The immediate reaction when news of the release of musician General Kanene broke out was to burst into a tantrum and naturally let out a few unpalatable words against the establishment. Of course in the comfort of my living room!

But then it did cross my mind that maybe I had let my emotions get the better of me and not taken a deeper reflection of what the real implications. My mind did stray to what the law says and then my imagination just gave a quick check. Did President Edgar Lungu act within the law?

Were there any compelling reasons to give Kanene whose real name is Clifford Dimba to be handed a fast track ticket out of jail after being handed an 18 year jail sentence for defilement? Why is there a provision for the prerogative of mercy in the Zambian constitution? Naturally I began to sober up and realised that the President acted within the law. He enjoys the right to pardon anybody and this power is unquestionable.

There is also the usual recommendation by the Prison Service Commission for the pardoning of any prisoner who in their judgment may have shown remorse and the Head of State did admit receiving a powerful recommendation in the case of Kanene consequently naming him ambassador against Gender Based Violence.

And then of course there were also gray areas at trial given the age of the alleged victim with the report of the defilement coming belatedly presumably as an afterthought. Of course this is not the time or place to argue about the merits or demerits of the now closed case.

Just maybe before anyone casts a stone at Kanene maybe they could pull out scripture and reflect on one of the most revolutionary acts Jesus pulled when an adulterous woman was brought before him by an angry mob baying for her blood. “Let he who has never sinned be the first one to cast a stone.” Good Day. To Kanene welcome back but surely you can only earn your freedom fully by being an exemplary example.

Here is a curious case of General Kanene’s prison time as presented by Mashindi Ntambu

In the month of June, I visited LCP(Chimbokaila) to attend to my clients that were held there.Out of interest and curiousity, I inquired about General Kanene who at the time was still being held at LCP D-Block(This section is for inmates with jail sentences above 10 years).

My informants G & T revealed some rather shocking information about Kanene. In particular to his visitors roster.
1.Kanene whilst at LCP was visited by the same victim as many times as his wives visited him collectively?
2.Any lawyer worth his calling will tell you that Kanene’s defence was a total disaster.Cheap can be expensive at times.

So for all of you castigating the Presidency on Kanene’s release think again.Justice has been served and the girl who you all think in your mind was a victim has had a prayer request answered. She couldn’t live with the thought of having an innocent man incarcerated.This is no different from the Chilufya Tayali Vs.Ruth Zulu case..

The post Let He Without Sin Point A Finger At General Kanene appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The opposition UPND has warned of unspecified reaction to any attempt to eliminate its leader Hakainde Hichilema.

This follows Wednesday’s attack in Kitwe on Hichilema and his entourage allegedly carried out by PF cadres who are reported to have aimed at causing harm to the UPND leader.

UPND National Chairperson Mutale Nalumango has since warned the PF to stay away from Hichilema.

Nalumango has told a media briefing in Lusaka that like any other citizen, Hichilema has the right to free movement, and that as a leader of a registered political party in Zambia, he has further right to go anywhere in the country and engage with ordinary members of the public.

And Nalumango has accused the ruling PF of being an insecure government the reason why it has been allegedly using youths to perpetrate violence on political opponents.

She says the UPND is now convinced that the ruling PF has to this effect developed what she has referred to as a violence policy meant to silence political opponents.

Nalumango has challenged President Edgar Lungu to condemn the violence that is being perpetrated by suspected PF youths if he does not condone it.

She further appealed to peace loving Zambians, the Church and the civil society not to wait until it is too late to speak out against political violence in the country.

The post UPND Claim Scheme to Eliminate Hichilema Active appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Renowned constitutional lawyer John Sangwa says former President Rupiah Banda still enjoys his immunity from prosecution and does not need to have it restored following his acquittal by the Lusaka Magistrate Court on the charge of abuse of authority of office in the Nigerian oil deal.

Sangwa says the former President had his immunity removed to allow his prosecution for the specific crime he is alleged to have committed while in office of which he was cleared.

Sangwa says the fact that Banda held the office of republican president, his constitutional protection from prosecution is enduring as long as he is alive. He has however stated that this protection from prosecution is not absolute.

Sangwa says Parliament has powers to permit the removal of a former Head of State’s immunity if doing so is in the interest of the republic.

He notes that this permission is however given for a specific alleged crime whose evidence must be satisfactory and accepted by Parliament.

Sangwa says if this happens as the case was with Banda, the former Head of State still retains his immunity from prosecutions for other perceived crimes committed while in office, other than those for which his immunity has been lifted by Parliament.

He states that if the State intends to prosecute the former President on other fresh charges, the State will have to again seek permission from Parliament to have his immunity lifted.

The post Cartel Lawyer John Sangwa’s View on RB’s Immunity appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Patriotic Front Central Province Chairman Benson Chali says he will not tolerate the indiscipline coming from party members in Kabwe District.

Two rival camps have emerged in the ruling party in Kabwe after the District elections with one group having an orange uniform and the other a blue one.

The two groups clashed yesterday when President Edgar Lungu toured Kabwe’s Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison.

But Chali says he will try by all means to ensure the two groups come to understand that the PF is about oneness and not divisions.

He says he is working hard to ensure the party does not go to the 2016 General Elections divided in the Central Province.

He says for as long as he remains Provincial Chairman, he will not allow the current situation in Kabwe to continue.

Chali has since directed the PF Kabwe District Chairman to take action over the indiscipline of the PF members in the two camps.

The post PF Members in Kabwe Warned against Indiscipline appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Pardoned convicted child defiler musician Clifford Dimba alias General Kanene has promised not to let President Edgar Lungu down.

Speaking to Journalists at Kabwe’s Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison fter receiving a presidential pardon on Thursday, Dimba who was serving an 18 year sentence with hard labour for defiling a 14 year old girl said he is honored to be made the President’s ambassador in the fight against defilement.

He said he has experienced prison the hard way, advising people to avoid prison because it is a bad place.

And the Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) has welcomed the pardoning of Dimba by President Lungu.

ZAM President Njoya Tembo says musicians are excited to see their own walk to freedom.

Tembo was however quick to advise Dimba not to forget the task the Head of State has given him saying he should be active in the fight against defilement.

Tembo says Dimba should not neglect the task given to him but should strive to fight all negative vices through music and actual works.

And the Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) says it has no objection to the decision by President Edgar Lungu to pardon Dimba.

ZNWL Chairperson Beauty Katebe says her organization believes the President’s decision is based on the recommendation by the Prisons authorities who have seen that he has transformed into a better citizen.

Katebe states that in this regard ZNWL respects the decision by President Lungu, but hopes that Dimba will no longer make disturbing news headlines by committing a similar.

She her organisation will continue to strongly condemn child defilers because they ruin the future of the girl child. Katebe has since commended President Lungu for tasking Dimba to be an ambassador against child defilement.

The post General Kanene to President Lungu; “I’ll Not Let You Down Boss” appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Post Newspaper employees are sympathising with their colleague Mukosha Funga but they reserve no soft spot for their boss, Fred M’membe over their recent arrest and night spent in jail before bail today.

Employees who declined to be named said it is sad that Mukosha is being part of the case where M’membe is the focus while the reporter is a mere sacrificial lamb.

“It is just sad that Mukosha is part of this case. First of all, we have not been paid for sometimes now and life has been very challenging. If you look at the young lady, she has not been receiving a salary and she is being thrown in this mess by Fred as a hapless girl. She does not have enough money to sustain her house and even she is released from the police cells, she will go home to an empty fridge. Meanwhile, Fred has money and it does not matter for him to go in police cells. He has made his money while the young lady does not get paid and the company cannot even advance with any part of her salary. It is shame really. For us, we are not so much worried about Fred but we are worried about Mukosha,” the sources said.

The Post Newspaper employees have said their lives are now frustrated for non payment of salaries and they are wondering where M’membe has been stashing the money that the company generate.

The workers have said they are now using the utility vehicles, personal to holder and pool vehicles to look for employment, drop application letters and attend interviews in the pretext of going in the field to work.

M’membe and Mushoa have been charged with publishing classified information. The duo appeared in court this morning and have been granted K30,000 cash bail in their own recognizance.

The post Post Employees Worried for Funga, But Not M’membe appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Dear Editor,

Permit me to share some thoughts with your readers.

There has been a lot of talk after President Edgar Lungu commuted the death sentences of 332 condemned prisoners who have been awaiting execution in perpetuity. President Lungu decided to use his discretionary powers to commute all the death roll prisoners and substituted them with life imprisonment.

In fact the President’s visit to Mukobeko Maximum Prison was the first of its kind by a sitting president since 1974. All the other presidents had never stepped a foot in the prison grounds for whatever reason apart from first president Dr Kenneth Kaunda.

He said this is the begining of the process of transforming prisons from punitive institutions to reformatory institutions, that is intended to offer correctional services to prisoners.

After giving a public address in which he announced his decision to commute the sentences from death to life imprisonment, President Lungu walked to the area where the death roll prisoners were seated while wearing white prison uniforms.

He told them that they are human beings who deserved life like any other human. He said people make mistakes like they have done but that they deserve a second chance.

President Lungu said the only person who was entitled to take away life was God and that they should thank God that they will not be executed.

“God is the one who owns our life. Who knew that I would become President? No one. That is why even you deserve a second chance. Who knows how your future will be? What you should do is to thank God for your life because you deserve a second chance,” he told the jubilant prisoners who were beaming with faces which had life suddenly surging on their faces.

It is difficult for someone who has never been on death roll to understand the anguish that goes with the waiting process. Obviously, these death roll candidates are always playing out their final moment of the life through a noose like it was the case with former Iraq president Saddam Hussein or probably the lethal injection that allows them to die in peace.

One of the prisoners whose sentence was commuted James Musonda said he was overjoyed at the news.

“I can’t believe this and I must thank the president for this kind gesture,” Musonda said.

That’s why there was an eruption of joy and celebration when the weight of death by execution was removed off their shoulders. It was as if they have been released from the jail cell to return back to society.

The commutation of sentences should be welcome news to campaigners who advocate for the abolishment of death penalty such as Amnesty International, Faith Based Organisations and other Human Rights organisations. Many is such organisation spent huge amounts of money for such campaigns but in Zambia, it has come with so much easy that President Lungu was not even urged to do so. Probably it was a decision based on his personal conviction or what his lawyering life has taught him over the years.

The commutation of the death sentences is not raising much controversy and neither has it been received with commendation from civil society organisations that talk their way into reasonably comfortable lifestyles.

Probably only the families of the 332 death roll inmates will appreciate this kind gesture more. But the spectators who do not have any emotional attachment to the condemned prisoners but rather survive on talking which is glamourised as advocacy will always gloss over it.

Signed,
M.B.
Lusaka

The post Letter: Escaping the Noose appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Egypt-based striker Ronald Kampamba and two trial-outs in France Patson Daka and Patrick Ngoma have arrived in Abidjan to join junior Chipolopolo’s campaign ahead of tomorrow’s clash against Ivory Coast in the first leg of the final qualifying round of the CAF U23 Championships.

The match set forat Robert Champroux stadium kicks off at 17:00 hours Zambian time.

According to Fazfootball, the Chipolopolo Olympic team landed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Thursday and is checked in at Ivotel hotel.

Faz Executive Committee member Lee Kawanu is delegation leader of the Fighton Simukonda coached side. Zambia eliminated Namibia to progress to this round. in the first leg of the final qualifying round of the CAF U23 Championships.

Full team:
Toaster Nsabata (Zanaco), Kenny Mumba (Red Arrows)
Defenders: Benedict Chepeshi (Red Arrows), Boyd Mkandawire (Napsa Stars), Kayawe Kapota (Nkana), Benson Sakala (unattached), Benard Mapili (Zesco United)
Midfielders: Shadreck Malambo (Red Arrows), Mukuka Mulenga (Bloemfontein Celtic), Jackson Chirwa (Green Buffaloes), Kelvin Mubanga (Power Dynamos), Salulani Phiri (Zanaco), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows).
Strikers: Moses Phiri (Zanaco), Patson Daka (Nchanga Rangers), Patrick Ngoma (Red Arrows), Friday Samu (Green Buffaloes), and Ronald Kampamba (Wadi Degla).

The post Chipolopolo Under 23 Complete, Set for Ivory Coast Tomorrow appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Child Education Michael Kaingu has called on former University of Zambia students and Members of Parliament to assist government in alleviating accommodation challenges which has besieged the highest institution of learning in the country, according to a report by ZANIS.

The minister said there were many former UNZA students some of whom are MPs who are doing fine but are failing to plough back to their former institution.

Dr. Kaingu was speaking in parliament this morning when he was answering a question from Kalabo Central Member of Parliament Chinga Miyutu, who wanted to how many students at UNZA were accommodated as of April, 2015.

Mr. Miyutu also wanted to know how many students were not accommodated as at April 2015 and what measures have been taken to address the shortage of bed space at the institution.

He also wanted to know when the university will provide adequate accommodation to the students.

But Dr. Kaingu told parliament that 3,654 students were currently accommodated at UNZA while 20, 746 were not accommodated.

He explained that government was currently building more hostels not only at UNZA but also in other public universities and colleges to ease accommodation crisis.

Dr. Kaingu stated that the UNZA management has however made arrangements to ensure that students that are not accommodated are provided with boarding houses in Kalingalinga and the surrounding areas near the campus.

He said this arrangement has facilitated students to be in school instead of being denied access to education due to lack of accommodation.

Source: ZANIS

The post 20, 746 UNZA students not accommodated appeared first on Zambia Reports.

President Edgar Lungu has condemned the alleged attack on UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema in Kitwe.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of meetings with United Nations officials in Lusaka today, President Lungu said that this sort of violence is “uncalled for and should be condemned.”

According to earlier media reports, there was scuffle when rival cadres from PF an UPND clashed in Kitwe while at Moba Hotel.

Meanwhile President Lungu has said that the government is making steady progress in the constitution making process.

The President noted that parliament will soon debate non contentious issues as the constitution making process continues.

The post Lungu Condemns Harassment of HH in Kitwe appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Bus and taxi operators have increased fares for local routes in Lusaka and other urban areas of the country.

Bus operator’s spokesperson James Phiri said the increment is due to the hiked fuel pump price and adjusted RATSA fees the motorists have to pay.

Phiri said the bus fares will be increased between K1 and K2 depending on the distance for all local routes effective Monday, 20th July.

The fare increases have not been received well by the government. Transport minister Yamfwa Mukanga has dismissed the increase because government has not been consulted.

Mukanga said he will liaise with the minister of finance who issue statutory instruments on such matters and find a way forward.

The post Fare Hikes from Bus and Taxi Operators appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The following press release was circulated to media by Zambezi Portland Cement Ltd:

In what has been one of the longest running business disputes in Zambia, the family of Antonio Ventriglia secured an important legal victory this week against the former Chairman of Finance Bank Rajan Mahtani, whom they accuse of illegally attempting to steal a majority shareholding in Zambezi Portland Cement Ltd.

Judge Justine Chashi of the High Court of Ndola has ruled to dismiss a request for an injunction from Mahtani seeking to restrain the Ventriglias from acting as shareholders of Zambezi Portland Cement. After reviewing the evidence, Judge Chashi ruled that Mahtani was unable to demonstrate any basis for such an injunction, and further took Mahtani’s lawyers to task after they filed arguments claiming that the court had not reviewed the entirety of the evidence, remarking that this conduct was “demeaning to the authority of the court and interference in the administration of justice, hence the need for the plaintiff (Mr. Mahtani) to be restrained.”

This ruling follows earlier legal victories, including a ruling this past May from Judge William Mweemba of the Lusaka High Court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Mahtani in view of the facts that the Ventriglias are the true owners of Zambezi Portland Cement.

Management for Zambezi Portland Cement said that the ruling was a positive step forward:

“We welcome the court’s ruling on this matter, and we hope that the broader business community can continue to benefit from a return to rule of law and judicial independence in Zambia. Mahtani has acted in a clear criminal fashion with regard to our company, using his influence with the state to steal from successful businesses. For many years, the true owners of Zambezi Portland Cement have suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in damages from the corporate raid and theft by the once-powerful Mr. Mahtani, and we are hoping to put those days behind us,” according to a statement issued by Zambezi Portland Cement management.

The dispute over the ownership of Zambezi Portland Cement also dovetails with a recent criminal case against Mr. Mahtani. On June 2, he was placed under arrest by the Zambian Police on two counts of forgery relating to the alleged falsification of share transfer certificates of shares in the company.

“To date, Mr. Mahtani has failed to produce the original signed copies of the share transfer certificates. He has failed to produce them, because they do not exist, because he never paid for the shares. As such, the fact is that the ownership of the company firmly remains with the Antonio Ventriglia and Manuela Sebastiani,” according to the statement from management.

Mr. Mahtani was also previously found with a case to answer and put on his defence for forging the signature of the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Zambia in 2011, but the prosecution was dimissed under controversial circumstances after the government of President Michael Sata was elected. The suspended Director of Public Prosecutions, Mutembo Nchito, is currently facing investigation by an anti-corruption tribunal for alleging receiving a bribe in the form of debt forgiveness of $4.2 million from Mr. Mahtani in exchange for dismissing the case.

Zambezi Portland Cement Ltd. remains in full operation following the resumption of control by the true owners on April 7, producing high quality cement products at competitive prices from its plant in Ndola, Zambia. The company welcomes questions from media and citizens at media@zambeziportlandcement.net.

The post Zambezi Portland Cement Defeats Mahtani in Ndola High Court appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The following statement was circulated today by Zambians Against Tribalism,Violence and Apathy (ZATVA):

We have learnt with excitement over the decision by President Edgar Lungu to commute death sentences of 332 to life of death row prisoners.

This action by President Lungu brings the debate of the death penalty in sharp focus.

Zambia is a Christian Nation and we hold that no one has a right to take a life of another whether criminals or the State.

The action by President Edgar Lungu goes to show his respect for the sanctity and sacredness of human life.
With this action, President Lungu has saved 332 lives.

We also wish to applaud the decision by President Lungu to pardon absolutely, Clifford Dimba popularly known as Gen. Kanene, who was imprisoned for 18 years over a case of defilement.

In our view, Dimba has demonstrated remorse, contrition,and regret over his actions.

He has done this through various songs he has done while he was incarcerated.

We also applaud President Lungu for his decision to appoint Dimba as an Ambassador Against Gender Based Violence, Rape and Defilement.

We recognise that the biblical Saul, who persecuted and killed Christians was the one that converted to be be Paul who has helped evangelise the world.

We urge Dimba to show exemplary behaviour by performing his duties as an ambassador with distinction and diligence.

Nakiwe Simpungwe
Executive Director
Zambians Against Tribalism,Violence and Apathy (ZATVA)

The post Lungu Congratulated for Death Penalty Amnesties appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it will extend the mobile voter registration exercise in Copperbelt, Luapula and Northwestern provinces from 12th November, 2015 to 31st January, 2016 at an additional cost of K60 billion.

ECZ Public Relations Manager Crispin Akufuna in a statement made says this is to provide an opportunity for eligible citizens in these areas who will only be issued with National Registration Cards (NRCs) during the final phase of the exercise to register as voters.

Akufuna says the extension of the mobile voter registration in the three provinces was agreed upon with political parties during the ECZ/Political parties Liason Committee meeting held on 23rd June, 2015.

He states that the Commission had planned to end the mobile voter registration on 11th November, 2015 in all the 10 provinces, but that the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship will only be in its third and last phase of the issuance of NRCs in the three affected provinces from November, 2015 to January, 2016.

The mobile voter registration exercise is expected to commence in September this year.

The post ECZ Extends CB, Luapula & North-Western Voter Registration appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri says she is not intimidated by the resolution of the Chuundu Chaitwa meeting of the Tonga speaking for President Edgar Lungu to fire her together with PF Secretary General Davies Chama and Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili.

Phiri says she will not be distracted by such calls, but will instead concentrate on growing the ruling party.

And Phiri has accused UPND President Hakainde Hichilema of lying against her that she maligned the people of Southern Province.

She says the UPND leader is allegedly fond of lying as witnessed during his appearance on Muvi TV’s the Assignment program where he said she defended the people who attacked him in Kitwe.

Phiri says she will not be drawn to join the category of liars stating that she is comfortable where she is in the ruling party.

And PF Secretary General Davies Chama says his main focus is to ensure the ruling party grows and not on tribal issues.

Chama has however stated that those people calling on President Lungu to fire him are exercising their constitutional right and he cannot stop them.

The post Mumbi Phiri Ignores Chuundu Chaitwa Meeting Calls for Her Dismissal appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Controversial Zambian musician Clifford Dimba aka General Kanene who was last week pardoned by President Edgar Lungu after he was jailed for having sex with a minor on Sunday savagely beat up one of his three wives after she refused to have sex with him.

Kanene’s third wife identified as Sharon suffered heavy injuries on her face and right eye after she was beaten by General Kanene for refusing to sleep with him.

Close family members narrated the incident in separate interviews that General Kanene took his wife to a named Lodge in Lusaka and demanded that he sleeps with her but she refused because she was having her periods.

This infuriated Kanene who started beating Sharon forcing her to flee the room, a situation that attracted onlookers.

The family this morning tried to persuade Sharon to report the matter to the police but she refused.

Concerned family members have since brought the matter to the attention of President Lungu since the victim is unwilling to lay charges on Kanene.

The family have made their disappointment known to State House that a man President Lungu released from prison recently has beaten up their relative.

They are waiting for President Lungu’s response before taking further action.

President Lungu pardoned General Kanene last week and urged him to be an ambassador in the fight against Child defilement and gender based violence, a move which caused uproar in the women’s movement.

Source: Lusaka Times

The post Unrepentant? General Kanene Allegedly Batters Third Wife appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Chief government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili says the publication of a picture by The Post Newspaper on Saturday depicting President Edgar Lungu dozing was a witch hunting gimmick to portray the Head of State as “lazy”.

Kambwili, who displayed picture of world leaders slipping into moments of slumber, states that it is nit unusual for anyone to doz off in public.

Fred M’membe and The Post Newspaper have gone on rampage with excessive negative news items that are aimed at turning the public against President Lungu

Below is Kambwili’s message

These are world leaders, they are dozing in the images, not because they are lazy but maybe because they are human beings.

We need to stop witch hunting in our country because at the end of the day we are all human beings.

When its President Lungu then there’s more to dozing.

The post Kambwili says Pres Lungu Dozing Picture is Witch-hunt appeared first on Zambia Reports.

“If at all they will ever be in power, maybe a hundred years from now, not in my generation…they are polygamous by nature. So, maybe as they produce more children, they can be in power. But not under the leadership of Hichilema, I don’t think it will happen,” this is the controversial statement issued by Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Davies Chama. Chama made the remarks in reference to United Party for National Development (UPND) attempts to become a ruling party.

Subsequently, the Tongas held a meeting on Sunday in Monze town where they deliberated for almost a day and recommended that President Edgar Lungu should fire Davies Chama, his deputy Mumbi Phiri and information minister Chishimba Kambwili for issuing similar statements. The meeting also labelled the current Cabinet as a ‘class of collective dumbness’.

The meeting that was publicised in the Post Newspaper attracted Tonga people and chiefs from most of the villages in Southern Province. The meeting concluded that the Tongas will not seek any apologies from the three offending PF officials except that they should be removed from office.
However, this Tonga meeting has several implications on the UPND as a political party whose leader Hakainde Hichilema is seeking the Republican Presidency in the 2016 general elections.

Firstly, the meeting could be regarded as a solidarity forum for the Tongas to encourage each other never to give up their attempts to install one of their tribesmen as President of Zambia. It is a fact from many statistical analysis and interpretation that since the inception of the party by its late founder Anderson Kambela Mazoka, UPND has made Southern Province their strongest base.

Segregation in Voting Pattern

In the early 2000’s until the 2008 elections, the party was doing well across the country and voters were more tolerant to other candidates from other parts of the country. The voting pattern and voter distribution had some element of elasticity although UPND candidates always triumphed. Yet, the voting pattern started changing in the 2011 general elections and it became worse in the 2015 presidential by-election.

In the 2015 presidential by-election, the voters in Southern Province expressed what could be regarded as the highest form of dissent when they voted for the presidential candidates. The voting tendency and pattern had moved to dangerous extremes that created a wave of murmur across the nation. This is due to the fact that, there was a huge voter turnout which is commendable, although some contenders questioned it. Then most of the voters only wanted to vote for one candidate, Hakainde Hichilema. As such, people raised concerns as to whether Southern Province had closed its door to other candidates regardless of their good election campaign messages, and could only vote for Hichilema for being “one of them.”

Are Tongas Synonymous to UPND?

Somehow, there is a thought developing albeit unproven that Southern Province is to a larger extent synonymous to UPND as a political party. This connection basically implies that voters from other provinces are likely to follow the trend that is set by Southerners to vote for candidates who hail from their region. However, in towns along the line of rail which have a cosmopolitan population, the UPND will have to triple their efforts to convince the more educated and independent voters to free itself of the regional or tribal party tag. But then, with such meetings meant only for Tongas rubbing into the political arena, it could mean that the UPND need to work even harder to demystify that developing thought. It might be hard work because while UPND could be attracting some independent voters from other provinces, the tribal element is popping up, and it is scaring prospective members away.

The UPND should also learn from the six parliamentary by-elections they have lost so far this year. Hichilema has always put up a brave face and he has always painted a positive outlook of the party’s performance despite losing. Of course, this is expected of him as a leader but it is not enough. If the parliamentary by-elections are to be taken as a litmus test of the upcoming general elections, UPND needs to toughen up, not just in Southern Province, but in other provinces of Zambia. So far, UPND has lost in Northern, Western, Eastern and Copperbelt Provinces. It remains to be seen in terms of strategy shift in winning more support of voters from other regions. The party should address these failures with sobriety and find their niche that can win them votes. This is because the painting of a positive picture of the party will not translate into votes.

The firing recommendation and classic dumbness

The Tonga meeting recommended that President Lungu fires Davies Chama, Mumbi Phiri and Chishimba Kambwili. Organising committee chairperson Eddie Hamakowa said President Lungu has failed to provide leadership by allowing Kambwili, Phiri and Chama to use damaging statements against Tongas. “What baffles me is the fact that this matter must have been discussed in Cabinet and if they agreed that there was no need for any action, we could be witnessing a classic case of collective dumbness,” Hamakowa said.

It is difficult to imagine how, a tribal grouping that is closely connected to a political party rivalling the ruling party can recommend the firing of his senior party officials. This is so because of the fact that if President Lungu implements such recommendation, he would be weakening his own party and giving UPND an upper hand. The closest to such a recommendation is that President Lungu should discipline the three party officials. However, this was not the case and leaves the whole issue unresolved.

Further, the meeting failed to strike a conciliatory tone by labelling Cabinet as dumb. Such is a class allegation that demeans the Cabinet members and it has the potential to be frowned upon for luck of courtesy or failure to create a platform where progressive negotiations can be conducted. As such, the meeting by Tongas dubbed Chuundu Chaitwa might create more problems for the UPND than any good that could have been envisaged.

The post Opinion: How Chuundu Chaitwa is De-campaigning UPND appeared first on Zambia Reports.

FORUM for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi has been challenged to show she is not a dictator and practice the democracy she is claiming to advocate withing her own party.

Mumbi Phiri, the PF Deputy Secretary General, says Nawakwi is the most undemocratic and dictatorial politician who has failed to go for a convention to uphold her party’s constitution.

Nawakwi has recently gone to town spewing all sorts of diatribe directed at President Edgar Lungu while enjoying acres of space in The Post Newspaper.

But Phiri says Nawakwi is not the best person to advise anyone on democracy because she can’t practice the “charity begins at home” school of thought.

“If she believes in the rule of law, why is she clinging on to that position? Let her allow other people to challenge her.

“We know that members in her party are complaining that she has failed to call for a convention so that a new leadership can be put in place. This is because she is scared of losing her position and that is why she is not even talking about it. We challenge her now to call for a convention so that she can gauge her popularity,” Mumbi said

She reminded Nawakwi to take stock and inspect her corrupt past before accusing others of corruption.

Mumbi said Nawakwi can’t brag about being a fighter of corruption, and a representative of the people because she had a bad history of being involved in the Carlington maize saga which Zambians have not yet forgotten.

Nawakwi was recently quoted saying Zambians were at war with those who were stealing and looting Zambia’s resources.

Mumbi said Nawakwi’s continued tantrums were exposing her to be a target for scorn because there was nothing tangible she could brag about her past which was full of scandals that did not befit a person seeking to ascend to the highest office in the land.

She said Nawakwi should first of all clear her name over alleged involvement in the Carrington maize scandal which was still fresh in the minds of the people.

“Ms Nawakwi should not forget that her past is still fresh in the minds of most people. She should not forget that in Bemba we say kuchibolya takubula mukaya because we know that her past hasn’t been very good for a person who claims to be a representative of the people.

“We know that she was involved in the Carrington maize mess and she should not even pretend that she is a fighter of corruption. How does she talk about fighting corruption when she has not cleared herself of that mess that she created for herself?,” Ms. Mumba asked

Nawakwi is former finance minister who was accused of corruptly engaging in corruption in the procurement of maize from Canada in the mid 1990s.

The post Nawakwi Is A Dictator, Has No Place in Democracy – Mumbi Phiri appeared first on Zambia Reports.

On Sunday 19th July 2015 Clifford Dimba picked Sharon Ngandula. Although Clifford is married, Sharon is the second person he has a child with (and she calls herself his third wife).

Dimba popularly known as Gen. Kanene wanted to verify critical information relating to certain matters.

1. Clifford left her pregnant when he went to prison.
2. He also wanted to establish if the born child was his.
3. He also wanted to establish why she was co-habitting with another man and only left him when she heard that he had been pardoned.
4. Wanted to verify whether she has been living with her mother in John Laing, or at her new boyfriends place in Chawama.

It remains unclear at this stage what happened as the name of Mrs. Kanene (the original Mrs. Kanene comes in the picture).

In the family meeting convened on Monday evening to establish facts and resolve the matter, Sharon’s brother Hugh Japer Mpundu who works for Hot FM is accused of distorting facts and published the picture and story through Hot Fm Proprietor Oscar Chavula.

When pressed to establish who beat her and caused the swelling on her left eye between Mrs. Kanene and Clifford Dimba, Sharon kept on blaming the brother for his opportunistic actions and for taking a picture without her consent.

She insisted that what happened among the three and her relationship with the father of her child is what the family should resolve.

But what is clear is that a private family tiff, has been blown by President Edgar Lungu’s known enemy.

It’s a story whose manufacturers (Hot Fm) wish to target and discredit President Edgar Lungu and his actions.

So the Zambian Watchdog and The Post will celebrate a story of this magnitude will twist and turn the details in gory details to scandalise government decision to pardon Dimba.

But the facts remain:

To date there is no complaint, no victim and no official Police report and ni medical record. Sharon has chosen to remain silent insisting that this matter is private and remains between Clifford, the child between them and herself.

The post Hot-Fm Employee Implicated in Gen Kanene’s ‘Wife’ Beating Case appeared first on Zambia Reports.