EFZ appeals for restraint, maturity among MPs
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Sun 30 Sep. 2012, 09:58 CAT
ZAMBIANS should not be passive spectators but instead be active participants to the development process of the country, says Rev Pukuta Mwanza.
Rev Mwanza, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director, yesterday said that in order to move the country forward, everyone should put Zambia first.
He said President Michael Sata's opening remarks when he opened Parliament were aimed at creating an atmosphere in the Parliament that would allow for a healthy co-existence between parliamentarians from different political parties.
"We appeal to all the parliamentarians to exercise emotional restraint and show maturity in debating issues," he said in apparent reference to Mwandi MMD member of parliament Michael Kaingu's tearing of the President's speech to Parliament last Tuesday.
Rev Mwanza said the President's speech to Parliament was critical because it formed the basis for debate in the house and also it was expected to show the government's development agenda, vision and direction for the country.
He said the President should attach great importance to the process of developing his speech to Parliament by ensuring that the document was of high quality, reflecting government's performance in the past, challenges encountered and inspiring the nation with a hope and a direction for the future.
"We observed too that the recent President's speech left out some vital issues that should have been addressed and the content was diluted by excessive humour in the delivery of the speech.
The President deprived himself of an opportunity to exhibit a great passion in sharing the vision of where his government was taking the nation," he said. "The speech needed to inspire a greater sense of having to deal with uncertainties, challenges faced by government in seeking to fulfil its election campaign promises and how these challenges were going to be tackled as the government was entering its second year in power such as the growing youth unemployment, high poverty levels."
Rev Mwanza said a brief comparison between the campaign promises and the developmental outcomes in the first year should have been clearer.
He said it was important to note that each government builds on the good foundation of the previous governments and in some cases the shaky foundations were rebuilt.
Rev Mwanza said the government should not be pre-occupied as to who would take the glory.
"If Zambia achieves its socio-economic goals, then we will have succeeded as 'a people'. In addition, the PF government stayed in the bench warming up for 10 years preparing to hit the ground running. We expect that they should have closely watched the game that MMD was playing so that they make a significant difference and great impact in those areas they are best at in the shortest possible time," he said. "This is a job where there is no extension of time of play to over injury time.
Where the constitution pre-determines the date of the election, it means that once the 90 minutes is gone, it is gone. Some of the good intentions have been made but serious business should accompany the willingness to do because there is little or no room for political entertainment."
He said the fact that President Sata had shuffled his Cabinet a number of times meant that there had been difficulty in finding the right mix of people to deliver the election promises.
"Perhaps the best team combination and team permutation is not a very easy undertaking after all. We should always pray that the right people will bring development to this economically thirsty nation," he said.
Rev Mwanza said the role of members of parliament was crucial in moving the country forward because they could put aside their partisan politics and debate motions in the House objectively.
"Then we can see more progressive legislation, a greater commitment to ensuring effective government performance, quality debates and improved governance systems. The MPs should perform their role by exercising highest levels of restraint from highly emotional expressions when reacting to the motions on the floor. We therefore express our deepest concern at the action by the honourable member of parliament Michael Kaingu who tore the President's speech as a reaction to its apparent inferior standard," he said.
He said the EFZ felt Kaingu's action was excessive and emotionally unacceptable because the natural way of responding to the speech was to debate it.
Rev Mwanza said Kaingu's action was regrettable, disgraceful and an emotional excess.
He said members of parliament should exhibit high levels of debating skills and analytical thinking capabilities that should help to hold the government accountable for its action.
Kaingu has defended his action, saying it was meant to protect Parliament's decorum.
Labels: EFZ, MICHAEL SATA, PUKUTA MWANZA
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EFZ's call to pray for Zambia
By The Post
Sun 01 July 2012, 13:25 CAT
THE Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia has made a call to pray for Zambia because it feels the country has been under attack as observed by a wave of problems that threaten the unity, peace and tranquillity of our people. And the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia further observes that "we can achieve much by exercising maturity and by being objective in our relationship with each other regardless of our divergent political philosophies, beliefs and convictions.
Democracy cannot flourish in an atmosphere of hatred and unresolved conflicts. There is no reason to harden one's heart against advice and there is no gain in harbouring hatred. Righteousness should prevail over evil. Forgiveness is a virtue and humility is power under control. Pride makes us weak and humility strengthens us. If our political leaders shall humble themselves, then God will surely lift them up in due season".
We exhort our politicians and their followers to meditate on what the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia is saying, delve deeply into it; to help disseminate, as an essential thing, truthfully, without any dogmas and with broadmindedness, listening to everyone, without thinking that we are the owners of the absolute truth.
The challenges we are going through as a nation, as a people call for a new awareness. And we must start building that awareness. It is not that we totally lack awareness; but such challenges and complex situations require principles more than ever.
And require a lot of awareness, and that awareness will be built, by adding together the awareness of what is happening and the awareness of what is going to happen. It has to be built by adding together more than just one thought and the best ethical and humane ideas of more than one religion, of all authentic religions, the sum total of the preaching of many political thinkers, of many schools and many religions.
We need religious institutions to continue to be the conscience of society, a moral custodian and a fearless champion of the interest of then weak and downtrodden.
The simple lesson of religions, of all philosophies and of life itself is that, although evil may be in the rampage temporarily, the good must win the laurels in the end.
There are many things we have to learn on how to live together in harmony and in diversity and in how to govern the affairs of our country. People may be born with an appetite for personal freedom, but they are not born with knowledge about the social and political arrangements that make freedom possible over time for themselves and their children.
Such things must be acquired. They must be learned. Human beings possess a variety of sometimes contradictory desires. People want safety yet relish adventure; they aspire to individual freedom yet demand social equality.
Democracy is no different, and it is important to recognise that many of these tensions, even paradoxes, that we are facing today as a nation, as a people, are present in every democratic society. A central paradox exists between conflict and consensus. Democracy is in many ways nothing more than a set of rules for managing conflict.
At the same time, this conflict must be managed within certain limits and result in compromises, consensus or other agreements that all sides accept as legitimate. An overemphasis on one side of the equation can threaten the entire undertaking. If groups perceive democracy as nothing more than a forum in which they can press their demands, the society can shutter from within. If the government exerts excessive pressure to achieve consensus, stifling the voices of the people, the society can be crushed from above.
The answer is that there is no single or easy answer. Democracy is not a machine that runs by itself once the proper principles and procedures are inserted. A democratic society needs the commitment of citizens who accept the inevitability of conflict as well as the necessity for tolerance.
It is for this reason that the culture of democracy is so important to develop. Individuals and groups must be willing, at a minimum, to tolerate each other's differences, recognising that the other side has valid rights and a legitimate point of view. If there is a dispute, the various sides to a dispute can then meet in a spirit of compromise and seek a specific solution that build on the general principle of majority rule and minority rights.
In some instances, a formal vote may be necessary, but often groups can reach an informal consensus or accommodation through debate and compromise. These processes have the added benefit of building the trust necessary to resolve future problems.
Coalition-building is the essence of democratic action. We say this because coalition-building teaches interest groups to negotiate with others, to compromise and to work within the constitutional system. By working to establish coalition, groups with differences learn how to argue peaceably, how to pursue their goals in a democratic manner and ultimately how to live in a world of diversity.
Democracy is not a set of revealed, unchanging truths, but the mechanism by which, through the clash and compromise of ideas, individuals and institutions, the people can, however imperfectly, reach for truth. Democracy is pragmatic. Ideas and solutions to problems are not tested against a rigid political outlook but tried in the real world where they can be argued over and changed, accepted or discarded.
Having democratic institutions and even elections cannot protect us against mistakes, end ethnic strife or guarantee economic prosperity. It does, however, allow for the debate and examination that can identify mistakes, permit groups to meet and resolve differences, and offer opportunities for innovation and investment that are the engines of economic growth.
Democracies make several assumptions about human nature. One is that, given a chance, people are generally capable of governing themselves in a manner that is fair and free. Another is that any society comprises a great diversity of interests and individuals who deserve to have their voices heard and their views respected. As a result, one thing is true of all healthy democracies: they are noisy.
In a democracy, there are many voices. And these include those of the government, its political supporters and opposition, of course.
But they are joined by the voices of the labour movement, trade unions, organised interest groups, community associations, traditional authorities, royal establishments, the news media, scholars and critics, religious leaders and writers, small businesses and large corporations, churches and schools, and so on and so forth.
All of these groups are free to raise their voices and participate in the democratic political process, whether locally or nationally. In this way, democratic politics acts as a filter through which the vocal demands of a diverse populace pass on the way to becoming public policy.
As former US president Jimmy Carter once said, "The experience of democracy is like the experience of life itself - always changing, infinity in its variety, sometimes turbulent and all the more valuable for having been tested by adversity."
These are the issues we should deeply meditate over as we join in the prayers for Zambia called for by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia.
And whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew or a Hindu, religion is a great force and it can help one have command of one's own morality, one's own behaviour and one's own attitude. And without the church, without religious institutions, our country wouldn't be the peaceful and united nation it is today.
Labels: EFZ
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Samasumo calls for hard work, mutual respect
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Sun 01 July 2012, 13:24 CAT
ZAMBIA's challenges can be overcome if people learn to work hard and respect one another even when they have different views, says Father Paul Samasumo.
Commenting on the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ)'s call for national prayers, Fr Samasumo who is Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) spokesperson said the call was indeed timely.
"In fact, all churches (not only the Pentecostals) but all churches should pray for this nation. Christians have a duty to bring love wherever they are. As one of our own, Catholic saints have said in the past, 'we must pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended on us'," he said.
"The challenges that this nation is going through can be overcome if we learn to work hard and work towards thesame goals, show love and respect to one another even when we have different viewpoints."
Fr Samasumo said it was refreshing to encounter from the EFZ leadership such contemporary focus which was keen to respond to the present day challenges in Zambia.
"This is what our own Bishops try to do each time they issue pastoral letters. Notwithstanding our distinctive theological approaches with EFZ over matters such as the 'Christian nation' clause and 'death penalty' clause in the present draft constitution, Catholics will always value our partnership with the EFZ. We will continue to share and cooperate with the EFZ leadership through the fruitful partnership of the three church mother bodies of which the Council of Churches is also an important part," said Fr Samasumo.
EFZ executive director Reverend Pukata Mwanza last week said democracy could not flourish in an atmosphere of hatred and unresolved conflicts.
In a call to pray for Zambia from June to December this year, Rev Mwanza prayed for President Michael Sata and for Zambian people to respect and honour him as the Head of State.
He prayed that the government would exercise accountability and responsibility in the running of the affairs of the country, prioritising the plight of the people, exhibiting integrity and being above reproach.
Rev Mwanza said there were pending by-elections in three constituencies and prayed that the participating political parties and independent candidates would campaign peacefully without violence or malpractices and that they would adhere to the electoral code of conduct during the campaigns and the election period.
On the Barotseland Agreement, he prayed that the government would have wisdom in discussing the issue with all the stakeholders and come up with a permanent and lasting solution to the agreement.
On the constitution making process, Rev Mwanza prayed that the technical committee drafting the Zambian Constitution which was appointed by President Sata would be legalised by an Act of Parliament to give it legitimacy of carrying out this very important national assignment.
On Judicial reforms, Rev Mwanza said while appreciating and supporting the calls from the general public to reform the judiciary, they preferred that President Sata first appoints a commission of inquiry to investigate the judicial system and come up with findings and recommendations which would form the basis for carrying out the reforms in the judiciary.
He also prayed that the fight against corruption would be broad based to ensure there was a complete clean up both inside and outside of government.
Rev Mwanza further said the government should ensure that it establishes a deliberate policy to empower its own citizens through access to credit, business loans and deliberate quotas for local suppliers to participate in major projects in the country such as the mines, the construction and service sectors.
Labels: EFZ, PAUL SAMASUMO
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EFZ commends Sata for supplying fuel to Malawi
By Roy Habaalu
Thu 19 Apr. 2012, 12:57 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata's decision to supply fuel to facilitate funeral arrangements for president Bingu Wa mutharika shows true statesmanship.
Commenting on President Sata's decision to give Malawi one million litres of petrol and two million litres of diesel to help with funeral arrangements, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza said it was an active, practical and good follow up of a restored relationship for the two countries.
President Sata had agreed to reconcile with Mutharika in December last year, after differences that arose following the former's 2007 deportation from Malawi upon arrival at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre in 2007.
Rev Mwanza said President Sata's gesture showed a mature way of doing things.
"You don't respond to hate with hate. This gesture reflects what true statesmanship is, what true Christian values are because the Bible says you should not persecute those that hate you but pray for them. This is one way of showing the true picture of what leadership is all about. You should not revenge but give back love in exchange for hate and so what this has shown is that as leaders, we must be able to respond using what I may call 'A' level leadership where you are able to show love were you are hated and not being able to keep hatred for too long," he said.
Rev Mwanza said President Sata had shown that he was not a vindictive leader.
He said this would strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries.
"Life afterwards must be normal and I think this is where a picture must be shown that there must not be permanent hatred between leaders.
Once things have been voiced out, there must be a normal relationship restored completely and what we see here is that after the exchange of words (between President Sata and Mutharika) in Pretoria in terms of restored relationship, there is something practical to show that there is a strong tie of normal relationship," he said.
Rev Mwanza said President Sata's ability to forgive and embrace togetherness must trickle down to cadres.
"We see President Sata moving into the footsteps of our founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda who was able to use national resources for the liberation of the country, continent and the region and I think this is the Zambian spirit," said Rev Mwanza.
Prof Wa Mutharika who died on April 7 after a cardiac arrest will be buried on April 23 at Ndata Farm in Thyolo.
Labels: EFZ, MALAWI, MICHAEL SATA, OIL
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EFZ voices discomfort on cadre appointments
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 19 Mar. 2012, 11:59 CAT
THE appointment of cadres as district commissioners and members of parastatal boards is going to reverse the intended effectiveness that the PF government has been proclaiming and preaching about, says the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia.
In an interview, EFZ executive director Rev Pukuta Mwanza said it was unfortunate that the PF government could justify the appointment of cadres as districts commissioners and board members of parastatals.
Rev Mwanza said it was well known from history that parastatals were riddled with a lot of inefficiency because people that did not qualify ended up being appointed board members of these institutions.
He said this compromised the profitability of these companies and unnecessary increases in the wage bills because apart from just appointing cadres to such high offices, the same senior management personnel came under pressure to employ other party cadres in order to reward them because of their involvement in party functions.
"And this is going to push the country back into the old problem of over employed parastatal company structures as well as siphon a lot of public funds in order to sustain the operations of the inefficient parastatals companies.
The government will have to get money from other sources in order to pay salaries as well as operational costs for companies like Zamtel and we know that if this had begun with Zamtel; it will be the same with Zesco, ZNBC and it will be the same with NAPSA and other parastatals," he said.
"We strongly feel that this is going to reverse the intended effectiveness that the PF government had been proclaiming and preaching all along, where as the government is trying to save costs in the cabinet by reducing the number of ministries, it means that those gains will not be achieved because we will still be losing a lot at the level of parastatal expenses, so we are totally against that."
He said district commissioners should be professionals and appointed to those positions because of their expertise.
"They should be people who understand development, governance , local government so that they can be able to contribute effectively at the level. The appointment of cadres is going to compromise the delivery of service and therefore we are going to have districts that are underperforming or not performing at all and because these people will be rewarded for being there," said Rev Mwanza.
"It will be difficult for the President or the government to be seen to discipline them. The only other way we will be seeing these people is that they will be sent into the diplomatic service because it seems it has become a culture or practice or the rule of thumb that if anybody fails to tick at any level, then the only other place they can be referred to is the diplomatic service."
Labels: CADRES, EFZ, PUKUTA MWANZA
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Barotse Agreement can be basis for national devolution of power - EFZ
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 05 Mar. 2012, 12:00 CAT
THE Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia says the Barotseland Agreement, if well handled, can be used as a basis for decentralisation and devolution of power not only in Western Province but all regions of the country.
Releasing the state of the nation report yesterday, EFZ executive director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza said the primary concerns of the people of the Western Province seemed to be those of development and the government should ensure that there was equitable distribution of resources to promote uniform development in the country.
He said the government should initiate dialogue with the Barotseland Royal Establishment and other stakeholders and make its position known and ensure that the matter was conclusively and peacefully resolved.
Rev Mwanza further said the government may be justified in taking a different position on the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement looking at the implications of the move.
He, however, expressed concern that the report had not yet been made public from the time it was submitted to the government.
"We recognise that the issue of Barotseland was raised during the campaign before the September 2011 tripartite elections and this raised a lot of expectations among the general public. Realising the implications for the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement, the government may be justified in taking a different position on the matter," Rev Mwanza said.
He said the original Barotseland Agreement, if well handled, could be used as a basis for decentralisation and devolution of power not only in Western Province but all the regions of the country, thereby fostering national development.
And Rev Mwanza proposed for the setting up of a truth and justice commission that will, among other things, offer amnesty to the people that may have engaged in corrupt practices to surrender themselves and be offered concessions for their openness.
He said in order to be effective, the fight against corruption must not be selective and should not appear to be targeted at specific high-profile individuals or politicians alone who served in the previous government, but should instead include the civil service and persons in the current government and other institutions.
On the re-alignment of districts and the creation of an additional province, Rev Mwanza said this should be preceded by a comprehensive survey conducted by the Surveyor General's office to ensure that such new districts have been properly described in accordance with the Constitution.
He counselled the government to carry out wider consultations with all stakeholders, including traditional leaders in order to ensure transparency and consensus in the process.
"The re-alignment of the districts should not be done unilaterally and in haste because this may have far-reaching implications on traditional leaders and their subjects who would be affected by such decisions," he said.
On child defilement and gender based violence, Rev Mwanza said EFZ was deeply saddened by the rising and frequent number of cases of defilement and child abuse in the country.
He said just like the abuse of children, the number of gender-based violence cases has been on the increase countrywide.
"We have seen despicable cruelty against our womenfolk in the country by their male counterparts. We are deeply grieved by the rampant abuse of women that have combined rape, physical abuse and murder. This continued brutality against our women is uncalled for and we urge the government through its assigned law enforcement agencies to tighten the law on gender-based violence to ensure that there is justice for our women," he said.
On education, Rev Mwanza said the degeneration of Zambia's educational system in general and the inadequacy of infrastructure in higher institutions of learning in particular was worrying.
He said the pass rate at the school certificate level still remained very low.
Rev Mwanza noted with sadness the current deplorable conditions of the University of Zambia.
He said the over-enrollment in public institutions needed to be addressed as this exerts a lot of pressure on the limited resources and infrastructure such as bed spaces, water, library resources and lecture facilities.
Rev Mwanza said the optimal ratio between the number of students and the needed resources had increased leading to the quality of education being compromised.
He urged the government to quickly mobilise the required funds to improve the education sector and restore the image of the tertiary institutions of learning.
On the constitutional process, Rev Mwanza said there was a danger that if the constitution is not widely accepted, it would lack the credibility to stand the test of time.
He said the process of developing a constitution that later becomes rejected by the majority of the people would be a mere misuse of the national resources.
Rev Mwanza said although the EFZ was not in the current technical team of experts that was formed to draft a new constitution, they felt duty bound to offer their objective contributions to the constitution-making process for the common good of the country.
He said having scrutinised the terms of reference of the technical committee on the drafting of the new constitution, EFZ welcomed the published roadmap towards the realisation of a people driven constitution.
Rev Mwanza said the lack of a legal framework to back the work that had been assigned to the technical committee on the drafting of the new constitution was a concern as it subjected the whole process to the whims of executive powers.
He also said the reasons advanced for the postponement of the production of the first constitution draft which was earlier scheduled for the end of February 2012 were understandable and supported the adoption of the constitution through the referendum.
Rev Mwanza called on the government to amend the referendum Act which he said was outdated in its current content.
He also opposed the proposed route of referring the draft constitution to international experts as there were sufficient local experts to confirm the aptness of the wishes of Zambians within the current context of their collective and united journey politically, economically, socially, culturally and spiritually.
And Rev Mwanza proposed the inclusion of the 50 per cent plus one vote clause for the election of the Republican president in the country's Constitution, saying the election of a popular president helps to promote unity in the country.
"…And in case of a petition against the results of the presidential elections, the winning candidate should not be sworn in until the petition has been heard and the case has been disposed of…," he said.
Rev Mwanza also said the date for presidential and parliamentary elections should be enshrined in the constitution and made a public holiday.
He further recommended a clear independence and autonomy of each of the three arms of the government.
"Separation of powers between the three organs of the government namely: Executive, Judiciary and Legislature is crucial for their effectiveness. Interference by any one of these organs in the jurisdiction of any of the others undermines the legitimacy of the institution and affects the level of trust and confidence by the general public," said Rev Mwanza.
Labels: BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT, EFZ, PUKUTA MWANZA
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Govt shouldn’t downplay donors’ concerns on accountability - EFZ
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 03 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE government should not downplay the donors’ concerns about accountability for donor aid, according to the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ). EFZ executive director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza said the government should take the donors' concerns on the use of financial aid seriously.
Rev Mwanza said it was also unfortunate that donors were withholding funds due to abuse of funds but that this affected the majority poor. He said where there was corruption, there was no guarantee of transparent use of resources.
“We must see the strengthening of organisations dealing with corruption. The judiciary should be given the necessary autonomy without interference from anybody and in that way, it will guarantee progress in the fight against corruption,” he said.
Rev Mwanza said the government needed to do a lot of work in the fight against corruption because it was an important factor in ensuring integrity in governance and national development.
In 2009, the Anti Corruption Commission unearthed a scam in which civil servants at the Ministry of Health were alleged to have stolen K27 billion public funds. This subsequently led to donors - Sweden, Netherlands and development aid organisations – withholding funds pending the release of the audit report and implementation of measures to safeguard donor aid.
The Global Fund, whose report also highlighted gross irregularities in the usage of funds last year, changed its principal recipients from Ministry of Health to United Nations Development Programme.
Donors also withheld funding to the road sector following the Road Development Agency’s over-procurement of works by K1 trillion and other irregularities. Some donors have since resumed funding to both the road and health sectors.
Donors have been raising concerns about the use of funds in the country but the government has in most cases been defensive. President Banda last year asked donors to leave the country if they were not happy with his government’s fight against corruption. He asked the donors to stop poking their noses in the country’s internal affairs because it was not a Banana Republic.
And Rev Mwanza also said there was need for the government to rethink its policy on the mines and the windfall tax because the mining sector was still the major contributor to the country’s economic development.
There have been several calls for the government to reintroduce the windfall tax especially that the copper prices have hit a record high of about US$9,100 per metric tonne on the international market.
However, the government has maintained that it will not reintroduce the tax because it will hurt the mining industry and discourage foreign direct investment.
Labels: DONORS, EFZ, WINDFALL TAX
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‘Corruption should be treated as national crisis’
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 17 May 2010, 03:10 CAT
EVANGELICAL Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza has said the fight against corruption in Zambia is not yielding the desired results. In an interview, Rev Mwanza said the fight against corruption was going at a slow rate, below public expectation.
He said the issue of corruption was a moral and spiritual problem. Rev Mwanza said corruption was a serious vice such that it should be treated as a national crisis going by the levels it had reached in the country.
Rev Mwanza said politicians should not use the fight against corruption as a political campaign material but rather act on it when they get into power.
He said corruption reverses all the gains of economic development and leads to perpetual poverty. Rev Mwanza said the fight against corruption was an important responsibility of the government and every Zambian citizen. He said this must be supported by credible institutions such as the police, investigative teams and an independent judiciary.
“And knowing the seriousness of corruption and the impact on development, cases brought before the courts of law must be expedited and the results of the investigations must be made public because they were dealing with public resources,” he said.
Rev Mwanza said there was need to see tangible results of investigations or the fight against corruption would be mere political rhetoric.
He said as a church, EFZ supported the fight against corruption because of the negative impact it had on its people.
And Rev Mwanza said EFZ was happy with the early opening of the crop marketing season. He said it was important to make money available to farmers now to enable them procure the agro inputs for the next season.
Rev Mwanza said the problem was not so much with the timing of the marketing season but the paying of farmers on time by Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
“We have seen in the past farmers paid on the onset of the rainy season. We feel strongly that FRA should be sufficiently capitalised and financed so that it can pay farmers on time,” Rev Mwanza said.
Rev Mwanza also said the road network in rural areas needed to be improved so that far-fetched areas could be reached.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EFZ, PUKUTA MWANZA
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EFZ urges extension of NRCs exercise
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tue 06 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT
EVANGELICAL Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza has said the confusion surrounding the mobile issuance of national registration cards (NRCs) shows how Zambian leaders lack the ability to think effectively on such important matters.
In an interview yesterday, Rev Mwanza said the national registration and voter registration exercises should be revised and decentralised. The Ministry of Home Affairs has commenced the third phase of the mobile registration exercise, which will run from April 1 to June 30, 2010.
The third phase would cover Luapula, Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces and the teams in the areas would spend approximately five days at a given centre in order to reach as many people as possible.
But people have complained about the long queues and called on the government to extend the five-day registration period.
Rev Mwanza said the long queues at the centres were a recipe for corruption because the delays could bring frustration and people could get tempted to compromise their integrity and offer bribes to get the NRCs.
He said there was need to decentralise the whole process so that the officers could deal with a smaller group of people.
“This exercise should have been taken to the schools while they were still open so that the pupils there get the NRCs from there so that townships are decongested. This would decongest the townships. The footage on television showing long queues at Matero Constituency just shows how our leaders lack the ability to think effectively on such important national matters. No Zambian should be disfranchised because of not having an opportunity to get an NRC or voter’s card,” he said.
Rev Mwanza urged the government to quickly act on the matter and ensure that it was addressed.
And Mwanza said while the church was an ally of the government on national matters, it could not keep quiet on government’s failures.
“Being an ally doesn’t mean we cannot speak out on things that the government is doing wrong. If we have a contrary view, we do it for the good of the Zambian people and that as a church, we have no political agenda but to ensure peace and stability in the country,” he said.
“We are helping them government to have a conducive environment in which to serve. The church is actually involved in the provision of many services to the people such as education, health, food aid and HIV and AIDS among others.”
He said the church’s role in governance matters should be appreciated and the government must not clip the clergy’s lips when they speak because they had their feet on the ground.
Rev Mwanza said the church was deeply concerned about the squabbles among politicians which were a threat to peace and unity.
He said the squabbles were causing doubts in the general public, especially that elections were drawing near.
Rev Mwanza said the trading of insults and personal attacks in public just showed that politicians were running away from issues of national development.
He said the politicking was an indication that the politicians were tired and must go into retirement.
Rev Mwanza said politicians were expected to put their energies and thoughts at lowering the cost of living for the majority of Zambians.
“They need to think of job creation, employment, education and health, as we have seen that the general social services in the country have totally collapsed,” said Rev Mwanza.
Labels: EFZ, PUKUTA MWANZA, VOTER REGISTRATION
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Don’t swear in election winner until petitions are over - Rev Mwanza
By Sututu Katundu
Fri 05 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has proposed that the president-elect should not be sworn in until all contentious issues raised by participating parties are cleared by the courts.
Appearing before the parliamentary committee on legal affairs, governance, human rights and gender matters chaired by Mazabuka Central member of parliament Gary Nkombo on Tuesday, EFZ executive director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza recommended that the returning officer in the presidential elections should declare the winning candidate but the winner should not be sworn in until issues raised by participating parties are sorted out by the courts within 90 days.
He said in case of a petition against the results, the winning candidate should not be sworn in and the Chief Justice should not preside over the petition but his deputy.
Rev Mwanza said this would help to reduce post-election violence in the country.
He said it would lessen suspicions with delays in releasing election results and the rushed declaration and swearing in ceremony of the perceived winner.
Rev Mwanza said the date for general elections should be determined by the Constitution.
He said the Election Day should also be declared a public holiday in an election year to maximise voter turnout.
He urged the government to show political will in improving the country's electoral system and allow the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to be independent to enable people develop confidence in the electoral system and subsequently enhance their active participation in elections.
Rev Mwanza said ECZ should be adequately funded by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the donor community.
He said there was need for a new constitution which could guarantee free and fair elections and make it easier for the new legislation to be enacted.
He said the monitoring of elections should begin the moment campaigns start, which is usually three weeks from the announcement of the election date.
He said in the event that the election date is not enshrined in the Republican constitution, the ECZ should announce the election date for presidential, parliamentary and local government, rather than the president.
Other recommendations include the fact that the 50 per cent plus one threshold must be adopted for the presidential candidate to win an election to ensure that he is popularly elected.
He said it was imperative that ECZ devises a system of getting results quicker and in a transparent manner using air transport where rural constituencies were inaccessible due to bad road networks and inaccessibility during the rain season or that results be transmitted directly from the counting centres.
He proposed that elections be held in October before the rain season to avoid problems associated with bad terrain in most parts of the country.
Rev Mwanza said there should be consensus on appointees to sit on the electoral commission in terms of institutions such as the church, civil society organizations, political parties, the House of Chiefs and eminent persons to ensure wider participation of key interest groups.
He said state security forces like the police and army should play a non-partisan role and provide security to all participating political parties.
Rev Mwanza said issues associated with holding and conducting public rallies should not be biased against the opposition.
He called for a review on the conduct of elections and election laws to ensure an acceptable system and avoid loss of credibility by the public, which had resulted in apathy during elections.
He said political party campaigns should be issue based as opposed to attacking personalities.
He proposed that punitive measures be imposed on candidates that personalised campaigns.
Rev Mwanza urged the government and Parliament to use recommendations from the Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) before enacting the new constitution.
On the need for delimitation of constituencies, Rev Mwanza said the process should coincide with the census 2010 to match geographical population by location.
He said the voter registration exercise should be continuous to enable Zambians who reach voting age participate in an election and registered voters who may have lost their cards to have them replaced.
He said the option of using National Registration Cards (NRC) may provide a better alternative to the use of voters cards in an election.
He said the buying of voters cards from those perceived as supporters of other political parties should be criminalised and legislation should provide punitive measures to ensure no one is disenfranchised.
Rev Mwanza recommended that a more decentralised system with mobile facilities be made available at community level to reduce time spent to get NRCs and the dangers associated with alleged malpractices.
Rev Mwanza added that the issuance of NRCs would be easier if the issuance of birth certificates was decentralised so that mothers received their children's certificates from the clinics they delivered from to minimise the difficulties in getting additional birth details.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, EFZ, PUKUTA MWANZA
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Plough 10% revenue on minerals back into communities, urges EFZ
Written by Mwila Chansa in Mufulira
Friday, October 16, 2009 2:22:43 AM
THERE is need for a law that will ensure that about 10 per cent of revenue realised from natural resources are ploughed back into the community, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) project officer Mwiya Mwandawande has observed.
And a clergyman from Chingola has said there is need for Zambians to strictly scrutinise the backgrounds of people aspiring for political office if the country is to realise any meaningful benefit from its natural resources.
During a capacity building workshop for constituents’ and religious leaders on natural resource management at Monalisa Lodge in Mufulira on Tuesday, Mwanawande cited Ghana as one country where districts or towns endowed with natural resources got a share of such resources.
He noted that in the Zambian context for example, districts such as Mufulira where mining activities took place needed to get a fair share of the revenue realised from such activities.
“If Mufulira is affected by environmental degradation as a result of mining, is it the people in Senanga who will suffer?” Mwandawande asked.
“It is the people in Mufulira that will be affected, hence at least 10 per cent of the revenue realised from there should be ploughed back. We are not saying that everything should be left but at least 10 per cent.”
Mwandawande said the idea behind advocating for such a law was to promote equity and fairness in the management of the country’s resources.
And Fr Richard Luonde from the Anglican Church in Chingola called for a change in the manner of doing things in Zambia in order to maximise people’s benefits from their natural resources.
Fr Luonde said it was important to usher in leaders that would properly manage the country’s resources.
“In Zambia there is a problem because we do not thoroughly investigate those who vie for political office, their backgrounds are not well known. But in America, when one is aspiring for political leadership, they are investigated from the time they were conceived, who their parents were and so on,” said Fr Luonde.
Another clergy from Kitwe, Fr Paul Matembo, said as long as decisions continued to be made centrally, Zambia would take long to have its citizens derive benefits from their natural resources.
Labels: EFZ, MINING
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Don’t trivialise Zamtel sale, Mususu urges govt
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Saturday, September 19, 2009 5:18:33 PM
EVANGELICAL Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Paul Mususu yesterday challenged the MMD government to be sensitive and not trivialise the sale of Zamtel through suspicious re-engagement of RP Capital Partners as exclusive financial advisors to the transaction.
And Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Lee Habasonda has urged the government to explain why 'goal posts' are being shifted to suit the aspirations of RP Capital Partners in the 75 per cent sale of Zamtel shares.
Initially government stated that RP Capital Partners were engaged as evaluators for the assets of Zamtel and to propose the best way of restructuring the country's largest telecommunications company whose revenue for 2008 stood at K370 billion and has over 160,000 mobile subscribers and 95,000 fixed and wireless customers.
Commenting on the appointment of RP Capital Partners as the exclusive financial advisor to the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) in the sale of 75 per cent shares in Zamtel, Bishop Mususu said it was a sad development and urged Zambians not to stand aside and look.
"It is wrong to re-engage RP Capital Partners again especially that tenders were not opened or what means were used to invite them [RP Capital] or extend their mandate as financial advisors from being evaluators?" Bishop Mususu asked.
"In light of glaring irregularities cited in the [Dora] Siliya tribunal and even before the dust settles, this government has again appointed this company whose earlier engagement raised so much dust. But why? Anyway this government should be sensitive to this matter [sale of Zamtel] because it is of national interest which should not be trivialized."
And Habasonda challenged the government to explain why 'goal posts' were being shifted to suit the aspirations of RP Capital Partners in the 75 per cent sale of Zamtel shares.
"There is something fishy about this deal because the government said that RP Capital Partners were evaluators but how come they have become financial advisors and why wasn't this tender open so that all entities had an opportunity to participate?" asked Habasonda.
"Government should clear the air on why goal posts are being changed to suit RP Capitals and Zambians deserve to know the kind of relationship which the MMD government has with RP Capital in relation to the sale of Zamtel."
And Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) president Dr Fred Mutesa expressed fears that the current solution where the MMD government seeks to sell Zamtel to a foreign organisation will result in a situation where no major telecommunication company operating within Zambia will be locally owned and managed.
Dr Mutesa said ZED believes that Zamtel needed to be revitalised if it was to regain its lost competitiveness.
"However, we differ with the MMD government's approach concerning this matter. In our assessment, the recapitalisation and restructuring of Zamtel is the most important remedy to its problems. Whilst we accuse Zamtel of not being efficient, we note that it was under the policy direction of government all these years. Government has no one else to blame except itself for the problems Zamtel is facing. And we fear that the current solution which the MMD government seeks to sell Zamtel to a foreign organisation will result in a situation where no major telecommunication company operating within Zambia will be locally owned and managed," said Dr Mutesa.
"The experiences of Ramcoz and LCM should serve as sufficient lessons for the MMD government. The ZED policy position will be to use the Lusaka Stock Exchange and attract investment from Zambian citizens as well as local companies so that locals are empowered with shares and the majority of the company has Zambian control. It is unfortunate that whilst the government talks of empowerment and even sets up bodies such as the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), that these institutions are not being supported to perform the work that they were originally established to do."
And Development Partnership International (DPI) Zambia coordinator Richard Musauka called on Zambians to rise against the suspicious approach, which the MMD government was undertaking towards the privatisation of Zamtel.
He said the MMD government must explain the re-engagement of RP Capital Partners as financial advisors without tender procedures, saying the development shows that privatisation of Zamtel will not be done in a transparent and accountable manner.
"This company [RP Capital] or whatever you may call it was initially engaged in questionable circumstances and again it has been appointed as financial advisors but what the MMD government should know is that this suspicious approach shows that privatisation of Zamtel will not be conducted in a transparent and accountable manner that will not benefit the people of Zambia and people should stand up and oppose this development which smells of corruption," said Musauka.
The Zambia Development Agency during announced that they would be the main privatisation agent for Zamtel with RP Capital Advisors Limited as the financial advisor.
Labels: EFZ, LEE HABASONDE, PAUL MUSUSU, PRIVATISATION, RP CAPITAL PARTNERS, SACCORD, ZAMTEL
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Appointing politicians as permanent secretaries is scandalous – Sakeni
Written by Ernest Chanda and Moses Kuwema
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 5:33:37 AM
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda's recent
appointment of some politicians as permanent secretaries is scandalous, former Luapula Province minister Kennedy Sakeni has charged.
And Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu said there is need to have qualified people in the civil service for it to tick.
Reacting to the recent appointment of permanent secretaries, who include MMD deputy national treasurer Jazzman Chikwakwa as Luapula Province permanent secretary, Sakeni said the move would derail morale in the civil service.
"I have worked in the civil service before for quite some good period of time and I know that even if you start as a clerk, your hope is to be Permanent Secretary someday. Now the appointments we have just started witnessing in this government are scandalous," Sakeni said.
He said the appointments reminded Zambians of the UNIP days when some cadres were given civil service jobs.
"We are not saying the people being appointed have a bad character, no. All we are saying is that they are coming from a wrong sector of society. In this case, we are not helping civil servants in any way. Levy tried to move away from this culture but Mr Banda has taken us back to those old days," Sakeni said.
"I can tell that already there is a lot of frustration in the civil service because people do not know what to aspire for. There is a provision in the civil service where you reach a ceiling of director of something, thereafter you look up to the position of permanent secretary. So instead of blocking civil servants who are more conversant with civil service matters than we are, let us give them hope by leaving such positions to them."
Sakeni accused the MMD government of trying to stamp its authority on every department.
"As a politician, I can imagine the appointments as a strategy to hold on to positions until 2011. In any case, this will not revamp the party in the province because there are other MMD members in the province who have expressed displeasure with the appointments," Sakeni said.
And Bishop Mususu said the civil service should have its own arrangement where people graduate to be appointed into higher offices than getting people elsewhere.
He said appointing politicians into the civil service would be the same as 'cadrerism'.
"For the civil service to tick, we need qualified people who can deliver, because politicians come from a biased group, so you don't expect them to be professional in carrying out their work," he said.
Bishop Mususu said the civil service should be allowed to nurture its own people who should then graduate and take up higher positions.
"A civil servant should be able to embrace everybody, but if you have politicians working in the civil service, you will not be getting the services you need, and also this will be hindering the junior civil servants from graduating in the ranks to higher positions," he said.
Bishop Mususu called on the appointing authority not to treat the appointments of civil servants as a way of rewarding themselves but to look at the qualifications.
Bishop Mususu also said checks and balances would not be there if more politicians were appointed into the civil service.
And Women for Change (WfC) executive director Emily Sikazwe said if the government was serious about poverty reduction, it should desist from appointing politicians into the civil service.
"If we want professionalism, then we should not be appointing politicians into the civil service because doing so will result in the nation not being served professionally," she said.
Sikazwe called on all political parties to desist from interfering with the civil service's performance.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, EFZ, EMILY SIKAZWE, KENNEDY SAKENI
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Zim churches call for peace ahead of runoff
By George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Monday May 26, 2008 [04:00]
THE Church in Zimbabwe has called for peace in the country ahead of the June 27 presidential election runoff. And the Church has condemned the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, saying that it was disturbed with the unfolding events in that country. In an interview on Sunday, chairman of the Christian Heads of Denominations in Zimbabwe, a composition of church leaders from the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Dr Goodwill Shana appealed for peace and stability in Zimbabwe.
“As a church we would like to see peace in the country and we are concerned… that’s why with what is coming (presidential runoff) we have to bring a positive resolution to what is happening,” he said.
Dr Shana said the three Church mother bodies were currently mobilising women countrywide.
“We are launching the women’s national prayer task force. We are mobilising a Christian community of women because they are multiple victims of any national turmoil or instability. When a nation is in turmoil the most vulnerable people are women and children,” Dr Shana said. “That’s why we have to mobilise our women across the political divide because a mother is a mother whether she is ZANU-PF or MDC especially in times when there is violence and instability.”
There has been widespread political violence in the countryside with both rival parties accusing each other of perpetrating the heinous acts of violence against their supporters.
Several civil society groups in Zimbabwe and Amnesty International have accused ruling ZANU-PF supporters of violent acts since the March 29 harmonised elections, where MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai emerged victorious ahead of the veteran leader.
But on Friday, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka told the state media that police in the eastern border town of Mutare arrested 12 opposition MDC activists on public violence charges.
He said the 12 activists where arrested after police received a tip-off from members of the public.
Mandipaka said the police were informed that the perpetrators were using marked and unmarked vehicles to terrorise people in the communities.
“They would go and perpetrate the acts of violence and retreat to their hidden bases, which we are still to establish,” he said.
The police swung into action barely a week after President Mugabe accused the opposition MDC of launching an evil crusade of dividing the nation on political lines through heinous acts of political violence.
And Dr Shana condemned the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, stating that the Church was disturbed with the unfolding events in that country.
“We are very concerned and disturbed with what’s happening there. But we are encouraged with the across the board condemnation by the country, from the government, civil society and the Church,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean government announced on Friday that it would help to repatriate its citizens that were victims of xenophobic attacks that had rocked South Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement indicating that the Zimbabwean embassy in Pretoria and the consulate in Johannesburg would also assist with returning the bodies of those killed in the attacks.
Labels: EFZ, ZCC
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Katumbi's case is a hammer against anti corruption fight, says Mususu
By Ntalasha Mutale
Tuesday December 18, 2007 [03:00]
MOSES Katumbi's case is a hammer against the anti-corruption fight, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has said. In an interview, Bishop Mususu said although the Church was behind the government’s efforts to fight corruption, it would not agree to injustices pointing to the closure of Democratic Republic of Congo Katanga Province governor Katumbi’s cases without an explanation to the people.
“Could it be that Katumbi has dealings with the current leadership in Zambia such that his prosecution could unearth a lot of their illegal deeds?” Bishop Mususu asked.
He said Zambians deserved an explanation on the decision by the government to close Katumbi’s cases.
“We don’t want to imprison or loosen Katumbi, but justice must prevail. Previously, it was government’s position to bring Katumbi to justice, but what has changed now?” he asked.
“And now government should close the case, it raises more dust.”
Chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti recently announced that the government had dropped all criminal charges against Katumbi after reaching a settlement.
Mulongoti has since declared that Katumbi has not stolen anything from the Zambian people and was free to visit and go back to the DRC.
And Bishop Mususu said Zambia was facing a very sad situation where top leaders entrusted in curbing corruption were with the forefront breaking the law.
“If the law enforcers are the ones being corrupt, then how are we going to survive?” he asked. “These leaders should be setting a good example to others.”
He also said the allowances being paid to those sitting on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) should be proportionate to the wages an average Zambian receives.
“The hefty allowances are an indication to us that the Cabinet has been getting the same amount of money for their monthly wages,” Bishop Mususu said.
Bishop Mususu further added that the NCC was bound to fail looking at the composition of the Act.
Bishop Mususu also said Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata was right to exercise discipline on his councillors who had gone against party directives not to participate in the NCC.
“Sata is not wrong to exercise discipline if he is playing the rules of the party. But other solutions should be found to deal with that situation rather than expulsion. It would be a waste of resources. As people of Zambia, we will lose to have 25 by-elections,” said Bishop Mususu.
Labels: BISHOP MUSUSU, EFZ, KATUMBI
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Single-digit inflation just on paper, says Mususu
By Ntalasha Mutale
Wednesday October 31, 2007 [03:00]
Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has said Zambia should not brag about the single-digit inflation rate because the levels of poverty were still high. In an interview, Bishop Mususu said the single-digit inflation rate was just on paper as people continued to experience poverty. He said government officials should not fool themselves that everyone was living in luxury because they themselves lived well.
“Zambia has certainly not attained its economic independence and one does not need to be a scholar to see that,” he said.
Bishop Mususu challenged finance minister Ng’andu Magande to accompany him on one of his missionary trips to see the levels of poverty people were experiencing.
Bishop Mususu also said current investors in the mining sector were not interested in their workers’ welfare as it was with the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM).
“These so-called investors do not even care about where the local people sleep, what they eat, or their health. All they want is to make their money and leave,” Bishop Mususu said.
He said if Zambia was to develop, a balance in foreign investment was needed.
“Zambia should tighten up its investment structures rather than let the local people suffer in the name of investment,” Bishop Mususu said.
And Bishop Mususu said the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) had divided the Church because some members were allegedly being bribed by the government.
He also wondered why some organisations such as the EFZ and the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) had been asked to nominate only three members to represent them in the NCC while others such as the United Liberal Party (ULP) had been given a chance to nominate six.
“It is not fair that EFZ should only be given three places of members to participate in the NCC. That’s not enough, we are worth more than the three places we have been given,” said Bishop Mususu.
Labels: BISHOP MUSUSU, EFZ, INFLATION
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Church bodies call for overhaul at Kapiri council
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Wednesday October 24, 2007 [04:00]
THE Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) in Kapiri Mposhi have appealed to local government and housing minister Sylvia Masebo to quickly overhaul the entire district council management because they have failed to facilitate development.
In a statement signed by CCZ Kapiri Mposhi chairperson Reverend Chisanga and Bishop Kalyondo from EFZ, the duo stated that after listening to the views of the community of Kapiri, following Masebo's suspension of the council, they wished to congratulate her for taking a rightful decision. The duo stated that the church was in full support of this.
"Well done minister and keep the same spirit of fighting for the voiceless.
Further, we want to say thank you Honourable Minister for giving us local government administrator quickly. However, we are requesting the minister to facilitate the quick release of the youth empowerment fund and the constituency development fund," the statement read in part.
Masebo early this month suspended the Kapiri Mposhi council following some problems there.
Labels: CCZ, COUNCILS, EFZ
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PF to meet over NCC
By Bivan Saluseki and Nomusa Michelo
Tuesday October 02, 2007 [04:00]
Opposition Patriotic Front will this week convene an extra-ordinary full central committee meeting to decide if its members of parliament can participate in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC). Meanwhile, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has called on civil society organisations to continue mounting pressure on the government to withdraw the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) Act.
The meeting has been slated for this Saturday, October 6.
The party’s secretary general Edward Mumbi yesterday confirmed that the meeting would resolve the issue of members of parliament’s participation or non-participation in the NCC.
“As at now, PF is not participating in the NCC process so even those sponsored by the party will not participate,” he warned.
Currently, there are reported pockets of resistance from some PF members of parliament who want to defy the party’s ban on participation in the NCC process.
But Mumbi said the issue would be resolved at the meeting but for now, everyone was bound by the party’s decision.
He said the government had not listened to major stakeholders, which included civil society.
“The Constitution does not belong to politicians only. The Zambian populace has not been given an opportunity to participate,” said Mumbi.
And Bishop Mususu said it is not too late to continue mounting pressure on government over the NCC.
“This may be different from the boycotting of the CRC (Constitution Review Commission). What is at stake for government is an illegitimate product. Something that people will not respect, is that worth spending money on? he asked.
“So we feel that we need to pressurise government even now, it is not too late. I’m sure President (Levy) Mwanawasa within his means and rights and also for his sake and benefit will withdraw the NCC law and we can try to build consensus.”
Bishop Mususu said if the government decides to go ahead with the NCC, the country would end up amending the Constitution again.
“We are where we are now because (former president Frederick) Chiluba didn’t listen.
He went ahead and he would not listen,” he said. “We will end up where we are again if President Mwanawasa doesn’t listen to the people. Hopefully we have a listening president that will deliver what people want.”
And Local Government Association of Zambia president Charles Mumena has said participation on the NCC was the best thing that had ever happened to the association.
Welcoming Cabinet Office’s invitation for his association to nominate representatives to the NCC, Mumena yesterday said independence for local government from political machinations would only be guaranteed by adequately securing it in the constitution.
Labels: EFZ, NCC
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EU meeting boycott not solution to Zimbabwe crisis - Mususu
By Nomusa Michelo
Saturday September 29, 2007 [04:00]
EVANGELICAL Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has said the decision by SADC leaders to boycott the EU summit will not help solve the problems facing the people of Zimbabwe. In an interview, Bishop Mususu said it was unfortunate that SADC had decided to boycott the EU/AU summit for the reasons they have given because, it would only protect Zimbabwean President Mugabe at the expense of the majority of Zimbabweans.
"I don't think it is the right decision to boycott on that score when they are not responding to Mugabe and his situation in Zimbabwe.
The boycott is short-lived in that SADC should be prevailing on (President) Mugabe, they should help (President) Mugabe. They should do something before sanctions are imposed on (President) Mugabe from outside," Bishop Mususu said.
"What happened at the past SADC (Heads of State Summit) is a shame and disastrous. They should have risen to the occasion and spoken not with kids gloves.
“They should have been a bit more emphatic and told him that the situation in Zimbabwe is as bad as described."
And Bishop Mususu said SADC should use its leverage to help the common people in Zimbabwe instead of ignoring the problems in Zimbabwe.
"That leverage they are taking up is not in favour of the common man or the common woman in Zimbabwe. Why don't they say we are going to boycott because (President) Mugabe has been allowed off the hook and is mistreating his people? That will be a better thing to do. And it is high time our leaders begun to do things on behalf of the people that they govern or the people that are electing them in authority," he said.
"And not when they climb up, they forget and they create a club for the top guys, the Presidents, that is not what SADC is supposed to be. SADC is supposed to be servicing the common person on the ground."
He said President Mwanawasa and other SADC leaders failed to deal 'head on' with President Mugabe during the summit held in Lusaka last month.
"What would have stopped President Mwanawasa from inviting someone from Zimbabwe to come and say things about what is happening in Zimbabwe in front of their President," he asked. "It simply says that they are protecting their fellow leader at the expense of the common person in Zimbabwe."
And Bishop Mususu said it is a paradox that President Mwanawasa would announce that SADC would boycott the summit, as it justified the Oasis Forum’s decision to boycott the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).
"It is a paradox. I think it's great that President Mwanawasa would say that. Isn't that justifying our suggestion as well when we talk about boycotting the NCC?" Bishop Mususu asked.
"When we suggested that we are boycotting because of the way the arrangement is, they called us names. They were not happy with us and said a boycott is not the way to go, so why is he talking about boycotting himself? So justification is there for a boycott if you are not satisfied."
Labels: EFZ, EU, SADC, ZIMBABWE
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Levy benefited from Chiluba's thefts - Sata
By George Chellah and Noel Sichalwe
Monday May 07, 2007 [04:00]
MWANAWASA is a beneficiary of the money Chiluba stole, opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged. And Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has said that there is no difference in the corruption levels between President Mwanawasa's government and Chiluba's regime. Addressing a public rally in Lusaka's Linda compound on Saturday, Sata said President Mwanawasa was a beneficiary of the money Chiluba stole from the state's treasury. He said President Mwanawasa would not have been President if it were not for the stolen funds.
"Judge ulya alisha ukulanda ati shilya indalama Chiluba aibile Mwanawasa alilileko That judge (London High Court judge Peter Smith) left out the details that President Mwanawasa benefited from the money Chiluba stole," Sata said.
Sata warned that President Mwanawasa risked ending up like Chiluba in terms of corruption. "Local government and housing minister Sylvia Masebo and Mwanawasa are busy beating and chasing people from the streets in town. They are even laughing," Sata said. "Nomunabo Chiluba aleseka nomba lelo alikwi (Even Chiluba used to laugh that time but where is he today?) Who knew that we will be reading what we are reading today about Chiluba? Levy will also leave soon."
Sata said although he was ugly, he was not a thief. "And I am the only one who will come and effectively fight corruption, and not those corrupt people you have in government today," he said.
And Sata assured the people that nobody would remove them from Lilanda compound. "Even those people they have chased from the streets, just wait. Don't worry, your eviction from the streets is temporary. No one should even cheat you by suggesting that go to the village. Which village?" Sata asked.
"Since you have already come to the city. You will never go back because there is too much witchcraft in the village. So who would like to go there?"
Sata warned business houses that were still funding MMD to be mindful of the reality that President Mwanawasa was in his final term. "You can give Levy and MMD money today but he is going soon. What will you do? You should look to the incoming government," he said.
He said foreigners were benefiting from the nation more than the indigenous people. "I came to encourage you for the problems we are facing today but don't worry. They are going soon," Sata said.
"They are saying that why are they campaigning because the elections are over? Yes they want us to stop campaigning because they are eating as you sleep hungry. But we have to continue because for us it hasn't dawned yet."
Sata said once in government, the PF would build better houses, schools and hospitals for the people.
And Bishop Mususu said there was no difference in the corruption levels between the Chiluba regime and the Mwanawasa government. "I don't see any difference in the levels corruption between Chiluba and Mwanawasa," Bishop Mususu said.
He said the revelations of billions of money being stolen from the government by civil servants were appalling and that it questioned President Mwanawasa's genuineness in the fight against corruption. Bishop Mususu said there was need to give credit to The Post in the Chiluba case and not necessarily President Mwanawasa.
He said The Post single-handedly pushed the "Chiluba is a thief" case until now that the London judge has confirmed it. He said the only credit that could be given to President Mwanawasa was for setting a precedent, which might also be repeated on him.
Bishop Mususu said President Mwanawasa could be enjoying immunity now but that it could also be revoked after retiring like what had happened to Chiluba. "President Mwanawasa should be worried that what has happened will happen to him, even worse," he said.
"What is happening today as compared to the days of KK, one would see that there is more corruption now than ten years ago. The Task Force mandate is unfortunately limited to the ten years of former president Chiluba. Zambians are reluctant to thank President Mwanawasa because of what is happening now."
Bishop Mususu said there have been attempts of entering nolle prosequi like in the case of former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Kashiwa Bulaya, lack of transparency in former acting Director of Public Prosecution Caroline Sokoni's letter on Bulaya and the issue of MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga's abuse of constituency development funds.
"The fight against corruption is not fought by people in power but by the common man on the street," Bishop Mususu said.
He said there was selective justice as far as the fight against corruption was concerned. "Some are going to court while others are holding top positions in President Mwanawasa's government. If we were to nail it, these are the gaps that people wonder as to the genuineness of the fight against corruption. Chiluba didn't steal alone. Even President Mwanawasa when he came into power, how much was spent on him and what has happened to him?" Bishop Mususu asked.
He further said judge Smith should not have determined what Chiluba and his colleagues were to pay the Zambian people and that the amount to be paid should have been determined by Zambia.
Bishop Mususu said it was not for judge Smith to say Chiluba should pay 85 per cent of what he stole because Zambians wanted the entire 100 per cent repayment. "The judgment betrayed us on the issue that 85 per cent of what was stolen should be reimbursed now," Bishop Mususu said.
"We have always said that all we want is money, not to jail anybody.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EFZ, MWANAWASA, SATA
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