COMMENT - Full disclosure: the Rothschild barons control
The Economist Group which owns The Economist Magazine, was well as
De Beers, the world's largest diamond miner and Glencore (
1,
2,
3), one of the world's largest mining companies and headquartered in Switzerland. Glencore is a major miner in Zambia. De Beers wants to control the Zimbabwean diamond mines, Chiadza and Marange, which could supply 20% of the world's diamonds every year. Other than controlling the World Bank (
1,
2) and IMF, they also
"took an early role" in the Eurobonds. Notice how The Economist Magazine selectively waves away the effects of the WEF inspired lockdown or their Eurobond debt, the same way they selectively wave away the effects of
economic sanctions (Section 4 C 1 and 2) on the Zimbabwean economy. Their problem is that they cannot attack the neoliberal political class they have been supporting all across Africa because it was profitable for them, and now criticize the disastrous consequences of those neoliberal policies. So they talk about 'dictatorship' and 'human rights'. However only when it's convenient. - MrK
The government blames covid-19. It should look in the mirror
Middle East & Africa
Nov 14th 2020 edition
LUSAKA
In his studio Fumba Chama gets ready to play his new song. Unlike in most Zambian workplaces there is no photograph on the wall of Edgar Lungu, the president since 2015. Looking down instead is a young Kenneth Kaunda, who led Zambia for 27 years after independence from Britain in 1964.
If that is a silent protest, then out of the speakers comes a louder one. In “Coward of the County” Mr Chama raps laconically about Mr Lungu’s failings over—why not?—a sample of the song of the same name by the late Kenny Rogers, a bearded American country star. It is his latest track about how the ruling Patriotic Front (pf) has crushed civic freedoms and crashed the economy. As if to prove his point, the authorities have repeatedly arrested and intimidated Mr Chama, whose stage name is PilAto.
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November 16, 2020
BY ISAAC CHIPAMPE
In their 14th November, 2020 edition, The Economist magazine published an opinionated article that at best describes Zambia as a collapsed economy caused by its President’s authoritarian style of leadership and called for neighbouring countries, and the rest of the world to press for regime change.
Now, this is not a new call out because the international media, in tow with the main opposition in Zambia, have been calling for the rest of the world to declare Zambia a pariah state. But it is normal these days for a frustrated opposition to wish a country bad omen as long as that helps in discarding the ruling party from power, patriotism aside.
What is new, however, is the extent to which an internationally recognized and probably authoritative magazine went in demonising President Edgar Lungu. And I assume here that this malicious article was written by the publishers, themselves, and not a correspondent or even one of their reporters because at end, the Magazine does not proffer any disclaimer about the origin of the article but states cheekily that “This article appeared in the Readers Section of the print edition under the headline “Zambia’s descent”.
The online version, however, is a little more blunter with a multi-faceted headline: “The Mugabe model…How to stop Zambia from turning into Zimbabwe…Neighbours and creditors should resist its slide into autocracy and economic collapse.”
And it is in this headline or headlines that one clearly sees the push for regime change. It is obvious that firstly by likening President Lungu to the late Zimbabwean leader, The Economist tries to brand and frame the Zambian President as a dictator, and by doing that they hope Zambia’s bilateral partners would react in a similar way they punished Zimbabwe. But it is also a ploy to force those who hated President Mugabe to shift their focus to President Lungu, that the Zimbabwean leader is no more.
President Mugabe’s nemeses are obviously missing him and now that he is no more they have been looking at which African leader they could calibrate as a dictator. They want to create imaginary authoritarians in Africa because in truth dictators are now in short supply here. The pendulum is moving to them.
In their effort to scandalise and chastise President Lungu and his Government, the magazine tries to portray Zambia as headed for economic destruction and calls for Zambia’s neighbours (who ironically include Zimbabwe, by the way) to embark on a mission to remove President Lungu and his Government from power. Reason?
President Lungu is more dangerous to Zambia’s economy than covid-19;
he scares away investors by seizing mines;
he detains mining bosses;
he fired the Central Bank Governor for resisting to print money;
he arrested opposition leaders before the 2016 elections;
he shut down the main independent newspaper; and
he has arrested Hakainde Hichilema, the main opposition leader, as well as journalists, musicians and other critics.
The Magazine then makes a clarion call:
“Many Zambians worry that their country is sliding into autocracy and economic ruin, like next door Zimbabwe. To stop that slide, the region and the wider world need to start paying attention now, rather than just sending election observers a few weeks before the poll.”
Obviously, The Magazine painstakingly tries to portray President Lungu as an authoritarian they would like him to be, but at the expense of truth. And “truth” is the heart and soul of good journalism which this respected Magazine has foregone. The Economist is being economical with the truth. For what gain? Only them and their Zambian allies would know. The truth is in all the bullets above, the magazine is either lying or spinning facts i.e slanting facts out of context. There is absolutely no need to explain bullet point by bullet point because every Zambian knows that The Economist Magazine is lying. The authors of this article were either deliberately lying, or were lied to by their sources but what is important is that, out of all these lies above, none would persuade a Zambian to frown upon President Lungu. Why? Because Zambians know these are fibs…outright lies! No amount of demagoguery will skew the thinking of Zambians about the President.
Brand him and frame him in whatever way you like, President Lungu is anything but a dictator. He has allowed the Zambian media to criticize him day in day out. More importantly, through the operationalisation of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), a plethora of vibrant radio and television stations have been born under President Lungu’s administration. This has allowed citizens to hold Government to account on a daily basis. This has also allowed a plurality of voices on air, unlike before when Zambians relied only on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) for information. President Lungu has also allowed his opponents to criticize him, and sometimes intrusively defame him, on a daily basis. President Lungu has allowed civil society to thrive and they are in numbers here, some of them very critical of him and his Government. He has also not tampered with the independence of the Judiciary, legislature, and critical governance agencies like the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Drug Enforcement Commission, and the Electoral Commission of Zambia, to mention but a few.
It is, therefore, a shame that ignorant international media can pick on him to be a dictator when there are dictators not far from their newsrooms. The world must not worry about President Lungu, they must instead worry about the trajectory being taken by the Western media, especially the likes of The Economist and their ilk.
The author is Special Assistant to President Edgar Lungu for Press and Public Relations
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, NEOLIBERALISM, THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE
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COMMENT - “Why should they tell us they are making losses from the time they came? If they were making losses, they could have gone. They are liars, cheats and take us for fools. I will not allow that. Those that want to work with us will follow our laws. It’s a sovereign state and if we say the way we want to manage our tax regime we decide we will not be blackmailed by investors. Those that don’t want to stay can go. Sales tax is here to stay, VAT is gone. We decide,” said President Lungu."
From 2014: Anil Agarwal brags about the amount of money he dragged out of Zambia. "KONKOLA Copper Mines owner Anil Agarwal has mocked the Zambian government over the paltry amount of money he paid to buy the mine, which is now giving him millions of dollars in profit.".
http://maravi.blogspot.com/2014/05/comment-i-hope-this-is-final-push-in.html
(LUSAKA TIMES) KCM TAKING US FOR FOOLS…if it’s the will of the people to divorce, I will do so – Lungu
By Charles tembo in Ndola
on May 18, 2019
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says Konkola Copper Mines are liars, cheats and want to take Zambians as fools. President Lungu said he is on the Copperbelt to end the marriage between his government and Konkola Copper Mines.
He said “enough is enough of exploitation from KCM” despite buying the mine so cheaply.
President Lungu said this upon arrival at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola yesterday.
“We had a few matters to do at State House in Lusaka and of course, the Vice-President came back last night and I had to go and see her, she is doing very well. But my coming here is for one reason, one reason, the people of the Copperbelt want a divorce between themselves and copper mines namely KCM and Mopani. I want to hear it from the unions and the reason is simple, people have cried! I saw some women, some of them half naked crying that they feel cheated by the mining company KCM, and Mopani to some extreme,” President Lungu said.
“I have come here that if it’s the will of the people to divorce, I will do so. The message being made is clear. I want to consult the Chamber of Mines. I will be meeting them. The Mineworkers Union and other unions to find out what they think and I also have my position, and my position is that enough is enough. Zambians have been taken for a ride by the mining companies.”
He said KCM was bought so cheaply.
President Lungu said the Attorney General Likando Kalaluka and other lawyers would guide on how to share assets.
“KCM was bought for (US$) 25 million and we paid it all, our copper paid for the mines. They have done nothing since then, just promises, we can’t continue…. I am aware that there is a law in this country which should be followed, the Attorney General is here, the lawyers are here and will guide us on how we proceed with the divorce. So we will talk without any fear,” he said.
“I want to say this frankly because I know the opposition, those detractors who don’t see any good in what we do will be saying he is scaring investors. We are not going to scare any investor. Their investment is safe and those who want to come and invest should do so. I know there are other investors who are willing to come and invest in the mines. Immediately we kick them [KCM and Mopani] out, others will come and invest. There is engagement and disengagement even in marriage if things go bad…I am saying this without fear or favour.”
President Lungu said KCM had made enough profits.
“They have made money and taken money. We will ask the lawyer to tell us how we will share the assets and I know we will get married very soon. These are our mines.”
“Why should they tell us they are making losses from the time they came? If they were making losses, they could have gone. They are liars, cheats and take us for fools. I will not allow that. Those that want to work with us will follow our laws. It’s a sovereign state and if we say the way we want to manage our tax regime we decide we will not be blackmailed by investors. Those that don’t want to stay can go. Sales tax is here to stay, VAT is gone. We decide,” said President Lungu.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDGAR LUNGU, KCM, MINING, PF, TAX EVASION
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COMMENT - Why does underpaying African farmers for their products sound so familiar? "Last week FRA pegged the maize floor price at K65".
(THE MAST ONLINE) Govt has continued to offer farmers slavery maize price, says Mtayachalo
By Christopher Miti
on July 27, 2018
YOTAM Mtayachalo says
the 2018 maize floor price set by the Food Reserve Agency will dampen the morale of the farming community in the country. And Mtayachalo has suggested that government, through FRA, should help small scale farmers sell maize to the international market.
Last week FRA pegged the maize floor price at K65 but this was met with mixed feelings prompting President Edgar Lungu to order a review of the price, describing the current one as not a very fair price. But Mtayachalo, who is
FDD national chairperson for labour, stated that the 2018 maize floor price was a mockery.
“The floor price of maize announced by the government through FRA is a mockery to our hard working farmers as the K65 per 50kg bag of maize price offered to farmers for the 2018 marketing season is not commensurate with the prevailing high cost of production in light of high cost of fertilisers, seeds and other auxiliary farming inputs. Further, the general cost of doing business in the country has been escalating at a very alarming rate and as such the agriculture sector has not equally been spared. Therefore, the price of maize will dampen the morale among the farming community and may further discourage them from growing the staple food because government has continued to offer them a slavery floor price which is mostly driven by political motives,” he stated.
Mtayachalo accused successive governments of having manipulated the maize floor price for political reasons.
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to tell that all successive governments have manipulated the price of maize for political reasons by deliberately offering maize farmers poor prices for their commodity for the sole purpose of providing cheaper mealie-meal on the market, notably for the urban communities at the expense of poor farmers, hence small scale farmers have failed to graduate into higher income brackets since independence because of lack of adequate working capital and mechanisation, job creation and poverty eradication remains a pipe dream,” he stated.
“It must also be realised that farmers have not equally been spared from the high cost of living in the country, and as such the government which claims to be pro-poor should have taken into account such factors before announcing the floor price of maize in order to motivate the farmers to grow more food for local consumption and export.”
Mtayachalo stated that the floor price might hinder farmers from diversifying.
“Furthermore, the continued poor price of maize offered to farmers may hinder the country from achieving the much preached diversification agenda from mining to agriculture if the government continues to pay lip service to the growth of the agriculture sector. Moreover, about 40 per cent of Zambians are actively engaged in agricultural economic activities. It is therefore important that the government must design deliberate policies in order to trigger growth in the sector if we have to significantly reduce or eliminate poverty which continues to ravage our vulnerable population, especially in rural areas,” he stated.
Mtayachalo also appealed to government to help farmers sell their maize on the international market.
He appealed to the government to consider coming up with a deliberate policy which would see the FRA entering into an agreement with small and medium scale maize farmers for the agency to sell the commodity on their behalf on the lucrative international market, while a certain quantity could be bought at the local price for strategic food reserves.
“I strongly believe that such a move would result into farmers getting real value for their money and stop depending on subsidised farming inputs as they will have the financial capacity to buy their own instead of perpetually depending on the farmer input support programme, which is proving to be a bottomless pit,” stated Mtayachalo.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDGAR LUNGU, MAIZE
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COMMENT - The government wants cheap maize, and they don't want to pay for it. They could easily set the cost just below market prices. And give the maize away, turn it into finished goods (bourbon) and make money left right and center. If the government needs to make money at all, because they actually print their own currency. All they have to is keep a reasonable balance between the goods produced and the amount of currency (nowadays: credit) that is around. - MrK
(THE MAST ONLINE) Lungu does not deserve credit over his maize price review as he created it – Jalila
By Ben Mbangu in Choma
on July 24, 2018
CHOMA based human rights activist Bright Jalila says politicising the marketing of crops like maize is greatly affecting the agricultural sector. Jalila said it was cheap politics for President Edgar Lungu to turn around and direct the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to review the marketing price when he was the major problem to the country.
In an interview, Jalila said there was no difference between government and the FRA, because they are one.
“It’s cheap politics for President Edgar Lungu to turn around and direct the Food Reserve Agency to review the marketing price when he is the major problem to the country himself. He creates a problem himself then comes back through a back door and say review this price so that people think he has a good heart for farmers,” he said.
Jalila said the President’s statement did not deserve any credit because it was just mere politicking that had no bearing on the lives of people. He said politicians had impoverished farmers by continually dictating floor price for crops.
Jalila said if farming had to be a meaningful business that transformed people’s lives and the economy, then those involved in it must not lean on government which was controlled by politicians that have no heart for the poor.
Jalila said the system of over politicizing crops like maize was greatly affecting the agricultural sector in the country.
He said government through the FRA had become a monster that only held farmers to ransom. Jalila urged farmers come up with initiatives that could enable them stand on their own without depending on the political direction to favour them.
He said cooperatives that farmers were using to access inputs from government could be used as marketing platforms for their products than waiting upon government to completely finish them off.
Jalila said the PF had completely divorced itself from the path of poverty reduction through the promotion of agriculture owing to its stance to politicise the marketing price of crops. He said soon Zambia would plunge into untold economic crisis if President Lungu continued to play politics especially on maize marketing because farmers might stop producing for business purposes.
Jalila said once farmers considered maize a non-cash crop, that had potential to create food shortages in the country.
And Chief Cooma reminded FRA that its very survival depended on the same farmers the agency was killing through low prices. He said the FRA’s realignment to politics of shifting goal posts every now and then, following politicians in determining marketing price for cash crops had potential to destroy farming in the country.
Cooma proposed K85 per 50kg bag of maize as ideal if poverty was to be addressed in rural areas.
He welcomed President Edgar Lungu’s directive to the FRA to review its earlier announced floor price for maize pegged at K65 per 50kg bag, Cooma said the directive was welcome because it was not good for government to be the one putting the last nail on its people’s lives.
“If poverty levels continue being allowed to increase through failure to protect the available simple means of people making money such as agriculture, then Zambia will be as good as a dead nation. Poor people rely on agriculture and why should government destroy the market? What type of a country is Zambia going to be?” Cooma asked.
He said the cost of living for small-scale farmers was hard and would only change if measures were put in place to safeguard the market of their produce.
The chief said small-scale farmers were at the receiving end because they had no connections for market outside country as briefcase buyers did.
He urged FRA not to involve itself in politics because it would destroy the agricultural sector.
“The other major problem is that FRA here [Southern Province] only buys white maize and farmers who plant other crops like beans have nowhere to sell their products. It is our plea that FRA should start buying other crops as well,” said Cooma.
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, FRA, MAIZE
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COMMENT - The
Eurobonds,
IMF/WB,
Privatisation,
Anglo-American Corporation and it's many holdings (
De Beers,
Tongaat Hulett) all lead back to the same family and banks. When dealing with one, you are also dealing with the rest.
ZCCM-IH says FQM defrauded it repeatedly from 2006 to 2012 by hiding profits from Kansanshi Mining Plc and using proceeds from that period of high copper prices to build other mines without its consent as a shareholder.
The FQM executives sued by ZCCM-IH included chairman and chief executive officer Philip Pascall and directors Arthur Mathias Pascall, Clive Newall and Martin Rowley.
Mike Mulongoti:
He further asked the rationality of Zambia yearning to borrow from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) an amount of US$1.6 billion when they were in cahoots with FQM over US$1.4 billion.
We are convinced that they must have been paid because there is no way they can insist on going to the IMF to borrow US$1.6 billion and yet there is more than US$2 (billion) from the mine that they are trying to collect. How can that be?
Because the family that owns the mines is the same family that controls the IMF/WB, and they're making money both ways.
(THE MAST ZM) State House wants to rob Zambians through the ZCCM-IH, FQM fraud case – Mulongoti
Malawo Malawo
MIKE Mulongoti says State House’s attempt to rob Zambians out of billions of kwacha from First Quantum Minerals must viciously be watched and later followed up.
According to reliable sources, State House has bowed to pressure and is forcing Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH) to discontinue the fraud case in which it claims First Quantum Minerals (FQM) swindled it out of US$1.4 billion.
In November last year, ZCCM-IH, which holds shares on behalf of the Zambian government in the privatised and now foreign-owned mines, sued FQM in the Lusaka High Court for fraud and simultaneously commenced an arbitration process in London in an attempt to recover the money.
ZCCM-IH says FQM defrauded it repeatedly from 2006 to 2012 by hiding profits from Kansanshi Mining Plc and using proceeds from that period of high copper prices to build other mines without its consent as a shareholder.
The FQM executives sued by ZCCM-IH included chairman and chief executive officer Philip Pascall and directors Arthur Mathias Pascall, Clive Newall and Martin Rowley.
On April 21, 2017, Arthur, the director of operations, wrote to Attorney General Likando Kalaluka requesting him to force ZCCM-IH to drop the matter that is actively before the courts of law. The FQM directors also asked Kalaluka to protect them from prosecution. As the matter continued being battled in the Lusaka High Court, State House press aide Amos Chanda announced on May 10 that President Edgar Lungu would interfere in the ongoing legal dispute between ZCCM-IH and FQM and direct the matter to be settled outside the courts of law.
And last week, while the case was being heard in court, the Ministry of Finance issued a statement saying the first round of negotiations on the matter were fruitful.
Commenting on the matter, Mulongoti, the People’s Party president, observed that there was no morality in President Lungu’s government. He wondered what incentive was there for President Lungu, who recently hinted that he did not interfere in active court processes, to now call for a friendly resolution of the ZCCM-IH and FQM legal battle.
We have a problem when it comes to the issue of integrity in the PF government. The President, together with his spokesperson, has emphatically said they will not interfere with any court issues. When the outside world and everybody was persuading him to secure the release of HH (Hakainde Hichilema), he refused! Now, there is a court process (between ZCCM-IH and First Quantum Minerals) which involves resources of Zambia where ZCCM-Investment Holdings want to get money from an investor who has behaved dishonestly and he wants to intervene! How?
Mulongoti, who served as a Cabinet minister in various ministries during the MMD reign, wondered in an interview in Lusaka.
“This is a matter that must be followed up very viciously. What we’ll see is that they will become richer and Zambia will get poorer! They (FQM) have spent money that is supposed to come to Zambia on developing their own companies and the (ZCCM-IH) chief executive officer Dr Pius Kasolo is trying to get that money back. But for whatever reason, they (government) want to stop that money coming back to the people of Zambia.”
He further asked the rationality of Zambia yearning to borrow from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) an amount of US$1.6 billion when they were in cahoots with FQM over US$1.4 billion.
We are convinced that they must have been paid because there is no way they can insist on going to the IMF to borrow US$1.6 billion and yet there is more than US$2 million from the mine that they are trying to collect. How can that be? Mulongoti asked.
“So, there is no reason to allow them even to go to the IMF if they can’t collect that money which is here! This issue of insincerity is not right and along the way, the people of Zambia who are suffering will demand for little more than just ordinary explanation.”
He cautioned those who were currently looting public funds in the PF government that money could not be hidden.
They have become so rich such that some of them don’t even know what to do with the money. There is no secret in the world today -whether you’ve hidden your money in South Africa, Dubai or wherever, we’ll get to know and the people of Zambia will demand for that money, cautioned Mulongoti.
Labels: CORRUPTION, DEBT, EDGAR LUNGU, EUROBOND, FQM, IMF, NEOLIBERALISM, PF, PRIVATISATION
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COMMENT - How about a pay cut? Just until the currency recovers.
TODAY'S EDITORIAL COMMENT: Can Lungu and his minions justify their pay hikes?
By Editor |
Updated: 24 Mar,2016 ,13:31:44
It is shocking that in the current financial and economic difficulties the country is going through, the President and other key political leaders of this country can have their salaries increased.
This is insensitivity of the highest order. It goes beyond selfishness, greed and vanity. It actually borders on lunacy. The Zambian economy in its current state has no capacity, both in the public and private sectors, to increase salaries. Many companies are struggling to pay salaries and workers are being retrenched every day. Equally, the government is also struggling to meet its wage bill.
And consequently, the public revenue collections are also very tight. This is so because the government gets its revenue from the workers through Pay As You Earn and Value Added Tax which every consumer, regardless of their economic status, has to pay whenever they purchase goods or services on which such tax is levied. So even the poor of the poorest are paying taxes.
All the salaries of our politicians and other public workers are borne primarily by the workers and the poor who pay taxes. Increasing salaries of the President and other politicians simply places a further burden on their shoulders. Why put additional burden on people who are already overburdened? Who doesn’t know the trials of our people today? And God forbid that one should add one grain of trouble to the anxiety which they bear with such patience and fortitude. We do not believe that any fair-minded person would accept the injustice and fairness of pushing a further financial and economic burden on our already overburdened people.
There is no morality in increasing the salaries of the President and other politicians. Dr Kenneth Kaunda would never have done that. Let us get back to the morality of Dr Kaunda’s leadership which stood for the establishment of “a just and fair society for man. Man - you. Man - me”. Let us realise that taking up political positions should be an expression of a desire to contribute to the happiness of our people rather than of a need to cheat or rape the nation.
Anyway, this just reflects the nature and character of the political leadership we have in the country today. As the Bible says, “There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and needy; that is the way they make their living” (Proverbs 30:14).
“We must remember that we are there to serve the interests of the common man,” Dr Kaunda used to always remind those who were serving in the UNIP government with him. And he would add, “We must think and think again how best we shall serve and not about how important we are as leaders of our people. Let us remember that we are what we are today because of the common man, and that it is therefore right that he should expect better service from us…Selfishness in leaders inevitably leads to corruption…I do not want to see decisions made for self-interest rather than benefit of the people; I do not want to see people using their leadership positions to manipulate decisions in their favour. To be a leader at any level and in any scheme of things, you have got to love your fellow human beings, you have got to be ready to sacrifice for their good, you have got to be able to learn to respect the feelings of your fellow men.”
Good political leaders must be interested in the welfare of those in distress. We expect them to feel the distress of many who have a big problem about the cost of goods, with the tragedy of unemployment and not focus so much on themselves. Already, the cost to the taxpayer of keeping in office each one of these politicians is too high. Look at what the President gets for free! He has free housing, transport, food, alcohol and so on and so forth. Even clothes are bought for him by the taxpayer. The President of this country is not affected by the price hikes the great majority of our people have to endure. Probably this even explains how in a very short time in that office, Edgar Lungu has put on so much weight, has developed a potbelly. It’s free food, free everything while the rest of his fellow citizens njala yabanyokola and they are becoming thinner and thinner. Look at the number of automobiles bought by the taxpayer that service the President of this country and his family! Look at the number of workers around him paid by the taxpayer! There is a worker for everything he or his family members do! The President pays for nothing but he is getting a salary increment when those who pay for everything are getting none at all.
It is the poor of this country who are subsidising the expensive lifestyles of Edgar and his fellow politicians. Even when they go and recklessly borrow, it is the poor taxpayer of this country that has to, every month, put aside part of his or her earnings to repay the debts.
A start must be made to share the revenues of our government equitably and more fairly among all our people. If people have to be hungry, let us be hungry together. The privileged few like Edgar and his minions should not defend their well-stocked larder by making others go without the plenty they could have. We need leaders who are willing and able to serve the Zambian people heart and soul and never for a moment divorce themselves from the masses. We need leaders who in all cases proceed from the interests of the people and not from one’s self-interest or from the interest of a small group of those who find themselves in the top political leadership of the country.
We have Dr Kaunda’s example to follow. Let’s follow it. Comrade KK’s spirit as a political leader, his utter devotion to others without any thought for self, was shown in his boundless sense of responsibility in his work and his boundless warm-heartedness towards the masses of our people. Every political leader in this country must learn from him; must learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. With that type of spirit, everyone can be very useful to the people. All our political leaders, whatever their rank, are servants of the people, and whatever they do must be to serve the people. Their duty is to hold themselves accountable to the people. Every policy and every act of theirs must conform to the people’s interests. They must have the interest of the people and the sufferings of the great majority at heart instead of thinking about how much they should get for themselves from the people’s taxes.
Strictly speaking, what we have are not leaders but vultures, mercenaries, hyenas out to enjoy, enrich themselves at the expense of the poor.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDGAR LUNGU
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(LUSAKA TIMES) PF Government , IMF reach deadlock over bailout
COMMENT - The IMF goes to town. They want charges to go up, and that is after the massive devaluation of the Zambian Kwacha through Eurobond debt and other borrowing
leading to record inflation - with full knowledge and approval of the IMF and World Bank - they are complicit in this crime. This is not an economic policy, this is a hit. And the only thing the PF government of President Lungu can say is - let's wait until after the elections? This is criminal. Oh by the way, they are speaking in euphemisms because they're crooks. This is a massive transfer of resources from Zambian people to the IMF/Eurobonds. I say: scrap ALL the debt, throw the crooks in jail and take back the mining companies' stocks. Makes ZCCM great again, and completely transparent to the public. Use the profits to get into copper manufacturing using local copper only. Diversify into agriculture and infrastructure. That is the only way forward, not this neoliberal austerity and global economy garbage.
(LUSAKA TIMES) PF Government, IMF reach deadlock over bailout
March 18, 2016
President Edgar Lungu has asked the International Monetary Fund to offer an emergency bail out to his government but only start implementing the needed austerity measures after the August elections.
President Lungu through Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda made the plea when he met an IMF mission team that was in Zambia over the last two weeks.
The IMF is however not willing to offer emergency financing to the Zambian government before the country’s authorities submit a detailed technical report on how it will stabilise the economy.
This led to a deadlock and the much expected deal was not agreed at the end of the mission.
Impeccable sources who attended part of the consultations with the IMF team revealed that President Lungu was begging the IMF to relax its terms and allow his government to start implementing key austerity measures after August.
The sources said President Lungu contended that implementing a full set of austerity before the August elections will make it impossible for him to secure re-election.
Among the key measures the IMF team is demanding that government implements includes the removal of fuel subsidies, a serious reform of the Farmer Support Programme, introduces cost reflective power tariffs and a slowdown in infrastructure spending.
And in an End-of-Mission statement released on Friday, the IMF said the Zambian government indicated that strong near-term measures are being evaluated and that, at the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in mid-April, they would provide further guidance on the policy direction and reforms, and their plans for an IMF-supported program.
“Government finances are under immense stress. Expenditure is running far above budget, in large part as a result of fuel subsidies and contracted emergency electricity imports that together are estimated to cost the treasury about US$660 million a year at the current pace (equivalent to 3.2 percent of GDP). At the same time, domestic and external financing options have become more limited along with rising interest rates. Mounting domestic arrears are adding to concerns about debt sustainability,” the IMF said.
It added, ““tightening of monetary policy has been effective in stabilizing the exchange rate but tight liquidity conditions have contributed to persistent under-subscription of treasury bills and bonds. However, there is little scope to loosen monetary policy as long as fiscal imbalances are not addressed. A key challenge going forward will be to normalize activity in the interbank foreign exchange market while avoiding a return of last year’s extreme volatility in the exchange rate.”
The IMF said its mission and the Zambian government reached a shared understanding of the challenges and risks associated with the current economic situation.
“The authorities stressed that, notwithstanding the upcoming general elections, they are committed to addressing the budgetary pressures, including moving to cost-reflective energy pricing, and scaling back on discretionary spending while safeguarding social protection programs. They indicated that strong near-term measures are being evaluated and that, at the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in mid-April, they would provide further guidance on the policy direction and reforms, and their plans for an IMF-supported program,” it said.
“The mission is confident that Zambia’s current economic challenges can be overcome with resolute policy action, allowing a resumption of growth in line with the country’s abundant potential. In particular, a package of measures that makes clear that the fiscal pressures are being tackled would boost market confidence and pave the way for increased investment and growth. However, delays in implementing corrective measures will only worsen the situation, increase the adjustment cost and postpone the recovery.”
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, EUROBOND, IMF, MMD, PF, World Bank
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From The Post:
(THE POST ZAMBIA) It’s not taxes they’re after
By Editor
Updated: 11 Dec,2015 ,06:11:04
The Zambia Revenue Authority yesterday obtained a search warrant from the subordinate court to inspect, take possession or make copies of documents and ICT equipment, business records, purchase and sales daybooks, cash books and other account books, purchase invoices and sales invoices, annual accounts, bank statements and other banking records, VAT account, personal records, documents, diaries of directors, import documents, desktop computers, laptops, servers, etc, and any other such documents and ICT equipment related to the business or operations of The Post that they believe were used by the company to evade the payment of VAT and Income Tax.
It requires little intelligence, if a little is all one has, to realise that this is not a case of tax evasion but of something else. This company has been in existence for more than 24 years, paying its tax obligations. It is extremely malicious and unfair for the Zambia Revenue Authority to insinuate in any way that The Post is involved or could be involved in tax evasion. Tax evasion is a criminal offence and this newspaper, unlike some other newspapers in this country, is not run by criminals or ex-convicts. Tax evasion is knowingly breaking the law to reduce a tax liability by the deliberate concealing of income or the false claiming of allowances, deductible expenses and so on and so forth. This differs from tax avoidance, which is the process of arranging a taxpayer’s affairs in such a way that he can, within the law, reduce the amount of tax payable. And every taxpayer is entitled, if he can, to arrange his affairs so that the tax attaching under the appropriate Acts is less than it otherwise would be. If he succeeds in ordering them so as to secure the result, then however unappreciative the revenue authority or his fellow taxpayers may be of his ingenuity, he cannot be compelled to pay an increased tax. No taxpayer in this country is under the smallest obligation, moral or otherwise, so to arrange his legal relation to his business, or to his property as to enable the inland revenue to put the largest possible shovel into his stores. But The Post is neither involved in tax evasion nor tax avoidance.
Anyone looking for any evidence of tax evasion from The Post will never find any because there is none. We don’t engage in criminal activities. Mistakes, we can make but not criminal activities. If they want to find cases of tax evasion on the part of The Post, they have to trump them up. And we will not be surprised if they did this because they have shown strange desperation to fix The Post. It is not tax they are after, it is fixing The Post they aiming for. They simply want to paralyse the operations of The Post and consequently close it. Business came to a standstill yesterday. They paralysed the operations of the newspaper and no meaningful business could be conducted. Income was lost. They tried to search documents in files and look at computer records, but they were not making sense. They had made up their minds from the beginning to go away with the computers. What happens when they take away the computers of a business in today’s world? They have literally stopped the business from operating. That is the net effect. And the computers they are taking, what guarantee do we have that they will not tamper with them or even attempt to plant things on them? These are clearly acts of desperate people trying to do desperate things.
Why are they in such a hurry to fix The Post? There are matters in court which need to be resolved; why can’t they wait until these matters are completely resolved?
Again, we can say it with our heads high that The Post is not a criminal organisation run by criminals. And whatever has been done here has been done with sufficient honour and integrity. Yes mistakes, we can make but not criminal acts of evading taxes.
And what is also shocking is that the Zambia Revenue Authority team yesterday came with a video camera trying to film the proceedings. For what? Just when did tax investigations become an issue of Zambia Revenue Authority publicity? But this is exactly what the Zambia Revenue Authority has been doing to The Post. Every communication with The Post has ended up into some newspapers working with the Zambia Revenue Authority. Which other taxpayer is Zambia Revenue Authority treating in this way other than The Post?
Of course, pronouncements on the issue of The Post have been made by senior ministers of this government and officers of the ruling Patriotic Front, including President Edgar Lungu himself. They have all threatened The Post with closure using the Zambia Revenue Authority. They have not hidden their intentions. The Zambia Revenue Authority is not an independent institution; it is a government agency that takes instructions from those in power. And if this government can manipulate and coerce people holding constitutional offices with security of tenure, what more Zambia Revenue Authority officers, whom they can hire and fire at will?
But the bells tolling for The Post today, if not silenced, will tomorrow toll for many others and eventually for the whole country.
As for The Post, they should not deceive themselves that we can be coerced into submission by acts like these. To silence The Post, they first have to close it. We are not criminals or wrongdoers who can be easily blackmailed into submission. We have seen what they have tried to do to the Director of Public Prosecutions with trumped-up charges after they failed to force him to resign. Let them come up with trumped-up charges of tax evasion against us and see where it will take them.
Again, it is not tax money they are looking for. It is The Post’s soul they are searching for. Look at the composition of the team that came to our offices yesterday! Were all those officers from the Zambia Revenue Authority? The answer is a categorical no. They were from some other offices, some other state agencies - ZICTA, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the intelligence services. What are they looking for that they could not tell us? They never told us what they are looking for! Why? But it is not very difficult to guess what they are looking for and what they are up to.
- See more at: http://www.postzambia.com/news.php?id=13795#sthash.WdK9U8GT.dpuf
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDGAR LUNGU, MEDIA, PF, PRESS FREEDOM, ZRA
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Lungu complains Post picture portrayed him as drunk
By Roy Habaalu
Tue 22 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
HOME affairs minister Edgar Lungu says The Post front page picture published on Sunday, showing him attending a church service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka, was in bad taste because it portrayed him as being drunk.
Speaking to PF suporters and Matero constituency chairman Morgan Ngona at the entrance to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross shortly after the inter-denominational thanks giving service to commemorate the 49th independence anniversary and launch of the 2014 golden jubilee commemoration, Lungu who is PF disciplinary committee chairperson accused The Post of having an agenda to tarnish his image.
The picture showed Lungu conferring with labour minister Fackson Shamenda during the memoral service for Mama Betty Kaunda at the Cathedral in Lusaka on Saturday.
Lungu said The Post deliberately used a picture that portrayed him as a drunkard.
"They (The Post) have an agenda but I don't blame them. They looked for a picture…looked for an angle were I looked drunk. Yesterday (Saturday) I did not even drink. This one (Robert Chikwelete) knows when I am drunk, teifyofine? (isn't it?)," Lungu asked as Chikwelete nodded his head in affirmation.
"Elo ilya day, nshanwinepo nobwalwa (that day I didn't drink beer). Mukose bane mwilatina pakulanda (Colleagues be strong. Don't fear when speaking out)," Lungu told cadres that surrounded him as he waited for his official car at the entrance to the Cathedral.
Lungu, who was in a jovial mood while waiting to be picked, said his driver was not active.
"Kanonga waku Chawama. Driver wandi alishipula…wakuma constituency uku kumbifye. (Unless he was from Chawama constituency. My driver is docile…he's from these other constituencies.) Chikwelete oyee, oyee," said Lungu while lifting his fist when parting company with Chikwelete and party cadres.
Just after Lungu left, traffic officers controlling traffic looked shocked.
Some where heard saying; "nicani kansi ababantu ai' (What's wrong with these people).
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, THE POST
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Milupi urges Sata to forgo salary increase
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 20 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
CHARLES Milupi says President Michael Sata should show leadership by refusing to accept the 10 per cent salary increase awarded to him and other constitutional office holders.
In an interview yesterday, Milupi, leader of Alliance for Democracy and Development, said President Sata should "search his soul" and reject the increment just like former president Rupiah Banda did.
"That's how the 2008 increase did not go through. (President Sata) has spent his time castigating Banda about corruption, about selfishness. On this particular issue, let him follow the example of former president Banda by refusing to accept that," Milupi said.
Milupi said it was not morally right for President Sata to accept the newly-revised salary increase for him and other constitutional office holders.
Milupi accused President Sata of playing double standards by accepting a 10 per cent salary increment.
"You can't change in life like a chameleon; whenever it suits you then you change. I say this because I was in Parliament in 2008, immediately after the death of former president Mwanawasa, when a motion came on the remuneration of the constitutional office bearers, including the President. He stood on a hill to condemn that totally, even though Parliament had approved it. He made so much noise, remember that is when he was saying, 'Mwanawasa rejected this, now Banda is approving this'," he explained.
"Because of that, president Banda refused to assent to that. And for him to say, 'it is not me, it is Parliament', the President has authority on all the laws in Parliament. No law will be enacted in Parliament unless it is assented to by the President. That is the constitutionalism that we operate."
Milupi wondered why President Sata had been calling on opposition members of parliament to lead the way by foregoing the 10 per cent salary increase.
"For him to come up with a statement that 'I will also forego my pay if the opposition MPs forego their increase or refuse to accept the increase', that is the most ridiculous statement that has ever come from a head of state. The head of state is not driven by members of the opposition. He should show leadership himself. Even if the opposition say they will go ahead, because they can only go ahead receiving if the President assents to it, but if he refuses to sign, nobody will get an increase," he said.
Milupi said leaders join politics to serve and not to earn riches.
"No president compares himself to chief executives of organisations anywhere in the world. President Obama is not the highest paid official in America. You are in politics to serve, you don't need to go there to make money," said Milupi.
On Friday, home affairs Edgar Lungu indicated that President Sata was ready to forego the 10 per cent salary increase awarded to him.
Labels: CHARLES MILUPI, EDGAR LUNGU, MICHAEL SATA, SALARIES
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Lungu unfair to Wynter - UPND
By Roy Habaalu
Tue 03 Sep. 2013, 14:01 CAT
EDGAR Lungu is being unfair to Wynter Kabimba by demanding that he disciplines hooligans who on Saturday destroyed property at Northmead High School, says UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa.
Commenting on Lungu's statement that PF secretary general Kabimba, as the custodian of the party, should come to the rescue of the PF and stop the increasing levels of indiscipline among members, Mweetwa said Kabimba had nothing to do with the atrocious and heinous criminal activities perpetrated by PF members believed to be supporters of defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.
Mweetwa, who is Choma Central member of parliament, said it was Lungu's responsibility as Minister of Home Affairs, to enforce law and order for the safety of the nation. He said Lungu was washing his hands and putting Kabimba in the spotlight.
"It is alarming that as Minister of Home Affairs, who should stamp authority vested in his office to enforce law and order so that the law visits those hooligans breaking the law with utmost impunity, the minister has chosen to engage in gerrymandering, hide and seek and decided to trivialise a serious issue and relegate it to the secretary general of PF," Mweetwa said.
"Wynter is innocent in all this; it's the domain of the Minister of Home Affairs to handle crimes committed. Wynter is not responsible for criminal activities as SG (secretary general). The succession plan in PF is deep-rooted and one person can't be singled out and you can't blame it on the secretary general. It can't be solved overnight."
Mweetwa said what happened at Northmead was beyond PF and had become of national interest.
He demanded that Lungu tells the nation the full measures he would enforce against the perpetrators because what they did bordered on national security.
Mweetwa said it was sad that the political leadership was applying kid gloves on their hands and began to baby-play on an issue with far-reaching consequences.
"This is a living testimony that PF is the most violent party and damning indictment. As a ruling party, PF has a moral obligation to respond to challenges and mirror that they are a ruling party in a democracy. The police should tell us how they agreed to give PF a permit at a public place when we as UPND, they have refused. We demand strongly that before schools open, PF, and not government, is surcharged and repair the colossal damage caused at Northmead Basic School. They should not be allowed to exercise their impunity on public property," Mweetwa said.
Mweetwa said if members of the ruling party could maim each other, death was certain if violence involved opposition political parties.
On Sunday, Lungu said Kabimba should come to the rescue of the PF and stop the increasing levels of indiscipline among members.
He said it was saddening to see a breakdown of law and order in the ruling party.
"Personally, I am worried about the trend where party members are at each other's throat. The SG (secretary general Wynter Kabimba) should take decisive action and stop this breakdown of law and order. As disciplinary committee, we only respond to what has been brought before us. For instance, the SG can charge someone for breaking the rules and the aggrieved person then can seek our intervention," said Lungu.
Labels: CADRES, EDGAR LUNGU, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Wynter must stop PF indiscipline - Lungu
By Kabanda Chulu
Mon 02 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba should come to the rescue of the PF and stop the increasing levels of indiscipline among members because he is the custodian of the party, says chairman of the party's disciplinary committee Edgar Lungu.
And police yesterday apprehended one suspect in connection with the violent conduct of some PF cadres who disrupted a meeting and beat up fellow PF members on Saturday.
Commenting on the matter, Lungu, who is also home affairs minister, said it was saddening to see a breakdown of law and order in the ruling party.
"Personally, I am worried about the trend where party members are at each other's throat. The SG secretary general Wynter Kabimba should take decisive action and stop this breakdown of law and order.
As Disciplinary Committee, we only respond to what has been brought before us. For instance, the SG can charge someone for breaking the rules and the aggrieved person then can seek our intervention," said Lungu.
"In this case, we cannot come in because we can assume the roles of judge and prosecutor. The SG is the custodian of the party, so he should come to the rescue of the PF and address the increasing levels of indiscipline among members."
Kabimba's mobile phone was switched off by press time while his deputy Bridget Atanga's phone went unanswered.
Chain-wielding and stone-throwing thugs believed to be supporters of defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba on Saturday destroyed windowpanes at Lusaka's Northmead High School and severely beat up fellow members who were holding a meeting to discuss the endorsement of President Michael Sata for the 2016 elections.
Six constituency officials from Chawama and Mandevu were among those beaten and rushed to the University Teaching Hospital for treatment. PF Mpulungu ward 23 councillor Christopher Shakafuswa was among the victims of the savage attack that left his unregistered Benz CE240 extensively damaged. Other councillors attacked were Norman Nyendwa for Ng'ombe ward, who was admitted to Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital, Given Lwinchi of Chainda ward and Chikutano Nkhoma of Northmead ward.
The thugs, believed to be from Intercity Bus Terminus and Town Centre, arrived at the school around midday as 'fellow' members were about to hold a press briefing to discuss the issue of endorsements and immediately started beating people and breaking windowpanes.
The thugs accused fellow members who gathered at Northmead High School of being against Mwamba.
Chairs, stones and chains were used in the attack, leaving a trail of destruction and injuries.
Frightened PF members dismantled the school gate as they scampered for safety.
PF officials at the meeting, which was to be graced by Lusaka district chairman Goodson Banda, abandoned the event following the attack.
The thugs walked from Intercity Bus Terminus through Bwinjimfumu Road to Great East Road, chanting anti-Post newspaper slogans and beating up curious onlookers. After harassing and beating up their colleagues at Northmead High School, the cadres marched to State House, demanding to meet President Sata.
But police officers dispersed them as they had not made any appointment to meet the head of state.
The Post has footage of the group that marched through Bwinjimfumu Road while insulting its editor in chief Fred M'membe.
And police deputy public relations officer Rae Hamoonga confirmed that one male suspect was being held at Emmasdale Police Station for questioning.
"We are actively investigating this matter and we have apprehended one suspect for questioning. He is helping us with investigations. I can't disclose his names because we have not formally charged him but we are merely questioning him," said Hamoonga.
"I wish to take this opportunity to advise people to be wary of the laws governing this country because police will not hesitate to arrest anyone failing to observe the law whether they are politicians or not."
On Thursday, a group of youths who identified themselves as Mwamba's supporters stormed The Post Newspapers offices to protest what they termed negative coverage of the defence minister.
The seven-member group was, however, asked by security to select a representative to speak to the reporters while the others waited outside the premises.
Group leader, Victor Chola, who was accompanied into the offices by another youth identified as Nelson, said it was becoming increasingly embarrassing for their leader, Mwamba, who always received massive publicity for the wrong reasons.
"We are not happy about Mwamba's issue and we would to like to warn you. So you should stop this kind of coverage. Let us work together so that the President Micheal Sata can work freely," said Chola.
"We have not come to insult you here. We love you but... this should not continue because if it does, we will bring our mattresses here and sleep here so that you can sell your paper well. If you want, tell Mwamba to invest by buying shares in your paper because you know that when you cover GBM, each and every Zambian will want to buy a copy and read what he has said."
And on Friday, the same individuals stormed The Post, but were sent away by the security officers because they were speaking on top of their voices, insulting some employees who tried to reason with them.
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Easterners should stick to MMD the way Tongas have stuck to UPND - Andrew
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Tue 23 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
FORMER president Rupiah Banda's son, Andrew, says easterners should hold on to the MMD the way Tongas have done with UPND.
And MMD leader Nevers Mumba says he has information that the PF intends to ferry some Malawians to vote in Thursday's Chipata Central by-election.
But home affairs minister Edgar Lungu says Mumba is just being naughty.
Drumming up support for MMD candidate Reuben Mtolo Phiri at Nadalitsika Basic School, Andrew who was in Mumba's campaign team, said the MMD was the only political party that had remained for the easterners.
"Our colleagues the Tongas have held on to UPND, our colleagues from this place, our traditional cousins have held on to PF and here in Eastern Province they killed UNIP but MMD this time we are going to hold on to it," he said.
Andrew claimed that Zambians had the worst government in the last fifty years.
"This is a government which lies; don't vote for these people again! Don't vote for PF candidate Lameck Mangani and don't vote for PF. Don't vote for our father who came here yesterday (Saturday). I would like to thank you for coming in large numbers," he said.
And Mumba said Zambians hate liars like the PF.
He said those who vote for Mangani took pleasure in suffering.
"I have come here to tell you that if you vote for Mangani, it means you want your problems to continue. I am a pastor and if I tell you to do certain things, you should listen. We told you about the PF, that you will have problems. They (PF) told us that we will have money in our pockets, do we have money now? They cheat in the morning in the afternoon and in the evenings," Mumba said.
He said if the people of Chipata Central vote for Mangani, it means they like lies.
"Do you have jobs? Do you have money in your pockets? I have never seen a President who lies like Sata from the time I was born! When we were in government we paid attention to agriculture but the PF promised to give you 15 bags under Farmer Input Support Programme; have they given you?" Mumba asked.
He said President Michael Sata promised to work with the poor but he had forgotten everything when he became President.
Mumba said some people were having one meal a day because of the government's removal of subsidies.
And Faustina Sinyangwe said Mangani is a 'political prostitute' who has continued to change political parties.
And in an interview at the Chipata Central Police Station yesterday shortly before two MMD officials appeared in Chipata Magistrates' Court for defamation of the President, Mumba said the MMD was concerned with the information that they were receiving.
He said the MMD would deploy a number of their youths to ensure that no Malawian comes to vote in Zambia.
"We want to warn the PF that our eyes are open that this time around if they are going to use any means that is not legal, we will find them and confront them on those matters. So those rumours that we are receiving from their camp that they are going to use people from Malawi will be exposed if they are going to continue with that. They (PF) are desperate now because of the condition of the election," Mumba said.
He said MMD was getting an overwhelming response from the people of Chipata Central.
But Lungu, who is also PF's campaign manager in Chipata Central, refuted Mumba's allegations.
He said Mumba was just being naughty because the PF could not bring Malawians to vote in Zambia.
"…In fact we are trying to hold a meeting with ECZ to ensure that there are no importations of voters in any way. How can we be committing a wrong? Nevers is just being naughty! It's imminent actually that they (MMD) are heading for a loss. We even had a meeting yesterday Sunday with the campaign team to say how do we fight this scourge (of alleged ferrying Malawians to vote in Zambia] which they perpetuated on Mangani in order to win the seat which was one of the grounds for nullification," Lungu said.
He said the PF does not even know how the issue of importing Malawians to come and vote in Chipata works.
Labels: ANDREW BANDA, EDGAR LUNGU, REUBEN MTOLO PHIRI, RUPIAH BANDA
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Sata appoints Lungu acting President
By Joseph Mwenda
Fri 05 Apr. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has appointed home affairs minister Edgar Lungu as acting president. And President Sata on Wednesday asked if defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba had stopped 'fighting' with justice minister Wynter Kabimba.
When he arrived at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport around 21:00 hours, President Sata jokingly instructed Lungu to discipline Kabimba.
"Mr President, have you seen this one? You must discipline him," he said as Lungu responded; "right now I can't do anything Your Excellency but I will discipline him as soon as you take off."
The President also told Inspector General of police Stellah Libongani to discipline his aide-de-camp whom he said did not know the way around the airport.
"What kind of ADC is this one", President Sata who normally flies to the airport by helicopter asked as he disembarked from the presidential Mercedes Benz. Where is the IG? Where did you get this man? Can you discipline him. He doesn't know this airport, I know this airport more than him," he said.
And President Sata jokingly referred to Mwamba and Kabimba as 'Fat Albert' and 'Thin Albert' respectively.
As President Sata approached the airport apron, Kabimba and Mwamba together with other government officials lined up to greet him.
When greeting Mwamba, President Sata asked: "Iwe Fat Albert, have you stopped fighting with Thin Albert?"
Mwamba responded that the two ministers had become best friends.
"Your Excellency, we are now best friends," said Mwamba while embracing Kabimba.
President Sata then congratulated them prompting those seeing him off to laugh as he referred to Vice-President Guy Scott as 'White Albert'.
Fat Albert is a character from the 1972-1985 animated TV series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.
President Sata took off for Beijing at about 21:30 hours aboard an Emirates commercial flight.
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, GEOFFREY MWAMBA, MICHAEL SATA, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Lungu urges MMD to resolve their problems before by-elections
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 27 Jan. 2013, 11:50 CAT
HOME affairs minister Edgar Lungu has warned that he may be forced to use the law to drive the MMD into total extinction if leaders of the former ruling party fail to resolve the two factions.
But MMD vice-president for political affairs Michael Kaingu accused Lungu of harbouring a grudge against Nevers Mumba.
Former MMD national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe and Catherine Namugala last week formed a parallel MMD secretariat after their expulsion from the former ruling party for gross indiscipline.
Maj Kachingwe and Namugala have said the party being run by Mumba was Reform Party, not MMD.
The new faction has even asked people to apply to be adopted as candidates for the forthcoming Mpongwe and Livingstone by-elections.
Briefing the press yesterday in Lusaka at his office, Lungu said he had powers under the societies Act to bring into extinction a society becoming a danger to peace and good order.
"I wish to let you know that we are monitoring events in MMD because some faction has appealed to us, police, to intervene and we have said 'no, we cannot intervene because that is an in-house issue', but when you threaten law and order, the law certainly visits you," he said. "I did warn some senior members of MMD who approached me seeking police intervention in the matter that they are doing so at their own peril because if we found that they are becoming a threat to peace, we will not hesitate in invoking powers which I have under the societies Act to bring them into extinction. Of course this is subject to what is going on in court."
Lungu urged the MMD to put its house in order failure to which its candidates would not be allowed to file their nomination papers for the forth-coming Mpongwe and Livingstone by-elections.
"If I was going to be malicious, I will do that on the eve of filing nominations so that they don't take part in Mpongwe and Livingstone by-elections. So be forewarned, put your house in order, so that as we go to the filing of nominations we want to have one MMD, not multiple MMD because then it will be difficult for the commissioner of elections to receive candidates from MMD," he said.
"We only know that there is one party called MMD. If they bring two candidates for Livingstone, we will say; 'sorry'. But for me as a custodian of law and order, I warn them that put their house in order now before that filing day. Otherwise, you risk not taking part in elections or you risk going into total extinction."
When contacted for comment, Kaingu said Lungu was aware about the true MMD.
"Is he Lungu telling them truth that he doesn't know MMD? Why should he pretend? That is what will kill this country, pretence. He knows which one is MMD. That is squarely under his office and he knows that Kachingwe was expelled by our party," he said. "MMD is an institution; it does not belong to one person. If he has difficulties with my president Dr Mumba, it doesn't mean that he should now even generalise that to an institution."
And Mumba's special assistant Raphael Nakacinda Nakacinda said Lungu's statement was laughable.
He said the government should never get involved in problems created by members of a club who have refused to be disciplined.
"It's a major shock to the nation that government cannot allow us to discipline our own members and if we do, they get involved. We know it's been their intention to deregister MMD for a long time. Remember they wanted to deregister us through the Registrar of Societies, we had to pay those huge fees. There is absolutely no way that government can get involved in this matter," Nakacinda said. "We discipline our officials and they decide not to recognise that and they go to form another political party and government says they will deregister us!"
He said the MMD under Mumba's leadership had paid its dues to the Registrar of Societies and wondered what authority Major Richard Kachingwe is using to operate a parallel structure.
"Why should government swing behind this rebel group? It has no registration certificate, no instruments of power, it was not voted for by the members. It's laughable that a government can even think like that," he said.
"Mr Lungu is a lawyer and knows well that if any member of a party is aggrieved by decision by his club, there are courts of law. Government should stay away from this matter."
Nakacinda said Lungu could not say what he said unless the lawlessness by Maj Kachingwe and his group was being sponsored by the Patriotic Front government.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, EDGAR LUNGU, MMD
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PF committee finds Lubinda guilty
By Moses Kuwema
Mon 07 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
The Edgar Lungu-led Patriotic Front's disciplinary committee has unanimously found Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda unfit to be a member of the party and recommended to have him expelled.
According to reliable sources within the committee, the evidence on Lubinda's allegations of treachery was overwhelming.
The disciplinary committee comprised PF national chairperson and gender minister Inonge Wina, Mandevu member of parliament Jean Kapata, defence deputy minister Davies Mwila, Musonda Mpankanta, deputy minister of chiefs and traditional Suzan Kawandami, Dorothy Kazunga and Chola Chama as the secretary.
The sources said the evidence against Lubinda over allegations of collaborating with opposition parties against the PF was overwhelming and, therefore, the committee resolved to recommend to the central committee to have him expelled.
The central committee, which is scheduled to meet on January 26, will look at the recommendations from the Lungu-chaired disciplinary committee.
The committee also resolved to have former Lusaka Province PF chairman Davies Chama suspended for for six months and not to have him reinstated as chairman on his return.
And the committee further resolved not to have the leaders from Eastern Province reinstated as well.
Among those that were suspended from Eastern Province are Lucas Phiri (provincial chairman), Joseph Mutale (provincial secretary), Andrew Lubusha (provincial youth chairman), Joseph Kolosa (provincial vice-secretary), William Phiri (constituency secretary) and Daniel Phiri (constituency treasurer).
Lubinda, when contacted for a reaction, said he had not "heard that".
He said he would wait for the party to communicate to him about the decision.
"After receiving communication, that's when I will comment," said Lubinda.
Recently, Lubinda said he would defend his parliamentary seat if the PF decided to expel him.
On the other hand, Lungu, when contacted to confirm the recommendation, responded: "I can neither confirm nor deny the contents of resolutions for this is for consideration by the central committee which will make a decision, the decision of the party in the matters we have been looking at. What I can confirm is that in all cases we received evidence, some were proved; some were not. We made a decision based on the facts and this will be taken to the central committee."
He said his committee would in the course of this week prepare a report that would be submitted to the party's central committee, which had the final mandate to make decisions.
Lubinda had assured his supporters that he would retain his seat because the large majority felt he had represented them well.
Lubinda said those calling for his resignation were sponsored by his enemies that were jealous of his achievements.
"Don't worry; all these things happening will come to an end. Just wait and see. Most of these people insulting me are just paid by people with agendas and they feel uncomfortable with me around because some want to be presidents and think with me around, it won't be possible," said Lubinda.
Lubinda told his supporters that some people in the central committee had teamed up against him but said he was comforted by the fact that the grassroots would give him overwhelming support and was sure to retain his seat.
Labels: EDGAR LUNGU, GIVEN LUBINDA, PF
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Fighting corruption with corrupt police officers
By The Post
Mon 01 Oct. 2012, 13:20 CAT
IT is shocking and frightening that serving police officers can storm the offices of a newspaper and vow that they will continue receiving bribes and work with illegal copper dealers until the government starts giving them better salaries.
What are things coming to? If police officers can justify their corruption with such brazenness, where are we headed as a nation? Where does this leave the fight against corruption?
It is clear to us that police officers can only perform their functions properly and efficiently if they are not corrupt - that is, they are effectively constrained by the law.
If, on the other hand, the police is pervaded by corruption, it would be prudent to first engage in reforms to improve its efficiency before engaging it in the fight against corruption.
Low salaries for police officers and other civil servants or public workers have been given as a reason why some of them may engage in corruption. As part of the effort to minimise corruption in the police, civil service and other public sector institutions, it has been suggested that pay scales be raised in line with those in the private sector.
One must note, however, that higher pay in the police and other public sector institutions may simply force opportunistic police officers and other civil servants to demand higher bribes to compensate for the probability of losing what is now a relatively more important and lucrative job.
Of course, there is a broad consensus that low salaries result in a decline of public sector efficiency and productivity and create both incentives and opportunities for corruption and misuse of public resources.
However, it is also agreed that increasing salaries without establishing effective control and monitoring systems as well as enforcement of appropriate sanctions is unlikely to have an impact on corruption.
Underpaid officers develop a wide range of coping strategies to top up incomes, to compensate for their declining purchasing power. It cannot be denied that low salaries provide incentives for corruption. But the story does not end here. It has also been strongly argued that relative pay does not seem to have significant effect on corruption.
This suggests that pay may not have a contemporaneous effect on corruption and that changes in salary scales may not be systematically associated with changes in corruption.
Some research, not only challenges the effectiveness of increasing salaries as an anti-corruption measure, but also concludes that anti-corruption policies designed to increase salaries and net income of potentially corrupt officers may be both ineffective and encourage corruption.
In addition, should a link between salaries and corruption be empirically confirmed, the direction of causality may remain unclear. Corruption may lead to lower pay rather than the reverse, by reducing the public resources available to compensate public officers.
As inefficient public services creates more opportunities for rent-seeking and bribe extortion and corruption, it is argued that higher pay may worsen corruption under certain circumstances, by crowding out other funding necessary for the provision of quality services, undermining the efficiency and productivity of public service delivery.
A further argument relates to the capacity of the civil service to attract and retain the most honest, skilled and motivated officers in the face of long-term decline of average real public sector salaries. The parallel development of the private sector that offer better pay incentives and career opportunities can result in draining highly qualified government officers away from the government.
Pay offered by international organisations may also affect the incentives of public sector officials and contribute to the brain-drain of the most competent civil servants. Similarly, low salaries in the public sector are likely to attract less qualified, poorly motivated and potentially disloyal staff, resulting in an opaque, inefficient and potentially corrupt civil service.
Underpaid staff are more likely to spend a considerable amount of office time on rent-seeking activities, further reducing the overall public service productivity. The combination of these factors is creating working conditions that are conducive to various forms of bureaucratic corruption and misappropriation of public resources.
It is therefore important to consider the full range of incentives embedded within a specific pay system to assess its adequacy and potential to deter corruption.
There is greater public tolerance for corrupt practices when civil servants' incomes are insufficient for living and their relative levels are low or perceived as unfair in comparison to private sector salaries.
Informal payments are perceived as a subsistence strategy that compensate for inequitable working conditions, and economic hardships make it less reprehensible to demand or accept bribes for poorly paid staff as a survival strategy.
Theoretically, higher salaries make corruption potentially more costly, as corrupt behaviours increase the risks of losing a highly rewarding job instead of a low-paying one. In other words, highly paid officials have in principle fewer incentives to indulge in corruption and have more to lose if they are caught.
However, there is a growing consensus that this argument does not directly predict the impact of increasing salary rates on reducing corruption, as other variables are important to consider, such as risks of detection, severity of sanctions and level of enforcement.
But this shocking and frightening story reveals the challenges of combating corruption in this country.
It is impossible to fight corruption with a generally corrupt police service. The police, together with the Judiciary and the mass media, is expected to lead the fight against corruption. But how can a corrupt police lead a fight against corruption in which itself is likely to be a victim?
Even if the civil society is encouraged to remain vigilant and watch out for individuals who engage in corruption, where is it going to report them to? To the police? Which police? The police that works with criminals? The police that is not ashamed to receive money from jerabos?
Citizens are encouraged to be vigilant and report any suspected corrupt activities to the police! But again, which police? The corrupt police? A police that protects criminals, corrupt elements!
Our fight against corruption depends heavily on the effectiveness and professionalism of the police and Judiciary. But if these two are corrupt, what happens to the fight against corruption? It is assumed that such institutions are well constrained by the law and that they are free of corruption. But given what we know, is such an assumption reasonable? If it is unreasonable, again, where does this leave the fight against corruption?
If police officers can be so courageous as to storm a newspaper and pronounce themselves corrupt, then we have a serious problem that needs to be addressed, and urgently so.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDGAR LUNGU, POLICE, POLIICE CORRUPTION, SALARIES
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Copperbelt cops vow to continue taking bribes from jerabos
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Mon 01 Oct. 2012, 12:10 CAT
SOME police officers on the Copperbelt have vowed to continue receiving bribes and working with illegal copper dealers until the government starts giving them good salaries.
But home affairs minister Edgar Lungu says it is unacceptable for police officers to engage in corruption because of low salaries.
Irate officers who stormed The Post in Ndola said the government should forget about fighting corruption in the police service if they kept paying police officers meagre salaries.
"Even after coming into power, the PF government who promised us heaven on earth have abandoned us. The PF politicians promised to better our salaries once in power and we massively voted for them. But they have refused to better our conditions of services," said one of the officers.
"The fight against corruption is meaningless if the government will continue giving us bad salaries. We will continue working with jerabos, because they give us a lot of money. The jerabos are considerate and we will continue working with them. They put bread and butter on our tables."
The officers said they did not want to engage in corrupt activities but that circumstances forced them to receive bribes.
They said corruption in the police service would have been removed if the officers were getting decent salaries.
"Everyone in the police service is connected. We have people we do favours for who give us money. Our salaries are so little that they cannot even buy groceries for our houses. It is not only junior officers who are involved, even senior officers receive bribes. The bribes we get help us in our day-to-day lives," said one officer proudly.
But Lungu said the meagre salaries in the police service should not be used as justification for wrongdoing.
"As the government, we are aware of the low salaries that police officers are getting and we are working on that. We know they don't have a union and we are really working on their salaries, but this should not justify why they should engage in corrupt activities. Whoever will be found will be arrested," he warned.
Lungu, however, called on police officers to be patient as the government was working on improving their salaries.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDGAR LUNGU, POLICE, POLIICE CORRUPTION, SALARIES
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