilt the balance in favour of
Lungu to hand him the presidency through the crucial Eastern Province vote.

The meeting also sought clarity on the role of MMD members that stood with Lungu during the elections.

Mumba was seeking that they be shoved off the table as appointments are being made while there is also an indication that the former tele-evangelist was open to a role to Lungu if ever there was an opening.

The former Republican Vice President once dramatically dissolved his political the Christian Citizens Coalition to accept a job in government under the late President Levy Mwanawasa.

Mumba is facing an internal revolt within MMD that may not see the party, if it lasts go into the 2016 elections as a strong force.

The party only managed less than 15, 000 votes in the recently held presidential elections.

The post Nevers Takes His MMD Problems to Pres. Lungu appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The National Restoration Party says that the delay in appointing a full cabinet by new Republican President Edgar Lungu may cost the country a lot of progress in terms of development.

NAREP president Elias Chipimo said that Lungu needed to immediately get the whole government system in motion to ensure that the country was in good stead by the time they got to the 2016 general elections.

He said that the appointments needed to be made quickly to ensure that people got over the January, 20 elections quickly.

“The delay in the appointment of a full cabinet is worrying and causing a lot of anxiety. We need President Lungu to get over this business and get down working. This is what I call piecemeal politics,” he said.

“He cannot do everything alone he needs a full team to help him. Before he goes on honeymoon let him leave a full cabinet so that the governance system can move swiftly.”

Lungu has made a partial cabinet with several hopefuls baying their breath unsure whether the Head of State will retain them.

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The opposition United Party for National Development says their four time presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema will still contest the 2016 elections even without going through a ‘fake’ convention.

UPND secretary general Winstone Chibwe said that there was no clause in the party constitution that stated that a leader could not be eligible to contest after attempting four times.

Hichilema has been the UPND candidate in four elections where he has fallen at every try.

There have been hushed protests in the UPND circles that they should consider casting him aside for another candidate at the next try in the 2016 elections.

Some have gone further to float names like Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament although the suggestion has been publicly shot down.

Chibwe said that Hichilema would still be given a chance to stand as he had done well in the January, 20 presidential elections where he lost the vote by 28, 000 votes.

The post ‘Undemocratic’ UPND Adopts HH for 2016 appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Foundation for Democratic Process has condemned the creation of the position of a Deputy Minister at State House that has been handed to former President Michael Sata’s son Mulenga.

FODEP executive director MacDonald Chipenzi said it was unacceptable that President Edgar Lungu added to the new number of ministries when the cry was for a reduction in such portfolios to cut the cost of running government.

Chipenzi said after too much money spent on the presidential election necessitated by the death of President Sata, there was need to be prudent about spending public resources.

“Where has the money come from to create a new ministry, all along the cry has been for a smaller number. We had already a huge number of 23 and now we are going to 24,” he said.

Chipenzi also said that appointments of ministers should be concluded soon so that the President does not spend his 18 months in power swearing people.

“He needs to finish up these appointments because if he is not careful he will be swearing people every day until his term of office ends,” he said.

The post FODEP Oppose New Ministerial Role at State House appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Journalist Emmanuel Mwamba has accused UPND president Hakainde Hichilema of heavily funding the Zambian Watchdog to slander him into political submission.

Mwamba made the statement following an article published by the site alleging he had rejected a diplomatic posting but instead eyed to be appointed information minister.

The former press aide in Second Republican president Frederick Chiluba’s office said he was aware the extent to which Hichilema would go to spread falsehoods and win his passage to State House.

“I’am aware that Hakainde Hichilema and his infrastructure have heightened malicious campaigns against the PF and against me personally.

“I remember in our last meeting at ECZ, the UPND and Hichilema made me a focus of his electoral problems and his failure to win.

“I am therefore not surprised by the relentless attacks and fabrications being peddled by Hichilema and the papers he owns.

“The attacks have even gone to the extent of threatening my life and that of my family,” Mwamba states.

It’s believed that Hichilema has invested heavily in the online project alongside Zambia’s number one conman Rajan Mahtani to fight their media battles using two of the UPND leader’s tribesmen.

The post Mwamba Accuses HH of Funding Zambian Watchdog to Slander Him appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Now that the elections are over, some of President Edgar Lungu’s campaigners are enjoying some rest and relaxation – including Dr. Edgar Ngoma, commonly known as ‘Angoni.’ Here’s an image of Ngoma on a privately funded holiday to Swaziland.

The post Photo of the Day: Edgar Ngoma Holidays in Swaziland appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Republican President Edgar Lungu has receded to the serenity of Mfuwe in the Luangwa National Park to finally tie up his full cabinet.

Anxieties have been on the roof since his election having only appointed a handful of ministers and assistants leaving the hopefuls sweating over whether they will be retained or dismissed.

President Lungu will be in Mfuwe for seven days and will be expected to wind up his list before emerging to fully take charge of national affairs.

He said that he will also take a trip to neighbouring Zimbabwe and Angola in a few days within his holiday to pay homage on the two countries’ Heads of State.

The head of state has been accompanied to Mfuwe by First Lady Esther, Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula and PF Secretary General Davies Chama among others.

President Lungu joins the tradition by first president Kenneth Kaunda, third president Levy Mwanawasa and fourth president Rupiah Banda of taking a break to plan their strategy after which landmark pronouncements are made.

The post President Lungu Starts His Holiday in Mfuwe appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The post election cleansing in the ruling Patriotic Front has started with Chongwe Member of Parliament replaced by former Lupososhi MP Emmanuel Mpankata as chairperson for elections.

Masebo fell out with the party at the height of intra party wrangles that saw her side with the camp vigorously opposed to the election of then party Secretary General Edgar Lungu as PF president.

The Chongwe lawmaker subsequently backed the candidature of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema in the January, 20 elections.

Below is the full statement by PF Secretary General Davies Chama.

STATEMENT ON MR EMMANUEL MPANKATA’S APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN OF ELECTIONS OF THE RULING PATRIOTIC FRONT ISSUED BY MR DAVIES CHAMA, THE SECRETARY GENERAL

Lusaka, 4th January 2015—I wish to inform members of the ruling party, and the public at large that President Edgar Lungu has appointed Mr. Emmanuel Mpankata as PF Chairman of Elections.

Mr. Mpankata’s appointment by President Lungu is with immediate effect from 27th January 2015, and some of his functions in this crucial and important position in the party are as follows:

Constitute an election committee of not more than 20 members Elect a vice chair and secretary of the committee.

Plan and implement party policies with regard to elections Help ratify the names of the committee members

Meet at least once a month with the members of the committee. President Lungu is confident that Mr. Mpankata will execute his duties with high levels of professionalism. Mr. Mpankanta is long standing party stalwart.

Signed: Davies Chama
Title: Secretary General

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By Sean Tembo

Now that President Lungu has successfully settled himself into office, and given his promise that he will be a listening president, there are several policy matters that l feel require urgent reconsideration by Government. President Lungu needs to establish his own legacy. The five most pressing policy issues are as follows;

1. Changing the language of instruction for lower primary school to vernacular: This policy was poorly advised, ill conceived and simply lacked sufficient stakeholder consultation nor a feasibility study on its implementation on the ground. This policy is just lame.

2. Introduction of minimum insurance premiums to be charged by general insurance companies by the Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA) in order to ensure the financial sustainability of insurance companies in the market: Every time l discuss this matter, my blood boils and l fail to articulate myself properly. The reasoning by PIA was that since a lot of insurance companies are flooding the market, most of them charge ‘below market premiums’ and they would be unlikely to settle claims as and when they arise is simply flawed. PIA further reasoned that in order ensure that these many insurance companies are financially sustainable by making a reasonable profit, there should be minimum premiums that insurance companies should be allowed to charge, needless to mention that this resulted into an almost 100% mandatory increment in the premiums charged by insurance companies.
This line of reasoning undermines the very fundamentals of a free market economy and amounts to price fixing by establishing a price floor. It simply means that us the consumers are unable to benefit from competition among the insurance companies. It also prevents consumers from utilizing insurance at a time that we are supposed to encourage our citizenry to utilize insurance so to mitigate the effects of catastrophes such as Chisokone Market burning to the ground. From all angles, this was a very poor policy decision by Government through PIA. Also, why were insurance companies identified as the only private companies whose profits need to be guaranteed and protected? Why not banks? Why not hotels? etc. Isn’t banking a much more sensitive sector to the economy than insurance?

3. Periodic export restrictions for grain such as maize, wheat, soya beans etc in order to adequately service local demand: This policy prevents foreign players in the grain market from participating in Zambia and puts the entire burden of buying all grain on the Govt. through FRA. Foreign players want stability of supply, they don’t want to be told there is grain available one minute and the next minute they’re told Govt. has banned all exports of such and such grain. No foreign player would want to deal with a country that flip flops like that. FRA should just concentrate on buying the amounts that it wants to keep for strategic food security and let the market forces go into play. If we have to export all our produce to Andola, DRC, Sudan etc and import all our consumption from Brazil or South Africa, then so be it. Otherwise if the Govt wants to insist on being the sole player in the grain market, it will either fail to pay farmers on time in cases of a bumper harvest, or have financial resources sitting idol in cases of a drought. I believe the Govt. cannot adequately forecast the harvest outcome at the time of drafting the National Budget so that it can allocate just the right amount of financial resources to buying grain.

4. Awarding and commissioning infrastructure projects which are not in the national development budget is another problem: Its okay to move slowly but surely than trying to do everything at once.

5. Over negotiating with the mines regarding the royalty taxes: The mines have been dodging and ducking from paying taxes for far too long. By some creative accounting, they never seem to make profits which ZRA can tax. However, they don’t want to close shop either. If l am making genuine losses in my company year after year, l’ll shut it down. But the mines make losses year after year and yet are very happy and keep expanding their operations! What type of losses make an investor happy? That’s why the only way that we can hold the mines accountable to contribute to the national treasury like everyone else, is to have a revenue based royalty tax as a final tax. The president should not relent on this fight. If the mines insist a discount, give them one percent.

The post Opinion: 5 Policy Issues Pres. Lungu Needs To Reconsider appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says it is depressing for government to remain quiet over the issue of continued delayed salaries for unionized workers at Times of Zambia.

ZCTU president Nkole Chishimba says it is unfortunate that despite the efforts by his union seeking dialogue with government over the matter, no positive response has been forthcoming.

Chishimba says there is urgent need for the government to seriously move in and address the plight of the unionized workers at the Times of Zambia who have gone without pay for a long time.

He says respecting the plight of workers should be key for any government institution if they workers have to put in their best.

Chishimba has since indicated that he will soon call for an urgent meeting with the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) to see how best the issue can be handled.

He has since appealed to the workers at the state owned media to be patient as ZCTU engages the Zambia Union of Journalists on the way forward.

The post ZCTU Speaks for Suffering Times of Zambia Journalists appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Anglican Priest Father Richard Luonde says political parties should watch out for the Wynter Kabimba led Rainbow party in the 2016 general election.

Fr. Luonde says the Rainbow party has come in full force thus no one should underestimate it.

He says as the opposition party has an agenda of developing the nation as well as making a difference in the lives of the people of Zambia.

Fr. Luonde says Rainbow party is a party which every Zambian will appreciate as it comes at the right time when the people of Zambia need a party to do a cleanup.

He adds that the party is here to stay despite some negative statements by some people.

Fr. Luonde says come 2016; the Rainbow party would have grown bigger considering the fast rate at which it is growing.

The post Fr Luonde says Kabimba’s Party is the Hot Spot appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Patriotic Front has shown some love to pardoned Mufumbwe Member of Parliament Stephen Masumba by insisting that he still holds the right to be in parliament despite his conviction.

Masumba was last year convicted to two years imprisonment for forging a diploma from the National Institute for Public Administration but was later pardoned by then acting President Guy Scott.

Zambian Voice executive director Chilufya Tayali has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini to guide on the status of Masumba.

However, PF secretary general Davies Chama said that as far as the party was concerned Masumba was still their MP in Mufumbwe.

Chama said that Masumba had not served for more than six months so could still cling on to his position.

He said that Masumba had also been pardoned hence according to Chama was free to enjoy his full liberties.

However, the Zambian constitution clearly states that a person contesting the position of MP should ever have had been convicted of a criminal offence.

“As far as I am concerned he is still MP although maybe it is subject to interpretation. When you have been only in detention for a short period which is less than six months that has no bearing,” he said.

“He served less than six months because he was pardoned so we think he is still MP.”

The post PF Defends Masumba appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia, ECZ, has set April 24th as date for Chawama parliamentary by-election.

The seat fell vacant after its former lawmaker Edgar Lungu became President of Zambia.

According to the announcement, campaigns begin on March 10. There will be 8 local government polls to be will be held on the day too.

Meanwhile, parliament will resume sitting on Feb 24 after having adjourned on Decemebr 17. The house will welcome new leader Inonge Wina who is Vice-President but bids farewell to Daniel Munkombwe with Guy Scott reverting to the back bencher while Mulenga Sata and Margaret Mwanakatwe become new entrants.

The post ECZ Sets April 14 for Chawama By-Election appeared first on Zambia Reports.

President Rupiah Banda will co-lead the election observer mission to Nigeria on the invitation of the United States-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI).

Below is a statement

THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
OFFICE OF THE FOURTH PRESIDENT

Press Release
President Banda to co-lead Nigeria election observation mission

LUSAKA, 5th February, 2014—His Excellency Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, the Fourth President of the Republic of Zambia, has been appointed co-leader of an election observation mission to the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the country’s 68.8 million voters choose their leaders in the general elections set for next week.

President Banda has been invited to the February 14 Nigerian elections by the United States-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) whose chairperson is former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

In his invitation letter, NDI senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa Dr Christopher Fomunyoh said President Banda’s experience will greatly benefit the NDI delegation as Africa’s most populous nation faces the most competitive election since the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999.

The former head of State will co-lead the NDI delegation with former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, former Niger Prime Minister Mahamadu Danda, former Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and former governor of Colorado Bill Ritter.

President Banda has previously led election observation missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Sierra Leone under the Carter Center and to the Royal Kingdom of Lesotho under the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.

He will be accompanied to Nigeria by his assistants Mikatazo Wakumelo and Kennedy Limwanya.

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