Ban flavoured tobacco in Zambia – Ililonga
By Darious Kapembwa in Kitwe
Sat 13 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT
THE Zambia Consumer Association has asked the Zambian government to prohibit cigarettes with flavourings on the Zambian market because they will attract young smokers.
Association executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga, who is also losing UPND candidate in the recent Luena parliamentary by-elections, said at a press briefing in Kitwe yesterday that all must prohibit intentions by the International Tobacco Growers Association to introduce flavoured tobacco because it would encourage teenage smokers.
He said that international tobacco growing companies were exaggerating the economic benefits the tobacco industry presented to countries like Zambia.
“Over the years, evidence has proved that tobacco companies have undertaken, and are still undertaking a great number of activities to impede health action. It has also been proven beyond any doubt that these companies have hidden many facts about hazards of smoking, that they have fought against the imposition of tobacco control laws and that they have attempted to influence decision-makers everywhere in order to oppose tobacco control measures,” said Ililonga.
Ililonga said flavourings were increasingly becoming an important part of tobacco marketing, targeting especially young people.
He said flavourings enhanced enticement, encouraged youth initiation and discouraged cessation.
“In addition to being more attractive to young people, flavoured products make it easier for new smokers to start smoking by masking the unpleasant flavour of tobacco. … Removing these flavoured products from the market is important because it removes an avenue the young people can use to begin regular tobacco use,” said Ililonga.
“These sweet flavour cigarettes or young cigarettes as they are referred to by the industry, include flavours such as Ice cream, cola, chocolate, vanilla, mint, strawberry, cherry, peach and grape. How can it be acceptable for cigarettes to have these properties familiar with children’s tastes? These flavours are made to appeal to the youth. The more attractive tobacco products are, the more poeple will become addicted and ultimately, more will die from tobacco-caused diseases. How can it be accepted to make harmful products look attractive to consume? How can we stand by and watch a rogue industry kill our children?” Ililonga queried.
And Ililonga scoffed at government’s seeming inconsistent policy on tobacco.
“Last time the Minister of Education was saying that tobacco contributed US $98 million to the treasury but what the minister failed to state was how much the country was spending on buying medical equipment to diagnose and cure tobacco-related diseases. Now you see, it is very surprising that we have ratified WHO conventions on health, we are supporting the growth of the tobacco industry (and) at the same time the Ministry of Health is saying tobacco is harmful to health, so where do we stand as a country?” Ililonga wondered.
Meanwhile, the Zambian government will for the first time send a four-man delegation to the World Health Organisation Framework convention on Tobacco Control guidelines for Articles 9 and 10 which talk about product regulation.
Ililonga said the government’s decision to send only one official from the Ministry of Health that criticises tobacco over health concerns and four from the ministry of agriculture, which was supporting tobacco companies was very unfortunate.
Labels: MUYUNDA ILILONGA, TOBACCO
Read more...
Ililonga quits UPND over Pact squabbles
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Wed 13 Oct. 2010, 03:59 CAT
MUYUNDA Ililonga has quit the United Party for National Development (UPND), citing the squabbles between PF and UPND. And Ililonga has said the PF-UPND pact had frustrated its own chances of winning the general elections next year.
Ililonga, who was the UPND candidate in the recent Luena parliamentary by-election, in a statement indicated that recent developments in the PF-UPND pact had “painfully made him to realise that there was more shame than honour in belonging to a bickering opposition grouping”.
He said it was regrettable that the Pact, which was the only way of the opposition getting into power, had been frustrated by individuals with selfish interests in the Pact.
Ililonga said it was distressing that the Pact had frustrated its chances of winning the elections next year because it was clear that neither PF nor UPND could win the elections single-handedly. He said the Pact was a charade doomed to fail.
Ililonga said the acrimony displayed during the adoption of the Chilanga parliamentary candidate would become a permanent feature in the PF-UPND pact relations whenever the opportunity to adopt a candidate arises.
“If there is anything that the pact had managed to achieve is to deepen competition rather than cooperation between the two parties,” he said.
Ililonga said the Consumers International had endorsed his stay at the Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) and had already gone back to the association as executive secretary.
He said the Consumers International had extended his stay at ZACA for the next 12 months.
Ililonga said he would concentrate on pursuing career opportunities outside partisan politics.
“I extend sincere gratitude to the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema for according me the rare opportunity to contest the Luena parliamentary elections on the UPND ticket. I also thank the voters of Luena who supported me during the elections,” Ililonga said.
But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma expressed disappointment with Ililonga’s decision, saying he needed to believe in the party and the Pact.
“We have not yet received his resignation letter but if that’s what he has done, then it’s very unfortunate because his reasons are misplaced. The Pact is intact and those squabbles are normal in every alliance,” Kakoma said.
He said there was need for PF-UPND pact members to learn to find ways of addressing their concerns instead of rushing for decisions.
Kakoma claimed that contrary to Ililonga’s claims, the Pact was still formidable in the political arena and had a great future.
Last week, UPND Kalulushi district chairman Lieutenant John Mwape resigned from the party, also citing the problems between PF and UPND.
Lt Mwape stated that he had resigned from UPND because the opposition had continued to play to the gallery over the Pact and there was no sincerity from either party.
He stated that it was disheartening that people in the Pact were not being sincere and were failing to practice democratic norms and were disregarding the wishes of the electorate.
He stated that the PF-UPND pact lacked discipline and seriousness.
Labels: MUYUNDA ILILONGA, PF-UPND, UPND
Read more...
Voting in Luena by-elections charcterised by tribalism and bribery – Ililonga
By Florence Bupe
Tue 10 Aug. 2010, 14:00 CAT
LOSING UPND candidate in the just ended Luena by- elections Muyunda Ililonga says that the voting process was influenced by tribalism and bribery. In an interview, Ililonga said the campaign process was characterized by bribery and malicious campaign methods shortly before the polling day.
“The general campaign process was going well until two days before voting. My campaign team established that the MMD was offering the electorate cash even on the polling day,” Ililonga said. “If it was not for the rampant bribery, the MMD could not have performed better than UPND.”
He complained that it was easy for the MMD to win votes from the electorate, most of who are poor and unable to analyse the effects of selling their votes.
Ililonga said such practices had the potential to undermine the country’s democratic efforts.
“Such dirty schemes should be avoided because they are affecting the democratic process of the country. We are talking about rural voters who are not analytical, and some of them are poor and were willing to vote for the MMD in return for the money they had received,” he said.
Ililonga charged that the United Liberal Party (ULP) was also de- campaigning the UPND by distributing literature urging the electorate not to vote for a candidate who was standing on the ticket of a party led by a non- Lozi (in reference to the Hakainde Hichilema led UPND).
“The ULP was distributing malicious literature against the UPND and turned the campaign into a tribal one, calling on the electorate to vote for a political party led by a fellow Lozi. I’d like to call on the ULP and ADD (Alliance for Democracy and Development) to have the whole country in mind because we cannot develop the nation on tribal affiliation,” he said.
Ililonga further called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to strengthen monitoring measures on the ground to minimise electoral malpractices.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, MUYUNDA ILILONGA
Read more...
Reopening debate on GMOs not profitable – Ililonga
Written by Cynthia Mutalange
Sunday, February 15, 2009 7:47:11 AM
ZAMBIA Consumer Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga has said reopening debate on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be as unprofitable as former president Frederick Chiluba’s third-term debate. In a statement released on Friday, Ililonga stated that his association thought it would be unprofitable to reopen the debate without any good course.
He stated that the current “artificial” shortage of maize and mealie-meal should not cause people to panic and make haphazard decisions which they would regret in future.
Ililonga stated that the calls by President Rupiah Banda to reopen the debate on GMOs were unfortunate.
He further stated that instead of debating GMOs, Zambians should be debating President Banda’s economic stimulus plan for the country.
“Companies are closing, jobs are being lost; these are the matters that must come to the table. People must put their heads together and assist government with ways to solve these potentially catastrophic developments,” Ililonga stated.
He stated that it was astonishing for President Banda to call for debate on GMOs, amidst serious economic problems facing the country.
“Why should we reopen debate on a matter that we concluded? What has changed? In any case why should we debate GMOs when the country has capacity to produce sufficient non-GMO maize?” Ililonga wondered.
“As an association we actively participated in the GMO debate in 2002. We know that Zambians rejected GMO maize. It’s therefore unprofitable to reopen this debate now without real good course.”
Ililonga stated that the issue of GMO maize did not only concern the environment but also potential health risks to consumers, since there was no conclusive scientific evidence yet that such products were safe.
He stated that although the country was experiencing a maize deficit, that did not mean that farmers did not produce enough maize for the country.
“We all know that the maize was exported leaving the country with this deficit,” stated Ililonga.
Last week, President Banda said people were free to debate GMOs. President Banda’s statement followed reports that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) had rejected 81 per cent of the 35,000 metric tonnes of maize imported from South Africa on account of it being genetically modified.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GMO, MAIZE, MUYUNDA ILILONGA
Read more...
Don’t rejoice over Zambian Airways’ troubles, Ililonga advises govt
Written by Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe and Ernest Chanda in Lusaka
ZAMBIA Consumers Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga has advised the government not to rejoice over the troubles of Zambian Airways.
And the Airways and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (AAWUZ) has dismissed media reports that management at Zambian Airways had not been available to discuss problems with the union.
In an interview yesterday, Ililonga said the suspension of operations by Zambian Airways signaled a lot of problems for the nation.
"Government does not see that it is obliged to protect job losses in the country. Government talks about caring for the poor people but in reality it does not care, it does not do things to their logical conclusion. The trouble of Zambian Airways should not bring joy," Ililonga said. "From the consumers' point of view, it's a sad development. We have lost a company that had in a way put the image of the country across the borders. It worked to fill the gap left by government. It makes a very sad development."
He said Zambian Airways would not have been troubled if the government was committed to ensuring that the cost of doing business in the country was affordable.
Ililonga said it was unfortunate that the government had not shown sustainable efforts aimed at reducing the cost of doing business thereby reducing the cost of living in the country.
"Recently, government boasted that they were going to reduce bus fares, but bus fares are not being reduced. People travelling from Lusaka to Kitwe are still paying K65,000 despite the pump price of fuel being reduced," he said. "This government always wants to make pronouncements which are not practical on the ground."
Ililonga urged the government to completely remove excise duty on the price of fuel in this year's national budget
And AAWUZ union president Steve Selenge said his team had been in constant talks with management at Zambian Airways.
"As a union we have been fully aware of problems the airline has been passing through and we have been talking to management to chart the way forward. It is not true that we have not known anything from the beginning, but we had all the information about the problems the airline was going through," Selenge said. "And earlier on we did not want to comment about the suspension of operations at the airline, but for now we can say that we are saddened by the move. As a union we are appealing to government to come in and find ways of helping employees. Again I must say that it is not true that we do not know anything about issues surrounding Zambian Airways."
Selenge said the union was still discussing the matter with the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to chart the way forward.
Zambian Airways last weekend announced the suspension of operations, citing high operation costs due to the high fuel costs.
On Tuesday, the Times of Zambia quoted Selenge as having said AAWUZ had difficulty to get full information about the suspension of operations at Zambian Airways because management officials had since Saturday not been available to discuss the way forward with the union.
Labels: MUYUNDA ILILONGA, ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS
Read more...
Chief accuses Zambia Sugar managers of being pompous
By Justine Kawisha in Mazabuka and Fridah Zinyama in Lusaka
Wednesday June 11, 2008 [04:00]
CHIEF Mwanachingwala of the Tonga people of Mazabuka district has accused Zambia Sugar Plc management of being pompous in their dealings with government leaders. And ZAMBIA Consumer Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said the government is not doing enough to resolve the sugar situation in the country as it had not allowed other players to import the commodity.
Reacting to finance minister Ng'andu Magande's complaints on Radio Mazabuka yesterday during Face the media programme, over Zambia Sugar management's failure to welcome him and attend the fundraising dinner for Mazabuka Radio station, chief Mwanachingwala said it was an insult for Zambia Sugar management to ignore Magande's presence in the Zambia Sugar estate where the function was being held.
"Zambia sugar is pompous because 90 per cent of the company shares are owned by the Illovo group who are foreigners,” he said.
Chief Mwanachingwala said he was very disappointed with Zambia Sugar management for shunning the function, which was officiated by the country's senior minister.
He disclosed that Zambia Sugar even refused to offer Magande accommodation giving an excuse that the rooms were fully booked at the time the minister went to request for accommodation.
"No one forced the company to donate to the radio station and it is better to welcome the minister and attend the function even when they cannot pledge anything," he said. "How would you feel if you went to someone's home and that person runs away from you? It's an insult suggesting that you are nothing to him."
Chief Mwanachingwala said he always quarrelled with Zambia Sugar management over their disrespect for government officials and workers. He said he was, however, happy that Zambia Sugar's behaviour against Magande had vindicated him because Zambians could now tell who was bad between him and the company management.
"Even the employees themselves have no freedom, what kind of a company is Zambia sugar which has no regard for senior government officials?" chief Mwanachingwala asked
He blamed members of parliament for failing to come up with laws which could supervise the operations of foreign investors, to avert a situation where the foreign investors insulted the people of Zambia.
Zambia sugar corporate affairs manager Lovemore Sievu who could neither respond to the minister nor chief's complaints, just cut the phone line after asking the reporter to hold on for a long time.
Magande said he was not happy with Zambia Sugar's absence at the function and that he was going to request the company management to explain why they never attended the dinner dance which was hosted in their estate on Saturday night.
Speaking during a stakeholders' meting at Lusaka's Chrismar Hotel yesterday, Ililonga said the government seemed to have continued protecting Zambia Sugar when it had failed to off load enough sugar on the market.
"We have in the past expressed concern about the unfairness of trade especially in the sugar sector but government has not paid attention to our cries," he said. "We therefore need to join forces as civil society and project our voice on this issue."
Ililonga said civil societies, therefore needed to come up with a strategy to push government to take action especially concerning the sugar shortage in the country.
"High sugar prices are leading to an increase in poverty levels amongst many Zambians and we feel that the domestic market should not be subsidising the export market," he said. "We are wondering whether government really has the interest of its people at heart because they seem not to be doing any thing serious about the shortage," he said.
ZACA programme manager Micheal Musenge said the government should institute an investigation as to why Zambia Sugar had continued exporting the commodity when they had failed to meet the local demand.
"They have not shown any sympathy towards their customers and have violated the basic rights of the citizenry," he said.
Labels: CHIEF MWANACHINGWALA, LABOUR, MUYUNDA ILILONGA, NEOLIBERALISM, ZACA, ZAMBIA SUGAR
Read more...
Economic growth should benefit ordinary people, says Illilonga
By Joan Chirwa
Tuesday January 15, 2008 [13:00]
Economic interests of foreign companies have continued to overshadow the welfare of Zambian consumers, Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Illilonga has observed. And Illilonga has advised the government to be cautious of its dealings with multi-lateral lending institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the 2008 fiscal year. Illilonga, in an interview, said his association would not change its stance against the exploitation of Zambians by foreign interests regardless of their origin.
“A number of foreign companies have been enjoying a lot in this country and yet citizens are not benefitting much from most of the investments we have,” Illilonga said. “Government should put Zambian citizens at the centre of its vision of economic programmes for overall economic growth.”
Illilonga said the government should this year endeavour to pass on the benefits of the recorded economic growth to ordinary citizens.
“The much talked about economic growth has remained illusive for consumers. Government should this year try to bring down the benefits of economic growth to the people. It is not enough to just have economic growth on paper,” Illilonga said.
“Economic growth should be seen through infrastructure, the welfare of people and the provision of basic services. Economic growth must lead to happiness and not misery among people. We need to see improvements on roads and other critical infrastructure for the economic growth to be well translated.”
Illilonga further said there was no justification for economic growth since people’s purchasing power was constantly declining.
The government last year forecast a seven per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) although the country ended the year slightly below the target.
In its 2008-2010 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), the government has again projected a seven per cent growth in GDP owing to the massive investments in key sectors of the economy, especially mining.
And Illilonga said much as the government is in need of adequate financing, it needed to refocus its methods of sourcing for resources especially from multi-lateral institutions.
“It is time for the government to start deciding on its own. We have had a lot of things done in an improper manner because we prefer to listen to the World Bank or the IMF,” Illilonga said.
“The Bretton Woods institutions have contributed greatly to some economic problems we are experiencing today, for example, the concessions given to the mining companies.”
Labels: ECONOMY, IMF, MUYUNDA ILILONGA, ZACA
Read more...
