Vera avoids shaking hands with Chiluba, Regina
By Christopher Miti and Chibaula Silwamba in Mtenguleni
Wed 03 Mar. 2010, 04:30 CAT
VERA Chiluba Tembo on Saturday avoided shaking hands with her former husband Frederick Chiluba and his wife Regina at Mpezeni's temporal residence Laweni when the former head of state went to pay a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Ngoni people.
And Vice-President George Kunda said Zambian languages and customs are under threat because of modern technology. Meanwhile, Mpezeni has suspended the Lusaka Nc'wala Ceremony Organising Committee for allegedly leaking information that South African President Jacob Zuma and President Rupiah Banda would not attend this year's Nc'wala traditional ceremony.
Vera, who is also environment and natural resources deputy minister, was among senior government and MMD officials that queued to welcome dignitaries at Laweni, a temporal house where Mpezeni stays two nights before, during and immediately after the Nc'wala traditional ceremony.
As Chiluba and Regina approached the Laweni yard, Vera quickly stepped out of the queue and joined the Ngoni Impis who were singing and dancing on the other side of Laweni.
After Chiluba and Regina greeted the officials, met Mpezeni and left the Lewani, Vera returned to the queue and welcomed other dignitaries who were going to pay courtesy call on the Paramount Chief.
When Vice-President Kunda arrived at Laweni, Vera got an animal-skin-made Ngoni traditional headdress and dressed it on the Vice-President's head.
When approached later at the Nc'wala main arena for an interview to explain about what happened at Laweni, Vera refused, saying: “Tawelela mwambo kuno. Mwauona mwambo. We have come for the ceremony. You have seen the ceremony.”
And Vice-President Kunda observed that Zambia's languages and oral traditions were under threat because some parents were failing to teach their children to use them.
“As parents, we must ensure that the television, internet and other media teach our children our traditional and culture and heritage,” Vice-President Kunda said.
He said the government valued the role that chiefs and other traditional rulers played in safeguarding the country's cultural heritage.
“It is this cultural norms and practices which define our identity as a people. I must take this opportunity to assure your royal highnesses Inkosi-yamankosi and other royal highnesses in Zambia that we in the MMD government shall continue to give respect to their royal highnesses,” said Vice-President Kunda.
And Mpezeni, speaking through Rasford Ngoma, commended President Rupiah Banda and his government for sustaining the economy despite the global economic crisis.
He urged the people and the governments of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to take advantage of the growth triangle initiative.
“This is a good idea,” Mpezeni said.
He said Eastern Province is a major agricultural producing area and had great potential for being the bread basket for Zambia provided the government continued with good policies to support the agricultural sector.
Mpezeni asked the government to upgrade the Great East Road into a dual-carriage way to cope with the anticipated increased vehicles in view of the commissioning of the Zambia-Malawi railway line, which is expected to be done soon.
Mpezeni said the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) must buy all farm produce.
Meanwhile, during the ceremony, Mpezeni announced that the Lusaka Nc'wala Ceremony Organising Committee headed by Ruskin Jere had been replaced by a new committee to be headed by Meanwood's Robinson Kaleb Zulu and would be helped by Rasford Ngoma.
According to sources close to Mpezeni, the committee was suspended following a statement by a self-proclaimed Ngoni elder Rabson Jere that President Zuma was not coming for the ceremony despite being invited.
The source said Jere's statement angered Mpezeni and other Ngoni chiefs.
Mpezeni suspected that the information about President Zuma's failure to attend the ceremony was leaked by the Lusaka Nc'wala Ceremony Organising Committee hence his decision to suspend it.
President Banda did not attend the ceremony because he is in China for a state visit until March 4, 2010.
Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, REGINA CHILUBA, VERA CHILUBA
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Govt sends Chiluba, Regina to Nigeria on holiday
By Chibaula Silwamba
Mon 23 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda’s government has sent former president Frederick Chiluba and his wife Regina for a two-week holiday in Nigeria after his controversial acquittal last August on corruption charges.
Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba yesterday confirmed Chiluba’s trip to Nigeria.
“Dr Chiluba is in Nigeria for a two weeks holiday. He went to Lagos on Tuesday, 17th November, 2009.
He is expected back at the month-end. Today Sunday, he was seen on a live programme attending prophet Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua’s synagogue on Emmanuel TV, a Christian channel,” Mwamba said. “This is Dr Chiluba’s first holiday, other than his medical trips to South Africa since he left office. He is accompanied by his wife Mrs Regina Chiluba and two security officials.”
Asked if Chiluba’s trip was financed by the government under his conditions as former head of state, Mwamba responded: “Oh yeh. It’s purely a holiday.”
Ndola High Registrar Jones Chinyama, sitting as a magistrate in Lusaka, on August 17, 2009, acquitted Chiluba on charges of theft involving US $500, 000 public funds when he was head of state.
The acquittal has raised a lot controversy in the country, especially after pronouncements by President Banda and some of his key ministers suggesting that the government ‘fixed’ the acquittal.
Labels: CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA, VERA CHILUBA
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Not all is lost for Chiluba - Vera
By Inonge Noyoo
Monday July 30, 2007 [04:00]
NOT all is lost for Chiluba, his former wife Vera Tembo (right) has said. And Vera has said that she does not consider Chiluba an enemy despite the fact they are now divorced. In an interview yesterday, Vera expressed sympathy at former president Frederick Chiluba’s state of health.
“Well, I don’t want to say much really but I can only say, not all is lost for him. He should seek solace in God, put all his trust in Him,” she said.
Vera said she prayed for Chiluba every day. She wished him a quick recovery and advised that with God all things were possible.
“I sympathise with Chiluba very much over his illness and everything else and I pray for him every day. I pray that he gets better and hopefully get healed. He has to look to God and God first because God is the one Who heals,” she said.
Vera said she was impressed with Chiluba’s statement made at Lusaka International Airport before his departure for South Africa that he had left everything to God. She expressed optimism that Chiluba would get better with time. And Vera dismissed rumours that the two were not on talking terms and had a bitter relationship after their divorce.
“Chiluba is not my enemy. We are not enemies. Maybe…. I don’t know about him but as far as I am concerned we are not enemies. Just because we don’t meet and maybe we don’t talk very much does not mean we are enemies. I don’t have enemies because I am a Christian now,” she said.
Last Friday, Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba revealed that the former Republican president was not responding well to treatment. Mwamba said Chiluba suffered a relapse after he collapsed on May 24.
Mwamba said Chiluba's doctors had expressed concern when he collapsed and was admitted for five days at the University Teaching Hospital. He said the doctors disclosed that Chiluba had suffered a relapse and recommended for him to go for medical review. Chiluba left for South Africa on Friday afternoon.
Chiluba is facing corruption charges and has a pending matter in the Lusaka Magistrates' Court where he is charged with theft of about US $500,000. Chiluba and former Access Finance Services directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu are charged on six counts of theft by public servant.
The trio is alleged to have stolen the money between 1998 and 1999.
Chiluba has another matter before the Lusaka High Court in a case where he and others are challenging the registration of the London High Court judgment that found him liable of defrauding Zambia of about US $58 million. They have since filed affidavits in support of summons to set aside the said London judgment. The matter comes up for ruling on August 10.
Labels: CHILUBA, VERA CHILUBA
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Don’t leave MMD presidency to men alone, advises Vera
By Inonge Noyoo
Tuesday March 13, 2007 [02:00]
MMD chairperson for women Vera Tembo has urged women not to leave the contest for the party presidency to men alone. And Vera, who is also deputy minister in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, said beer drinking has continued to be an impediment to many young people's future. In an interview, Vera challenged women to be courageous and declare their intention for the party presidency.
Asked if she had any intention of contesting the presidency, Vera said she had no intentions whatsoever, now and in the future. "No, no, no my dear... not at all. I will just rally behind whoever comes up," she said. Vera said there was nothing wrong with a woman declaring her intention to contest the MMD presidency as long as she had the quality for the job.
"We have been sitting idle for a long time and we have allowed men to intimidate us. I am happy that the President gave the green light for anyone to take up the challenge. He did not say just men should take up the challenge," she said. Vera said most women were never courageous.
"I have to encourage women to take part. You never know. With a woman president maybe things could change for the best after all women have hearts of mothers. So let the women come forward. We live in a democracy and we have equal democratic rights why should we let our men take the lead while we lag behind?" Vera asked.
"After all we are the majority voters and if we pledge our support for one candidate we can do it. If Liberia has a woman president and other women in other countries are coming up to take the lead, Hillary Clinton, for example. What will stop us?"
Vera said the tendency of leaving every challenging job to men was retrogressive to women's advancement. Sources within MMD have revealed names of men who are believed to be interested in the party presidency.
And commenting on Youth Day, which fell yesterday, Vera said beer and dagga were the worst enemies to most children's future.
"As parents we should be in the forefront of protecting and safeguarding our children's future. For example some parents send their children to buy beer or to buy them cigarettes. One wonders what kind of a future such parents are preparing for their children," she said. She said youths should aim at educating themselves as a guarantee to a good future. Vera said instead of wasting time smoking, drinking and being involved in illicit activities, young people should devote their time to school and academic other activities.
Labels: PRESIDENCY, VERA CHILUBA, WOMEN
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