COMMENT - Fred M'Membe of the Socialist Party, owner of The Mast (formerly The Post), on the effect of technology and innovation on the destruction of jobs. The alternative is Universal Basic Income and ownership. Jobs may be going, however work will always be there, whatever form it takes.
(LUSAKATIMES) Fred M’membe public discussion on JobsLabels: FRED M'MEMBE, SOCIALIST PARTY
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“It’s either socialism or death and we are choosing socialism. Zambia has become completely capitalistic, the ruling elite is a mere conveyor belt of capitalism, and these conveyor belts receive kick-backs from the capitalists. No change should be expected from today’s elite, we must actually stop them. We must stop the ruling elite from ruining our country and that is our mandate and that is why we are here. We shall never surrender until victory becomes possible,” said Dr Musumali.
(THE MAST ONLINE ZM) M’membe is SP’s 2021 presidential candidate
By Tobias Phiri
on March 31, 2018
THE Socialist Party has announced that former Post Newspapers editor-in-chief Fred M’membe is their presidential candidate for the 2021 general elections.
Speaking during the launch of the party in Lusaka, Socialist Party deputy general secretary Dr Cosmas Musumali said the majority of Zambians were in desperate poverty, which he said his party was resolved to end once voted into office in 2021.
He pledged that his party would transform the country once ushered into office.
“With this launch, we are declaring our total commitment and undivided attention to transforming Zambia along socialist lines in 2021. For the time being, to spearhead this process, I will serve as the party’s general secretary. And then we have Comrade Fred M’membe who will serve as deputy general secretary. Comrade Fred M’membe is also suggested as our presidential candidate for the 2021 elections,” Dr Musumali said.
“2021 comrades, you are getting state power. We commit and dedicate ourselves to solidarity with oppressed people wherever they may be, including beyond our artificial boundaries.”
Dr Musumali said the formation of the Socialist Party was based on the cries of the people from around the country.
“The party was finally registered on 16th October 2017 [and] we have since embarked on a campaign to recruit members to set up structures in all corners of our country and the birth of our party is a direct response to very strong and clear calls from the people across the boundaries of Zambia to chart a call out of capitalism. You will see a dramatic change in the Zambian politics starting from today, we will not compromise in terms of our principles…change must come,” Dr Musumali said.
“The majority of Zambians today are destitute, poverty has increased and the living conditions of Zambians are very desperate. The system that we have blindly glorified so much has never been and shall never ever be a system that will emancipate the poor from want. Capitalism is inherently a corrupt system that strives on greed and exploitation of the masses to benefit a few.”
He stated that the current government was corrupt and no change should be expected from them and they must be stopped before they destroy the country.
“It’s either socialism or death and we are choosing socialism. Zambia has become completely capitalistic, the ruling elite is a mere conveyor belt of capitalism, and these conveyor belts receive kick-backs from the capitalists. No change should be expected from today’s elite, we must actually stop them. We must stop the ruling elite from ruining our country and that is our mandate and that is why we are here. We shall never surrender until victory becomes possible,” said Dr Musumali.
And addressing Socialist Party members who turned up in numbers for the event also attended by Cuban Ambassador to Zambia Nelson Pages, Dr M’membe said the only hope for the Zambians was socialism because capitalism was only taking turns while changing shape exploiting the people.
“They say chameleon achinja fye colour but inkanda imo ine; a chameleon changes colour but the skin remains the same. That is how all exploitative systems are, that is how capitalist exploitation is. As long as capitalist exploitation is not totally uprooted, eradicated it, will just change form and all its evils will remain \ intact,” Dr M’membe said.
He recalled how over 120 years ago, Mpezeni’s son, Nsingu, the commander of the Ngoni forces, was assassinated for resisting capitalist takeover by Cecil John Rhodes.
“In December 1897, the British forces stationed at Kota Kota in Malawi attacked the Ngoni people for refusing to hand over their land so that Cecil Rhodes’ companies could prospect for and mine gold in the area…Capitalism kills, steals, subjugates and humiliates. It killed Nsingu and his 10,000 young Ngoni fighters, it stole their cattle and imprisoned and humiliated Mpezeni in order to exploit, subjugate, colonise them,” stated Dr M’membe.
“Many things seem to have changed since then, but the fundamentals, the key things remain intact – our people are still being killed, robbed of their land and minerals, neocolonised by capitalism, its enterprises and states…It is a struggle we have to continue in honour of commander Nsingu and his fighters; it is a struggle we have to wage for the future generations of this nation and indeed for our own liberation from today’s capitalist exploitation, subjugation and humiliation. Just as Nsingu and his comrades chose to die from Maxim-guns and Seven-pounders than to live under capitalist exploitation, subjugation and humiliation, we today commit ourselves to a struggle without respite against capitalism and for establishment of a more just, fair and humane society in our homeland. It is socialism and only socialism that can truly free our people, Nsingu’s people and homeland and all humanity from capitalist exploitation, subjugation and humiliation.”
Dr M’membe has been playing a background role in the political arena until last week when the Socialist Party announced his active involvement in their party and the subsequent announcement of his intentions to run for presidential office in 2021.
Labels: COSMAS MUSUMALI, FRED M'MEMBE, PF, SOCIALISM, SOCIALIST PARTY
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All our thoughts are with Fred M'membe of The Post, his wife and editor. What this PF government is doing is disgraceful.
More here.
TODAY'S EDITORIAL COMMENT: They want to win at any cost By Editor |
Updated: 27 Jun,2016
14:57:51
THE International Press Institute (IPI) has revealed that there is a strategic plan by the PF government to shut down The Post and other private media in order for the ruling party to rig the August 11 general elections.
In a statement, IPI director of advocacy and communications Steven Ellis revealed that PF’s strategy to rig election results and brutalise the opposition were clearly outlined in a leaked document.
“Among other efforts, the document indicated that ‘No form of media should be given to the UPND in the form of news or campaign advertisements’ and that a ‘massive media character assassination’ campaign should be launched against UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema,” read the IPI statement. “The document also said that ‘prime efforts’ would be made to eliminate coverage by The Post .”
With or without the IPI revelations, it has always been clear to many Zambians that Edgar Lungu and his crooked, corrupt friends in the Patriotic Front want to retain power and continue to enrich themselves at any cost.
This is not only the most corrupt government in the history of this country but also the most intolerant and unrestrained regime. Edgar is all the time reminding Zambians about how much power he sits on. He has openly threatened to crush his political opponents, real or perceived, like a tonne of bricks. Edgar has issued open threats to the editor of The Post , telling him “alefwaya ukwakufwila”. He has also openly told The Post editor that he is the Head of State and there is no way anyone can fight with him and win.
The agenda to manipulate the electoral process and keep themselves in power has been on the cards for a long time. And The Post has consistently been warning the Zambian people about the high possibility of this year’s elections being rigged. It was The Post that exposed Edgar’s dealings with Timor Consulting, an Israeli firm of election ‘experts’. They denied this. But why should one deny a firm they are dealing with? Clearly, there was something wrong, something unacceptable they had been doing with Timor Consulting.
Then came the issue of the Ugandans who managed Yoweri Museveni’s last rigged election. It is these same characters Edgar has brought in to assist him in ‘winning’ this year’s elections. It is these same characters that worked with the Dubai printing company, Al Ghurair, that the Electoral Commission of Zambia has been forced to contract against dissent from the opposition. There are problems in Uganda. And there will be similar problems here. In Uganda, Museveni has resorted to tyranny, repression to silence anyone questioning or challenging the election results.
Edgar is doing the same.
Last week, he was threatening to sort out Hakainde Hichilema if he refuses to accept the election results, telling him “akamona efyo nkamuchita”. It is clear that as things stand today, we are highly unlikely to have free and fair elections whose results will be accepted by all participants – the winners and the losers. Edgar knows that with The Post around, it will be difficult for him to crush or sort out those who will refuse to accept the rigged results. Hence, his haste to get The Post closed before the elections.
We have stated it several times that it is not tax collection they are after from The Post; it is The Post, as a publication, they do not want to appear on the streets and expose their corrupt and crooked schemes. This explains why Edgar last week was very annoyed with the intelligence for failing to find out where The Post was being printed and stop it from coming out. What they don’t want is The Post hitting the streets. It’s not about taxes.
What is happening here is exactly what happened and is happening in Uganda. In Uganda, foreign nationals were registered to vote and they voted. Here, we have citizens of our neighbouring countries having been registered to vote. Zambia Police Service officers have been sent to Malawi to find out about the registration of foreign voters. They found it to be true.
But there had been a foolish scheme of trying to admit that indeed foreigners have registered as voters, but this was the work of the opposition. How stupid can one be to take such a line! What would this mean? This would mean that Edgar and his friends have not been working. If they have been working, how can the opposition issue National Registration Cards to Malawians and other foreign nationals?
The truth of the matter is that this is part of their own rigging scheme in the Ugandan style and fashion. Edgar’s threats to sort out Hakainde are similar to those of Museveni. We all know what has happened or is happening to Ugandan opposition leader Dr Kigya Besigye. He has been beaten, humiliated and locked up on trumped up criminal charges. Edgar is preparing himself for that type of brutality, repression.
And the first enemy of tyrants is always the free press. Wherever there is tyranny, the first to be hit, harassed or even annihilated is the free press. They know that without a free press, the protests, demonstrations, statements of those affected by their tyranny will not be heard. Where there is tyranny, there is no free speech and press. What we have in Zambia today is a highly corrupt and intolerant regime that has no scruples or restraint. They do not in any way realise that the exercise of power must be a constant practice of self-limitation and modesty.
With politicians like Edgar and his friends in power, Zambians must brace themselves for the worst. The bells tolling on The Post today will tomorrow toll on many other Zambians, and eventually on the whole country. The signs, the warnings of this are there. What remains is whether or not we heed them.
Don’t be deceived by the pretence of Edgar being a man of prayer. Even Hitler and Mussolini went to church. Even that monster Idi Amin masqueraded as a devout Moslem. But do religious people do what Hitler, Mussolini, Idi Amin did? Mobutu Sese Seko presented himself as a devout Catholic and was dining and wining with Catholic priests and bishops while committing all sorts of crimes and corrupt deeds against his people and his country. Edgar can build the so-called National House of Prayer and present himself as a man who prays to God to help him solve national problems, but behind that façade, the man is something else – evil.
And you hear it every day in Edgar’s language. Edgar’s language is that of threats – crush this one or that one, sort out this one or that one, fix this one or that one. That’s Edgar’s language. Is that the language of a religious man? In fact, it is a tendency of criminals to present themselves as very humble and religious people. Do you remember how humble and religious that criminal, Uncle Barry, was? You would leave him with your one-day baby without any suspicions of him hurting her. But he was one of the worst and most dangerous criminals this country has ever known. How else can criminals catch their prey if not by pretending to be humble, God-loving and fearing?
Anyway, when a prolonged, stubborn and heated struggle is in progress, there usually begins to emerge after a time the central and fundamental points at issue, upon the decision of which the ultimate outcome depends, and in comparison with which all the minor and petty episodes of the struggle recede more and more into the background. That, too, is how matters stand today in Zambia. What is at stake is now clear for all to see. It is all about Edgar defending his hold on power and privileges. He is not ready to lose the August 11 elections at any cost, even if that means closing The Post and sending all its employees on the street, manipulating the electoral process to such a degree that its results will be rejected by the losers and plunge the country into post-election chaos.
Edgar is not even ready to listen to the voice of reason from the Church. He is only listening to his own inner demons.
But at the rate Edgar is going, he is likely to end up at The Hague.
- See more at: http://postzambia.com/news.php?id=18963#sthash.jlK8zXdS.dpuf
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, JOURNALISM, PF, PRESS FREEDOM, THE POST
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There's nothing to convince me GBM was in Luanshya - M'membe
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sun 02 Feb. 2014, 14:01 CAT
POST editor-in-chief Fred M'membe says there is nothing convincing to show that Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba was in Luanshya. And The Post has apologised to Mwamba over the story it published that he was on the Copperbelt decampaigning the PF.
In a letter dated February 1, 2014 to former defence minister Mwamba's lawyer Makebi Zulu, M'membe stated that after reading Zulu's letter dated January 31, 2014 and the concerned stories, he was not convinced that the editors got their story accurately.
Zulu's letter, referenced as 'Article entitled "Mwamba decampaigns PF on C/Belt saying the party is losing in 2016...PF has failed - GBM" in The Post newspapers issue No.6314 of January 31, 2014, denied that Mwamba had been on the Copperbelt.
Zulu stated that Mwamba had not left Lusaka since his return from Kasama and found the story "less than truthful and altogether malicious".
In response, M'membe stated that he had not heard anything convincing from anyone to make him believe that Mwamba was in Luanshya or indeed on the Copperbelt at the said time and said the things he is reported to have said.
"I have just read your letter of January 31, 2014. I was in Johannesburg from Wednesday morning, January 29, 2014 and I only arrived back in the country on Friday January 31, 2014 after 22:00 hours. After reading your letter and the concerned stories, I discussed the matter with the editors who were in charge of the story. I am not convinced that they fully got their story accurately. The source quoted on record in the story, a Mr Menyani Zulu, did not have direct contact with Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba. He was also merely acting on hearsay," he stated.
"I made a few phone calls to some people I know within the Patriotic Front leadership in Luanshya. They, too, say they heard that Mr Mwamba was on the Copperbelt but no one told them they had actually seen or met him."
M'membe further stated that there were Patriotic Front elections on the Copperbelt right now and as such, all sorts of politicking, alignments and re-alignments were taking place.
"We do not want the newspaper to be caught in this politicking and party electioneering. And above all, it is the policy of our newspaper to publish only that which we can verify. It is against our policy to publish things that are not true about anyone or anything. And whenever we get things wrong, we owe it to our readers and news subjects to correct things and give them the correct position. We have no shame in apologising for that which we have gotten wrong because we are never motivated by malice in our reporting," M'membe stated.
"We are always seeking the truth in every story we publish. And for this reason, if mistakes are found in our work, or we have been misled by news sources, we shall never hesitate to make corrections and apologise for that which we have gotten wrong. This has been the source of our strength throughout the 23 years of our existence as a newspaper."
He stated that The Post had no intention of abandoning that policy.
"And in this case, I have not heard anything from anyone to make me believe that Mr Mwamba was in Luanshya or indeed on the Copperbelt at the said time and said the things he is reported to have said," stated M'membe.
"I therefore apologise, on behalf of the newspaper and indeed on my own behalf, to Mr Mwamba and to our readers, for this story and whatever inconveniences this might have caused. And by copy of this letter, I will ask the managing editor and the news editor of The Post to make the necessary corrections and apologies."
And Post news editor Joan Chirwa-Ngoma has also apologised to Mwamba for any inconvenience the story might have caused him.
"I was in charge of supervising this story. I was misled to believe that Mr Mwamba was on the Copperbelt and said the things reported to have been said by him. For this, I sincerely apologise to Mr Mwamba for any inconvenience the story might have caused," said Chirwa-Ngoma.
Former Copperbelt PF youth chairman Menyani Zulu on Thursday told The Post that Mwamba was in the area to decampaign the Patriotic Front ahead of the 2016 general elections.
Zulu claimed that Mwamba had told the people of Luanshya that the PF would lose the 2016 elections because it had failed to deliver on its campaign promises.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, GBM, MMD, PF
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Why Mwamba is fighting Kabimba
By Editor
Mon 30 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
On Wednesday last week, the editor of this newspaper was called and asked to urgently meet a good friend Sylvia Masebo. And Sylvia told the editor of this newspaper that in her attempts to try and find a solution to the wrangles in the party, she had a meeting with Geoffrey Mwamba at Parliament that same day to try and find out what the main problem was. She asked Mwamba what the problem was between him and Wynter Kabimba, the secretary general of the Patriotic Front.
And Mwamba's response was that he had no problem with Wynter; Wynter had done nothing wrong and he was a good guy. The problem was Wynter's friend, Fred M'membe, who was fighting Mwamba and who had made him lose a Zesco contract - a contract that was worth over US$6 million.
And Sylvia asked Mwamba to explain to her what was the issue with the endorsements of the President. She was told that he was protecting himself from being seen to be challenging the President in 2016. Mwamba said there were allegations that he and Wynter wanted to contest the presidential elections in 2016. And to be seen not to be fighting the President, Mwamba decided to announce his endorsement of the President in Kasama. Instead of Wynter joining him in that scheme, he was surprised that he fell into the trap of opposing the endorsement. And when asked why he allowed his friend to fall into the trap and not save him but finish him off politically, Mwamba said it was not him finishing off Wynter; it was Wynter finishing himself off.
Mwamba told Sylvia that it was not really Wynter he was after but Wynter's friend, who was fighting him. And because Wynter's friend, who is fighting Mwamba is not in politics and he is believed to be financing him, Mwamba decided to go for Wynter as a way of fighting his friend.
After this, Sylvia asked Mwamba if he was willing to meet with the editor of this newspaper and resolve their differences that were causing a lot of problems for the party. Mwamba agreed to such a meeting. And Sylvia promised him that she would talk to the editor of this newspaper and see if he would agree for them to meet and resolve their differences.
When this was presented to the editor of this newspaper, the response was that he had no issues with Mwamba. He said he didn't even know Mwamba; he only sees him from a distance. And as such, he didn't understand how Mwamba thought he was fighting him and hated him. The editor of this newspaper agreed to meeting Mwamba any time and at any place. He asked Sylvia to ask Mwamba to come up with any evidence of any articles that had been published about him by this newspaper that he felt were malicious or not true about him. And if indeed there were any such articles, the editor of this newspaper promised to publicly apologise to Mwamba and offer the necessary corrections or retractions in the newspaper. He told Sylvia that sometimes the newspaper made mistakes and if such mistakes were discovered or pointed out, they had no problem correcting them and offering the necessary apologies. He also told Sylvia that to the best of his knowledge, the paper had never engaged in any malicious or untruthful stories about Mwamba. But if such stories were there, there was no problem apologising and making the necessary corrections and retractions.
But to this day, Mwamba has not come back for the meeting.
We have never asked anyone to be sacrificed, killed or to be disadvantaged in any way for our deeds, transgressions or mistakes. And we do not want Wynter to suffer on account of our relations with him.
When it comes to relations with us, we always tell people to do what suits their interests, political or business. We have been victims of vicious hatred by various regimes that have governed our country. And those who have associated with us, voluntarily or otherwise, have had to pay the price. We do not want anybody to have any difficulties on account of us. We know how to deal with enemies. We have enough experience of dealing with hostile regimes and politicians. We have survived this for almost 23 years. Things have always been difficult for us and they cannot be any more difficult. In fact, many politicians have run out of ways to make things more difficult for us.
People and friends of ours should handle their relations with us in the way that best suits them and the resolution of their most pressing problems. We think that is the best way to show our sincere and selfless attitude towards others.
And moreover, Wynter was introduced to us by Michael himself. We were asked to assist Wynter in his work in any way we could. And we know how to respond positively and generously to men and women of goodwill, to those who are trying to do something good for our country and our people. When we take up a commitment, we honour it and give it everything that we have to ensure a successful outcome. We don't act out of convenience or out of opportunism. We believe in an honest policy and in loyalty to others.
And we mean it when we say that no one here has any personal issues with Mwamba. He is a news subject. And he deserves to be covered by us when he makes news. And it doesn't matter what type of news - positive or negative on his part - we will cover him. We have carried stories of Mwamba denouncing us, calling us all sorts of names and insinuating all sorts of things. If we can carry unpleasant stories about ourselves from him, why shouldn't we be allowed to carry honest and accurate stories about him that may not be pleasant to him? Again, we emphasise that we have no right whatsoever to defame or malign Mwamba. And on this, the editorial management of this newspaper has been very careful. If there is any story in which Mwamba has been defamed or maligned, it can never be deliberate. It can only be a product of oversight. But whatever the reasons for that, if such stories exist, we owe Mwamba a correction and an apology - not privately but publicly by publishing such corrections and apologies in our newspaper. And this is not an act of cowardice or fear. It is our policy to do that to every human being whom we may unjustifiably defame or malign by mistake or by poor quality work by our reporters and our editors.
We have no hatred for Mwamba whatsoever. We do not believe in the law of hate. We may not always be true to our ideals, but we believe in the law of love, and we believe you can do nothing with hatred. We would like to see a time when man loves his fellow man and forgets his colour, creed or tribe.
And when we criticise people, when we call for some people to be punished, it is not out of hatred. What's more, Jesus tells us we must love our enemies - he doesn't say we mustn't have enemies - and there is no greater love for a person who is doing something wrong than to prevent him from continuing to do the wrong thing.
We can only appeal to Mwamba not to take his fight against us to Wynter. We do not represent Wynter and Wynter doesn't represent us. Our relationship with Wynter was and still is a product of Michael's request to us.
If Mwamba has any issues with us, let him make us pay for our crimes and not attack a person he says is a good guy because of us. That is definitely not fair and just. And surely, should the Patriotic Front be decimated on account of our said friendship with Wynter? We leave this for the deep reflection and meditation of Mwamba, the leaders, cadres and members of the Patriotic Front.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRED M'MEMBE, GBM, PF, SYLVIA MASEBO, WYNTER KABIMBA
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COMMENT - You know the saying, "Lawyer, liar, pants on fire." Rupiah Banda has been 'ruthlessly targeted by the Zambian government'? I wish. This is part of the neoliberal opposition's attempt to play to the international gallery, rather than try to win over the people of Zambia to vote for them. Notice the attack on the independently owned media, especially The Post. Also see Hakainde Hichilema's appeal to the Commonwealth.
Robert Amsterdam’s Open Letter to Mutembo Nchito
Time Posted: February 14, 2013 8:44 am
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS OF ZAMBIA
MR. MUTEMBO NCHITO
Dear Mr. Nchito,
I write to you as international counsel to His Excellency former President Rupiah Banda regarding serious and urgent concerns over your conduct as Director of Public Prosecutions over the past year.
As you are well aware, His Excellency and his family have been ruthlessly targeted by the Zambian government and investigative wings under your direction in a systematic campaign of politically motivated calumny and defamation with little parallel in Zambian history.
For almost 16 months, the state-controlled media and politically compromised media such as The Post have published a vast array of patently false accusations against the distinguished former head of state and his family, ranging from the disappearance of gold, to trumped up conspiracies of oil contracts, to total non-crimes such as campaign fundraising.
The fact that these allegations turn up as sensationalist headlines in the media only to disappear and be forgotten speaks volumes about their fundamental lack of substance. After 16 months of this attack campaign, there has not been one single formal charge or even a real investigation. Worse still, after 16 months, we have not been informed of what, exactly, if any, alleged offence took place.
The purpose of these trials-by-headline is to damage reputation in place of any sort of procedural exercise of the law based upon the presumption of innocence. It is clear that you, Sir, and your former business partner Fred M’membe of the Post Newspaper, are in charge of overseeing a civil conspiracy to defame a respected elder statesman.
Over the last number of days, myself and many others have received calls from individuals who have been brought into some kind of desperate dragnet in an attempt by the investigative wings to come up with some form of credible charge against the former President.
Most recently, the former President was subjected to an extraordinary and illegal request to attend before the Joint Investigative Team to allegedly answer in respect to charges that were, yet again, unspecified. In furtherance of your civil conspiracy to harm the reputation of President Banda, you provided newspapers, including the Post, with this private and confidential correspondence prior to even these requests reaching the hands of my client.
Now sir, let us publicly review some facts. Along with Mr. M’membe, you are known co-defendants in a civil trial where you have been found to owe more than $3 million U.S. dollars to the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ). Your professional misconduct in that case earned the discredit of the judge, as shown in comments he made in open court which made its way into the ruling.
Given the fact that it is uncontested that you and your co-defendant M’membe approached President Banda during his tenure for financial assistance but were refused, you both have harboured ill will towards myclient that has manifested itself in this notorious campaign of defamation, intimidation, and harassment against him and his family.
Along with the Patriotic Front’s apparent goal of returning Zambia to a one-party state and President Sata’s determination to wipe out political competition, the Nchito-M’membe defamation conspiracy against the Banda family found an enthusiastic sponsor in the administration.
Objectively, Mr. Nchito, this position raises important considerations of professional criteria of office. The reasonable apprehension of bias both subjectively and objectively represents a hurdle you could not overcome before any rule of law court. It is arguable that your conduct itself constitutes a perversion of justice, particularly in combination with the illegal arrests and detentions of opposition leaders, which have damaged Zambia’s standing as a state supposedly enjoying an independent judicial system.
You have also violated the Guidelines for proper prosecutorial conduct promulgated by both the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations.
The African Commission’s Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa require that prosecutors “carry out their functions impartially and avoid all political … or any other kind of discrimination.”[1] They further mandate that Prosecutors “act with objectivity.”[2] And further, that prosecutors “shall always conduct themselves in accordance with … the recognized standards and ethics of their profession,”[3] and “perform their duties fairly, …, and respect and protect dignity and uphold human rights, thus contributing to ensuring due process …”[4]
Identical standards are included in the United Nations’ Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors.[5]
Your conduct violates all of these fundamental standards of prosecutorial ethics.
Your actions against President Banda, his family, and leaders of the opposition blatantly discriminate on political and other grounds, fail to meet minimum standards of impartiality, objectivity and fairness, and disrespect their dignity and human rights, including their right to due process of law. Your abusive actions fall far below the “recognized standards and ethics” governing prosecutorial conduct.
In addition, there is the fact that President Sata himself has interfered with the judicial process directly in an attempt to benefit you and M’membe by suspending the judges and justice who ruled against you in the DBZ case after a full hearing in a Zambian Court.
This, too, violates the African Guidelines, which mandate that judicial bodies “shall be independent from the executive branch” and free from “any inappropriate or unwarranted interference.”[6]
When you combine your record of contemptuous conduct to the judiciary with the illegal and defamatory attack on my client, it appears that such circumstances one might go over your head to the Minister of Justice.
The Minister of Justice Mr. Wynter Kabimba, however, also serves as Secretary General of the Patriotic Front, and has shown himself to be contemptuous of the investigative wings and to hold himself above the law. For ease of reference I attach a photo of the Justice Minister at the ACC accompanied by menacing PF thugs, refusing to answer substantive allegations over his own conduct.
In such a hopelessly politically charged and biased environment, your attempt to lift my client’s immunity represents a shameful departure from Zambian history.
I call upon you to resign from the post you should never have been awarded, and do the honourable thing, if you have any honour left.
In light of your behavior to date I intend to file a complaint before the African Commission for Human Rights early next week documenting these concerns and evidence of your misconduct unless I receive a satisfactory response by Monday close of business.
Sincerely,
Robert Amsterdam
International counsel to former President Rupiah Banda
Labels: AMSTERDAM PEROFF, CORRUPTION, DPP, FRED M'MEMBE, MUTEMBO NCHITO, ROBERT AMSTERDAM, RUPIAH BANDA, THE POST
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Freedom is meaningless if it's just about being right - M'membe
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 11 Dec. 2012, 12:00 CAT
POST editor-in-chief Fred M'membe says he will be a journalist for as long as he lives. And M'membe says the harsh conditions in the media are making it difficult for women to take up newsroom leadership positions.
Meanwhile, M'membe says freedom is meaningless if it just about being right. Giving a talk at the Women in News (WIN) Graduate Retreat and Summit Agenda in Lusaka yesterday, M'membe, who recounted how he developed a passion for journalism, said although the field of journalism was not an easy undertaking, he had chosen to remain a journalist for the rest of his life.
"Of all the things I have done, what interests me most is being a journalist. Although I am a qualified professional in other fields, I don't consider myself to be a member of any other profession other than being a journalist.
My passport does not carry any profession other than that of being a journalist. I am a journalist with legal knowledge. I am a journalist with economic, accounting and business knowledge, but the first thing that I am is a journalist and I will be a journalist for as long as I live," he said.
M'membe said nothing was as interesting to him as journalism.
"I have been hearing for the last fifteen or so years that I want to get into politics. Yes we are all politicians but of different sorts. Politicians in the sense that there are certain things we want for our country, our people, for humanity. I have wanted those things for my country, for my people, for humanity since my teens and to this day I still want them for my people and I will continue to seek them.
"I am a journalist, and this is the terrain I have chosen to fight on, to struggle for these things from. Journalism seems to be the meaning and purpose of my life," he said.
M'membe said there was need for a lot of resources to be spent on preparing women to take up leading roles in the media and in life in general and for the realignment of work to give women a chance to compete for leadership positions.
He observed that gender equality was not about mere promotion of women, but a question of spending more resources on their development and making their conditions of work bearable.
"I am not bothered about the 50%-50%; it's not an issue for me. You cannot just come and dream some statistics that it has to be fifty, even if you know the quality does not match up to fifty or if only little work has be done to bring marginalised and discriminated people to the level where they can assert themselves effectively," M'membe said.
"The women who occupy high positions at The Post deserve to be where they are. It's not an issue of simply affirmative action but affirmative action in creating conditions that develop women to that needed high level much quicker and not discriminating them in any way although there all these other challenges," he said.
"There is injustice being committed against women, there is discrimination and marginalisation against women. But that marginalistaion, discrimination is not only unique in the domain of gender, it has been there also in other aspects of our lives."
M'membe also bemoaned the various challenges that beset women and inhibit them from attaining greater heights.
He cited the participation of women in the media industry, which he said was still in a very weak state.
"In Zambia we are still battling with things that we were battling with 20 years ago. A bit of progress has been made but more needs to be done. It is increasingly difficult for women to work in the media. The conditions are harsh for them," M'membe said. "With the tightening of budgets, it means journalists have to work longer hours and women have to do this in addition to their responsibilities when they get back home.
Sometimes they get married to men who live in places where their newspapers don't have offices, forcing them to abandon journalism and lose out in their career development."
M'membe advised women not to give up but to work hard and continue struggling for their rightful place in society.
"You have to work harder than men if you have to catch up. You have to work in a more strategic way. You have to set your goals very clearly. Of course, the ground has to be altered for you. Shift the fight to the terrain where you are comfortable," he said." It gets dark sometimes. But the morning always comes. Don't give up. Where there is a crucifixion, there's a resurrection. Don't give up. We will, working together, get it right one day."
M'membe reminded women that wherever there was a struggle to wage there was need for the promotion of a free media.
"There was a time and recently when women could not vote in nations that call themselves the most civilised nations of the world; a woman could not vote, she was not a full person, with full rights. They don't talk much about that anymore," he said.
M'membe described Zambia's current press freedom situation as good.
"We (Zambia) are better in terms of press freedom because of the efforts that many people exerted over the last 21 years. The media space that we have is not the space we had 21 years ago. We had to work for it," he said. "Of course there is humiliation in fighting for some of these things. Being behind bars is not a pleasant thing; being arrested in front of your children and friends isn't a pleasant thing … But we knew what we stood for.
Of course sometimes we got certain things wrong but it's part of the liberties we are seeking. Freedom is meaningless if it is just about being right and journalism is increasingly becoming a profession where if you make a mistake, you are taken to prison."
M'membe said liberties of the media have to be defended consistently and vigilantly in Zambia and the world over.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, JOURNALISM, PRESS FREEDOM, THE POST
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GBM supporters storm Post, threaten to burn newspapers
By Roy Habaalu in Lusaka and Royce Phiri in Kasama
Fri 19 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT
SYLVIA Masebo has replaced Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba as PF chairperson for elections. And Mwamba's supporters yesterday stormed The Post newspapers offices and wanted to block the newspaper from being sold in Kasama while some of them wanted to confiscate copies and burn them.
PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba said Masebo took up the role of chairperson after the last central committee meeting.
"Yes she's the new chairperson for the elections committee of the central committee," said Kabimba.
Mwamba relinquished his position as chairperson for election after temporarily resigning as Kasama member of parliament after beating up his wife Chama.
"It's in public domain that GBM resigned on his own after press reports condemned him for battering his wife. He said he was no longer interested in politics but surprising he's been coming from the back door to lobby for the position," a source said.
The sources said Mwamba had been carrying himself as the chairperson for elections and the party even tolerated him as such.
"But the PF thought that the position was a serious one and needed to be filled. So the one in charge of elections is Masebo and not GBM," said the sources.
And Mwamba's supporters that stormed The Post Newspaper offices presented a petition against the paper's coverage on Mwamba.
The group, who displayed banners denouncing both The Post and the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) chanted "No more Post" slogans and shouted at The Post employees, who were locked up in the office, to tell their superiors that they should leave GBM alone.
The protestors, some of them high on alcohol early in the morning, nearly turned violent but for quick action by police.
The cadres warned Post staff at Kasama office that they should stop writing bad stories about GBM who is also Kasama Central member of parliament.
Meanwhile Kasama police officer in-charge Darius Kakompe assured the staff that police would do whatever they could to protect them and that they would see to it that a police officer was assigned at the office for some days until the situation was calm.
Northern Province permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba said Mwamba's campaign manager Nathan Ilunga in the 2011 election led the protestors.
"As soon as we heard that Mr Mwamba's supporters were protesting and went to your offices in Kasama, I directed the commissioner of police to send police officers and ensure they kept peace and that life and property was protected. They were led by Mr. Mwamba's campaign manager Nathan Ilunga because they were displeased about your reporting," said
Mwamba in an interview.
"They handed over the petition to the manager in which they accused Mr Fred M'membe of siding with the minister of Justice Mr Wynter Kabimba and writing bad about Mr Mwamba. Police went there and advised them to disperse and the situation right now is normal," he said.
Kasama Post customer account executive Chitalu Musonda said one of the PF cadres called him shortly before the group arrived at the newspaper offices and informed him that they were about to attack.
"He called me to say 'boss lock yourselves, we are almost there and we are coming to attack your office," Musonda said. "Within two minutes of receiving the call, we saw the cadres and when we closed the door they rushed quickly and one of them shouted 'look they are closing the door. Just open the door, we want to sort you out.'"
He narrated that the situation calmed down after the police officers arrived on the scene but that he has since warned newspaper vendors to be extra careful in view of the incident.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, GBM, SYLVIA MASEBO, THE POST, WYNTER KABIMBA
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GBM says he entered politics for business
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 18 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT
DEFENCE minister and businessman Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba says he was forced to go into active politics in order to successfully operate his businesses that were becoming difficult to run. And Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, says only over his dead body will he 'worship' Post editor Fred M'membe.
During a winding interview with UK-hosted online radio station, CrossFire Blog Radio, on Tuesday evening, Mwamba, however,
shied away from answering questions on how far investigations into an incident where he physically solicited for the award of a Zesco wooden pole tender for his company, on account that he was being heard by the whole world.
Mwamba said in response to the programme moderator, Mueti Moomba, who was hosting the interview together with Larry Mweetwa and a Mr Gershom, that he decided to go into politics because the previous MMD government hit his businesses hard.
"What made me start thinking going into politics was the way I was ill-treated by the previous government, namely the MMD government," Mwamba said.
He explained that the MMD ill-treated him to a point of frustration because whenever he supplied something, it was very difficult for him to get his payments.
"So I was so much frustrated to a point that probably being in politics may only be the best thing because whatever I did outside being a politician, it couldn't work out," said Mwamba who is also Kasama PF member of parliament. "I had to find a way of sailing through and making my business successful...
In 2005, that is when I said probably I should go into politics because the business was becoming very difficult to operate and I could see that probably only those who were connected were the ones benefiting. So that is when I decided to join active politics."
Mwamba confirmed that the inspiration behind his joining active politics was expanding his businesses.
"I wanted to expand so much in business. I thought I would be a businessman without politics and I vowed never to be a politician in my life but because of what I went through, this is what actually prompted me to think of going into politics," he said.
"The only people who were benefitting were only those who were somehow connected to the so-called politicians."
But although Mwamba said politics and business made a very bad combination and that he regretted joining politics, he said that he was not ready to walk away from politics on that account as it counted less.
"I need to confirm that I am regretting to be in politics," Mwamba said. "You see now I have so many supporters, if I had to do that maybe I will disappoint a lot of my supporters. So I regret I am in it but there is very little that I can do. I just have to forge ahead."
Mwamba dispelled perceptions that he wanted to recoup the financial contributions he made to the PF to enable it ascend to power last year.
Mwamba, however, said it would be unfair to expect his family not to participate in business because even the financial contribution to the PF was from the same businesses and that he also therefore deserved his appointment as defence minister.
Mwamba said should there be issues of conflict of interest over his political and business involvement, he would, as an option, ask his children to shift his businesses to other countries.
"We are so intelligent to a point that whichever country we go, we make a grade, we succeed. It is not only in Zambia," said Mwamba, adding that he was not "rich but a very, very comfortable man".
Responding to a caller from London, identified only as Eric, on what his position on the Zesco wooden poles tender issue was, Mwamba said his family deserved to tender for any business contract in view of their business prowess.
"There was no way I was going to solicit for a contract," Mwamba said.
"I know I have made my money, not through corruption, and my businesses are all transparent. They can be checked at any time and I am proud about that. So that Zesco contract, that is not the only contract that we have won. Why can't they investigate other contracts that they have actually won because they have got more contracts than the contracts that we have actually won?"
Mwamba claimed his children were currently in London to buy a huge fleet of trucks because the family had ventured into transport business.
"Are you going to tell me that my children should not be awarded contracts in transportation? But when it comes to foreigners those are the people that you want to favour!" Mwamba remarked.
Asked how far the probe against him over the Zesco wooden pole tender had gone, Mwamba responded: "Unfortunately, because this is being heard across the world, I can't respond. If it was probably within Zambia I would probably respond to that. But being a security man, I am security conscious."
Mwamba, who described himself as a peer of the Street Boys, said he had not surrendered his official vehicle but that he only drives it when on official duties.
"I have so many cars, they are littered all over my house," he said.
"I don't have time to drive them."
On his relationship with The Post, which according to the interviewer had of late, been writing negative stories about him, Mwamba retorted: "My God!" He said M'membe only wants those people that worshipped him.
"The Post Newspaper, my relationship with Fred M'membe? My God! You see, Fred M'membe only wants those people that will worship him, which I will not do, over my dead body," said Mwamba. "If he thinks he can actually start debating of who should be the president in this country, this time he has got it all wrong.
Everyone knows about his tricks. We understand his motives and unfortunately we shall not allow him and whatever he is doing, we are watching him very closely. We shall not allow him as Zambians. We know what his game plan is."
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRED M'MEMBE, GBM, THE POST
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HH goes for M'membe, Nawakwi, KK and Sata
By Kombe Chimpinde
Thu 13 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT
HAKAINDE Hichilema yesterday mounted a vicious hate speech against Post editor-in-chief Fred M'membe describing him as a little creature who hated people to the bone.
And Hakainde described FDD leader Edith Nawakwi as a hired gun.
Meanwhile Hakainde's special adviser William Banda says it is high time that Zambia was led by a Tonga.
Briefing the press in Lusaka, Hakainde (left) accused M'membe of hating the UPND and wanting to clean out every potential leader so that he can be left alone in the race for Zambia's presidency.
"That is what Fred is, he had never liked UPND, if he had a way, he would ensure that we (UPND) all drown in a river," Hakainde said.
He vented anger saying, "He (Fred) used to hound Mazoka down every day. If I had my way, M'membe would not be allowed to use the Mazoka name, If I had my way."
"Kunyonzana (insulting others) every day! I have not said anything about Mufumbwe, I have not said anything. Why are they dancing around.
M'membe is dancing around, Nawakwi dancing around. What are you scared of? You are scared of Hakainde in Mufumbwe. You want to create confusion; I refuse to be part of confusion. M'membe wants PF to win Mufumbwe, so he will do everything to make PF win Mufumbwe. You won't, Muzakaula (you will be sorry)."
Hakainde said The Post was being used as tool for M'membe to bully potential leaders and those he hated.
"That is what he wants, using his newspaper to bully people every day.
What people don't know is that M'membe wants to clean out every potential leader so that he can be left alone and be the President of Zambia. That's what he wants. Kamambisama (he hides) behind the newspaper-but we know," Hakainde said.
He advised M'membe's 'allies' to inform him that he was just a little fellow, and a creature to him who he could not waste his breath and brains on.
"Tell him that Hakainde has no time for him. I have no time for that little fellow. I have no time for him. A man who hates people to the bone, a man who hated Mazoka to the bone, I know that he hated Mazoka to the bone," Hakainde claimed.
He also mocked M'membe to ensure he paid the K18 billion he claimed M'membe owes Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ). This was in reference to the debt of Zambian Airways to DBZ. Post Newspapers Limited had shares in Zambian Airways, a company now under receivership. And neither M'membe nor Post Newspapers Limited borrowed money from DBZ. The matter is before the Supreme Court.
"The people now know that The Post is no longer a paper for the people. It is a paper for the PF. So they will talk to Nawakwi, who has no meals to cook in the kitchen and use her as a headline. You will not deter us from our agenda," Hakainde said.
In what one would describe as stereotype, Hakainde asked Nawakwi to confine herself to the kitchen and stop attacking him.
"This little girl Nawakwi, who is saying Hakainde has done this, Hakainde has done that…What has Hakainde done? Nawakwi the hired gun for the PF. That is all she is," Hakainde said. "Have you heard me talking about Mufumbwe? Have you? So why is The Post writing every day about Mufumbwe? That is not my job (adoptions) that is the job of (Richard) Kapita here, vice-president administration and the secretary general (Winston Chibwe) and structures who will decide."
Hakainde said that he had been magnanimous towards MMD when it came to sharing seats.
"When there was a by-election in Msanzala, MMD, our structures spoke, we did not put a candidate…I even contributed resources myself, in my own capacity as a villager for the MMD candidate, there was no Nawakwi. In Chama we did not put a candidate-we supported MMD, there was no headline from the PF newsletter called The Post," he charged.
"Nawakwi, kamukazi kaja sikanakambe vilivonse (That little girl did not say anything). Nili namukazi, niwambili wameneuyu (my wife is enough for me). Uyu mukazi anyanya (it's too much of Nawakwi). Please if you (Nawakwi) have run out of what to cook in the kitchen, go and look for something at the market."
At the same briefing, Hakainde erroneously announced to the nation that UNZA Radio had been shut down by the government, only to later correct himself and claim that a mob of UNZA students that had threatened to mobilise thwarted information permanent secretary Amos Malupenga's moves to close it.
"I have just been informed that because they were on the way to closing UNZA Radio, once they heard students where mobilising and that we were having a press briefing here, they returned very quickly to re-organise. They are fearing to effect the closure," he said.
Hakainde also said if Zambians get back into the records, they would realise that Dr Kenneth Kaunda's statements on President Sata where inconsistent.
"I do not want to get in a debate with Mr KK, Dr KK on what he said about Mr Sata but just remember where we are coming from where Dr KK said 'Sata cannot rule because he will bring violence and brutality'. Go in your libraries he said," Hakainde said.
Hichilema also praised Lusaka-based freelance journalist of the pro-MMD Stand Up for Zambia TV documentaries saying "Today I stand here respecting Chanda as a true prophet because what Chanda Chiimba said is what we are seeing today.
He warned us… Wherever you are, we love you my brother," he said.
And Hichilema criticised the registration of sim cards.
"Registering phones (sim cards) so that when you speak we go back to the time we were under a one-party state. What else does this dictator (President Sata) want to do? There is no other name other than calling Mr Sata a dictator," said Hichilema.
And special adviser to Hichilema, William Banda who is well known for political thuggery, said it was high time that Zambia was ruled by a Tonga.
Banda who is in court for offences ranging from corruption to assault vowed that he would continue supporting Hichilema.
"We want you to be our president. You are our president and you will be there (State House)," Banda eulogised shortly before he paraded cadres whom he had mobilised from the MMD.
"They always accuse UPND of being a Tonga party…I want to tell you Mr President that I joined UPND because Tongas are great people in this country. A Tonga by the name of Mainza Chona handed over power without struggle to Dr Kaunda. We want you to be there. We are tired of supporting other tribes we want you to be there."
Among those he mobilised are his former squad members from his days in MMD led by Norman Sakala, infamously known as 'Bobo'.
Former UPND Itezhi-Tezhi member of parliament Godfrey Beene rejoined the party from MMD.
Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, FRED M'MEMBE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, SATA, UPND
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We don't kill
By The Post
Fri 22 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
CARELESS talk can be very costly. And one who talks carelessly is ill-suited to be a leader. Whatever you believe with emotion becomes your reality. You always act in a manner consistent with your innermost beliefs and convictions. Think before you say anything or act and then act decisively. Be absolutely clear about who you are and what you stand for. Hakainde Hichilema is increasingly becoming very careless in his talk.
Why this desperation? On Wednesday, Hakainde phoned-in on an UNZA Radio programme featuring his advisor Douglas Syakalima insinuating that The Post and its editor-in-chief were out to kill him.
Why make such very serious allegations he cannot prove? We have repeatedly advised Hakainde to learn to discipline his disappointments. We believe that if someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn't need motivation to speed him up.
What he needs is advice to turn him around. The only way the politics is going to change and become favourable for Hakainde is when he changes his approach and attitude. Telling lies and half-truths about others will not gain him the political mileage he is chasing.
Reason and judgement are the qualities of a leader. And there is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. There is a Hindu proverb that says, "The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self." Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.
Hakainde is under no obligation to like us. But he has no right to tell lies about us and stretch things to the point of insinuating that we are out to kill him. For what?
We don't believe in politics of violence. We have never organised or hired anyone to go and beat up somebody. It is Hakainde's political party that has perpetrated acts of violence against other people, including against some of our reporters. Hakainde has never condemned the violence against our reporters perpetrated by his own cadres. Why?
For us, no doctrine, no principle or proclaimed political position can justify atrocious acts such as the physical elimination or maiming of another human being. No crime can be committed in the name of politics or political differences.
We sincerely believe that violence can only do one thing, and that is to breed endless counter-violence. Those who rise to go and attack others, to go and kill others are no better than animals. And we hope one day we will reach a stage where people like Hakainde see the use of violence against anyone as something that puts them next to animals.
Hakainde is not concerned about violence and seems to believe that violence in politics, in human relations is something that can be tolerated. How else can Hakainde justify his recruitment of the notorious violent politician like William Banda? There is no one in this country, including in the MMD, who doesn't know that William has a shameful record of violence.
The MMD has denounced his violence. But this is the person Hakainde thinks can mobilise the grassroots for him in Lusaka. How? Through violence! Violence should only, and only be used in self-defence. And if it is possible to run away from violent elements, there should be no shame in doing so to save lives.
We are of the view that those who seek to lead us, if they want our conversion to find true expression in the life of our national community, must strive to lead lives worthy of the Gospel (Phil.1:27, Eph.4:1), reject all lies, all harmful or offensive words, all anger and evil utterance, and be benevolent.
It behooves us to value each life as a gift of God, help the young to find meaning in their lives, and prepare themselves for their future roles in society.
Criminal acts can in no way be justified as legitimate politics. Violence is an attack on life which depends on the Creator alone. We must also stress that when a political outlook appeals to violence, it thereby admits its own weakness and inadequacy.
Hakainde's desperation for political power, if not controlled, may lead him to grief. He has now resorted to telling lies and to malicious insinuations. Mendacity seems to be his daily diet.
We have never organised violence against anyone even though our journalists have been victims of political harassment. It is in UPND where they accuse each other of killings. We don't kill.
Hakainde has resorted to slandering us with impunity. He doesn't see anything wrong now with telling lies about us. All this is in the hope that it will help him resurrect his declining political fortunes. It is true that with every election Hakainde has been going down, he is not improving. He shouldn't try to blame us for his political problems or poor performance.
Hakainde wants to fight us at any cost. He thinks telling lies about us will earn him political points. This is why even in the other matter he has been telling lies about us. And resorting to lies will just worsen his political standing.
It is a serious offence to accuse someone of wanting to kill you. If Hakainde truly believes that we want to kill him, let him go and report this to the police so that we can be arrested and prosecuted for this serious crime. And what would happen if tomorrow we decided to go and report Hakainde to the police for accusing us of plotting to kill him? This is lawlessness on the part of Hakainde. And every act leaves an incurable wound, like one left by a double-edged sword.
Hakainde has been telling lies about us in connection with Zambian Airways' indebtedness to the Development Bank of Zambia. We have never sought protection from anyone in this world from paying our debts. We have never discussed Zambian Airways' debt with Michael Sata or any other government official.
It is not possible for us to do so because in the first place we don't owe the Development Bank of Zambia any money, we have never borrowed money from that bank. And we challenge Hakainde to produce any evidence showing that we ever borrowed money from the Development Bank of Zambia.
The records of this case are still with his friend Vincent Malambo; let Hakainde go to him and get any document that shows that we ever borrowed money from the Development Bank of Zambia. At the risk of boring our readers with repetitions of the things we have stated before, the only thing we got involved in was to guarantee the Development Bank of Zambia a share buy-back if they had converted their loan to Zambian Airways into equity.
This was because at some point they wanted to exit the company if they became shareholders and the airline was not listed on the stock exchange for them to sell their shares to the public. The airline went into receivership before this process was concluded and the Development Bank of Zambia was stopped from converting its loan into shares by the government of the day. Where is our theft of K14 billion they are singing about, sloganeering about? We don't steal.
If others live by stealing and some of them have gone to jail for stealing, we will never be part of that. Our business ventures can fail but never as a result of financial mismanagement, stealing or other abuses.
As we have stated before, this matter was taken to court on political orders by the previous government to fix us.
When they saw that the court process they had initiated against us was not going to succeed, they started playing games with the judicial process. We refused to be subjected to such games and followed through the meaningful process of redress. We are not against the matter continuing in our courts of law. We are very confident that any independent and fair adjudicator will rule in our favour.
And we have repeatedly asked those handling this matter to put everything in the public domain so that there is no room left for lies, speculation and insinuations by petty-minded people like Hakainde. If at the end of the day, when the matter is concluded by our highest courts we are required to pay the Development Bank of Zambia K14 billion, we will pay it without any hesitation.
Our record with banks is very clean. We have raised capital at home and abroad to run our newspaper and we have been able to pay back everything we have borrowed. But it seems Hakainde and his friends think that they will make political capital out of this issue and win the next election.
They are cheating themselves. They are being very shallow and opportunistic in their thinking. If this is the only issue they have against us and is the only issue they are hanging their political fortunes on, then they are headed for unmitigated political failure.
Anyway, we are used to this type of propaganda, to this type of lies and calumny. It simply rolls over our shoulders and we move on. But to accuse someone of trying to kill another human being, without justification, is criminal, inhuman, insensitive and cruel. If Hakainde and his friends live by killing, we live by open discourse, we settle disagreements through public debate.
If they themselves live by killing, they shouldn't think everyone else lives by that, they shouldn't reflect their own conduct on us. Hakainde and his party declared us their enemy number one. We have never declared them to be our enemies. Those who have declared us enemies are the ones who know what to do with the lives of enemies.
Piling lies, one on top of another, in an attempt to try and discredit us politically and humiliate us won't work. If Hakainde thinks this is the route to election victory then he is headed for another humiliating defeat. Anyway, Hakainde is used to losing elections. But there is need for decency and respect for the humanity of others.
Those who want to lead should show a good example in terms of honesty, integrity and humaneness. Hakainde seems to have none of these. Sometimes those who need leadership positions the most are inclined the least. And this is true of Hakainde.
But integrity is the foundation upon which all other values are built and truthfulness is the main element of character. Without these, how can one think of being a leader of his people? We don't kill. Those who lie are the ones who can kill. It is said that if you can lie, you can steal and if you can steal, you can kill.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RICHARD LUONDE, UPND
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HH will be killed by his own bitterness - Luonde
By Ernest Chanda
Fri 22 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
FATHER Richard Luonde says UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema will be killed by his own tribalism and bitterness.
Commenting on Hichilema's insinuation when he called into a UNZA Radio programme that The Post and its editor-in-chief Fred M'membe were out to kill him, the Kitwe-based priest advised the opposition leader to develop a more progressive attitude in politics.
He said Hichilema should develop a nationalistic approach to his politics.
"The behaviour of Hakainde Hichilema is un-Zambian at his age. When you begin to accuse people wrongly, that means you are also trying to falsify things against them. Probably your intention is you want people to rise against those you accuse; these are the politics of Hichilema," Fr Luonde said yesterday.
"If he is not careful, what will kill him is his own tribalism and hatred towards certain people and tribes. And if Hichilema wants to come and lead us as a nation, he should change his attitude and begin to work as a politician working for Zambians. When you criticise constructively, people will be able to listen and sieve and get out what is right and force the government to do something. But the attitude of Hichilema, he's living in a world of his own dreams; a world where he wants by all means to lead this nation."
Fr Luonde said Hichilema was the one inciting Zambians to rise against certain people through his displayed hatred.
"Fred M'membe has never threatened anyone in his life more than he has been threatened. All the governments, starting from UNIP to MMD, including PF in opposition threatened him. But when the PF discovered that what he was bringing out was a fact and truth to Zambians, PF accepted him. If there's anyone inciting people to rise against innocent people, it's Hakainde Hichilema," said Fr Luonde.
In a call-in to an interview featuring his advisor Douglas Syakalima on Lusaka's UNZA Radio on Wednesday morning, Hichilema said The Post had never supported the UPND from as far as the days of the late Anderson Mazoka.
The programme was discussing whether the UPND was losing direction through the political course it had taken since the PF government took the reins of power.
"It is an issue and please let us stop having double standards. There is no bitterness. That Post has never supported UPND. They used to call Mazoka names and used to write 'dialysis machine' in their newspaper. Today they can praise Mazoka because he is dead," said Hichilema.
"Remember M'membe said my days are numbered. I am not afraid. If he wants to kill me, he knows my house. I am not afraid but we will talk for the people of Zambia."
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RICHARD LUONDE, UPND
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We are not above criticism
By The Post
Sun 17 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
WE have consistently maintained that if criticism is valid, it must be made. And this applies to us as it applies to all others. We are not exempt from this standard. If we have shortcomings, we are not afraid to have them pointed out and criticised, because we serve the people. Anyone, no matter who, may point out our shortcomings. If he or she is right, we'll correct them. If what he or she proposes will benefit the people, we will act upon it.
It is in this same spirit that we approach the criticisms we make of others, including the UPND and its leadership. There is nothing personal about it. In criticising them, we are simply carrying out our duty. And they are equally entitled to criticise us. And if the radio programmes they intend to carryout are aimed at truthfully exposing our errors, mistakes, deficiencies and shortcomings, they are highly welcome.
We do not fear criticism because the truth is on our side. In fact, we ourselves are very critical about our own work. We every day start our work by examining what we did the previous day and whether we were right or wrong.
Conscientious practice of self-criticism is still another hallmark distinguishing us from others in this business. We have developed a style of work that fears neither criticism nor self-criticism. We base all our actions on the highest interests of the broad masses of our people and we are fully convinced of the justice of our cause.
And as such we can never balk at any personal sacrifices and we are ready at all times to give everything we have to the cause of our people. This being the case, we can never be reluctant to discard any idea, viewpoint, opinion, practice or method which is not suited to the needs of our people.
We have never accepted complacency. We believe in checking complacency and in constantly criticising our shortcomings. Taught by mistakes and setbacks, we have become wiser and handle our affairs better. However, it is hard for anyone to avoid mistakes, but we should make as few as possible. Once a mistake is made, we should correct it, and the more quickly and thoroughly, the better.
We have taught ourselves to avoid being opinionated or domineering, thinking that we are good in everything while others are good in nothing; we have taught ourselves never to shut ourselves up in our little rooms, or brag and boast and lord it over others. We have also learnt to listen attentively to the views of other people and let them have their say.
If what they say is right, we have learnt to welcome it and learn from their strong points; if it is wrong, we have learnt to let them finish what they are saying and then patiently explain things to them. Our attitude towards any person who has made mistakes in his work has been one of persuasion in order to help him change and start afresh and not one of exclusion, unless he is incorrigible.
As for people who are politically backward, we have learnt not to slight or despise them but to befriend them, unite with them, convince them and encourage them to go forward. We haven't always acted wisely, we haven't always made the best decisions.
But we have certainly always been able, with all the honesty in the world, to detect in time any error, any mistake, any wrong decision, recognise it, rectify it, and carry on; because even when you travel through the mountains with the help of a campus - and our campus is honesty, our campus is integrity - from time-to-time, there can be some drifting away from the right path - just as ships sailing on the ocean occasionally drift off course a little - but you always keep on going ahead in the right direction.
We can assert above all else that we have been capable of rectifying mistakes and today our newspaper is stronger and more solid than ever before.
These are not mere words. The Zambian people know very well what The Post has been able to do, to accomplish in our country. We have learnt to manage our affairs better and with increasing efficiency; but the most important thing is that we will keep on learning more and more.
Our ideas are very clear, our convictions are very deep, our decisions are very resolute: we don't want unnecessary conflicts, personalised conflicts with anyone. We are not in the habit of provoking conflicts and we don't want to do so, but those wanting to provoke us, those intending to provoke us should beware of provoking us! They should beware of dragging us into a sterile conflict! If they impose a conflict on us, they will find out what a resolute newspaper we are. This is because life has taught us to be very sure of our ideas and of our cause.
We have a lot of dignity and are very sure of ourselves. Others may be used to trembling before political threats, but not us. Never! If what Hakainde Hichilema and his UPND want is to expose, criticise and denounce our weaknesses, our errors, our deficiencies in an honest way, we highly welcome that and we will pay maximum attention to everything they are saying.
However, if their intention is to defame us, slander us, scandalise us, attempt to humiliate us, then they will soon know what we are made of and what experience has moulded us to be.
We sincerely believe that every man or woman has an undaunted right to lay what sentiments they please before the public; to forbid this, is to destroy the freedom of expression; but if they say things that are improper, mischievous or illegal, then they must take the consequences of their own temerity. Of course, we appreciate the fact that the right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
In whatever criticism we have subjected Hakainde and UPND to, if there is anything that is defamatory, that is libellous, we beg them to exercise their legal rights and sue us. If they have a point that is beyond dispute, we will not waste their time to go to court, we will amicably settle the matter out of court and pay the necessary compensation or damages.
Equally, if in their radio programmes they will say anything that is slanderous of us, they should expect the same: we will sue them and the radio stations they are using for defamation, slander. This is a legal right we share with them and with all other citizens or human beings. We have no right to defame them and equally they have no right to slander us.
And as we have stated before, we sincerely believe that no section of the community has all the virtues, neither does any have all the vices. We are quite sure that most people try to do their jobs as best as they can, even if the result is not always entirely successful.
He who has never failed to reach perfection has a right to be the harshest critic. There can be no doubt, of course, that criticism is good for people and institutions that are part of public life. No institution, whatever, should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who give it their loyalty and support, not to mention those who don't.
But we are all part of the same fabric of our national society and that scrutiny, by one part of another, can be just as effective if it is done in an honest way and with the best of intentions, and not malice.
We don't believe in the law of hate. We may not be true to our ideals always, but we believe in the law of love, and we believe one can do nothing with hatred.
And as we have stated before, there are, in the body politic, economic and social, many and grave ills, and there is urgent necessity for the sternest war upon them. There should be relentless exposure of and attack upon every evil man whether politician or businessman, lawyer or judge, every evil practice, whether in politics, in business or in social life - provided always that this is done with absolute truthfulness.
The liar is no whit better than the thief, and if his mendacity takes the form of slander, he may be worse than most thieves. It puts a premium upon knavery untruthfully to attack an honest man, or even with hysterical exaggeration to assail a bad man with untruth. An epidemic of indiscriminate assault upon character does no good, but very great harm.
The soul of every scoundrel is gladdened whenever an honest man is assailed, or even when a scoundrel is untruthfully assailed. Our plea is, not for immunity but for the most unsparing exposure of the politician who betrays his trust, of the businessman who makes or spends his fortune in illegitimate or corrupt ways.
There should be a resolute effort to hunt every such man out of the position he has disgraced. Expose the crime, and hunt down the criminal; but remember that even in the case of crime, if it is attacked in sensational, lurid, and untruthful fashion, the attack may do more damage to the public mind than the crime itself.
It is because we feel that there should be no rest in the endless war against the forces of evil that we ask that the war be conducted with sanity as well as with resolution.
We have adopted, more or less, this approach in our criticism of Hakainde and his UPND, and indeed of all other people and institutions we have criticised. Sometime last year, we used to criticise Hakainde's approach to his party's pact with the PF.
We told them that if their request for a pact with PF was with the intention to make Hakainde president, then they were wasting their time because it won't happen. We told them that there was no foundation on which they could base such a claim as Michael Sata and the PF have over the last few years been doing better than Hakainde and UPND.
The response of Hakainde and his friends was that things have changed, that was history, and the political landscape had changed in their favour. They claimed to be more popular than Michael and PF in Lusaka, the Copperbelt, Eastern, Central, Western, North Western and Southern provinces.
They also claimed that even in Luapula, Michael's fortunes had declined because of Frederick Chiluba's support for Rupiah Banda. They only left Northern Province for Michael and the PF. We told them their analysis was wrong, was baseless, was untrue.
And it was this attitude of theirs, this failure to understand the true position of the politics of our country that led them into believing things that were not correct and consequently acting wrongly.
They were convinced that neither themselves nor the PF could win the election on their own. Hakainde even accused us of misleading Michael that he could win the election on his own.
Michael won on his own. And we can say we were not malicious or discriminatory in our reading of the politics of our country. They got it wrong, we got it right. And for this, they have never forgiven us. Telling them the truth was a crime.
Even some of the parliamentary by-elections they won as a result of their pact with PF, they lost them after the pact ended. Who was deceiving who? Hakainde was deceiving himself, those around him and indeed the whole nation. Where has that deception left him? It has left him in bitterness, confusion and political limbo.
But it's a lesson that no matter how hard its adversary - falsehood - may try to overwhelm it, truth refuses to yield. And we hope that one day Hakainde and his friends will learn the value of being truthful and of listening to the advice, opinions and views of others without being excessively defensive and looking at everything from a regional or tribal point of view.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, UPND
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UPND scheming against M'membe
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Sun 17 June 2012, 13:22 CAT
OPPOSITION UPND leadership are scheming to start radio programmes this week to
denounce Post editor-in-chief Fred M'membe. And MMD member Sunday Chanda says opposition political parties should not be a bunch of bitter, vindictive, revenge-seeking persons bent on destroying the nation's stability.
Sources within UPND disclosed yesterday that the party's leadership were uncomfortable with editorials that had been running in The Post over the last days and were planning to denounce M'membe.
"Some of the leaders feel the editorials had been too hard on Hichilema and they want to denounce Fred also on radio and some of these small newspapers beginning Monday or so. So be ready because they are bitter," said the source.
And commenting on UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema's statement likening President Michael Sata's running the country like a clueless hyena (Chimbwi no plan), Chanda said Hichilema could be playing politics in an effort to be noticed because controversy could announce one's presence.
"My appeal to Hichilema is that as a politician from the younger generation seeking to provide national leadership, he must be above board. He must avoid practicing politics that are way below his standards. This is good for him and the party as a whole. If my brother HH became president in 2016, he would not wish for anyone to call him anything just because they have failed to reason with him," he said.
Chanda said precedent was an important phenomenon in life and as such, people must watch what they built as a culture in the nation and body politic.
"My brother HH does not need to love President Michael Sata for him to give him the respect he deserves firstly as Republican President and secondly as a man old enough to be his own biological father. Not long ago, my brother HH had likened late President Frederick Chiluba to a monkey in a maize field. The other time, he likened President Sata to Nigerian actor Ukwa. Honestly, these are not the type of politics my brother HH is called to practice and he can do better," he said.
Chanda said Hichilema must not allow himself to be sidetracked otherwise he would lose himself and his relevance to the new political order.
He said opposition political parties must take on the responsibility of keeping each other in check and not just offering support for the sake of it.
Chanda said the political tug-of-war characterising Zambian politics must be abandoned as belonging to the old school.
"We must not have problems adopting value-based and issue-based politics. The worrying factor is that the generation which we hoped presented a new beginning to how politics can and must be conducted has become so desperate after sipping from the fountain of bitterness. Political leaders must not become polarising figures," he said
Chanda said in multi-party politics, it was possible to hold divergent views and disagree on certain issues without becoming personally disagreeable, adding that the culture of name-calling must be condemned in the strongest terms.
He said the opposition parties could also avoid going beyond the stages of reality to take on the mantle of rulers.
"It seems they have developed the 'what we say you must do, you must do' attitude towards the government of the day. Instead of instructing the President, let the opposition start to reach out instead of 'telling' a head of state what to do. The man is 'The President' whatever you say. Whether you like him or not, he holds the post. These are the realities of power and the Presidency, unfortunately," he said.
Chanda said Zambians were interested in an opposition that would provide alternatives on job creation, constitution-making processes, reforms in the Judiciary and economic growth.
"These alternatives are very different from mere criticisms. A criticism to carry any weight must be accompanied by researched and workable proposed solutions. This is the standard that the opposition in this country is yet to attain. So far, opposition parties understand politics to be a personal battle with a perceived enemy and not a battle of ideas on how best we can take Zambia forward. We need some forward-thinking in this regard and let the opposition open up debates on ideas of taking the nation forward," he said.
"By and large, the opposition is being led by people from the younger generation the post-Cha Cha Cha generation and these are called upon to make a difference. The real competition for leadership is within the rank and file of the opposition as a whole. The leaders from these different parties will use their energies trying to indirectly out-do each other before the next elections and in so doing, they are bound to make so many mistakes."
He said the 'who is who' within the opposition (in general) remained the biggest challenge for the opposition political parties to establish.
"In order to distinguish themselves, they (opposition political leaders) will flex their political muscle and in most cases, they will end up slapping themselves in the face because they are not keeping their eyes on the ball," he said.
And Chanda also said the police should act professionally in Hichilema's case so that justice prevails in this matter.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, UPND
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Judiciary is being player, referee - Chikwanda
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tue 12 June 2012, 13:24 CAT
FINANCE minister Alexander Chikwanda has regretted that
a lot of lies have been peddled concerning the Zambian Airways debt. And Chikwanda says the Judiciary has advantage in an undesirable war of attrition because they have an enviable role of being player and referee.
Meanwhile, Chikwanda questioned the ability of "some regionally-strong political parties to organise nation-wide protest in pursuit of their cause".
Chikwanda, who by yesterday was acting Republican President in the absence of President Michael Sata, said it was inconceivable for the Executive to undermine the Judiciary
"It is in public interest that the minister of finance as shareholder directed Development Bank of Zambia to ask their lawyers to pend the action before the court and not to withdraw but to seek the Attorney General's opinion because the matter before the Court had acquired overtones which were contentious," Chikwanda said.
"It is government's practice to seek guidance of the Attorney General's opinion on matters where there is no certainty. This is not optional but mandatory.
"The government owns about 90 per cent of the DBZ with EximBank of India and Development Bank of Southern Africa returning the 10 per cent equity.
Chikwanda said it was "absolutely inconceivable" that President Sata could wittingly or inadvertently do anything that undermined any component of government.
Chikwanda said the strained relationship between the Executive and the Judiciary was regrettable as the two form the same government.
"As is public knowledge, the Judiciary has different views and the Executive has no alternative except to seek recourse to the same Judiciary by ways of appeal," Chikwanda told journalists yesterday.
"We know the Judiciary has advantage in this undesirable war of attrition because they have the enviable role of being a player and referee. Government will not take any precipitate measures in this matter and we appeal to both the general public and civil society to pend their anger and frustration."
Chikwanda said the government even with the demarcations of responsibilities of the three wings, namely the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature, was essentially one entity.
"The people of Zambia are now being dared to sit in moral judgment of the Executive and the Judiciary because what is happening is far beyond legality," he said.
"It is a moral issue for no government can stand with sustainability without distinct moral benchmarks. This is at the core of the very essence of any government premised on democracy and the rule of law."
On April 30 this year, President Sata suspended Supreme Court judge Philip Musonda and High Court judges Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna over their alleged professional misconduct and has since appointed a tribunal to investigate them.
President Sata suspended the three judges over their conduct in a civil case involving the Development Bank of Zambia as complainant, and The Post Newspapers Limited, Mutembo Nchito and JNC Holdings Limited as defendants.
The President subsequently appointed the tribunal led by Malawi High Court judge Justice Lovemore Chikopa to probe the three judges.
However on May 16, Lusaka High Court judge Fulgence Chisanga stayed proceedings of a tribunal appointed by President Sata to investigate the alleged misconduct of the three judges on grounds that it was illegal and premature.
"At inception of his administration, President Sata as a mark of respect to the Judiciary invited Chief Justice Ernest Sakala to address Cabinet," he revealed.
"In the words of justice Sakala, that was the only time he had been accorded that honour and privilege in his long tenure at the helm of the Judiciary. President Sata took advantage of the occasion to admonish his ministers to stay away from judicial matters. His Excellency the President is the head of government and has acted most diligently and dutifully to safeguard the integrity and respectability of all arms of government."
And Chikwanda said the Executive appealed against the decision of judge Chisanga because it believed in the separation of power.
"The Executive has no alternative; we will abide by their decision the Supreme Court is the last court of appeal and Zambia can only uphold its democratic arrangements if all arms of government work as part of the entity called government," he said.
"The government has no intention for confrontation. As your Minister of Finance, I cannot withhold payments or disbursements to the Judiciary; that's not right. The Judiciary has to function and function effectively and that is why in this ministry we do everything possible to try and make sure that the Judiciary is equipped to do what they are supposed to do."
"We can't have confrontation between the Executive and the Judiciary nor can we have confrontation between the Executive and Legislature. The democratic norms and imperatives entail us to accept the decisions of other arms of government but it must be realised that the government is literally one. That is why the Legislature, Executive and the Judiciary all come here to get our requirements because the division of responsibilities is just for convenience."
Meanwhile, Chikwanda laughed off the suggestion that some political parties, in apparent reference to UPND, would hold nationwide demonstrations to the push for their agenda over the calls for judicial reforms.
He also blamed the UPND for the confrontation last week in which Lusaka Police dispersed a planned demonstration to Supreme Court by UPND cadres.
"The law requires that you seek police indulgence if you want to mount a demonstration. Government is committed to defending the rights and freedoms of the people; we are not looking for eulogies. The PF has a mandate to rule Zambia but to do so within the confines of the law. Let them demonstrate but let them do so within the confines of the law. And some people have illusions that they are going to demonstrate all over the country...where will they get people to join them in Chipata, Mansa or Kasama or even Solwezi, maybe even Mongu?" asked Chikwanda.
"Maybe not even in Choma because people would rather get on with productive functions than being used as cannon fodders soldiers forced to deliberately fight with the foreknowledge that they will suffer extremely high casualties in an effort to achieve a strategic goal by politicians with an agenda which is not in accord with the wishes of the people. But do not resort to confrontations which stall the development of our country. None of us here, if we are X tribe, is without relations in Y tribe. We have now become very fused; we are one. There are people who have different ideas, but the mainstream Zambians want to be one; they want to be a happy society. We want to be a very well embracing, accommodating and tolerant society."
Labels: ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA, FRED M'MEMBE, JUDICIARY, THE POST, ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS
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Zambian confidence will be restored if Sata deals with Mmembe/ Nchito before dealing with Judges
TIME PUBLISHED - Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 9:20 am
By D.Banda
I read with dismay at the style of leadership that President Sata is exhibiting especially with regard to the suspension of the 3 judges.We have no problem investigating the 3 judges and the judiciary as a whole, but the manner in which Sata is doing it, leaves so much to be desired.
Firstly the suspension of the Judges came as a result of the judgement that was given in the K14 billion issue that his friends Nchito and Mmembe are involved in. Suppose the judgement was in favor of his friends, would he have gone ahead to suspend them and set up a tribunal? I don’t think so.
If he wants to show the general public that he is allergic to corruption and he is in there for the overhaul,why can’t he first suspend Nchito and then investigate the issue with the K14 billion and tell the nation that he will recover the money from the duo. It does not make sense to us to investigate the judges when his partners are refusing to pay back tax payers money.
Let him deal with Mmembe and Nchito before dealing with the judges and that will give us confidence that he is in there for the job and for the
poor ordinary Zambian. He should not even lie to us that he wants to clean the Judiciary, he wants to hammer them because they gave judgement not in favor of his buddies.
Look at the number of tribunals, if they make submissions not in his favor he hammers them and tells them that they don’t know what they are doing. Sata is ruling Zambia with preconceived ideas and if you challenge his authority then you are in trouble.No wonder those in his camp are so afraid of him and its only online papers who can provide checks and balances and report on real issues without government pollution.
I used to follow other news medias a lot because they used to be objective in their style of reporting and now it looks like only online forums can provide us with that objective role of alliance for what’s going on in Zambia.
Secondly the setting up of so many tribunals is a waste of tax payers money at the expense of the poor ordinary Zambian. The fight against corruption is so selective such that people like Nchito and Mmembe are free to do what they want because they are untouchable now. The
mounting pressure to have the Chief Justice resign is an indication that they want people to shift the attention from the K14 billion to
issues that are not at hand.
If we want to have the Chief Justice resign, lets call for the resignation of Nchito and believe me Nchito will never resign on moral grounds and Sata should be made aware that if he does not do the right thing with the issue of the K14 billion,he is putting himself in jeopardy and one day these mistakes will visit him because no government stays in power forever.
Even the single sourcing and awarding of contract to Chikwanda’s company to renovate state house is an issue that will visit him one day. I wonder why Guy Scott has even tolerated the PF this long with the mistakes they have made so far, I thought he was a gentleman who would address
those issues with the PF or even resign to protect his name. The mistakes, intimidation and shortfalls we have seen so far in the present government is a clear indication that the government has no idea what they are doing and they have lost direction which they did not have in the first place.
Political campaigns are different from reality and it is very easy to say that will perform outside of realism and when given the reality of platform, performance is deterred by conceptualism of the fact that it takes a different position to comprehend what we promise. We do not appreciate the new concepts of intimidation and selective fight against corruption being brought in the political arena and into he country by the PF government, we need to enhance the livelihood of our people for a better tomorrow and know that what we do today will come to haunt us tomorrow and that is something that the government of the day need to be made aware of by the media.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, MICHAEL SATA, MUTEMBO NCHITO
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