COMMENT - Clearly it is unfortunate that one old man could cause the death of over 50 people in traffic. However, it is the lack of investment, caused by the absence of profits from copper. It should't be possible for one individual to cause such a large crash. But he did.
Retired Mkushi farmer accused of causing the death of over 50 people appears in court
Time Posted: February 12, 2013 5:14 pm
Mr Abraham Vandeem being led to a holding cell after appearing in court
A 74-year -old retired Mkushi farmer accused of causing the death of over 50 people involving a post bus and a truck in Chibombo area of the Central province today appeared before Kabwe Magistrate Court.
Abraham Vandeem appeared before Principal resident Magistrate Court John Mbuzi for the reading of the charges which took almost 45 minutes in a full to capacity court room and he responded that he understood the charges.
This is in matter in which the accused person whilst driving a Toyota Land Cruiser registration number ABH 2214 is alleged to have caused the death of 51 people by dangerous driving contrary to section 161 of the Road Traffic Act No.11 of 2002 of the laws of Zambia.
Magistrate Mbuzi said the accused could not take plea because the matter charged is tried by the High Court and that would have to wait for instruction from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to commit the case to the High Court.
The accused person has been denied bail pending court appearance.
Earlier lawyers representing the accused Mulilo Kabesha from Kabesha and Company and Paul Mulenga from Woods and Company applied to the court for the bail saying the case the accused person was faced with was bailable and that there are ready to meet the bail condition once the court grants the suspect bail.
Mr Kabesha contended that the accused person was a well known person who has invested heavily in the country and was of fixed abode and that he has problems and that keeping in cells will be unfair.
He said his client has heart, legs, and lung problems and prayed to the court to grant him bail.
But State prosecutor Susan Mwkalombe objected to the application saying the accused was a foreign national who could leave the country without the knowledge of the state and asked for fairness in the application considering the gravity on the matter at hand.
But in respond Mr Kabesha said the beauty of the Zambian law it does not discriminate and argued that as far as the law is concern any person is innocent until proven guilty.
In his ruling Magistrate Mbuzi denied the accused bail on the grounds of his nationality while the said investment in Zambia has not been tabulated by the defence.
He said due to the gravity of the offense committed he was denying him bail and adjourned the matter to february 26, 2013 for another mention and remanded in custody.
The accused who was using a walking stick was later taken to the holding cell within the court premises because been whisked away.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, JACOB VAN DEEM
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Sata ponders ways of reducing accidents
By Abigail Chaponda and Darious Kapembwa in Ndola
Tue 12 Feb. 2013, 14:50 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says he has spent some time thinking about what can be done to reduce road traffic accidents in the country. And President Sata has directed the quick construction of dual carriageways to connect major towns under the government's Link Zambia 8000 road project to avoid further loss of life to road accidents.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Ndola residents yesterday turned up to pay their last respects to victims of the Chibombo Post Bus accident that occurred last Thursday in which 51 people died.
Speaking during a requiem service at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, President Sata said he was shocked, scared and angered at the unfairness that took fellow citizens.
He said there were no easy answers to the tragic accident in which many people lost their lives.
"…but there are other questions, very important questions that can be answered by looking at the loss of these precious lives," he said. "It is for this reason that I wish to direct the ministries of transport, works, supply and communications as well as home affairs to put in place measures that will help mitigate such tragedies in future."
President Sata said there was need for the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and other law enforcement agencies to work closely with motorists and other road users in ensuring that traffic rules and regulations are observed in order to make roads safe for all users.
"Over-speeding and reckless drivers should be firmly charged in accordance with the law; the RTSA and the Zambia Police Service must strictly ensure that road users respect road regulations in order to reduce on accidents. I know that there are plans in the Link Zambia 8000 Project to construct dual carriage roads to link major cities. However, I direct that construction of dual carriage roads to link major cities be considered early," he said.
President Sata urged relatives to the deceased to mourn in a dignified manner as "this was time to beseech the almighty God for strength and spiritual power so that Zambia remains a united nation".
"The government and the people of Zambia share in your loss. My heart and the hearts of the first family pour out to the bereaved families. As we gather here today, still reeling from the tragic death of our children, brothers, sisters and parents; we are shocked, scared and angered at the unfairness that took our dear fellow citizens from us," said a solemn President Sata.
And scores of people lined up the street from the stadium to Mitengo Cemetery on the Ndola-Mufulira road and watched as four police trucks carrying coffins made their way to the cemetery.
Other on-lookers wept as the military convoy moved solemnly while others were seen being taken away.
MMD vice-president for administration Dr Brian Chituwo, Muchinga member of parliament Howard Kunda and MMD Copperbelt province information and publicity secretary Yotam Mtayachalo were also in attendance.
Meanwhile, Postmaster General McPherson Chanda said it was shocking to hear of the accident because the company always took pride as a reliable public transport system.
"As ZAMPOST and its subsidiary the Post Bus Company Limited, we have hitherto prided ourselves in offering a very safe and reliable public passenger transport. We were therefore shocked when this fatal accident happened and horrified when the full scale of the fatalities unfolded. Your excellence, we have, since the day of the accident visited the bereaved as well as injured in hospital," he said.
Chanda assured the bereaved families that ZAMPOST stood and shared in their loss and that the company was interested in the path of recovery for the injured.
A total of 21 victims were buried in Ndola while others were buried in different parts of the country.
After all people laid their wreaths, President Sata thanked opposition leaders that attended the funeral saying: "Thank you for coming. A funeral is not like a wedding that you should wait to be invited."
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, LINK ZAMBIA 8000, MICHAEL SATA
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Its Tragic - 59 die in Chibombo accident
By Staff Reporters
Fri 08 Feb. 2013, 14:00 CAT
GOD is faithful because I was asleep in the bus but found myself in a maize field surrounded with a lot of dead bodies, says Gina Momba, who survived yesterdays' tragic road accident in Chibombo. And President Michael Sata says it is regrettable that the country has continued to lose valuable citizens through fatal road accidents.
A total of 59 people yesterday died in the accident in Chibombo district when a Lusaka bound 70 seater-Post Bus from Ndola collided head-on with a Hermis Transport Truck that was carrying South African branded 'blue bird' mealie-meal bags destined for the DR Congo.
At least 57 passengers on the bus from Ndola to Lusaka died while the other two were from the truck which lost control and hit into the bus.
Police picked 51 bodies on the accident scene, while seven who were critically injured were rushed to Liteta hospital.
Unfortunately, according to Central Province deputy police chief Andrew Mbewe, six died on the way to the hospital.
He said the condition of one of the survivors was still critical.
He said by midday people were still trapped in the bus.
"What happened is that there was a Land Cruiser that was trying to overtake the Post Bus but did not realise that there was a truck in front. When the truck of Congolese registration saw the cruiser, he tried to swerve, he lost control and hit into the Post Bus," he said.
Mbewe said there were 60 passengers on board the bus and that both drivers (from Post Bus and the truck) died on the spot.
He said police also removed two bodies from the truck, bringing the total number of dead persons to 59.
Speaking at Liteta Hospital where she is admitted, Momba, who looked terrified, said God was indeed a living God.
"I don't even know what to say because to say the truth, I don't even know what happened. God is there and I don't even know how to thank him! When I realised that we were involved in an accident, all I did was to see whether my son who is only a year old was okay. Just look at him, he is fine and I am also fine. I only sustained a cut on my hand and it is not even deep and my shoulder is paining but not very much," Momba said. "God is a living and faithful God because I was asleep in the bus but found myself in a maize field surrounded with a lot of dead bodies."
Another survivor, Musa Osman, 32, of Ndola said he was fast asleep when the accident happened and that he only realised that he was involved in an accident when he heard people shouting for help.
"It was by the grace of God that I survived the accident because I was supposed to seat somewhere in front but I was told to sit behind because I went to the station very late. Thank God I sat behind," Osman said.
And Kabanda Bwalya, a husband to one of the victims, said it is difficult to understand that his wife has died.
"It is bad, if she was unwell, I could have understood but it is not easy especially that she called me when they left Kabwe," said Bwalya.
Witnesses including motorists that were behind the bus and villagers that were at the scene when the fatal accident happened between 07:00 hours and 08:00 hours said that a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by a white man from Mkushi overtook the bus but found himself facing the oncoming Hermis truck that tried to swerve to avoid hitting the Cruiser and instead collided with the bus, resulting in 51 people dying on the spot.
The death toll is expected to rise due to the critical conditions in which some survivors were in and have since been rushed to Kabwe General Hospital and University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.
Chibombo district medical officer Dr Priscilla Chisha said out of the 23 injured passengers that were taken to Liteta Hospital, two died whole seven had been taken to Kabwe General and six to UTH.
Post Master General Macpherson Chanda described the accident as tragic and unprecedented in the history of the Post Bus.
"This is really sad. I don't know what to say because this has never happened before, it is really tragic. We have organised transport to go and help out at the accident scene. We are also going to look into the modalities of ferrying the bodies and the injured to Ndola since most of them are Ndola residents," said Chanda.
President Sata in his message of condolences to the families of the 59 people who died said he was extremely saddened at the loss of more innocent lives in yet another road accident relating to public transport.?"Allow me on behalf of my Cabinet, the first lady and indeed on my own behalf to convey my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," President Sata said in a statement by his special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah. "We pray that the Lord almighty grants the bereaved families comfort and strength during this very painful period."?President Sata directed the Zambia Police Service and the Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) to promptly step up their actions to arrest the situation.
He wished the several injured victims a quick recovery.
Meanwhile, chief government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said government had received with shock and horror the death of the over 50 people.
Sakeni, who is also information minister, said the accident was a national tragedy of immense grief and sorrow.
"On behalf of the government and people of Zambia, I convey deep-felt condolences to the bereaved families on this tragic and untimely loss of lives. As a nation, we pray to God Almighty for strength and comfort as we go through this sad and painful loss. We also wish the injured a quick and full recovery," he said.
He said the government was deeply concerned about the frequent road fatalities on the Zambian roads and would not rest in ensuring that tragedies of this nature were minimised.
Sakeni urged RTSA and other law enforcement agencies to work closely with motorists and other road users in ensuring that traffic rules and regulations were observed in order to make roads safer.
RTSA chief executive officer Zindaba Soko said the accident was caused by dangerous driving.
He said RTSA would deal with drivers abrogating traffic rules and regulations.
Government departments such as the Army, Police, Fire Brigade, RTSA and Prisons were mobilised to help retrieve bodies of the people who were trapped in the wreckage of the truck.
The officers were also involved in transporting the injured and dead bodies to Liteta Hospital and mortuary respectively. However, the mortuary at Liteta could only accommodate 18 bodies and by press time, efforts were being made to take all the bodies to Kabwe General Hospital.
And home affairs deputy minister Stephen Kampyongo described the accident as a national disaster.
Kampyongo, who was at the scene of the accident with Central Province minister Philip Kosamu and works and supply deputy minister Colonel Panji Kaunda, said it was sad because the country had never lost so many lives in a single accident on the same day.
"God! This is a tragedy! This is a disaster to the nation. Losing over fifty people on the same day! No, this is a sad day for both the ministry and the nation. Bus drivers should always be extra cautious when transporting people. That is why we always tell people that seat belts are very important. Its' like all of them were not in seat belts," he said.
And agriculture minister Emmanuel Chenda, who was found at Liteta Hospital, searching for relatives, said losing more than 50 people in a single accident is heartbreaking.
And Chibombo district commissioner Felix Mung'wala, who rushed to the scene five minutes after the accident happened, said it was sad that even those that had been rushed to the hospital were badly injured and hoped that they would pull through.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS
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Minister in Chipata road accident
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sun 13 Jan. 2013, 12:10 CAT
EASTERN Province minister Malonzo Sichone yesterday escaped unhurt when his official vehicle careered off the road and rammed into a billboard for Katopola Basic School after hitting a cyclist along the Chipata/Mfuwe Road.
The accident occurred at Katopola turn off about 2 kilometres from the Central Business District. Sichone, who was with his messenger and driver, met his fate on his way to Chipata Airport to see off defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba who was in the province to officially launch the Zambia National Service youth skills training at Chiwoko.
According Sichone's messenger Justine Mwale, the cyclist who was
unconscious after the accident, was rushed to Chipata General Hospital.
Mwale said the side mirror hit the cyclist.
"What happened is that as we were coming from town, we just saw the cyclist turning. The driver tried to hoot and later tried to apply brakes but it failed until he hit the cyclist. He was hit by the view mirror," he said.
Eastern Province permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba expressed concern at the high accident rates.
Mwamba said there were no serious injuries and that the minister escaped unhurt.
A check at the scene around 13:40 hours found a GRZ vehicle
registration number GRZ 131 CJ with a damaged left mirror.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, MALONZO SICHONE
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55 cheat death in Kabwe bus fire
By Fridah Nkonde
Tue 04 Dec. 2012, 09:10 CAT
FIFTY-five people in Kabwe yesterday escaped death when the bus they were travelling in caught fire.
Central Province police commissioner Standwell Lungu yesterday said the fire occurred around midday when the driver stopped the Juldan bus, which was coming from Solwezi, to allow a passenger to get off.
"I have been informed that the bus was coming from the Copperbelt and when it reached Chindwin Barracks, the driver had to stop to allow one passenger to get off and that is when the bus caught fire. But all the passengers were removed from the bus without any injuries," he said.
Lungu said the bus, which was coming from Solwezi, was completely burnt, adding that it was good that no life had been lost.
Other details of the accident were still scanty by press time.
And police in Southern Province are investigating a matter in which a cow in Nega Nega area of Mazabuka gave birth to a four-legged creature with a human like head, which later on died.
Police yesterday exhumed the figure in chief Naluwama's area to establish circumstances that could have led to the cow delivering such a creature.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS
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Tsvangirai's spokesman fights for life
04/11/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s official spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka is battling for life at a private hospital in Harare after he was involved in a car accident early Sunday.
By mid-day, Tamborinyoka was reported to be on life support at Avenues Clinic, with restive relatives, workmates and party supporters waiting for the lunch time visiting hour to see him.
Douglas Mwonzora, the spokesman for Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party, said Tamborinyoka’s Toyota Prado overturned in Domboshava while he was visiting his rural home.
“A rear tyre burst and the car overturned. He has suffered head injuries, broken ribs and his lung was also affected,” Mwonzora said.
“But we hope he will be fine.”
Some of his workmates told New Zimbabwe.com that the vehicle rolled three times before landing by its roof, leaving Tamborinyoka seriously injured and his five brothers who were in the car with minor injuries.
It is believed he broke five ribs, ruptured a lung and suffered horrific head injuries.
The vehicle was removed from the scene of the accident at around 11AM and taken to the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) in Harare while the accident is investigated.
Tamborinyoka’s boss, Tsvangirai, was said to be in the United Kingdom on Sunday at the start of his two-week honeymoon with his new wife, Elizabeth.
The former Daily News reporter joined the MDC-T's information department before taking over as Tsvangirai's spokesman in 2010.
Road accidents kill thousands in Zimbabwe every year. Most are blamed on the poor state of roads, unfit vehicles and drunk drivers.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, DOUGLAS MWONZORA, MDC
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Passengers escape unhurt as bus hits elephant
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Thu 21 June 2012, 13:23 CAT
ABOUT 16 passengers, mainly cross-border traders, travelling from Zimbabwe on Monday night escaped death on the Musi-o-Tunya Road when the minibus they were in rammed into an elephant.
The driver of the mangled Toyota Hiace minibus registration number AJB 7252, which is currently parked at the Livingstone Central Police Station, is alleged to have been speeding when he hit into the back of the elephant.
Confirming the accident, Southern Province police commissioner Brenda Muntemba said the accident happened around 19:30 hours.
"The elephant was not found after it was hit by the bus; this you have to call Zambia Wildlife Authority. It is most likely that the driver was speeding looking at the time of the accident. No one died in the accident and most of the passengers were attended to at the hospital and discharged," Muntemba said.
And chief Mukuni cautioned tour operators, taxi and minibus operators to be mindful of the speed limits when driving from the Victoria Falls as many parts of the road passed through elephant corridors.
And a ZAWA official who sought anonymity said the elephant was said to have been knocked down by the impact of the minibus.
"Looking at the side of the damage on the vehicle we concluded that the elephant was crossing the road towards the river and the driver tried to avoid it by swerving to the right. We have conducted patrols to try and locate the animal as it is definitely injured and may be deadly if it comes across human beings," said the official .
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, ELEPHANTS
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Spanish ambassador to Zimbabwe dies in car crash
Love affair ... The late Spanish ambassador described as "friend of Zimbabwe"
03/04/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
THE Spanish Ambassador to Zimbabwe has been killed in a car crash while on a
visit to Namibia, the embassy announced on Tuesday.
Ambassador Pilar Fuertes Ferragut also doubled up as the Spanish envoy to Zambia and Malawi.“The Spanish Embassy wishes to inform you of the tragic passing away of H.E. Pilar Fuertes Ferragut... in a car accident on Monday afternoon,” said a statement signed by Romée Fisher, an embassy official.
“A Book of Condolences is open from Tuesday until Thursday this week and Tuesday April 10th from 8AM to 4PM at the Embassy (16, Phillips Avenue in Belgravia).”
The statement added that “all cultural activities of the Embassy of Spain have been cancelled until further notice.”
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party said it had learnt with “great shock and despair” of Ambassador Ferragut’s death.
“The MDC family fondly remembers the ambassador for her ability to mingle and interact with people at all levels of society,” the party said in a statement.
The ambassador had taken time “to acquaint herself with the country as well as the people... in order for her to relate on a meaningful level with them”.
“She represented her country Spain with distinction and acquitted herself well in the execution of her duties. Ambassador Ferragut was supportive of Zimbabwean arts and culture as well as humanitarian projects,” the statement added. Ambassador Ferragut was accredited to Zimbabwe in March 2009.
Labels: AMBASSADOR, CAR ACCIDENTS
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Kitwe's Bulangililo residents riot again
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Sun 25 Dec. 2011, 13:30 CAT
RESIDENTS of Kitwe's Bulangililo Township on Friday rioted for the second time following the death of three children that were hit by a Canter light truck.
On Wednesday, residents of Bulangililo ran amok after a Mitsubishi Canter light truck knocked down six children, two of whom died on the spot and another on Thursday while three others are nursing serious injuries in Kitwe Central Hospital.
The riots were sparked by the careless speeding driver of an Toyota Corolla unregistered in Kazembe road, a day after the Canter truck hit six children.
The mob that forced the car to stop beat up the driver and smashed the windscreen before he was rescued by two police officers and a Paronama security guard.
The instant mob also attacked one of the passers-by who tried to rescue the man before running for safety.
"People here are annoyed with these irresponsible drivers following the death of our children who were killed on Wednesday by that Canter track. We will never allow anyone to speed in this road and since we can't be protected by the traffic police, we have started policing ourselves," said Kelly Kapya, a resident of Bulangililo.
The driver of the Canter truck identified as Patrick Miti, 33, of house number 213 Kwacha township is in police custody.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, COPPERBELT PROVINCE
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Nyimba accident has been horrifying, says Rev Matale
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Wed 03 Aug. 2011, 14:00 CAT
THE Nyimba accident has been horrifying for many people, says Council of Churches in Zambia secretary general Suzanne Matale. And Rev Matale says there is urgent need to work on the country’s road network and stiffen laws on the issuance of public service vehicle (PSV) licences to avoid accidents.
Commenting on last week’s Nyimba accident which has so far claimed 38 lives, Rev Matale said the accident had been horrifying for many people because many lives had been lost.
She said the standards in terms of making sure that all the people who aspire to drive public vehicles have a PSV licence had been lost.
Rev Matale said people who drive public vehicles should be of a sober character and also of the right age.
“Most of these accidents happen because of careless drivers who don’t qualify to drive on the road,” she said.
She said there was need to tighten the rules on obtaining PSV licences.
Rev Matale said the roads as well as the drivers were bad and this was causing accidents on the roads.
She said the reasons for the accident were clear because the road had been carnage for a very long time and said it was important that something was urgently done to improve the road.
Rev Matale also said there were so many vehicles on the road and the government was not seeing the importance of widening and building new roads.
She said people were now almost driving on top of each other which was causing chaos.
“No one is following the rules anymore. There are too many cars and no new roads constructed. This is making people unproductive because it takes forever to get from one place to another. You spend hours and hours just on the road. Zambians are becoming unproductive because they are spending too much time on the road than in the office,” she said.
Rev Matale said it was understandable that the current roads were being improved but it was important to have new roads to decongest the existing ones.
Meanwhile, Rev Matale has condemned the MMD cadres who attacked Muvi TV journalists during their tour of duty.
She told political parties that it was undemocratic to harass people who were merely carrying out their work to educate and inform the public on what was happening in the country.
Rev Matale said the media should be left to report truthfully.
She also expressed regret that the planned demonstration by the Zambia Media Women Association (ZAMWA) which was scheduled for last Friday was stopped.
Rev Matale said one could not understand why a peaceful demonstration was stopped because demonstrations which were peaceful were part of a democratic dispensation.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, ROADS, SUZANNE MATALE
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PF delegation discovers body at accident spot
By George Chellah in Nyimba and Agness Changala in Lusaka
Sat 30 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
PF leader Michael Sata yesterday visited the Nyimba road accident and discovered a body that remained uncollected after the crash. And the government has summoned operators of the bus and truck involved in the Nyimba accident, which left 35 people dead, to report to the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).
Sata, who is on a campaign trail in Eastern Province, arrived at the accident scene around 14:00 hours to acquaint himself with what happened. Accompanied by former Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda and former Kanyama member of parliament Gerry Chanda, Sata went around the area and discovered a body which was partially buried under bags of lime.
Upon discovering the body, Sata and his team immediately rushed to Nyimba Police Station to alert the police of what they had found at the accident scene.
At the police station, Sata was informed that the police had no fuel to get to the scene, forcing him to offer to buy the fuel and blankets to cover the body.
At that point, Sata was joined by former Chipata Central MP Lameck Mangani and PF Eastern Province chairperson Lucas Phiri.
After the police vehicle was refueled, Sata and his team, which included the police, drove back to collect the body.
The team arrived back at the scene at exactly 15:00 hours and started removing the bags of lime covering the body, an exercise that lasted six minutes.
The body was then placed on a Nyimba police van registration number ZP 1793B.
Sata and his team accompanied the body to Nyimba District Hospital Mortuary.
At the hospital Sata also visited an accident victim still admitted there.
Later in an interview, Sata complained about the manner the government had handled the crisis in Nyimba.
“If you had a responsible government, they should have combed the area and removed those bags of lime at the scene so that they do a thorough search,” Sata said.
“Can you imagine we were just driving along the road and decided to check the scene and discovered the body. If we had not been on the scene, that body would not have been discovered. That body could have even been eaten by hyenas because it is in the bush.”
Sata appealed to President Rupiah Banda to be human and show respect to people that lost their lives in the Nyimba accident.
“I think it’s high time Rupiah started treating Zambians like human beings. This President has more respect for the so-called fake investors than our people,” Sata said. “ Rupiah's love for money is depressing. How can the President rush to go and commission a cement plant in Ndola and ignore such a serious calamity? Commissioning means a lot to him than the people he claims to be serving.
Let Zambians open their eyes because Rupiah is a selfish and insensitive leader.”
“When there was a similar accident during the Kaunda days on the same road where 47 people died, Kaunda had to cut short his visit to Egypt and returned home to attend to the disaster. Rupiah is not a child, we expect him to treat such matters of national importance with seriousness. Honestly, I am saddened by this neglect and lack of respect for our people.”
Sata urged the government to take a leaf from how the Chinese handled the train disaster.
“When about 43 people died in China, the Chinese President went to visit the crash site and now they are even doing a national inquiry on what went wrong,” Sata said.
But here, a disaster happens and the first thing the President does is to rush to commission some cement plant instead of rushing to comfort the survivors and console those who had lost their loved one.”
He said it was regrettable that lives were being lost on Zambian roads every day.
“This week we have lost about 35 people and according to Mr Banda, that is not a crisis. Even the government's reaction is one that is business as usual. We need to restrict the speed of public service vehicles and put in place effective monitoring systems,” Sata said.
“We can't continue losing people this, like we are not all thinking.
If you find 35 animals dead in a kraal, it's a crisis. What about people? Why is this government so insensitive to the plight of Zambian people,”
“The laissez-faire attitude where people treat disasters of this magnitude as a business as usual has to come to an end. There is no way 35 people can die and there is no national sadness. How many people should die before we mourn as a country? We also have to make travelling on our roads safe so that our people don't continue losing mothers, fathers, aunties, uncles children and other relatives.
Sata said true leadership was measured by how a person responded to calamities.
And communications and transport permanent secretary Dominic Sichinga yesterday announced that he had summoned the two operators to help the agency deal what happened in Nyimba.
Sichinga directed that both operators take their fleet of motor vehicles and trailers registered on their Road Service Licences (RSLs) to RTSA offices on Tuesday at 10:00 hrs.
He further directed the operators to take their licensed drivers along with them.
“These directives should be taken seriously. Failure to adhere to the directives will result in the instant cancellation of the Road Service Licences for both operators,” Sichinga said.
He said the government was concerned that operators and drivers were exhibiting high levels of poor road user behaviour which was causing loss of life.
Sichinga urged operators and drivers to join in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety as it would benefit them.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, MICHAEL SATA, PF, RTSA
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34 die in Nyimba road accident
By Christopher Miti in Chipata and Chiwoyu Sinyangwe in Lusaka
Thu 28 July 2011, 10:00 CAT
THIRTY-four people died yesterday when a Lusaka-bound Zambia-Malawi bus collided head-on with a truck belonging to Kavulamungu in Nyimba area of Eastern Province.
Police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana who confirmed the accident that occurred yesterday at 07:40 hours, said the road crash claimed 28 people on the spot while two died on the way to the hospital, with other deaths occurring at Nyimba District Hospital.
Siamana said the accident occurred at a curve near Mchimanzi Basic School in Nyimba and was caused when the two vehicles collided in the middle of the road, resulting in the truck being completely burnt together with its four passengers.
She identified the two vehicles as a passenger bus registration number ABL 5441 driven by George Siame of Lusaka’s Matero township and the truck with registration number ABZ 5257.
Siame was by press time battling for his life in Nyimba District Hospital together with other 56 passengers, according to Siamana.
“Both drivers were wrong as the collision happened in the middle of the road on the white line,” Siamana said. “So far ,the bodies are lying in Nyimba and Petauke district hospital mortuaries.”
Siamana said the death toll was exacerbated by overloading on the bus.
Separately, Eastern Province permanent secretary Eularia Mwale said the accident occurred when the bus wanted to overtake another bus but ended up colliding with an oncoming truck that was carrying lime.
“This is a very bad accident, the bus that has the capacity of carrying 70 people had 88 passengers on board and the truck which was supposed to carry two people had 6 people,” Mwale said. “Four people from the truck had been burnt beyond recognition. This bus wanted to overtake the other bus, but it collided with the truck which ripped the other side of the bus thereby throwing the passengers all over the place and the truck got burnt.”
She said a number of the survivors were critically injured.
Mwale urged drivers to desist from overloading.
“I urge drivers to desist from overloading and the passengers should also avoid overloaded buses. There are so many buses so they should avoid such buses,” said Mwale.
And Anglican Diocese of Eastern Zambia vicar-general Fr Dennis Milanzi who was travelling to Lusaka on a different bus described the accident as ‘very serious’.
Fr Milanzi said the bus overturned after colliding with the truck.
“I was on Johabie Express and we were following the bus which was involved in an accident, so I actually did not see what transpired, but I can say Nyimba police came in very fast and I saw the DC (Colonel Jeremiah Mbawe) on the scene, so I can say reinforcement came very fast,” said Fr Milanzi.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, EASTERN PROVINCE, NDANDULA SIAMANA
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Katele in car accident
By Patson Chilemba
Mon 15 Nov. 2010, 04:02 CAT
Katele Kalumba’s wife, Lumba, yesterday said it is a miracle that her husband is still alive following a road traffic accident in Luapula’s Kashikishi area on Friday.
In an interview soon after Kalumba, the ruling party’s national secretary, was evacuated to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) from a hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he had been admitted following the accident, Lumba said she was very grateful that her husband was still alive.
“It is still a miracle that he is alive. God is great and we are grateful to all the people who have assisted. Right now, he has gone for some checkups,” she said.
Lumba, who was in Lusaka when the accident happened, said she informed defence minister Dr Kalombo, who is her husband’s cousin, immediately she heard about the accident.
She said Dr Mwansa immediately made arrangements for the Zambia Air Force to pick Kalumba up, but could not do so since he had been taken across the border to a hospital in Congo where he was admitted.
Lumba said the member of parliament for Mpweto in Congo DR advised that it would be quicker to arrange for a plane from that country since Kalumba was already admitted there.
She explained that this was the reason Kalumba was evacuated from Congo to Lusaka yesterday using a Congolese plane.
And Kalumba, who was clearly in pain, said he would be fine following his involvement in a road traffic accident.
Speaking from his hospital bed at UTH’s Fast Track VIP ward, Kalumba said he sustained a rupture in the bladder and lost a lot of blood.
However, Kalumba, said the medical staff at the hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo managed to calm the problem.
He complained of severe pain in the pelvic region and the back.
“I will be fine. There was a rupture in the bladder and I lost a lot of blood,” said Kalumba in a brief interview.
Kalumba’s driver, Francis Chalwe, who witnessed the accident, narrated the incident.
“The Pajero vehicle he was driving threw him out the window, and the same car fell on him. We had to lift it up and get him out. He was trying to avoid a pothole,” said Chalwe. “We were coming from Kashikishi to see the driver of the truck Kalumba’s truck which had overturned early in the morning.”
Chalwe said the incident happened near Congo DR.
Upon arrival at Lusaka International Airport, Kalumba was whisked away in a ZAF ambulance to UTH, where he was carried on a stretcher to the Fast Track VIP Ward where he has been admitted.
The MMD party leadership led by national chairperson Michael Mabenga, arrived to see him at the hospital shortly after his arrival.
Kalumba is MMD’s Chiengi member of parliament.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, KATELE KALUMBA
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Interview: DPM Arthur Mutambara
by Violet Gonda
11/05/2010 00:00:00
VIOLET GONDA: My guest on the programme Hot Seat is Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who maintains Zimbabwe is not ready for elections in 2011. He is being accused of trying to prolong his stay in government after he contradicted statements by both Zanu PF and MDC-T, who insist elections should be held next year. First Professor Mutambara talks about the death of four of his colleagues in the MDC-M, including Secretary for Lands and deputy spokesperson Renson Gasela, who were killed recently in a road accident, tragic deaths that have further exposed the conditions of our roads and the breakdown of the rule of law in Zimbabwe.
ARTHUR MUTAMBARA: You know the death of Gasela was a major loss to our party and to the country. Gasela was such a person who was so talented in his field of agriculture. He was such a unifier who was respected across the political divide – Zanu PF, MDC-T and our party were all very respectful of Gasela – that is the nature of the person of Gasela. In terms of his skills, even in Cabinet, although he was not a member of Cabinet, our discussions on agriculture, and our discussions on the drought were influenced by Gasela’s thinking and Gasela’s wisdom.
For example there’s an idea he’s been pushing for a two-year budget plan for agriculture, where you plan for two years, you raise your resources and inputs for two years so that you have a two-year roll over budget for agriculture. It was a Gasela idea I took to Cabinet and which Made, the Minister for Agriculture is going to use. That was the nature of the influence and ability of Gasela. It was a major loss to us as a Party, a major loss to the country. And also as you know we lost another two people Lyson Mlambo and Mai Gumbo so it was a major disaster but we soldier on and say rest in peace Gasela, rest in peace Gumbo, and rest in peace Mlambo. We should continue with the struggle to unite the people of Zimbabwe, we must continue with the struggle to bring about an economic dispensation that improves the quality of the lives of the people of Zimbabwe. That is what Gasela would have wanted and that is what we are going to continue to push for in our country.
GONDA: Many people we have talked to have also said that Mr Gasela was respected across the party divide and going with what you have just said just now that we must continue the struggle to unite the people of Zimbabwe, many have also been saying that judging from what they saw at the funerals of Gasela and others that, most of your supporters, even from the Tsvangirai led MDC, they attended these funerals and some people are saying isn’t it time that the two MDC formations joined forces and reunited because they feel that together you’ve got a stronger chance of bringing about a democratic Zimbabwe? How do you respond to those people?
MUTAMBARA: We can be united without being uniform; we can be united without belonging to one political party. Multiple political parties create competition, multiple political parties create innovation and thinking, so we must work together on the common objectives, we must work together to bring about a new Zimbabwe and in doing so we can be united without being uniform so there is a case for the different political parties to exist in our country but we can always close ranks and work together towards a common objective. ZAPU and ZANU were two separate political parties in the ‘70s but they fought together and got 1980 as a result jointly so there’s nothing that says for change to come it can only come from one political party or one political formation. But however having said that, we are open to dialogue, we are open to discussions to say what is the best way of emancipating the people of Zimbabwe, what is the best way of bringing democracy to Zimbabwe, what is the best way of creating an economic environment where the conditions of our people are improved? So we continue to talk with our colleagues from the MDC-T, we are working together very well in the inclusive government; we are going to continue on the journey in which Gasela was a big and very successful soldier.
GONDA: And talking about improving the conditions for the people in Zimbabwe, I spoke to your colleague Education Minister David Coltart last week about Mr Gasela’s tragic accident and he basically said that it shows the breakdown of the rule of law on roads, where someone has had a vehicle break down without lights and have not bothered to put warning triangles or other warning signals. And many observers say that there are people driving with no licenses in Zimbabwe and because of a destroyed economy, drivers don’t have money to maintain their vehicles and the police are not enforcing traffic regulations and the roads are also bad. Now as the Deputy Prime Minister, what can you say about the situations on the roads where many, many people have died in recent months?
[Of course, in Gonda World, this is unique to Zimbabwe, and a sign that 'Mugabe Must Go'. Perhaps time to end the economic sanctions against Zimbawe, ms. Gonda? - MrK]
MUTAMBARA: We need a broader and holistic approach to this challenge. We need a broader and sophisticated analysis. One of the major things we must do as a country is to come up with what we call an Accident Mitigation Strategy; what are the major causes of accidents on our roads? Let us understand those causes. What can we do to minimise the occurrence of accidents on our roads? We need to do this and establish a National Accident Mitigation Strategy – that’s number one effort we need to do. The second one has to be; what is the accident response mechanism in our country?
In most of these accidents you find the police take three hours, five hours to respond, the Fire Brigade three hours, five hours to respond – what is their argument? We have no petrol, we’ve got no diesel, we can’t move. Why can’t we as a nation put in resources, put in analysis, put in a strategy that says in the event of an accident occurring on our roads, what is the response? How do we respond? How do we capacitate the police so that they can react in ten minutes, in five minutes? How do we capacitate the Fire Brigade to make sure they do respond timeously to an accident? But the major project is the first one – an Accident Mitigation Strategy that does a thorough analysis of the causes of these accidents and then say how do we minimise, how do we eliminate, how do we make sure that the occurrences are minimised and we must carry out these two projects as a government and make sure that we reduce the occurrence of these problems on our roads.
GONDA: How seriously are you as government taking this issue? Why hasn’t there been an Accident Mitigation Strategy by now with all the accidents that we’ve seen in Zimbabwe?
MUTAMBARA: I think that has been an oversight on our part and what I’m committing myself to as Deputy Prime Minister is to work with the Minister of Transport and the entire Cabinet to see how we can put into place these two systems – the Mitigation Plan and the Response Mechanisms. So that we can never completely eliminate accidents but we can minimise their occurrences, we can minimise the impact of the accident - because it’s one thing to have an accident but another thing when people die from the accident. If there was an effective response system in our country, most of the people are dying on our roads could have been saved, but we are going to work on it and we shall overcome.
GONDA: When Professor, because people who are listening to this interview will be shocked to know that you are only thinking about it now. Why hasn’t this been happening before?
[Gee, I guess any issue is good enough to further the regime change agenda, even people who died from road accidents. We're laying it on a little thick, aren't we ms. Gonda? - Mrk]
MUTAMBARA: Well you know it’s been talked about as you know there’s a gap between idea and implementation, there’s a gap between an idea and execution. Some of these ideas have been thought about, plans have been worked out but there has been a gap towards execution. So what we intend to do now is to close that gap and say let us walk the talk, let us have an implementation matrix so that these ideas, these philosophies are put into action. And what we are going to do is refine the ideas, refine the strategies and execute.
GONDA: Moving on to a different issue, you were quoted last week reiterating your position that there won’t be elections next year, in 2011, and this is in complete contrast to what your partners in government – Zanu PF and the Tsvangirai-led MDC are saying because they have come out saying there will be elections held next year. So what exactly is your position?
MUTAMBARA: Let me start by saying that our party is prepared for elections whenever they are called. If they are called this year, if they are called next year, we are working very hard as a party to be ready. Zvinonzi garai makagadzirira hamuzivi musi nenguva. That is our philosophy. Having said that we are being very practical and realistic in analysing the possibility of an election for next year. The message for Zimbabwe, the message for political parties is very simple: Musakanganwe chezuro nehope. We are in the inclusive government because we had problems with our election in 2008. We had inconclusive elections, to be polite and so we were forced into this arrangement because the results of the elections were challenged by the loser, so the key mandate of the inclusive government is the creation of conditions for free and fair elections. So the debate in Zimbabwe should never be – when is the next election? – that is the wrong question. The question in Zimbabwe should be – what is the calibre and quality of our next election? – that is the conversation we must have and when you do that conversation you realise that it is not possible by next year to have a new constitution adopted and have that constitution having taken root in our society. It is difficult to achieve national healing and carry out the media reforms we want to do, the electoral reforms, the political reforms, the economic reforms won’t be fully completed by next year. So we are saying that it is prudent and important for us to ensure that we work very hard collectively to create conditions for free and fair elections.
Now, when Zanu PF says they want elections next year, they’re grandstanding because in any case, if you look at the polls that are out there, they will never win a free and fair election, so what election do they want next year? So we get very curious when people from ZANU are grandstanding on an election. On the Tsvangirai side, they say they want an election next year and they put a caveat – but we want peacekeeping forces. Now either you are ready for elections or you are not and the Americans responded very interestingly, they said that is a very foolish idea, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming to Zimbabwe, and I quote. Now here is the position we are putting across – there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from the UN, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from the AU, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from SADC, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from South Africa – the only peacekeepers we are going to have in our election are ourselves as the people of Zimbabwe. The peacekeepers we are going to have in this country are the new constitution, national healing, media reforms, electoral reforms, political reforms and economic reforms. If you carry out those six things in the country, those are the peacekeepers that will allow our free and fair elections to take place.
So when Tsvangirai and MDC-T grandstand about the elections next year and have this caveat of saying – we want peacekeepers – it clearly shows that they are not ready, they know the conditions next year will not allow for a free and fair election.
So what we are simply saying is, if you force an election on the country next year, you are having an election under June 27 2008 conditions and you know what that means to our people. And also when you talk elections, when you are in an election mode, you undermine the work towards a new constitution, you undermine the work towards national healing, and you undermine the work towards electoral reform. Why would people work on a constitution together when they are already campaigning? Why would people concentrate on national healing when they are already campaigning? How can people work together on electoral reforms when they are in election mode? So we are saying the election talk is undermining the work towards a new constitution, the election talk is undermining the work towards national healing. We must work on that mandate for creating conditions for free and fair elections. So all we are saying, for all intents and purposes we don’t see the conditions being achieved by next year. Let us do the work that is required to ensure that we can have an election where the losers of the elections, accept the results and the democratic government which will then be formed after a free and fair election.
GONDA: The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, ZESN, says that this new government, your government, has made no efforts to improve electoral conditions and many observers say that what you are saying is all talk and no action. How do you respond to this?
MUTAMBARA: In fact the ZESN agree with me; they are saying that not enough work has been done by government to guarantee a free and fair election and that is exactly my story. We’ve got to do more work to make sure that constitution is adopted and that constitution takes root in our country…
GONDA: But Professor, that’s the question that people are asking - why is it government is doing nothing right now, you’ve been in place for more than a year now, why is there no action?
MUTAMBARA: The word ‘nothing’ I think is too strong a word. The issue is government is slow, the government is sluggish, government must do more and that is why I’m saying my partners in government must stop this nonsensical talk of elections and do reparation of the terrain, they must talk about the constitution, they must talk about national healing, they must talk about electoral reforms, making sure that the election in Zimbabwe, the Electoral Commission is in action. The Zimbabwe Media Commission is in action, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission is in action – that is what we should be concentrating on as opposed to pontificating about possible elections next year. So the word nothing is too strong, a fair statement is that we are slow, we are sluggish, and we are not focused.
I’m trying to get everyone in government focused on the mandate of this inclusive government which is the mandate to create conditions for free and fair elections. So that’s what I said earlier on – the question in Zimbabwe is not when are the next elections, the question in Zimbabwe should be what is the calibre, what is the quality of the next elections. Remember in 2000 there was an election and we were robbed, there was an election in ’02, the people of Zimbabwe were robbed, in ‘08 there was an election, and the people were robbed. So the issue is not – when is the next election – the issue is what is the calibre, what is the quality of the next election. We must concentrate on the agenda of the conditions so that we can achieve this by working together. When we talk elections next year, we are getting our people agitated and our people become mobilised against each other and you can’t carry out the constitution making process properly, you can’t do national healing and you can’t make much progress.
GONDA: When you say the people are not focused, where is the focus of the people in government right now?
MUTAMBARA: Well we sometimes bicker unnecessarily; sometimes we concentrate on issues that are peripheral to the core mandate of the inclusive government. So we hope that everyone in the inclusive government will concentrate on the reforms of the economy, reforms of the politics, and reforms of our society. We are slow, we are sluggish but I’m sure we will get this work done if we put national interest before self-interest. And I must say that the inclusive government is the only show in town and slowly but surely everyone is now realising the importance of making it a successful framework in our country.
GONDA: The Zimbabwe Vigil in the UK says that you want the elections delayed and not held next year because you are unelected and want to maintain your position. How would you respond to them?
MUTAMBARA: We dismiss that with the contempt that it deserves. That is a nonsensical position by ignorant people. As I said at the beginning our party is ready for elections whenever they are called but we are also realistic and practical in saying – remember the mandate of the inclusive government, remember why the inclusive government was formed in the first place. It was because of an inconclusive election, it was because of an election whose results were challenged, so before we go into the next elections we must make sure that we have created conditions under which the elections will be held and the losers won’t challenge the outcome. The losers will congratulate the winners and the winners will form a legitimate and democratic government in our country. So it’s not about what we want as a party, it’s about what the people want in the country.
The people of Zimbabwe, also another dimension, they would want to see an improvement of the conditions in the country because when you have violence in the elections it is ordinary people who are killed and vandalised so the people would want to make sure they are protected, they also want to see improvements in the economy. So we are not speaking because of our fear of an election, we are speaking because we are cognisant of the motivation and history behind the inclusive government and we are driven by the national interest. Even if we do not win in those elections – all we want those elections is that they are free and fair and the winners form a legitimate and democratic government.
It’s also folly and foolish to say you are ready for an election next year and then you talk about peacekeepers when you know they’re not coming. So all we are saying is let us work on our peacekeepers so that when we have our elections they are reasonably free and fair.
GONDA: So Professor, when you talk about no peacekeepers coming from outside the country, does this also include no observers, international observers and have you actually discussed this as government, about the peacekeepers?
MUTAMBARA: What we are emphasising is that, you know that if there are no reforms in the country, if there’s no new constitution in the country, if there’s no national healing in the country and you force an election in the country it will be an election under a Zanu PF hegemony, which Zanu PF hegemony will not allow peacekeepers to come into the country and in any case, the Americans responded, an American observer said no, no, the Prime Minister is getting excited and unreasonable, there’ll be no peacekeepers. The Americans themselves said that – it’s not practical, it’s not realistic. So we want to emphasise that you know our country, the election in 2000, in ’02, in ’05, in ’08 there were no peacekeepers, what makes you think that you can now have peacekeepers in ’08 without reforms?
So what we are trying to say is let’s stop the grandstanding and the pretence and say let’s work together on the mandate of the inclusive government and create our own peacekeepers which are much more realistic and much more within our ambit, within our control which is a national constitution which is adopted and allowed to take root in our country, national healing which is successful and effective, media reforms where we have two new newspapers that are independent, three TV stations, five radio stations – five peacekeepers who will allow for free and fair elections. The Electoral Commission which has been formed, chaired by Mutambanengwe must carry out the reforms that are tangible and on the ground. The Human Rights Commission under Reg Austin must do its work and fix the terrain around human rights. The Anti-Corruption Commission which we are going to launch very soon must do its work. The political reforms, the economic reforms must take place and take root in our society. These are the conditions that will allow for free and fair elections.
That is why we are saying let us do the work first and also remember once we start saying elections next year, how do you expect people to do national healing? Why would people participate in national healing when they are going to an election next year? How do people cooperate and work on the constitution together when they are in election mode. Electioneering and election grandstanding damages reform agenda and undermines our progress towards the creation of conditions for free and fair elections.
As a party, we are prepared for elections if they are done tomorrow, we are building our structures, we are ready for the election anytime but we are saying it is folly and foolish for the opposition to be agitating for an election which they are not ready for. Ready means there are no reforms and when Tsvangirai says he wants peacekeepers at the elections, he is saying to you, I am not ready but he’s grandstanding when he says he is ready for elections next year. Let us all work together and reform our terrain. The reason we are in the inclusive government is because the elections in ’08 were fraudulent, were problematic, and were challenged by the losers. If we rush into another one, we are repeating the cycle within our country.
GONDA: Now Professor, critics of the power sharing government actually say that this is an unelected government and does not reflect the will of the people. You have actually said in this interview that both Zanu PF and the MDC led by Tsvangirai are not ready for elections and are merely grandstanding when they say that they want elections next year. You have also said that the government is slow and sluggish which critics will say this shows that it’s not in the best interests of those in government to hold elections as soon as possible. There is still 94% unemployment, there’s no electricity in the country, there’s no water, and people want change. You have groups like ZCTU and WOZA saying that there is no national healing in the eyes of Zimbabweans, and it’s well documented that there are problems with the constitution making process – so how long will it take to have the necessary reforms and hold elections?
MUTAMBARA: There is nothing you have said that is new. There is nothing that those experts have said that is original. All these matters we are aware of. All these matters we were aware of them when we created the inclusive government. The inclusive government, the Global Political Agreement was a major compromise, a flawed arrangement but however unfortunately for us, it is the only solution, the only alternative we have in the country in the short run. Yes it’s unelected, yes it’s undemocratic – that’s why we want to make sure the next election has integrity, the next election is free and fair so that the government in Zimbabwe is formed by elected people who are legitimate not an arrangement like we do have in the country…
GONDA: Yes but Professor, the question is how long…
MUTAMBARA: …listen I’ll answer that later, let us work together to create conditions to make sure that next time around we are not forced to negotiate power, we are not forced to come up with an arrangement which is undemocratic. How long? There’s an upper limit, this inclusive government cannot go beyond 2013, it is unconstitutional, the parliament elected in 2008 and in 2013, the Presidency which is contested as in 2013, the upper limit, the upper outward limit is 2013 but we can be able to fix the terrain, do the work maybe in 2012, maybe even in 2011 but emphasis should be – not when is next election? The emphasis should be what is the calibre and quality of our next election? We must work very fast, we are very slow, we are very sluggish. If we work very hard, maybe by the end of 2012 but whatever happens we can’t go beyond 2013. But all the problems you are talking about we are aware of this.
We had a very interesting session in Tanzania with President Mugabe, Tsvangirai and myself on the platform and the business community and investors and we showcased, that look we have problems in the country but we are determined to solve them. We explained that we are determined to own our problems and not scapegoat or accuse foreigners, we are prepared to work towards a fully and complete implementation of the GPA and work on the economy. Coalition governments Violet, were never meant to be. Look at England right now – the markets are in tatters, the markets are jittering now because of a possibility of a hung parliament. A hung parliament will mean for example the Labour, the Conservative party, and the Lib Dems are in the same government. They are worried because such a government is slow and sluggish. Can you imagine ours, our coalition government involve people who were killing and jailing each other two years ago. Two years ago this time, I was coming out of jail in Harare to go the World Economic Forum; Morgan Tsvangirai was running away from a problematic run-off and hiding in the Dutch Embassy; Tendai Biti had treason trials around his neck. Today Tendai Biti is Minister of Finance, Morgan Tsvangirai is Prime Minister, I'm Deputy Prime Minister. This is the context in which you must appraise the performance or lack of it of the inclusive government. We have made mistakes, we have had failures in the inclusive government, we are determined to solve and address our failures.
GONDA: The Research and Advocacy Unit in Zimbabwe
[That would be the RAU, an 18 person foreign funded yet 'independent' NGO. - MrK]
says, as you have also said that there has been little compliance with fundamental aspects of the GPA relating to democracy and the rule of law but it went further to say that the GPA is honoured more by the breech than observance and that the current stalemate will persist until new national elections take place and it says it is not possible to set any certain timescale for elections but it is most likely that the timing for elections will be decided by Zanu PF unilaterally at a moment most suitable to itself. Do you think this is going to be a Zanu PF call - when elections should be held?
MUTAMBARA: The decision as to when the elections are going to happen will be a collective decision of the three political parties, a collective decision of parliament. The GPA says go and craft a new constitution, go through a referendum, adopt the constitution in parliament and then sit down as the leadership, as three parties and decide whether the conditions in the country allow for free and fair elections and this is why I’m saying to you, if you follow that process we are going to come to a situation whereby we must address whether those six items I described to you are done. If they are not done and we are still within 2013, we must do more work to make sure we create the conditions for free and fair elections. It won’t be a Zanu PF decision, it will be an inclusive government decision, it will be a decision of parliament. When we have a violent election it’s not the leaders who die, its ordinary people who get their heads chopped, and its ordinary people who get killed in the rural areas. The people of Zimbabwe are sick and tired of violence and fraudulent elections. What they want is a free and fair election and the least we can do as leaders is to create conditions for that to happen.
GONDA: So how are you as the two MDC formations addressing the problem of being junior partners in this coalition government because many feel that you are allowing Zanu PF to make unilateral decisions in government?
MUTAMBARA: It’s tough Violet, it’s very tough. Remember what we say – this was a compromise agreement, this is why it took two years from 2007 before the elections to after the elections to negotiate this arrangement. It was a flawed arrangement; it was biased against us, the former opposition. It was not a walk in the park but after negotiations, after pressure from SADC, from the AU, from the South Africans, after pressures from the national interest we went into a compromise arrangement and in that compromise arrangement, there are areas where Zanu PF have more influence than us, there are areas where Zanu PF can do things without consultation. It’s a war, it’s a war of attrition. In a coalition government such as ours, we are fighting every day on every issue, we are slow, we are sluggish, we seek to do better. What I can say to you is – for our own different reasons, we are determined to make it a success. That’s why I wish you were here in Dar es Salaam where we had a platform with the three leaders and we spoke to the investors with one voice, we spoke to the people of the world with one voice and we are determined to work hard to improve on our performance and be able to deliver on the promises of the Global Political Agreement, deliver on the promises of the inclusive government. It was never meant to be easy but we will try our best.
GONDA: And the status of the talks?
MUTAMBARA: Well where we are now Violet, we got the report as the principals from our negotiators, they have their agreement now as negotiators, the principals are now studying the document. Once we get back from Dar es Salaam to Harare we will sit down as three principals and endorse those areas where there is agreement amongst our negotiators, agree on an implementation matrix, when is it going to be done, who is going to do it, milestones and measures, what has been agreed is going to be put into action by the three principals. Where there’s disagreement, we are going to find a way of engaging each other to see whether we can find each other and find answers. If we fail to find answers on the issues that are in disagreement, we have to agree on a process of resolution, a mechanism of resolving those areas and that is what we are going to do when we get back to Harare.
GONDA: But as one of the principals, can you at least tell Zimbabweans what you have agreed upon and the critical outstanding issues?
MUTAMBARA: Yah I would love to do that Violet, but remember we are trying to protect the integrity of the process. What I can simply say is that the majority of matters have been agreed upon, what is remaining is operationalising those areas. Some areas of disagreement are still there and we need to find a way of unlocking them, the three of us, where we fail we agree on a mechanism of resolution. I can’t go into the details of the matters at the moment but we are going to publish the report from the negotiators officially, we are going to publish our views and our positions when we meet as the three principals.
But we are determined to resolve this matter and by the way, these so-called outstanding matters are not government breaking matters. We have agreed on the critical matters. For example, we have spent a long time talking about elections; the creation of conditions for free and fair elections does not depend on Roy Bennett. If Roy Bennett becomes Deputy Minister for Agriculture, how does that make the next election free and fair? If Tomana is to leave office today, how does that make the election next time free and fair? If Gono was to leave office tomorrow, how does that create conditions for free and fair elections?
I’m emphasising that, Zimbabweans, we have areas of disagreement; Zimbabweans, we have outstanding issues. We are concerned about them, we are going to solve them but at the same time, please pay attention to the areas of agreement, please pay attention to the areas that will help us create conditions for a free and fair election. We have done the Commissions, we are working on the constitution, we are working on national healing, we are working on the economy – these are areas of agreement. Let us emphasise areas of agreement and de-emphasise areas of contention and disagreement.
GONDA: But Professor this is my point exactly, it’s very difficult for Zimbabweans to concentrate on areas of agreement because they don’t know what you have agreed on in government. One minute you hear that the MDC does not agree with the indigenisation regulations, then the next minute you hear Zanu PF saying ‘we are going ahead with the indigenisation policy’ – so that’s just an example.
MUTAMBARA: Don’t mix issues, don’t mix issues, don’t mix issues, don’t mix issues. I’ll come to the issue you’ve just raised. I was speaking of the GPA, it’s a question of time, we’re back in Harare next week, we’ll announce the report from the negotiators, we’ll announce areas of agreement, we’ll announce areas of disagreement, we’ll announce mechanism of resolution. Coming to indigenisation, there is no disagreement in government, we’ve been very poor managers, we’ve been very poor PR persons, we’ve done poor packaging, poor branding of this subject. We are on the same page in Cabinet. We have had our debates. The Minister responsible is Minister Kasukuwere; he’s the only official spokesperson of the government on this subject. When he speaks he must speak the collective message of the government and the collective message of the government is this one – we have come up with changes to the original instrument and guidelines presented to the media. We are going to adopt the changes and we are going to announce them to the world and we are going to work better on managing and packaging this policy. Economic empowerment is not new, it is done in India, it is done in America, it is done in South Africa.
What we’ve done is a problem of timing, it has come at a point when we are trying to attract investors, it is come at a time when we are coming out of ten years of stagnation of our economy, so there’s a timing problem, there’s a packaging issue but as the government, there is no disquiet, we’ve been poor communicators and we have managed it now, we now insisting on one spokesperson but that spokesperson should speak the collective message of Cabinet.
And we apologise for the poor communication in the past, but today, the three of us in Dar es Salaam were able to speak from the same page and we are going to try and do the same back home in Zimbabwe and beyond that. And also as Zimbabweans, we are saying let us be open minded, let us look at the Act itself, is the Act a good law or a bad law? If it is a bad law, let us have the changes, and we go through the process of changing the Act. If the instrument and the guidelines are flawed, let’s look at the changes and suggestions and come up with better guidelines and better instruments but more significantly, let us be clever about this, let us manage it better, let us market it better, let us package it better because our major problem right now has been the poor communication around the subject, the politicisation of the subject. We must rise above partisan aspirations and think about economic empowerment in a rational, logical and economic manner.
GONDA: And as government what is the status of wages for State workers because one minute we hear Finance Minister saying they have been frozen and then the next minute the Prime Minister is reported saying that there are no wage freezes? So what is happening as far as government is concerned on this issue?
MUTAMBARA: That is another example where we say guilty as charged. We are poor communicators, we are sending conflicting messages, there’s no message discipline, we must get our act right, so what I’ll do is I will not add petrol to the fire, I’ll simply say when we get back home, we’re going to sit down in Cabinet, harmonise ourselves and make sure we communicate the same message to our people. It is one of those areas where we have growing pains, where we don’t seem to have mastered the notion of message discipline, the notion of effective communication. So all I can say to you is that we are going to address that matter in Cabinet and be able to communicate one message. For example we can have a press conference where the Prime Minister is there, the Minister of Finance is there and they say the same thing. This is how we are going to manage this little misunderstanding.
GONDA: Professor Arthur Mutambara thank you very much for participating on the programme Hot Seat.
MUTAMBARA: Thank you very much Violet.
Feedback can be sent to violet@swradioafrica.com
Labels: ARTHUR MUTAMBARA, CAR ACCIDENTS, ELECTIONS, GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT, MDC VIOLENCE, SW RADIO
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Alice Nkomo declared provincial hero
Bulawayo Bureau
Zanu-PF Central Committee member and Commissioner in the Anti-Corruption Commission Cde Alice Nkomo — who died in a car accident on Saturday — has been declared a liberation heroine. She will be buried in Bulawayo on Thursday.
Speaking yesterday at Number 3 Langdon Road in Khumalo where mourners are gathered, Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya-Moyo said the party’s leadership saw it fit to confer the status on Cde Nkomo.
"We met as the leadership and discussed Cde Nkomo’s contribution before and after Independence and we agreed that she be declared a liberation heroine.
"We gave her respect and honour for the great role she has been doing especially after Independence," he said.
Cde Khaya-Moyo said the Government would cover all funeral expenses as well as those of her three relatives who died in the same accident.
The three will be buried tomorrow.
"We have put it in our hands to help three others who died in the accident," said Cde Khaya-Moyo.
The accident occurred at around 11pm near Mbokodo Abattoir along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road.
Three people, including Cde Nkomo, died on the spot while the other died on admission to United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Cde Nkomo’s younger brother, Archie, escaped with minor injuries.
According to family spokesperson Mr Jabulani Nkomo, a motorist tried to overtake her but decided to go back to his lane before ramming into her vehicle.
The car, Mr Nkomo said, spun and rolled several times.
Zapu yesterday said its members learnt with "shock and sadness" of the deaths of Cde Nkomo and three MDC officials.
MDC officials Mr Renson Gasela, Mr Lyson Mlambo and Ms Ntombizodwa Gumbo died in another accident at the weekend.
Zapu said Cde Nkomo distinguished herself as a "humble and peace-loving businesswoman, humanitarian and politician".
On Mr Gasela, Zapu said: "His vast experience and sound views on issues of agriculture and food security will be missed by all those who had the opportunity to engage with him."
Former Gwanda councillor Alderman Petros Mukwena said he was very close to Cde Nkomo and her family and last saw her at the official opening of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair on Friday.
"I had a long relationship with her and her children and would like to pass my condolences to her family on their loss."
Yesterday, Midlands Provincial Governor and Resident Minister Jason Machaya visited the homes of the deceased MDC officials.
Mr Gasela (MDC secretary for lands) Mr Mlambo (national chairperson for the disciplinary committee) and Ms Gumbo (women’s assembly provincial chairperson for Midlands South) died on the spot when their vehicle rammed into a stationary front-end loader on Saturday night.
Six other party officials in the same car were seriously injured.
Cde Machaya yesterday said: "Their deaths come hardly a week after we successfully hosted our 30th Independence Anniversary where all the deceased played a pivotal role in making the celebrations a resounding success."
Cde Machaya wished a quick recovery to the injured.
MDC spokesperson Mr Edwin Mushoriwa said funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
A Mlambo family spokesperson Mr Mukai Mlambo — third son of the deceased — said: "We are still arranging a burial date but it is likely to be on Wednesday here in Gweru."
Labels: ACC ZIMBABWE, ALICE NKOMO, CAR ACCIDENTS, ZANU-PF
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Malema unhurt in suspicious accident
by
18/04/2010 00:00:00
THE ANC Youth League suspects an attempt was made on its president Julius Malema’s life after the controversial youth leader escaped death by a whisker when his 4X4 vehicle veered off the road following a tyre burst.
The accident occured Monday aftertoon on the N1 motorway near the little town of Hammanskraal, about 30 minutes drive from Pretoria as Malema was travelling to Johannesburg from Limpopo.
South African media reports indicate that suspicion was sparked by the fact that the wheel became loose and started shacking well before bursting.
The ANCYL suspect the wheel was tampered with. They believe this could have occurred in Limpopo, where Malema spent the weekend attending a conference – which was characterised by chaos, with those who lost accusing him of rigging the elections.
Reports said Malema's driver lost control of the road monster 4x4 after the tyre burst and vehicle careered off the road before plunging into a grove of trees on a farm .
Malema escaped unharmed and was immediately taken to a back-up vehicle which was following them.
“He (Malema) was in the car with his drivers and bodyguards going to Jozi for a Cosatu meeting after spending the weekend attending a conference in Limpopo. When in the Hammanskraal area, the president asked why the car was vibrating and shaking.
“Soon after that there was a huge explosive sound and the car went off the road. But the driver managed to control the vehilce until it came to a halt in a farmyard. The president did not sustain any injury. He is lucky to have survived because the car hit rocks and other objects before it came to a standstill,” an eyewitness said.
ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu said they were conducting their own investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
“We are indeed conducting our own investigation. We hope it is not an attempt on his life because we will act in a vigorous way. We are on guard and we are ready for any action.
“People should stop threatening our president (Malema) because we are not going to make threats, we are going to take action,” he said.
Meanwhile there are also reports that senior ANC leaders plan to take President Jacob Zuma to task for his recent public censure of Malema.
Zuma publicly rebuked the outspoken youth leader over his defiance of a court order banning the liberation struggle song 'dubula ibhunu' and his ejection of a BBC journalist from a press conference calling him a "bastard" and "agent".
The South African President, who is the SADC-appointed mediator for Zimbabwe, also took excerption to Malema's criticism of the MDC party which he dismissed an imperial proxy.
However Malema's supporters in the ANC are saind to be planning to tell Zuma at the party's national working committee on Monday that he was wrong to criticise the youth leader in public.
Zuma's call to discipline Malema is likely to top the agenda of the 28-member committee's meeting.
Labels: ANC YOUTH LEAGUE, ASSASSINATION, CAR ACCIDENTS, JULIUS MALEMA
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Biti faces negligent driving charges
By: Zim Independent-tzg
Posted: Monday, March 29, 2010 3:23 pm
FINANCE minister Tendai Biti who survived a horrific accident on Tuesday evening could be charged with negligent driving amid reports that preliminary police investigations show that he was to blame for the crash.
Sources close to the investigations told the Zimbabwe Independent yesterday that the preliminary probe showed that Biti's vehicle could have encroached into the lane of the on-coming truck.
Police national spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena, yesterday said the police would not disclose their investigation to the media "just yet".
Pressed to say how the public would get to know the circumstances surrounding the accident given that it involved a public figure, Bvudzijena said that would depend on the outcome of the investigations.
"It will depend (on the outcome). If there is anyone to be prosecuted over the cause of the accident, then it may go to the courts and the public will know," Bvudzijena said.
Biti was driving his 4X4 Toyota Hilux Vigo Twin-cab when it was sideswiped by a trailer of a haulage truck at the 99km-peg along the Harare-Bulawayo road.
The impact spun the car, turning it to face where it was coming from before it landed in a ditch. The vehicle is a complete write-off.
The truck belonged to Miclak Transport of Chegutu and was being driven by Knowledge Gavaza.
The driver escaped unscathed.
Gavaza spent Tuesday night in police cells before being released on Wednesday after police said it was still inconclusive that he had caused the accident.
Police traffic evaluators were yesterday still gathering evidence from the scene of the accident and our source said they had collected samples of skid marks and the road surface.
"Every detail, no matter how minute, is needed to establish or disprove any suspected attempt on the minister's life," a source said.
"The samples have been taken to Harare where forensic tests will be carried out. Initial findings however indicate the minister could face charges of negligent driving. It appears his car encroached into the lane of the haulage truck."
Biti emerged from the accident without any visible injuries but MDC-T party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa was quoted as saying the Finance minister was complaining of chest pains.
An official from the MDC security department said they would not rely on police investigations alone but would carry out their own probe.
Zim Independent-tzg
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, TENDAI BITI, WAYNE BVUDZIJENA
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Biti fit to attend inter-party talks
by Lebo Nkatazo
25/03/2010 00:00:00
FINANCE Minister Tendai Biti, after surviving a car accident on Tuesday night, has been passed fit by doctors to attend inter-party talks aimed at breaching a political impasse in Zimbabwe’s unity government.
Biti was discharged from a private hospital in Harare on Thursday morning and immediately left for Nyanga where negotiators from the three main political parties were gathering.
Biti escaped with minor injuries after his Toyota Hilux, written-off after the accident, was clipped by a haulage truck going the opposite way near Chegutu. The minister is believed to have been driving himself, but neither the ministry nor his MDC party have disclosed his business in the small town 110km south-west of Harare.
Police spokesman Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena told New Zimbabwe.com on Thursday police had interviewed both Biti and the driver of the haulage truck but no arrests had been made.
"We are still investigating and we have not made a decision yet to bring charges against anyone," Bvudzijena said.
In a statement on Thursday, the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said: “Hon Biti will today leave for the eastern border town of Nyanga for the SADC-brokered inter-party talks with negotiators from the two other parties in line with the time frames set by South Africa President Jacob Zuma.”
Zuma was in Zimbabwe last week aiming to smooth differences in the year-old power sharing government formed after disputed elections in 2008.
Zuma said he had made “substantial” progress in the talks, and the Zimbabwe leaders President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara had “instructed their negotiating teams to attend to all outstanding matters during their deliberations on 25, 26 and 29 March” and to report back to him by March 31.
Biti is the lead negotiator from his MDC party while the delegation from the rival MDC led by Mutambara is headed by Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube and Zanu PF’s team by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, TENDAI BITI
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Biti survives serious car accident
By Raymond Maingire
March 24, 2010
HARARE – Finance Minister Tendai Biti was involved in a car accident on Tuesday evening and is recovering at a private hospital in Harare. MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said Wednesday Biti was alone in the vehicle, which collided with a truck and was reduced to wreckage. The accident happened along the Harare-Chegutu road and a few kilometers from the farming town.
“It was a sideswipe with a truck that was going the opposite direction,” said Chamisa, “The accident happened between 7 and 8pm yesterday evening.” He said Biti’s condition was stable.
“It’s amazingly stable. If you look at the seriousness of the accident and his condition, you see evidence of God’s grace.”
Chamisa could neither reveal the identity of the other party nor come to conclusions of any foul play saying his party will wait for a police report.
But according to his description, the accident could have happened in much the same way with that of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in March last year.
Tsvangirai, then newly sworn in as Premier in the new inclusive government, was also involved in a sideswipe with a truck.
The accident killed Susan Tsvangirai, his wife of 31 years and left him hospitalised for head and neck injuries.
The MDC instituted its own investigations into the accident but has not released its findings.
As Finance Minister, Biti has introduced cutthroat policies that have pulled the rug from under corrupt Zanu-PF politicians who were bleeding the economy with impunity.
Biti, a powerful figure within his own MDC party and in government, has routinely been accused by Zanu-PF politicians and functionaries of deliberately under-funding the agricultural sector in the country.
Zanu-PF says this is a bid by the MDC to discredit its chaotic land redistribution programme that has destroyed the country’s mainstay of the economy.
As MDC’s chief negotiator in the country’s inter-party talks, he has led a protracted fight to have the unilateral appointment by President Robert Mugabe, of controversial central bank governor Gideon Gono reversed.
He is now calling for the introduction of a law that will check the continued plunder of the country’s rich mineral resources by Zanu-PF politicians and the military.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, TENDAI BITI
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RTSA takes measures to improve road safety
By Sututu Katundu
Sat 14 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT
THE Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has said it is implementing a number of activities aimed at enhancing road safety. This follows recent accidents that occurred in Luangwa and Chinsali where several people died.
RTSA director Frederick Mwalusaka said that the Agency had since concluded with investigations and the findings were that the bus involved in the Luangwa accident did not have any documents to allow for its usage as a public service vehicle and the operator was not licensed in any form to operate a public passenger transport service.
He said the Agency would forward recommendations to the Zambia Police for prosecution of the operator.
Mwalusaka said some of the measures taken were the acquisition and use of enforcement equipment including motorbikes and patrol vehicles, which were being complemented by road safety education and publicity activities to create awareness on issues pertaining to road safety.
“The Agency has also developed a mandatory defensive drivers’ course for public service drivers and enhanced high way patrols and road safety education campaigns to all road users”, he said.
Mwalusaka said while the RTSA had continued to undertake road safety interventions through various initiatives, including highway patrols, driver testing strategies, motor vehicle examinations and road safety education, the increase in fatal road traffic accidents involving PSVs continued to be a serious concern to the Agency considering the many lives lost in these accidents which in many instances could
Mwalusaka said that the Agency would also continue collaborating with the Road Development Agency (RDA) to ensure that all aspects of road safety were considered and incorporated in all road works at both design and construction stages.
He said according to research, road traffic Accidents were caused mainly by three factors namely the mechanical state of the vehicle, the prevailing environmental and weather conditions, and the human element.
In Zambia, research has also shown that most accidents involving public service vehicles have been as a result of human error on the part of drivers.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, FREDERICK MWALUSAKA, ROADS, RTSA
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