COMMENT - I am not in favour of devolution to the provinces, because it simply replaces national elites with local elites. I am in favour of devolution to local government, because it brings government decisions closer to the people and increases democracy. What I would like to see, throughout the world, is that the nations resources are mined nationally, but redistributed to all local governments as local government budgets, so that local governments can perform local government functions - policing, healthcare, education, utilities and administration.
Devolution of power: What they said
Divergent views ... Tsvangirai, Nkomo and Mugabe weigh in on debate
28/03/2012 00:00:00
by Ntungamili Nkomo
Devolution of power remains one of the main issues slowing the process of writing a new constitution as Zanu PF and MDC politicians wrangle over its inclusion in the new charter.
The concept has gained traction in the Zimbabwean political narrative and could be a game changer in the referendum as some civic groups have vowed to reject the draft if it does not embrace devolving power. This is what some of Zimbabwe's policy makers, political parties and NGOs have said over the issue of devolution:
President Robert Mugabe – ZBC, March 5, 2012
“We don’t want to divide the country into small pieces because it will cause disunity among our people. Those things are done in big countries, not a small country like ours.
“We once had this, under the Federation which included Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi). Some are talking about separating Matabeleland region to become a country; that is impossible we don’t want that.” Local Government Minister Ignatias Chombo – Chronicle, March 7, 2012
“Devolution in the midst of high levels of unemployment, polarisation and poverty may attract external infiltration by external forces that are opposed to the policies that benefit Zimbabweans such as indigenisation and economic empowerment and the land reform programme.
“It limits central government's oversight and increases inter-regional conflict, particularly in the re-allocation of resources between regions precipitating demands in resource rich regions for separation. Devolution will have divisive effects on the socio-political disposition of our people and therefore should not be included in our new constitution.” Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo – Sunday Mail, March 4, 2012
“This debate is senseless because devolution, which is a well-recognised public administration principle and concept of decentralisation, has been falsely morphed into a constitutional issue carrying all the baggage of federalism which has become a dirty word in the Zimbabwean constitutional debate.
“The time has come to make it very clear that Zanu PF will not support or be part of any draft constitution that seeks federalism in Zimbabwe under any guise, let alone the cover of devolution. Federalism is not devolution and devolution is not federalism.
“Zanu PF will accept devolution, as it has always done, not as a constitutional principle (because it is not) but as the essence of decentralisation in public administration in accordance with recognised international best practice in the field of public administration.
“What this means is that the misrepresentation of devolution as a constitutional issue in pursuit of federalism must stop and this means devolution, which is a good public administration thing that can find expression in acts of Parliament and in management applications of the day, has no place whatsoever in any serious or respectable democratic constitution.”
MDC president Welshman Ncube – mdczim.net, March 25, 2012
“You (the masses) spoke clearly that you want devolution of power; it is captured in the COPAC reports that you want power to be spread to the lower structures. Now, Zanu PF, who are well known for their record of violating the will of the people, are saying, they don’t want devolution of power.
“No, no, no! Mugabe and his Zanu PF will not be allowed to get away with this. We won’t allow that. During the war of liberation, when we said ‘power to the people,’ we meant this, we meant devolution. I can tell you that the MDC will defend your views as we always do.”
MDC organising secretary Qhubani Moyo – Zimbabwe Independent, March 22, 2012
“It is quite clear the current system of a highly-centralised state as we have in Zimbabwe has promoted autocracy, inefficiency, corruption and exclusion of people from full participation in how they are governed. Devolution can certainly help to address some of these problems.
“So claims by Mugabe and Chombo that devolution divides people are not just misleading but also false. There are many examples of devolved states in Africa and elsewhere in the world which are working well. In fact, devolution, instead of dividing people, promotes equitable distribution of resources and above all national cohesion.”
NCA Chairman Lovemore Madhuku - VOA, March 12, 2012
“Devolution is not a regional issue. Devolution is a national issue; I think every Zimbabwean would want powers to devolve to local communities, to local authorities, to provinces, to regions and so on…
“Our position is very clear that there must be devolution in a people driven constitution and that is not a Matabeleland issue, it’s an issue for the whole country.
“I know that good things in a constitution like devolution only come out of a good process. The current process (of writing a constitution) is not a good one. So I don’t have to wait for the last Stakeholders conference or the draft to know that under the current process, Zanu PF will not accept devolution, they will shoot it down. The MDC will be forced to accept it.
“I would have wanted a situation where we can have an open process and then those good things like devolution come in."
Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga – New Zimbabwe, June 8, 2009
“Devolution is an issue which is dear to the MDC’s philosophy and it’s going to be addressed.”
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, VOA Studio 7, August 3, 2010
“Devolution does not mean secession. It does not mean separation. It is not about tribalism. It is about sharing the national cake equally.
“Devolution must now become a reality. We cannot have a situation where some people feel that the centre is taking everything.
“In my province, in my home district of Buhera, people say they are marginalised and the same in Tsholotsho, but the problems may be different.”
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara – New Zimbabwe, July 26, 2010
“Devolution is global best practice… For the last 30 years, development in Zimbabwe has been asymmetric. You had a crisis in Matabeleland between 1981 and 1986 where guns replaced development. You don’t need to be clever to know that where there is war, there cannot be development.
“The central idea in devolution is to ensure that if there are diamonds in Marange, their processing should be done in Marange and not Harare for instance. If there is coal in Hwange, let locals benefit by way of jobs and the Colliery should be able to support local development by way of funding clinics and schools.”
British Social Scientist, Diana Conyers – The Zimbabwean, August 8, 2010
“It does not always have a positive impact on development - either for individual regions or for the country as a whole. Its impact on economic and social development is not guaranteed. It depends on a number of factors.
“For example, if local governments are given the power to utilise the revenue from their own resources and there are major variations in resources from one region to another, devolution is likely to benefit the rich regions but not the poor, and thus to increase regional inequalities.
“Similarly, if regional or local governments lack the technical and management skills and/or integrity necessary to exercise their powers responsibly, devolution may have a negative impact on development.
“This does not mean that politicians should not advocate devolution. Experience in Zimbabwe and elsewhere has shown that, if properly designed and supported, it can bring major developmental benefits. However, they should be aware of the conditions needed to make it a success and avoid raising false expectations.
Economist Eric Bloch – The Independent, March 15, 2012
“Zimbabwe’s next door neighbour, South Africa, has substantially effected devolution, with positive economic and other benefits, and without it in any manner being nationally divisive.
“The head offices of the governmental ministries are in Pretoria, but parliament is conducted in Cape Town. The majority of the ministries operate offices in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Bloemfontein, the personnel therein having fairly extensive determinative powers within the framework of prescribed national policies.
“In like manner, most of the banks, insurance companies and pension funds have their offices and top management in Johannesburg, but have substantive offices in other centers, with the branch managers having relatively substantial authority. If devolution works in South Africa, and in many other countries, it should surely similarly work in Zimbabwe.”
MDC-T Bulawayo chairman Gorden Moyo – Zimbabwe Independent, March 16, 2012
“People confuse devolution with federalism. What President Mugabe, by the nature of his remarks, was rejecting was federalism, not devolution. There is a world of a difference between the two.
“The people of Mutare, Masvingo, Midlands and some parts of Mashonaland have also called for devolution. It’s not only the people of Matabeleland who want devolution.
“Firstly, we need governors elected by the people, and not appointed, because if they are appointed they would only be accountable to whoever appointed them.
“Then we need provincial budgets from national government implemented by the governor; provincial assemblies with your MPs sitting in the provinces; a jurisdiction whereby you identify sectors to be administered by provinces and make provinces autonomous, but linked to national government.
“So devolution is a system within a unitary system of government, not federalism. You still have national government running the country, including resource mobilisation for all provinces and budgeting.
“Provinces can be given latitude to tax just like local authorities to have extra resources over and above what comes from central government, but central government has the responsibility to equalise if there are problems in other provinces. If there are resources or economic activities in a particular province, those economic activities must first benefit people within that province in terms of employment.”
Former Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu – New Zimbabwe, June 5, 2009
“The Matabeleland region is the richest in terms of resources but it is home to the poorest people. We need a departure from a system that perpetuates this to one that ensures the equitable distribution of resources.
“We have been complaining as Matabeleland of lack of resources. Even while in government, some of us were complaining about this. Roads have not been completed and we are lagging behind other areas in terms of development.
“Matabeleland South has gold and cattle while Matabeleland North is rich in minerals, has the Hwange National Park and the country’s premier resort, the Victoria Falls, but proceeds from these economic ventures are not necessarily developing the province.
“In Lupane, you find children in classrooms without benches when they are in the middle of a forest with plenty of timber. Let us have an informed debate on it, and with development at the centre.”
Historian Phathisa Nyathi – New Zimbabwe, June 5, 2009
“The concept of devolution of power is very simple. We need to differentiate it from de-congestion. When we talk about de-congestion, we are talking about assigning certain functions of central government to a region, which is an aspect of decentralisation.
“What we have in Zimbabwe are regional offices of a central government with no legislative powers. Our Provincial Governors have no legislative powers. They might have powers but they are not legislative. That is the missing tier.
“At the lowest level there is representation through the rural district councils in the case of rural areas, and urban councils in the case of towns and cities, which are elected bodies and to an extent have legislative powers, although defined, in that these councils can make by-laws and also collect revenue and taxes but the same thing does not exist at provincial level.
“So, devolving power would fill that void in the case of Zimbabwe. We are talking of a situation where a province has its own parliament with an assembly of elected representatives including a prime minister in the same manner as South Africa for instance.
“Devolution will give the various regions a knife with which to cut the national cake. Essentially, the system allows for local autonomy. Anybody who opposes devolution is selfish. What do you lose by devolving legislative power?”
Former ZAPU leader Paul Siwela – New Zimbabwe, June 9, 2009
“The term devolution sounds erudite but at the end of the day, the political architecture to achieve this is federalism.
“The concept is based on the fact that much power should rest with the constituent members of that federation than in a centralised government. In other words, the province or region has its own parliament, its own judiciary and an elected leader as opposed to the present set-up where Provincial Governors are appointed.
“In terms of taxation, you might have a system where the region collects taxes for its own use and also revenue for the federal government. In that way, locals are able to benefit from local resources.
“The main issue is power in its real sense. The Provincial Governors have no Cabinet, no constitution, no budget for the development of the province — no power in other words.”
Water Resources Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo – New Zimbabwe, May 27, 2009
“In Matabeleland, people cry that we are marginalised. The time is now to talk about regional governments. In the national budget there should be a budget for Matabeleland, Mashonaland and so on. Isn't that fair?
“As the national Minister of Water Resources and Development, I should be working with a regional minister of the same portfolio. An example is not far away, it’s in South Africa. They have a prime minister, ministers and regional parliaments.
"This is our stance; we want each region to have its own parliament. We want the regions to rule themselves according to their culture. We want our grievances to be addressed to Bulawayo as the regional capital of Matabeleland than travel to Harare.”
(Nkomo proposed that Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces could be collapsed into Matabeleland, Mashonaland, Manicaland, Masvingo and the Midlands. Each region would be in charge of budget allocations, management of resources and the local economy)
Vice President John Nkomo – Herald, June 22, 2011
"When it comes to devolution of power, I don't know what some people think really but some of these things come from idle minds. They never look at the implications of what they say.
"What is devolution? No one can give you an answer. What we must always remember as a nation is that even our ancestors set up a system of nation-building which entailed bringing together different people and the message is ‘wakha isizwe ngabantu (you build a nation from people) not by dividing them. Even King of the Ndebele nation Lobengula did the same. There can only be one state here.
“What I think would be ideal is decentralisation. With decentralisation, people do not have to go far to Harare each time to get things like birth certificates and other simple things which are essential.
"Government departments and various administrative structures should be all over the country so that people access them and feel that they are part of governance."
Finance Minister Tendai Biti – 2012 National Budget, November 2011
“The sense of alienation and despondency remains high. There is a clear anti-Harare sentiment out there. The feeling is that everything happens in Harare and that to be a true and participating citizen of Zimbabwe one must be domiciled in Harare. Everything is in Harare and Harare is everything.
“Devolution of power empowers citizens, even those on the periphery, to be interested in the issues of government and governance. Currently, it is as if one has to come all the way to Harare to talk to the government because there is no government in the provinces.
“Government offices manned by ‘outsider’ civil servants and an unelected and usually unpopular provincial governor are not the government.”
ZAPU spokesman Methuseli Moyo – NewsDay, March 24, 2011
“Under devolution, national government allocates resources proportionally to regions for development programmes, which the regional authorities prioritise themselves. National projects remain under the control and implementation of the central government in all areas.
“It is important to point out that devolution will benefit everyone, and not only Matabeleland as some people think. The reason why calls for devolution are stronger in Matabeleland is because people there have been marginalised and undermined by Zanu PF for 30 years.
“Devolution is not secession. The difference between the two is like night and day.
“Devolution is what is being practiced in South Africa and the United States for instance, but there is still one country, one president, one flag, one national anthem, one army, one police force, one national intelligence organisation, one prison service, one reserve bank, one currency, and one national revenue service, among other things.
“Zimbabwe has to move faster towards devolution of power so as to resolve some of the problems that make some people feel that maybe secession is the answer.”
Legislation Watchdog Veritas - News Alert, August 19, 2010
Advantages of Devolution or Provincialisation
The advantages of devolving power may be summarized as follows:
1. Strong local governments should lead to improved governance and economic development, at least in theory. This is because:
# Local politicians are closer to the people they serve, and are likely to be more responsive to their wishes.
# This greater responsiveness gives people a greater say in the aspects of government that closely affect them, such as the provision of water, electricity, education and health care.
# Improved delivery of essential services leads to greater productivity.
2. Devolution should lead to a more equitable distribution of national resources between the provinces.
3. The decentralisation of power creates separate power-bases within the State and dilutes the control that can be exercised from the centre. Paradoxically, this may make the State more resilient and reduce the likelihood of coups d'état, because seizing power from the central government does not necessarily bring control over the provinces.
In the last days of the USSR, for example, a coup failed when the coup plotters, having gained control of the central government, found they could not control the semi-autonomous republics that made up the State. On the other hand, it must be remembered that Nigeria, which is a federal State, has had more than its fair share of coups.
4. More definitely decentralisation of power makes it less likely that a single political party can take control of all the power centers of the state and substitute itself for legitimate government.
5. Provincial and local governments are training-grounds for politicians, giving them valuable managerial skills which can be employed at national level for the benefit of the country as a whole.
Too much should not be made of these advantages. Devolution does not necessarily lead to good governance, for example. Experience in this country has shown that local politicians and officials can be just as corrupt and incompetent as national ones, and just as difficult to get rid of.
In order to improve the quality of government, therefore, devolution must be accompanied by measures to increase transparency and accountability - to strengthen democracy, in fact.
Disadvantages of Devolution
Provincialisation has its drawbacks:
1. For a country with a relatively small population and a small tax base having an additional tier of government could be unsustainable.
2. It could create another cadre of office bearers getting hefty salaries and perks without giving value for money.
3. It can encourage regionalism or tribalism. Advancing one's own province or even tribe may be acceptable in a provincial politician, but it is a very serious defect at the national level.
4. It may slow down the processes of government if provincial authorities have to be consulted before decisions are taken at the centre.
5. Similarly, decisions of the central government may be rendered ineffective if their implementation is left to provincial authorities.
6. If too much power is devolved to the regions or provinces, the central government may not be left with enough power to hold the country together.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, DEVOLUTION, MDC, PROVINCES, ZANU-PF
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Greed will divide SP - Munkombwe
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 14 Mar. 2012, 12:00 CAT
VETERAN politician Daniel Munkombwe says Southern Province risks being torn apart because of greed. And Munkombwe complained that he would have been a multi-millionaire by now had it not been for politics.
Commenting on revelations by some Southern Province chiefs that the
UPND was behind the tension between the government and chiefs in the province over realignment, Munkombwe said
the greed that was being exhibited by some people would divide the whole Southern Province.
"I get concerned when people say we are going to give pressure to the government. I have always been for dialogue. I nearly lost my life during the struggle when the Kariba war between the Tonga of the Gwembe Valley and the colonialist, when they were fighting in 1960 and I don't think I will be prepared to go into any war now for whatever reason," he said.
" I think the government is willing to talk to the people, but no government can be pressurised to really work under duress, that does not augur well. If there are any people who are planning anything, it should be put on the table. And greed will divide the whole Southern Province, it will be torn apart because of greed."
Munkombwe advised that whoever had issues with the government should explain their position and they should also take time to ask the people of Southern Province for their views.
"But if they are going to apply pressure particularly political pressure, no government can succumb to political pressure, I know that. Presidents or governments very rarely succumb to pressure," said Munkombwe.
And Munkombwe said he would have been a multi-millionaire by now and leading a quality life had he not been in politics.
He said he was poor because of politics.
"I am leading a very quiet life now and I want to see if I can stand the last few days or years of my life by working for myself because I have totally been impoverished by politics. I should have been a multi-millionaire.
There was a time when I used to drive 16 tractors on my farm, during the early 1970s and late 1960s. I used to have over 2,000 herds of cattle. I am now poor. My Kalundu Motel was turned into welfare, where everybody was just sleeping and eating freely. My Choma Hotel, my garage was used to repair all political party vehicles," lamented Mukombwe.
Munkombwe said his only benefit now was the peace that was prevailing in the country and that he still carried his reputation with him.
"That is where I gain pride but otherwise, I have been impoverished by my participation in politics for far too long. I am poor. Some politicians have even been referring to me as a very poor old man so I am grateful that I have come out poor in the political life. Some people have come out fat and rich but I have come out poor and that I am going to retire very happily. I am now 80 and I have spent three quarters of my life in politics," he said.
Munkombwe said having been in politics for over 60 years, he wanted to give chance to other people to equally make contributions in the country's social, economic and political areas.
Labels: DANIEL MUNKOMBWE, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE, UPND
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Munkombwe backs call to split Southern Province
By Cynthia Phiri in Pemba
Fri 09 Mar. 2012, 11:59 CAT
VETERAN politician Daniel Munkombwe says he is in support of calls for the split of Southern Province into two separate provinces.
Speaking in an interview in Pemba, where he was attending "My Home Town Fellowship", Munkombwe said splitting of the province into two was welcome because that is what the people of Southern Province want and advised them to accept government's offer for consultative meetings on the matter.
"When Government extends an olive branch, people of Southern Province should accept. We don't want to agitate the situation, that's what we have been asking for and we are justified to call for the split in order to obtain another province," Munkombwe said.
He said Southern Province was the second largest in the country in terms of land and population and that it was only wise that the Province be split into two in order to foster development, especially the valley part of the province which was completely ignored.
Traditional leaders in Southern Province have submitted proposals to government that the province be split into two as opposed to realigning Chirundu and Itezhi-Tezhi districts.
The government has since written to the people of Southern Province through the Southern Province Administration to convene a stakeholders meeting to discuss the issue further.
And Munkombwe said he wanted to devote the last years of his life to charity and community work by working with "My Home Town" proprietor James Ndambo, a South Africa-based Zambian businessman who is into charity work.
"I want to devote the last years of my time on earth to community work by working with James Ndambo, especially here in Southern Province," said Munkombwe.
Labels: DANIEL MUNKOMBWE, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Nkoyas want freedom from Lozis
TIME PUBLISHED - Sunday, March 4, 2012, 1:42 pm
THE Nkoya people of Western Province have urged President Sata to officially recognise their chiefs in Kabompo, North- Western Province, and Lukulu and Kaoma districts in Western Province.
Kazanga Kabombo Cultural Association chairman Shiyama Kutoha said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the government should elevate chiefs Mutondo and Kahare to the status of senior chiefs as there are no family connections between them and the lozi chiefs.
Mr Kutoha said it is important for government to end the domination of the Nkoyas and their chiefs by the Barotse Royal Esteblishment, which was instituted by colonial masters, because it has been a source of conflict between the two ethnic grougs.
“ In order to liberate the Nkoya ethnic group from Lozi hegemony, a separate province should be created covering present Itezhi-tezhi, Kaoma and Lukulu districts. This will guarantee Nkoyas basic rights and freedom of association and speech,” Mr Kutoha said.
He said in 1936, Naliele Native Treasury was established in Mankoya district (now Kaoma) and a Lozi appointed to head it.
Mr Kutoha said this measure greatly eroded the traditional authority of the Nkoya chiefs Mutondo and Kahare in the district. He said their plea as Nkoyas to the government is to free them from Lozi supremacy.
Mr Kutoha said Nkoya-speaking people in Kaoma and Lukulu are being forced to speak an alien language, Silozi, instead of their mother tongue, Shinkoya, when accessing public facilities and services such as health.
He said it is for this reason the traditional governance system being propagated by the BRE and his council in Western Province is colonial in character and does not promote the ethos and principle of equality and self-determination of all ethnic groupings in the province.
Mr Kutoha said this also places the Nkoya under the Litunga and his council when they are not his subjects.
He said in view of this, the Nkoya people are appealing to Government to immediately take the recognition of the named chiefs seriously.
And Mr Kutoha urged government to create another district called Dongwe as claims of tribal superiority by the Litunga and his council over the Nkoya ethnic group are baseless and imaginary, hence the need to directly recognise Nkoya chiefs.
The Roger Chongwe commission of inquiry appointed by President Sata to investigate the January 2011 riots and deaths last week submitted its findings to the President. One of its recommendations is that the government must restore the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
But the recommendation has received mixed reactions with Patriotic Front secretary general Wynter Kabimba accusing Dr Chongwe of going beyond the terms of reference President Sata gave the commission.
Some ethnic groups within Western Province, led by the Nkoyas, have categorically opposed the recommendation. President Sata and his Cabinet are yet to study the report and announce government’s position.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Labels: CHIEFS, DISTRICTS, PROVINCES
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Nkoyas want freedom from Lozis
TIME PUBLISHED - Sunday, March 4, 2012, 1:42 pm
THE Nkoya people of Western Province have urged President Sata to officially recognise their chiefs in Kabompo, North- Western Province, and Lukulu and Kaoma districts in Western Province.
Kazanga Kabombo Cultural Association chairman Shiyama Kutoha said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the government should elevate chiefs Mutondo and Kahare to the status of senior chiefs as there are no family connections between them and the lozi chiefs.
Mr Kutoha said it is important for government to end the domination of the Nkoyas and their chiefs by the Barotse Royal Esteblishment, which was instituted by colonial masters, because it has been a source of conflict between the two ethnic grougs.
“ In order to liberate the Nkoya ethnic group from Lozi hegemony, a separate province should be created covering present Itezhi-tezhi, Kaoma and Lukulu districts. This will guarantee Nkoyas basic rights and freedom of association and speech,” Mr Kutoha said.
He said in 1936, Naliele Native Treasury was established in Mankoya district (now Kaoma) and a Lozi appointed to head it.
Mr Kutoha said this measure greatly eroded the traditional authority of the Nkoya chiefs Mutondo and Kahare in the district. He said their plea as Nkoyas to the government is to free them from Lozi supremacy.
Mr Kutoha said Nkoya-speaking people in Kaoma and Lukulu are being forced to speak an alien language, Silozi, instead of their mother tongue, Shinkoya, when accessing public facilities and services such as health.
He said it is for this reason the traditional governance system being propagated by the BRE and his council in Western Province is colonial in character and does not promote the ethos and principle of equality and self-determination of all ethnic groupings in the province.
Mr Kutoha said this also places the Nkoya under the Litunga and his council when they are not his subjects.
He said in view of this, the Nkoya people are appealing to Government to immediately take the recognition of the named chiefs seriously.
And Mr Kutoha urged government to create another district called Dongwe as claims of tribal superiority by the Litunga and his council over the Nkoya ethnic group are baseless and imaginary, hence the need to directly recognise Nkoya chiefs.
The Roger Chongwe commission of inquiry appointed by President Sata to investigate the January 2011 riots and deaths last week submitted its findings to the President. One of its recommendations is that the government must restore the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
But the recommendation has received mixed reactions with Patriotic Front secretary general Wynter Kabimba accusing Dr Chongwe of going beyond the terms of reference President Sata gave the commission.
Some ethnic groups within Western Province, led by the Nkoyas, have categorically opposed the recommendation. President Sata and his Cabinet are yet to study the report and announce government’s position.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Labels: CHIEFS, DISTRICTS, PROVINCES
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Mazabuka realignment Demonstrations
By The Post
Thu 23 Feb. 2012, 12:00 CAT
IT is not right, and there is no need, for the police to stop demonstrations in Mazabuka against the removal of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts from Southern Province. And one doesn't need to belong to a registered organisation to enjoy freedom of expression, the right to protest government decisions or actions.
There is no need to cancel these demonstrations. Let them demonstrate and say all that they want to say. What the police need to do is simply police or manage the process so that it is peaceful and arrest those, and only those, who become violent and destructive. Cancelling demonstrations is not something that will lead to peace, law and order.
It is something that will lead to lawlessness and breakdown in order because those whose fundamental rights of freedom of expression have been violated should not be expected to react politely. You are taking away their fundamental rights, their humanity and you expect them to react politely.
When they explode, you want them to explode politely! Why? We can only say this is not the right way to deal with the Zambian of today - you are dealing with a wrong Zambian at the wrong time in the wrong way.
We maintain that freedom of expression is the mark of humanity. Freedom of expression is a precious thing, and the inalienable birthright of all who travel this earth. And freedom of expression doesn't exist so that we can freely praise and agree with our public officials, with our President. It exists so that we can freely criticise them, disagree with their decisions and actions.
Freedom of expression is about tolerance - to believe, speak, congregate and lobby as you see fit, while allowing others to do likewise, even people whose expressions you find abhorrent.
Tolerance for demonstrations, protests is the touchstone for democratic societies. Liberty of expression benefits more than the protestor, the demonstrator. We all suffer the violation of our liberties if they are denied the right to express themselves, to protest the President's realignment of some districts in Southern Province.
It seems our politicians and our police officers never learn that suppressing expression can be worse than the underlying conduct. In our popular discussions, unwise ideas must have a hearing as well as wise ones, dangerous ideas as well as safe, unpatriotic as well as patriotic. The need to protect what we detest is the reason freedom of the mind both exists and remains under siege. Liberty is one thing no person can have unless he grants it to others.
And we don't believe any tyrant, any totalitarian regime ever succeeded in imposing a moratorium on thought, on expression.
And men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely. It is easy to embrace freedom of expression for ideas we accept. But the essence of freedom of expression is that we must protect the ideas we hate, we disagree with.
The freedom of expression must be fought for and won over and over again. The first step in this battle is to understand the threats we face. It is the fervent of ideas, the clash of disagreeing judgments, the privilege of the individual to develop his own thought and shape his own character that makes progress possible.
We all know that the impulse to restrict individual rights is as ancient as the very history of mankind. We are better than that impulse. What we have to do is to find ways to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities.
In a democracy, the freedom of discussion and the freedom of expression are of the highest value. Without them, democracy turns into a caricature.
It may be argued by the police and their political masters that it's necessary to stop these protests. But we have heard this before. This was the argument in the Mongu protests that led to the deaths and maiming of so many innocent people. Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants.
We think the greatest thing about freedom of expression is that it extends to everyone, the wise and the foolish. Some of the arguments coming out of those opposed to Michael Sata's realignment of districts are really foolish. But they have the right to be foolish and say whatever they want to say.
Every person should have an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he or she pleases before the public; to forbid this, to stop this, is to destroy the freedom of expression. Of course, appreciating the fact that the right to express oneself in any form does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
You cannot have a democracy and you cannot have a community if you do not have a way to share ideas. Only a strong and secure democracy can guarantee the fullest and freest exchange of ideas, no matter how much those ideas hurt or incite.
It is not right to stop people from protesting the decisions and actions of their president. The decision by the police to stop protests in Mazabuka is wrong and should be opposed. We have to stand for what is right and not worry about what is politically feasible. Freedom is never given; it is won. And all freedom springs from necessity.
We can disagree or agree with the realignment of districts. There is nothing wrong with that. But we cannot afford to disagree in defending freedom of expression. We should all defend the rights of those people in Mazabuka who want to protest the realignment of districts. In our view, our sincere view, they are wrong in their opposition to the realignment of districts. They are opposing something that is right, just and legal. Their arguments are very poor and jaundiced in many aspects.
But they are right in protesting these realignments. It is within their constitutional rights to do so. And let's all come together - whether we agree or don't agree with them on realignment of districts - and defend their rights to freedom of expression, their rights to protest government decisions and actions. On this we should all agree to disagree with our government's decision to stop their protest.
Some people erroneously believe that having freedom of expression is a natural phenomenon. It is not. It is the result of intense care and vigilance. And if there is any principle of our Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment more than any other, it is the principle of free thought and expression - not free for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought we hate.
We must suppress our emotions on this issue. The idea of diversity becomes our strength, sacred to us - the range broadening, the potential becoming a way and a song. Many have fought this reality. We know the wounds. To hear one voice clearly, we must have the freedom to hear them all.
The right of peaceable assembly and of protest is the constitutional substitute for a revolution. To silence criticism is to silence freedom. And while enjoying your freedom of expression, it is wise to remember that the toes you step on today may be connected to the rump that you must kiss tomorrow.
We shouldn't forget that the suppression of any individual or group of people for opinion's sake has rarely had any other effect than to fix those opinions deeper and render them more important than they should be. And freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, protest and debate.
The arguments of those opposed to the realignment of districts have little, or no, merit. But there is merit in their right to protest what is being done by their government.
And those in government have a duty to explain what they are doing and why they are doing it; and they should never get tired of explaining and of seeking support for their decisions and actions. But there is laziness and arrogance on the part of those in government.
They think they can do as they please since they are the government and no one has the right to question what they are doing as long as they are acting within their constitutional authority. Life is not like that. To govern is to continually communicate with the people.
And instead of trying to suppress their protests, allow them to do so and after they have do so, go there and hold your own meeting and explain what you are doing to the people.
If you fail to convince them, think twice about what you are doing and probably go back to the drawing board.
Labels: DEMONSTRATION, DISTRICTS, MAZABUKA DISTRICT, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Anti-realignment activists flood Mazabuka with fliers
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Thu 23 Feb. 2012, 11:59 CAT
A youth group calling itself "Mazabuka Youth Entrepreneurs" opposed to President Michael Sata's realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts yesterday distributed over 3,000 fliers in strategic places in readiness for today's demonstration which has been cancelled by police. Mazabuka Police has cancelled the demonstration on grounds that the organisation the youths are purported to be representing is fake and not registered.
Mazabuka district officer commanding Lizzy Machina warned the demonstrators against breaking the law but instead follow procedure to avoid prosecution. But youth coordinator, Grovies Mushibwe and his group distributed the fliers carrying messages which stated: "Say no to dictatorship" and "Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmarks".
The youths through the fliers have also warned that not even an inch of the land belonging to Southern Province would be removed by the head of state.
And Mushibwe said police yesterday summoned him to explain why the permit was not granted, but was however quick to point out that his group was advised to re-apply and a fresh application was re-submitted the same day (yesterday).
Mushibwe, who is also MMD Mazabuka constituency youth chairman, is organising the demonstration with his UPND counterpart Mwendabai Pelekelo and nine others, some believed to be Tonga fundamentalists.
Citizens Forum Mazabuka chairperson, Mussolini Buumba, who is the elder brother of Mazabuka Mayor Lloyd Buumba is among the organisers.
The youths had invited MMD presidential aspirant, Nevers Mumba and UPND Mazabuka member of parliament, Garry Nkombo to take part in the demonstrations and according to organisers, the two leaders were just waiting for confirmation with regards to police granting the youths a permit.
According to the organisers of the demonstrations, youths from other districts would join the other demonstrations set for February 29.
But Mazabuka District Commissioner Eugine Munyama warned the demonstrators not to test the wrath of the law.
He said the demonstration was illegal because Mazabuka was not Chirundu or Itezhi-tezhi.
"Yes, I can confirm receipt of the letter from the youths informing me of the demonstration to be held today. However, I will not involve myself in illegal activities aimed at frustrating government efforts," said Munyama.
Munyama wondered why the MMD and UPND were inciting youths to demonstrate when people in the affected districts were quiet and happy with the realignment of the districts by the head of state.
He wondered why politicians found pleasure in creating disturbances in Mazabuka when people in other districts were going about their economic activities despite the pronouncements.
And Southern Province members of parliament, chiefs, councillors, women and youth groupings will meet in Choma on March 12 to come up with a common resolve over Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi.
In an interview yesterday, Chief Mukuni said the Choma meetings would be held at three different venues with each group meeting separately so that no group influences the other.
"We have resolved as chiefs that we hold a meeting on March 12 at Mahogany while the other stakeholders such as the area members of parliament in the province, councilors, women and youth groupings will hold theirs at separate venues. However, we shall all gather later at the Central Sports Club to have the resolutions of all the groups integrated into one," he said.
Chief Mukuni said the meetings had been organised as a reaction to the government request through Southern Province minister Miles Sampa who on February 17 wrote to chief Mukuni requesting that stakeholders meetings be held and resolutions be given to him for onward transformation to President Sata.
Chief Mukuni, who is also chairperson of the Southern Royal Foundation, said he was opposed to the realigning of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi because it takes away human cultural identity of the people of the two districts.
Chief Mukuni said he was opposed to the realigning on grounds that the move would now entail the teaching of Nyanja and Bemba to school children as is the case in Central and Lusaka provinces.
"The best way to destroy a human being is to destroy his identity, make him feel ashamed of his new identity," he said.
Chief Mukuni said Southern Province chiefs felt short changed over the creation of Muchinga Province when they had also proposed to State House under former president Rupiah Banda to have Southern Province divided into two provinces namely Southern and Zambezi Valley.
"We feel it is difficult for us to believe that the alienation of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi is based on developmental issues as the office of district commissioners have gone back to politicians," he said.
Chief Mukuni accused the PF government of taking away Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi in light of decentralisation so as to take away the high revenues being earned and the anticipated revenue from the Kafue Hydro Power Station in Itezhi-tezhi.
Labels: DISTRICTS, MICHAEL SATA, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Let those youths protest realignment of districts
By The Post
Wed 22 Feb. 2012, 12:00 CAT
THE youth in Southern Province, wrong or right, have every right to protest the realignment of districts in that province or in any part of our country.And it is not right for Michael Sata, as President of the Republic, to threaten them with police action, saying he has got "very capable police who will handle them".
We do not agree with these youths and their leaders on the issue of realignment of districts and reorganisation of our provinces. We sincerely believe Michael is doing the right thing and should be allowed to continue doing so.
Michael deserves support on this score. But others have the right, wrong or right, to hold a different position and champion that position with civility and honesty. And this right should be defended by all out of principle and conviction.
In a democratic society, citizens have a right to gather peacefully and protest the policies of their government or the actions of other groups with demonstrations, marches, petitions, boycotts, strikes and other forms of direct citizen action. Direct action should be open to everyone in a democracy.
Protests are a testing ground for any democracy. The ideals of free expression and citizen participation are easy to defend when everyone remains polite and in agreement on basic issues.
But protestors - and their targets - do not agree on basic issues, and such disagreements may be passionate and angry. The challenge then is one of balance: to defend the right to freedom of speech and assembly, while maintaining public order and countering attempts at intimidation or violence. To suppress peaceful protests in the name of order is to invite repression; to permit uncontrolled violent protests is to invite anarchy.
There is no magic formula for achieving this balance. In the end, it depends on the commitment of the majority to maintaining the institutions of democracy and the precepts of individual rights.
Democratic societies are capable of enduring the bitterest disagreements among its citizens - except for disagreement about the legitimacy of democracy itself.
Democracies make several assumptions about human nature. One is that, given the chance, people are generally capable of governing themselves in a manner that is fair and free. Another is that any society comprises a great diversity of interests and individuals who deserve to have their voices heard and their views respected.
As a result, one thing is true of all healthy democracies: they are noisy. All should be free to raise their voices and participate in the democratic political process, whether locally or nationally. In this way, democratic politics acts as a filter through which the vocal demands of a diverse populace pass on the way to becoming public policy.
Freedom of expression is the lifeblood of any democracy. Before people can govern themselves, they must be free to express themselves. Citizens of a democracy live with the conviction that through the open exchange of ideas and opinions, truth will eventually win out over falsehood, the values of others will be better understood, areas of compromised more clearly defined, and the path of progress opened.
The greater the volume of such exchanges, the better. We are defending the rights of the youth who want to demonstrate in Southern Province over Michael's realignment of districts out of the conviction that, in the end, open debate will lead to greater truth and wiser public actions than if their freedom of expression and dissent are stifled.
Furthermore, we believe that the suppression of these youths' freedom of expression and the right to protest government decisions and actions that we find offensive today is potentially a threat to our own exercise of freedom of expression and our right to protest tomorrow - which perhaps those in government or someone else might find offensive.
We also believe that all people are harmed when one group's right to freedom of expression, to protest, is repressed. If they are right in what they are protesting over, we are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth. If wrong, we lose the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth produced by its collision with error.
Therefore, a healthy democracy depends upon the continuing, informed participation if the broad range of its citizens. And governments protect inalienable rights, such as freedom of expression, through restraint, by limiting their own actions.
It is important for us to realise that many of these tensions we are experiencing in our country today are present in every democratic society. In some way, democracy is in many ways nothing more than a set of rules for managing conflicts of this nature.
At the same time, such conflicts must be managed within certain limits and results in compromises, consensus or other agreements that all sides accept as legitimate. An overemphasis on side of the equation can threaten the entire undertaking.
If groups perceive democracy as nothing more than a forum in which they can express their demands, the society can shatter from within. If the government exerts excessive pressure to achieve consensus, stifling the voices of the people, the society can be crashed from above.
Therefore, a democratic society needs the commitment of citizens who accept the inevitability of conflict as well as the necessity for tolerance. It is for this reason that a culture of democracy is so important to develop. Individuals and groups must be willing, at a minimum, to tolerate each other's differences, recognising that the other side has valid rights and a legitimate point of view.
The various sides to a dispute can then meet in a spirit of compromise and seek a specific solution. There is need to build coalitions because coalition building is the essence of democratic action. We say this because it teaches interest groups to negotiate with others, to compromise and to work within the constitutional system.
By working to establish a coalition, groups with differences learn how to argue peaceably, how to pursue their goals in a democratic manner and ultimately how to live in a world of diversity.
For this reason, the enjoyment of the freedom of expression, of the right to protest would require that the government allows the people who hold a different line of political thinking an open forum to express their views without government interferences, without a threat of police action.
We all know that freedom of expression is a fundamental right of every human being. This right is also enshrined in our Constitution. While this right is not absolute, it is a matter of justice that it is given to all without discrimination of persons and irrespective of the issue involved.
It would be disastrous if freedom of expression were not the same for all but depended on a person who is speaking and the side they have taken on an issue.
By and large, protests are recognised and accepted by the people as an effective and powerful weapon of political struggle. Protests help to refine a good idea.
This is why the question of how the forces of democratic governance and a civil society interact is the challenge we face and have to worth through as a continuing and dynamic process in our young democracy. There is an old saying that freedom and order are constantly in tension with one another in society. Order without freedom leads to totalitarianism. Freedom without order leads to anarchy.
It is also said that societies recover quicker and more healthily from too much freedom than they do from totalitarianism. Let us not forget that tyranny knows no restrain of appetite. Let's allow those young people to protest the good and progressive decisions of Michael's realignment of districts in Southern Province.
Let's vigorously oppose and denounce Michael's threat to use the police against these young protestors. Yes, police should be there to ensure that their protest is not lawless, destructive or violent, but not to stop them from protesting peacefully.
Let us not forget that it is said that hell begins when the simple and necessary acts of life become monstrous, and this knowledge has been shared through all the ages by those who taste the hell men make on earth.
Let us not make it frightful to think and to express oneself through protest.
Labels: DEMONSTRATION, DISTRICTS, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Sata warns SP youths planning protests over realignment
By Bright Mukwasa
Wed 22 Feb. 2012, 12:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has warned youths in Southern Province who intend to protest over the re-alignment of districts that they will be met by police. And President Sata yesterday said he has never met former president Rupiah Banda to discuss issues related to his prosecution over alleged corruption that could have been committed during his three year tenure.
President Sata made the remarks when he swore in defence deputy minister Colonel Joseph Lungu, Eastern Province minister Charles Banda, high commissioners, ambassadors, Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani, deputy Inspector General of Police Peter Chingaipe, deputy director general of the Anti Corruption Commission Alexander Museba and Western Province Police commissioner Fanwell Siandenge among others.
President Sata, who gave a historical background to the creation of most districts and provinces in the country, said his government was realigning districts for easy administration.
"When PF came to power, we pronounced two alignments, the creation of Muchinga Province and also Mafinga district. This is the second time Northern Province is being split because when I was a young man, the colonial government had to split Northern Province. It was too big, they had to create Luapula Province," he explained.
"When they created Luapula Province, the chiefs in Northern Province did not rise and say we are going to rise and even the youth is saying we are going to demonstrate, but I know I have got very capable police who will handle them."
Some sections of society in Southern Province, led by the UPND, have vowed to protest over President Sata's decision to realign some districts in the province.
And President Sata urged Zambian diplomats to represent the country and not their tribes and regions they hailed from.
President Sata also urged Colonel Lungu to go back to Msanzala and work on the roads that linked the districts to other places as a way of demonstrating gratitude to the chiefs in the area.
He called on provincial administrations in the country to work to the benefit of the people.
"We don't want a degree holder District Commissioner. We want a District Commissioner of the people, who is going to listen to the people, speak to them in Nsenga, speak to them in Chewa, Tumbuka. So you find that because of unemployment, once we revamp our rural development we are going to create jobs."
Those sworn in were special assistant to the President for economics and developmental affairs Paul Siame, Ndiyoyi Mutiti as High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, Japhen Mwakalombe as Ambassador to Mozambique and Mary Zambezi to Kenya.
Others were Encyla Sinjela Ambassador as permanent representative to Switzerland, Gerald Nyirenda as Ambassador to China and Bwalya Chiti as Ambassador to Germany.
As he awaited credentials from the French and British envoys, President Sata remarked: "Mr (Given) Lubinda, did you tell The Post I met Mr. Rupiah Banda? I have never met Mr Banda and I don't talk about his immunity."
Later in a statement, President Sata's special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah refuted The Post story that appeared in yesterday's edition which alleged that President Sata held a private meeting with Rupiah Banda after a luncheon hosted in honour of the Chipolopolo Boys last Tuesday.
Chellah stated that State House was concerned that the newspaper went as far as basing its editorial comment on a story that had turned out to be untrue.
"This is indeed unfortunate and injurious to the persons accused and therefore an appropriate retraction is required," he stated.
"For the record, the Head of State has never held any private talks with Mr Banda or indeed anyone to discuss his immunity or any matters related to the on-going investigations on corruption against some members of the previous regime. On February 12, 2012, President Sata sent ex-presidents Dr Kenneth David Kaunda and Mr Banda to join the Republican Vice-President's delegation that went to cheer the national team during the African Cup of Nations final in Libreville, Gabon. After the team won the trophy, the First Lady extended an invitation to the two former presidents to join the over 300 other guests at an open luncheon on State House grounds," he stated.
Chellah stated that the luncheon proceedings were open to the media right through and at no point did President Sata and Banda engage in any private or exclusive conversations.
Meanwhile, accepting credentials from British High Commissioner James Thornton and French Ambassador Marie-Annick Bourdin, President Sata said Zambia needed the partnership investment of their governments and its members to boost its developmental efforts.
He said his government wanted to get expert assistance from Britain to help boost operations of Cabinet Office, including provincial and district administration.
Later, President Sata met chieftainess Mwenda of Chikankanta who said she came to Lusaka to congratulate him over his victory and the creation of Chikankanta as a district.
Labels: CADRES, DEMONSTRATION, DISTRICTS, MICHAEL SATA, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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UPND influencing SP chiefs on realignment - Mwanachingwala
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka and Mwala Kalaluka in Lusaka
Sun 19 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT
THE resolutions of some Southern Province chiefs against President Michael Sata's realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts have been politically engineered by the UPND, says chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka.
But Southern Province Royal Foundation vice-chairperson chief Chikanta of Kalomo says the whole province knows that chief Mwanachingwala just wants to attract some attention from State House.
Chief Mwanachingwala said the resolutions by some chiefs in the province who met in Choma to register their unhappiness over the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts by President Sata should be declared null and void.
He said the government should not take the resolutions seriously because they did not reflect the views of the chiefs but of the UPND leadership.
Chief Mwanachingwala said traditional rulers who attended the meeting did not know the agenda and were forced to travel to Choma by the opposition UPND which also paid them allowances.
The traditional ruler said the government should call for an Indaba and explain to chiefs the benefits of re-aligning the districts as most of them were ignorant on the matter, adding that the opposition is taking advantage of the government's failure to allow dialogue on the matter.
Chief Mwanachingwala said the Choma meeting was political and did not represent the aspirations of the traditional rulers and their subjects but was meant to drive the hidden agenda of the UPND.
"What do you expect from such a meeting which was stage managed? These chiefs did not think on their own but were being pushed by the UPND to issue such statements. Already as I am talking to you, Mazabuka Central member of parliament, Garry Nkombo, called to fix an appointment to come to the palace and discuss the issue regarding the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts to Lusaka and Central provinces," chief Mwanachingwala said.
He said chiefs in the province should not allow themselves to be used by the UPND to fight the government without exhausting dialogue.
Chief Mwanachingwala said chiefs in the province were eager to meet President Sata to discuss the matter and help them understand the benefits of re-aligning the districts.
The traditional ruler has since advised his colleagues to take advantage of the newly established Ministry of Chiefs Affairs to express their grievances instead of being misled by the opposition to fight the government.
And chief Mwanachingwala has advised the UPND leadership to stop issuing statements without consulting him.
He said he is disappointed with the UPND for misinforming the nation that he attended a meeting for chiefs in Choma when he did not.
Chief Mwanachingwala said he was aware that the UPND want to create friction between him and the government by using his name but said he will not allow the UPND to destroy his good image before the government.
But chief Chikanta said in an interview from Monze yesterday that assertions by chief Mwanachingwala that the opposition UPND was instigating traditional leaders in the province to oppose the government's realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi were not correct.
"Not correct, you know chief Mwanachingwala. I think the whole country knows and the whole Southern Province knows what he is. Now he is looking for entry into State House. He is just trying to align himself to State House now so that State House could pay attention to him," chief Chikanta said.
"So that he starts going to State House the way he was doing it with these other presidents. He wants to go into State House. So he is just trying to attract attention from State House."
He said during the traditional leaders' Kozo Lodge convocation in Choma to discuss the realignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts to Lusaka and Central provinces respectively, chief Mwanachingwala said he would be part of the resolutions from the meeting.
"When we were at Choma we received information from him that whatever we decide there he is actually for it. But we can't be surprised, we know what he is," chief Chikanta said.
"No, how can we be paid? ZNBC was there. They were taking the whole procession when we were there and when we were reading, they were there and we immediately dispersed after that."
He said people knew what chief Mwanachingwala was looking for by issuing the said assertions.
"Yes, I suppose we will have another meeting. So that we can maybe bring in more chiefs. I suppose probably even the government will come in so that we sit with government. I don't know what will happen next week," chief Chikanta said.
"But we are very hopeful that the government will respond by trying to sit down with us. You know, we are not fighting. We are not fighting President Sata, we are just indicating when he is doing wrong we must tell him this is wrong."
He said issues of land were very sensitive and that any person doing what the government was doing would know that they are supposed to talk to the chiefs.
"To say this is the intention, this is what we want to do. After you agree, that is when the President goes to announce so that when the President announces, it is the chiefs that are expected to explain to the people or any other interested person why the government is doing this," said chief Chikanta.
"Not the way it has been done. So we are not really fighting. We don't want President Sata to be cheated the way other presidents were being cheated. When things go wrong then people are saying, 'no Mr President everything is okay', we don't want that. When there is something wrong it is better to point it out."
Meanwhile, chief Mwanachingwala has invited Southern Province minister, Miles Sampa, to his palace.
Chief Mwanachingwala said Sampa was free to work in the province, adding that no one has the right to order for his removal except the appointing authority.
Labels: CHIEF MWANACHINGWALA, DISTRICTS, MICHAEL SATA, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Chief Musungwa nods re-alignment of Itezhi-tezhi
By Fredrick Mwansa in Itezhi-tezhi
Fri 17 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT
SOME chiefs in Mazabuka and Itezhi-tezhi districts have disassociated themselves from a statement made by chiefs Mukuni and Chikanta that they are opposed to the government's decision to transfer the administration of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts to Lusaka and Central provinces respectively.
Chief Musungwa of the Ila people of Itezhi-tezhi said that it was wrong for chiefs Mukuni and Chikanta to make a blanket statement that chiefs in the province were opposed to the re-alignment of the district to Central Province.
Chief Musungwa said that the move by the government to re-align the district was a blessing to the district which had been reeling with administration problems due to its geographical location.
Chief Musungwa also dispelled statements that the move to re-align the district to Central Province was aimed at separating ethnic grouping of the Ila and Tonga people from Southern Province.
"There is no separation that will take place; we will still be here, it is only administration headquarters that will change. In Central Province, particularly Mumbwa district, it's Ila people who settled there. So what is the difference between Ila people of Itezhi-tezhi and Mumbwa?" chief Musungwa wondered.
Chieftainess Mwenda of Mazabuka said that chiefs Mukuni and Chikanta were entitled to their own opinions and wondered why they decided to include other chiefs in their own opinions.
"Southern Province chiefs include me, but I was not consulted," She said.
She said that every government had its own way of administering the country in a manner that is convenient to it and there is nothing political about the move.
Last week chiefs from Southern Province meeting under the Southern Province Royal Foundation rejected the re-alignment of Itezhi-tezhi and Chirundu to Central and Lusaka provinces respectively.
Meanwhile, opposition UPND councillors frustrated Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwin Zumbunu over the re-alignment of Itezhi-tezhi to Central province.
The hostile and uncompromising UPND councillors had arrived a few minutes earlier at the civic centre where they had a full council meeting.
Kaanzwa ward councillor Michael Hamasuki kept interrupting Zumbunu's speech before he could even explain what the re-alignment meant.
Itezhi-tezhi member of parliament Greyford Monde said that the move by the government to re-align the district was questionable, given that Choma, the new Southern Province headquarters, was nearer than Kabwe.
After realising that councillors were too political, hostile and would not listen to him, Zumbunu cancelled the address and called for another meeting the following day.
However, Luubwe ward councillor Steven Shaloba stood and said that it was not necessary to hold a meeting on the re-alignment of Itezhi-tezhi district because the President's pronouncement was not accepted in Itezhi-tezhi.
"We councillors in Itezhi-tezhi do not accept the pronouncement," he said.
Shaloba said that in a democratic country, the President should have consulted the affected chiefs over the matter.
But a resident of Banamwaze area in chief Chilyabufu's chiefdom in Itezhi-tezhi Felix Shanungu said that President Sata should have considered creating another province to be called Kafue to comprise Itezhi-tezhi, Mumbwa and Kaoma instead of re-aligning the district to Central Province.
Labels: CHIEFS, DISTRICTS, PROVINCES
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Explain what you are doing
By The Post
Thu 16 Feb. 2012, 12:00 CAT
THE observations on the re-alignment and reorganisation of districts and provinces made by Obby Chibuluma, the information officer of the Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes, deserve some favourable considerations.
Chibuluma observes that the hard-line position taken by 19 chiefs from Southern Province over the re-alignment of districts in the area is a potential source of conflict and the government should dialogue with traditional leaders and the local people over the matter. Chibuluma says "Only dialogue and increased information exchange can help in allaying the fears that the local people and the traditional leaders may have.
The people must be made to understand that the increase in the population calls for effective service delivery which can only be done if the government through its agencies has the capacity and resources marching people's needs. There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding the reasons behind the re-alignment of the Southern Province districts and some people have taken advantage of the failure by the government to consult to misrepresent the intentions".
Truly, the government needs to explain its decisions and actions at all times. It is not enough for those in government to do the right thing. It is very important that what they are doing is understood by the people they are doing it for. Everything that is being done for the people must be done with the people.
We know that there is need for action, urgent action for that matter, on many fronts. But people shouldn't be left behind. The error that is being made is that of neglecting the people, of doing things for them without their involvement, without adequate consultations and engagement with them. The people don't seem to understand what Michael Sata is trying to do for them or where he is going.
He should take time to explain to the people what he is trying to do and why he is doing it. There is very little interaction between Michael and the people today. He is good at explaining things but he is not taking the trouble to explain anything. Press statements and some briefings at State House won't do. Michael needs to get out and meet the people, especially those likely to be affected positively or negatively, by his decisions or actions.
Sometimes it may not be easy to explain things and there may simply be no time to do so because decisions have to be made quickly. It is sometimes dangerous to explain things, but still more dangerous not to explain. Michael shouldn't be tempted to shoulder all the responsibility on our behalf and go his tortuous way, over-confident that he only has to speak and the masses will follow. Things don't work that way.
All these good things Michael is doing may soon amount to nothing if they are not properly explained to the people and the people are not adequately engaged by him. Michael is abandoning politics too early. All these good things he is doing need popular support to succeed and that support will not come on its own; there is need for continuous political mobilisation.
We are not seeing this political mobilisation from Michael, the PF and its government. Michael is a politician and not a bureaucrat. If he wants to work like a bureaucrat, and not like a political leader, opposition will grow and become stronger even against the best of his decisions, deeds or actions.
Michael will only be able to deliver if he performs his tasks without being isolated from the masses of the people he is leading and he is able to lead the whole mass forward. And without continuous engagement of the masses of our people in the most diverse sphere of activity, there can be no question of any success in what Michael is doing.
The reaction to this very correct, very noble, very well-intentioned re-alignment of districts and provinces must be a wake-up call to Michael and his colleagues, and indeed to all of us, that there is no alternative to continuous mass mobilisation, to continuous political work among the masses for government policies and programmes, no matter how good and well-intentioned they may be, to be supported and accepted.
Clearly, there is nothing wrong with Michael's re-alignment of districts and provinces. He is absolutely right in everything that he has done so far on this score. And the fear this has generated among some people in Southern Province is totally unfounded - it's simply fear of the unknown. We have asked many people how these re-alignments are going to affect them or are going to affect anyone.
What are they losing? What is it that is bothering them, that is troubling them about these re-alignments? How is any chief or village headman or indeed his subjects going to be affected by these re-alignments?
We all know very well that these re-alignments are not in any way altering the boundaries of chiefdoms or villages. Even colonial borders among our countries have in some way failed to alter kingdoms. We still have chiefs in this country who are answerable to kings who are based in neighbouring countries. And we have chiefs in this country who control villages that are situated in neighbouring countries.
Michael's re-alignment of districts and provinces has not in any way attempted to reduce any chief's sphere of influence. And we again ask, with respect and in good faith, anyone who is affected in any way by these re-alignments to come forward and show how that is so.
Of course, we know that while Michael is not politicking about this issue, his political opponents are busy doing so. Opposition UPND has been very consistent in its opposition of these re-alignments. The reaction of Hakainde Hichilema, the president of UPND, to the re-alignment of Northern and Eastern provinces and the creation of Muchinga Province was one anchored on regionalism and tribalism.
Hakainde accused Michael of using the creation of Muchinga Province as a vehicle for the allocation of more resources to one region. That was Hakainde's reaction to that and his opposition to the creation of Muchinga Province - nothing more, nothing less.
They were equally not happy with the moving of the provincial headquarters from Livingstone to Choma. They saw it as a scheme to undermine them politically and otherwise. In all these re-alignments, all they see is some political scheme by Michael to strengthen himself politically and in the process weaken them politically; they see regionalism and tribalism in all this.
Assuming Michael, as a politician, has some other hidden political agenda over these re-alignments, the question that arises is: how is it going to personally benefit him? We are of the view that if Michael has any ill-intention and is doing all these things to benefit himself politically and disadvantage his political opponents, it won't work, it won't do - he won't get much political capital out of it.
What is clear is that UPND is mobilising against these very necessary and legitimate re-alignments on a regional and tribal basis. This does not surprise us because this is what UPND is - a regional and tribal party.
And there is empirical data to show that it is a regional party, a party of Southern Province, a party of one tribe. To expect them to act in national interest is asking too much. These are people who are troubled even by the victory of the national soccer team.
They were short of just telling their supporters not to join the celebrations. Look at how they reacted to the "don't kubeba" goal celebrations! These are amazing characters who are completely lost in regional and tribal politics. But this will devour them.
And it is for this reason that Michael and his colleagues should not leave things to chance, should thoroughly explain everything they are doing to the people so that regionalists and tribalists are not given much room to manoeuvre, to tell lies and to mislead the masses of our people.
Southern Province is part of the unitary state of Zambia and it will not be allowed to be a Bantustan or a playground for regionalists and tribalists. They will never rule Southern Province as a Bantustan.
They may have collected most of their votes from this area but they don't govern Southern Province - Michael and the PF are governing today and they are in charge of Southern Province as part of the unitary state of the Republic of Zambia.
We know this is choking them and driving them mad - Chainama may be their next stop if they don't control their envy, frustration, hatred and anger.
Labels: CHIEFS, DISTRICTS, OBBY CHIBULUMA, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Itezhi-tezhi should remain in S/Province - Munkombwe
By Ernest Chanda and Allan Mulenga
Tue 14 Feb. 2012, 13:01 CAT
VETERAN politician Daniel Munkombwe says the government should take back Itezhi-tezhi district to Southern Province because of complications in chiefs' boundaries. And Alliance for Democracy and Development president Charles Milupi has opposed President Michael Sata's decision to move Itezhi-tezhi and Chirundu from Southern Province to Central and Lusaka provinces respectively.
Commenting on President Sata's recent detachment of Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi districts from the Southern Province, Munkombwe said the move would cause complications.
Munkombwe said while he did not have a problem with the President taking Chirundu to Lusaka Province, he saw problems with Itezhi-tezhi.
"I don't want to speak for those in government, but I have my own view. Chirundu, I have no problem. Itezhi-tezhi, if they can suggest that chief Shezongo and chief Musungwa remain in the Southern Province because they're part of Southern Province; Kafue (River) then would be the natural boundary," said Munkombwe.
"And the four chiefs on the western part of Kafue River would be in the Central Province; that would make sense. But the two chiefs, Shezongo and chief Musungwa, should remain in the Southern Province because they can't cross the river to come to the Central Province. That is the only comment that I can make. I have no problem with anything else."
In a memorandum to Secretary to the Cabinet Evans Chibiliti, President Sata directed that a government gazette notice be issued to move the recently created Chirundu district from Southern Province to Lusaka and Itezhi-tezhi district to Central Province.
President Sata consequently directed that the Surveyor General moves in quickly to align the boundaries of the two districts on the new provinces to which they have been re-located.
He said the re-alignment was part of his robust programme to give practical expression to the decentralisation programme and eventual devolution of power to districts.
"It is a fact that a district such as Itezhi-tezhi is difficult to administer and pose huge logistical problems to be serviced because it is poorly located from the central administration point in Southern Province. For instance, to efficiently access Itezhi-tezhi, people have to pass through Lusaka and Central provinces," said Munkombwe.
"It is for this reason that this government sees an urgent need to discontinue this sad scenario which has denied our people the much needed development for many years now."
And Milupi said the realignment of districts would create animosity among indigenous people in the affected areas.
He said detaching Itezhi-tezhi from Southern Province would be dividing people, families and ethnic groupings.
"The government should not do things that unsettle the whole community. There should be reasons for whatever needs to be done. If you are going to go into the province because they didn't vote for you, or they didn't give you sufficient votes, or you think they are opposed to you and you are going to dismember them by removing districts that everybody is seeing, why are you doing that? No matter how solid the reasons that you attach to that, it will leave a sour taste in the mouth. For example, in Southern Province we fully know that Southern Province has been solid with the UPND. Even us as ADD we didn't perform very well in that province," he said.
Milupi urged the government to set priorities when it comes to policy issues.
"Some of the things being done to me are not a priority, but there are a lot of priority areas for me; fighting poverty, creation of employment, especially among the youths; empowering many of our citizens; these should have been priorities for which I am not seeing policy direction," said Milupi.
Labels: CHARLES MILUPI, DANIEL MUNKOMBWE, DISTRICTS, PROVINCES, SOUTHERN PROVINCE
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Realignment, reorganisation of provinces, districts
By The Post
Tue 07 Feb. 2012, 13:00 CAT
ZAMBIA is a unitary and indivisible state. This is what our Constitution says in Article 1. Zambia is not a constellation of Bantustans. Our provinces are not states. We are not a federation of states. Ours is an indivisible unitary state. The provinces we have are simply for administrative convenience. And as such, they can be rearranged whenever the administration sees the need to do so to achieve higher levels of efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness.
But we seem to have some people who see these administrative provinces as countries within a country. They are not - they are simply provinces put up by the government of the day for administrative convenience.
And this is why the number of our provinces and districts has been changing, has been increasing. It is not something cast in stone. There are no sacred provincial boundaries. Those in government can increase the number of provinces at any time. And can come up with new districts at any time. There is no province that is owned by a tribe or a group of tribes.
And moreover, who came up with these provinces? Who gave us the provinces we today feel so much attached to? Who gave us these districts we today want to glorify? Some of them were left for us by the colonialists. Some of them we created on our own. And we will continue to reorganise our country into units that make it easy for us to manage and efficiently deliver services to our people. What Michael Sata's government is doing is the right thing.
There is need to administratively reorganise our provinces and districts. All the provinces and districts of this country belong to this country. They can be subdivided or consolidated in any way those in government deem fit. And they have the mandate, legally, politically or otherwise to do so.
We know that such realignment of provinces or districts may not always go well with tribalists or regionalists. To them, the reorganisation of any province or district is seen as a regional or tribal political power scheme - either to consolidate one's hold on power or to weaken that of others.
They have serious difficulties seeing it as a way of trying to improve administrative efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness. When Muchinga Province was created out of Northern and Eastern provinces as a the tenth province of our country, the tribalists or regionalists saw this as a way of attempting to push more resources to one region.
They saw nothing good in it. They could not even acknowledge the bare fact that Northern Province was too big geographically to administer as one unit. They could also not acknowledge the fact that the northern parts of Eastern Province were not receiving adequate attention due to logistical constraints caused by geographical factors.
To them, everything is seen from the angle of tribe, of region and not from how it will benefit the people. They are even forgetting that Lusaka Province, as we know it today, was only created out of Central Province by Dr Kenneth Kaunda's government in 1976. Again, this was for administrative convenience.
We urge Michael's government to listen respectfully to every reaction on this issue - including the reactions from diehard tribalists and regionalists. But at the end of the day, the government should go ahead and do that which it deems best for our country and our people. Obligations to the people should always take precedence over the feelings and sentiments of politically powerful tribalists or regionalists.
What is important is to deliver services to the people. And there is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it should be able to deliver services.
Michael has shown a lot of courage in some of the decisions he has taken so far. And we should not forget that the ways in which we will achieve our goals are bound by context, changing with circumstances even while remaining steadfast in our commitment to our vision.
The changes Michael is making will carry away the foliage of tribalism and regionalism which has accumulated in the hearts of some of our people, and to which colonialism gave birth.
Let us now, drawing strength from the national unity that we have so far forged, together grasp the opportunities and realise the vision of Zambia as a unitary and indivisible sovereign state enshrined in our Constitution.
Where there is need to change our structures to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness of our government, let us do so without hesitation. It is said that belief in the possibility of change and renewal is perhaps one of the defining characteristics of politics.
Let us organise our society and get rid of every practice that divided us and weakened us. There are some people who still want to live in colonial Bantustans which brought us nothing but subjugation, poverty, ignorance and disease. And this continues to live with us today in the leaking roofs; in the bulging stomachs of hungry children; in the darkness of homes without electricity; and in the heavy pails of dirty water that rural women carry long distances to cook and quench their thirst.
Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now. And that future is not one of ease or of resting but of incessant striving so that our leaders may fulfil the pledges they have so often taken. The service of Zambia means the service of the millions who suffer.
It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the founders of our Republic was to wipe out poverty, ignorance and disease from the face of our country. That may be beyond us, but as long as there is poverty, ignorance, disease and despair, this work should continue, and will not be over.
We have hard work ahead. We cannot encourage Bantustan politics or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought and in action. We must hold together. This is time for big thinking. This is time to forget the small things, of which we have thought too much. Unless we face this fact, we shall pay the price that must be paid by people who are petty and narrow-minded.
There are some regionalists or tribalists who think that devolution is simply about sharing of the country's resources, natural or otherwise. When Michael talks about devolution, we don't think he is in any way talking about the creation of Bantustans; he is talking about increasing efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness in the delivery of government services to the masses of our people; he is talking about bringing government as close as possible to the people.
It's not about the creation of Bantustans so that people get very worried about where this or that economic activity takes place or is situated. Why should one worry about whether Itezhi-tezhi Dam is in Southern or Central provinces? Why should one worry about whether Chirundu is in Southern Province or Lusaka Province? Are our people restricted in terms of movement, in terms of where they work or reside? Moreover, where do these tribalists or regionalists reside? Most of them reside in Lusaka Province and their investments are here.
Has that ever worried them? What they are worried about is not the welfare of the people of Chirundu or Itezhi-tezhi. They are simply worried about their imaginary loss of political power as a result of this realignment of districts. That's what they care about.
They are not in any way concerned about the people of Itezhi-tezhi or Chirundu. These are simply selfish elements that care for no one else other than themselves. And they try to use the tribe or origin to make themselves politically relevant. But we can assure them that this approach will make them politically irrelevant and it's just a matter of time before they disappear from our politics.
And we therefore urge Michael and his government to continue realigning, reorganising our provinces and districts in a manner that will enable government to deliver efficient, effective and orderly services to the great majority of our people, especially the poor.
Labels: ACKSON SEJANI, DISTRICTS, MICHAEL SATA, PROVINCES
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Chirundu, Itezhi-tezhi leave S/Province
By Bright Mukwasa
Tue 07 Feb. 2012, 13:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has with immediate removed Chirundu and Itezhi tezhi from Southern Province and added the districts to Lusaka and Central provinces, respectively.
But UPND chairman for elections Ackson Sejani says it is unwise to remove Chirundu from Southern Province and put it to Lusaka. Meanwhile, President Sata has appointed Evans Chibiliti as Secretary to the Cabinet subject to ratification by Parliament.
He has also appointed youth and sports permanent secretary Teddy Mulonga as deputy secretary to the Cabinet in charge of administration.
In a memorandum to Chibiliti, President Sata directed that a government gazette notice be issued to move the recently created Chirundu district from Southern Province to Lusaka and Itezhi-tezhi district to Central Province.
President Sata consequently directed that the Surveyor-General moves in quickly to align the boundaries of the two districts on the new provinces to which they have been re-located.
President Sata said the re-alignment was part of his robust programme to give practical expression to the decentralisation programme and eventual devolution of power to districts.
"In line with our government policy guided by the Patriotic Front manifesto, we consider local government as a central feature of the party's broader aspiration of a well devolved power structure where decision-making processes are as close as possible to the people," President Sata said in a statement issued by his special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah.
He said the decentralisation policy would only show results once practical steps are taken to properly position both geographical and administrative systems.
"It is a fact that a district such as Itezhi-tezhi is difficult to administer and pose huge logistical problems to be serviced because it is poorly located from the central administration point in Southern Province," President Sata said. "For instance, to efficiently access Itezhi-tezhi, people have to pass through Lusaka and Central provinces. It is for this reason that this government sees an urgent need to discontinue this sad scenario which has denied our people the much needed development for many years now."
President Sata said the move to re-align the districts was in a bid to improve service delivery and public administration.
But Sejani, during a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, said the decision to move Chirundu and Itezhi-tezhi from Southern Province to Lusaka and Central provinces, respectively could only be from a person who has a hidden agenda beyond what had been explained.
"Chirundu is historically, culturally, economically, politically part and parcel of Gwembe Valley that stretches from Chirundu to Livingstone. It would therefore be unwise to suggest that Chirundu is moved from Southern Province. This will not be allowed to happen in a democratic dispensation," Sejani said.
He also said the proposal to move Itezhi-tezhi from Southern to Central Province would disorient the local people.
"Imagine what will become of Southern Province if Chirundu is taken to Lusaka Province and Itezhi-tezhi to Central province, meaning the Kariba and new Itezhi-tezhi hydro-power stations will be removed from Southern Province. These boundary schemes are meant to deny some provinces of key revenue sources after devolution of power," he said.
Sejani advised President Sata and the PF administration to appoint an inclusive delimitation commission so that national consensus is achieved in the process of decentralisation.
Labels: ACKSON SEJANI, CHIRUNDU, DECENTRALIZATION, DISTRICTS, EVANS CHIBILITI, MICHAEL SATA, PROVINCES
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Sata tells new BOZ Governor to work on the weakening Kwacha
TIME PUBLISHED - Thursday, December 29, 2011, 1:13 pm
President Michael Sata has urged the newly appointed Bank of Zambia Governor Michael Gondwe to
enforce the statutory instruments that will enable the central bank keep record of how much is being raised from the export of minerals such as emeralds.The president says this will enable the people of Zambia benefit from the resources that the country is endowed with. Mr Sata has also challenged Dr Gondwe to ensure that the central bank comes up with measures that will help strengthen the Kwacha.
The head of state has noted that the Kwacha is currently the weakest currency in the world a situation he says posses a threat to the economic performance of Zambia.
President Sata was speaking at State house this morning when he swore-in Dr. Michael Gondwe and Musa Mwenye as Bank of Zambia Governor and Solicitor General respectively.
And president Sata has also urged Mr. Mwenye to work with the legal experts to revamp the legal aid sytem in the country to allow more people have access to legal representation.
The president has also indicated the need for district attorneys saying this will help strengthen the judicial system in the country.
Meanwhile president has declared Vumbwi and Lunga as new districts in the eastern and luapula provinces saying this will help improve administration as the 2 areas are too remote to fall under Chadiza and Samfya respectively.
The president has also sworn-in seven diplomats to serve in various countries as well as two permanent secretaries.
The president has since urged the diplomats to ensure that they represent Zambia well and work towards strengthening ties between Zambia and the countries in which they will serve.
President Sata added the ministry of foreign affairs had been having problems in trying to clear some officials in the countries that they are supposed to serve because of the bad reputation that some former Zambian envoys had left behind.
And foreign affairs minister Chishimba Kambwili says the PF government has been vindicated by the fact that they have not appointed any political cadres to serve in the foreign mission as was the trend under the MMD government.
The minister told journalists that the diplomats have been appointed based on their qualifications.
QFM
Labels: BOZ, CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, KWACHA, MICHAEL SATA, PROVINCES
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