The law on television licence is punitive, says Nyirenda
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sat 22 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
FORMER Kasenengwa UNIP member of parliament Timothy Nyirenda has urged the government to amend the law on television licence because it is punitive.
Nyirenda told the parliamentary committee on information and broadcasting, which had a one-day sitting in Chipata to look at the mandatory migration from analog to digital system, that it was bad that some people were forced to pay TV licence when they did not watch Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television.
“The analog television system has not helped us here in Chipata. For example, when you reach the Chipata Motel area you cannot watch ZNBC TV but meanwhile all of us are forced to pay K3,000 TV licence fee. And this law which brought about TV licence is bad, punitive and should be amended,” Nyirenda said.
He said the government had not done enough to sensitize people on the migration from analog to digital system.
Nyirenda said people were already facing a lot of problems with the analog system.
Kapata ward councillor Sinoya Mwale said people especially from rural areas needed more sensitization about the transition from analog to digital.
Eastern Province FDD information and publicity secretary Frank Banda said the government should ensure that people were informed about the migration because the issue may be politicised.
Nakonde MMD parliamentarian Clever Silavwe, one of the committee members, said the mandatory migration from analog to digital need to be taken seriously.
Silavwe said the change would have a lot of effects and should not be taken for granted.
Earlier, committee chairperson Mwansa Kapeya who is also Mpika Central legislator said all nations globally would adapt to the new digital technology in 2015.
He said the International Telecommunications Union meeting that was held in 2006 in Geneva (Switzerland) decided that a change from analog to digital should be effected.
The parliamentary committee also had a meeting in Katete on Wednesday.
Labels: LICENSES, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA
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The law on television licence is punitive, says Nyirenda
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sun 16 May 2010, 03:30 CAT
FORMER Kasenengwa UNIP member of parliament Timothy Nyirenda
has urged the government to amend the law on television licence because it is punitive.
Nyirenda told the parliamentary committee on information and broadcasting, which had a one-day sitting in Chipata to look at the
mandatory migration from analog to digital system, that it was bad that some people were forced to pay TV licence when they did not watch Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television.
“The analog television system has not helped us here in Chipata. For example, when you reach the Chipata Motel area you cannot watch ZNBC TV but meanwhile all of us are forced to pay K3,000 TV licence fee. And this law which brought about TV licence is bad, punitive and should be amended,” Nyirenda said.
He said the government had not done enough to sensitize people on the migration from analog to digital system.
Nyirenda said people were already facing a lot of problems with the analog system.
Kapata ward councillor Sinoya Mwale said people especially from rural areas needed more sensitization about the transition from analog to digital.
Eastern Province FDD information and publicity secretary Frank Banda said the government should ensure that people were informed about the migration because the issue may be politicised.
Nakonde MMD parliamentarian Clever Silavwe, one of the committee members, said the mandatory migration from analog to digital need to be taken seriously.
Silavwe said the change would have a lot of effects and should not be taken for granted.
Earlier, committee chairperson Mwansa Kapeya who is also Mpika Central legislator said all nations globally would adapt to the new digital technology in 2015.
He said the International Telecommunications Union meeting that was held in 2006 in Geneva (Switzerland) decided that a change from analog to digital should be effected.
The parliamentary committee also had a meeting in Katete on Wednesday.
Labels: LICENSES, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA
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50 UNIP members defect to PF
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 20 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
FORMER Kasenengwa UNIP member of parliament Timothy Nyirenda has said the party will never regain its popularity because of interference from Dr Kenneth Kaunda. And former member of the Central Committee in charge of the youth, Mulenga Mwiche has attributed the MMD’s growing unpopularity to Dr Kaunda.
Nyirenda, who led 50 other members of Zambia’s oldest political party as they officially defected to the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) in Lusaka yesterday, bemoaned the party’s phase out of the political scene.
He said it was sad that there was no hope of UNIP rising again despite his commitment and that of many others.
“It is in one way the saddest day for me because I leave a party that I loved so much. It is sad that UNIP will never rise again because it is in the hands of one man, Dr Kaunda. UNIP has now become a family party where those of us who tried to revive it were called names. We fought hard to revive the party but because it was under the hand of Dr Kaunda we were frustrated. UNIP is no more and only Ostriches will not believe this,” Nyirenda said.
He appealed to his colleagues to view PF leader Michael Sata as a changed person.
“Those of us who believe in the Bible know the story of a man called Saul who later turned into Paul. Many of us have viewed Mr Sata as a bad man and we despised him. But I’m here to appeal to you that we join him and work with him because he is truly a changed man; he has changed from Saul to Paul,” said Nyirenda.
And Mwiche said Dr Kaunda’s association with the MMD had greatly cost the party because Zambians still remembered his tyranny during his reign.
Mwiche who also defected to the PF accused Dr Kaunda of befriending President Rupiah Banda in order to protect his family legacy.
“UNIP has lost direction due to Dr Kaunda’s influence. The old man has destroyed the party, it has become irrelevant and yet it is the founding party of this country. The party has been reduced to a family club where if you don’t dance to the tune of the old man Dr Kaunda then you are irrelevant,” Mwiche charged.
“It has been reduced to a cult. May I urge the PF government not to allow Dr Kaunda to influence them when they come into power? Those of you who remember very well know that Mr Rupiah Banda was a member of the UNIP central committee. And he tried hard to remove Kaunda’s influence on the party but he got frustrated and retired to his farm. And now that he is President Dr Kaunda wants to use him to preserve his family.”
And welcoming the defectors, PF vice-president Guy Scott justified his party’s delayed convention.
“Many times we’ve been condemned as PF for not going for a convention. Imagine if we had gone for a convention early, all these people joining us would not have had a chance of vying for different positions in the party. You’ve seen our programme of electing party leadership at different levels. I encourage you all to compete for all the positions since we are one family,” said Scott.
Labels: PF, PF-UPND, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA, UNIP
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‘Chipata-Mchinji rail line operations may take time’
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sat 12 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) chairperson Timothy Nyirenda said it might take time to make the Chipata/Mchinji railway line operational.
In an interview after witnessing the arrival of the first train carrying ballast which used the Chipata/Mchinji railway line on Thursday, Nyirenda said there were a lot of things that needed to be done on the railway line.
“There is still a lot to be done on this railway line, there are some places which still needs ballast so there will be a train coming from Malawi that will be bringing this until the railway line is fully completed.
At the moment there is no dry port so government should find a place for this again we don't know a company that will be running this railway line. We don't know whether there is a line for this railway project in next yearís budget otherwise it might be operational in the next years to come,î Nyirenda said.
He said the government should also make a road that would lead to the dry port.
Nyirenda urged the business community in the province to take advantage of the railway line that was expected to start operating in the next three months.
He said he was hopeful that the government would find funds meant for the completion of the project.
Nyirenda said he was grateful to the Malawian and Mozambican governments for working closely with the Zambian government in ensuring that the project was successful.
Labels: CHIPATA-MCHINJI RAILWAY, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA
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Nyirenda calls for govt support to boost business in E/Province
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
EASTERN Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) chairperson Timothy Nyirenda has said businesses in the province still faces challenges which need government support.
And Commerce deputy minister Richard Taima said the government is committed to seeing that Zambia becomes the best destination for doing business.
During the Private Sector Reform Programme meeting in Chipata on Wednesday, Nyirenda said the processing of applications for the Citizen Economic Empowerment funds needed to be user friendly.
He said the amounts approved at provincial levels needed to be increased from the current K50 million which was the maximum that a province could receive.
Nyirenda said although the processing of papers at Patent and Companies Registration Office (PACRO) had improved, the other procedures after a business had been registered still took too long.
He also said the province only received one third of the electricity required, making it impossible for some industries to be established in the province or expand.
Nyirenda said most of the bad economic conditions affected the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
"For example, financial policies favours large corporation, interest rates are still too high. Some of the policies of large corporations do not encourage competition and affects small businesses especially here in the province for example Zambia Breweries, they have only one agent for soft drinks and one agent for beers in the whole Chipata district. This obviously requires small business operating far from the town centre travel distances to acquire their commodities," he said.
Nyirenda also said Lafarge Cement, until two weeks ago, had only one agent in Chipata.
And Taima said the government wanted to ensure that the private sector had an opportunity to do business, thereby adding value to the country.
He urged the business community in the province to initiate business ventures that the government would support.
Taima said the private sector in Eastern Province should take advantage of the neighbouring countries by doing meaningful business.
Labels: BUSINESS, CHIPATA, EPCCI, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA
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Chiluba has been acquitted by govt, not court – Nyirenda
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Saturday, October 03, 2009 5:40:56 PM
FORMER Kasenengwa UNIP member of parliament Timothy Nyirenda has said the government wants to regulate the media to punish newspapers that are critical on issues. And Nyirenda said former president Frederick Chiluba was acquitted by the government and not the court.
Nyirenda, who is also UNIP Revival Forum vice national chairperson, said the media should not be regulated.
“You cannot regulate the media. Let them prepare their own regulation and give them enough time because if you do… knowing well how the government works, they will prepare regulation in such a way to suit them to punish newspapers that are very critical about issues. Tomorrow when they will be going to opposition, they will be the same people who will start fighting for unregulated media," Nyirenda said.
He said the government wanted to regulate the media because they were not happy with the private media.
“Even television stations very soon they will be cracking on them just because they just want to protect themselves before 2011 so that they put rules and regulation on how the media can operate… so that it suits them for campaign. But I’m hoping that Zambians will not allow that to happen, including those who think well in the ruling party,” Nyirenda said. “They should not forget some of these things they pass. Honourable Michael Sata was in the forefront of passing a law so that when people steal motor vehicles they are not bailed. He was one of the first victims, I’m sure now he has learnt that you cannot pass a law to punish the people. Now these who are in power, they have a lot of power. They can do what they want but they should know that tomorrow they will not be there. The same law they are passing now, it will be the same law that will haunt them tomorrow.
“So they should not pass the law to punish others. They should pass the law to protect and serve the society. They should not pass a law to protect themselves. For how long are they going to pass such laws? Chances are 99.9 per cent that in 2011 come June, because now elections have to be held early because of the change in the budget cycle, they will be leaving so they should not regulate the media. They should allow the media to regulate themselves.”
He urged the media not to be selective in their coverage.
And Nyirenda said it was unfortunate that Chiluba's case had been surrounded by politics.
"If the politicians were quiet and the acquittal happens genuinely, one would have said okay they would appeal. But they have refused to appeal. Now one has it that the government actually are the ones that acquitted Chiluba, not the courts. The courts just rubberstamped and it’s unfortunate that if we stop trusting in the courts there will be chaos in this country because right now no politician will trust the court. So the court has got to clean itself. …It’s unfortunate and now this has tainted the whole Judiciary because the Judiciary has got to be really very clean," said Nyirenda. "I will tell you a typical example where the Judiciary went wrong. They had allowed UDA [United Democratic Alliance] at one point, the Chief Justice confirmed that UDA is an illegal organisation but ‘we will allow them to participate in an election’. The Chief Justice allowed that, then later on UDA disintegrated the same Chief Justice allowed the MPs under UDA to sit in Parliament. Clearly all those were terrible mistakes by the Judiciary because there are no MPs for UPND, UNIP or FDD, all MPs are UDA. But the Chief Justice has kept quiet knowing well enough that the same organisation was illegal, was bad and now he has made another one. UDA is not there but the MPs are still there.
“All these are mistakes that even the Chief Justice can’t be trusted. I don't know whether there are a lot of people who trust him. I, personally, I don't think I trust them. So they really have to clean themselves."
Labels: CHILUBA, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA, UNIP NATIONAL REVIVAL FORUM
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Teta's threats will spell doom for MMD, warns Timothy Nyirenda
By Mwala Kalaluka, Maluba Jere and Christopher Miti
Wednesday October 22, 2008 [04:01]
Benny Tetamashimba's empty threats against Easterners that are opposed to Vice-President Banda's presidential candidature will spell doom for the MMD on October 30, UNIP Revival Forum vice-chairperson Timothy Nyirenda warned yesterday.
And FDD spokesperson Charles Banda described as weird Tetamashimba's threats that they will be beat up people from Eastern Province who will not vote for Vice-President Banda.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) executive director Goodwell Lungu has advised Vice-President Banda not to make political statements that will be difficult to implement.
Reacting to Tetamashimba's threats against Easterners at a rally addressed by Vice-President Banda in Nyimba on Monday that they would be beaten up if they did not vote for the Vice-President, Nyirenda said Tetamashimba should not cheat himself that he could beat anybody from Eastern Province.
“In fact, such statements are very destructive. They might say them but even in the Eastern Province they are going to lose,” Nyirenda said.
He said the people of Eastern Province would now shun Vice-President Banda and his cohorts more than before in view of such statements. He said this would pave way for an increase in popularity for PF president Michael Sata.
“I can tell you that previously Sata was not popular in Eastern Province, you remember the incident that happened in Chadiza? But now with such statements Rupiah Banda might just get less than 50 per cent of the vote in Eastern Province,” Nyirenda said.
On Monday, Nyirenda stated in a press release that the UNIP Revival Forum had endorsed the candidature of Sata in the October 30 presidential bout following thorough consultations.
And Charles Banda described Tetamashimba's thinking as weird and strange.
“We do not take kindly to such kind of threats. If he is tolerated in the North-Western Province, we are not going to tolerate that in the Eastern Province,” Charles Banda said. “Comrade Tetamashimba has a very weird and strange thinking; he is a weird person and his thinking is very strange. It is not normal and if that is the politics he practices in the North Western Province, where he whips people who do not obey him, he is not going to do that in the Eastern Province.”
Charles Banda said the people of Eastern Province had a right to choose who they want to vote for without being coerced.
“In a democracy, you practice politics of choice,” he said. “Tetamashimba's threats just show what kind of person Rupiah Banda is.”
Charles Banda recollected that at another rally addressed by Vice-President Banda in Solwezi recently, former works and supply minister Ludwig Sondashi openly threatened to beat up anybody who would mention the name Sata in his presence.
And commenting on Vice-President Banda's directive that defence forces should benefit from the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP), Goodwell Lungu advised Vice-President Banda to learn from his predecessor who he said did not thrive on a lot of political statements aimed at influencing voters but tried to stick to the reality of delivering on his promises.
“It is extremely unfortunate for the Vice-President to distort this well intended programme. The Fertiliser Support Programme should not be diverted from the actual intended beneficiaries for political mileage,” Lungu said.
The FSP is meant to empower vulnerable but viable farmers acquire fertiliser at subsidised prices.
And PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott described as naked electoral bribery the directive by Vice-President Banda that members of the defence forces should benefit from the FSP.
Dr Scott said he doubted whether the same fertiliser would be delivered, saying it took months for the government to import fertiliser into the country.
Meanwhile, Eastern Province PF chairperson Solomon Mbuzi has advised Tetamashimba to learn to preach tranquility and peace rather than fanning violence. He said being in a democratic country, easterners would vote for any candidate they like.
Mbuzi said PF would get over 65 per cent of the vote in Eastern Province.
Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, THE POST, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA
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Nyirenda opposes bid to change UNIP name
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday October 14, 2008 [04:00]
UNIP National Revival Forum vice-chairperson Timothy Nyirenda yesterday said it would be illegal to change the name of the party because UNIP has no central committee. And Nyirenda said the forum would put up an injunction against the current UNIP leadership to stop them from changing the name.
Commenting on the suggestion by Dr Kenneth Kaunda that UNIP should change its name to United National Integrated Party for it to suit current politics, Nyirenda said the Forum was created because the party had no central committee.
He accused Dr Kaunda and party president Tilyenji Kaunda of personalising the party.
"But what they want to do is change the name but not the initials. When they change the name, it will mean that UNIP is finished and they have been trying to do this for a long time so that they are not held accountable for the assets of UNIP since the party would have ceased to be," he said.
Nyirenda said people did not want to associate themselves with UNIP as long as Tilyenji's name was attached to it.
Nyirenda challenged Dr Kaunda and Tilyenji to disclose what they discussed with Vice-President Banda before they came up with the position to support the MMD.
He said the Forum had been trying to meet Vice-President Banda with no success and threatened to revisit their support for MMD and support another candidate.
Dr Kaunda on Sunday told UNIP members who were attending a national leadership meeting of the 34th national council that the oldest party would in 2011 stand to integrate Zambia, as it was a sovereign nation.
And the delegations endorsed the proposal to change the party's name to move with the changes in local politics.
Vice-President Njekwa Anamela said changing the name of the party would give it a new image and vision and make it stronger.
The resolution was subject to ratification by the national congress.
Tilyenji said time had come to make decisions and chart a new direction for the party.
Labels: TIMOTHY NYIRENDA, UNIP, UNIP NATIONAL REVIVAL FORUM, UNITED NATIONAL INTEGRATED PARTY
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