Sale of Zamtel was against national interest - Kabimba
By Kombe Chimpinde in Lusaka and Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Sat 07 Jan. 2012, 14:00 CAT
THE sale of 75 per cent shares in Zamtel to LAP Green was against the interests and security of the state, says Wynter Kabimba.
Featuring on Radio Phoenix's Let The People Talk phone-in programme yesterday, Kabimba, who is PF secretary general, said he could not understand why reasonable men and women in MMD could approve the sale of Zamtel and the country's optic fibre for personal commissions.
Kabimba disclosed that currently, the President could not have a private conversation by phone in State House because 75 per cent of the national optic fibre which was in the hands of Zesco had been sold to LAP Green, a foreign firm.
"At the time when Zamtel was being sold to LAP Green, we raised our red flag ourselves as PF and said that this transaction is against our national interest. You can't have your optic fibre sold to a foreign company, sold to another country. Where does your security lie? But because people wanted a commission from LAP Green, people went ahead and sold Zamtel," he said.
Kabimba said the sale did not make any sense, stressing that he could not understand how reasonable men and women in MMD approved it.
"How can reasonable, rational men and women in the MMD make such a decision which goes against the security of this state. They can only do that because they were beneficiaries within that transaction," he explained.
"The issue of RP Capital, I was one of the lawyers that prosecuted the RP capital issue before the Dennis Chirwa-led tribunal and the findings are there and the fact that the tribunal said ‘no but we can't do this' (tribunal lacking jurisdiction on the matter)... does not mean the transaction is clean."
Kabimba said Zamtel was not the only company whose sale was marred with fraud and corruption and that the PF would not relent in returning them to Zambians.
"The PF had said, from the word go, that we do not approve of this transaction because it is against national interest. Not because it was against Michael Sata as an individual or the PF but against the interest of the Zambians," he said.
"We want to make sure that these iniquities are redressed. We want to make sure that these companies go back to the people of Zambia to secure the security of this country."
Kabimba said a fight had been waged not against MMD but corrupt politicians.
"This is the most dangerous group. That is the group that we are fighting, the group that is burying billions of kwacha. We are serious about the fight against corruption not only against former leaders even within our party."
He said the PF wanted to make sure corruption did not take root in government.
"We shall not tire, we shall move forward and ensure that the right thing is done and in the process one or two individuals will be inconvenienced. It is just normal. We are not running a perfect system," Kabimba warned, adding that the party was not on a path of retribution.
"We want to make sure that the wealth that belongs to Zambia is recovered. If that wealth of Zambia is in Mr Rupiah's (Banda) hands, we shall recover it for you. If that wealth is with whoever had served in the MMD, we shall recover that wealth for you and get back to you. That we are determined to do."
And Kabimba said the PF would endeavour to end politics of vindictiveness by embracing the constructive criticism of the opposition.
"I'm surprised that today George Kunda can be crying foul about not being covered by the state media, a culture which he created even as educated as he is," Kabimba said.
"We in the PF would like to see that the opposition constitutes a group of our opponents, that can take over power in future. We are not bent on destroying opposition political parties."
On the composition of the current Cabinet, Kabimba acknowledged the vitality of ensuring social and cultural stability in the governance system by making sure all ethnic groupings in the country are represented.
After several callers raised concern over the composition of Cabinet, Kabimba admitted it was not practicable to have an equal number of ethnic groupings into government.
"We shall not run an exclusive governance system, we shall run an inclusive governance system so that every Zambian that has skills or something to offer to better. Equal numbers are not practicable," he said.
"If you want to post a graph and start questioning how many Tongas, Bembas are there…obviously you reach a point where there will be one ethnic group that will be larger by one person. Wilbur Simuusa, for example, is from Southern Province, Shamenda is from Central Province," Kabimba said.
He said President Sata and his government was not immune to making mistakes in their policy pronouncements.
"PF is not composed of saints. What we want to hear from people is how they would improve on the mistakes we are making. He (Sata) is mortal, he does not have any divine spirit to tell the people of Zambia that everything he is going to say has an element of divine direction.
Meanwhile, Zamtel employees in Mazabuka are happy with the government's decision to seize 75 per cent shares that were held by LAP Green, claiming that it was long overdue.
The jubilant employees talked to say Zamtel was sold to the Libyan investor by the previous government for a song despite its viability in the telecommunication industry.
Labels: DORA SILIYA, NATIONAL SECURITY, WYNTER KABIMBA, ZAMTEL
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Irregular deals face reversal, says PF
TIME PUBLISHED - Saturday, January 7, 2012, 5:44 am
THE Patriotic Front (PF) says it may reverse “all” the wrongly awarded contracts that were entered into illegally by the former MMD government in various sectors, party secretary general Wynter Kabimba has said.
Mr Kabimba said the MMD government committed many mistakes during its tenure of office and that the PF government has started “correcting” them.
“All Zambians know that the sale of the US$257 million Zamtel to Lap Green of Libya was not done in the best interest of Zambia,” Mr Kabimba said.
“The President is even failing to have private conversations with other Heads of State because the security system of the country has been sold to another country.”
“The sale of the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL) by the previous administration to Lap Green of Libya has put the country’s communication security at risk,” he said.
PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba said the sale of ZAMTEL to a foreign country was not done in the best interest of citizens and that the PF was resolved on correcting such wrongs.
“It is a well known fact by all Zambians that the sale of ZAMTEL to Lap Green of Libya was not done in the best interest of Zambians. As PF Government, these are wrongs that we want to correct, in the best interest of the nation,” Mr Kabimba said.
He said ZAMTEL was a significant communication service provider and needed to be handled prudently to avoid placing the country’s communication system at risk.
Mr Kabimba said that the MMD acted against the will of Zambians to sell ZAMTEL.
Mr Kabimba said; “These are the wrongs that we want to correct, in the interest of the nation.”
He was speaking on the Radio Phoenix programme “Let the people talk” with veteran journalist Frank Mutubila from Lusaka yesterday
He also said the PF is ready to work with opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) to foster economic development in Southern Province.
Mr Kabimba said government is willing to work with the UPND to enhance development in Southern Province.
He said the PF does not perceive UPND “as an enemy” of the government and that it is more than ready to work with the opposition party in implementing development projects in the province.
Mr Kabimba said the PF is happy that some UPND members have shown willingness to work with the ruling party.
He was responding to a caller who wanted to know if the PF government perceives some people in the UPND as enemies.
But Mr Kabimba said despite the political differences that existed between the two parties in the past, the PF government is working hard to unite all the 73 tribes in Zambia to promote peace and unity and spearhead development in all parts of the country.
“The Patriotic Front doesn’t have enemies in the UPND or other opposition parties. We want to work with our brothers and sisters in the opposition. We are happy that UPND has supported us in some of the governance issues.
“We are inviting them to work with us so that we can develop this country. Let us put all our political differences aside and unite for the sake of development,” Mr Kabimba said.
He also said the PF government remains committed to fighting corruption in the country.
He assured the nation that the PF will continue to pursue and implement pro-poor social and economic policies, which will help to improve living standards.
Meanwhile, the UPND has welcomed Mr Kabimba’s call for the two parties to work together.
Spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the UPND is happy that the ruling party has extended an olive branch to it.
Mr Kakoma said the move taken by the PF will help to promote unity and development not only in Southern Province, but in all parts of the country.
He said the UPND is happy that the PF has shown political maturity by inviting the opposition to work with it in implementing development projects around the country.
“We have accepted this olive branch which has been extended to us and we are pledging to work with the PF government for the purpose of fostering development in our country,” he said.
Labels: CORRUPTION, ITC, NATIONAL SECURITY, WYNTER KABIMBA, ZAMTEL
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COMMENT - GMOs are not the answer, they are the problem. They are a clear and present danger to the health of people. They induce sterility in lab tests of hamsters, and they are a pandora's box of unknown and unknowable side effects, both to human health and nature. AND WE DO NOT NEED THEM. The farmer in question who is describes as 'a distressed farmer', probably only needs a few rainwater harvesting ditches, so he can store more water for his crops to grow. Access to water is the main hindrance to agriculture in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa today, not absence of genetically engineered crops. Expect more pro-GMO articles like this to appear, because MONSANTO's reach is far and wide, and facilitated by the US government and US embassies, as evidenced from Wikileaks (see
here).
GMOs have found their way on shelves of local supermarkets but local farmers are not allowed to grow them.
Saturday, 08 October 2011 23:16
By Faith Mhandu
Mr Muchabaiwa Tagarika (72) from Mwenezi District in Masvingo Province is a distressed farmer. Despite employing double efforts on his land each year, he has failed to attain a meaningful harvest.
Mr Tagarika’s nightmares are a combination of incessant droughts and poor soil ph caused by land over-use. The farmer has a passion for agriculture, the main food source for his family.
Being a family man, Mr Tagarika is conscious of the need to devise other means to improve the output on his land or join the list of several Zimbabweans in dire need of food aid this year.
Despite farmers working flat-out on their pieces of land to produce food for the country, Zimbabwe’s agricultural output has for the past decade dwindled because of harsh weather conditions.
The situation has seen lobby groups engaging in a robust debate on the adoption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as a way to guarantee the country’s food security.
According to the 2011 Consolidated Appeal Process, more than 1,4 million Zimbabweans urgently needed food assistance since February this year.
The crisis was a result of a poor 2010-2011 agricultural season which was struck by a deadly mid-season drought between January and February.
The Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) acting director, Mr Peter Gambara, said it was time for the country to start considering GMOs.
He said the shortage of food is not peculiar to Zimbabwe but is a global crisis.
“With the current food shortages not only in Zimbabwe, but across the globe, the Government should start to reconsider allowing GMO grains in the country,” said Mr Gambara.
He said despite the ban of grains by the Government, processed GMO products were being imported and dominated the market because of their affordable prices.
“Ban or no ban, GMOs are there in the country and are on the market, putting the local farmers at a disadvantage. The agronomic cost of production in our country is very high while on the market we are expected to sell at the same price,” Mr Gambara said.
There have been concerns from various stakeholders that GMO foods had long-term health effects.
But Mr Gambara said no scientific evidence had proved the harmful nature of GMOs, adding that locals were currently consuming GM foods in imported products like chicken, rice and cooking oil. Zimbabwe imports most of its food products from South Africa.
According to the United States National Academies of Sciences 2004 report, no adverse health effects attributed to genetic engineering have been detected.
A 2005 review in Archives of Animal Nutrition concluded that first-generation of genetically modified foods had been found to be similar in nutrition and safety as the non-GM foods.
“It was noted that second-generation foods with significant changes in constituents would be more difficult to test, and would require further animal studies,” stated the review.
A Biosafety Board member and National University of Science and Technology scientific researcher Professor Yogeshkumar Naik in 2006 said Zimbabwe had no need to fear GMO as according to his research they did not pose a health hazard.
However, 2009 Nutrition Reviews found that although most studies concluded that there was a small percentage of cellular-level changes detected in some specimens as a result of modified foods.
This, researchers said, gave more need for further investigation on the use and consumption of GM foods.
Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union director Mr Paul Zakariya said there was a need for public education before the country subscribes to the adoption of GMOs.
“We noted that most farmers do not know what GMOs were. A survey on our members showed us that most of them were misinformed. To be precise, the farmers do not have a clue on what GMO are,” said Mr Zakariya.
“We are concerned on who is going to help us in disseminating the information. Let us talk about this subject so that experts will not be the only ones with the knowledge.”
Government, however, has maintained a ban on the importation of GM seed maize and grain, citing environmental and health concerns.
Ironically, there are no restrictions on the importation of GM mealie-meal.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made warns that GMOs had long-term negative effects on agricultural yields.
Advocates of genetically modified crops, however, say that resistance on the scientific products needs to change since traditional methods had failed to withstand
the weather patterns.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries has also expressed concern over the continued ban of GMO raw materials in food manufacturing despite the country being among the top four countries in Africa to embark on research into GMOs.
-The Sunday Mail
Labels: GMOS, NATIONAL SECURITY, PUBLIC HEALTH
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COMMENT - If the Democratic Party received not only financing from the KGB, but the head of the party frequently received instructions from the Russian ambassador, does anyone believe it wouldn't pique the interest of the FBI, CIA, etc? I quote:
"Tsvangirai doesn't pose a political threat in any way in Zimbabwe, but is a major security threat. He takes instructions from foreigners who seek to effect illegal regime change in Zimbabwe,” he said.
"This is what has invited the security forces to be involved because we want to ensure we protect our national security interests.”
Army general says PM a 'security threat'
by Staff Reporter
23/06/2011 00:00:00
THE verbal spat between army chiefs and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai went into top gear on Wednesday with Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba dismissing the MDC-T leader as a day-dreamer who would never be allowed to rule the country.
Frustrated by what his party sees as the continued involvement of service chiefs in the country’s politics, Tsvangirai recently challenged army commanders to take off their uniforms and openly contest for political office.
“If you want politics, remove the uniform and we will show you what politics is. It is not guns. Stop intimidating people, convince Zimbabweans to vote for you,” Tsvangirai said while addressing supporters in Gweru last weekend.
Again speaking in Barcelona, Spain, at the World Justice Forum on Wednesday, Tsvangirai accused the service chiefs of violating human rights and freedoms.
"Everyday, they (security chiefs) are dabbling in politics, even seeking to influence the date of the election and the conditions under which that election will be held,” he said.
“The problem has … always been a small, parasitic clique at the helm of these institutions that is at the forefront of systemic violation of the people’s fundamental rights and freedoms.”
However, the commander of 3 Infantry Brigade in Manicaland, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, blasted the MDC-T leader, dismissing him as a daydreamer who would never be allowed to rule the country.
"What he (Tsvangirai) is saying is nonsense. Daydreamers who want to reverse the gains of our liberation struggle will continue daydreaming. They can go to hell ... they will never rule this country,” Nyikayaramba told the state-run Herald newspaper.
"We cannot keep quiet. We will continue speaking and as the security forces, we will not sit back and watch things going wrong.”
The army chief, who recently insisted he would never serve under Tsvangirai, said the security services viewed the MDC-T leader as a “national threat”.
"Tsvangirai doesn't pose a political threat in any way in Zimbabwe, but is a major security threat. He takes instructions from foreigners who seek to effect illegal regime change in Zimbabwe,” he said.
"This is what has invited the security forces to be involved because we want to ensure we protect our national security interests.”
Nyikayaramba claimed army chiefs never bated an eye when other opposition parties were formed in the past but said they were concerned about the MDC-T’s involvement with Western powers keen to see Mugabe out of office.
"We had (the late) Abel Muzorewa, (the late) Enock Dumbutshena and other people forming their political parties, but we never had any problem with them. These were indigenous political parties that understood our national interests,” he said.
"As the security forces, we should be worried if we see the British and American machinations. They have already announced that they want to destroy Zanu PF from within, so we should be vigilant. This suggests that they want to re-colonise us.”
He insisted that the security services would ensure that President Mugabe – who turned 87 this year – remained in office stating: “President Mugabe will only leave office if he sees it fit or dies. No-one should be talking about his departure at the moment. He sacrificed a lot for this country.
"We will die for him to make sure he remains in power. We are prepared to stand by our commander-in-chief. Soldiers are not going to sit back and watch, while the foreign forces want to attack us."
Labels: CIO, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NATIONAL SECURITY, NEOCOLONIALISM
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Zambians need access to information
By Patrick Hatontola
Saturday, February 20, 2010, 10:55
On Feb 18th 2010, the NCC rejected article 56 (1) (a) of the Willa Mung’omba draft constitution which states that a person shall have right to access of information held by the state. Generally, the purpose of the article was to: afford Zambians their right to participate in national issues from an informed point of view; hold government accountable through transparent operations; and to have a say in the governance of their country by timely accessing valuable information. Zambians would then air timely views on democratic issues that foster their socio-economic aspirations. This was the Zambians’ wish. At the moment, it stands as a dream deferred if not a dream shut.
At the pace through which the NCC is rejecting progressive clauses; starting with the adoption of the degree clause for a Presidential candidate; to the current rejection of the right of access to information clause in disguise of preserving state secrets; Zambians may as well brace themselves to the time when the NCC would declare the national budget; the auditor general’s report and perhaps the constitution itself as “state secrets”.
This will mean that government will preside over the national affairs at their pleasure. Zambians will be made to believe that government is a philanthropic service to the “undeserving Zambians”. Provision of social services such as basic health care and basic education will be declared a prerogative of those called “government” with sole rights to access of information.
The constitution review process was conceived by Zambians because they felt that the current constitution was inadequate, restrictive and remote from their social and economic aspirations. Therefore, the purpose of the NCC was to deliberate on the Mong’mba draft constitution diligently in order to bridge that constitutional vacuum. Unfortunately, the NCC has abdicated its moral duty to strengthen the weak constitution as mandated to. They have rather opted to weaken it by rejecting the recommendation of the Mungomba draft that reflects the views of the majority Zambians.
Information is power! Without public information, no one can make informed decisions on issues of public interest and discourse. The NCC has deliberately disempowered the people by restricting them access to information. This infringement is not without cost to the growth of our democratic dispensation. It is a grievous assault to the Zambians’ dream; a dream that one day they will know and question the actions of those in power; a dream that one day they will know how their country is managed by those they have entrusted it with; a dream that one day they will have information to express their views from an informed point of view. This is neither a collective statement nor personal conviction but a summation of the general view. The rejection of the clause cannot be seen to be in public interest. Every sincere person will tell that the NCC has rejected this clause as a means of power preservation. It is common knowledge that the less information the public has, the more it advantages those in government in their endeavor to sustain their political fortunes. But suffice to say that Posterity and history will judge all those who are moved by whims and caprices of power and its preservation to the detriment of the people’s ware fare. The time is coming; perhaps now is the time, the time when Zambians will give themselves their constitution as stated in the preamble of the constitution.
In many African countries such as South Africa, the bill of rights provides for the right of access to information held by the state and/or a person. I am alive to the fact that every right is not absolute. However, the constitution must guarantee the right to access of information provided that, subsequent legislation is enacted to alleviate possible administrative and financial burden on the government in its course of proving this information. To this end, the NCC ought to have qualified and not reject the clause by stating what information may not be made public. Such information would generally limit to the operations of armed forces.
Zambia is not exempt from the general African phenomenon of power abuse resulting from limited information access by the public. In fact, it has a history where a DPP almost succeeded with his illegal nolle proseque. Some NCC delegates such as Japhet Moyo have cited this example to justify limit to access of information. What a fallacy. One will recall the shallow reasoning advanced in refusing to disclose why that nolle proseque was entered. It was “state secret”.
Finally, a state secret became public knowledge-Bulaya is today serving a jail sentence. How about the sad memories of the abuse of the Zamtrop account and eventually the mysterious acquittal of the concerned? Remember their refusal to account for the stolen $8M citing “state secrecy”. These are fresh and bitter memories that Zambians have to endure. Unfortunately, the rejection of this clause means nothing but a guarantee in increase of the aforesaid vices. Transparence and accountability will be compromised in disguise of state secretes.
By rejecting this clause, those in power have rejected the fact that they need to be held accountable and that they must be Transparent in their dealings. What a denunciation of the tenets of good governance.
The rejection of the clause means that all Acts of parliament that prescribe access to information will be repealed because every law inconsistent to the constitution is null and void to the extent of its inconsistence to the constitution. Think of the information bill. I have no doubt that Zambia needs the right of access to information now more than ever. But let Zambians choose a government they want in 2011.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL, NATIONAL SECURITY, NCC
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