(STICKY) (LUSAKATIMES) Management failure at ZCCM-IH has lead to a loss of $1 billion income
Time Posted: August 7, 2013 11:54 am
Long-term minority shareholders of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holding (ZCCM-IH), the investment holding company of the Zambian Government have urgently appealed for intervention in the corporate governance and management of ZCCM-IH as Zambia continues to loss colossal sums of money through mismanagement.
This is according to an Open letter addressed to Vice President Guy Scott and made available to the media. How GRZ and the Zambian people continue being cheated and short changed by Foreign mining companies
The Long-term minority shareholders raised concerns over the ineffective management of the company that has led to ZCCM-IH and through it the GRZ and the Zambian people being cheated and short-changed by the foreign mining companies in which it is invested.A few examples are:
1. According to the international auditors Grant Thornton, Mopani Copper Mines fraudulently avoided $175 million in corporation tax to the ZRA in the 5 years from 2003 to 2008, by various fraudulent procedures including transfer pricing to the Swiss parent company Glencore and misrepresentation of production figures and production costs. In this same period ZCCM-IH also lost $50 million per year in profits from Mopani
source:
appendix 1
appendix 1.1
Questions
* Why has ZCCM-IH together with the Government and the Zambian Revenue Authority failed to take any action whatsoever to recover these fraudulent losses?
* Why has no pressure been put on Mopani to come clean or otherwise lose its mining licence?
Recovering these fraudulent gains from Glencore along with due penalties would make a big difference to the well-being of the Zambian people as well as dissuading other companies from doing the same.The shareholders reminded Vice President Guy Scott of what he once said.
“We don’t want to destroy the cow that produces the milk but we want to make sure that you get your share of the milk”Post
* Why does Government let Glencore take our share of the milk?
* Why has the new audit of mines initiated by the former Mines Minister Wilbur Simuusa not been finalised and made publicsource: Reuters
* Why has the current Minister of Mines Yamfwa Mukanga failed to take action on this scandalous situation, whereas in 2011, he stated
“no government official must protect Mopani Copper Mines for violating the law and Mopani should be punished”Post
2. In 2007, the Zambian Task Force on Corruption investigated a fraudulent loss of $ 100million at the expense of ZCCM-IH. These investigations helped to identify those responsible, as well as the banks that received the stolen funds but as surprising as it sounds, no action was taken!All the investigations that were started during the presidency of the Late President Levy Mwanawasa have been stopped. Why were they not taken up since the election of the new President 18 months ago?
Source:APA
APA – Port Louis (Mauritius) Zambia and Mauritius, within the framework of the MutualAssistance Programme are working to retrieve 100 million dollars alleged swindled from theZambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM), APA learnt here.The Zambian government holds 85 percent of shares in the ZCCM.A high level delegation of the Zambian Task Force on Corruption, Tuesday arrived inMauritius to pursue the matter. Rama Valayden, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to reporters Wednesdayin the capital, Port Louis, that he will hold a working session in the evening with theZambian delegation to discuss the follow up of the case which implicates offshorecompanies incorporated in Mauritius.He said about 100 million dollars have been transferred through the Bank of ButterfieldAccount in London, before being invested in the banking system in Mauritius and saidthe suspects in the scam are known by Zambian and Mauritian authorities.At the beginning of the year, at the request of the Zambian government, the MauritiusSupreme Court issued an ’Attachment and Freezing Order’ to several banks here onthe accounts of the suspects, Mr Bernard Mungulude, Mr Kazhi Kateke and the Laxidiamond company.The duty of the Zambian Task Force on Corruption now was to seek to identify the localagents and representatives of the suspects so as to be able to recover and repatriate themoney.Hence, local banks have been assigned to submit documentary evidence to expose thecriminal gang, or else the banks will face dire consequences, Valayden said. SR/daj/tjm/APA 02-05-2007
3.ZCCM-IH hold a 20% stake in Kansanshi Mining, the most profitable Mining Company in Zambia. The ZCCM-IH stake in Kansanshi currently represents $550,4 million in undistributed profits attributable to the Zambian holding. FQM 2012 Annual Report (see page 56). Non-controlling interests are the Minority shareholders’s benefits after investment. ZCCM-IH is the only Minority shareholder in FQM accounts.The amount of non-controlling interest (for ZCCM-IH) is $550.4 million, a sum that increases by more than $100 million per year. However the majority owner First Quantum Minerals (FQM) insists on conserving this money as a legal reserve and only distributes derisory dividends to ZCCM-IH in spite of having made more than $2,5 billion in net profits in recent years and having totally recovered its investment in the mine.
Question:
1. Why does the ZCCM-IH management and the GRZ fail to put pressure on FQM to distribute fair dividends to ZCCM-IH and so get its proper yield from the most important investment held by ZCCM-IH on behalf of the GRZ?As this scandal continues, FQM is using Zambia’s money to build the world’s largest mining corporation by buying othermining companies outside Zambia.
2.When will the GRZ take action to get its fair share from its vast mineral wealth and put a stop to foreign companies plundering its resources? What will the Zambian people have to live on once these resources are depleted?
Opacity in governance of company as well as infringement on shareholders rights
The long term minority shareholders also raised concerns over the persistent bad governance of ZCCM-IH with respect to minority shareholders as demonstrated by the way the selection of the eighth board member has been handled.
Early last year ZCCM-IH launched a call for nominations to elect a representative of minority shareholders to the Board of ZCCM-IH. The GRZ holds 7 seats on the board and the nomination of an eighth member to represent minority shareholders was seen as a significant effort improve the corporate governance of the company by letting minority shareholders have their say in company matters in proportion to their holding (12.3% of ZCCM-IH shares traded on Paris Euronext, the London and the Lusaka Stock Exchanges)
Use of an obsolete Register of shareholders
The minority shareholders made a very strong and co-ordinated response to this call despite starting from the considerable disadvantage of not being recognised as registered owners of ZCCM-IH shares.The Company Secretary, Mr Chabala uses an obsolete Register of Shareholders which does not list the owners of any ZCCM-IH shares bought through the Paris Euronext Stock Exchange (the most active of ZCCM-IH’s markets). Strangely, shares of the old ZCCM bought decades past in the UK and whose owners died many years ago are listed as registered shareholders.
To compound this failing, Mr Chabala is said to refuse to recognise official bank or broker’s certificates attesting to the ownership of ZCCM-IH shares.
The minority shareholders have repeatedly asked the Company Secretary to correct this failure and have explained the procedure to be followed to update the register, without success. As a consequence of this attitude, most minority shareholders are denied their legal right to attend company meetings or to vote directly on company matters.In order to respond to this “Call for nominations” minority shareholders had no choice but to adopt avery laborious and indirect voting procedure (via their stockbrokers, banks and Euroclear, theInternational Share Depository that records all share ownership and transfers) to ensure that their voteswere registered.
Secrecy
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the company refused to make public the result of this vote (even though the minority shareholders gave a clear mandate to their chosen representative by a very large majority of the votes submitted). Since then the Executive Chairman Mr Wila Mung’Omba, in what the shareholders describe as a totally unacceptable act of bad governance, has postponed indefinitely the nomination of the eighth board member to represent the minority shareholders.
It is not known the reasons why the Executive Chairman wants to keep minority shareholders excluded from exercising their democratic rights in matters of governance of the company of which they, alongside the GRZ, are the owners and who have the same reasons to make sure that this company is properly run for all the stakeholders.
The minority shareholders fear that the Executive Chairman may be planning a biased and unethical conversion of government debt into ZCCM-IH shares
ZCCM-IH Cautionary Announcement leading to severe dilution of the minority shareholding thus making the nomination of the eighth board member no longer an issue and giving him the freedom to run the company single-handedly.
The opacity of the companies intentions and the past years of poor (or corrupt) governance give credence to even the worst scenarios. Having exhausted all other avenues of intervention (letters to successive Chairmen, the Zambian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Lusaka Stock Exchange etc.), the long term minority shareholders humbly asked for the Vice President to help to ensure that the legal rights of the Minority Shareholders of ZCCM-IH are upheld and that the company finally applies the rules of good corporate governance. The credibility of foreign investment in Zambian securities is surely weakened by the failure to ensure high standards of governance of this most emblematic government-controlled Zambian company and can only bring dishonour to the Zambian Government.
Conclusion
Without all these management failures, ZCCM-IH would have been able to register income of more than $1 billion and so refund the long-standing debt of $425 million to the GRZ as well as paying dividends to shareholders (including the GRZ) and investing in the Zambian economy. Had ZCCM-IH benefited from good governance, good management and strong support from its majority shareholder the GRZ, to make sure that it got its fair share from its mining investments, it would now be a flourishing company providing wealth, employment and pride for the Zambian People.
Time for us to develop ourselves
President Sata once said “Zambia was tired of moving with a “begging bowl” from one developed country to another as the country had the capacity to become self-reliant and lift its millions of unemployed youths out of poverty if its vast natural resources were exploited to the benefit of Zambians”. He added “Time has come for us to develop ourselves and let others come to beg from us because we have more resources than the people we are begging from”. The minority shareholders expressed extreme disappointment that the Executive Chairman Willa Mung’omba has not put all his efforts into ensuring that ZCCM-IH lives up to the expectations of President Sata.They said this lack of action, hesitations, incomprehensible decisions and lack of transparency only serve to create suspicion about the intentions of the company and the government-appointed officials that runit.
The long term minority shareholders acknowledged however, that since the nomination of the CEO Mukela Muyunda in June 2010, the management has made unprecedented efforts to catch up on no less than 5 years arrears in the publication of the company’s accounts. They encourage him to finally get the the accounts up to date in2013 and to make sure, as promised, that the company’s assets are listed in the balance sheet at fairvalue. Until now these have been incomprehensibly listed in the company balance sheet at minimal cost valuations (approx. year 2000), which massively undervalues the company and disastrously distorts its balance sheet.
Promises can not hide a woeful performance
Changes have also been promised since more than 40 shareholders sent emails in November 2012 to the executive Chairman W. Mung’Omba expressing their dissatisfaction about the management of the company. The shareholders now fear that these may be hollow promises to calm the reactions of the shareholders.Only time will tell.
In any case these hypothetical promises cannot to hide the woeful performance of ZCCM-IH. At a time when the GRZ is considering quoting other para-public companies and inviting Zambian citizens to invest their hard-earned money in such companies, should it not first take a close look at its most emblematic para-public company and ensure that ZCCM-IH sets an examplet hat others can follow? There is still so much to be done here.
The minority shareholders stated that have exactly the same interests as the majority shareholder, the GRZ: that ZCCM-IH becomes one of the leading companies in Africa. It has the means to achieve this, but so far,as a result of weak direction, it has lacked the will to make significant progress. They therefore humbly asked the Vice President to consider taking an active part to ensure that the corporate governance and management of ZCCM-IH are of the highes torder and above suspicion so that the Zambian people can once again be proud of this flagshipcompany and reap the benefits that should be theirs.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GUY SCOTT, MINING, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, WILBUR SIMUUSA, WILLA MUNG'OMBA, YAMFWA MUKANGA, ZCCM-IH
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(STICKY) Zimbabwe: Africa versus US, Britain and Australia
By Editor
Tue 06 Aug. 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE Zimbabwean election result is not much of a surprise to many who had been following the politics of that country. What may be a surprise is the magnitude of the victory or the defeat. Many observers of the Zimbabwe politics noticed the decline of MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai's popularity as early as last year. Even Tsvangirai's Western backers were privately acknowledging that things were not well with their man and his party. It was also an acknowledged fact that Zanu-PF and Robert Mugabe's popularity was on the rise. All the people we spoke to in Zimbabwe within the last two months strongly believed that Zanu-PF and Mugabe would win.
It is therefore surprising that Tsvangirai and his Western backers have difficulties accepting this election result. Anyway, they had invested a lot of money and emotion in a regime change in Zimbabwe. And this defeat of Tsvangirai and MDC is difficult to accept - it's like death. We all know the inevitability of death as a necessary end of life but when it comes, we still have difficulties accepting it.
It is surprising that countries like the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, that had no observers on the ground, are the ones most inclined to reject the election result. Australia has called for a re-run of the poll because of the doubts about the integrity of the electoral role and voting procedures. The United Kingdom and the United States have questioned the credibility of the Zimbabwean elections. US Secretary of State John Kerry described the Zimbabwean election as "deeply flawed" and says the United States "does not believe that the result represents a credible expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people". British foreign secretary William Hague has called "into serious question the credibility of the election".
However, this is a contrast with the observations of the African Union, SADC and SADC Lawyers Association observer missions. The African Union mission head, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, dismisses complaints of fraud, stressing that the African Union observers did not believe any observed irregularities in these elections could change the overall outcome of the poll and passes the Zimbabwean election as free and fair.
The SADC observer mission says the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission "conducted its work in a transparent, orderly and professional manner" and that it is pleased that in general, the pre-election phase was characterised by a largely tolerant and peaceful civic atmosphere. The SADC mission also observed that in general voting took place in a free and peaceful environment and ZEC staff conducted themselves professionally and the counting process went well. And that in the course of observing the elections, the SADC mission noted that there was general adherence to the relevant national legal instruments and the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections. And it concludes its report with a call on all political parties to accept the election results as will be announced by the constitutionally mandated Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. They urge whoever is aggrieved with the results not to resort to violence, but rather to go to the court of law or engage in dialogue. They congratulate the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for holding free and peaceful elections.
The SADC Lawyers Association observer mission described the poll as peaceful and a realistic expression of the will of the people of Zimbabwe. The SADC lawyers mission observes that the run-up to the polls was conducive for the holding of democratic elections and the voting process was transparent and that "the elections were done lawfully under the close watch of election observers, party agents and electoral officers".
SADC facilitator, South African President Jacob Zuma, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Chinese government have congratulated Zanu-PF and Mugabe on their landslide victory and have urged all parties to accept the result. Zuma says the result should be respected as observers say it was an expression of the will of the people.
All African official observer missions and the United Nations have endorsed the elections as free and peaceful. It is only the United States, Britain and its dominion Australia - who were not invited to observe the elections - who have joined Tsvangirai in condemning the election.
There is no doubt that the United States, Britain and Australia wanted Tsvangirai to win the election and have invested heavily in him. They are disappointed with his defeat. It's a bitter pill to swallow. But defeat is only bitter if one swallows it. It is time they realised that the days are gone when their will prevailed in the world without question or challenge. And it is not their will that matters in the Zimbabwean election but that of the Zimbabwean people. We hope they have also learnt something from the Kenyan elections, where they were openly threatening the Kenyan people with consequences if they voted for Kenyatta. Again, in Kenya like in Zimbabwe, their man lost.
It's time they realised that Africans strongly detest colonialism and they don't like puppets.
The position that has emerged effectively puts Tsvangirai and his Western backers or masters on one side and Africa and Mugabe on another side, aping the contestation in Zimbabwe over the past decade. The issue is no longer just about Zimbabwe. It is now Africa versus the United States, Britain and Australia. What is now on trial is Africa's own verdict over its own poll versus Western interests. Australia is calling for a re-run, saying without a new election, they won't lift sanctions against Zimbabwe. What type of arrogance is this?
However, Tsvangirai's decision to challenge the election results in court is welcome. But his masters will not allow him to respect the decision of the court if it is unfavourable. And as Obasanjo says, there is no election where everything comes out perfect, but whatever irregularities are found, they should be sufficient to alter the outcome of the election for the result to change. From the observations made by many observers, we don't think this will be possible.
Tsvangirai and his backers should just manage their disappointment, accept the result and start working for the next elections.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), ZIMBABWE
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(NEWZIMBABWE, SAPA) SA: Zulu remarks ‘unfortunate and unauthorised’
21/07/2013 00:00:00
by SAPA
RECENT comments made by members of President Zuma's technical team on the situation in Zimbabwe were "unfortunate", President Jacob Zuma’s office said on Sunday.
"The Presidency has noted with great concern, recent unfortunate statements made on the situation in Zimbabwe," Zuma’s spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement.
Maharaj said the comments were attributed to a team member supporting Zuma in his role as a facilitator, with South Africa appointed by Southern African Development Community (SADC) to offer assistance to help Zimbabwe's political parties resolve their differences.
Zuma's team comprised of Mozambique high commissioner Charles Nqakula as its head, Maharaj, and Lindiwe Zulu, international relations advisor to the president.
The AFP news agency reported on Friday that Zulu had said there were challenges leading up to the July 31 elections in Zimbabwe, following problems with early voting.
Reportedly thousands of Zimbabwean security forces could not make their mark in early voting with polling stations opening late, and lacking indelible ink, stamps, voter rolls, ballot papers, and boxes.
"If things didn't go right in the special vote, those things need to be looked into by the time of elections on July 31," Zulu said.
Maharaj said the technical team supported Zuma in his role as facilitator, could not impose its views on Zimbabwe, nor make public pronouncements.
"Only President Zuma has the mandate to speak on Zimbabwe on behalf of SADC on facilitation issues," Maharaj said.
"A number of statements have been made during the facilitation process which have been unauthorised and which are regrettable and unfortunate. Some of the utterances have also been inaccurate."
The presidency said reports stating Zuma had telephoned Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to express his unhappiness about election preparations were incorrect.
"No such telephone call has been made," said Maharaj.
Zuma had also been alerted to "inappropriate postings" in social media on the situation in Zimbabwe.
"South Africa remains fully committed to the warm historical relations with the Republic of Zimbabwe and wishes the people of Zimbabwe well as they prepare for the elections," said Maharaj.
Labels: JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, MAC MAHARAJ, ROBERT MUGABE
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Miner Cuts Wages AS Gold Price Dips
19/07/2013 00:00:00
by Business Reporter
GOLD miner New Dawn Mining has warned that it might have to shut or sell its operations in the country if the gold price continued to slide and its cost-reduction measures failed.
New Dawn, which operates five mines in the country employing about 3000 people, is implementing measures to drive down costs following a strategic review of its operations in an April review.
Lower gold prices, combined with the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the indigenisation programme and current limitations on the availability of investment capital, have placed "undue" pressure on New Dawn's mining operations.
Gold slid to a low of $1 192/oz on June 28 - a level not seen since mid-2010 - and despite a recent rebound taking the metal to a range of $1 200/oz to $1 300/oz in July, prices are still well below the high of $1 889/oz in 2011.
“The decline in the gold price since October 2012 has had a significant and increasingly negative impact on the Company’s mining operations, profitability and operating cash flows,” the company said.
The Canada-listed junior has now frozen all capital development projects, except those needed to sustain production for six months. It also negotiated temporary price reductions with suppliers of various critical supplies, ranging from 5% to 15%.
New Dawn said it had successfully negotiated an initial 25% wage reduction pertaining to all the occupation levels of its 3 000 employees.
The company added that it would eliminate, or reduce, certain administrative positions in Canada and Zimbabwe, and that it had already reduced, or deferred, certain costs at its corporate offices in Toronto, including management compensation and board fees.
Further, New Dawn said it would focus on operating efficiencies, including adjusting the cut-off grades that were being mined, which could help improve the recovered grades and resulting gold output.
“If (these) measures are not sufficient to enable the company to operate its mines in a commercially viable manner and generate sufficient operating liquidity, or if the world price of gold continues to decline further, the company may be forced to consider shutting down its operations, either temporarily or permanently, and/or liquidating its assets in a formal or informal arrangement,” management said in a statement.
“The company’s efforts to address and improve operating viability at its mine sites are subject to various factors outside of its control, including, for example, taxes and royalties, mining fees, power costs, the (local) economic and business environment, and potential changes to the legislative and regulatory environment, any of which could impact operations, capital requirements and ability to operate in a commercially viable manner or at all.”
The company said it did not expect the cost-reduction measures to negatively impact on gold production in the short term, adding that it was exploring other options, including significant changes to its operating and capital structure, divestitures, joint ventures and various structured financings.
New Dawn reported a 4.7% year-on-year increase in gold production to 9,986 oz in the June quarter, of which 9,168 oz were attributable to the company. Its gold sales, on a consolidated basis, declined by 10.2% to $13.62-million, compared with $15.16-million a year earlier.
The average sales price per ounce of gold declined to $1,399 for the June quarter, from $1,608 in the March quarter.
New Dawn owns 100% of the Turk and Angelus, Old Nic and Camperdown Mines.
In addition, through its Falcon Gold Zimbabwe Limited subsidiary, the company currently owns 84.7% of the Dalny, Golden Quarry and Venice Mines, and a portfolio of prospective exploration acreage in the country.
With the exception of the Venice Mine, all the mines are currently operational.
Labels: GOLD, JOBS, NEW DAWN MINING
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We need to address inequity and inequalities
By Editor
Mon 22 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
KANNI Wignaraja, the United Nations resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative in Zambia, says that "we have to address inequity and inequality before it breaks the very backbone of our countries and turns into a sense of injustices".
This is true because if this country is not good for all of us, it won't be good for any of us. This country will not be a good place for any of us to live unless it's a good place for all of us to live in.
We shouldn't allow all the work that has gone on here to benefit just a few. And unless we start to address the inequities and inequalities that we today have in our country, none of the things we seek to do will ever take us where we need to go. Unless we do something about inequity and inequalities, we will not be able to repair this country.
We have to abandon greed and selfishness. We have to stop ignoring each other and caring only about ourselves. A nation that calls itself a Christian nation cannot allow the inequities and inequalities that exist among us to continue. As people who call themselves Christians, we have to quickly and resolutely deal with these inequalities. We have to struggle against these inequalities without respite and realise that if we are to live in the world and are to be regarded as a decent nation, a decent people, we have to act up to different and higher standards than we have been following in the last two decades or so. We should resent most bitterly these inequalities and this unconcern for the lives of the poor.
These inequalities remind us that we have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any of us till we remove these inequities and inequalities, till we make all the people of this country what destiny intended them to be.
We have to govern and manage the affairs of our country in a way that will help us to quickly end poverty, ignorance, disease and inequality.
And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard to make the dream of ending inequity and inequality a reality. We have to bring opportunity to the common man; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.
Inequities and inequalities are terrible things. Look at the effect that equality has on human beings and their happiness! People need more than nshima; they need honour, dignity, respect and to be treated like human beings. Inequality causes terrible suffering.
We have to share what we have as a nation. We cannot continue to have gross inequalities, with some having much more than they need and dying of heart attacks and cholesterol, while others starve to death. We should share everything - our country belongs to all of us, and so do its riches.
All our people must be made to feel they count; they are a part of society; they have a national dignity and a homeland. Here, we are talking about things that, in our opinion, constitute true humanitarianism, the policy of promoting the dignity of human beings and their wellbeing. Inequality causes terrible suffering.
A comprehensive approach is required to fight this situation and to struggle for diminishing or eradicating such inequalities in our country.
Some people say inequities and inequalities are inevitable. But a more just, fair and humane society is built upon the belief that inequities and inequalities are not an inevitable and necessary part of human life. They are ultimately a product of human decisions and can be eradicated by human decisions. This is so because when we speak of "the economy", we are speaking of policies and plans which control the wealth and resources of the country, about how resources are distributed between people, and about how the means of production - such as land, factories and technology - are owned and controlled. It is sometimes suggested that economic laws, like the basic laws of nature, are beyond human control; that we can no more influence them than we can defy gravity or stop the motion of planets. Therefore, it is argued, the existence of poverty and unemployment, and the inequitable distribution of wealth, are the result of inescapable economic laws, and must be accepted as such. When suffering and even death flow from these "inevitable facts of economic life," that is simply unfortunate, it is said, just as it is unfortunate when suffering and death result from a natural disaster. Although we sympathise with the victims of an earthquake or a flow, we do not consider such natural occurrences unjust or immoral. In the same way, the argument continues, we should not regard an economic system as unjust or immoral, though we regret the suffering, inequities and inequalities that may be part of such a system. Some people will be poor, some rich, inevitably and unavoidably, just as some will be victims of earthquakes and floods, and some will not.
This argument must be rejected. It fails to take into account the fact that economic consequences - poverty, inequities and inequalities - come about as a result of human agency. At the heart of every economic system lies human needs, human abilities and human decisions, and it is the choices which we make in addressing those needs, sharing those abilities, and making those decisions, that determine the justice or injustice of an economic system. The more powerful our economic position, the greater our freedom of choice, with the poor and marginalised having very little effective choice in their economic decision-making. There is thus a moral quality about an economy, a quality which has its roots in the morally correct or incorrect choices by people; and it is the moral quality of the economy that enables us to make judgments about whether or not it is a just economy.
Therefore, poverty, inequities and inequalities are some of the indicators of an unjust economy. The fact that untold thousands die every year from lack of food, lack of basic healthcare and lack of shelter is an indicator of economic injustice. As a nation, we need to develop a social conscience which recognises the injustice of poverty, unemployment, inequities and inequalities and which leads us to take action against it. Undoubtedly, the development of an effective social conscience will not happen quickly. It will have to be striven for, and the striving will have to be widespread, involving all sectors of society.
Labels: KANNI WIGNARAJA, UN, UNDP
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'Zambia is not doing much on inequality'
By Agness Changala
Mon 22 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
ZAMBIA National Women's Lobby Group says Zambia is not doing much to address the challenges of inequity and inequality.
Commenting on United Nations resident coordinator Kanni Wignaraja who said Zambia needed to address inequity and equality before they break the country's backbone, ZNWG chairperson Beauty Phiri, said there was need to address the two because the development of the country could not be attained without them.
Phiri said it was selfishness on the part of leaders for Zambia to fail to distribute resources equally and put food on the table for everyone.
She said if the decentralisation programme was not going to be implemented fully, the country would get stuck and some people would continue to wallow in poverty while others have more than others.
"If for example we have people that have problems in North-Western Province and with the resources the province has still those resources are controlled by Lusaka, then we are not going anywhere," she said.
"Lusaka controls this, Lusaka will control the shots and the permanent secretary in Lusaka will control resources in North-Western, where he has never even been, and if he has been, it's because he wants to get an allowance, not to go and look at what is happening on the ground and how to improve the economy in that area."
Phiri said if decentralisation was not going to be fully implemented and women left behind in terms of development, the country would continue to lag behind.
She said although President Michael Sata was trying to appoint women in decision-making positions, it did not take away the fact that the country was running away from the real issue of coming up with affirmative action that would enable the country to attain 50/50 representation in decision-making positions as required.
Phiri observed that the women representation in Parliament today was only 10.7 per cent when it was supposed to be 50 per cent. "So really, we are not doing anything about it as a country," she said.
Phiri said countries that had reached 30 or 50 per cent representation, had some affirmative action that had made them attain the percentages they had attained.
During the Local Government Association of Zambia and 10th Alliance of mayors and municipal leaders (AMICAALL) general conference in Nakonde, Wignaraja said despite Zambia recording a steady growth, good macro policies that stabilised inflation and brought more foreign direct investment, nearly half of the country's population still lived in extreme poverty and could not fully meet their family's basic needs.
Labels: KANNI WIGNARAJA, WOMEN
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Nevers is a burden, say MMD leaders
By Mwala Kalaluka, Agness Changala and Allan Mulenga
Mon 22 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
THE move to remove Nevers Mumba as MMD leader is very strong and may lead to a convention, says one of the senior party leaders that summoned him a week ago. The source disclosed yesterday that Mumba had also become a financial burden to the MMD.
"The move is strong, very strong. Maybe we will end up at a convention," the source said. "There are complaints. We had questioned him as your newspaper said. He has failed. We were in the forefront giving him support but we have seen that it is a futile exercise. It is like generally he is not liked. The comments from the people are not healthy. What scared us most was the resignation of Maxwell Mwale. He has resigned, and to those who discussed with him, he said he had lost confidence Nevers Mumba is not inspiring."
The sources said the party leadership had no prblem with the departure of individuals like Dr Canisius Banda, who lacked political substance, but not strong politicians like Mwale, whose Malambo parliamentary seat was recently nullified by the Supreme Court.
"Mwale is a strong person. A person who has a constituency, you are dislocated in a way when they leave," the source said.
The sources further said the MMD's performance on the ground was appalling.
"Like in Feira, we got 600 votes like a ward, yet people said Nevers Mumba is marshalling resources and he is spending them alone and even the members of parliament's contributions he is also getting that," the source said.
"He is too flamboyant. When he goes somewhere he has to go with security people, motor vehicles for hire. You can't be so extravagant. We used to see how President Michael Sata was campaigning. He was interactive. Now someone in opposition starts behaving like a state president! In opposition you require sacrifice."
The sources said for Mumba, it was always endless press briefings.
"People want MMD but the top leadership is not inspiring," the source said.
The source said for Mumba, it seems the MMD presidency was the only thing that was giving him some form of identity currently.
The sources said more meetings would be held soon so that the objective of restoring confidence in the MMD leadership is attained.
When asked to comment on assertions that he had resigned because of Mumba's uninspiring leadership, Mwale, the party's chairperson for mines, could neither deny nor confirm.
Mwale, who asked to be called later as he was driving, also asked if The Post had heard him issue any statement over the resignation.
But he disclosed recently that he was not going to re-contest the Malambo parliamentary seat as his family had advised him to stay away from politics for now.
He said he was available for public office but not political office.
And in an interview on Friday, MMD national chairperson Kabinga Pande said wrangling in MMD would not stop members from keeping the PF on its toes.
Pande, who is also Kasempa MMD member of parliament, said the party would continue to provide effective checks and balances to the government.
"We will deal with it in accordance with the established channels in the party if at all there are any wrangles. But as it is now, we haven't seen any wrangles about senior members in the party. Maybe perceived, they are not there. There are no wrangles in the party at the senior level," he said.
"We are providing checks and balances to the government. There are a number of issues that we are bringing to the attention of the government."
Pande said the fact that the party was contributing to motions in Parliament meant that MMD was still intact.
"Our members of parliament are always contributing to the motions; contributing to the questions and everything that is bringing the government on its toes," he said.
Asked on the summoning of party president Nevers Mumba to a meeting where four party senior members asked him to resign, Pande responded:
"It is a report which I saw in The Post, but I think The Post must have the source and that source should provide that information. As for now, I would say I have no comments on that. He Mumba was elected, wasn't he? It is not a question of being comfortable."
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ZNFU equips Mpulungu farmers
By Kabwe Kapampa in Mpulungu
Sat 20 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
By
THE Zambia National Farmers' Union (ZNFU) has handed over bicycles, ploughs, oxen and a water pump to local farmers in Mpulungu. The initiative is part of ZNFU's asset financing solutions to their members.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held at the ZNFU offices in Mpulungu, district agriculture coordinator Kennedy Sinkamba said apart from improving crop production, the agro-equipment would also ease the farmers' work, which was usually labour intensive.
He said the government was equally making efforts to facilitate the development of a vibrant, sustainable and profitable agro sector.
'To do this, we will need the support of all stakeholders especially you our dear farmers,'' Sinkamba added.
Sinkamba said the government would continue to consult ZNFU on all matters of mutual and agriculture interest to ensure proper implementation of services like agribusiness and input provision.
'Let us ensure that together we reach as many farmers as possible to benefit from various products we are offering as this will ultimately lead to social and economic development,'' he said.
Five bicycles, six ploughs, two oxen and a water pump were given to the farmers.
Mpulungu district ZNFU field facilitator Joseph Zulu urged the farmers to guard the equipment jealously and ensure it was utilised for the intended purposes.
'At ZNFU we have a saying that, 'If you have eaten anything today, ple
ase thank a farmer…..Remember no farmer, no food, no future…, Zulu told the gathering.
The beneficiaries were drawn from different places in Mpulungu district which included Mwanamboko, Kapoko, Kasakalawe and Vyamba.
A farmers' representative Wigan Kabwe said the agro-equipment given would help the farmers to improve on their yields and alleviate poverty levels in their households.
'When the Lake Tanganyika Integrated Management Programme (LTIMP) phased out we were worried because they provided us with finance, technology and farming knowledge that would last for a long time…we are glad that ZNFU has followed in their footsteps,'' Kabwe said.
Senior fisheries research officer Danny Sinyinza and district veterinary officer Dr Gerry Chikuni also witnessed the handover ceremony.
Labels: ZNFU
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Kabimba says he's not PF SG by accident
By Roy Habaalu in Kaoma
Mon 22 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba says he is not PF secretary general by accident. Addressing party officials in Kaoma on Saturday, Kabimba, the PF secretary general said he posses rare leadership qualities that enabled him to execute his duties diligently.
"I am not SG (secretary general) by accident. I am able to tell when the party is strong and organised. I have the experience. I have the skills to gauge how the party is doing. Leadership responsibility is not easy. It's not in Heaven where God appoints people but in His infinity wisdom He knows how to appoint leaders," Kabimba said.
"We didn't win the 2011 elections by accident. It's because God wanted to liberate Zambians from the MMD's tribalism and corruption. It was a David and Goliath fight and most of you were shocked that we won. Bo namalyanga, bo namalikita (thieves) that's what MMD was, and God heard the cries of His people," he said.
Kabimba said party officials were the eyes of the party. He said the success of President Michael Sata and the government was dependent on party officials.
Kabimba said the PF had stopped exporting supporters to areas where election were taking place. He urged the officials to be exemplary and respectful to one another.
"No group of people will follow a leadership that's indisciplined. If you don't exhibit tolerance, humility and respect, people will not follow you. People would rather resolve to starve instead of following a bad leadership because as a good leader, you are the magnet of the community," he said.
Kabimba said party officials needed to work harder now than they did while in the opposition.
He said those that were not appointed into government should support those serving the people of Zambia in various departments.
Kabimba said those that were found undermining presidential appointees would be silently blacklisted in Lusaka.
He said those that wanted positions should show commitment to the party.
"It's an insult to undermine people appointed by His Excellency the President. Remain united and continue working hard. If we spend our energies fighting one another, we won't deliver. Our focus should be unity in the party and development in Western Province," said Kabimba.
Labels: PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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SADC communiqué notes 'problems' in Zim vote
By Nicholas Kotch
Mon 22 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
A MINI-summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) referred to "problems" during special voting by the police and army ahead of Zimbabwe's July 31 elections but a final communiqué avoided any comment about mounting concerns in the region.
President Jacob Zuma hosted the surprise four-nation summit, held over dinner on Saturday night. President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique were present. Namibia's Foreign Minister Netumbo Ndaitwa was deputised to stand in for President Hifikepunye Pohamba.
The mini-summit - the latest in a long series of meetings dominated by Zimbabwe - was called after President Mugabe directed angry statements at Lindiwe Zulu, who is President Zuma's international relations adviser and his main point-person on Zimbabwe.
Last week, Zulu told reporters that there were worrying signs from the ground ahead of the elections, which Saturday's meeting would assess.
At the age of 89, President Mugabe is campaigning to extend his rule for a further five years. He and his Zanu-PF have led Zimbabwe without interruption since independence in 1980 and will be contested at the ballot for the third time by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the main faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Although the final communiqué, released early yesterday, said the "summit noted the problems that arose during the special vote on 14-15 July 2013," Sadc said it was pleased that all political parties were committed to a peaceful environment during the elections.
"Summit encouraged the government, all political parties and leaders to continue with these commendable efforts which will help realise credible elections," the communiqué stated.
It commended the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for "taking these up as challenges to be overcome on the 31st of July, and called upon all political parties to co-operate as fully as possible with ZEC in order to ensure that it is able to meet these challenges."
In the special voting last Sunday and Monday, thousands of Zimbabwean security forces could not cast their votes; polling stations opened late and many lacked indelible ink, stamps, voter rolls and ballot papers and boxes. This raised fears of similar disorganisation, but on a giant scale, on July 31.
Sadc had wanted the July 31 presidential and parliamentary elections to be postponed to allow more time to fix a host of problems, ranging from the integrity of the voters' roll to the pro-Mugabe bias of security forces and state media. The request was turned down by Zimbabwe's constitutional court.
So far, there have been no signs of violent intimidation against MDC supporters. As many as 200 people were killed during the last elections in 2008, human rights bodies say.
The Mugabe government has banned European Union (EU) and US election observers, meaning that several hundred monitors from the 15-nation Sadc regional bloc and a few dozen from the African Union will be the world's eyes and ears at elections, which could either mark Zimbabwe's return to the international fold or prolong its relative isolation, particularly by Western states.
Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, confirmed in South Africa last week that if Sadc gave the elections a clean bill of health and all parties accepted the outcome, the EU would lift its remaining sanctions on Mugabe and key members of his entourage.
"If the elections are indeed peaceful, transparent and credible we look forward to a full normalisation of relations with Zimbabwe," Van Rompuy said.
On other regional issues, the mini-summit warned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following clashes between the army and militias. It called on Madagascar's Independent National Election Commission (CENIT) to come up with a new electoral calendar to try to break the chronic political impasse on the island. - Business Day
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UNPD a long way to forming govt - Scott
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Mon 22 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-President Guy Scott says UPND is a long way to being voted into government. During a rally at Milengwe Basic School in Masaiti to drum up support for the PF candidate in the Kafulafuta by-election James Chishiba on Saturday, Vice-President Scott said UPND had 10 to 20 years before the party could be in power.
"UPND has MPs from Southern Province and Western Province and the party has none from the rest of the country. UPND has a long way before they can take power, maybe 10 to 20 years," he said.
Vice-President Scott also revealed that some political parties were spreading lies that President Michael Sata was sick and would die soon.
"Some parties are spreading lies that President Sata is sick. President Sata is okay, he is well. They are even saying that there will be another presidential by-election because President Sata will die. What they are saying are lies," he said.
And Vice-President Scott said it was sad that UPND was spreading rumours that the PF government was not going to give farmers fertiliser on time when fertiliser was already on the Copperbelt and ready to be distributed.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Scott's wife Charlotte urged women in Kafulafuta to take advantage of the many developmental and women empowerment projects that the PF government had put in place because they were going to put more money in their handbags.
She said the PF government had good intentions for Zambia and that Zambians should support it because it was going to build schools, hospitals and good roads.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, JAMES CHISHIBA, UPND
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(TALKZIMBABWE) MDC-T rocked by defections
This article was written by Our reporter on 21 July, at 16 : 34 PM
Close to 100 MDC-T supporters have defected to Zanu-PF in Marondera constituency. The members, who are from wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 said they decided to defect to the revolutionary party as it has people-oriented programmes.
Zanu-PF Mashonaland East Provincial Chairman, Ray Kaukonde, who is also the party candidate for Marondera Central, welcomed the defectors and thanked them for having seen the light.
Kaukonde urged them to work with other members in mobilising supporters for the party to win resoundingly in the harmonised elections.
Kaukonde then donated 30 tonnes of mealie-meal to thousands of families from Marondera Central.
A wave of defections has rocked the MDC-T in recent weeks with others recorded in Chegutu and Umguza in Matabeleland North.
Meanwhile, the MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s campaign strategy has taken a new twist to recognize the role played by the sons and daughters of Zimbabwe who sacrificed their lives to liberate the country.
With a few days to go before the elections scheduled for the 31st of this month, the MDC-T have finally come to terms with the reality that the country’s independence came about through the liberation struggle in which thousands of Zimbabweans sacrificed their lives.
In his remarks at a rally held at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, Tsvangirai acknowledged the role played by the late Father Zimbabwe, Dr Joshua Nkomo; his late wife, Mama Mafuyana and the late Lookout Masuku, saying they brought the sovereignty of the country.
This has been seen by analysts as a desperate attempt to woo the people of Matabeleland using Zanu-PF strategies.
Tsvangirai went on to say Zimbabwe is a sovereign nation which can not be sold.
His statements revealed how the MDC-T leader contradicted himself when he paid tribute to the fallen heroes from the region yet he has in the past boycotted the burial of some national heroes.
In May this year, Mr Tsvangirai boycotted the burial of the late Major General Jevan Maseko (RTD), preferring to attend a birthday bash for his Nigerian friend, Oswell Rochas Okorocha.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), MDC
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(TALKZIMBABWE) Zuma’s letter of apology to President Mugabe
This article was written by Our reporter on 21 July, at 20 : 53 PM
The Presidency has noted with great concern, recent unfortunate statements made on the situation in Zimbabwe, which have been attributed to a member of the technical team supporting the Facilitator, President Jacob Zuma.
South Africa was appointed by SADC to assist the Zimbabwean political parties to resolve their differences.
The Facilitator, President Jacob Zuma, appointed a three person facilitation team to provide technical support. The team comprises Mr Charles Nqakula, High Commissioner to Mozambique as the Head, Mr Mac Maharaj, Special Envoy and spokesperson to the President and Ms Lindiwe Zulu, International Relations Advisor to the President.
The technical team supports the Facilitator and cannot impose its views on Zimbabwe nor make public pronouncements. Only President Zuma has the mandate to speak on Zimbabwe on behalf of SADC on facilitation issues.
A number of statements have been made during the facilitation process which have been unauthorised and which are regrettable and unfortunate. Some of the utterances have also been inaccurate.
The Presidency wishes to correct in particular the reports this weekend that President Zuma telephoned President Robert Mugabe to express his unhappiness about preparations for the Zimbabwean elections. No such telephone call has been made. The report is incorrect.
President Zuma has also been alerted to inappropriate postings in the social media on the Zimbabwean situation.
South Africa remains fully committed to the warm historical relations with the Republic of Zimbabwe and wishes the people of Zimbabwe well as they prepare for the elections.
Enquiries: Mac Maharaj 0798793203/ macmaharaj@icloud.com
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
21 July, 2013
Labels: JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, ROBERT MUGABE, SADC
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(TALKZIMBABWE) Lindiwe Zulu jumped gun on Zimbabwe: SA Presidency
This article was written by Our reporter on 21 July, at 20 : 07 PM
Recent comments made by members of President Jacob Zuma’s technical team on the situation in Zimbabwe were “unfortunate”, the South African presidency said on Sunday.
This follows a call by President Mugabe on Friday to rein in President Zuma’s adviser Lindiwe Zulu to stop comments on Zimbabwe as she was not mandated to do so. Only President Zuma is mandated by Sadc to facilitate the process in Zimbabwe.
“The Presidency has noted with great concern, recent unfortunate statements made on the situation in Zimbabwe,” spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement.
Maharaj said the comments were attributed to a team member supporting Zuma in his role as a facilitator, with South Africa appointed by Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to offer assistance to help Zimbabwe’s political parties resolve their differences.
Zuma’s team comprised of Mozambique high commissioner Charles Nqakula as its head, Maharaj, and Lindiwe Zulu, international relations advisor to the president.
The AFP news agency reported on Friday that Zulu had said there were challenges leading up to the 31 July elections in Zimbabwe, following problems with early voting.
Some Zimbabwean security forces could not vote in a Special Vote process in early voting as there were challenges dealing with challenges filed by the MDC parties over nominations for aspiring MPs.
“If things didn’t go right in the special vote, those things need to be looked into by the time of elections on July 31,” Zulu said.
Maharaj said the technical team supported Zuma in his role as facilitator, could not impose its views on Zimbabwe, nor make public pronouncements. “Only President Zuma has the mandate to speak on Zimbabwe on behalf of SADC on facilitation issues,” Maharaj said.
“A number of statements have been made during the facilitation process which have been unauthorised and which are regrettable and unfortunate. Some of the utterances have also been inaccurate.”
The presidency said reports stating Zuma had telephoned Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to express his unhappiness about election preparations were incorrect. “No such telephone call has been made,” said Maharaj.
Zuma had also been alerted to “inappropriate postings” in social media on the situation in Zimbabwe. “South Africa remains fully committed to the warm historical relations with the Republic of Zimbabwe and wishes the people of Zimbabwe well as they prepare for the elections,” said Maharaj.
Labels: ANC, JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, MAC MAHARAJ, SADC
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PF wants one party state, says Mumba
By Isaac Zulu in Mkushi
Sun 21 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
THE PF government wants to revert to one party state, says MMD president Nevers Mumba. And Mumba says the PF government has failed to deliver on its campaign promises.
But PF member of central committee John Chisanga told Mumba not to politick over the removal of subsidies. Speaking when he featured on Mkushi Community Radio Station on Friday evening, Mumba said that the PF government was poaching opposition members of parliament with a view to revert to a one party state.
"The PF's desire is to at least have 106 members of parliament at National Assembly;" said Mumba, who mostly spoke in Bemba throughout his one-hour interview that started at 20:00 hours.
"They are determined to ensure that they have the majority in Parliament. And that's why they are busy poaching opposition MPs. The PF government wants to revert to a one party state. In fact, by poaching opposition members of parliament; the PF are telling the people of Zambia that they don't have credible MPs in their camp."
Mumba said that the PF government was inducing by-elections.
He said that the local government and parliamentary by-elections had proved to be too costly to the national treasury.
And Mumba said the PF government had failed to deliver on its campaign promises.
"They promised that they will create jobs for the people in 90 days," said Mumba.
"They said they would reduce in the number of ministers in Cabinet; but the opposite is happening. We have now reached a saturation point. We now have a situation where we have two or three ministers in one ministry."
And Mumba said that the removal of fuel and maize subsidies would have adverse effects on the Zambian citizenry.
"The PF promised that they will be a pro-poor government," said Mumba.
"They have now decided to remove subsides on fuel and maize. As a result, the price of fuel has been increased and the price of mealie-meal has gone up. By removing subsidies on these two commodities, the PF government has proved that it is not pro-poor. These people the PF government have failed to deliver on their campaign promises."
But in an interview on Saturday, Chisanga told Mumba not to politick over the removal of subsidies.
"Dr Sekwila Nevers Mumba should not be politicking over this matter. The people that benefited from the subsidies that we are talking about are the elite," explained Chisanga in an interview in Mkushi district.
Chisanga, who is a former deputy community development minister in the Chiluba government as well as former Bwacha member of parliament in the MMD government, said "How many rural people have vehicles and put in fuel in their vehicles every day? Very few . . . How many times do rural people travel from their villages to urban areas? They travel occasionally. When you talk about maize subsidies; the government through the Food Reserve Agency was buying a bag of maize at K65,000 and selling to millers at K30,000 and yet the millers were selling mealie-meal at about K70,000. Who was benefiting? It's the millers.
Why should we putting the burden on the poor small-scale farmers? We want to ensure that there's equal distribution of wealth and Dr. Mumba should not politick the removal of subsides. The money that would be realised from the removal of subsidies will be channeled to capital projects like the construction of 650 health centres across the country. We have also embarked on the Link Zambia 8000 road project that will see, for instance Mkushi being connected to the Copperbelt through Munda-Wanga - Musofu road and not through Kapiri Mposhi. During construction of these capital projects, the people in rural areas will be employed. That is job creation. At the same time the rural communities will have access to health facilities and good tarred roads. Is that not development. The MMD should stop this cheap politicking."
Mumba is in Mkushi to drum up support for the MMD candidate in the Mkushi North July 25 parliamentary by-election, Jonathan Kapungwe.
The PF is fielding Ingrid Mulonda Mphande, UPND is fielding in Winter Libbohole, NAREP has Albert Kapaya who is Ingrid Mphande's nephew, and UNIP has adopted Bernard Nshimbi while Felix Chisanga who is also Mkushi South MMD member of parliament Sydney Chisanga's older brother is standing as an independent candidate.
The campaigns are expected to end on Tuesday at 06:00 hours.
Labels: JOHN CHISANGA, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA, PF
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Socialist International approvals PF's membership
By Roy Habaalu
Sun 21 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba says the Socialist International's approval of the PF's membership will broaden its scope to participate in international issues.
The socialist international approved the ruling party's membership in February 2013 during a meeting held in Portugal.
Kabimba, who is PF secretary general, said they would use the membership to make their position known on world events.
"It's a very useful forum for PF to be able to be recognised and admitted to that organisation as a member. It broadens the scope of participation of the party from the local and regional level to an international level and for us as an infant political party that is just 11-12 years now we value our membership in the Socialist International, more so now this has been coupled with our membership into the Council of African Political Parties," he said.
Kabimba was elected president of the CAPP in Khartoum, Sudan this year.
He said Socialist International was a platform for political parties to interact and exchange experiences.
"It's a political forum where political parties meet to take positions on certain world events; on things like the world financial crisis, issues of environment, issues of world peace and on issues of democracy. It's also a platform used by political parties to exchange experiences with other political parties and also develop party-to-party relations," he said.
Kabimba said the PF applied for membership into the Socialist International in 2010 and in the first stage were given an observer status at a meeting in April 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa.
He said the application was referred to the council of the Socialist International for consideration by the general assembly.
Kabimba said the Socialist International was a grouping of political parties in the world that included the Labour Party of the United Kingdom and the African National Congress of South Africa.
The London-based Socialist International was established in 1955 and its secretary general is Louise Ayala from Chile.
Labels: PF, SOCIALISM, WYNTER KABIMBA
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WP will only develop if all tribes live in harmony - Sata
By Roy Habaalu in Kaoma
Sun 21 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says Western Province will only develop if all tribes live in harmony.
And chiefs Mwene Mutondo and Chiengele of Kaoma district say the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) was misapplying the chiefs Act claiming that Article 3 (2) (B) extended the authority of the Lozi chief, the Litunga to oversee chiefdoms of non-Lozi speaking people.
During the Kazanga traditional ceremony of the Nkoya people of Kaoma district, President Sata in a speech read for him by justice minister Wynter Kabimba, said unity would help the government implement programmes aimed at eradicating poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy.
"I urge you all to work as one people and reduce on tribal frictions. The province needs peace and harmony to foster development. It is also important that we remain peaceful and uphold our national slogan of one Zambia one nation," President Sata said.
"Our 73 tribes which constitute our country must continue to act and live as one people."
He said it was the responsibility of every traditional leader to take up the challenge to lead and guide their subjects towards economic and social development.
President Sata said the government was pleased with the hard work of the people of Kaoma in the last farming season as evidenced by the good harvest in the district.
"In this regard government through the Food Reserve Agency is working hard to ensure that all maize is bought from the farmers in the country. To further show the government's commitment to the agriculture sector, we have already started distributing 18, 120 x 50 bags of fertiliser to Kaoma district for the 2013/2014 farming season," President Sata said.
He said the government was building a hatchery holding pond for fish farming in Malindi as part of its strategies of taking development to rural areas by diversifying the economic activities of people.
He said the government had constructed health centres in Namaloba, Katoya and Nalulembe.
President Sata said it was the focus of his government to conserve Zambia's heritage in order to preserve cultural diversity, social-economic and environmental transformation for people to achieve sustainable national development.
He said it was the view of government that traditional ceremonies were an effective way of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage including praise, poetry, music and dances.
In a joint statement after a meeting held at the Nkoya Royal Establishment, Lukena Palace and Mushuwa Royal Establishment of the Mbunda people, the chiefs said the misinformation on the chiefs Act had been extended to government offices at provincial and district levels creating a situation of servitude among the Nkoya, Mbunda and non-Lozi tribes in Western Province.
They said this had led to the BRE circulating a document that presupposed that gazetted chiefs Mutondo, Chiengele, Kahare and Kandala were sub-chiefs within the BRE set-up.
The traditional leaders said in social and judicial administration, conflicts had spread to local courts where citizens were compelled to speak Lozi contrary to individuals freedoms of expression, association and belonging.
"As regards general relations in Western Province, the meeting informs that BRE's arrogance on matters of traditional authority has led to tension and the meeting calls on government to treat all tribes equally and must not ignore the anarchy created and its supporters. On misinformation on matters of traditional leadership, the meeting notes that marginalisation of Nkoya and Mbunda people in the administration of the country perpetuated by Lozi loyalists in government has compounded the situation," they stated.
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, TRIBALISM, WESTERN PROVINCE
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(NEWZIMBABWE, AFP) SA calls mini SADC summit on Zim
19/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter I Agencies
SOUTH Africa is on Saturday set host a mini-summit of SADC leaders ahead of Zimbabwe’s July 31 elections, to review and assess
worrying reports from the ground, a key adviser to President Jacob Zuma has said.
COMMENT - 'Worrying reports from the ground' - that is what those bought and paid for NGOs are about. This is why the foreign funding of NGOs is an assault on national sovereignty. - MrK
The presidents of Mozambique, Tanzania and Namibia will join Zuma, Sadc’s facilitator, during the choppy build-up to the presidential and parliamentary polls, at the meeting in Pretoria, Lindiwe Zulu said.
The announcement reflects mounting concern in the region about the risk of further political disorder in Zimbabwe, a fertile and resource-rich country which has declined steadily over the past 15 years. Millions of its citizens have migrated abroad, mostly as economic refugees to South Africa.
"The heads of state will go through the reports already coming in from the ground, from political parties and the Sadc election observers who started arriving this week," Zulu said. "Complaints are being made … but it’s difficult to assess them without a meeting."
Zulu was speaking after a one-day summit in Pretoria between South Africa and the European Union (EU).
Early this week Zulu revealed that President Zuma had phoned President Robert Mugabe to express his concern over preparations for the elections.
"We are concerned because things on the ground are not looking good," said Zulu.
The remarks drew fire from Zanu PF officials with politburo member and former information minister Jonathan Moyo dismissing Zulu as an MDC-T sympathiser.
“MDC-T sympathisers and supporters in President Zuma’s facilitation team are now coming out of their closets to openly show their support for the MDC-T by foolishly claiming that the situation on the ground is not looking good,” said Moyo.
“Fortunately for us, the elections are being held in terms of the rule of law. Observers on the ground who have been in the country since the processes started are better placed to make rational and sensible comments about the situation on the ground than Lindiwe Zulu.”
Moyo said Zulu’s remarks showed that President Zuma’s facilitation team had “effectively disqualified itself as an impartial” mediator.
“If that is true (what Zulu reportedly said) then they risk being permanently ignored and irrelevant. If they keep playing games then irrelevance shall come sooner than they imagine. It is undiplomatic for communication between heads of States to be peddled in the newspapers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, confirmed that if Sadc gave the elections a clean bill of health and all parties accepted the outcome, the EU would lift its remaining sanctions on Mugabe and key members of his Zanu (PF).
"If the elections are indeed peaceful, transparent and credible we look forward to a full normalisation of relations with Zimbabwe," Van Rompuy said.
Mugabe, 89, and in power with Zanu (PF) since independence in 1980, has banned observers from Europe and the US.
If this is an objective report, why do they mention the age of President Mugabe? But not the age of everyone else? - MrK
Sadc and African Union observers will be the world’s eyes on the elections. The opposition MDC parties and civil rights activists in Zimbabwe have voiced concern that the elections will not be free and fair.
Those worried about the conduct of the elections have argued that the reform needed for the elections to be free and fair had not taken place. The reforms they had called for included changes to the electoral commission and the state media.
Further, they had wanted guarantees that the security forces would conduct themselves in a non-partisan and professional manner during the elections.
The reforms the opposition and rights activists have been clamouring for were part of the power-sharing agreement in place since 2009.
So far, there have been no signs of the extreme anti-MDC violence witnessed in the 2008 polls. But organisational problems and allegations of an inflated voters’ roll marred special voting by the security forces last weekend.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, ROBERT MUGABE, SADC
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Mugabe tells Zuma to silence spiky aide
Losing patience ... South Africa's Jacob Zuma with President Robert Mugabe
21/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has told South African counterpart Jacob Zuma to gag his outspoken subordinate Lindiwe Zulu who has continued to irritate the Zanu PF hierarchy publicly expressing concern about preparations this month’s polls.
Mugabe told a televised star rally in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province that poll preparations were in fact proceeding smoothly and called on his peers in both SADC and the African Union to stop pandering to the whims of the hostile West.
“As we go to elections we expect our friends of SADC, the African Union to assist us in this process by encouraging us and where they are able to do so, then materially also help us to fund the process,” Mugabe said.
“We do not expect SADC countries to be raising lies about us and telling others that the situation in Zimbabwe is not peaceful, that the ground is not even.”
Mugabe said not all countries in the region had problems with the manner in which his administration was managing the run-up to the July 31 harmonised elections.
The Zanu PF leader further shot down claims by Finance Minister Tendai Biti that the country was too broke to run the watershed election.
“We are happy that most SADC countries are encouraging us,” Mugabe said in his customarily long addresses, which went on for nearly two hours.
“We are happy also that the Peace and Security Council which met yesterday in Addis Ababa … to look at our election process, we are happy that they say the election process is proceeding peacefully and they are encouraging us to continue like that.
“We sent (Justice Minister Patrick) Chinamasa to inform them or about the situation here but there are NGOs zvimbasungata zvevasingade kuti tibudirire who had gone there to say ‘oh no, there is no money’! No! We are able to fund the process.
“We cannot fail to fund our election process. We may have difficulty in raising the money but we will raise the money right up to the end.”
Mugabe then turned on to Lindiwe Zulu, President Zuma’s international relations advisor and member of South African leader’s backroom facilitation staff.
“And may l say that persistent negative voice from South Africa, could it please be stopped and l appeal to President Zuma to stop this woman of theirs on speaking on Zimbabwe," he said.
"There is a facilitator, we were given a facilitator with one mouth and that is President Zuma himself. That is the only voice we want to hear.
“Yesterday it was (former) President Thabo Mbeki who was facilitator and only his voice spoke. No other voice spoke. I don’t want to go far today.”
Since Mugabe's acerbic comments about her some two weeks ago, Zulu has continued to make public comments on the situation in Zimbabwe, seemingly unnerved by the veteran leader’s apparent rancour towards her.
Speaking during the launch of his election campaign and manifesto in Harare a fortnight ago, Mugabe spitted venom, describing Zulu as “an idiotic street woman”.
But Mugabe’s opponents in MDC have praised Zulu’s conduct which they find helpful in stalling Mugabe’s bid to rig the vote.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, ROBERT MUGABE, SADC
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(NEWZIMBABWE, AFP) Zuma’s aide ramps up Zim vote pressure
19/07/2013 00:00:00
by AFP
SOUTH Africa's chief envoy on Zimbabwe's political crisis conceded on Friday there were challenges in the run-up to key polls, a day before regional mediators meet to discuss the vote. Yet the African Union said free and fair elections, due at the end of the month, are possible.
Thousands of security forces could not
draw their mark in chaotic early voting three weeks before the 31 July elections to end a four-year unity government.
"The process has got challenges, we can't deny that because we've seen what info has been coming out during the special vote," said Lindiwe Zulu, who heads the mediation process after deadly polls in 2008.
During early voting on Sunday and Monday polling stations opened late and many lacked indelible ink, stamps, voter rolls and ballot papers and boxes.
"If things didn't go right in the special vote, those things need to be looked into by the time of elections on 31 July," Zulu told AFP.
But the African Union after its Peace and Security Council meeting on Friday said it was possible to have fair elections.
"According to our observers on the ground we believe that it is possible to have free and fair elections in Zimbabwe," said Aisha Abdullahi, AU commissioner for political affairs on Zimbabwe.
"But we cannot guarantee that it will be the most perfect or optimum of situations," he said after an AU peace and security council meeting.
"The environment in Zimbabwe so far reassures us that the conditions are good for the election to be held on 31 July," he said.
MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said this week's "disorganised" early vote showed the country's election commission was not up to the task.
With the vote due in less than two weeks, the country is still trying to raise the $132m budget required to fund it.
"We are doing everything we can to make sure that we have the sufficient resources to fund the elections," Finance Minister Tendai Biti told journalists in Harare.
"I am very positive that we will get the money," admitting that "we do not have the resources at the present moment".
Biti had previously declared that the country had no money to fund the crucial elections, and launching an international appeal for finance.
In April, the cash-strapped country withdrew its funding appeal to the United Nations.
Early this year the government had to borrow money from local firms to pay for the referendum on a new constitution.
"We are getting no joy from diamond monies. Over $400m have been sold of diamonds just in the first quarter of the year, [but] nothing has come to treasury," said Biti.
Leaders of regional mediator the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will meet in South Africa on Saturday to discuss the upcoming elections.
The 15-member block brokered the power-sharing deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai in 2009, a year after around 200 opposition members were killed in election-related violence.
But there is no love lost between Mugabe and the SADC at the moment.
He threatened to leave the bloc if it meddled in Zimbabwean affairs and scolded South Africa's top diplomat "stupid and idiotic" in an election rally earlier July.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, ROBERT MUGABE, SADC
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(TALKZIMBABWE) Rein in Lindiwe Zulu, Mugabe tells Zuma
This article was written by Our reporter on 21 July, at 16 : 30 PM
PRESIDENT Mugabe has appealed to his South African counterpart, President Jacob Zuma, to rein in his international relations advisor, Lindiwe Zulu (pictured), over the negative and misleading pronouncements she continues to make on Zimbabwe’s preparations for the July 31 harmonised elections.
Addressing over 20,000 Zanu-PF supporters at a Zanu-PF star rally in Gwanda yesterday, President Mugabe said Harare recognises President Zuma in his personal capacity as the Sadc-appointed facilitator.
He said Lindiwe Zulu, who was last week quoted in some sections of the media as saying the preparations “are not looking good”, did not have any role and authority when it came to Zimbabwe.
The President lauded the African Union Peace and Security Council, which met in Ethiopia last Friday, for recognizing the progress made in the progress to the elections.
“And may I say that persistent negative voice from South Africa … could it please be stopped. I appeal to President Zuma to stop this woman of theirs from speaking on Zimbabwe.
“We were given one facilitator with one mouth and that is President Zuma himself; that’s the voice, the only voice we want to hear.
“Yesterday, it was President Thabo Mbeki who was facilitator and only his voice spoke, no other voice spoke.”
President Mugabe commended the AU Peace and Security Council for its position regarding the July 31 poll.
“We are happy that the Peace and Security Council which met yesterday in Addis Ababa said the election process is proceeding peacefully and they are encouraging us to continue like that.
“We thank Minister (Patrick) Chinamasa for informing them about the situation here, but there are NGOs, zvimbwasungata zvevasingadi kuti tibudirire, who had gone there to say, ‘Oh no, there is no money’. No, we are able to fund the process.
“We cannot fail to fund our election process. We may have difficulty in raising the money, but we will raise the money right up to the end.”
President Mugabe also urged Sadc to assist Zimbabwe to hold successful elections.
“As we go to elections, we expect our friends of Sadc, the African Union, to assist us in this process by encouraging us and where they are able to do so, materially, also helping us to fund the process.
“We do not expect Sadc countries to be raising lies about us and telling others that the situation in Zimbabwe is not peaceful; that the ground is not even. We are happy that most Sadc countries are encouraging us.”
Mugabe also appealed to the people of Zimbabwe to desist from violence and instead embrace tolerance and peace during the election period.
“We expect you to correct the mistake of 2008 and to vote correctly. Let me assure you that we will try as much as possible to encourage our security forces to maintain peace.
You, yourselves, must not expect the police to impose that security on you.
“You must always be aware that it is necessary to be peaceful and more so now as we go to elections. You should not be accused of using pressure on anyone or forcing anyone of wanting to fight anybody, no! Don’t use violence.
“Use your vote; let your vote (be) the force of your will. Your vote will do for you what anything else cannot do and that is to get the people you want to be in government and get those you don’t want to be in government out of government.
If you vote you will kick them out so use your vote to get them out not force.”
President Mugabe said the MDC formations opposed elections because they did not want to get out of Government.
“If I were to go right across the country and ask the people to raise their hands, those of them who still want the inclusive Government … I think you are all fed up; you want this creature to go.
“I, who has been the President of it, wanted it to go yesterday, the day before yesterday, the day before the day before yesterday. We would have had elections after 18 months but oh no, the others would say, ‘oh no we have not fixed this, there is still that’, giving reasons to stop the elections.
“Why? Because some people who have never been voted for, who were now Members of Parliament and others who were even more than that, Members of Parliament and ministers of Government feared that an election would mean the end of the enjoyment they were having.
“And also Tsvangirai and others wanted longer periods.
“They had never been in Parliament before, never been in Government before and it was their first time. Ah 18 months, no not enough, we must find excuses. Okay, we have done three years, oh not enough we are not ready yet.
“Three years, we are not ready yet, four years, we are not ready yet. The Constitution said Members of Parliament can only exist for five years; Parliament can only have a life of five years, no more.
“That’s what our Constitution said and we had to obey the Constitution of the country. The five years ended on the 29th of June.”
President Mugabe said he had proclaimed July 31 as the election day because he did not want to disobey the laws of the country.
“Our court said we must have a new Parliament by the end of July and the President must make a proclamation to that effect. So, I had to make the proclamation in compliance with the courts.
“Even the President must obey what the courts say and so I made the proclamation. The court did not say make the proclamation for July 31 to be the day of election; it said you must make a proclamation that elections are going to be held not later than July. I could have chosen July 1, July 10, July 15, but I thought to give ourselves more time I should choose the last day.
“So, I said let me choose July 31. If July had 32 or more days I would have gone for the last day to give ourselves more chance.
“But you know the MDC still says no I have rushed the country into an election. But we could not disobey. We cannot go without Parliament.
“We need Parliament; Government must have Parliament to make laws. The Executive must make programmes that are based on the laws that are made, to execute affairs.
“That’s why it’s called the Executive. Then of course our courts, the Judiciary that one remains. It is not given time; only the judges retire after some time. But the Judiciary goes on. It is not voted for. So, you can see the lawless nature of this group called the MDC; they want to govern without Parliament.”
Sunday Mail-TZG
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), JACOB ZUMA, LINDIWE ZULU, ROBERT MUGABE, SADC
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(GLOBALRESEARCH) US- South Africa War Games: The Pentagon’s Hidden Agenda is to Make “Africans fight Africans”
By Prof Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research, July 20, 2013
The Pentagon is involved in organizing war games in different part of the World. The stated military mandate is national security and the “Global War on Terrorism”.
The South African media has reported the holding of military exercises involving the US military and the South African National Defense Force (SANDF).
The South African and US armed forces are to conduct war games in the Eastern Cape over a period of almost two weeks (24 July to August 5)
The joint war games are to be coordinated by USAFRICOM’s “US Army Africa Contingency Command”.
“SA Navy Captain Jaco Theunissen said the militaries would share technical expertise during the exercise, which would start on 24 July and end on 5 August, and would involve 5 000 soldiers.
“We are exercising to do a human support intervention in an unstable country,” said Theunissen.
“What we simulate is what is currently happening in a lot of countries in the world, especially in the African continent.
“You’ve got warring factions destabilising the country…. We are exercising the war fight, where you will fight against rebel groups.”
Medical units would also practice giving basic medical healthcare to a local population in an unstable warring environment.
All branches of the SANDF – the army, air force, navy, and health – would participate.” (Times Live South Africa, July 18, 2013, emphasis added)
What these official statements imply is that The Republic of South Africa is slated to participate in US-NATO sponsored “humanitarian interventions” directed against other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which have been tagged by Washington as “unstable nations”.
What is not mentioned is that these so-called “unstable nations” are invariably the object of a US engineered political and economic destabilization process (including the imposition of deadly IMF-World Bank economic reforms), which create conditions for the “recolonization” of sub-Saharan Africa.
These July-August war games were prepared in prior exchanges in February at USAFRICOM headquarters in Vicenza, Italy between the U.S. Army Africa Contingency Command and SANDF commanders:
Col. Vuka Sean Mahlasela, 44th Parachute Regiment commander, South African National Defense Force, or SANDF, said the exercise helped both forces learn to cooperate with each other and improved the relationship between U.S. and South Africa.
“Joint and multinational operations have become the norm of the day. The national defense forces play a very significant role to be able to operate with regional, international and multinational forces to test tactics and share skills and knowledge as well as to learn from each other as multinational forces,” Mahlasela said.
Some of the training in which SANDF participated included basic command and control of a multinational exercise; intricacies of joint task force operations; requirements of different logistical infrastructures; and proposed ways on how to run meetings, which the U.S. military calls “Seven-Minute Drills.” USAFRICOM: US Army Africa command Post Soldiers Train with South African Forces March 8, 2013)
Lt. Col Light Jongilanga Tsalupondo, administrative commander for the 43rd Brigade of the South African National Defense Force, discusses training events with Staff Sgt. Robert Hamrick of U.S. Army Africa Contingency Command Post during a contingency command post exercise in preparation for Shared Accord 13 {July-August 2013 War Games]
These February training and briefing sessions for SANDF commanders were intended to create conditions, whereby the SANDF would directly collaborate with USAFRICOM in US led military operations on the African continent:
“[SANDF] will take back to their leadership how to better synchronize and collaborate with the U.S.,” said Palacios, a Bronx, N.Y. native. “This is the success that was achieved during these last few days and will set us up for long-term success during Shared Accord in July.”
While the stated purpose of the war games is to “protect Africa”, the real objective is imperial conquest. Washington’s hidden agenda is to “make Africans fight Africans”.
It is worth noting that the SANDF was recently involved in fighting rebel forces in the Central African Republic, in which 15 SANDF soldiers were killed.
The SANDF is supportive of US hegemonic objectives in Africa.
By collaborating with the US in joint military operations, the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) is, in some regards, playing a similar role to that of the SADF of the Apartheid period.
Appendix
Recent War Games in Asia Pacific
Korea
In April, the US completed a two-month-long ‘Foal Eagle’ exercise military exercise in Korea involving several thousand air, ground and naval personal. The objective was to trigger increased tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Australia
On July 18, the US commenced the largest joint war games in Australia’s history involving 20,000 US troops. The military exercises –which are part of the Pentagon’s “Asia Pivot”– are being staged on Australia’s eastern seaboard.
The Obama administration’s so-called “pivot to Asia” involves the repositioning of American military forces throughout the Asia-Pacific region as well as strengthening US military alliances and strategic partnerships in that part of the world.In order to display its military might, the Pentagon leads multinational military exercises each year in the Asia-Pacific region, which is a “very dangerous escalation of US military presence,” Rozoff said.
The exercises are “a cause of severe concern to countries like China and to Russia.”
Rozoff described the US military as “out of control” that needs to be disarmed and pacified by the international community.
The US and Australia have strengthened their alliance in recent years. The US military is building up its presence in Australia and plans to send 2,500 Marines there on six-month rotations each year starting in 2016. (Press TV, July 19, 2013)
Labels: AFRICOM, NEOCOLONIALISM, SOUTH AFRICA, ZIMBABWE
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Love is the only way
By Editor
Sun 21 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
FR Gabriel Nyoni of St Anne’s Cathedral Parish in Chipata says the law of love should be imprinted in people’s hearts.
Fr Nyoni also urges us not to be individualistic and think about ourselves only. We will never be civilised until that time comes, a time when one loves fellow human beings and forgets whatever differences of colour, tribe, creed and all other things that define human beings.
We do not believe in the law of hate. We may not be true to our ideals always, but we believe in the law of love, and we believe you can do nothing with hatred.
The law has made us equal but man has not. And, after all, the last analysis is: what has man done? – And not what has the law done.
The dominant force in our minds is compassion and human affection. And therefore, we call these human qualities spirituality. The words of love we are talking about today come from a Catholic priest, a religious man. But there is spirituality outside of religion. Without accepting a religion, but simply developing a realisation of the importance of love and compassion, and with more concern and respect for others, a kind of spiritual development is very possible for those persons who are outside of religion.
Purifying the mind is not easy. It takes a lot of time and hard work. You need tremendous willpower and determination right from the start, accepting that there will be obstacles, and resolving that despite them all you’ll continue until you have attained your goal.
Love need to be practiced. To do so in all situations will take time, but you should not lose courage. If you wish happiness for others, love is the only way.
If, despite external difficulties or problems, internally one’s attitude is of love, warmth and kindheartedness, then problems can be faced and accepted easily.
By developing a sense of respect for others and a concern for their welfare, we reduce our own selfishness, which is the source of all problems, and enhance our sense of kindness, which is a natural source of goodness.
Inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. One of the principal factors that hinder us from fully appreciating our inter-dependence is our undue emphasis on material development. We have become so engrossed in its pursuit that, unknowingly, we have neglected the most basic qualities of love, compassion, caring and cooperation.
There should be a balance between material and spiritual progress, a balance achieved through the principles based on love and compassion.
Whether we are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, whatever our nationality, colour, social status or outlook may be, the purpose of our lives is to be happy.
Mental peace cannot be injected by any doctor; no market can sell mental peace or happiness. Happiness comes from kindness. Happiness cannot come from hatred or anger. We are trying to get peace or happiness from outside, from money or power. But real peace, tranquility, should come from within. Unless our minds are stable and calm, no matter how comfortable our physical condition may be, they will give us no pleasure. Therefore, the key to a happy life, now and in the future, is to develop a happy mind. And the greatest delight of life is a feeling of being near and necessary to other people.
If an individual human being eventually becomes a nice, calm, peaceful person, then it automatically brings some kind of positive atmosphere, and you’ll have a happy family. Love is the centre of human life.
Love and compassion are the ultimate source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being. A good mind, a good heart, warm feelings – these are the most important things.
But real love is not based on attachments. The kind of love we advocate is the love you can have even for someone who has done harm to you. This kind of love is to be extended to all living beings, and it can be extended to all living beings, including those one considers to be his or her enemies. What’s more, Jesus tells us we must love our enemies – he doesn’t say we mustn’t have enemies - and there is no greater love for a wrongdoer, a criminal than to prevent him from doing wrong, committing crimes.
Love is hard. Compassion and love are precious things in life. They are not complicated. They are simple, but difficult to practice. If you have love and compassion toward all sentient beings, particularly toward your enemy, that is true love and compassion. The feeling of a mother for her child is a classic example of love. For the safety, protection and welfare of her children, a mother is ready to sacrifice her very life.
Human beings are social creatures, and a concern for each other is the very basis of our life together. Love consoles when one is helpless and distressed, and it consoles when one is old and lonely. It is a dynamic force that we should develop and use, but often tend to neglect, particularly in our prime years, when we experience a false sense of security. Since at the beginning and end of our lives we are so dependent on others’ kindness, how can it be that in the middle we neglect kindness towards others?
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of wellbeing. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease and opens our inner door. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life.
Love and kindness are always appropriate. We all need love in this life. If we have love, there is hope to have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace.
The development of a kind heart, or feeling of closeness for all human beings, does not involve any kind of religiosity we normally associate with it. It is for everyone, irrespective of religion, race, tribe or any political affiliation.
There is need to put other first. Our doings and thinkings must be motivated by love and compassion for others. The way to acquire that kind of outlook is to accept a simple fact that whatever we desire is also desired by others. So it doesn’t make sense for one to steal public resources that are meant for the common good of society or to destroy the environment on which all are dependent in pursuit of personal profits. Therefore, genuine love and compassion must be acting on the basis of respect, and the realisation or recognition that others also, just like myself, have the right to be happy. Genuine love and compassion is unbiased, should be unbiased.
To experience genuine love and compassion is to develop a feeling of closeness to others combined with a sense of responsibility for their welfare. And true love and compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason.
We would therefore advise all those things which are necessary for human beings who live together – love, compassion, patience, tolerance and so on and so forth.
Labels: CHIPATA, GABRIEL NYONI
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