The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions has played down fears of a wage freeze as part of the International Monetary Fund conditions.

Speaking after a meeting between the International Monetary Fund and the public service unions, ZCTU Secretary General Cosmas Mukuka said the meeting with the Washington based institution’s representatives had calmed the nerves of the trade unions.

Civil servants fear for a wage freeze as part of the conditions if the IMF package is implemented unquestioningly.

Mukuka said the rumour about the IMF putting forward a suggestion for a wage freeze was a creation of social media freaks.

He said that the ZCTU had put forward their concerns before the IMF and had been assured that there will be no harsh conditions on the workers.

Mukuka said the public service unions were already in talks with the government over the collective bargaining and there had been no talks about a wage freeze.

“We have already done one month of negotiations for the collective bargaining and there has been no talk about the wage freeze. In any case if government had plans for a wage freeze they could have told us at the start of the negotiation,” he said.

“If that happened it would be against procedure as there are processes and the process is already underway so as far as negotiations are concerned we are in a comfortable zone.”

Mukuka said the union supports the proposals put through by the IMF as long as they did not make workers the core drivers of the reform project.

“As a major stakeholder, we support this recovery plan for as long as workers will not be used as tools for sacrifice,” he said.

Zambia has approached the IMF for a US$1.5 billion bailout package with concerns about the conditions attached to such packages.

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The Lusaka Magistrate Court has issued a bench warrant for three United Party for National Development supporters accused of unlawful drilling alongside Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.

Magistrate Mwaka Mikalile issued the bench warrant following the absence of three of the accused without any reason.

Mwamba and 19 others are facing a charge of unlawful drilling after they were arrested in March.

The matter was adjourned the matter with the bench warrant returnable on November 4.

Trial in the matter has been pushed to December 19.

The case is just one of a litany of court cases that GBM is facing before the courts of law.

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President Edgar Lungu came down heavily on the Anti Corruption Commission as he swore four new ministers.

Head of State did not hold back labelling the ACC toothless and waiting to be told who to investigate.

President Lungu said there were a lot of corrupt activities by some of his top officials but the ACC had not acted on them.

He said that the ACC had even stopped briefing him on corruption cases involving high profile government officials.

President Lungu said he would not hesitate to act on reports of corruption cases.

Those sworn in are Godfridah Sumaili (Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs), Freedom Sikazwe (Presidential Affairs), Lloyd Kaziya (Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection), Sylvia Chalikosa (Minister Office of the Vice President).

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It was comforting to hear President Edgar Lungu speak strong against corruption yesterday. This is the second time President Lungu has sent a warning to those that are engaging in corrupt practices. His critic claim his administration is too soft to fight graft.

Senior and junior office in President Lungu’s government have been accused of corruption. There seems to be no action against erring officers. The Auditor General’s report is littered with cases strong enough to secure conviction.

As President Lungu seeks to realign his administration and bring everyone up to speed that he will not tolerate corruption, we urge him to extend his efforts to Zambian football where officials are seemingly having a free ride stealing public funds.

President Lungu should continue showing the leadership he displays. Football is funded largely by taxpayers and the wanton abuse of public funds in this sector can’t go unattended to. Football House is still harbouring thieves.

The Anti Corruption Commission, the Auditor General’s office and all necessary government wings must take an interest in how public finances are being applied at Football House. There is no way public funds can go to waste without scrutiny.

That’s why we are comforted President Lungu has made it clear he will not tolerate corruption. To the the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC); nchito ya badwa chifukwa kawalala ni pa kwanja.

The post Kawalala Ni Pakwanja: Pres. Lungu’s Corruption Fight Must Extend To Football House appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Zambians have continued searching for missing physician Dr Suwilanji Situmbeko with twitter activists only identifying himself as Chomba romping in US President Barack Obama and popular Nigerian prophet TB Joshua to help find a friend.

It’s now 12 days since Dr Situmbeko was last seen in Washington DC. Since then, there is no clue about his whereabouts. Washington DC police issued an alert four days ago to help find the 27-year-old physician.

Chomba @cholzB tweeted @Barack Obama “Mr president we want our brother back. #whereisstukie.”

He followed up his search with a tweet to TB Joshua @SCOANTBJoshua, the popular Nigerian prophet, stating “Man of God help us find our missing brother #WhereIsStukie”

Dr Situmbeko is attached to Global Health Corps. His online presence provide clues to his disappearance.

The 27-year-old Zambia had made Facebook posts and twitter comments suggesting he was being racially abused. He has been missing since October 21, 2016.

Based on his recent comments, Dr Situmbeko seemed to have experienced unpleasant and strained relationships with his roommates named Erica, Laura and Morgan who appeared to take umbrage with the fact that GHC fellows of color were being specifically chosen to attend media events, signaling that they believed that as white women, they were being discriminated against.

Dr Situmbeko was educated at University Mentouri de Constantine in Algeria on a Zambian scholarship. In April of 2015, he was selected as a Global Health Corps finalist for US12-Int: Global Program Associate, Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Out of an applicant pool of 5000, only 150 people would be selected and confirmed for the coveted associate positions and Dr Situmbeko made the final cut.

The post Zambian Tweets Pres. Obama, TB Joshua To Help Find Missing Doctor In DC With Hashtag #WhereIsStukie appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The legal hammer has fallen on Kabwe United Football Club official and Kalusha Bwalya trumpeter Maxmillian Chanda for allegedly making defamatory statements against a litany of sports administrators.

Chanda has been sued by Director of Sports in the Police Adrian Kashala and football administrator Gift Chaipa.

According to the writ of summons filed in the Lusaka High Court by Kashala and Chaipa, the duo is asking the court to restrain Chanda from continuing with issuing defamatory statements.

The duo has also jointly sued publications that were the conduit of the story which the Times of Zambia and its Ndola based reporter Ndinawe Simpelwe, Daily Mail and reporter Robinson Kunda with The Post and reporter Prudence Phiri.

Chanda in articles published in the three publications alleged that the duo were camped at Savoy Hotel at FAZ expense during the weekend of the Football Association of Zambia Annual General Meeting in March that ousted Kalusha Bwalya as president.

Ironically it was Bwalya who was still in charge of FAZ during the FAZ AGM.

Chanda also alleged that newly elected FAZ president Andrew Kamanga gave match tickets to Kashala and Chaipa using his authority.

Notably then newly elected vice president Richard Kazala was the one in charge of the March Organizing Committee.

The duo is asking for damages for libel as a result of Chanda’s sustained sentiments.

Chanda is a covet operation by Kazala to topple Kamanga. He has been unleashed as the lead assailant in the bring back Bwalya campaign which is spearheaded by remnants of Bwalya’s executive committee members current serving FAZ.

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The Law Association of Zambia has belatedly voiced its views on the proposal by Patriotic Front Central Committee member Paul Moonga that the term of office be extended to seven years.

On Thursday Moonga held a press briefing at which he made the damning political statement.

However, LAZ president Linda Kasonde says the thought should not be entertained.

Below is the full LAZ statement:

PRESS STATEMENT DATED 1ST NOVEMBER 2016 ON PROPOSALS TO EXTEND THE CURRENT CONSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENTIAL TERM OF OFFICE

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) is gravely concerned by the recent proposal by the ruling Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee, Mr. Paul Moonga, that the constitutional presidential term of office be extended from five years to seven years. LAZ is of the considered opinion that the purported rational for this proposal i.e. that it is expensive to hold elections every five years is flawed. In a democracy, a government derives its legitimacy from the people of that country. Because democracy is a form of government of the people, for the people and by the people the process of consulting the people of a nation over who should be their leaders is not cheap. The whole essence of democracy is that the people of a nation should have the freedom to vote in leaders of their choice and vote them out when they fail to deliver on their promises to a nation. LAZ is of the opinion that any attempt to extend the constitutional presidential term of office threatens that freedom of choice.

Mr. Moonga’s proposal is reminiscent of the third term debate that arose in 2000 when suggestions were made that the Constitution should be amended to allow President Frederick Chiluba to stand for a third term in office. At the time, similar sentiments to Mr. Moonga’s were expressed by President Chiluba’s sympathisers in an apparent bid to test the mood and sentiments of the people of Zambia on the issue of the third term. The response from the people of Zambia was a massive anti-third term campaign which forcibly quashed the moves to amend the Constitution to extend President Chiluba’s term in office. We also note the earlier unsuccessful attempt to extend the presidential term in the case of Richard Mumba and Others v The Attorney-General, The Law Association of Zambia and The Electoral Commission of Zambia and Others which judgement was delivered in March 2016.

LAZ believes that how and when Zambia’s leaders can be elected into office is a fundamental part of our Constitution and should not be tampered with lightly. We therefore urge all elected officials to ensure that during their tenure they work effectively and efficiently to deliver on their promises to the people of Zambia and thereby win their confidence for possible re-election. A political party is not tied to its leader and no elected official is irreplaceable. There is no shortage of leaders in the country who are willing and able to lead the country. We further urge the Republican President and the top leadership of the Patriotic Front to distance itself from this threatened assault on our constitutional right and freedom to elect and remove elected leaders.

Linda C. Kasonde

PRESIDENT

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The opposition United Party for National Development suffered yet another courtroom defeat at the hands of the Constitutional Court after Justice Mungeni Mulenga threw out their action.

In one of their multiple court actions the UPND were challenging whether it was right for President Edgar Lungu to have been sworn in the absence of a declaration that he won by the Constitutional Court.

Judge Mungeni Mulenga threw out the UPND action labelling it an abuse of the court process.

Judge Mulenga said that the action was an attempt by the UPND to retry the petition.

The UPND has another matter before the High Court where they are asking them to ascertain their right to be heard through the bill of rights.

The initial petition was thrown out on September 5 UPND petition for lapse of time.

President Edgar Lungu was sworn in on September 13 essentially rendering UPND court action redundant but the UPND has not let go have been hopping from court to court.

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The International Monetary Fund has wound up its Zambian mission providing a brutally honest status assessment of the economic situation as the country warms up a recovery package.

During the IMF team visit they have met with government and other stakeholders on the feasibility of being given the US$1.5 million loan.

A lot of anxiety has spread with social commentators fearing the IMF program could spell tighter times.

The IMF mission will return to Zambia in early 2017 to conduct Article IV consultation and program discussions.

BELOW IS THE FULL IMF STATEMENT:

Press Release No.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2016

IMF Staff Concludes Visit to Zambia

End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. This mission will not result in a Board discussion.

“At the invitation of the authorities, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Tsidi Tsikata visited Zambia during October 19-31 to help assess the current economic situation and provide policy advice to restore macroeconomic stability and promote broad-based economic growth.

At the end of the mission, Mr. Tsikata issued the following statement:

“The Zambian economy continues to be under stress from the impact of external and domestic shocks and an unbalanced policy mix. The pace of economic activity remains sluggish in 2016, with growth projected at 3percent due to continued electricity shortages, low exports and subdued private sector consumption and investment.

“Public finances are severely strained. Fiscal performance through the first three quarters of 2016 was characterized by shortfalls in revenue and substantial spending overruns on fuel and electricity subsidies. The government has also been accumulating payment arrears to suppliers and contractors. The stock of arrears is projected to increase from about ZMW10 billion (5 percent of GDP) at end-2015 to about ZMW 20 billion (9 percent of GDP) at the end of 2016. On a cash basis, the fiscal deficit for the whole year is projected to reach 5 percent of GDP, and the deficit on a commitment basis (i.e., taking into account the net accumulation of arrears during the year) at about 10 percent of GDP. To date, the cash deficit has been largely financed with domestic borrowing, mainly from the Bank of Zambia.

“Monetary policy has continued to carry the burden of policy adjustments. A tightening of monetary policy helped stabilize the exchange rate and put inflation on a downward trajectory. However, the ensuing tight liquidity conditions together with the slowdown in International Monetary Fund

Washington, D.C. 20431 USA growth and the accumulation of government payments arrears have put the private sector and the banking system under stress and led to an increase in non-performing loans.

“The mission and the authorities discussed a broad range of measures to create fiscal space for beginning to clear government’s arrears, scale up social spending and reduce the fiscal deficit on a commitment basis in 2017. This adjustment would help to put public debt on a downward path and allow monetary policy to gradually unwind the current tight stance, allowing the economy to recover.

“Zambia’s current economic challenges can be overcome with resolute policy action such as the recent adjustment of fuel prices to cost-reflective levels and the announced intention to reduce electricity subsidies.

These measures, if coupled with structural reforms to reduce inefficiencies and increase capacity utilization in the energy sector, would go a long way toward increasing Zambia’s potential growth.

The mission welcomes the authorities’ plan to scale up social cash transfers and protect social spending, including on health and education, to mitigate the potential impact on the poor.

“The mission welcomes the authorities’ decision to undertake a broad-based consultative process to ensure support within the government and across national stakeholders for their policies and reforms that could be implemented under an IMF arrangement. At the authorities’ request, the mission will return to Zambia in early 2017 to conduct Article IV consultation and program discussions.

“The team met with Finance Minister Felix Mutati, Bank of Zambia (BoZ) Governor Denny Kalyalya, National Development Planning Minister Lucky Mulusa, other senior government and BoZ officials, members of parliament, as well as representatives of the private sector, labor unions, civil society organizations, and Zambia’s development partners. The mission thanks the authorities and the other stakeholders who it met with, for their openness and the constructive spirit in which all discussions were held. The IMF stands ready to support Zambia and its people as needed.”

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The Post Newspapers’ battle for survival just got another knock with the High Court appointing provisional liquidators following an exparte injunction sought by two former employees with the other two still in employment of the paper.

According to the exparte order granted by the Lusaka High Court, Lusaka law firm Lewis Nathan Advocates has been appointed as interim receiver managers.

The Court has since set November 9 as the date for Inter Parte hearing where the respondents will have their chance to make their submissions.

Former employees Roy Habaalu, a journalist and Andrew Chiwenda an Information Technology specialist contend that the publication still owes them money and therefore disposing of the company assets will help them recover their dues.

The other two still in employment at the institution are Bonaventure Bwalya and Abel Mbozi also have a claim off the company.

On June 21 Zambia Revenue Authority closed down The Post Newspapers over a disputed K56 million tax debt.

The Paper has remained closed ever since but has been printing limited copies through underground presses.

Post Newspapers Editor in Chief Fred M’membe is not expected to take the action lying down with a long legal battle expected to take shape.

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Government has announced that no public service vehicle whether passenger or goods will be allowed to operate between 21 and 05:00hrs effective 27th November 2016.

Transport and communications Minister Brian Mushimba announced during a news briefing in Lusaka yesterday.

Mushimba said this follows the increase in PSV accidents, with 55% accidents happening at night and 45% during the day.

He said road users have therefore been encouraged to obtain a copy of the Statutory Instrument (SI) number 76 of 2016.

Mushimba also urged the private sector to invest in truck parking infrastructure and overnight bus stops with internationally acceptable standards.

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In a bizarre scene, a well known and God fearing family has shocked the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) community when the wife in a rage of anger allegedly killed her husband.

The Lusaka woman is alleged to have hit her husband with a blunt instrument and when he fell to the ground she went into the car and ran over him.

According to the Patriotic Front media team, the family is a well known member of the SDA University of Zambia Congregation.

“Mr Milumbe, a member of Unza SDA church had a fight with his wife and it seems she hit him with something in the head that made him collapse. Then she ran over him with her vehicle in the presence of their 8 and 6 yr old kids and he died on the spot. She is currently in police custody Mrs Milumbe is also a member at Unza Church.”

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Government has dissolved the Zambia Revenue Authority Board with immediate effect.

Minister of Finance Felix Mutati has dissolved the board promising to reconstitute a new one soon.

Mutati has since thanked the Charles Mutemwa led board.

The changes may signal a new direction for the ZRA that recently got a new Commissioner General in Kingsley Chanda.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance the action has been taken “in accordance with the Zambia Revenue Authority Act Cap 321 Section 10 Subsection 1 and the Constitution of Zambia Chapter 2 Section 26 of the Interpretation and General Provisions.”

“I have dissolved the current Zambia Revenue Authority Board but a new board will soon be reconstituted,” Mutati said.

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Post Newspapers Editor in Chief Fred M’membe has come out of the woods to hit back at the High Court notice for the liquidation of the publication.

M’membe labelled the process corrupt and also said the employees in whose name the court action was taken left the company on their own accord without making any claim from the company.

On Tuesday the High Court issued a provisional order for The Post to b placed under receivership for failing to pay the money it owes its creditors.

M’membe has strong headedly refused to pay the K53 million owed to the Zambia Revenue Authorities but has been raising technicalities at every stage.

The Post Newspapers has remained closed from June 21.

Below is M’membe’s full statement:

STATEMENT ON ATTEMPTS TO LIQUIDATE THE POST ISSUED BY FRED M’MEMBE, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

President Lungu and his government have continued their crusade to shut down all independent media houses by their attempt to liquidate Post Newspapers Limited using their surrogates. This does not surprise us, although it saddens us, because of its impact on our democracy and on the thousands of people whose livelihood has been taken away by this crusade to shut down the newspaper.

The Zambia Revenue Authority was first used in this crusade. It appears that President Lungu is now attempting to use the courts in this crusade. We are hoping that he has not found willing facilitators in this very important institution.

Our concerns are borne by the fact that the courts have issued an order to liquidate the newspaper without those who are claiming money from the institution proving that they are indeed owed money. In fact, at no time have any former employees ever claimed any money from Post Newspapers nor has any court decided that Post owes employees money. We fully sympathize with the employees who are simply being used by the same government that has occasioned them misery by taking away their means of livelihood.

The impunity being exercised by government is shocking. ZRA have gone to the extent of disregarding court orders to keep the company’s premises closed. The Tax Appeals Tribunal has ordered ZRA to open the company’s premises but they have simply ignored the Tribunal. Why is ZRA behaving in this way? It is because they are acting on the instructions and protection of the government.

In relation to the latest developments, the government has employed a few former Post employees. As intimated above, these former employees of Post Newspapers are now being used to try and achieve the government’s goal of annihilating the company because of its stance to educate the masses on government corruption and abuse.

The former employees have been used to file a petition for liquidation on the basis that they are owed money by the company. All the claimants resigned from Post Newspapers on their own. None of them has lodged any claims with the company. It is therefore strange that people who resigned and never demanded anything on their resignation can now be used to try and liquidate the company. Where is their claim so that the company can respond to it?

Why are they avoiding giving the company simple demand?

This whole process is flawed. Mr Lewis Mosho, the person appointed as provisional liquidator, is being used by the government and he is unlikely to follow the law. Mosho’s corruption, in collusion with those in government, was exposed by The Post. The corrupt in government have now regrouped to annihilate the only means that had been available to expose their corruption. With The Post gone, Lewis Mosho, Edgar Lungu and those determined to loot government coffers, can now loot with impunity.

We remain hopeful that the Judiciary can still rise to the occasion and save this country from the state capture that has been waged by a few determined corrupt individuals. But our optimism is tempered by caution because of what we know about some of these judges and the information we continue to collect about their collusion. At an opportune time, all will be laid bare. For now, President Lungu and his government, through Mosho and other corrupt facilitators, are creating the conditions for corruption on a scale unseen without question. With corruption comes dictatorship and vice versa. After The Post, who will be next?

The post M’membe Responds To Liquidation Claim appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Police have issued a statement narrating the scene in which a 36-year-old Lusaka woman killed the husband in the presence of the couple’s two young children in circumstances that have left Zambians shocked.

Jacqueline Mwendwa of Makeni has been arrested and detained with the murder of her husband 38-year-old Kosi Milumbe. The incident happened on October 28, 2016.

HERE IS A STATEMENT RELEASED BY POLICE

LUSAKA, 2ND NOVEMBER, 2016 – We have charged and arrested a woman of unknown house number in Makeni identified as Jacqueline Mwendwa aged 36 in connection with the murder of her husband identified as Kosi Milumbe aged 38, also of Makeni after a marital dispute. This happened on 28th October, 2016 at about 19 00 hours along Bayuni road.

All stated when the accused person went to the house of her husband to pick up their three children and a disagreement ensued. After the accused picked up the children the husband who is the victim attempted to stop the wife from going with the children. In an attempt to stop the wife who was driving a motor vehicle Nissan Premia , gold in colour registration number ALL 5877 from driving off with the children, he pushed his head through the rear window with his body halfway inside the motor vehicle but the wife sped off dragging him 700 meters and that is how the victim fell off.

After turning the motor vehicle, the accused person hit the victim with the motor vehicle and left him lying on the ground with injuries. The victim managed to communicate to one of his relatives before he died from the same point.

The body was discovered by some members of the public who live in the neighbourhood who later reported the mater to Makeni Police Station.

The deceased sustained two broken ribs, head injuries and a broken leg.

The suspect is in Police custody charged with murder while the body of the deceased has since been buried after postmortem.

ESTHER MWAATA KATONGO
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

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Biting economic conditions are sweeping through Zambia with a bag of 25 kg mealie meal hitting the K100 mark in Lusaka.

A survey of locations selling meali4e meal, a form of powder made out of corn and is Zambia’s staple food, show prices swinging between K90 and K100 in urban areas. Reports also indicate the commodity has broke beyond the K100 mark in remote areas.

There are indication a 25 kg is going for between K150 to K200 in North-Western Province. Meanwhile, the price of fuel may go up a month after it was adjusted. This follows a slight increase of the commodity on the market.

According to available information, a litre of petrol may fetch up to K21 prompting an opposition leader to take proactive action by asking the government to reconsider any price adjustment.

IMPENDING INCREASE IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL AGAIN

I humbly appeal to President Edgar Lungu on behalf of fellow Zambians not to increase the Pump Price of Fuel again. I am reliably informed that a decision to increase fuel to K21 per litre has just been made.

Our economy is headed for a recession and taking any action which increases the cost of production exacerbates the situation. UPP is ready to sit down with the government and provide our humble direction on what we ought to do for the sake of our nation.

UPP is scheduled to hold a major news conference by mid November, 2016. We shall write our first official letter to the President immediately after the conference.

God bless you! God bless Zambia!

Saviour Chishimba
UPP PRESIDENT

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By Joe Mwansa Lombe Kaluba

Those who have studied Roman or British political history you will agree with me that our friend’s politics can be traced to many years ago. This in turn serves as a reference for anything that might happen or that is happening in modern politics.

The British, the Romans and the Greek among others believed in achieving their work and the happenings in their Kingdoms, Republics or Empires. This in turn even today as I highlighted above serves as reference and more importantly helps those doing research in these fields. I also think this helps to prevent election or any political related misunderstanding and conflicts. Art comes in movies and song done. This only happens when we have a solid reference.

In August we had elections which in my opinion exposed a lot of things about us as a country. We claim to be united but yet divided due to political affiliation. We claim to be peaceful yet the election aftermath has shown that most of us just hide in the name peace. We claim to speak one Zambian “Language” yet the elections have shown that we don’t and the aftermath has shown that we are either hypocritical or judgemental.

All these sentiments were brought out because we don’t learn and we don’t archive our political happenings. We believe in the “Fikaisova” (let it come it will take care of itself) syndrome. I think this is not healthy for our politics, our democratic consolidation, our peace and more importantly for our coexistence.

I have argued in most of my writings and opinions that this peace we so claim to have requires a lot of work and that work should start from taking reference to/in past events and happenings. No one will tell me that this is the first time we are talking about tribal issues after elections. No one will tell me that this is the first time we are talking about or accusing a given group of people for voting the way they chose to.

Every other election especially when it is involving voting for the President the issue comes up. My question is why? The reason is very simple. It is the Fikaisova kind of thinking. There is either little interest from political or developmental players in looking at ways of understanding the different attributes related to this cause.

I know President Edgar Lungu has appointed a commission to look into this matter. But believe we can appoint as many commissions and committees but as long as we don’t learn from these reports or the past we will be just chasing the wind. President Lungu and his government can not do this alone.

Government, political parties, Civil Society Organisations(CSOs),Faith Based Organisations(FBOs), professional bodies, students, the media and other interest groups should take keen interest in investing in research on matters like what is happening now. Let us not just write reports but also publish real issues that might prevent or rather threaten our peace. Doing this starts from stopping to sugar-coat things. Though I caution how we approach things we should call a spade a spade. If something happens we call it by its name.

I think it is not fair to claim that people for voted how they did without understanding their culture or their voting history. It is not fair also to justify a way of voting without any reference or intelligent reason. Both elements do not hold water.

Politicians will always take advantage of voters and voters will always remain blank and victims if nor proper research and archiving is conducted. To fill that blank or remove the dilemma CSOs should come in to help. Political parties should have a research desk to help them plan and counter certain elements. Academicians should take keen interest too. Politicians should take responsibility and as citizens we should be vigilant and seek to do our part. I can’t over state this. Keeping records is the most important thing to do in all sectors.

For example if I went to our universities both private and public I don’t know if I will find any publication highlighting a given political pattern or way of voting. Another example though not political in nature is the Sondashi HIV/AIDS Formula it just came and went with the water. What about the Clive Chirwa underground project. The Enoch Kavindele North Western Railway project. We can never develop in some sectors in any way if we don’t have or know where to pick up from.

As I said I also think that as a people we should also take keen interest in some of these elements. Some of us know more about other people or countries than we know about our individual or national lives or happenings. If we have to say something ours is to just criticise our own country or communities.

Today some groups of people feel like victims maybe because they are selfish or maybe they feel not protected. Today other groups of people feel like others have betrayed other Zambians maybe because they don’t understand the reasons behind this or maybe they are right. We can only find these answers if we invest in research. We don’t need popcorn type of doing things. Order and selflessness in what we do is key.

You can only find the cure if only you understand the attributes of the “problem” to be cured. You can only understand that by researching and archiving findings as you seek to find the remedy and prevent future predicaments.

As Zambians we long for not only physical peace but also that mental peace. Thinking that the other person thinks of me differently due to my political affiliation or my tribe then we have a big problem in front of us. We can not say we are One Zambia One Nation if we mix politics, religion, tribe, sex or race. If that happens we have to find out why this is so and archive it for future reference.

The author is a PhD candidate-Political, Gender and Transnational Studies at the International Postgraduate Centre (IPC), Faculty of Social Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt

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Post Newspapers Editor Fred M’membe may have just reincarnated the publication under a different name The Mast.

A new publication under the banner of The Mast has hit the street with everything about the tabloid style with M’membe written all over it.

On Tuesday the Lusaka High Court appointed advocates Lewis and Nathan as provisional liquidators The Post Newspapers.

High Court judge Sunday Nkonde set November 9 as the date for Inter Parte hearing.

On Wednesday the firm appointed as liquidators continue driving the nail in The Post carcass by firing advocates for The Post Nchito and Nchito owned by brothers Nchima and Mutembo.

In June the Zambia Revenue Authority closed The Post Newspapers over a disputed K53 million.

M’membe is fighting on all fronts to keep The Post Newspapers afloat and has during the period of closure kept the paper coming out from a clandestine location.

The post ‘Genius’ M’membe Resurfaces With The Mast After The Post Is Provisionally Liquidated appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The daggers have been drawn between liquidation threatened Post Newspapers Editor-in-Chief and provisional liquidator Lewis Mosho with the latter giving the media mogul a seven days ultimatum to avail them with a catalogue of the newspaper’s assets.

Mosho of Lewis Nathan Advocates has gone a step further to fire advocates for The Post Newspapers Nchito and Nchito and replaced them with Palan and George Advocates.

The cataloguing of assets is meant to ensure that the liquidator has an idea of all the assets for easy disposal.

Four former Post Newspapers employees have sued M’membe seeking to recover money that he owes them mostly separation packages.

Mosho has asked the Nchito brothers comprising Nchima and former Director of Public Prosecution Mutembo to submit their legal bills prior to their being given the boot warning that he will report them to the Law Association of Zambia if they insist on representing M’membe.

The Nchito brothers are not going down without a fight and have since applied for a court order to set aside the provisional liquidation of The Post.

M’membe issued an emotive statement on Wednesday resignedly confessing that maybe the end had finally come.

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Patriotic Front deputy spokesperson Frank Bwalya was not holding back anything this morning when he alleged that there is a link between the ritual killers and the arsonists.

Bwalya also welcomed the K100, 000 prize for anyone with information over the architects of acts of arson at public markets and lodges in the aftermath of the August 11 elections.

He said that the police should identify the arsonists that he alleged may have links with people discontent with the outcome of the elections.

Bwalya said most of the targeted facilities were owned by the Patriotic Front raising suspicion over the architects of the acts.

Recently Vice President Inonge Wina told parliament that some acts of arson may have been politically motivated.

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