TAZARA workers query Aka’s vision, style
By Isaac Zulu in Kapiri Mposhi
Tue 24 May 2011, 04:01 CAT
UNIONISED workers at TAZARA have given management a one-month ultimatum in which to address their concerns, failure to which they will go on strike. TAZARA workers have also questioned their managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika’s vision for the railway company. They have further questioned management over the criteria used to arrive at a US$7 salary increment.
In a speech delivered on behalf of his fellow workers before being addressed by Mbikusita-Lewanika in Kapiri Mposhi, Workers’ Union of TAZARA WUTAZ branch chairman Disson Sinkala questioned the former to say what he would be remembered for by the workers.
“Is it true that some colossal sums of TAZARA money was diverted to the recent MMD convention in Kabwe; thus late payment of salaries and all these disturbances? Where do you take our pension contributions NAPSA and ZSIC despite the fact that they are deducted each and every month from our salaries?
Does this mean that you are stealing from us? What method did you use to compute three per cent of the total wage bill to come to US $7?” he asked.
Sinkala said the workers wanted the correct figure and arrears this month-end without fail.
“Mr. Henry Chipewo paid us on time and gave us meaningful salary increment of which we appreciate him even today; he began remitting and offsetting NAPSA debts and all outstanding arrears then. We had three different accounts: one for salaries, second for fuel and maintenance and third as a reserve account. What has happened to these accounts?” asked Sinkala.
“Does this mean you don’t have an approach to TAZARA management? What shall we remember you for? Is it late payment of salaries and fuel shortages? How has a common TAZARA worker who hasn’t benefited from the sale of houses policy going to benefit?
We demand that RGM’s regional general manager’s unnecessary trips and movements with his team come to an end with immediate effect…because we can’t see their fruits. How can you be out of the country for over two months and on subsistence allowance?”
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, TAZARA
Read more...
TAZARA turning around is a difficult process, says Aka
By Isaac Zulu in Kapiri Mposhi
Tue 21 Sep. 2010, 08:30 CAT
TAZARA managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika says the turnaround of the railway company’s operations is a difficult process.
Briefing Southern African Development Community SADC diplomats accredited to Zambia in Kapiri Mposhi on Saturday, Mbikusita-Lewanika observed that turning TAZARA around could be an easy and short-term event but needed radical transformation.
“Railway transportation progressively decreased in dominance during the economic regression and the debt crisis visited countries in Southern, Central and East Africa - a regression that only began to be reversed on the eve of the turn of the century,” said Mbikusita-Lewanika.
“This background gives two messages. The first is that turning around TAZARA cannot be an easy and short-term event, but a difficult progress of radical transformation.
The second is that turning around TAZARA is not something out of this world - it is not impossible. For this turnaround to be complete, it has to be driven by full responsibility and full commitment based on full knowledge of full challenge and full vision of TAZARA, on the part of the managers and workers.”
Mbikusita-Lewanika said for that turnaround to fulfill TAZARA’s mandate, it had to lead to establishing rail as the dominant transport for heavy, bulky and long distance destined cargo in terms of volume, value and vitality.
“This should be for both internal distribution and export - import trade, in addition to being a significant mode of transportation of passengers. This is the vision of the management team and work force,” said Mbikusita-Lewanika.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, INFRASTRUCTURE, RAIL, TAZARA
Read more...
TAZARA turning around is a difficult process, says Aka
By Isaac Zulu in Kapiri Mposhi
Tue 21 Sep. 2010, 08:30 CAT
TAZARA managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika says the turnaround of the railway company’s operations is a difficult process.
Briefing Southern African Development Community SADC diplomats accredited to Zambia in Kapiri Mposhi on Saturday, Mbikusita-Lewanika observed that turning TAZARA around could be an easy and short-term event but needed radical transformation.
“Railway transportation progressively decreased in dominance during the economic regression and the debt crisis visited countries in Southern, Central and East Africa - a regression that only began to be reversed on the eve of the turn of the century,” said Mbikusita-Lewanika.
“This background gives two messages. The first is that turning around TAZARA cannot be an easy and short-term event, but a difficult progress of radical transformation.
The second is that turning around TAZARA is not something out of this world - it is not impossible. For this turnaround to be complete, it has to be driven by full responsibility and full commitment based on full knowledge of full challenge and full vision of TAZARA, on the part of the managers and workers.”
Mbikusita-Lewanika said for that turnaround to fulfill TAZARA’s mandate, it had to lead to establishing rail as the dominant transport for heavy, bulky and long distance destined cargo in terms of volume, value and vitality.
“This should be for both internal distribution and export - import trade, in addition to being a significant mode of transportation of passengers. This is the vision of the management team and work force,” said Mbikusita-Lewanika.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, INFRASTRUCTURE, TAZARA
Read more...
TAZARA plans to improve performance
By Isaac Zulu in Kapiri Mposhi
Fri 18 June 2010, 04:00 CAT
TAZARA managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has said the railway company has a challenge of finding non-traditional solutions to overcome the usual constraint of lack of funds. And Mbikusita-Lewanika has said TAZARA plans to surpass the performances of all the past years starting from 2004.
During the commissioning of the initial 28 TAZARA rehabilitated wagons in Kapiri Mposhi on Tuesday, Mbikusita-Lewanika observed that increasing wagon capacity cannot be undertaken from normal revenue earnings.
“We are mindful that even this endeavour to increase wagon capacity, which is not only a challenging area, cannot be accomplished from normal revenue earnings. It cannot be undertaken from normal payments for cargo or passenger service. It cannot be financed from traditional banking facilities or traditional terms and conditions. In fact, we are faced with a proverbial chicken and egg dilemma,” Mbikusita-Lewanika explained. “What comes first - a bank loan or an increase in revenues? What comes first - increased revenue or increased capacity? What comes first - high performance to earn more money or high personnel motivation? Thus, TAZARA management is challenged to find non-traditional solutions to overcome the usual constraint of lack of funds for example, seeking to increase capacity by rehabilitating wagons to better serve customers.”
Mbikusita-Lewanika said the follow up challenge was to determine what partnership activities could be undertaken with stakeholders in order to enable TAZARA break through the barrier of limited liquidity and deteriorating operational equipments and facilities.
“TAZARA management is challenged to recognise and take account of the fact that to cut through this vicious circle calls for strategic partnerships with other stakeholders of TAZARA. Some of you may have a problem identifying strategic partners and stakeholders of TAZARA. For some of you, the answer can be found if you look into a mirror. TAZARA management believes that customers are its logical and most likely strategic partners and most direct stakeholders,” he said.
“…To this end, TAZARA is proposing smart capacity building partnership with customers. What is being proposed, and what is already in practice, as illustrated by the wagons we are launching today, is unorthodox, and, certainly outside the traditional boxes of operational tools. But, it is practical in straightforward and self-evident way. What is being proposed is also directly beneficial to you as customers as well as to TAZARA your service operator…”
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, TAZARA
Read more...
COMMENT -
Tanzanian Investment Centre.
There’s need to raise TAZARA’s revenue – Aka
By Florence Bupe
Tue 13 Apr. 2010, 04:50 CAT
Akashambatwa said his immediate task as the new managing director of the railway institution is to raise the revenue for enhanced operational capacity
NEWLY-appointed Tanzania-Zambia Railways (TAZARA) managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has said there is need to raise the company's revenue from the current US $3 million to US $5 million for effective operations.
In an interview with the Tanzania Invest, Aka, who was appointed company managing director following the contract termination of Henry Chipewo early this year, said his immediate task as the new managing director of the railway institution is to raise the revenue for enhanced operational capacity.
“Of late the revenue achievements of TAZARA at best have been averaging US $3 million per month, which is still not sufficient to comfortably cover the day to day operations costs,” Aka said. “So our immediate task is to see if we can raise our monthly revenues to at least US $5 million.”
Aka said TAZARA faced the challenge of high debt and low capacity utilisation, which had resulted in serious financial problems.
“Because of the backlog of indebtedness and the low capacity utilisation, it means we are faced with serious liquidity problems and we are unable to finance the day-to-day operational costs,” he said.
Aka reiterated the need to develop the railway sector to compliment the road sector and ultimately support economic activities in the region.
He observed that the current level of economic activities in the region was beyond the capacity of the existing transport infrastructure to accommodate.
“The economic activity of Tanzania, Zambia and the sub-region right now is more than our transport infrastructure capacity, so there is need for the entire transport sector to be further developed and to complement each other,” he said.
Aka explained that railway transport had an advantage over other forms of transport due to its nature, and it is therefore ideal for heavy import and export transactions.
“Whatever gains we are having in fixing our roads are being destroyed by transporting bulk goods like copper on these roads,” Aka said. “If the railway sector reaches its desired capacity, it does not take away what is needed on the road network, but merely provides an opportunity for the road network to only deal with less infrastructure damage.”
Aka said TAZARA holds great prospects in facilitating regional trade for meaningful benefits to countries involved.
He said Zambia would strive to improve the wide railway network by rehabilitating infrastructure and extending connections with other countries.
However, he said the political will of respective countries was critical in the attainment of improved railway transport.
“I am confident that given the political will of the Tanzanian and Zambian governments, TAZARA has been given a chance to move significantly towards achieving its mandate,” he said.
Aka expressed confidence that operational improvements of TAZARA will help address trade bottlenecks between Africa and China.
“In essence, enhancing the capacity and efficiency of TAZARA is actually removing a major bottleneck to failed expansion of China- Africa trade interaction,” said Aka.
As at last year, TAZARA had accumulated debt of about US $60 million.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, TAZARA
Read more...
Be careful with Rupiah, Mpombo cautions Aka
By George Chellah
Thu 03 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
FORMER defence minister George Mpombo yesterday cautioned President Rupiah Banda's political advisor Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika (Aka) to be extremely careful with the President because he is a sly and cunning individual.
Commenting on the recent rift within the MMD top leadership over the caucus attended by Aka and State House chief policy analyst Dr Francis Chigunta, where His Majesty the Litunga was attacked, Mpombo urged President Banda to show leadership.
“What we are seeing is that the party has got itself into an irreversible process of political terminal disease because of poor leadership qualities exhibited so far by Rupiah Banda,” Mpombo said. “The party has been reduced to a bundle of contradictions and confusion because of poor leadership.”
Mpombo described President Banda as a very cunning and sly politician.
“That kind of characteristic has contributed massively to the serious political upheaval that have hit the party. The party is just existing through instinct and the party structures across the country have collapsed,” he said.
Mpombo said a vivid manifestation of the confusion generated by President Banda's poor leadership was the manner in which the Western Province MMD wrangles were handled.
“Katele Kalumba was instructed by President Banda to suspend the Simasiku Namakando-led provincial executive committee and President Banda is on record as having supported that move,” Mpombo said.
“But when President Banda called the dissolved executive to State House, Katele Kalumba or MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande or even hopeless MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga were not invited to the meeting. There was Lameck Mangani who holds no senior political position in the party and Mike Mulongoti who is just responsible for false propaganda.
“That's where the crisis begins. President Banda is just acting party president, Mabenga is the national chairman he should have been in that meeting at State House because they were looking at an issue concerning the national operations of the party.”
Mpombo said Kalumba as chief executive officer of the party or his deputy Kaande should have been in the meeting as well.
“People have been marginalised. This exemplifies poor leadership and we can't go on like this with this confusion a year before an election,” he said.
Mpombo said President Banda was also responsible for the confusion surrounding the MMD meeting where His Majesty the Litunga was attacked.
“President Banda should have come out and strongly supported Katele's position when the party distanced itself from the caucus because he asked Katele to do that. He should have taken a principled stand,” Mpombo said, adding that President Banda sanctioned the meeting at Andrews Motel although he has not come out in the open on the matter.
“He sanctioned the meeting because we know that he even contributed financially towards the hosting of that caucus. We also know that President Banda sanctioned Katele to distance the party from the meeting,” Mpombo said.
He said the leadership that President Banda was providing did not meet people's minimum expectations.
“He must understand that there are so many senior members in the NEC but why is he just hovering around Mulongoti? The President is being fed on a diet of poor advice,” Mpombo said. “The President is responsible for the confusion that has rocked the party. He is also responsible for the confusion on the national convention.”
Mpombo said the current confusion was a serious indictment on President Banda's leadership.
He cautioned Aka to be careful with President Banda.
“He is a very sly and cunning individual to an extent of sacrificing people at the altar of political expedience for his own survival. Aka must watch out otherwise his political career and public standing may end up in political flames,” Mpombo said. “We can only hope that when Rupiah met the Litunga, Aka was not sacrificed at the same altar of political expedience for the President's political survival.”
Mpombo also urged Aka to go back to his principles.
“If he says he was a founder member of MMD, why is he stuck to the man who is not upholding democratic principles? That brings Aka's principles into question as well because even on the issue of the convention, Aka has not spoken out. How do you support a system that is deeply imbedded in tribal politics, intolerance, unwillingness to listen and the so-called stubbornness?” Mpombo asked.
Mpombo said the recent problem with the Western Province should serve as a lesson to the organisers of the MMD caucus.
“Let them quarrel among themselves and never bring in the name of the Litunga. The Litunga is respected and is above petty politics because he is the custodian of the time tested Lozi traditions,” said Mpombo.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, GEORGE MPOMBO, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
Rupiah disowns Aka
By George Chellah
Wed 02 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda disowned his political advisor Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika (right) during his visit to the Litunga's Limulunga Palace on Monday.
Well-placed sources close to President Banda yesterday revealed what President Banda said during the meeting with the Litunga on Monday.
“We think the President was a bit unfair with Aka on this matter. One would have expected that after President Banda's visit to Western Province and the Litunga in particular, he would explain all the intricacies of the Andrews Motel meeting so that the misunderstandings or differences with the establishment (BRE) could be cleared in an honest manner, particularly that the President knows the whole truth about the Andrews Motel meeting,” the source said.
“No wonder Dr Francis Chigunta (State House chief policy analyst) and Aka himself were present in that meeting. Even if we were to assume that the President did not have an input on the accusations levelled against the Litunga in that caucus, he should not have betrayed Aka in this manner by creating an impression as though he was totally unaware of the Andrews Motel meeting.
“We know for a fact that whilst at the palace or should I say during the meeting, the President pleaded for forgiveness and literally expressed ignorance about the whole issue, which is not right. The President even went as far as saying that ever since Aka did that, he has been evasive…something like he has been avoiding him. It's like the President was trying to suggest that Aka is afraid of meeting him because he knows what he has done.”
The source said during a fully packed meeting, President Banda gave a moving apology to the Barotse Royal Establishment.
“The President seriously pleaded with the establishment to a point where it was even becoming embarrassing for the people he was pleading to. They just had to come in to assure the President that his plea has been noted…he really pleaded,” the source said.
The source further said the establishment raised concerns over the conduct of Western Province permanent secretary Ikanuke Noyoo.
“We know also that the BRE complained about the PS, the young man Noyoo. To be honest with you, the report, which was given on that young man is not impressive. It's like the establishment strongly felt that Noyoo is too arrogant and disrespectful,” the source said.
But when contacted yesterday, Akashambatwa said he had not heard anything about what President Banda told the Litunga. He insisted that the Andrews Motel meeting was not convened by him.
“Certainly, it was not convened by me. The person who convened it certainly said he convened it and he openly gave opening remarks. He said he was the convenor. So it's definitely untrue that I convened it, that is absolutely untrue,” he said.
When reminded that President Banda apologised to the Litunga and told the meeting that he (Aka) had been avoiding him ever since he did that, Akashambatwa answered: “Oooh, well…no I saw him off at the airport, I saw him coming back at the airport. I am at the office… I meet him, I saw him off.”
Asked if he has ever sat with President Banda to discuss the issue of Andrews Motel caucus, Akashambatwa asked in return: “To discuss what? But you see you can't be talking about something that is not true... I did not convene the meeting, that is absolutely true and there is nobody who tells the truth will ever say that.”
When pressed further to find out if he was willing to apologise to the BRE over what transpired in the meeting and the statements, which were issued on the Litunga, Akashambatwa responded: “For convening the meeting? Ah…I think my statement is quite clear. Do you want me to send it to you again? Okay, I will email you my statement….That is all I have to say on the subject. I don't have anything to add or subtract from that subject because its absolutely true,” Aka said in reference to his initial statement on the matter.
And MMD spokesperson Mike Mulongoti, who accompanied President Banda to Western Province, was quoted in the public media disputing stories that President Banda went to apologise to the Litunga for aspersions cast on him by some MMD officials at a recent meeting held in Lusaka.
“There was no apology tendered because collectively, we have great respect for the Litunga. I know some people could be careless in what they say, but as a party, our relation with the Litunga and the people of Western Province is unflinching,” said Mulongoti.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, MIKE MULONGOTI, RUPIAH BANDA, WESTERN PROVINCE
Read more...
Litunga was aware of Aka’s claims before Post story, reveals Milupi
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sat 21 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT
LUENA Independent member of parliament Charles Milupi yesterday said Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika’s assertions that the Litunga was behind the MMD’s fallout in Western Province were factually reported and attempts to discredit The Post over the matter are baseless.
Commenting on the issue where the MMD has accused Litunga Imwiko of using chairman for the dissolved MMD provincial executive committee Simasiku Namakando to cause problems for the ruling party in Western Province, Milupi advised the MMD not to attempt to bring the institution of the Litungaship into disrepute.
“We will not take that (MMD denial). We know that you (The Post) are factual on that matter,” Milupi said in an interview.
“Attempts to discredit The Post over this issue are baseless. If they feel injured, why haven’t they gone to court to say we have been misquoted… The BRE (Barotse Royal Establishment) through other sources are aware that those were matters that were really discussed, so attempts to discredit The Post is a futile exercise.”
And sources within the BRE yesterday revealed that Litunga Lubosi Imwiko was well-aware of Akashambatwa’s assertions during an MMD Caucus held in Lusaka last weekend before The Post carried a story from the meeting quoting inside sources.
“I know that the Litunga has said they are aware of the issues that were discussed,” the source said.
And Milupi asked the MMD to immediately apologise to Litunga Imwiko and the BRE Kuta (court) for the shabby manner they were attempting to treat him.
“We are concerned about the issue arising from the two-day seminar the MMD had, especially their reference or their attempt to attribute their problems as a party and government to the Litunga particularly and the BRE in general,” Milupi said.
“Since the Litunga and the Kuta reside in Limulunga, which is in Luena Constituency, as member of parliament for that area I am concerned that the institution of the Litungaship, which is revered in Barotseland is being brought into disrepute.”
Milupi said the Litungaship and the BRE had been in existence centuries before Zambia got independence and before the MMD came into existence.
Milupi said the dissatisfaction over the performance of the MMD was being expressed by many in the country, including chiefs, some of whom have made public statements to that effect.
Milupi said this dissatisfaction stemmed out of the high poverty and unemployment levels and the hopelessness with which the average Zambian was engulfed in.
“The very fact that the MMD was meeting over a period of two days is indicative of the fact that they themselves recognise that they have problems, which they need to address,” Milupi said.
“We do not want to involve ourselves with internal party politics but my understanding of the issue of the dissolution of the MMD provincial leadership in the Western Province arose out of two issues; that of the need for an MMD vice-president to come from the Western Province in view of the support that the then chairman was providing to the candidature of Mr Rupiah Banda for presidency.”
Milupi said the second issue was that of the need to stick to the MMD constitution by holding a convention.
“These were issues that were well-articulated. How then can they link these issues and the general dissatisfaction of the populace to the Litunga and the BRE?” Milupi said.
“The Litunga does not speak openly on subjects such as these. This goes back hundred of years and this is how we have been. We demand that the MMD apologises to His Majesty the Litunga, the BRE and Kuta for the shabby manner in which they are attempting to treat him.”
Milupi said the people of Western Province were aware that previous governments had attempted to diminish the authority of the Litungaship. He said when such a thing happens, the people would rally behind the Litunga.
Milupi said the MMD’s fall out in the province was emanating from President Banda’s statement that he never solicited for a vote from Western Province.
On assertions that Namakando and his clique were campaigning for his newly-formed political party, Milupi wondered why the MMD was being jittery over a party that had not even been launched.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, CHARLES MILUPI, LITUNGA
Read more...
Aka is using State House to fight Litunga – Namakando
By George Chellah
Thu 19 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT
INSULTING the Litunga and the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) will make the MMD even more unpopular in Western Province, chairman of the dissolved MMD Western province executive committee Simasiku Namakando warned yesterday.
Commenting on the resolution by the recent MMD caucus, which blamed him and the Litunga for the ruling party’s recent fall-out in the province, Namakando accused President Rupiah Banda’s political advisor Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika of misleading the President on what was happening in the MMD.
“Akashambatwa is using State House to fight the people of Western Province and to fight the Litunga. The Litunga is not involved in politics. In our tradition the Litunga does not campaign, the Litunga does not talk about politics. So involving him in what is happening in the MMD is an insult to the people of Western province. We know that Akashambatwa has been fighting the Litunga from the beginning,” Namakando said. “He wanted to become the Litunga. When he was rejected by the people he kept on fighting the Litunga and fighting the people of Western Province. He should not involve the Litunga. The dissolution of the MMD provincial executive committee in Western Province does not involve the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE). This was a careless move, which was done by some leaders in the MMD.”
Namakando said the people of Western province would not take it kindly for those that were insulting the Litunga and the BRE.
“They are aggravating the situation and making the party even more unpopular. You don’t insult the Litunga and his Kuta. I don’t think there is a politician from Western Province who will support Akashambatwa to attack the Litunga. The President must protect MMD by not allowing disgruntled people like Akashambatwa to destroy the MMD,” he said.
Namakando appealed to Akashambatwa to respect the Litunga.
“Let him not use State House to fight his own Litunga. When the President came for Kuomboka, he didn’t go to Lealui first. He went to see Akashambatwa’s mother first then in the afternoon that’s when he went to Limulunga and yet he was the Litunga’s guest, that’s an insult!
Akashambatwa will make the President unpopular,” Namakando said. “Insulting the Litunga is worsening the situation. Let them talk about Namakando because Namakando is a politician and he will answer back. As a man from Western Province, I will make sure that we fight for the province and protect the BRE. Anybody who involves the Litunga, we will not take that lightly. We will fight him.”
Namakando said blaming the Litunga was total indiscipline for a man who hailed from Western Province.
“If they are failing to develop Western Province, let them not blame anybody. We want development in Western Province. We want our roads tarred and we want the Mongu-Kalabo road done, the bridges here they must find money. We want the Senanga-Sesheke Road done and we want the Shang’ombo Road tarred, that is our argument,” Namakando said.
“When we talk about development we are not fighting the MMD. Akashambatwa is weakening the MMD. He is using State House to weaken the party because he was not given the position, which he wanted of vice-president. If the President is not careful the party will be weakened before he runs away.
The people of Western Province will fight for what is right. There is not even a single project which they are working on now, all these projects where left by the late Mwanawasa…Most of the people in the NEC are in Lusaka but they have failed to organise the party in Lusaka… Sata is running Lusaka and the Copperbelt.
Now Akashambatwa wants to destroy the MMD in Western Province,” Namakando said. “I will keep calling for the convention. He said something about the convention in Solwezi but we want the President to set the dates. I am happy that some of the people who attended this workshop told them that if we don’t go for a convention our party will be unpopular.”
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, LITUNGA, MMD, SIMASIKU NAMAKANDO
Read more...
It’s not in Rupiah’s interest responding to Sata – Aka
Written by Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Monday, May 04, 2009 12:19:50 AM
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda's political advisor Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika has said it is not in the President's primary interest to respond to Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata's attacks on his government.
In an interview last Saturday, Aka said the MMD government's primary concern was to remain focused on issues affecting the people.
"We have to stay focused. I don't think the President's primary interest is to respond to such issues," Aka said when asked what the President's stance was on the PF leader's criticism.
Aka said the government focused on dealing with the floods in Senanga as opposed to launching their campaigns in Western Province.
"Our issue in Senanga is to make sure that through the Vice-President's office, the people who are affected with the floods are relieved. We are making sure that we stay focused," said Aka.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA
Read more...
JCTR asks govt to review composition of APRM NGC
Written by Kabanda Chulu and Katwishi Bwalya
Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:04:56 AM
JCTR has challenged the government to review the composition of the National Governing Council (NGC) of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), saying it is not representative of major stakeholders in the country.
And the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) Church Social Teaching programme officer Dominic Liche has observed that having Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika (Aka), who is an active politician, as chairperson of the APRM will jeopardise the integrity of the process.
But justice deputy minister Todd Chilembo has said the government will not remove political advisor to the President Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika from the APRM as he would still remain a member of the process.
Reviewing the progress made since Zambia signed the APRM process in 2006, Liche stated that JCTR, together with other Civil Society Organisations working on the APRM through the Civil Society APRM Secretariat had highlighted how the process could be made more effective.
“We repeat our concerns here, especially on the nature and composition of the NGC, a body that oversees the whole APRM process. These concerns include, that the number of members on the NGC, which is 47, is too large and not representative of major civil society and church groups and that the way the chairperson of the NGC was selected was contrary to the APRM guiding principles and examples from pioneer countries that have gone through the APRM process,” Liche stated.
“Also having a chairperson [Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika] who is an active politician can very easily jeorpadise the integrity of the process and that the conditions of members of the NGC is associated with huge costs (K500,000 per person per sitting) that can easily raise controversies similar to those relating to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) and that there is lack of gender balance with only 11 women and that there is government dominance in the NGC, making voting almost always biased.”
Liche stated that the concerns raised should be considered and addressed even if it meant disbanding the NGC for a smaller NGC, which would be more representative.
“Sometimes there is a myth that a fully representative body must be a big one, but it is possible to have a smaller NGC that is really representative of key stakeholders as is the example of Ghana's NGC because it will be will be a waste of resources to have a process that will not really work for Zambia due to government dominance and political interests,” stated Liche. “It is disappointing that despite raising these concerns through the media and communication with the APRM Focal Point (Ministry of Justice), no adequate response has been given to our concerns. We want to see an APRM that is effective, transparent and inclusive with more education of the citizens on the process by government.”
But during a briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Chilembo said the government still needed the services of Aka who he said was a civil servant.
He said Aka would remain an ordinary member while Tamala Kambikambi would take up the position of chairperson for the APRM.
“Government has decided to appoint Mrs Tamala Kambikambi, former chairperson of the African Peer Review Mechanism National Governing Council as the new chairperson replacing Mr Akashambatwa who has taken up another national duty, but continues as an ordinary member,” said Chilembo.
“The new vice chairperson is Philip Chilomo. In line with Cabinet’s earlier decision, the National Governing Council will continue to locally oversee the implementation of the APRM. Government also has intentions of reducing the number of members on the APRM from 47.”
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, APRM, JCTR
Read more...
TIZ welcomes Aka's resignation
By Kelvin Tembo
Thursday September 25, 2008 [04:00]
TRANSPARENCY International Zambia (TIZ) executive director Goodwell Lungu has welcomed Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika’s resignation from Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), saying he was misleading other commissioners. And Caritas Zambia executive director Samuel Mulafulafu said the resignation shows inconsistency on Aka’s part.
Commenting on Aka’s resignation as ACC commissioner yesterday, Lungu said Aka had compromised his position.
“We welcome his resignation and agree with the ACC chairperson justice Valentine Chileshe that his involvement in active politics created a conflict of interest which undermined the role of fighting corruption without fear, favour or political affiliation,” he said.
Lungu said TIZ would have demanded Aka’s removal from the ACC in an event that he did not resign because it was clear that he supported one particular political candidate in the forthcoming presidential election.
He said TIZ opposed the appointment of Aka as ACC commissioner because he was an active member of the ruling MMD and his resignation had vindicated them.
Lungu said TIZ respected Aka’s intellectual capacity and advised him to use it correctly so that he did not get entangled in the same situation again.
He further recommended that Aka resign as chairperson of the National Governing Council of the African Peer Review Mechanism if he was chosen on the basis of him being a commissioner of the ACC.
And Mulafulafu said although Aka’s decision to resign as ACC commissioner showed inconsistency on his part, it was a personal decision which should be respected.
He recalled that it was not long ago that Aka resigned from active politics and only resurfaced a few years later.
“It shows that he is not stable in deciding his political direction,” he said.
Mulafulafu also asked Aka to resign from the National Governing Council because the position was not supposed to be held by anyone in active politics.
Justice Chileshe on Tuesday announced that Aka had resigned from the ACC following his active involvement in politics.
Aka has endorsed the candidature of Vice-President Rupiah Banda for the forthcoming presidential elections.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, TIZ
Read more...
Aka resigns as ACC commissioner
By Mwala Kalaluka
Wednesday September 24, 2008 [04:00]
ANTI Corruption Commission chairperson justice Valentine Chileshe has welcomed Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika's resignation as commissioner following his active involvement in politics.
Justice Chileshe disclosed during a briefing at ACC House yesterday that the Commission did not support Aka or any other commissioner's involvement in active politics in that manner or in the way he had shown preference for the one candidate.
"Recently, members of the public have at different fora raised concerns about the involvement of ACC commissioner Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika's involvement in active politics where he has clearly and openly supported the candidature of His Honour the Vice-President Mr Rupiah Banda as presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections," justice Chileshe said. "I further wish to state that the position of the Commission is that ACC commissioners and staff of the directorate of the Commission should not be involved in active politics as that creates a conflict of interest that undermines our role of fighting corruption without fear, favour or political affiliation, real or perceived."
Justice Chileshe said such involvement negatively affected the public's confidence in the work of the Commission.
"The legal provision under section 8(2) of the ACC Act provides for the resignation of an ACC commissioner upon giving one month notice in writing to the President. However, under the circumstances highlighted above, there is nothing to stop Mr Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika from resigning his position with immediate effect."
ACC acting director Rosewin Wandi said the Commission had received three complaints of electoral malpractices and that two of them were being investigated but could not give further details.
Labels: ACC, AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
Read more...
The politics of Comrade Aka
By Editor
Saturday September 20, 2008 [04:00]
We are not one of those people that criticise political figures who have been satanised by their enemies in order to please anyone. But we are not going to be so foolish as not to say something we have the right to say. Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has been a comrade of ours for many years and we have fought many battles together. We respect his right to criticise us and our work. We accept the fact that as human beings, not everything we do can be said to be perfect.
There will always be room for perfection. But the criticism should be honest. We know we are in the midst of an election campaign and some people believe campaign time is the time to throw around the biggest tonnes of lies against those they feel stand in their way. This shouldn’t be so. Campaigns should be time for telling the truth so that our people make the best judgements based on facts and truth.
It is difficult for us to attack a comrade like Aka. This man has struggled and suffered a lot trying to defend certain ideas, certain values of paramount importance when many of our politicians were busy prostituting themselves and feathering their own nests.
And if Comrade Aka became opportunistic today, we would still be sympathetic and understand him because very few would have managed to keep their dignity for this long with the problems he has had to endure.
But we have a duty to defend ourselves and our work from unjustified attacks and lies. We don’t think it is a crime to defend ourselves, and there is no historical process that hasn’t defended itself, in one way or another.
The entire country is aware of the show that takes place every time we have presidential nominations and elections, the lies and calumny that are spread about us whenever we take a strong stand on any issue, whenever we challenge the suitability of any candidate, whenever we raise issues of corruption against certain politicians, their sponsors and supporters.
Defending oneself is the most legitimate thing one can do, because if one doesn’t, one should resign and get the hell out – go somewhere and become a preacher, become a pastor, preach the gospel, which we are not against, because it has a lot of positive things in it. But we didn’t choose the career of pastor or preacher, we chose to be progressive and independent journalists, and to act ethically.
From the very beginning, we have never thought things were going to be easy. We are prepared to meet difficulties, to meet opposition and sometimes even betrayal by comrades.
We have difficulties now, and we will have even greater ones in the future, even if we do things the right way – and we should do them the right way, even if it calls for our greatest efforts. We have to cope with the objective problems in our country, the growing opportunism in our country’s politics.
It is sad that Comrade Aka can accuse us of not telling the truth about Rupiah Banda’s donations of sugar and mealie-meal in Katete and about the fact that he was campaigning to be elected president on October 30.
We have not exaggerated anything on this issue. We have a tape recording of everything that Rupiah said on that day in addition to his images, the pictures. If there is anyone whose objectivity is greatly impaired on this issue, it is not us but Comrade Aka.
But this is what happens to people, even the best of our people, when they become blinded by the pursuit of power, favours and privilege; this is what happens when ideas are lost; this is what happens when principles are abandoned or traded on the altar of political expedience.
Comrade Aka has travelled a difficult road over the last 17 years. He is the number one founder of the MMD, a party which he had to abandon in 1993 because he believed there was growing corruption in the party and its government.
He later that same year, together with others, founded the National Party. And again he abandoned this political party to form Agenda for Zambia and put his sister Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2001 elections.
But later on, Aka had to do a 360 degrees maneouver and rejoin the MMD when Levy Mwanawasa became president. Aka did this under the banner of ‘reunion’ and even wrote a book under the same title.
It is understandable the comrade may be tired but he can do with honour and integrity – without lies and desperation.
And we have discovered that in the struggle against negative events and actions, the work of the press is very important. We will always promote a critical spirit because it is fundamental to perfecting our system of governance.
Of course we know that there are drawbacks. And despite the possible consequences, anything is better than the absence of criticism.
The media should be used to educate, to teach, to create values. We are totally convinced, from our own experience, that values can be sown in the souls of men and women, in their intelligence and in their hearts.
We hold no brief for hypocrisies of any kind when some people talk about what our role should be. Our dream is of another press, of a country that is educated and informed, of a country that has a holistic general culture and can communicate with the world.
Those who fear free thought don’t educate their people, don’t give them anything, don’t encourage them to acquire the highest possible level of culture, the broadest and deepest possible knowledge of history and politics, and to value things for their own intrinsic value, to encourage them to use their own heads, to reach their own conclusions. In order to do that, to use their own heads, they need the facts on which to reach those conclusions.
When the mass media first emerged, they took over people’s minds, and they governed on the basis not just of lies, but also of conditioned reflexes. A lie is not the same thing as a conditioned reflex.
Lies have a negative effect on knowledge; a conditioned reflex has a negative effect on the ability to think. And it is not the same thing to be uninformed, or disinformed, as to have lost the ability to think because your mind is full of reflexes. That’s the way parrots are taught to speak, and bears are taught to dance, and lions to crouch down respectfully.
We know what society can achieve in knowledge, in culture, in quality of life, and in peace by using the media for the social good and not for the support or propping up of petty, greedy, selfish and unscrupulous politicians in their pursuit of power.
The more information, knowledge, education a person has, the better he can understand that the increasingly complex problems of this world cannot be solved through means that strip a society of its ability to think, or its ability to reason.
As for our friends who have to denounce us, tell lies about us to win the favour of those in charge or they want to put in charge of government jobs and resources, we say ‘do whatever suits your immediate political, social and financial interests’.
We don’t want anybody to have any difficulties in their lives, in their careers – political or otherwise – on account of us. Everyone should handle the issue of their relations with us in the way that best suits their personal circumstances.
We believe in ideas and we believe in awareness, in knowledge, in culture, and especially political culture. We have devoted many years to creating an awareness, and we have great faith, shall we say, in education and culture, especially in political culture.
Comrade Aka should know better than anyone, because he has struggled to bring political culture to bear upon on problems as complicated as the new economic order and neo-liberal globalization.
Our faith lies in the tremendous strength of ideas, in what we have learnt about the value of ideas and of knowledge. And yet there are still dangers, so we always try to educate, more and more, educate the new generations.
We believe that quality of life lies in knowledge, in culture. Values are what constitute true quality of life, the supreme quality of life, even above food, shelter and clothing.
But Comrade Aka should know that for us it’s not an issue of popularity, or who wins an election, that really matters. Whoever wins, we will still be here. The presidency of this country has changed hands three times and we are still here.
We have a duty not to be swept up by public opinion, not to blindly follow a point of view, however popular, or even dominant, it may be, when, of course, it may appear to be questionable.
We have had the privilege of fighting against people motivated mainly by ambitions of a material nature, ambitions of a political and economic nature, and a social nature.
We have seen what power can do. We have come to understand what power means to some people. Oh, power is power!
The most difficult, the most important fight that anyone with power faces is the fight against himself, the struggle for self-control; and against the corruption made possible by power and even against the abuse of one’s prerogatives. One has to have a well-trained, strong conscience, a great deal of awareness, because we have seen people become full of themselves and use power the wrong way: the use of power in the wrong way is something you have to be in constant watch for.
We are seeing craziness in the way Rupiah and his sponsors are abusing their control of government today. We fear for this country. What will happen when an opportunity comes for them to assume the full powers that go with the office of president?
There is nothing wrong, as Comrade Aka acknowledged, in looking for a job. But it has to be done in a decent and honest manner. There is so much excitement in the Rupiah camp.
Moreover, Comrade Aka should realise that political leadership is not just a job, is not just any other job, it is something that has to do with service to the community and it has a serious bearing on a nation’s destiny.
It is interesting to note that the man who is facing corruption charges, Katele Kalumba, is coming out to be the best, the most realistic, the most reasonable, the most decent, the most honest of the Rupiah camp.
Katele is acknowledging mistakes, errors and weaknesses. He is coming out as a more cultured, more tolerant person. And this confirms what we had stated some time back in one of our editorial comments, that it is sad for a person like Katele to have been lost through corruption because he is an educated, intelligent and cultured man. We hope it is not too late for him to bear on his friends to conduct themselves in an honest and decent manner.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
Read more...
Aka accuses The Post of exaggerating Rupiah's sugar campaign
By Chibaula Silwamba
Saturday September 20, 2008 [04:00]
MMD founding member Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has accused The Post of exaggerating MMD presidential candidate Rupiah Banda's well-intentioned distribution of sugar and mealie-meal to the people of Katete district last week. And Akashambatwa-Lewanika, commonly known as Aka, said his fellow commissioners of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) were free to openly declare their preferred presidential candidate contesting the October 30 elections.
Featuring on a phone-in programme on Lusaka's Radio QFM on Thursday night, Aka said The Post was reporting in a biased manner and carried a callous viewpoint against MMD's presidential candidate, who is also Republican Vice-President.
Aka was responding to callers who wondered why Aka seemed to now be supporting or condoning corruption as an ACC commissioner. Below are some callers' questions and Aka's answers.
Konoso: Aka is a good man. He even left the Chiluba government on corruption because he hates corruption and he is an Anti Corruption Commission commissioner.
But now Mr. Aka, there was a picture of Mr Rupiah Banda distributing sugar and was telling people that vote pa nkholoko vote MMD!. You being a commissioner, Mr. Aka, are you resigning because your candidate was distributing sugar?
If it were Hakainde Hichilema distributing sugar, right now he would have been locked up or imprisoned.
Are you resigning for supporting a candidate who is distributing sugar?
Aka: I think that it is important in elections that activities that can erode the confidence of the process should be avoided.
I think the way it was portrayed erodes that confidence. I do know that actually that is part of an on-going activity by the Ministry of Community Development. But I think that it was unfortunate, it coincided with elections and it was able to be misunderstood. I think all political actors; we owe it to our country to avoid such things.
I accept the Attorney General's statement on this and on the basis of that statement I am…I have nothing to resign from. I don't have a job but on October 30, I will have a choice between at least the three people candidates to choose from.
And among those three, I have no hesitation to say that I will cast my vote for Rupiah Bwezani Banda.
On the question of Eastern Province, I happened to have been there. I think what was reported in the newspaper was an exaggeration. And this is a newspaper that has been carrying on a crusade of biased and callous view point. But I think that the people of Zambia, I have confidence in them that we are mature enough to vote for a better candidate.
Interviewer (Nabwalya Bwalya): Okay, you say what was reported in the newspaper was an exaggeration?
Aka: No. Not even an exaggeration. It was a real distortion to the point of…
Another interviewer (Mumbi Kalima): Did the Acting President start campaigning after distributing sugar?
Aka: No. Well, I don't know what campaign is. I have acknowledged that the way it was perceived coincided with that. Of course, you had a lot of people there who started shouting party slogans to which the presidential candidate responded.
But the event itself was not a party event and the event itself was not a campaign. Within the vicinity of the Vice-President was followed by a crowd of people, they were singing praise to him, they were singing MMD slogans.
Mumba (in England. QFM is broadcast on the Internet www.coppernet.zm ): I am quite disappointed with what is going on. Why don't the MMD bring on the candidate Mr Rupiah Banda himself to come and talk about his policy direction and where he wants to take the country from where Mwanawasa left?
Why are they only allowing these people to come and promote their own interests because they are looking for jobs? Mr Lewanika there can say whatever he wants, but we know all these guys are just looking for jobs and we are not interested in hearing what they are saying. What we want to hear is what the candidate himself has to say about his policy vision.
Aka: I am sure the radio station is competent on how to bring people in. But there is no resistance from MMD. And there is no resistance that I know from any other candidate. But there is total freedom for the radio station to invite and make arrangements that they have. I should also indicate regarding policy, that there are perhaps four things that we have to look at.
There are policies which are like intentions, strategies and facilitating mechanism. Then beyond that we are looking for programmes that can utilise those policies to go beyond that to have results.
A caller: You are just looking for a job…
Aka: My fight against corruption did not come with being a commissioner. I resigned from ministerial position and fight corruption. I don't think to serve your nation you need a position. I will fight corruption whether I am a commissioner or not.
Nabwalya: Let us concentrate on those who have asked that Mr Lewanika, are you a job seeker because every politician is a job seeker?
Aka: I think that Zambian jobs are there for Zambians. So I agree with the caller that there is nothing wrong with a Zambian seeking jobs. What is wrong is to steal and bribe people to get those jobs.
What is wrong is to get jobs you can't do. What is wrong is for you to get jobs along tribal lines. What is wrong is for you to get jobs and then fail to perform.
Willy: Sometimes one wonders what is really wrong in our country. The MMD, I believe they have failed to address a number of critical issues affecting the majority of Zambians. The majority of Zambians don't afford three meals a day.
A Lusaka caller: I am a bit disappointed with the way he answered your question when you asked him about the time frame promoted for development. He answered that there is no time frame assigned to whatever the MMD has been doing.
How does he know whether they are achieving or not achieving because he is an economist and he understands that to do anything you have to have time frame within which to achieve it? Probably he is just looking for a job but he will be a really wrong person for the job.
He is a wrong person to support Rupiah Banda because he will be giving him wrong advice.
Imbuwa wa Imbuwa: I want to take you on leadership. I want you to give me a straight answer. MMD has really failed the people of Zambia just like the First Republic, we stagnant for almost 25 years, according to what you said. The MMD has really put us in a mess for 17 years. I am saying this because you have said of the three candidates the only suitable guy is…
Aka (interrupts): I did not say the only suitable, I said my choice.
Wa Imbuwa (continues): Yes. Your choice is Rupiah Bwezani Banda. Now I will tell you that this country, you and I and everybody else know that we have destroyed this country because we have no leadership.
What has happened in MMD happened in UNIP. Kaunda had no plan for succession, and it was disastrous and that is why UNIP today is finished.
Even MMD you are aware of the problems you have gone through and at one time you even resigned and formed your own party and you have come back to MMD. MMD under Chiluba had no plan of succession and it was disastrous. Even now MMD has a disaster.
The problem is that MMD has not looked at the issue of leadership and it will be nonsensical for me to look at other areas like health, education, road infrastructure. This problem of leadership is in all the political parties.
Lusaka caller: I would like to salute the MMD and I would like to salute the current government. The problem with us Zambians is that we forget where we come from. The MMD brought democracy and the economy has picked up. If you look at agriculture, it has improved. Let's give credit where it's due.
Chanda: I am disappointed with you (Aka) as a commissioner. Can other commissioners come out and be cadres the way you have come out?
Aka: I think it's preferable for people to come out in the open and state so that if people judge I would rather I tell you exactly what I stand for and it's up you to say we know Aka, we have heard him and we disagree with him rather than to keep quiet that because I am a commissioner…because ultimately on October 30, I have to cast my vote. I am afraid I am an incurable open person.
I believe there will be nothing wrong with any commissioners saying who they support. What will be wrong is if there was a commissioner who came on the air to support corruption because we are commissioners to fight corruption and corruption is everywhere.
We are not commissioners to curtail our other civil rights. I don't believe so and particularly if we are open about our preference, then everybody can judge. I will never hide my political opinion. I don't think it is a very good idea for people to be silent when we know privately that they support… I doubt very much if there are many Zambians who have no political opinion. I am more afraid of people with hidden political opinion and bias than those who tell you what their position is.
Aka (continues): There was a good question about leadership. The problem of leadership is everywhere in our country. It has not been solved and it will not be solved on October 30 because on October 30, we will only have three people to choose from, or four or five. Even beyond the elections, we must address the question of leadership.
There are parties like MMD that were founded on nationalist agenda to change the system and then there are other parties which were founded almost specifically for one individual to be president.
Mumbi: Which parties are those?
Aka: The only party in Zambia that was founded on a nationalist agenda today and the nationalist agenda is that once that agenda is achieved it benefits all Zambians.
It's clear that UPND and PF were not founded on a nationalist agenda.
Mumbi: What are they?
Aka: You are the one counseling me that I am here to only speak about MMD. I don't want to talk bad about other parties.
Caller: You said UPND and PF have no agenda. Can you tell us the agenda of the party that you and your sister Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika formed and contested elections in 2001? I used to hold you in high esteem but looking at you now, you are advocating that commissioners should openly declare their candidates of their choice. You are confusing Zambians.
Lusaka caller: Mr Aka, honestly speaking it's morally wrong for commissioners to come out in the open and state the candidate they are supporting.
Mark: We want answers. We don't want people to give us political rhetoric. Interviewers, please continue with your line of questions.
Aka: I should also say I have no quarrels with the line of questions. I am hard and tested. I have no problems. I have not failed any questions.
Caller: ZNBC should report truthfully about what transpired today Thursday at City Market. The Acting President was not given a thunderous welcome.
Jacqueline: The youths want jobs. The best the government can do is to put in place policies that will allow people have jobs. Youths are so immoral because they have nothing to do. Mr Aka, those are the issues that must be addressed. We have to improve education. Those are important issues.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, CORRUPTION, ELECTIONS, RUPIAH BANDA, THE POST
Read more...
The West has no credibility to intervene in Zim, says Aka
By Jack Zimba and Chibaula Silwamba
Thursday July 03, 2008 [04:00]
VETERAN politician Akashamba-twa Mbikusita-Lewanika yesterday said the West has no credibility to intervene in the Zimbabwe crisis. But Lusaka lawyer Dr Rodger Chongwe said the African Union (AU)'s resolution on the Zimbabwean post-election crisis has proved that it has no capacity to resolve problems on the continent.
Commenting on the AU resolution calling for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe following the run off elections that saw incumbent President Robert Mugabe controversially re-elected, Aka described the outcome of the just-ended AU summit held in Egypt as reasonable because it had recognised that only Zimbabweans were better placed to solve their problems.
"The West have no credibility in this matter because of their record in the past. They suffer from historic inconsistency and current inconsistency," Aka said. "I did not expect the unwise proposals of military intervention or economic sanctions because the fact on the ground is that not everyone in Zimbabwe supports Mugabe, and not everyone supports opposition Movement for Democracy Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai."
Aka wondered why there were calls for military intervention in Zimbabwe when Britain had refused to intervene militarily against Ian Smith in Rhodesia Zimbabwe and South Africa's then apartheid regime.
And chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said he had not heard anything from the Zambian delegation that attended the AU summit at Sharm-El-Sheik in Egypt.
However, Mulongoti said if President Mwanawasa had attended the meeting, he would have maintained his earlier position before he left for the summit.
President Mwanawasa had called for the postponement of the run off in Zimbabwe, saying the situation prior to the poll date could not guarantee a free and fair election.
Finance minister Ng'andu Magande attended the AU heads of state summit on behalf of President Levy Mwanawasa, after the latter suffered a stroke just before the summit. But Dr Chongwe said the AU had set a bad precedent in view of the Zimbabwe crisis.
"The AU has no capacity and it has shown itself that it has no capacity, it is incompetent, it is an undemocratic institution. The United Nations is the only organisation that I know which has brought peace in most of these conflict countries. The AU has failed to bring peace in Ivory Coast, Darfur in Sudan, DRC, where can they point as their record where they have been successful in bringing about peace in conflict areas in Africa?" Dr Chongwe asked. "Knowing the African leaders as they are, most of whom are undemocratic and they don't believe in a legitimate and democratic election, they will try to force people of Zimbabwe to have Mugabe as their leader and that is wrong, that is immoral, that is illegal. What Mugabe has done, if he is not shown the door, there may be others on the African continent who will do the same thing and even after being questioned by the AU, they will say 'Mugabe did it and you accepted.'"
Dr Chongwe said there should be an interim leader to lead Zimbabwe other than President Mugabe during the transition period.
"It's up to Zimbabweans to know that in Zimbabwe there are people who contributed to the development of the country, they can run an interim government," he said.
He added that it was not enough for the AU to call for a government of national unity without taking into account the fact that the June 27 runoff election was a sham.
"In any election, there must be a level playing field for all the players in that particular election. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission failed to ensure a level playing field in conducting the run off elections. The other parties were not allowed to hold rallies, they were being arrested and yet Mugabe had a free-for-all campaign. He also used state media while others were not allowed. So what kind of elections did Zimbabwe hold? Zimbabwe held a sham election and should not be recognised," said Dr Chongwe.
The AU summit recommended that President Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the MDC should form a government of national unity.
In its declaration at the just-ended summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the AU agreed to encourage President Mugabe and Tsvangirai to honour their commitment to initiate dialogue with a view to promoting peace, stability, democracy and the reconciliation of the Zimbabwean people."
The AU, which stated that it was deeply concerned with the Zimbabwe situation, agreed to "support the call for the creation of a government of national unity."
The organisation said it was deeply concerned with the negative reports of SADC, the African Union and the Pan-African Parliament observers on last week's presidential run-off election.
Labels: AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, NEOCOLONIALISM, ZIMBABWE
Read more...
ACC retires Banda
By By Amos Malupenga
Saturday June 28, 2008 [04:01]
Nixon Banda has been retired as Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general, ACC commissioner Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika (Aka) confirmed yesterday. Aka said Banda’s retirement arose from the fact that he had reached the retirement age of 65. He said according to the ACC Act, the director general is not supposed to be more than 65 years.
“The law is categorical and it has to be followed,” Aka said. “Following this development, the ACC deputy director has been asked to act purely for administrative purposes.”
Asked to comment on rumours or speculation that President Levy Mwanawasa refused to extend Banda’s contract on the pretext that he Banda was targeting the President’s relatives or associates for prosecution, Aka said:
“That is not true. The law is very categorical and nobody should start fishing for other reasons.
If the President had signed that, then he could have gone against the law. This law is very clear. Maybe I should give you a copy of the ACC Act for you to understand this. That clause in the Act speaks for itself; it is sufficient and there should be no other reason. ”
When reached for comment, Banda said he had no comment to make on the matter.
Labels: ACC, AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, NIXON BANDA
Read more...
Political will alone cannot overcome corruption , says Aka
By Gillian Namungala
Thursday June 05, 2008 [04:00]
ANTI-CORRUPTION Commission (ACC) commissioner Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika says high command leadership and political will are not sufficient to overcome the country’s compulsive habit and pervasive reputation of corruption. Opening a workshop for the Zambia Police service integrity committee focal officers at Tuskers Hotel in Kabwe on Tuesday, Akashambatwa said it took a social, political and institutional environment of free expression and full participation by all members of society to fight corruption.
Akashambatwa observed that the line up for the fight against corruption would be incomplete without the mental, verbal and action support of broad representation of citizens.
He said that was the only way police officers could weed out corrupt persons and practices in their organisation.
“For several years there has been an expressed negative public perception that the fight against corruption may be selectively targeted and driven by political expediency,” he said.
Akashambatwa said that was confirmed in the findings of the 2004 national governance baseline survey.
“Currently, the stigma against the agencies fighting corruption is partially sustained by the few corruption suspects or persons not perceived to have integrity,” he said.
He said the challenge to ACC together with the police service was about improving their performance and having the public see that they were working.
Akashambatwa however said the fight against corruption still rages with greater performance.
Labels: ACC, AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
Read more...
Aka condemns society for condoning corruption
By Joan Chirwa
Monday May 26, 2008 [04:01]
SOCIETY should be condemned for condoning corruption in Zambia, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) commissioner Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika (Aka) has said. Commenting on Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo who last week blamed the bribing of traffic officers on road users, Aka said society needed to re-examine itself on issues of corruption because it took two people for bribery to occur. He said the rising cases of corruption among police officers resulted from society’s quest to avoid being inconvenienced.
“It is the citizens that offer bribes to police officers. We acknowledge the fact that corruption is rampant among police officers but again we need to look at the one that offers bribes and not only those that receive the bribes,” Aka said. “I think we need to condemn ourselves as society for condoning corruption whether it is offering or accepting it. Everybody knows who is on the taking side and the one on the offering side.”
Aka said society had been too quiet on corruption issues, emphasising the need for Zambia to advance towards the reduction of bribery cases.
“Sometimes, we are too quiet as society to speak about these things. The truth is that corruption cannot exist if society refuses to bribe the police officers. The problem is that we have had officers being prosecuted for bribery but there is an absence from the side of the person who offered the bribe. Most of the reports we get are about the person that received the bribe being prosecuted and not the one that offered the bribe,” Aka said.
He urged law enforcement agencies to be tough on those who are caught offering bribes to officers.
“We have been a little soft on those offering bribes…we need to be tough on them. We always have a tendency of resorting to corruption whenever we are inconvenienced. This must end and it is good that we are on the same page with the police over this matter,” said Aka.
Mateyo last week warned of serious action against both corrupt police officers and those offering bribes.
Speaking when the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) through the Ministry of Transport and Communication donated 10 vehicles to the Zambia Police, Mateyo warned that both the traffic officer and the person bribing the officer would be arrested.
Labels: ACC, AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, CORRUPTION
Read more...
Aka calls for corruption-free ACC, police
By Abigail Chaponda
Thursday May 22, 2008 [04:00]
THE police service and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must ensure that their own houses are clean from corruption before they can clean corruption in the nation, Commissioner Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has said. Speaking at the official opening of the workshop for senior officers of the Zambia Police Service on the integrity initiative, Mbikusita-Lewanika said the police and ACC were the nation’s principal hands for cleaning up Zambia from corruption.
“Cleaning is best done by clean hands. Therefore, the police service and ACC must ensure that their own houses are clean from corruption and that is when they can fight corruption,” he said.
He said corruption was a tough enemy, which left law enforcement officers and citizens standing up against corruption risking being unpopular and even job discrimination.
Mbikusita-Lewanika urged the ACC and police to work together if they wanted to rid corruption out of the country.
“Before ACC, the police were single-handed at the front of fighting corruption. Now we have to work together because ACC was not established to remove the police from fighting against corruption, but to add more force to the policing of corruption,” said Mbikusita-Lewanika.
He said the police service should continue being a critical and integral part of the forces fighting corruption.
He said the war against corruption could only be won by officers, citizens and leaders with credibility and integrity.
“I don’t like corruption. In 1992 I resigned from a ministerial position rather than remain silent over the rising tide of corruption,” he said.
And home affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha in a speech read for him by his deputy Misheck Bonshe said corruption was prevalent in virtually all public service institutions.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo called on the public to desist from enticing the police with bribes.
“We the police are the targets of corruption and I urge you officers to try by all means to run away from corruption, no matter how much people entice you,” he said.
He urged all the commanding officers at the workshop to preach about corruption when they return to their stations.
“Make it a daily briefing - to talk about corruption - and warn all officers against its dangers. We want to maintain the good image of the police,” he said.
Labels: ACC, AKASHAMBATWA MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA, POLICE
Read more...
