COMMENT - This book is crucial reading on the impact of real US policy, which comes out of the organisations created by Rockefeller heir and head, David Rockefeller. David Rockefeller connects JPMorgan Chase to ExxonMobil to the CFR/Trilateral Commission/Bilderberg Group. David Rockefeller was
chairman of the board of directors and CEO (MD) of Chase Manhattan Bank in the 1960s/70s, which later merged into JP Morgan Chase. His family collectively owned $55 billion of shares in Mobil Oil (Read:
Probing The Rockefeller Fortune - A report to the Unites States Congress, 1974), formerly Standard Oil of New York, which came out of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, which had the national oil monopoly in the United States. Mobil Oil re-merged with Exxon into ExxonMobil in 1999.
From the book: Trilateralism: The Trilateral Commission And Elite Planning for World Management, collection of essays edited by Holly Sklar, 1999/1980.
"According to the London Observer of 21 October 1978, at the point at which the Lancaster House Conference almost collapsed over the issue of whether a new government should assume the costs of compensating departing white settlers for their land, it was a secret intervention - reportedly at the request of President Nyerere of Tanzania and Shridath Ramphal, the Commonwealth Secretary - by Carter and Vance promising the funds that salvaged the Conference.
I suspect the Carter Administration did not require much prodding to proffer the funds - part of a multi-donor program. In fact, such assistance was planned under the Zimbabwe Development Fund envisaged by Kissinger in 1976. To say that the funding was being done at the request of the African parties just provides better cover for the managerial activities.
(By Holly Sklar)
It is important to note one fundamental difference between the Kissinger approachand the Carter/Young approach. The latter seems to be much more trilateralist. Whereas Kissinger maintains that the best thing to do with the radical nationalists (what he calls "ideological radicals," a category into which he places Mugabe but not Nkomo) is to isolate them, Young and Carter feel that it is best to maximize contact in the belief that the radical nationalists ultimately "want to share in the productivity of the American way of life."
But differences aside, there has been a consensus on one key point regarding Rhodesia: the need to maintain the interests of the multinational corporations operating there in the face of the growing military threat from the PF's fighting forces. How great is that threat? Is there any possibility that the Patriotic Front will take power through a military victory?
The thirteen years of war have been a bitter and cruel affair. The strategy used by the Rhodesian Forces - similar to that of the US forces in Vietnam- has been to terrorize the civilian population away from support they have consistently given the guerillas, whom they fondly call "The Boys". Some indication of the extent to which this type of counterinsurgency has failed isi provided by the fact that the Patriotic Front has today a pool of close to half a million refugees in the neighboring countries of Mozambique, Angola, Zambia and Botswana from which to draw political cadre and military recruits.
Likewise, the fact that South Africa assumed an increasingly overt role in the war is a direct indication of the Front's effectiveness. It has been known and reported for some time that South Africa is materially involved in the war in Zimbabwe, just as it has intervened in Angola and Mozambique.
....
Shortly before resigning from his United Nations Post, Andrew Young resonded to the question posed by Encore, a Black American magazine, "How important do you think Rhodesia will be as a campaign issue?" He said:
"Very important. Because the Republicans have decided that Zimbabwe is the new racial code word for "Let's keep the niggers in their place." In 1968, you remember, it was 'crime in the streets', in 1972 it was 'busing', in 1980 it is 'Rhodesia'.
Beginning with the 1975-76 mobilization protesting U.S. intervention in Angola and continuing into the Carter Administration, prominent Black American individuals and organizations have been carving out a role in determining the shape and direction of US policy and action in Africa. The publication of Kissinger's "whites are here to stay" memorandum (see introduction to Brown's article); revelations about the CIA's activities in Africa (extensively chronicled in John Stockwell's In Search Of Enemies: A CIA Story, 1979); and the 1976 Soweto uprising in South Africa galvanized Black and mixed organisations toward renewed levels of activity. In 1977 the NAACP sponsored a major factfinding trip to Africa and issued a report calling for sanctions against South Africa as well as Rhodesia.
How does the US manage to cooperatively play a "paramount, but no longer dominant" role? Several approaches are visible in the Carter response to congressional pressure to lift sanctions during the Spring of 1979 and in the US-British relationship in organizing the Lancaster House Constitutional Conference. First, in exemplary trilateralist fashion, the Carter Administration permits Britain to play the Matt Dillon marshall role at Lancaster House, with the US appearing as the faithful deputy Chester. Second, Carter makes certain that to whatever extent possible the US is given a very low profile; role-playing the silent deputy as well as the faithful one. Third, the Carter and Thatcher Administrations pursue steps which assure them maximum flexibility for in the post-Vietnam era it is flexibility and not raw muscle power which characterizes the winner.
The appointment of Lord Carrington, the British foreign secretary as Lancaster House Conference chairman, insured that trilateralism and corporate interests would be well served. The Lord served as Britain's secretary of state for energy in 1974 and was the minister of aviation supply from 1971-74. He is now or has been a director of the following multinationals:
Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation, Australia and New Zealand Bank, Hambros Bank, Barclays Bank, Amalgamated Metal Company and the Cadbury Schweppes Company. And if this background is not enough to ensure that he is a good, skillful and neutral chairperson, he has the additional qualifications of being a past member of the Trilateral Commission (See "Who's Who On The Trilateral Commission") and the president of the British-Iran Society.
[By the way, Rio Tinto is also owned by the De Beers founders, NM Rothschild & Sons, also known as Rothschild Bank. For more on the history of NM Rothschild & Sons, see here. - MrK]
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COMMENT - VOA is the propaganda outlet sponsored by the CIA. They used to transmit into Eastern Europe during the Cold War, and today they are propagandizing for US State Department policy. Including the villification and 'regime change' in Zimbabwe. I e-mailed them when they got things wrong and were printing outright Rhodesian propaganda. They never returned my e-mail, or reacted in any other way.
Why Downplay M23 Atrocities With FDLR Story?
Ann Garrison
01-10-13
James Kabarebe, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Rwandan Defense Force Chief of Staff Charles Kayonga. The 2012 UN Group of Experts Report documents Kayonga and Kabarebe's command of the M23 militia in the DRC. Kabarebe answers to President Kagame.
The Voice of America's DRC Blames Insecurity on Rwandan Rebels,” reported, on 01.09.2013, that the North Kivu provincial government’s communications minister and spokeswoman Marie Shematsi Baeni, had stated that:
-The DRC’s biggest security problem is the Rwandan rebel group FDLR - the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, meaning the remnants of the Rwandan Army that lost the Rwandan Civil War of 1990 to 1994 and fled into the eastern Congolese jungle;
-The FDLR are ‘the only reason the province has a multitude of armed groups . . . because everyone is trying to ensure their own security. . . if they let the FDLR do what they like, they will kill people and rape women."
The VOA also reported that, "Observers say Wednesday's statement could signal a thaw in relations between the DRC and Rwanda, which has been accused of supporting the Congolese rebel group M23." And that, "The M23 militia has, since April, been the focus of most every statement the DRC has made about security in the eastern part of the country, but 'analysts' now say that the group has been 'surpassed' by the FDLR."
Yes, FDLR's atrocities have been widely reported. But this report attempts to dismiss the entire past year's UN Group of Experts and Human Rights Watch reports on M23's ongoing atrocities and the humanitarian catastrophe it created in Congo, simply by shifting focus to the FDLR. Here are some points:
1) Who are these unnamed “observers” who “say that Wednesday's statement could signal a thaw in relations between Rwanda and the DRC?
2) Who are these unnamed “analysts” who say that “the group [M23] has been surpassed by members of the FDLR“?
3) What is these analysts' use of the word “surpassed” supposed to mean in this context? That the FDLR is now "the focus of more statements made by the DRC, about security in the eastern part of the country" - a distinction attributed to M23 just before the statement that the FDLR had "surpassed" them?
Even if that statement were true, M23 has not only been the focus of most every statement that the DRC government has made about security in the eastern part of the country but also the focus of most every such statement that UN investigators in Congo have made in the past year.
What's more the President of the United States called Rwanda's Paul Kagame to warn him to stop supporting M23 which has also been condemned by Human Rights Watch for "widespread war crimes."
M23 has also been the focus of every statement about security in the eastern DRC made by European governments, who withdrew aid to Rwanda because of UN investigators' evidence that the M23 militia fighting in Congo is a unit of the Rwandan army, with Rwandan Defense Minister James Kabarebe at the top of its chain of command.
And M23 has been the focus of every such statement made by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, who opened the committee's December hearing by saying that the U.S. has been left standing alone in its support for Rwanda.
4) Marie Shematsi Baeni, communications minister and spokeswoman for the DRC’s North Kivu Province, says that all the armed groups in the eastern DRC are armed to keep the FDLR from killing people and raping women? Does the Voice of America feel compelled to repeat such a patently absurd statement - uncritically - just because the communications minister and spokeswoman for the DRC’s North Kivu Province utters or writes it?
Even without downplaying any atrocities committed by FDLR, does the Voice of America (VOA) expect any thinking person to believe that all the armed groups in the eastern DRC are armed - and killing people and raping women - to keep the FDLR from doing so?
Or, that despite all these groups armed to stop the FDLR, and despite all their good intentions to protect the people from the FDLR, the FDLR continues to commit all the atrocities and displace all the people, including another 900,000 this year, in the eastern DRC? And/or, that the highly trained, disciplined, well equipped M23 militia is blameless in all this, but at the same time helpless to stop them?
Does the VOA expect us to believe that none of these groups, including M23, are highly armed so as to control eastern Congolese resources and resource smuggling across Congo's eastern borders into Rwanda and Uganda? That all are, instead, armed to protect themselves and the people from the FDLR?
Doesn't it seem a bit too convenient - for Rwandan commanders, and for Rwanda's international backers - to point the finger, once again, at the FDLR militia and thus deflect global media attention from the M23 militia, after both the UN Group of Experts and Human Rights Watch emphatically identified M23 as the aggressive force that resumed the war in eastern Congo?
I often recommend The Voice of America, particularly its stellar "Straight Talk Africa" broadcast, as one of the best sources on Africa.
And, Pacifica's WBAI AfrobeatRadio, the weekly radio hour I contribute to, has had the VOA's excellent Ugandan journalist Paul Ndiho on as a guest, so I know that the VOA can do better.
Ann Garrison reports for the Pacifica Radio Network's KPFA and WBAI-AfrobeatRadio, and writes for the San Francisco Bay View, Global Research, and the Black Star News.
Labels: ANNIE GARRISON, DRC, JAMES KABAREBE, M23, PAUL KAGAME, WAR CRIMES
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No pay hike for civil servants
11/01/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
STATE employees are considering strike action accusing the government of taking advantage of a leadership dispute in their ranks to delay a pay hike Treasury promised would be effected this month.
Soldiers received their January salaries on Thursday without the inflation-adjusted increment announced by Finance Minister Tendai Biti in his 2013 budget statement.
The Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said the development had hit morale as members returned to work for the new school term.
"Most of our members opened schools anticipating that something would come up and obviously morale will be down on hearing that there is nothing for them,” a union official said.
Acting Public Service Secretary Rodgers Sisimayi said the government had no one to negotiate the increment with after a leadership wrangle rocked the Apex Council which represents state workers in wage negotiations.
The Council’s term of office expired in February last year and the unions have failed to agree a new committee.
Said Sisimayi: “The problem is that the Apex Council has failed to come up with a new leadership since last year yet salaries and updates are announced through a platform called the National Joint Negotiating Council.
“This is a platform that brings to the negotiating table workers side and Government negotiators, but as it stands, there is no way Government can communicate.”
Government lawyers are still considering a request by unions to negotiate with the old committee led by Zimbabwe Teachers Association president, Tendai Chikowore.
“We acknowledge receipt of their letter requesting that we engage the old committee. We are looking at the legal implications of such a move and we will notify them in due course what we would have resolved,” Sisimayi said.
Union leaders however, threatened to go on strike over the impasse.
“This is an insult and Government is setting a terrible precedent,” said College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe President David Dzatsunga.
“It means we are never taken seriously, but what they should know is that some unions are mobilising their members for a possible industrial action.”
Chikowore added: ““There is a breakdown of social dialogue and they might have seen our weaknesses and decided to go quiet.
“We are going to meet and make sure we unite as we move forward.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe boss Raymond Majongwe said the unions would meet Tuesday to consider strike action.
“Somebody out there is pushing us to go and strike and this is one issue we will put into consideration come Tuesday," he said.
The lowest paid government employee earns US$296 per month and unions are demanding an adjustment in line with the poverty datum line which is estimated at about US$600.
But Biti says the government does not have the resources to meet the Unions’ demands with the state wage bill already accounting for 68 percent of overall expenditure.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, NEOLIBERALISM, SALARIES, TENDAI BITI
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Zimbabwe producer makes UK history
10/01/2013 00:00:00
by Showbiz Reporter
A 25-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwean record producer has written his own piece of history by being awarded gold and silver plaques after two of his productions reached number one and four respectively on the UK charts.
Kariba-born Rodney Hwingwiri, aka Rymez, was awarded a gold plaque for producing British grime artist Wiley’s smash hit, Heatwave, which topped the UK singles charts in August 2012. The single sold more than 400,000 in the UK and has been watched by over 13 million people on YouTube.
Rymez also picked up a silver plaque for another collaboration with Wiley on Can You Hear Me (Ayayaya) which shifted over 200,000 records and has been watched over nine million times on YouTube.
The London-based Rymez has been producing music for UK underground garage, hip hop and grime artists for nine years, during which time he has also collaborated with big artists like Tinie Tempah.
Rymez says he was drawn to music at the age of 13 while listening to his brother’s collection of CDs which included the works of a range of artists from Simon Chimbetu, Dr Dre through to Craig David.
“I wasn’t too familiar with grime and UK hip hop, when I was in Zimbabwe,” Rymez admitted in a recent interview. “The only artist I was paying attention to from the UK back then was Craig David because he was one of very few British artists that managed to crossover.”
Rymez says his productions are inspired by conversations with the artists.
“I enjoy making music at various tempos,” he says. “I tend to have a conversation with the artist before I get into making any music so that I can find the perfect tempo to suit their mood. I think it helps create the right studio session.”
He is delighted for Wiley with his success, which has also put Rymez on the map.
“If I can describe working with Wiley in three words, it would be: Genius, Weird and Random! He is someone who has mastered his craft and through his music you can hear he is not afraid to express himself on how he is feeling which is what I believe is the key to having a good career as an artist,” says Rymez.
He remembers a cold winter day as he sat in the studio and thought it would be great to start working on an E.P for summer.
“I managed to get hold of Ms D (the singer of Chipmunk’s UK #1 hit Oopsy Daisy) to put down an idea,” he says.
Ms D, who sang on the track, introduced Rymez to Wiley and Heatwave was recorded.
Rymez also values his friendship with Pass Out star Tinie Tempah, whom he got acquainted to while in high school.
“I used to travel from Derby to London when I was in high school at least once a month to network with artists, and one of the artists I managed to get in the studio with frequently was Tinie Tempah, who inspired me to take the leap of faith and move into the big city,” he recalls.
Despite his new-found success in the UK, Rymez remains involved on the Zimbabwean scene following collaborations with artists like Jusa Dementor, Begotten Sun, Dirry Cash, AllsTars and Karizma.
But a dream collaboration, he insists, would be with mega star Oliver Mtukudzi.
“The artist I really would want to work with is Oliver Mtukudzi. It’s kind of a long shot, but we all dream right?”
Labels: ENTERTAINMENT, RODNEY HWINGWIRI, RYMEZ
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Tobacco hectrage up 38 percent: TIMB
12/01/2013 00:00:00
by Business Reporter
SOME 77,910 hectares of land has been put under tobacco this year,
a 38 percent increase from 56,377 hectares last season, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has revealed.
TIMB chief executive officer Andrew Matibiri said the increase in farm size shows farmers continue to abandon other crops for tobacco. Poor marketing, unattractive prices coupled with late payments to farmers over the years have affected crops such as cotton and maize.
"Farmers who grow rain-fed tobacco are still planting because the rains started late while those who irrigated are reaping and curing their crop," he said.
According to TIMB, more than 65,000 farmers have registered to grow and sell tobacco this season compared 34,673 last season.
Tobacco exports raked in US$771 million averaging US$5,94 per kilogramme, the highest annual average export price achieved since dollarisation.
“There is still a further 95,3 million kilogrammes of tobacco in our stocks so the earnings are set to rise even higher once everything is marketed. The exports have, however, trended down from 17 million kilogrammes in November to seven million kilogrammes in December,” Matibiri said.
“In 2011, a total of 10 million kilogrammes were exported during the same period with the seasonal exports ending with 129,7 million kilogrammes, which is 10 percent below the 2012 levels. More than 42 percent of the tobacco went to China,” Matibiri said.
This year's production is targeted at 170 million kgs.
“Already we have registered 65 199 farmers for this year’s crop compared to last year’s 34 673 farmers during the same period. We have also registered 1 225 farmers for burley tobacco while another 499 have been registered for dark air cured tobacco,” the TIMB chief added.
Tobacco is one of Zimbabwe's major agricultural exports with markets including China, UK, South Africa, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius and Russia.
Labels: ANDREW MATIBIRI, TIMB, TOBACCO
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MDC-T misleading investors: Kasukuwere
12/01/2013 00:00:00
by Gilbert Nyambabvu
EMPOWERMENT Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has accused the MDC-T of engaging in cheap politics over the country’s indigenisation programme and ruled out changes to the policy which has divided the coalition administration.
The MDC-T saysvowed to ditch the programme if it comes into power after the next election, arguing the policy does not address the country’s investment crisis and runaway unemployment of over 80 percent.
The programme forces foreign companies to cede majority ownership of their Zimbabwe operations to locals with Zanu PF insisting this was necessary to address historical imbalances in the control of the country’s economy.
And speaking at the conclusion of platinum miner, Zimplats’ US$1 billion compliance plan, Kasukuwere said claims by the MDC-T that the enabling legislation for the programme would be amended to exempt some companies were inaccurate and an attempt to mislead investors.
“Some of our colleagues in Government have been peddling falsehoods that the law will be amended to make exemptions for investments in certain areas of the economy. The law will not be amended because there is no need to do so,” he said.
“We have shown that the provisions of the law allow Government to lower the threshold of indigenisation in areas such as massive investments for a certain period of time.
“Unfortunately despite our overtures to implement this regime our colleagues have continued to engage in cheap politicking and unnecessarily confusing the investors.”
The deal with Zimplats, owned by the world’s second largest platinum miner Implala Platinum (Implats), has turned out to be one of Kasukuwere’s key successes after critics warned that major investors could leave the country or scale back expansion programme to protest the forced seizure of their assets.
The Zanu PF minister said the government was paying “full value” for the shares and dismissed claims the programme was only benefiting an already wealthy elite.
“Shares in non-indigenous business, as in this transaction, are acquired under the programme for full value and this has been demonstrated through a series of transactions that have been concluded with major investors,” he said.
“The indigenisation programme in the main does not benefit elite indigenous persons, but rather broad based groups of indigenous Zimbabweans,” he said.
“To date, my ministry has achieved for communities around the country the value in the form of shares in mining companies in excess of US$1 billion.
“It is therefore apparent that the greatest beneficiaries of the programme to date are not well-to-do individuals, but broad masses.”
Terence Goodlace, chief executive of the South Africa-based Implats, said the Zimplats deal ends the uncertainty which had clouded the company’s operations adding a US$460million expansion exercise remained on course.
“I am, despite these hard times, excited about the future for Zimplats and platinum mining in Zimbabwe. To start with, the uncertainty that had dogged Zimplats during the negotiations is now hopefully a thing of the past,” he said.
“The participation of Zimbabweans at a shareholding level will create a sense of ownership as our partners become actively involved in the extraction of platinum group of metals, which will remain a critically important aspect of the country’s mineral development.”
Kasukuwere said he would now target the country’s banking sector, warning that the government would not tolerate any defiance.
“I would like to encourage other companies, particularly in the banking sector, to comply with our laws as no-compliance will no longer be tolerated,” he said.
“Uncalled-for defiance and arrogance will not be tolerated as all companies must respect the law and desist from provoking the State.
“There will be no sacred cow spared, no stone unturned to ensure that the policies are fully implemented.”
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), MDC, SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE, TERENCE GOODLACE
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COMMENT - So much for the 'they will bring jobs' brigade. I have always stated the bleeding obvious, even when the paid MMD shills were advocating the idea that we don't need to be paid taxes or dividends on our own copper, because the mining companies 'will bring jobs'. Foreign investors are not here to 'bring jobs', they are here to maximize returns to shareholders (maximize price, minimize costs), through dividend payments or the shareprice itself. So unless you are a shareholder and don't get cheated, you don't benefit from foreign ownership of the mines at all. All the present activity is floating on top of record high copper prices.
Over 600 lose jobs at KCM
By Darious Kapembwa in Kitwe
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
OVER 600 miners have lost jobs after Konkola Copper Mines refused to renew U&M's contract, one of the largest companies contracted by the mine.
KCM public relations manager Joy Sata announced in a press statement that U&M's contract expired on December 31, 2012 and the terms have not been agreed for renewal of the contract.
"KCM is committed to all the projects that it has undertaken in order to expand and increase the life of the mine at Nchanga and Konkola. It is common knowledge that KCM operates two open pit mines in Nchanga, and one of them, Chingola open pit F and D, is mined by a contractor, U&M Mining services of Brazil..." read the statement in part.
"During the demobilisation period, KCM expects a gap as management explores options of operating the pit. However, employees under U&M working at COP F&D will be given priority for engagement once the pity is operational," Sata stated.
The company employed over 600 workers in various categories of the industry.
Mineworkers Union of Zambia president Chishimba Nkole said his union needs to liaise with the mining company before issuing a comprehensive statement regarding the loss of jobs.
Labels: JOBS, JOY SATA, KCM
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Millers and their prices
By The Post
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
The enjoyment of a decent standard of living is frustrated, on part of the poor, when there is
an exorbitant and constant rise in prices of basic foodstuffs.
There has been a constant rise in the prices of foodstuffs, especially mealie-meal. While this rise may not affect very much the small minority of well-off people, it affects dramatically the majority of the common people and in a special way the immense crowd of the poor. This increase of prices is again provoked by the pressure of an artificial shortage created by millers, traders.
And this price increase of some food commodities has not been matched by the corresponding increase in wages and prices for goods produced by farmers, as would be logically expected.
The right to live a dignified life can never be attained unless all basic necessities of life, including food, are adequately and equitably available to everyone.
We expect government bodies to have sound policies over the sale and pricing of essential foodstuffs. We need to provide food at prices which both give a just return to farmers, millers and are reasonable to consumers.
Economic justice requires that each individual has adequate food to survive, to develop and thrive. With the current high prices of food, there are many people who each day cannot meet the basic food requirements necessary for a decent human life.
And as we have consistently pointed out, it is a strict duty of justice and truth not to allow fundamental food needs to remain unsatisfied.
The current food supply system is inadequate, chaotic, irrational and is likely to lead to bigger problems in future. Michael Sata's government has inherited this system from the previous regimes. It is not a system that this government should retain. It is something that this government should strive to change because it is a system that has not worked well, that has not helped to ensure food security in our country.
It doesn't make sense for the government to retain policies that every year require the President of the Republic to police mealie-meal prices and threaten those who maintain high prices with all sorts of sanctions. The threats that are being issued by Michael to millers are understandable and may be justified. But they are not new. Michael is not the first president of this country to deal with millers in such a way. It is such problems that in the 1980s forced the UNIP government of Dr Kenneth Kaunda to nationalise milling enterprises. But did it work? The answer is a categorical no.
It didn't work. Why? Probably because nationalising the milling enterprises did not address the fundamental issues that gave rise to this perennial problem. Mealie-meal shortages continued despite KK nationalising the milling industry. Every president of this country has had to meet millers; do a deal with some millers. But is this the best way to deal with the problem?
A more stable, permanent solution must be found for this serious problem. The total failure of the initiatives that have been taken by all the governments and leaders who have presided over the affairs of this country is today more evident than ever.
There is a great danger that government policies, if not combined with clear social concern, will bring socio-economic deprivation.
Our excessive dependence on maize meal is proving problematic and needs to be addressed. At the current cost of producing maize, it is impossible, unrealistic and irrational not to move towards serious crop diversification. We have other grains like rice, sorghum and even cassava that can give us the needed starch at a relatively low cost or price.
Every year we are subsidising the production of maize by not less than US$300 million and buying maize from farmers at KR65 per 50kg bag and reselling that to millers at KR60. For how long should we continue doing this?
Here the issue is not whether we should subsidise maize production and consumption. The issue is whether we can afford to do so or not. If we have a lot of money and we can afford to spend it in such an irrational way, it's fine. But if we don't have that type of money, then there is a problem and we must start considering sensible alternatives.
We insist that it is time we started moving away from this excessive dependence on maize meal and start to teach our people to eat cheaper grains like rice. There is a lot of rice in the country, but it will require a lot of work to make our people accept it as a staple food that is just as good, if not better than, maize. The majority of the world's population depends on rice. What harm will it do us to join them?
Moreover, we shouldn't cheat ourselves that we have always been dependent on maize meal for our survival. Maize meal is a new thing to us. It is not that old in this country. It is something that came in strongly with mining and urbanisation. The same way we became dependent on maize meal, we can become dependent on rice and other grains and sources of starch. But this will require some effort from government and other agencies. The Zambian people need to be prepared for a future that is not dependent on maize meal, but on other foodstuffs which we can grow cheaply and provide to our people in abundance. In addition to rice, sorghum, millet and cassava, we have sweet potatoes and other tubers and nuts.
The world prices for maize are continually rising and it will soon become very difficult to force our farmers to sell their maize locally at such low prices instead of them exporting. We are producing enough maize and mealie-meal, but the good part of it goes to Congo and Angola. Smuggling will be impossible to stop given the nature of our borders. And as long as the price across the border is good, smuggling will not stop. And with smuggling, shortages will continue. Good prices across the border will also push millers to continually attempt to increase their margins. This will mean every year, every now and then, the president will have to blackmail millers to reduce their prices. Is this the way to run an economy? Is this the most rational way to manage the food security of our people?
Labels: MEALIE-MEAL, MILLERS
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Chanda Chimba consoles Shikapwasha at court
By Mwala Kalaluka and Salim Dawood
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
RUPIAH Banda's propagandist Chanda Chimba III yesterday encouraged former information minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha to be strong when they appeared at court in connection with their alleged diversion of public funds towards MMD propaganda documentaries and publications.
And Lusaka chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday expressed displeasure at Chimba's failure to get into the dock immediately his case was called by the prosecutors.
Before the matter came up for allocation, Chimba approached Lt Gen Shikapwasha, saying he was glad things had gotten to that stage.
"It shall come to pass, be strong. I have received a lot of calls from people strengthening us," Chimba told Lt Gen Shikapwasha who responded in the affirmative: "Yes, indeed."
This is a matter where Lt Gen Shikapwasha, a 65-year-old MMD member of parliament for Keembe, Chimba, a 48-year-old propagandist and 56-year-old former information permanent secretary Dr Samson Phiri are facing charges relating to MMD propaganda activities in the build up to the MMD's 2011 electoral campaign.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha is in the first count charged with abuse of authority of office and it is alleged that between October 1 and November 31, 2010 being a public service employee as information minister, arbitrarily and in disregard of defamation laws and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation editorial policy directed ZNBC to broadcast Chimba's Stand Up for Zambia documentary.
The facts stated that this act was prejudicial to the rights of ZNBC, a public body.
Count two is also that of abuse of authority of office and it touches on Lt Gen Shikapwasha's alleged disregard to professional legal advice not to broadcast Stand Up for Zambia on ZNBC between October 1 and 31, 2010 and as a consequence arbitrarily committed the government to pay all liabilities and legal fees emanating from Chimba's broadcasts.
The facts equally stated that this act was prejudicial to the interests of ZNBC and the government.
Dr Phiri is in the third count charged with abuse of authority of office where it is alleged that between June 1 and July 31, 2011, being a public officer as information and broadcasting services permanent secretary, arbitrarily directed ZNBC management to repeat broadcasts of Chimba's documentaries.
Counts four, five and six relate to Chimba's alleged unlawful printing and publication while particulars in the fourth count are that between June 9 and July 28, 2011 in Lusaka, he unlawfully printed and published a newspaper called Stand Up for Zambia, which was not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
Chimba is in the fifth count charged with an offence similar to that in the previous count and it is alleged that between August 25 and September 26, 2011 in Lusaka he unlawfully printed or published a newspaper called News of our times which was also not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
The sixth count is of possession of property suspected of being proceeds of a crime and it is alleged that Chimba between June 9 and September 16, 2011 in Lusaka did have in his possession or control an accumulated total of K611, 440,433, which he paid to ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail Limited respectively, which monies were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of a crime.
In another case, Dr Phiri, 44-year-old former Zambia Daily Mail deputy managing director Davies Mataka, 51-year-old former Afronet executive director Ngande Mwanajiti and the Zambian Newspaper Limited are jointly charged with corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue and unlawful printing and publication.
It is alleged in the first count that Dr Phiri, Mataka and Mwanajiti between April 19 and November 2011 in Lusaka fraudulently and unlawfully diverted K202,696,050 public media support fund from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services for the production of a private newspaper called 'The Zambian'.
It is further alleged in the second count that The Zambian Newspaper Limited, Davies Mataka alias 'John Allan Mugwida' and Ngande Mwanajiti alias 'George Banda' on diverse dates between January 1 and November 1, 2011 in Lusaka unlawfully printed or published a newspaper namely 'The Zambian' without registering it with the National Archives of Zambia.
Magistrate Banda allocated the first matter to senior resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile's court but it could not proceed into plea due to Dr Phiri's absence and it was adjourned to January 18, 2013.
Magistrate Banda allocated the second matter to principal resident magistrate Aridah Chulu's court but it could also not proceed into plea because magistrate Chulu was unwell and it was adjourned to January 16, 2013.
And magistrate Banda earlier advised the defence lawyers to advise their clients that when they come to court they should not sit outside but come inside.
This was after public prosecutor Martin Mayembe thrice called for Chimba who was outside the courtroom to proceed to the accused dock with Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
"If they come to court, they have to come to court. They can't sit outside. You were calling some names and some were outside. That is not our practice," said magistrate Banda as Chimba hastily walked into the courtroom.
Labels: CHANDA CHIMBA III, COURTS, MMD, RONNIE SHIKAWPASHA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Chanda Chimba consoles Shikapwasha at court
By Mwala Kalaluka and Salim Dawood
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
RUPIAH Banda's propagandist Chanda Chimba III yesterday encouraged former information minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha to be strong when they appeared at court in connection with their alleged diversion of public funds towards MMD propaganda documentaries and publications.
And Lusaka chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday expressed displeasure at Chimba's failure to get into the dock immediately his case was called by the prosecutors.
Before the matter came up for allocation, Chimba approached Lt Gen Shikapwasha, saying he was glad things had gotten to that stage.
"It shall come to pass, be strong. I have received a lot of calls from people strengthening us," Chimba told Lt Gen Shikapwasha who responded in the affirmative: "Yes, indeed."
This is a matter where Lt Gen Shikapwasha, a 65-year-old MMD member of parliament for Keembe, Chimba, a 48-year-old propagandist and 56-year-old former information permanent secretary Dr Samson Phiri are facing charges relating to MMD propaganda activities in the build up to the MMD's 2011 electoral campaign.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha is in the first count charged with abuse of authority of office and it is alleged that between October 1 and November 31, 2010 being a public service employee as information minister, arbitrarily and in disregard of defamation laws and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation editorial policy directed ZNBC to broadcast Chimba's Stand Up for Zambia documentary.
The facts stated that this act was prejudicial to the rights of ZNBC, a public body.
Count two is also that of abuse of authority of office and it touches on Lt Gen Shikapwasha's alleged disregard to professional legal advice not to broadcast Stand Up for Zambia on ZNBC between October 1 and 31, 2010 and as a consequence arbitrarily committed the government to pay all liabilities and legal fees emanating from Chimba's broadcasts.
The facts equally stated that this act was prejudicial to the interests of ZNBC and the government.
Dr Phiri is in the third count charged with abuse of authority of office where it is alleged that between June 1 and July 31, 2011, being a public officer as information and broadcasting services permanent secretary, arbitrarily directed ZNBC management to repeat broadcasts of Chimba's documentaries.
Counts four, five and six relate to Chimba's alleged unlawful printing and publication while particulars in the fourth count are that between June 9 and July 28, 2011 in Lusaka, he unlawfully printed and published a newspaper called Stand Up for Zambia, which was not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
Chimba is in the fifth count charged with an offence similar to that in the previous count and it is alleged that between August 25 and September 26, 2011 in Lusaka he unlawfully printed or published a newspaper called News of our times which was also not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
The sixth count is of possession of property suspected of being proceeds of a crime and it is alleged that Chimba between June 9 and September 16, 2011 in Lusaka did have in his possession or control an accumulated total of K611, 440,433, which he paid to ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail Limited respectively, which monies were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of a crime.
In another case, Dr Phiri, 44-year-old former Zambia Daily Mail deputy managing director Davies Mataka, 51-year-old former Afronet executive director Ngande Mwanajiti and the Zambian Newspaper Limited are jointly charged with corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue and unlawful printing and publication.
It is alleged in the first count that Dr Phiri, Mataka and Mwanajiti between April 19 and November 2011 in Lusaka fraudulently and unlawfully diverted K202,696,050 public media support fund from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services for the production of a private newspaper called 'The Zambian'.
It is further alleged in the second count that The Zambian Newspaper Limited, Davies Mataka alias 'John Allan Mugwida' and Ngande Mwanajiti alias 'George Banda' on diverse dates between January 1 and November 1, 2011 in Lusaka unlawfully printed or published a newspaper namely 'The Zambian' without registering it with the National Archives of Zambia.
Magistrate Banda allocated the first matter to senior resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile's court but it could not proceed into plea due to Dr Phiri's absence and it was adjourned to January 18, 2013.
Magistrate Banda allocated the second matter to principal resident magistrate Aridah Chulu's court but it could also not proceed into plea because magistrate Chulu was unwell and it was adjourned to January 16, 2013.
And magistrate Banda earlier advised the defence lawyers to advise their clients that when they come to court they should not sit outside but come inside.
This was after public prosecutor Martin Mayembe thrice called for Chimba who was outside the courtroom to proceed to the accused dock with Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
"If they come to court, they have to come to court. They can't sit outside. You were calling some names and some were outside. That is not our practice," said magistrate Banda as Chimba hastily walked into the courtroom.
Labels: CHANDA CHIMBA III, COURTS, MMD, RONNIE SHIKAWPASHA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Chanda Chimba consoles Shikapwasha at court
By Mwala Kalaluka and Salim Dawood
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
RUPIAH Banda's propagandist Chanda Chimba III yesterday encouraged former information minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha to be strong when they appeared at court in connection with their alleged diversion of public funds towards MMD propaganda documentaries and publications.
And Lusaka chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday expressed displeasure at Chimba's failure to get into the dock immediately his case was called by the prosecutors.
Before the matter came up for allocation, Chimba approached Lt Gen Shikapwasha, saying he was glad things had gotten to that stage.
"It shall come to pass, be strong. I have received a lot of calls from people strengthening us," Chimba told Lt Gen Shikapwasha who responded in the affirmative: "Yes, indeed."
This is a matter where Lt Gen Shikapwasha, a 65-year-old MMD member of parliament for Keembe, Chimba, a 48-year-old propagandist and 56-year-old former information permanent secretary Dr Samson Phiri are facing charges relating to MMD propaganda activities in the build up to the MMD's 2011 electoral campaign.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha is in the first count charged with abuse of authority of office and it is alleged that between October 1 and November 31, 2010 being a public service employee as information minister, arbitrarily and in disregard of defamation laws and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation editorial policy directed ZNBC to broadcast Chimba's Stand Up for Zambia documentary.
The facts stated that this act was prejudicial to the rights of ZNBC, a public body.
Count two is also that of abuse of authority of office and it touches on Lt Gen Shikapwasha's alleged disregard to professional legal advice not to broadcast Stand Up for Zambia on ZNBC between October 1 and 31, 2010 and as a consequence arbitrarily committed the government to pay all liabilities and legal fees emanating from Chimba's broadcasts.
The facts equally stated that this act was prejudicial to the interests of ZNBC and the government.
Dr Phiri is in the third count charged with abuse of authority of office where it is alleged that between June 1 and July 31, 2011, being a public officer as information and broadcasting services permanent secretary, arbitrarily directed ZNBC management to repeat broadcasts of Chimba's documentaries.
Counts four, five and six relate to Chimba's alleged unlawful printing and publication while particulars in the fourth count are that between June 9 and July 28, 2011 in Lusaka, he unlawfully printed and published a newspaper called Stand Up for Zambia, which was not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
Chimba is in the fifth count charged with an offence similar to that in the previous count and it is alleged that between August 25 and September 26, 2011 in Lusaka he unlawfully printed or published a newspaper called News of our times which was also not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
The sixth count is of possession of property suspected of being proceeds of a crime and it is alleged that Chimba between June 9 and September 16, 2011 in Lusaka did have in his possession or control an accumulated total of K611, 440,433, which he paid to ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail Limited respectively, which monies were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of a crime.
In another case, Dr Phiri, 44-year-old former Zambia Daily Mail deputy managing director Davies Mataka, 51-year-old former Afronet executive director Ngande Mwanajiti and the Zambian Newspaper Limited are jointly charged with corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue and unlawful printing and publication.
It is alleged in the first count that Dr Phiri, Mataka and Mwanajiti between April 19 and November 2011 in Lusaka fraudulently and unlawfully diverted K202,696,050 public media support fund from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services for the production of a private newspaper called 'The Zambian'.
It is further alleged in the second count that The Zambian Newspaper Limited, Davies Mataka alias 'John Allan Mugwida' and Ngande Mwanajiti alias 'George Banda' on diverse dates between January 1 and November 1, 2011 in Lusaka unlawfully printed or published a newspaper namely 'The Zambian' without registering it with the National Archives of Zambia.
Magistrate Banda allocated the first matter to senior resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile's court but it could not proceed into plea due to Dr Phiri's absence and it was adjourned to January 18, 2013.
Magistrate Banda allocated the second matter to principal resident magistrate Aridah Chulu's court but it could also not proceed into plea because magistrate Chulu was unwell and it was adjourned to January 16, 2013.
And magistrate Banda earlier advised the defence lawyers to advise their clients that when they come to court they should not sit outside but come inside.
This was after public prosecutor Martin Mayembe thrice called for Chimba who was outside the courtroom to proceed to the accused dock with Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
"If they come to court, they have to come to court. They can't sit outside. You were calling some names and some were outside. That is not our practice," said magistrate Banda as Chimba hastily walked into the courtroom.
Labels: CHANDA CHIMBA III, COURTS, MMD, RONNIE SHIKAWPASHA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Chanda Chimba consoles Shikapwasha at court
By Mwala Kalaluka and Salim Dawood
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
RUPIAH Banda's propagandist Chanda Chimba III yesterday encouraged former information minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha to be strong when they appeared at court in connection with their alleged diversion of public funds towards MMD propaganda documentaries and publications.
And Lusaka chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday expressed displeasure at Chimba's failure to get into the dock immediately his case was called by the prosecutors.
Before the matter came up for allocation, Chimba approached Lt Gen Shikapwasha, saying he was glad things had gotten to that stage.
"It shall come to pass, be strong. I have received a lot of calls from people strengthening us," Chimba told Lt Gen Shikapwasha who responded in the affirmative: "Yes, indeed."
This is a matter where Lt Gen Shikapwasha, a 65-year-old MMD member of parliament for Keembe, Chimba, a 48-year-old propagandist and 56-year-old former information permanent secretary Dr Samson Phiri are facing charges relating to MMD propaganda activities in the build up to the MMD's 2011 electoral campaign.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha is in the first count charged with abuse of authority of office and it is alleged that between October 1 and November 31, 2010 being a public service employee as information minister, arbitrarily and in disregard of defamation laws and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation editorial policy directed ZNBC to broadcast Chimba's Stand Up for Zambia documentary.
The facts stated that this act was prejudicial to the rights of ZNBC, a public body.
Count two is also that of abuse of authority of office and it touches on Lt Gen Shikapwasha's alleged disregard to professional legal advice not to broadcast Stand Up for Zambia on ZNBC between October 1 and 31, 2010 and as a consequence arbitrarily committed the government to pay all liabilities and legal fees emanating from Chimba's broadcasts.
The facts equally stated that this act was prejudicial to the interests of ZNBC and the government.
Dr Phiri is in the third count charged with abuse of authority of office where it is alleged that between June 1 and July 31, 2011, being a public officer as information and broadcasting services permanent secretary, arbitrarily directed ZNBC management to repeat broadcasts of Chimba's documentaries.
Counts four, five and six relate to Chimba's alleged unlawful printing and publication while particulars in the fourth count are that between June 9 and July 28, 2011 in Lusaka, he unlawfully printed and published a newspaper called Stand Up for Zambia, which was not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
Chimba is in the fifth count charged with an offence similar to that in the previous count and it is alleged that between August 25 and September 26, 2011 in Lusaka he unlawfully printed or published a newspaper called News of our times which was also not registered with the National Archives of Zambia.
The sixth count is of possession of property suspected of being proceeds of a crime and it is alleged that Chimba between June 9 and September 16, 2011 in Lusaka did have in his possession or control an accumulated total of K611, 440,433, which he paid to ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail Limited respectively, which monies were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of a crime.
In another case, Dr Phiri, 44-year-old former Zambia Daily Mail deputy managing director Davies Mataka, 51-year-old former Afronet executive director Ngande Mwanajiti and the Zambian Newspaper Limited are jointly charged with corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue and unlawful printing and publication.
It is alleged in the first count that Dr Phiri, Mataka and Mwanajiti between April 19 and November 2011 in Lusaka fraudulently and unlawfully diverted K202,696,050 public media support fund from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services for the production of a private newspaper called 'The Zambian'.
It is further alleged in the second count that The Zambian Newspaper Limited, Davies Mataka alias 'John Allan Mugwida' and Ngande Mwanajiti alias 'George Banda' on diverse dates between January 1 and November 1, 2011 in Lusaka unlawfully printed or published a newspaper namely 'The Zambian' without registering it with the National Archives of Zambia.
Magistrate Banda allocated the first matter to senior resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile's court but it could not proceed into plea due to Dr Phiri's absence and it was adjourned to January 18, 2013.
Magistrate Banda allocated the second matter to principal resident magistrate Aridah Chulu's court but it could also not proceed into plea because magistrate Chulu was unwell and it was adjourned to January 16, 2013.
And magistrate Banda earlier advised the defence lawyers to advise their clients that when they come to court they should not sit outside but come inside.
This was after public prosecutor Martin Mayembe thrice called for Chimba who was outside the courtroom to proceed to the accused dock with Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
"If they come to court, they have to come to court. They can't sit outside. You were calling some names and some were outside. That is not our practice," said magistrate Banda as Chimba hastily walked into the courtroom.
Labels: CHANDA CHIMBA III, COURTS, MMD, RONNIE SHIKAWPASHA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Nevers is a fraud who has weakened MMD - Namugala
By Allan Mulenga and Roy Habaalu
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
NEVERS Mumba is a fraud who has weakened MMD, says Catherine Namugala. But MMD acting national secretary Kapembwa Simbao says Namugala's conduct is likely to bring the MMD into contempt, ridicule and disrepute.
However, Namugala insists that Simbao is not MMD national secretary. And MMD Die-Hard national coordinator Bowman Lusambo on Tuesday reported Namugala to the police for allegedly threatening violence.
Simbao had written Namugala, who is Mafinga MMD member of parliament, a disciplinary letter dated December 24, 2012, in which he charged her on two counts.
The first charge was that Namugala's statement in The Post of December 20, last year under the headline; 'Namugala Wants Nevers Out', was malicious and contemptuous.
"The fact that the statement comes from a very senior member of the party creates an impression our party has lost direction and is in shambles. Your message to the members through your press statement frustrates the spirit of reconstructing our party in the midst of our adversity and thereby hinders ultimate rapid growth which we are tirelessly striving to achieve," stated Simbao.
He stated that Namugala was insubordinate to senior party organs and officials in relation to regulation seven of 1993.
"You have failed to comply and adhere to an agreed party position not to issue press statements without obtaining express clearance and permission from the chief executive of the party, the national secretary," Simbao stated.
"You are fully aware that such media reports have the potential to dent the image of the party. In view of the aforesaid, coupled with the seriousness of the charges levelled against you. You are therefore, required to submit an exculpatory statement in defence or lack of it within 10 days from the date of this letter in conformity with regulation 9(2) of the disciplinary regulations - 1993."
In her response dated January 2, 2013, Namugala stated that she would not relent in calling for Mumba's removal.
"I will not relent to call for the removal of Nevers Mumba because he is not a duly-elected president of our party. Instead, he is a fraud who has weakened our party and, unless removed, the party will go into oblivion," read her letter in part, which was copied to Mumba, vice-president for political affairs Michael Kaingu and his administration counterpart Brian Chituwo, as well as chairperson for legal affairs Bradford Machila.
Namugala stated that the disciplinary charges levelled against her were frivolous and orchestrated by Mumba.
"As relates to your charges against me, please note that they are misplaced and orchestrated by Nevers Mumba because both Mumba and I have been quoted by the media as saying one thing or the other. I therefore demand that you also take disciplinary action against him and charge Nevers Mumba for bringing the name of the party into disrepute by issuing statements against Dr Chituwo and I as having been sponsored to destabilise the party," she stated.
And Namugala stated that Simbao was not MMD national secretary.
"Firstly, please note that you are not the national secretary of our party MMD and that the substantive national secretary is Major Richard Kachingwe. Therefore, you have no standing, nor authority, to charge me.
That notwithstanding, your purported disciplinary charges have given me an opportunity to put on record facts that are to be said about the state of our party, especially the leadership of Dr Nevers Mumba," stated the letter.
The MMD has been embroiled in wrangles over Mumba's leadership.
And in a turn of events in MMD, Lusambo, who arrived at Lusaka's Bennie Mwiinga police post after 11:00 hours, complained that he was living in fear after Namugala allegedly said during an interview with ZNBC that she would finish the Die-Hard.
He was accompanied by Scorpion Kadobi, an MMD member who, with Lusambo, is facing a charge of assaulting Maj Kachingwe.
"My life is in danger because Namugala has paid some youths to physically beat me and it's those same youths after they are paid that come and inform me of their plan. The people she's been using have confessed to me that they are working on a plan to attack me," Lusambo told officer-in-charge Steven Kabwe before lodging a formal complaint.
Lusambo said most of the youths being used were not MMD members but jobless ones that Namugala had taken advantage of.
"She (Namugala) has told them to manhandle me and fortunately for me, they are telling the plan at every stage before they execute their mission. I receive private phone calls from anonymous people, warning me to watch my steps," he said.
Asked why Namugala could be planning to harm him, Lusambo said he had no clue whatsoever.
Lusambo said he was not being a coward by reporting the matter to the police and that he was a law-abiding citizen.
Labels: BOWMAN LUSAMBO, CATHERINE NAMUGALA, KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA
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Andeleki caused a lot of misery to MMD - Kaingu
By Allan Mulenga and Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
CLEMENT Andeleki caused a lot misery to MMD, says Michael Kaingu. Commenting on the resignation of Andeleki as Chief Registrar of Societies, Kaingu, who is MMD vice-president for political, said it was because of Andeleki that Nevers Mumba had not yet been registered as party president.
"How can that be honourable after he has caused a lot of misery to our president? It is because of him that our president is not a registered MMD president up to today. We will meet him in the political arena. We are ready for him," he said.
Kaingu accused President Michaael Sata of using government machinery to wipe out MMD.
"Maybe yesterday it was Andeleki, we don't know how many other civil servants are being used to fight MMD...the police and many others. So, we are saying that this government is using government machinery to fight us," he said.
"He was trying to deregister MMD when he was actually a PF cadre. PF was using him to fight MMD. What that means is that this government is actually up to no good. It is fighting democracy. What is clear is that this government is using civil servants to fight MMD."
Andeleki announced his resignation yesterday, saying he wanted to serve government in a different position.
He said in an interview that remaining in his job was no longer tenable.
Andeleki's name shot to prominence last year when he deregistered MMD for failing to pay statutory fees in form of annual returns worth KR390,000.
The decision was, however, overturned by the Lusaka High Court which deemed it excessive.
"I have resigned my position as Registrar of Societies of the Republic of Zambia, a position I cherished so much, in order to serve the nation on another level. The level I was at is no longer tenable," Andeleki said.
"I have no doubt in my mind that this agency of government will continue to propel to higher heights even in my absence."
Asked about reports that he was earmarked for a political position in the PF, Andeleki declined to confirm the report.
"What I am saying is I have left this position to serve Zambians at another level, the same Zambia, the same nation in another position. It depends on what you mean by political position; you know my qualifications. If I am going to serve, I can only serve in government but to go and be a chairman for the MMD in some province for instance, certainly no," he said.
Andeleki thanked Zambians for their support and cooperation rendered to him in his execution of duties, which he said he was proud of.
He particularly paid glowing tribute to the Church and civil society organisations and the appointing authority for the trust bestowed on him.
Andeleki also reiterated the need for implementation of the societies Act, which is before Cabinet.
"The government must speedily implement the Act because that is very important. You know Zambia is a custodian of democratic tenets," he said.
Recently, the PF suspended its Maramba ward councillor for organising a political meeting for Andeleki.
Confirming the suspension, Livingstone district chairman Fred Chibuye said despite several warnings to Moses Simbaya not to organise a meeting for Andeleki, who was a civil servant, Simbaya still went ahead and organised it.
"We had received reports that Simbaya was organising a meeting for Andeleki and we told him not to as this was going to be tantamount to creating parallel structures. He still went ahead despite us telling him that we needed clearance from the secretary general Wynter Kabimba," said Chibuye.
However, when contacted Andeleki said he addressed youths and women on on how they could effectively form and manage clubs and not on politics.
"We held a workshop at which I addressed young men and women on club formation. It was not a political meeting," said Andeleki.
Labels: CLEMENT ANDELEKI, MICHAEL KAINGU, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA
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Kafue MMD wants NEC dissolved
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 13:59 CAT
The MMD in Kafue Constituency have petitioned the party secretariat to dissolve the national executive committee (NEC) and call for fresh elections for all positions.
The constituency joins MMD provincial and district branches in some provinces that have demanded the removal of their party president Nevers Mumba and dissolution of NEC. According to the petition arrived at by a quorum comprising Kafue district and constituency officials, the MMD officials in the area have threatened to resign from the party should the party fail to call for the dissolution of NEC.
"It was resolved that Kafue Constituency, Kafue district and its four urban wards executive committees have today Tuesday January 8, 2013 unanimously resolved that all suspensions and expulsions must be immediately withdrawn," they stated.
"The NEC must immediately call for an extra ordinary convention so that all NEC positions are subjected to a new mandate by a vote."
The constituency, led by their district secretary Clifford Mbewe, also resolved that the convention be conducted in one place.
And in an interview, Mbewe said the NEC members should be re-elected as most of those who had been co-opted into the central organ had not contested elections and therefore did not have the mandate of the grassroots.
Mbewe said this would also give an opportunity to the party legal committee to scrutinise the alleged dual presidency of Mumba who they also expect to re-contest the elections.
Labels: MMD, NEC
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Nawakwi describes daughter's death as tragic
By Kabanda Chulu
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 13:56 CAT
IT IS a tragic thing and no matter what we say our daughter will not come back, says Edith Nawakwi. And police have arrested two more suspects in connection From front page with the brutal murder of Haantambo Hambulo, who was also robbed of her motor vehicle in Lusaka's Ibex Hill residential area.
Reacting to the killing of her stepdaughter (Haantambo), Nawakwi, reluctantly said it was not easy to face the current predicament.
"It is a good thing the police has done their work but it is not easy and it is a tragic thing. No matter what we say Haantambo will not come back," said Nawakwi.
"So bear with me and thanks for mourning with us; we shall talk later. Right now we are going to pick up her clothes; you see the predicament we are in."
Haantambo's father, Geoffrey Hambulo, said it was very difficult to comment on the death.
"It is a tragedy, we just want to mourn her and we think it is just one of those tragedies and whatever the police will come up with after postmortem, we shall listen," said Hambulo, when asked if the family suspected foul play other than the robbery.
And some police sources disclosed that preliminary findings indicate that Haantambo could have died of suffocation because her body was intact.
"But we shall establish actual cause of death after conducting postmortem and the motive of the killing is not clear although the suspects have told us they only wanted the car and they didn't get anything from the house apart from the vehicle and the cellphone," said the sources.
Lusaka Division police commissioner Joyce Kasosa said there were four suspects in custody by yesterday morning.
"Two more suspects have been picked up within Lusaka and I wouldn't say we have arrested all of them since investigations are ongoing and because the death is not natural, we shall ascertain what really happened after postmortem," said Kasosa.
"On the motive, we are still investigating, so I will not say anything but apart from the car and the phone, which are in our possession, we don't know if other items were taken, especially that she was alone."
Haantambo was killed on Tuesday night and her body was found in a septic tank in a sitting position, with her hands and legs tied.
Burial is expected to take place today at Leopards Hill Memorial Park, after a postmortem and a funeral service at Family Life Miracle Church.
Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, HAANTAMBO HAMBULO, MURDER
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Nawakwi describes daughter's death as tragic
By Kabanda Chulu
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 13:56 CAT
IT IS a tragic thing and no matter what we say our daughter will not come back, says Edith Nawakwi. And police have arrested two more suspects in connection From front page with the brutal murder of Haantambo Hambulo, who was also robbed of her motor vehicle in Lusaka's Ibex Hill residential area.
Reacting to the killing of her stepdaughter (Haantambo), Nawakwi, reluctantly said it was not easy to face the current predicament.
"It is a good thing the police has done their work but it is not easy and it is a tragic thing. No matter what we say Haantambo will not come back," said Nawakwi.
"So bear with me and thanks for mourning with us; we shall talk later. Right now we are going to pick up her clothes; you see the predicament we are in."
Haantambo's father, Geoffrey Hambulo, said it was very difficult to comment on the death.
"It is a tragedy, we just want to mourn her and we think it is just one of those tragedies and whatever the police will come up with after postmortem, we shall listen," said Hambulo, when asked if the family suspected foul play other than the robbery.
And some police sources disclosed that preliminary findings indicate that Haantambo could have died of suffocation because her body was intact.
"But we shall establish actual cause of death after conducting postmortem and the motive of the killing is not clear although the suspects have told us they only wanted the car and they didn't get anything from the house apart from the vehicle and the cellphone," said the sources.
Lusaka Division police commissioner Joyce Kasosa said there were four suspects in custody by yesterday morning.
"Two more suspects have been picked up within Lusaka and I wouldn't say we have arrested all of them since investigations are ongoing and because the death is not natural, we shall ascertain what really happened after postmortem," said Kasosa.
"On the motive, we are still investigating, so I will not say anything but apart from the car and the phone, which are in our possession, we don't know if other items were taken, especially that she was alone."
Haantambo was killed on Tuesday night and her body was found in a septic tank in a sitting position, with her hands and legs tied.
Burial is expected to take place today at Leopards Hill Memorial Park, after a postmortem and a funeral service at Family Life Miracle Church.
Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, HAANTAMBO HAMBULO, MURDER
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Mpongwe poll will be walkover for PF - Mwewa
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 13:58 CAT
PF Copperbelt chairman Robert Mwewa has declared that the Mpongwe parliamentary by-election will be a walkover for the ruling party.
In an interview, Mwewa said the people in the rural districts of the Copperbelt had realised that tangible development could only be achieved by working closely with the party in power.
Mwewa said MMD president Nevers Mumba was day-dreaming by suggesting that the party had the strongest hold in Mpongwe and was ready to work alone in the forthcoming by-election.
"We are preparing in earnest for the Mpongwe by-election. We want the MMD to know that Zambians are no longer interested in political parties that have lost credibility. We have put our logistics in place; we will be in full gear when the campaigns start," Mwewa said.
He said it was a joke of the year for the MMD to think that they were more popular than the PF in Mpongwe when many of those that strongly believed in the former ruling party had defected and resolved to work with the PF government.
"It will be a landslide for the PF in Mpongwe and when we do so, we don't want them to complain like they are complaining right now before we even start. They are yet to feel the heat," Mwewa said. "Nevers Mumba is lying to himself and the remaining few MMD members nationwide when he is aware of what is pertaining in Mpongwe," Mwewa said.
He said the PF would give the people of Mpongwe the development that it promised before it assumed power, including the much-talked about Mpongwe-Machiya road as the works were underway.
"Every major development the people of Mpongwe so desire like schools, health centres and roads are in the 2013 budget, and we will do it. So he (Nevers Mumba) cannot continue deceiving himself about Mpongwe. The PF is stronger than ever before," Mwewa said.
He further appealed to political parties participating in the Mpongwe by-election to exercise restraint when the campaigns begin and learn to co-exist as Zambia was a democracy.
The Mpongwe parliamentary seat fell vacant after the resignation of Gabriel Namulambe, who has since joined PF.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set February 28 for the Mpongwe by-election.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, PF, ROBERT MWEWA
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Zambia's challenges cannot be solved by one person - Sichone
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Fri 11 Jan. 2013, 13:57 CAT
EASTERN Province minister Malozo Sichone says the country has a lot of challenges that cannot be sorted out by one person.
Speaking during the provincial development coordinating committee meeting at Luangwa House yesterday, Sichone said technocrats and political leaders should not lose sight of their responsibility of spearheading development aspirations of the Zambian people that they were entrusted with.
He urged the delegates to the PDCC to always remember that they owe it to the country to provide the best that they could to the benefit of the people.
"I am aware that during the just-ended year, 2012, we recorded some success as a province especially in the area of infrastructure development, drug availability in health institutions, teacher recruitment, food production among others.
We also had problematic areas such as high malaria incidence, HIV and AIDS, high incidence of road traffic accidents, gender-based violence, which in some cases led to loss of life. These challenges are a wake-up call for us to learn lessons of where we might have gone wrong," Sichone said.
He said the province must make efforts to correct that which could have gone wrong while enhancing those measures that gave the province good results.
"As already alluded to, this country has a lot of challenges, among them high poverty levels, HIV/AIDS, the high rate of unemployment, especially among the youths. These challenges cannot be solved by one person but require the concerted efforts of all of us.
It is, therefore, incumbent upon us all to put our heads together as people of Zambia regardless of our various affiliations and find workable solutions to these challenges," Sichone said.
Most members of parliament in Eastern Province failed to attend the Provincial Development Coordinating Committee meeting despite being invited by the provincial administration office.
Only five out of 17 members of parliament were in attendance in the PDCC meeting by about 09:50 hours.
Those that were in attendance include MMD Chipata Central member of parliament Reuben Mtolo Phiri, MMD Vubwi member of parliament Eustarckio Kazonga, Chipangali's Vincent Mwale, Nyimba's Forrie Tembo, while Luangeni Independent member of parliament Charles Zulu was represented by an officer from his parliamentary office. Others present were Levy Ngoma (Sinda). Isaac Banda (Lumezi) and Nicholas Banda (Kapoche).
Mbewe (Chadiza) and his Lundazi counterpart Mkondo Lungu, Maxwell Mwale of Malambo and FDD's Chasefu member of parliament Chifumu Banda sent apologies.
Provincial permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba said some members of parliament were on their way to the meeting.
Labels: MALOZO SICHONE
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COMMENT - Another 3,500 US troops to be sent to Africa. Respect the right of people to benefit from all the profits of their own natural resources, and none of this would be 'necessary'. There will be no wars, no poverty, and no 'need' for 'donor aid'.
(BLACK AGENDA REPORT) The Master as “Guest”: The U.S. Military Swarms Over Africa
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford
“The 2nd Brigade’s deployment is a much larger assignment, aimed at making all of Africa a theater of U.S. military operations.”
2013 is the year the U.S. kicks off its wholesale military occupation of Africa. The escalation should come as no surprise, since the Army Times newspaper reported, back in June, that a U.S. brigade of at least 3,000 troops would become a permanent presence on the continent in the new year.
On Christmas Eve, the Pentagon announced that 3,500 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade, in Fort Riley, Kansas, will be sent to Africa, supposedly to confront a threat from al-Qaida in Mali, where Islamists have seized the northern part of the country. But the 2nd Brigade is scheduled to hold more than 100 military exercises in 35 countries, most of which have no al-Qaida presence. So, although there is no doubt that the U.S. will be deeply involved in the impending military operation in Mali, the 2nd Brigade’s deployment is a much larger assignment, aimed at making all of Africa a theater of U.S. military operations. The situation in Mali is simply a convenient, after-the-fact rationale for a long-planned expansion of the U.S. military footprint in Africa.
The Pentagon’s larger purpose in placing an army brigade on roving duty all across the continent is to acclimate African commanders to hosting a permanent, large scale U.S. presence. This is a very different kind of invasion – more like an infiltration-in-force. The Pentagon’s strategy is designed to reinforce relationships that the U.S. Africa Command has been cultivating with African militaries since the establishment of AFRICOM during George Bush’s last year in office. As an infiltrating force, AFRICOM has been a phenomenal success.
“Militarily, the West Africans are totally dependent.”
Militarily speaking, the African Union has become an annex of the Pentagon. The AU’s biggest operation, in Somalia, is armed, financed and directed by the U.S. military and CIA. The 17,000 African troops on so-called peace-keeping duty in Somalia are, for all practical purposes, mercenaries for the Americans – although poorly paid ones. Ethiopian and Kenyan forces act as extensions of U.S. power in the East Africa. U.S. Special Forces roam the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic – ostensibly looking for the fugitive warlord Joseph Kony but, in reality, establishing a web of U.S. military infrastructures throughout center of the continent. Uganda and Rwanda keep the eastern Congo’s mineral riches safe for U.S. and European corporations – at the cost of 6 million Congolese lives. Their militaries are on the Pentagon’s payroll.
In northwest Africa, the 16 nations of the region’s economic community await the intervention of the United Nations – which really means the United States and France – to expel the Islamist forces from Mali. Militarily, the West Africans are totally dependent. But, more importantly, they show no political will to escape this dependency – especially after the demise of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.
The creeping, continental U.S. expeditionary force, soon to be spearheaded by the 1st Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade, will bunk down in African military bases throughout the continent, not as invaders, but as guests. Guests who pay the bills and provide the weapons for African armies whose mission has nothing to do with national independence and self-determination. Three generations after the beginnings of decolonization, the African soldier is once again bowing to the foreign master.
For Black Agenda Radio, I’m Glen Ford. On the web, go to BlackAgendaReport.com.
BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.
Labels: AFRICOM, NEOCOLONIALISM
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Government conveys condolences to Nawakwi
Time Posted: January 10, 2013 6:32 pm
Government has conveyed its condolences to Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi on the death of her 26 year old daughter, Hatamba Hambulo.
Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni, who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister, said the death of the FDD leader’s daughter was saddening.
Hatamba is believed to have been brutally killed by unknown people in Lusaka’s Ibex Hill residential area on Tuesday.
Mr. Sakeni said this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He expressed government’s deep-felt grief and sorrow on the sad and tragic loss of Ms. Nawakwi daughter.
Mr. Sakeni wished the bereaved family God’s comfort and strength as the bereaved family goes through a time of extreme pain and sorrow.
He said perpetrators of such brutal and barbaric acts would not go unpunished but be dealt with severely by the long arm of the law once they are nabbed.
ZANIS
Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, HATAMBA HAMBULO, KENNEDY SAKENI, MURDER
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Sanctions 'not serving anyone': Biti tells Canada
09/01/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
FINANCE Minister Tendai Biti has told Canada and other Western countries to lift sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe because “they are not serving anyone”.
Biti told reporters after delivering a lecture at Carleton University in Ottawa on Tuesday night that the policy of trying to isolate President Robert Mugabe was no longer useful – four years after a coalition government stabilised the economy and eased political tensions.
“Canada is such an important country, and has been an important country over the years, that it must be engaged in Africa and in the difficult places over the world,” Biti is reported telling the Globe and Mail newspaper.
He called on Canada and the international community to lift sanctions on the country and its officials, saying they are “not serving anyone.”
“The use of sanctions and isolation, I think they’ve outlived their usefulness,” he said.
Biti, the secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, became Finance Minister in 2009 after the opposition party formed a unity government with Mugabe’s Zanu PF party.
Last year, Biti wrote to the United States treasury to protest the inclusion of two diamond firms – Mbada Diamonds and Marange Resources – to the list of companies sanctioned under its Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA).
The companies were apparently punished for partnering the state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Company (ZMDC) which was already on the US sanctions list.
Biti told Assistant US Treasury Secretary Charles Collyns that the US actions flew in the face of the Kimberley Process’ green light for Marange diamonds.
He blasted: "It would be curious to find out the motive of your decision against the two companies. Your decision will not stop the mining that is a sovereign issue covered by international law.
"Most importantly, it will not stop the sale of diamonds. All it does is to encourage more opaqueness and underwriting of the diamond industry... this is a self-defeating and retrogressive position; one which I hope was not taken to placate powerful interests who were against the Kinshasa agreement."
Biti was scheduled to meet Wednesday with the Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and his parliamentary secretary, Deepak Obhrai.
The meeting will “provide an opportunity to express Canadian views on the need for continued political reform in Zimbabwe, including a referendum on a new constitution, free and fair elections, and the respect for human rights,” said Rick Roth, a spokesman for Baird.
Biti said he would use the meeting with Mr. Baird as an opportunity to press the Canadian government to broaden its relationship with Zimbabwe.
Biti flies to London from Canada to speak at Friday’s ZimInvest London 2013 fair which aims to promote Zimbabwe as a safe investment destination.
Labels: CANADA, MDC, SANCTIONS, TENDAI BITI, ZDERA
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See success where others see only failure
By The Post
Thu 10 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
It is very difficult to understand why some of our fellow citizens are failing to see the progress that is being made in our country.
Today, we certainly have a far less corrupt government than we had over a year ago. Today we have a President who personal wealth accumulation, through corruption or otherwise, is not his main or discernible preoccupation as it was with our previous president.
There is a new direction, a more progressive one, in the country. Things are moving in the right direction. Of course, not everything is as we desire it to be. Some things are not moving as fast as we would like them to but nevertheless, we are moving forward as a country. And what is required is the commitment of all of us to make our country a better place and ensure that the progress that is being made does not only benefit a few people but benefits all of us. And we must undoubtedly criticise wrong ideas and practices of every description.
It certainly would not be right to refrain from criticism, look on while wrong ideas and practices spread unchecked and allow them to monopolise the field. Mistakes must be criticised and poisonous weeds fought wherever they crop up.
However, such criticism should not be dogmatic, and the metaphysical method should not be used but efforts should be made to apply the dialectical method. What is needed is scientific analysis and convincing argument.
To criticise people's shortcomings is necessary, but in doing so we must truly take the stand of the people and speak out of wholehearted eagerness to protect and educate them. We need more and more people to participate in the governance of their country. More people mean a greater ferment of ideas, more enthusiasm and more energy. We should rid our ranks, ourselves of all impotent thinking. What really counts in the world is conscientiousness. Things develop ceaselessly. Every nation, big or small, has its strong and weak points.
But in times of difficulty we must not lose sight of our achievements, must see the bright future and must pluck up our courage. If you look at life the wrong way, there is always cause for alarm. It is the same way a K50,000 bill can look so big when it goes to church and so small when it goes for groceries, beer or other things. What you see depends mainly on what you look for. Some people complain because roses have thorns. Instead, be thankful that thorns have roses.
Position yourself to receive, not resist. How you see things on the outside of you depends on how things are on the inside of you. It is said that any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure.
Don't pray for rain if you are going to complain about the mud. You and us don't see things as they are. We see things as we are. Develop the hunter's approach, the outlook that wherever you go there are ideas waiting to be discovered. When you are well-positioned, opportunity presents itself.
Opportunities can drop on your lap if you have your lap where opportunities drop. Opportunity can be missed if you are broadcasting when you should be tuning in. When opportunity knocks, some people object to the interruption. One great thinker once said, "One of the greatest and most comforting truths is that when one door opens, another closes, but often we look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that is open for us."
See success where others see only failure. Expect something good to happen - that expectation will energise your dreams and give them momentum. You will gain the advantage of doing things before they need to be done - positioning yourself ahead of time. You will enjoy ongoing success when you travel in advance of the crowd.
We believe one of the major benefits of reading great books is that they can teach us how to respond beforehand to many of life's challenges and opportunities. Great information can lead you to "dig a well before you are thirsty and plant a seed before you are hungry".
The trouble with the future for most people is that it arrives before they are ready for it. Positioning yourself to receive causes you to be ready. There are many people who didn't expect the political changes that have taken place in our country. But this is the reality they have to live with - there is a new government, a new President and a somewhat new set of politicians. Things have changed, things are changing, things will change. If you don't want to accept the changes that are taking place in our country, you will remain behind. Life is mostly a matter of expectation. You will find that life responds to your outlook. We go where our vision is.
To one person, the world is desolate, dull and empty; to another the same world looks rich, interesting and full of meaning. "Eyes that look are common. Eyes that see are rare," says Oswald Sanders. How we position ourselves to receive makes all the difference. In Chichewa they say you can never see the sun rise by looking to the west. The choice is up to you.
The country is changing. Darkness is giving way to light; sunset is giving way to sunrise. We are moving forward. It may not be at the speed we desire, but we are moving forward. And we should never allow ourselves and our country to move backwards again. The things we detested in the previous regime must not be allowed to continue being with us. The bad laws that we didn't like, such as the public order Act, should be promptly amended. And a new constitution that fully meets our aspirations for personal freedom, economic opportunity and social justice should be enacted before the end of 2013.
And let's not forget that government of and by the people means that the citizens share in the nation's benefits and in its burdens. We must take responsibility for the fate of our country, the society in which we ourselves have chosen to live. In the end, we get the government we deserve and the life we hope for.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MICHAEL SATA, PF, RUPIAH BANDA
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Cops arrest Rupiah's propagandists
By Roy Habaalu
Thu 10 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
POLICE yesterday detained former information minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha on two counts of abuse of authority of office.
The joint investigative team also arrested and detained former Zambia Daily Mail deputy managing director Davis Mataka, consultant Ngande Mwanajiti and MMD propagandist Chanda Chimba III.
Chimba was the first one to arrive at the former task force offices, followed by Mwanajiti and Lt Gen Shikapwasha who arrived at 10:25 hours. After about an hour, the three were driven straight to Woodlands Police Station where they were formally arrested.
Before taking his details, Chimba pleaded to talk to one of the police officers.
"Ba Bwalya can I declare something? It's not for the media, it's for your ears only. Kalya ka arrangement ba Bwalya kalya ka arrangement (that arrangement Mr Bwalya, that arrangement)…you know me I am a father," Chimba was heard pleading with a police officer before being taken into the holding cell.
Earlier, Mwanajiti told journalists not to struggle taking pictures of him as he positioned himself and was the first one to enter the cells.
Mataka was brought straight to Woodlands Police Station in the company of his lawyer Sunday Nkonde.
Investigative team public relations officer Namukolo Kasumpa said Lt Gen Shikapwasha was arrested for alleged abuse of authority of office and Chimba for two counts of unlawful printing and publication contrary to the Laws of Zambia and possession of property suspected of be proceeds of crime contrary to the forfeiture of proceeds of crime law.
Particulars of the offence are that Lt Gen Shikapwasha being a person employed in the public service as minister in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services arbitrary and in disregard of defamation laws and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) editorial policy did direct board management to air the Stand up for Zambia documentaries an act prejudicial to the rights and interests of Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, a public body.
"In the 2nd count, Rev Lt Gen Shikapwasha arbitrary and in disregard of professional legal advice not to broadcast Stand up for Zambia committed the government to pay all liabilities and legal fees emanating from the broadcast of the said programme an act prejudicial to the rights and interest of ZNBC and the government of Zambia," said Kasumpa.
On Chimba, particulars of the offence are that he unlawfully did cause to be printed or published newspapers called Stand up for Zambia and News of Our Times which were not registered at the office of the director National Archives of Zambia.
Chimba was also found in possession or control of an accumulated total of K611,440,433.12, money he paid for private media and printing services to Zambia National Broadcasting Services Corporation, Muvi Television and the Daily Mail Limited respectively which is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Mataka and Mwanajiti were jointly charged for corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue and unlawful printing and publication contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
"Particulars of the offence being that the Zambian Newspaper Limited, Mr Davis Mataka alias 'John Allan Mugwida' and Ngande Mwanajiti alias 'George Banda' jointly and whilst acting together did fraudulently and unlawfully divert K195,000,000 public media support fund from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services for the unlawful production and printing of a private newspaper called The Zambian without it being registered with the director at National Archives department," Kasumpa said.
They were all later released on police bond and will appear in Court soon.
Labels: RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, RUPIAH BANDA
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L/stone, Mpongwe polls may be same day - ECZ
By Kombe Chimpinde
Thu 10 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it is considering holding the Livingstone and Mpongwe by-election on the same day. And Southern Africa Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (Saccord) says holding the two by-elections on the same day will cut on certain costs.
ECZ has declared February 28 as the date for the Mpongwe by-election which fell vacant after the resignation of Gabriel Namulambe from MMD to join the PF. ECZ has however not yet declared the date for the Livingstone by-election which fell vacant on Friday after the resignation of UPND member of parliament Reverend Howard Sikwela.
ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said in an interview that ECZ was considering holding the two by-elections on the same day after the body received notification from the Speaker on Sikwela's resignation.
"On Livingstone, the notification from the honourable Speaker to the commission has been done and what is being considered is whether to include that by-election to the Mpongwe one. When the commission makes a final decision, we will be making a statement not too long from now," Akufuna said.
And Saccord information officer Obby Chibuluma called for a rescheduling of the Mpongwe by-election so that it is held at the same time as the Livingstone one.
"We have seen that holding elections on the same day helps to cut costs for example one of the costs associated with by-elections is the printing of ballot papers outside the country, where the commission and competing political parties have to send representatives to go and monitor the printing of ballots," Chibuluma said.
He also said holding polls on the same day would also reduce on tensions that came with by-elections.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, ECZ, SACCORD
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