Mumbi lambastes timing of student allowances raise
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sat 02 July 2011, 04:01 CAT
It is very foolish for Dora Siliya and President Rupiah Banda to think that increasing allowances will hoodwink students into voting for MMD, says a parliamentarian. And UNZALARU says that the decision by the government to increase students’ allowances is a
political gimmick.
Mumbi Phiri, who is member of parliament for Munali Constituency where the University of Zambia falls, said it was MMD’s tired and failed practice of raising various allowances for students in an election year.
“Government only increases allowances of students, only when there are elections. As the minister admittedly said, the last increment was in 2008,” said Phiri in an interview.
“We are all aware that 2008 was a year of elections, the other one was done in 2001 and 2006. Those are all election years. So President Banda and Dora Siliya should not think we are in the old Germany where Hitler (Adolf) was using propaganda to win support.”
Mumbi said Zambians and students in particular, were now aware of the MMDs’ trickery and that they would not fall them.
“Now even people in far-flung areas are educated and aware. They know the problems obtaining in the country so nobody can be fooled,” Phiri said.
And Phiri expressed disgust at a comment made by Siliya that parents must plan their families to avoid having children they could not afford to take care of. Siliya said this when she toured the Copperbelt University recently where she made the announcements on the meal, book and project allowances for students at the two biggest learning institutions in the country.
“It’s a very big insult for Dora (Siliya) to come out and start telling Zambians to plan their families. Is it her burden if people have 10 children? She (Dora) should just pray that God gives her a husband who can give her more children if she so wishes,” Phiri said.
“Let her not interfere in other people’s families. We have very educated ministers who have a lot of children in her Cabinet. Is there anything wrong with that? Can we (Zambians) say they do not know how to plan?”
She warned Dora to desist from insulting the integrity of Zambians.
“It’s a shame that we have women with such behaviours when the country is fighting for 30 per cent women representation in positions of decision making,” said Phiri.
University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) secretary general Jason Mwanza said that the move to selectively address the challenges at the institution was politically motivated.
“They (MMD government) want to gain political mileage. They want to be seen to be doing good but as a government they should be seen to be doing good at all times. Government has responsibilities over its citizens and these should be constant without variations,” Mwanza said.
“The past four or five years the University has not had the liberty to negotiate freely for emoluments and gratuities. We have always had a wage gap. For instance the past two years, the budget for the universities has not been increased.”
He complained that there were no indications of a likelihood of government adjusting their benefits.
“This is a potential receipt for anarchy. We do appreciate that allowances for students have increased and particularly the project allowances. The students indeed have had hardships but you see the hand to assist has come too late and at an awkward time, when the needs of their parents, the lecturers are not being addressed,” said Mwanza.
Labels: CORRUPTION, DORA SILIYA, MUMBI PHIRI, STUDENTS, UNZALARU
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COMMENT - This shows you everything you need to know about the priorities of neoliberals. Children deserve to be in school, no matter whether 'their parents can afford it'. This is just the basic obligation of the State. And to do so, the state must tax the mining sector at least $1.2 billion a year. (And that still allows for $1.2 billion a year to leave the country - really, the mines should be state owned, supported by full Constitutional protection for parastatals.)
Forgo one trip and pay for students, Mumbi Phiri urges Rupiah
By Agness Changala
Tue 12 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
PATRIOTIC Front Munali member of parliament Mumbi Phiri has asked President Rupiah Banda to forgo one trip and pay fees for the affected students at the University of Zambia (UNZA). About 1,132 students have been withdrawn from 2010-2011 academic calendars due to non-payment of tuition fees as required by the 75 percent payment policy.
Phiri said even the money that President Banda used to pay for Amayenge Band to go and dance in Nigeria could have been used to pay for the troubled students and enable them to continue with school. She said among the students who were withdrawn, 38 paid half of their fees and were attending classes.
“So you can see that these students actually complied and some of them have remained with six months to complete. Honestly, how fair is it that one should be withdrawn?” Phiri asked.
“I am speaking as a parent and talking to parents. If that was their son, how would they feel?”
Phiri said some of the students were children to lecturers who retired as far back as 2004 and had not been paid their money, adding that it was not easy for them to pay for their children.
And Phiri disclosed that the fate of the withdrawn students had been thrown to the University Council. She said she spoke with education permanent secretary Andrew Phiri who told her that the ministry was aware about the development and had asked the council to look into the matter to see how the students could be assisted.
She said the student’s union, the University Council and the government must help the vulnerable students. Phiri also appealed to organisations that were able to sponsor such students to come in and assist.
University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) president Timothy Lumba charged that the withdrawal of 1,132 students from the 2010-2011 academic year reflected the government’s failure to honour its commitment and due responsibility to provide higher education.
He said what was being demonstrated by the government was a clear lack or failure of intent of political will to acknowledge that the challenges of higher education had an overall bearing on the nation and its future.
Lumba said if President Banda or education minister Dora Siliya remained quiet on statistics approved and acknowledged by the University Council, it would affirm their stance that the government had no will to address the problems at UNZA.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EDUCATION, MUMBI PHIRI, NEOLIBERALISM, RUPIAH BANDA
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Rupiah’s niece was also arrested for hooting – PF’s Mumbi Phiri
By Namatama Mundia
Mon 16 Aug. 2010, 04:01 CAT
MUNALI Patriotic Front parliamentarian Mumbi Phiri has told the Lusaka magistrates' court that it was surprising that h
er cellmate who was arrested for hooting together with her was released the following day because she is President Rupiah Banda’s niece.This is in a matter before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda where Mandevu PF parliamentarian Jean Kapata and her counterpart Phiri are charged with unnecessary hooting and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Testifying in the matter last week, Phiri told the court that Olivia Phiri, the elder sister of their cellmate who was also arrested on October 2 last year in Lusaka’s Makeni area, informed them that the girl the police arrested was President Banda’s niece.
Phiri said Olivia told them that the police were foolish and were going to be shocked because her younger sister was President Banda’s relative.
She said they were surprised to see Olivia’s sister being released the following day on October 3 after the police allegedly received an order from higher authorities.
“She Olivia said ‘the police are very foolish, they don’t know that the girl they arrested is Rupiah’s niece, so they will get shocked because they will be called by State House to release my little sister’,’’ Phiri said.
[I guess it's one law for the connected... And what does 'hooting' mean in this article? - MrK]
She said she thought Olivia, who appeared to be drunk and even wet herself, was joking.
“But we were surprised when she came back again, she told us that the police had received a phone call from high authority to release the girl,” Phiri narrated.
“And for me, I took it that she Olivia was joking because I did not take it serious. What I know is that if you are arrested on Friday, you can only be released on Monday.”
Phiri told the court that after a few minutes, someone informed them that there were people who were released.
“But I said that there were other people who had been in the cells before us…I said we were going to pay for their release if they did not have money as leaders,” Phiri said.
She said she did not hoot on the material day because she appealed in the Supreme Court against former president Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal.
“How could I have hooted when I had appealed in the Supreme Court, I know the procedure,” said Phiri.
In the first count, it is alleged that the two parliamentarians while separately driving vehicles on Great East Road hooted unnecessarily contrary to section 223 (1) and (2) of the Road Traffic Act number 11 of 2002. In the second count, the duo is facing a joint count of disorderly conduct in a police station contrary to Section 60 (i) of the Zambia Police Act chapter 107 of the Laws of Zambia when they were arrested for unnecessary hooting and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
The matter comes up for continued defence tomorrow.
Labels: COURTS, DEMONSTRATION, MUMBI PHIRI, PF
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PF MP’s Kapata, Phiri’s ‘honking’ case fails to take off
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Monday, October 05, 2009 8:47:18 PM
POLICE officers yesterday struggled to convince two opposition PF parliamentarians to return to the police cells after their case failed to take off due to the absence of a docket.
The case in which Munali member of parliament Mumbi Phiri and her Mandevu counterpart Jean Kapata, who were arrested for ‘honking’ against former president Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal last Friday, could not be entertained by chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda because
there was no charge before his court.
Phiri and Kapata arrived at the court complex slightly before 09:30 hours, dressed in black in the company of a female police officer.
Phiri said they had just been discharged from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) where they had been admitted for high blood pressure.
Upon entering magistrate Kafunda’s courtroom, the two parliamentarians headed straight for the dock where they sat to wait for their turn.
The defence lawyer, Matthew Pikiti said he was supposed to appear for the two members of parliament, who he said had been in detention since last Friday.
Pikiti told magistrate Kafunda that he had been assured by the deputy commanding officer on Saturday that the duo was supposed to appear in court on Monday.
“They were not given police bond,” Pikiti said. “They were rushed to the hospital.”
Pikiti said he had asked the prosecution and they had informed him that they had not brought the docket.
Pikiti said he was making an application that the prosecution bring the docket to the court.
“The matter that they have been charged with is bailable,” he said.
The public prosecutors said they could not do anything in the absence of a docket and that it was not among the dockets that had been brought to the court.
But Pikiti said he was assured by Lusaka division criminal investigations officer (DCIO) a Mr Zulu that Phiri and Kapata were supposed to appear before the court yesterday.
“I apply that we stand down the matter so that the prosecution is requested to bring the document because it is a simple charge,” Pikiti said.
However, magistrate Kafunda said he was in a predicament to issue any directives on a matter whose charge had not been brought to the court’s attention.
“There is no charge,” he said.
Magistrate Kafunda said the most he could do in the matter was to urge the people that arrested the two parliamentarians to expedite the process in view of the constitutional guarantee that an accused person should appear in court 48 hours from the time of arrest.
“Otherwise, a directive I can’t make,” said magistrate Kafunda.
Outside the courtroom, three police officers approached Kapata and Phiri, who were in the company of their lawyers, civil society representatives and PF cadres, and asked to take them to the police station.
However, Phiri asked one of the police officers not to harass her because she was not going to the police cell.
“Behave yourself… It was announced on radio and television that we are going to court. I do not want to go back. Why are you harassing me?” Phiri challenged one male police officer.
A crowd started forming around and one of the police officers was heard asking his colleague, “but who brought them here?”
The other police officer pointed to another female officer, saying the said officer brought the parliamentarians to court from the hospital.
“I came with their vehicle,” the female police officer was heard defending herself.
Another defence lawyer, George Chisanga intervened and they agreed with Pikiti that the police officers should not interfere with the two parliamentarians as the counsels went to the police to collect the docket, which was being finalized according to the police.
And senior citizen Cecilia Makota openly protested at the court premises when police officers attempted to force the two parliamentarians into their custody.
During the wait for the docket, another officer, identified only as the officer-in-charge came and told the two parliamentarians to go to the police station so that they could conclude the process.
However, Phiri and Kapata stood their ground and told the policeman that they were not criminals for them to be taken to court when the real thief was sleeping peacefully in Kabulonga.
“We can’t listen to him, lawyers have already given instructions,” Phiri said forcing the policeman to respond: “You are still under our custody. You have been discharged from the hospital but you have to go to our office so that we finish the formalities.”
Kapata and Phiri said the idea of returning to the filthy cells was a non-starter.
The police officer said the policewoman who took the parliamentarians to the court from the hospital erred.
“They are not supposed to come directly here,” a seemingly troubled police officer explained.
Later, the two parliamentarians agreed to go to Lusaka Central Police Station where they met Lusaka commanding officer Greenwell Ng’uni in the company of their lawyers.
Ng’uni pleaded with journalists to remain outside his office.
PF spokesperson Given Lubinda subsequently appeared and said the two had been charged with conduct likely to cause the breach of peace and disorderly conduct.
Chisanga said the formalities for the parliamentarians’ police bond were also being ironed out.
Some members of the civil society who were at the police station laughed off at the excuse by police that they could not conclude their investigations and charge the parliamentarians because they had been admitted to the hospital.
By press time, the two parliamentarians were still at Lusaka Central Police.
CK
Labels: CHILUBA, DEMONSTRATION, JEAN KAPATA, MUMBI PHIRI
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Back to the same court again
Written by Editor
The patience and persistence of our people is admirable. They never give up on their dreams. Even if their leaders and their institutions have often let them down, they still persist on seeking justice in the most peaceful way they know – through litigation. This is what the judicial review application made by Mumbi Phiri means.
It is very rare that our people have succeeded in litigation of a political nature which touch on the interests of those in power. It is not very long ago that our people were very disappointed in a judicial review matter involving Dora Siliya that was before our courts. But there they are again, going back to the same courts seeking a similar review over the acquittal of Frederick Chiluba.
They have sometimes questioned the impartiality of our courts in matters of this nature but they still respect the decisions of our courts without, however, accepting them. And when other issues come, they still, with little hesitation, go back knowing very well that their chances of succeeding are very low. But nevertheless, they still go back. Our people long for a day when they will be able to rejoice and accept the decisions of our courts without many questions. This is not something that is going to come overnight. So many things have happened which make our people wonder whether our judicial system is willing to rule or make judgments against the interests of those in power in highly contested matters. This should not surprise us. These are the challenges of a growing democracy. Although we say this, we all must be careful and realise that our people will not always be patient. Everybody concerned must work in such a way that we do not erode confidence in the institutions of governance that matter. Such a state of affairs is a perfect recipe for anarchy. We know many countries on our continent where governance has collapsed completely because of the gradual erosion of confidence in the systems that once governed them. Our country is a peaceful one. This is something that we must cherish. Part of the reason that our country has remained peaceful is that we have learnt to deal with conflict in a way that does not allow violence and other uncivilised methods of settling conflict.
Over the last eight years or so, we have had three occasions that could have sparked serious political conflict if our people and some of our leaders had chosen to act the way others do. In 2001, Levy Mwanawasa won the election with a narrowest margin ever recorded in an election in this country – of less than two per cent lead. And this was under the most questionable electoral practices. This was an opportunity for conflict but our people chose peace. The situation was not very different in 2006, but again our people chose peace. Last year’s election which saw the victory of Rupiah Banda over Michael Sata could have also raised a similar conflict but it didn’t. Again, the credit goes to our people. The only worrying thing is that in all these circumstances, it is those in government who have been allowed to get away with questionable practices. Those in the opposition never get away with anything; never seem to get anything their way. This will not continue for too long and trying to continue it is dangerous. We can easily be enticed to read peace and tolerance as meaning indifference between justice and injustice. This is not possible, it cannot continue forever. Things need to change. Our institutions and those who run them have to start acting and behaving in a different way. They need to understand that the individual does best in a strong and decent community of people with principles and standards and common aims and values. Leaders lead, but in the end people govern. And people will govern in a way that is fair and beneficial to them.
One of the greatest risks against democracy is the people for whom it is meant to work losing respect and interest in its ability to deliver for their good. Every care must be taken to demonstrate to the public that their confidence in democracy is not an exercise in futility. The choice to settle conflict through established standards of governance must deliver to all sides without being seen to always work in the interest of those that are in power.
The judiciary is an important institution in any functioning democracy. No effort must be spared to ensure that the people for whom it works respect it and accept its wisdom to decide on their behalf. Here we are talking about respect, not fear. Respect in our view is a rational response to facts that are placed before the observer. Fear is more often than not a reflex reaction that is not based on rational reasons. A wise person would rather be respected than feared. This also applies to the judiciary. A good judiciary should rather be respected than feared. To earn the respect of the public, the judiciary needs to demonstrate that it operates transparently and fearlessly. What the Zambian people are looking for is a nation with pride in itself, a thriving community, rich in economic prosperity, secure in social justice. They are looking for a land in which their children can bring up their children with a future to look forward to. They have an innate sense of fair play even if they feel their courts of law often deny them fair play. This is a real feeling. It does not help anybody to pretend that our people do not feel this. The challenge that we have is to address the reasons for such feelings. A judiciary that appears too close to the executive and could even in the remotest sense be said to act in the interest of the executive is in danger of losing public trust.
There are people who are questioning the value or logic of Phiri going to court to challenge Chalwe Mchenga’s decision to withdraw the appeal against Chiluba’s acquittal in the light of what happened over the Dora issue. But people like Phiri are what this country needs, they are the champions of peace in this country. The day our people stop challenging what is happening in their country using our judicial system is the day we must all find a place to hide. That will be the beginning of trouble in this country. The actions of people like Phiri should not be despised or frustrated in any way. And we are glad that our courts of law have welcomed her application. It is people like Phiri who triumph in the effort to plant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people who have almost lost hope. Whatever happens, we should never give up on our dreams for a decent Zambia with decent institutions and people. This reminds us of an ancient Chinese fable called “The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains”. It tells of an old man who lived in northern China long, long ago and was known as the Foolish Old Man of North Mountain. His house faced south and beyond his doorway stood the two great peaks, Taihang and Wangwu, obstructing the way. With great determination, he led his sons in digging up these mountains hoe in hand. Another grey-beard, known as the Wise Old Man, saw them and said derisively, “How silly of you to do this! It is quite impossible for you few to dig up these two huge mountains.” The Foolish Old Man replied, “When I die, my sons will carry on; when they die, there will be my grandsons, and their sons and grandsons, and so on to infinity. High as they are, the mountains cannot grow any higher and with every bit we dig, they will be that much lower. Why can’t we clear them away?” Having refuted the Wise Old Man’s view, he went on digging every day, unshaken in his conviction. God was moved by this, and he sent down two angels, who carried the mountains away on their backs. Today, two big mountains lie like a dead weight on the Zambian people. One is the betrayal of their leaders, the other is the complicity of their institutions. But it would seem the Zambian people, with their daughters of the likes of Phiri, have long made up their minds to dig them up. We must persevere and work unceasingly, and we, too, will touch God’s heart. Our God is none other the masses of the Zambian people. If they stand up and dig together with us, dig together with Phiri, dig together with all the men and women of goodwill in this country, why can’t these two mountains be cleared away?
Every effort must be made to make our people continue to rely on their institutions to solve their problems. Don’t stop going to court even if our courts of law let you down. Let’s try to change our courts of law to act in the interests of the people. There is nothing wrong in doing so because it is, in fact, our duty to struggle for a more fair, just and humane society. Changing our courts and other institutions of governance is part of this struggle. In fact, it would be naïve to think that these institutions will serve our people without a struggle.
These are institutions of power and power will be always contested by the various forces. Today we have got a tandem of crooks and thieves in power trying to use all the state institutions, including our courts of law to their own benefit, in their own interest. And we know that the interests of these crooks, of these thieves are in conflict with those of the people. Automatically, this calls for a struggle. We are in the midst of a vicious struggle for the control of state institutions.
The Rupiahs, the Chilubas and their friends and minions will do everything they can to have all the institutions of the state – the judiciary, the police, the Director of Public Prosecutions and even parliament – at their service. Our people have no alternative but to struggle if they have to harbour any hope of survival in what appears to be a sombre future.
Labels: COURTS, MUMBI PHIRI
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Withdrawal of appeal goes to High Court
Written by George Chellah
Saturday, August 29, 2009 7:43:22 PM
MUNALI Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Mumbi Phiri has filed a notice for judicial review over the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to withdraw an appeal against former president Frederick Chiluba's acquittal.
In a notice filed in the Lusaka High Court principal registry yesterday, Phiri cited DPP Chalwe Mchenga and Attorney General Mumba Malila as first and second respondents respectively.
Phiri stated in her affidavits of support that Chiluba's prosecution was conducted by the public prosecutor duly appointed by Mchenga for or on behalf of the Task Force on Corruption.
"Following the acquittal in question the public prosecutor on 24th August 2009 lodged a notice of intention to appeal to the High Court of Zambia," Phiri stated. "On 26th August 2009 the 1st Respondent herein filed a notice of withdrawal of the notice of intention to appeal, which was lodged by the public prosecutor on 24th August 2009.
"That it is not correct to state as the 1st Respondent has done that the notice of intention to appeal lodged by the public prosecutor was purportedly lodged on his behalf as the officer has and did exercise delegated powers to appeal accordingly."
Phiri, therefore believed that the appeal was duly lodged before the High Court and that Mchenga's decision was unreasonable and an error of law.
"That in view of the foregoing I humbly pray that the court should grant me leave for judicial review," she stated.
And in her skeleton arguments and list of authorities, Phiri stated that should the court grant her leave for judicial review, the said grant of leave should operate as a stay of the decision being challenged pending the determination of this matter.
"On the basis of the foregoing my lord, this court has jurisdiction to grant a stay to prevent any further implementation of the decision of the 1st Respondent dated 26th August 2009," stated Phiri.
Last Thursday, Lusaka lawyer Wynter Kabimba notified Mchenga that he would commence judicial review proceedings to have the decision to withdraw the state's appeal against Chiluba's acquittal reviewed by the High Court.
In his letter to Mchenga, Kabimba stated that he had instructions from interested citizens to commence judicial review proceedings against Mchenga's unreasonable decision on the matter.
"Re: The People Vs Frederick T.J Chiluba and Others. We refer to the above quoted matter and in particular your notice of withdrawal of the notice of intention to appeal dated 26th instant in respect of the same," Kabimba stated. "We have been instructed by some interested citizens to commence judicial review proceedings to have your decision reviewed by the High Court on the grounds that the same constituted an error of law and was also unreasonable. We shall serve upon you the relevant Court process as soon as the same has been filed."
Kabimba's letter came in the wake of President Banda's government's decision to withdraw the state's appeal against Chiluba's acquittal.
Mchenga on Wednesday in a Notice of Withdrawal of Notice on Intention to Appeal stated "to the clerk of court whereas, Dr Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba, Faustin Mwenya Kabwe and Aaron Chungu were on the 17th day of August 2009 acquitted by the Subordinate Court of the First Class of the following offences: 1. Dr Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba, 6 counts on the offence of theft by public servant contrary to Sections 272 and 277 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia and 2.
Faustin Mwenya Kabwe and Aaron Chungu, three counts of theft contrary to Section 272 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. And whereas on the 24th day of August 2009 a Notice of Intention to Appeal against the said acquittals was purportedly lodged on my behalf by a public prosecutor: Now these presents I, Chalwe Farai Ralph Mchenga State Counsel DPP of the Republic of Zambia do hereby give notice of the withdrawal of the said Notice of Intention to Appeal".
This came barely a day after President Banda fired Task Force on Corruption chairman Max Nkole following his appeal against Ndola High Court registrar Jones Chinyama's acquittal of Chiluba on all counts of embezzling public funds amounting to US $500,000.
Labels: CHILUBA, COURTS, MUMBI PHIRI
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Be angry with Rupiah, Hichilema tells Zambians
Written by Chibaula Silwamba in Livingstone
Monday, June 15, 2009 3:15:56 PM
PF/UPND pact co-leader Hakainde Hichilema has charged that Zambians must be angry with President Rupiah Banda and his MMD government because they are corrupt, greedy and extravagant while women were giving birth at bus stops because of nurses’ strike.
Addressing the first PF/UPND joint rally here on Saturday, Hichilema said the PF and UPND had come together to do the correct thing and run the country better than the incumbent MMD. Hichilema said that his analysis of the Ministry of Health financial scam indicated that about K1.2 trillion might have been stolen from 20 ministries.
"People of Livingstone, seven months ago I was standing here telling you that don't vote for Rupiah mubwezeni ku munzi Banda because he can't run a country. I came here to tell you that the civil servants, policemen, nurses, teachers and everybody else the MMD cannot look after you because they are greedy, selfish and corrupt. I am sure today, you can prove me right," Hichilema said.
"I want you people of Livingstone to be agitated. Here is what I mean; if you follow what is going on in the country, a pregnant woman goes to the clinic; she finds that the clinic is closed because nurses are on strike because Rupiah Banda has taken all the monies. Now the clinic is closed, the pregnant mother goes back because the clinic is closed and she gives birth at a bus stop, she gives birth in a minibus. Are you not angry? You must be angry!
"You should not be happy to see a mother delivering at a bus stop because somebody has failed to pay the nurses and doctors well because they pay themselves a lot of money. That is what we call greed."
Hichilema observed that civil servants were underpaid hence the countrywide strikes.
"Rupiah Banda is on holiday forever. If he can cut his travelling we can pay nurses and teachers better salaries and our hospitals will be open and our mothers will be attended to when they are delivering," Hichilema said.
"Sometimes I get arrogant but I don't ask people like [Southern Province minister Daniel] Munkombwe for anything. But today I am asking Munkombwe to invite Rupiah Banda to visit Zambia since he lives outside Zambia all the time. Can he visit Zambia so [that] he can see how we are suffering? So, Mr Munkombwe sir, tell your President to visit Zambia so that people of Zambia can be benefiting from his presence in the country he is supposed to run."
Hichilema said the close to eight months President Banda had been in office had been a disaster.
"I am sending a message to Rupiah Banda and Munkombwe, 24 months is too long, very soon PF and UPND will decide to ask you to leave office much earlier. That is the decision we are going to make very soon," Hichilema warned.
"When you see a political party like the MMD appointing a minister for you in the Southern Province like Munkombwe who has no teeth in the mouth, you know there is a problem. I told you that Munkombwe is not capable of looking after this province or looking after a village."
Hichilema said Zambia belonged to over 12 million Zambians and not governing MMD members alone.
"When you choose to go into public office, you are a servant of the people. Not this situation where the MMD think they are little masters. Little masters of what? Little masters of stupidity?" Hichilema asked.
"I am angry because people are suffering. If you will be normal human being and you have a heart, you will not allow people to suffer the way people are suffering and you are flying all over using their money instead of giving money to the nurses, teachers and policemen."
Hichilema expressed concern at the rampant theft of public funds in government ministries and institutions.
"The first time you heard of the corruption at the Ministry of Health, you were told that it was K10 billion but it wasn't K10 billion. When Auditor General, a lady I know, Anna Chifungula went to do an audit, she found that it was actually K27 billion which was stolen," Hichilema said.
"But let me tell you now, I am talking to you as a professional, not as a politician. Let me tell you the full story; when you do an audit you normally do what is called sampling, choosing a few sections of a particular situation to test whether there is something wrong or not.
"Now, if you carried out a full audit, 100 per cent audit, from my professional [analysis] I have estimated that in the Ministry of Health alone if you did a full audit you will find that K60 billion is missing, your money has been taken away by few greedy people. Now, if you multiply K60 billion by just 20 ministries you will find that K1.2 trillion has been stolen from your coffers."
Hichilema said K1.2 trillion was a lot of money.
"…which when PF and UPND form government earlier than 24 months from now, we can pay teachers and nurses well, send our children to school free of charge,' said Hichilema.
He said the PF/UPND pact was strong.
"Anybody who wishes this pact ill, I am sorry sir or madam you are wrong. This pact has come to stay; this pact has come to liberate Zambia economically and socially," Hichilema said.
Hichilema also expressed concern at the poor state of the Zimba-Livingstone road, local roads and other infrastructure.
He bemoaned the reduction of hotel and lodge occupancy in Livingstone.
"What we will do is that we want visa fees to be removed so that tourists can come here, so that more can occupy our lodges, so that we can keep you employed; you don't get redundant," Hichilema assured.
He also expressed concern at the closure of a local market here because of poor sanitation.
"Me who loves the people of Zambia, today publicly I am announcing that I am donating a borehole and four toilets at Potters market so that we can open that market," he said.
Hichilema also introduced his wife Mutinta and late UPND founder Anderson Mazoka's widow, Mutinta.
And PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott, who continually mesmerised the gathering with his dances, songs and broken Nyanja speech, said the PF/UPND pact was formed following numerous demands from Zambians across the country.
"People are attacking this pact that 'where is your mandate?' You are the mandate. You are more important than a convention. You were the ones who demanded for the formation of this pact. Everyone was saying, 'HH president and Sata president join hands, you two serious opposition parties'," Dr Scott said.
Dr Scott also said Livingstone Central member of parliament Sakwiba Sikota won the seat because of his ULP party's pact with the PF in 2006 but since he had opted to work with the MMD this time around, he would lose his seat.
"If Sakwiba Sikota called a meeting here, there would be very few people. Sakwiba Sikota is serving water to nyama soya on the plane. We will remove him from this constituency," said Dr Scott. "If rebel MP Peter Machungwa came to Livingstone to hold a rally I think there will not even be dogs here."
Dr Scott cheered the crowd with his trademark song: 'Inanthenda ze hour, inanthenda ze hour.'
PF Nchanga member of parliament Wylbur Simuusa dismissed assertions that Bembas and Tongas could not work together.
"I was voted as member of parliament in Nchanga by Bemba speaking people and they liked me. You go and tell [MMD Chisamba parliamentarian Moses] Muteteka, [President Rupiah] Banda, MMD and those who are saying Bembas and Tongas cannot work together…tell them to go to Nchanga constituency and they will find the answer," said Simuusa, a Tonga.
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita said the opposition had previously lost to the MMD in elections because they went to elections as separate parties.
Kapita urged Livingstone residents to acquire NRCs and register as voters ahead of the 2011 elections.
UPND Mapatizya member of parliament Ackson Sejani outlined eight corrupt deals that had taken place within the eight months President Banda had been in office.
PF Munali member of parliament Mumbi Phiri urged women and youths to register as voters to remove the MMD from power in 2011.
"Most of our husbands are loafers; they are out of the country looking for jobs. Is it normal for a young person like me to be living alone? How can we fight HIV/AIDS because I am very active, my husband is not around? Our children have no jobs and they are not going to school," said Phiri. "Rupiah was taken from the farm and has to go back to the farm."
UPND Namwala member of parliament Major Robbie Chizyuka said: "Let's get rid of the MMD and move forward with Hichilema.
Labels: ELECTIONS, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, HEALTHCARE, MUMBI PHIRI, RUPIAH BANDA
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Business community discussing with PF, UPND – Sata
Written by Mwala Kalaluka and Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday, June 07, 2009 3:48:23 PM
SOME members of the business community are into discussions with the PF and UPND following the formation of an electoral pact between the two opposition parties, PF leader Michael Sata has said. And Patriotic Front (PF) spokesperson Given Lubinda has said it is disappointing that the MMD leadership is making dangerous tribal sentiments following the formation of a political pact between UPND and PF.
Meanwhile, the PF and UPND in Southern Province have described the pact between the two parties as a revolution because their leaders have listened to people's demands for them to come together and liberate Zambia from corruption and poverty.
Addressing members of the PF central committee in Lusaka yesterday, Sata urged the party to start moving and re-organising itself because the MMD and its ‘cooperating’ parties would get more united following the recent announcement of the UPND-PF pact.
“Colleagues, we (PF and UPND) had a very successful meeting. We have had a number of business communities who have been coming to us and going to UPND and finally we are going to have a meeting,” Sata said. “That is why we need to be very organised.”
Sata said nobody would fight them once the party became more organised.
“With our working together with Comrade HH, our colleagues will be united. Our colleagues are going to be united, as they were united last year,” he said.
“Our colleagues, those who forced themselves out, are trying to work with the government to try and frustrate us, to try and demoralise us, the former secretary general left an organised party and has gone to organise rascals and ruffians. Like the press conference, which was held yesterday to try and oppose what he does not know.”
Sata said although he was very grateful with what was happening within PF, he was not very impressed with the status quo in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces.
“Because I am not impressed with what is going on in Lusaka, I am trying to reorganise, I am trying to regroup. I am bringing another person,” Sata said.
“Lusaka is the head, there is no party in Lusaka, because if there was a party in Lusaka all the nonsense is coming from Lusaka, it is not coming from the provinces. We expect this nonsense from the provinces. Comrade (Paul) Moonga, you have to reorganise Lusaka Province.”
Sata said Moonga’s scope of operation, as new Lusaka Province PF chairman would extend to Mazabuka, Chirundu and Nampundwe.
Munali member of parliament Mumbi Phiri was introduced as the new chairperson for land and natural resources.
“Now it was necessary for us to make some adjustments, we wanted people to assist Honourable Gerry Chanda, the chairman of security. Comrade (Chishimba) Kambwili takes over the chairmanship of youth and youth development and another veteran politician Comrade Chuumbwe,” Sata said.
“We need, with the permission of the central committee, becomes number two in this committee. So the question of Mr Kambwili and Mr Chuumbwe, we have to change the approach. It is not the question of being chairman of youths just by title.”
Sata said the party should be ready for any election.
“We never expected an election last year. President Banda might resign tomorrow, so we have to be ready,” he said. “Copperbelt that is where the political opinion has to come from but at the moment I am not very comfortable.”
But Sata said the PF in Northern Province was trying.
“Luapula Province has been doing extremely well under one-man leadership. So far Luapula, we can sustain the pressure but Copperbelt and Lusaka, we need Copperbelt, Lusaka and Central Province and all of us at one stage or another we have to move into Chitambo,” said Sata. “We want to go and terrorise Chitambo, I am very grateful to all you for coming under very difficult conditions.”
And Lubinda said he was disappointed that a young person like Chisamba MMD member of parliament Moses Muteteka could issue such tribal sentiments over the PF-UPND political pact.
“The reaction from MMD on the collaboration between the UPND and PF is a sign that this is what the Zambian people have been asking for. It has sent some shock waves in MMD and there is no doubt that MMD are not sleeping anymore, they are panicking,” Lubinda said.
“They are making extremely scary statements. I am particularly disappointed that a young man like Muteteka can question whether it is possible for a Tonga and Bemba to work together.”
Lubinda said the pact between the two political parties was beyond winning the 2011 elections and that it was clear that it had come with a bang.
And commenting on the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Sata and Hichilema on behalf of their parties with a view to remove the governing MMD from power, PF Southern Province coordinator Opper Hamiyanze said the pact gave Zambians hope.
“The MoU between PF and UPND is a welcome move and it brings a lot of fresh air to Zambians who for a long time have been crying for these leaders to come together. These leaders have listened to what the people have told them and we highly commend them for listening to most of the Zambian people who have been calling on them to come together so that they can liberate Zambia,” Hamiyanze said.
“Öwe know that MMD is scheming to frustrate the pact as it has already been heard from the MMD that the pact has been there before and it has not yielded results.”
He observed that the MMD leadership was jittery about the pact between PF and UPND.
“They know that the pact will lessen the rigging of election results,” said Hamiyanze. “It’s now a revolution. Zambians have now come together from all walks of life to support one common goal and change their lives through putting in leadership that will bring change to their lives.”
And UPND Southern Province vice chairman John Chidyaka said party members in the province were happy with the signing of the MoU between Sata and Hichilema on their behalf.
“We overwhelmingly support the pact which has been initiated by our leaders and that is what we call Zambia forward,” said Chidyaka.
“We can only hope to remove this devilish MMD from power through a pact and it is the way forward for these two parties and we call upon these small political parties that are still in hiding to come on board to join the pact.”
Labels: GIVEN LUBINDA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, JOHN CHADYAKA, MoU, MUMBI PHIRI, PF, SATA, UPND
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Speaker caused fight at Parliament – Sata
Written by Moses Kuwema and Agness Changala
Sunday, February 15, 2009 7:44:29 AM
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata yesterday accused Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa of causing the fight between parliamentarians Mumbi Phiri and Elizabeth Chitika-Mulobeka at Parliament grounds on Friday because of
his failure declare vacant seats held by rebel PF MPs. And Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Lee Habasonda has asked Speaker Mwanamwambwa to be firm when handling matters of political parties.
Commenting on a fight that ensued at parliament buildings on Friday between Phiri and Mulobeka, Sata accused Speaker Mwanamwambwa of declaring open hostility by not declaring seats of ‘rebel’ MPs vacant.
"The Speaker is the cause of all this because we told him to declare those seats vacant but instead he chose to declare open hostility for the party," Sata said. "Elizabeth started the whole thing, she followed Mumbi in the corridor where she confronted her and that's where everything started from. But I know that the Speaker will not even punish her (Mulobeka), instead he will just smile.”
Sata further accused the Speaker of making the ‘rebel’ MPs grow big-headed because he was tolerating their behaviour. However, Sata said the fighting was normal, adding that even in countries like Japan, MPs threw chairs at each other.
And Habasonda accused the Speaker of dragging his feet in resolving matters involving certain political parties.
“We also want to think that the Speaker must be firm whenever he is handling such party matters,” he said.
Habasonda said the actions of Mumbi and Mulobeka were embarrassing and took away a lot from PF. He said if PF did not harmonise relations within their party, it was eventually going to lose people's confidence as a government in waiting.
“The party members must behave in a manner that people expect them to behave not the embarrassment that they have so far shown and the lack of respect for one another,” he said.
Habasonda wondered why PF members could not find a better way of addressing their differences instead of getting to an extent of fighting. He urged Sata to intervene in the confusion that had been going on in the party between ‘rebel’ parliamentarians and the others.
And on Friday at her Kabulonga residence, Phiri demanded to go for an HIV test with Mulobeka, claiming that she knew both her status and Mulobeka's.
“I thank God that I am married to a husband who loves me so much, but I can't allow him to touch me before I do the test,” she said.
Phiri said she was waiting for the Speaker's ruling on the matter.
Asked if she fought back during the argument, Phiri said she did not fight back and hence she was beaten.
“There are cameras at Parliament buildings and they will show if I fought back or not and I hope no one will say that they [cameras] are not working,” said Phiri. “I removed my shoes when I was attacked and if I wanted to fight back, I would have hit her (Mulobeka) with the shoes because she's too big for me to fight with.”
Labels: AMUSA MWANAMWAMBA, CATFIGHT, ELIZABETH CHITIKA-MULOBEKA, LEE HABASONDE, MPs, MUMBI PHIRI, PARLIAMENT, SACCORD, SATA
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