Less than 24 hours after the Chipolopolo played Guinea Bissau at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium bolazambia.com looks at some of the memorable moments experienced in the heat of battle. Here we list 10 highlights as we ran through the show.

10. Not so long after the Chipolopolo starting XI had been named by coach George Lwandamina a bit of a media storm emerged in the tunnels at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium and one scribe could not hold and simply blew up saying, “But this Patson Daka who is he related to?”

9. While the Guinea Bissau side trudged onto the pitch an enlightened fan could not resist but add a naughty twist to the plot joking that having been ‘shopped’ across European countries the players were meeting on the pitch for the first time.

8. As the match wore on it did not take long for the weary fans to start blowing up all over the pitch and one gazing at the giant screen where an agitated Lwandamina popped remarked, “he looks like he has swallowed a wasp”. Maybe the irony was in the heat of the moment.

7. Not so impressed with the way things were going on the pitch an angry fan got everyone laughing behind the media tribune when he wryly referred to the Chipolopolo as “headless chickens”.

6. Emmanuel Mayuka’s exclusion from the team did not go unnoticed with a Chilenje fan travelling all the way from Lusaka saying there was still room for him at Mpanza Chiefs! Not sure the Southampton striker may have seen the jolly side of the remark.

5. And when the penalty came there just that sense of jubilation with some fans having applauded the referee loudly but by the time the spot kick was taken the joy had turned to despair.

4. Respected football writer Chapadongo Lungu maybe delivered a mortal blow to the national team bench when he rather unwittingly wondered out loud that he had thought Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba was injured that is why he did not make the line up. Of course the former Nkana wonder boy was up on all toes but just shunted to the bench.

3. Skipper Rainford Kalaba showed that he is not only smart with his legs but his wit as well when he rebutted a journalist who attempted to discuss with him the referee’s handling of the game. “I will not comment on that because it won’t change anything.”

2. Of course if your work is to sniff around for news then you should be raising eyebrows about the continued presence of a certain Erick Mwanza hitherto publicly advertised as our media man at CAF. Not so well publicized a return as was the entry. So what is going on?

1. FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya may have let slip an embarrassing revelation in his quest to quench the fuming fans’ anger with seasoned shot stopper Kennedy Mweene and said: “Mweene remains our first choice penalty taker and we will not change that.” So who is in charge of the national team responsibilities then? Maybe in the same breath Patson Daka will remain our number one choice twin striker!

Source: bolazambia.com

The post Highlights from the Zambia Vs Guinea Bissau appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has issued a 48hours ultimatum to the Zambia Police to arrest ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davis Chama for allegedly shooting its member Mushaukwa Mushaukwa.

UPND Deputy Secretary General Kuchunga Simusamba has threatened to effect citizens arrest on Chama as it believes he is not superior to the law.

Simusamba says the UPND expects that Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani should show leadership and bring to book Mr. Chama without fail.

Simusamba has also challenged the police to immediately use the newly purchased dialysis machine under the forensic department ascertain whose finger prints are on the gun which was used to shot at their member.

Simusamba has demanded that Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila halts the process of the on going mobile national registration card exercise because the projected numbers in the ruling PF strongholds are too high than in UPND strongholds.

The UPND Deputy Secretary General says the criteria being used by government to register are a clear sign that they want to rig elections in 2016.

He says the party has unearthed a scam where the registration officers are only ambushing the citizens in UPND strongholds without any publicity and even leave the place without reaching the target in a few days.

The post UPND Calling for The Arrest of Top PF Official appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Former Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba was this passed weekend installed as Rainbow party president in a ceremonial two-day national congress in Lusaka.

Kabimba said the congress also adopted the party’s manifesto which observers says is a socialist type of package promising nothing more than another of a Kaunda era style of leadership.

Kabimba urged party members to go out and explain why and how the Rainbow party is different from other political parties.

He said the party has a social and economic programme under socialism which shall bring about fundamental changes in the manner it intends to administer the government.

Kabimba contends the party will win the 2016 polls and form government.

But PF secretary general Davies Chama said Kabimba’s party will never form government but has the right to “dream” about the goal.

Chama said Fourth Revolution Party and the Forum for Democratic Alternatives will do better than the Rainbow party in the 2016 elections.

“If parties like FDD, who had experienced politicians, failed to form government, what about him? He is not a factor. Anyway, he has the right to dream,” he said.

Chama wondered how a party without structures would form government.

He said the PF will soon unveil some Rainbow party members who have returned to the fold of the ruling party.

He also wondered how Kabimba will manage to form government when he failed to win a parliamentary election in his constituency.

The post Kabimba Throws His Rainbow Party in the Mix appeared first on Zambia Reports.

GOVERNMENT’S quest to take quality healthcare to citizens will become real for 90,000 residents of Mpulungu where a newly built K20 million hospital will open in August.

A check by Health deputy minister Chitalu Chilufya found that works at the hospital, which has been under construction since 2010, have reached completion stage.

Dr Chilufya said the hospital, which will be the first in the district, will improve the delivery of healthcare services in Mpulungu and also help decongest the existing health centres.

And Mpulungu district commissioner Juliana Chuzu said much of the work at the hospital has already been done except for walkways and connecting water to the facility.

Chuzu said 10 staff houses have been constructed near the health facility.

The post New Hospital in Mpulungu appeared first on Zambia Reports.

So UPND and Rainbow Party have something in common. They both use RED color as a Party colour symbol.

And seem to indicate that he would go into working partnership with UPND?

Rainbow Party has no position for President and KABIMBA himself is the secretary general of the party.

Isn’t it that Rainbow Party would want to merge with UPND, hence placing HH as President and Kabimba as SG?

Could it be mere coincidence for Kabimba to adopt Red Colour as party color, maybe to show brotherhood with HH, afterall their originalities aren’t very different…
They are both from Southern Province under Bantu Botatwe.

Maybe??? That mixture?? Anyway, the melting points of certain mixtures reduce after all…

Edmond Soko

The post Citizen’s Views: A UPND and Rainbow (Kabimba & M’membe) Merger? appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Former Women for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe has triggered concerns for allegedly continuing to draw allowances and other perks from the non-governmental organisation she ceased heading a few years ago.

According to sources close to the development, Sikazwe – a member of the recently appointed Electoral Commission of Zambia commissioner – has allegedly been drawing a substantial amount of money from Women for Change as allowances.

This has been during the course of her operations as a member of the Legal Reforms Technical Committee (LRTC) headed by Justice Frederick Chomba which has been touring the country.

Sources report that Sikazwe drew allowances from the NGO even though she still got sitting and out of town allowances from the Ministry of Justice which oversees the LRTC.

It’s not the first time such concerns are coming up but Sikazwe seems to have a tight grip on the organisation which she headed for more than 10 years and so far seems to have systematically silenced all that think otherwise even after ‘leaving’ the lucrative executive director post. One source in the organisation says Sikazwe has even been bragging that she built the organisation from the scratch and made it what it is today.

“The only reason she does not want to let go of Women for Change is because the organisation attracts a lot of donor funding which runs in hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said another source. At the helm of Women for Change for more than 10 years, Sikazwe was a rock-hard critic of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) regime.

Born Emily Munthali of Malawian parents Sikazwe is an Eastern bloc trained agronomist who worked for what was then called the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development (MAWD) at Mulungushi house in Lusaka where she met a Dr. Sikazwe with whom she had two children, a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, Dr. Sikazwe passed on in the early 90s while the children were very young.

When the fourth session of the eleventh National Assembly resumes on June 16, 2015 one of the tasks before it will be to ratify the new chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Justice Essau Chulu and other new members to the commission like Sikazwe.

Efforts to get a comment from Sikazwe have been unsuccessful as her mobile phone went unanswered. However, the question begging answers is will the once upon a time outspoken NGO activist continue her ‘double tobela’ even as a commissioner at the ECZ?

The post Emily Sikwazwe’s Double “Tobela” Exposed appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The Patriotic Front says people criticizing it for embracing former President Rupiah Banda should not forget that he was Head of State who still deserved respect.

Provincial youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba said in the same spirit former President Dr Kenneth Kaunda held a special place in the history of Zambia so did President Banda who deserving recognition of having served the Zambian public.

He said alienating former leaders reflected badly on the country’s reputation especially that Zambia was held in high esteem internationally for upholding peace.

Kamba said there was nothing wrong with President Edgar Lungu having a good relationship with former Heads of State.

“Rupiah Banda is a former Head of State of Zambia and ruled this country so he deserves some respect whether or not we like it,” he said.

“Dr Kaunda ruled this country and also enjoys a good relationship with President Lungu which is good for the unity of this country.”

The post RB Deserves Respect – Kamba appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya struck an opportunistic posture in the international football politics by disowning his political godfather Sepp Blatter.

Bwalya, who barely 24 hours before the ill fated FIFA elections in Zurich trumpeted Blatter’s impeccable credentials saying, “he is the only one we know in Africa” but has washed his hands off the disgraced long serving FIFA chief.

Bwalya told the BBC in an interview that he was not aware of anyone who wanted Blatter back in the game.

He said that it was not possible that anybody from Africa was calling for Blatter to be re-instated.

Bwalya had in the run up to elections told the BBC and the British Guardian Newspaper of Blatter’s ‘impeccable credentials’.

The FAZ chief has become synonymous for his double dealing in international football politics and even got himself entangled in a highly publicized bribe scandal where he confessed to pocketing US$80, 000.

Blatter resigned after the FBI swung into action exposing massive corruption in FIFA and arresting seven of its 14 officials suspected of taking bribes during the course of the duties.

The 79-year-old Swiss stayed on to win a fifth mandate despite the corruption allegations but quit four days later when pressure mounted. Swiss media, quoting sources, have disclosed that Blatter is considering to stay after receiving solidarity from Africa and Asia.

The post Kalusha Disowns Blatter: “I’m Not Aware of Anyone Wanting Him Back” appeared first on Zambia Reports.

President Edgar Lungu has met with the newly elected Nigerian President Mohammed Buhari in South Africa.

Both leaders are in South Africa to attend the African Union Heads of State summit.

Nigeria and Zambia enjoy close ties with Vice President Inonge Wina having attended Buhari’s inauguration while on the business front Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote has opened a multimillion dollar cement plant in Zambia.

Buhari has begun his tenure with a vicious drive to wipe out the notorious terrorist group Boko Haram and has so far made some strides in that direction.

The post Pres. Lungu, Buhari Confer in South Africa appeared first on Zambia Reports.

The constitution amendment bill will be published in the government gazette week marking a notable step in the elusive constitution conclusion discourse.

And the Grand Coalition on the Constitution making process say it will back anti constitution amendment forces when the bill is tabled in parliament.

Acting President Ngosa Simbyakula said the draft bill was ready and will contain less contentious issues that will be published next week.

Before a bill is tabled in parliament it must be published in the government gazette 30 days before.

Simbyakula said that a referendum bill will also be introduced.

Government has said that an amendment to the constitution will be tabled in parliament while another bill that will open the way for a referendum next year will also be brought before the house.

Coalition spokesperson Father Leonard Chiti said that the grand coalition was hopeful that since the PF did not enjoy a two thirds majority to ensure guaranteed passage of the constitution amendment bill they were hopeful that the opposition could halt the process.

He said that they had been forced to back the opposition as the PF had refused to go the route of giving Zambians a new constitution before the 2016 general elections.
Fr Chiti said that there could be some PF members who may also share their position

The post Constitution Process Makes Headway Amid CSO Opposition appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Wynter Kabimba’s Rainbow Party is barely teething on the police scene but elements of its violent character are already manifesting with police arresting one of its members Tito Kashala, 30, for allegedly pointing a gun at a police officer.

The incident happened on Sunday night after an altercation between Kashala and a police officer identified as Ramgom Chinena, 40, on Bishops Road in Kabulonga.

Lusaka Province commissioner of police Charity Katanga said in an interview yesterday that Kashala was arrested yesterday.

She said Mr Kashala, of Lusaka’s Chelston was driving a Toyota Altezza registration number ALZ 4099 when the incident happened.

“This Rainbow Party member, Tito Kashala, had an altercation with a police officer named Ramgom Chinena, 40, of Mtendere over the manner he [the police officer] was driving on the road and when he stopped, he brandished a gun and threatened to shoot the police officer,” Katanga said.

She explained that Kashala and Chinena later resolved to report the matter to Kabulonga Police Post where police officers on duty explained that it is an offence to threaten to kill another person.

Katanga said at this point, Kashala bolted and left his vehicle.

She said Mr Kashala was yesterday summoned, detained and charged with threatening to kill a police officer.

“The gun has been confiscated for ballistic examination because police officers found empty cartridges in his vehicle.

“I wish to warn members of the public that it is a serious offence to threaten violence even if the act itself is not committed,” Katanga said.

Meanwhile, Katanga said a three-month-old baby was burnt to death in a house.

Katanga said the incident happened in Chazanga township on Sunday around 22:00 hours after a candle that was left burning dropped on powder, which exploded and burnt the sofa where the baby was sleeping.
She said property worth K11,000 was destroyed in the inferno.

The post New But Violent: Rainbow Member Arresting for Pointing Gun at Police Officer appeared first on Zambia Reports.

THE fourth session of the eleventh National Assembly, which adjourned sine die on March 26, resumes sittings today and is expected to discuss wide-ranging issues in its life.

Some of the issues expected to be tabled pertain to the constitution-making process and several bills which Cabinet has approved.

The Referendum and Constitutional Amendment Bill is expected to be tabled to shape the constitution-making programme which Zambia has embarked on.

The Income Tax Amendment Bill is also expected to be tabled following the proposed changes to the mining tax regime.

The Local Authorities Superannuation Fund (Amendment) Bill and National Pension Scheme (Amendment) Bill will seek to increase the retirement age to 60 years and provide for early retirement at 55 and late retirement at 65 years.

The House is also expected to ratify the appointment of Justice Esau Chulu as Electoral Commission of Zambia chairperson.

It will be without Bangweulu member of Parliament (PF) Chifita Matafwali, who died in India last month.

Chawama law-maker Lawrence Sichalwe (PF), who succeeded President Lungu in the constituency, will take his seat in the House, and so will Chisamba MP Moses Muteteka (MMD), who was recently pardoned.

Hitherto, MMD MPs for Senga Hill Kapembwa Simbao and his Masaiti counterpart Michael Katambo are expected to return to the House on the PF ticket.

The House will in due course receive three members from Petauke Central, Malambo and Mulobezi constituencies after by-elections slated for June 30.

The post Parley Sitting Resumes Today appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Tunduya Primary school in Lusaka had its roofs brown off in December 2014. Up to now the roof isn’t fixed and pupils have been made to sit 3 and 4 on a desk while many others sit on the floors as it can be seen by these pics. So what is the government doing about this?

The post Lusaka School Goes 6 Months Without Roof appeared first on Zambia Reports.

CASES of women being stripped naked by call- boys who regard their dressing as indecent are commonplace. Now Mampi, herself known for her sleek outfits, has released a song titled Boyo, which talks about the very issue.

On the song, Mampi first makes a moral appeal to those involved in stripping women, asking them to provide a chitenge if they strongly feel that the dressing falls below what is generally accepted by the public.

But then she gives them something to think about – that the very woman being stripped could be a sister from their father’s other wife.

Either way, it is a touchy subject by Mampi as the issue of dressing, and particularly indecent dressing, always sharply divides the public.

Early in her career, she was herself subject to criticism from some sections of society who thought some of her stage outfits were too skimpy and wanted her to moderate. But she stuck to her guns, insisting it was part of her art. It goes with the job.

Even as they were criticising her, they were always too happy to watch her performance and see her latest stage outfit. It is always the case in her job.

About a fortnight ago, over 160,000 people attended Jennifer Lopez’s show in Morocco, where she wore a bodysuit, bejewelled fishnet tights and stiletto boots.

After the show was aired on a television channel, an interest group filed a lawsuit against the 45-year-old, claiming she had disturbed public order and tarnished women’s honour and respect.

There is indeed a thin line between what is considered decent and indecent. But in releasing Boyo, Mampi is trying to address an issue that pops up time and again. And whenever there is case of a woman being stripped, there are always two sides – one supporting the right of women to wear whatever they are comfortable with and the other suggesting that the stripped woman has rightfully got what she asked for with her dressing.

Perhaps the best line to get from Mampi’s song is where she says that the woman you have stripped is actually your sister.

Source: Zambia Daily Mail

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So much has been said about Rainbow Party president Wynter Kabimba living in fool’s paradise as regards his presidential ambitions. Kabimba undoubtedly hit the loathe list of most Zambian political observers with his cadres within the Patriotic Front joining the celebrations that greeted his dismissal.

Either he is an extraordinarily courageous politician or is extraordinarily naive to
be back in the political limelight less than 12 months later to launch a bid for the presidency.

But then that is Kabimba for you, always the agent provocateur but has the once upon a time all powerful Patriotic Front lost his political marbles? Firstly, Kabimba has stepped on plate driving what he calls a socialist agenda. He has stood on the mountain top proclaiming the imagined glories of socialism and the ills of capitalism.

Of course a socialist ideology in its sincere form is worth a look at. But is Kabimba
himself a socialist? Socialism loosely by definition espouses giving to each as per need and from each as per ability.

The more enlightened will push that further to a communist set up. By the way this is a route that has been tried in Zambia before under Dr Kenneth Kaunda and the results are well known. Not that capitalism has been any better.

Naturally hard core capitalists like Kabimba can afford to play ideological games while the rest of the Zambians can only dream of having a guaranteed meal not caring under which ideological banner this falls.

It was all too cosy for Kabimba to step up on the podium at his briefcase Rainbow Party stage managed congress to extol socialism and vilify capitalism but ultimately he is a living paradox of what he preaches.

One only needs look at the kind of cars he drives or maybe take a stroll to the Rainbow godfather Fred M’membe and take a stroll within their premises and have a peek at their lifestyles. Nothing wrong with a man delighting in his hard earned wealthy BUT do not mock the humble of our populace with ideological romanticism for while they scrounge for a meal every other day you can afford to hallucinate.

Has anyone done a check on where the bulk of the aid Zambia gets from? Does Zambia not feed off capitalism? In one breath the Rainbow dreamers are vilifying the USA while reaching out to them for financial support. So who are they fooling with that socialist romanticism?

In case one forgets you only stand up to capitalism where you have a strong economic base. Most importantly it should be a drive felt by the mass of local people. So before you lose yourself in socialist fantasies kindly climb down your capitalistic horse and lead by example. Maybe just then Zambian will give you a look.

The post Opinion: Kabimba Living in A Fool’s Paradise of Socialism appeared first on Zambia Reports.

If Zambian politics could rewind, just a few months ago the thought of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema sitting at the same table with Rainbow Party godfather Wynter Kabimba plotting the formation of a possible new partnership to contest the 2016 elections would not cross the list of any pundit. It was beyond farfetched.

Even in their present day interactions, they remain poles apart. One (Hichilema) has made his mark espousing free market capitalism, privatisations, and liberal economics, while the other (Kabimba) has postured himself with rather antiquated claims of being a protégé of China’s great leader Chairman Mao, or, even worse, seeking the example of Cuba’s Fidel Castro as a model for Zambia’s future.

The free markets approach and the “everything must be done by the state” approach both have major flaws, and tend to be popular among people who aren’t actually in government dealing with the consequences. But the two positions put together, it is simply incoherent.

These are the parallel systems that Hichilema and Kabimba are bringing to the table. Unless these two men don’t really mean what they say (and that would not be the first time), this union is one that the late Vice-President George Kunda (may his soul rest in peace) would describe as a “snake with two heads lacking a tail”. A creature with two heads pulling in opposite direction is doomed. And that’s what this Hichilema and Kabimba relationship is headed for – disaster !!!.

Granted, it may be too early to suggest Kabimba and Hichilema are coming to the table for political expedience. Both men are known to have big egos, and the early rumour that Kabimba was demanding that HH serve as his VP was said to have caused such a level of anger that suspended Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito struggled to bring the UPND leader back to the table. But early indications suggest there is already a path created where things are expected to fall in place for a workable political movement – workable only because the DPP must manufacture impunity, while HH wants to benefit from the support (both logistical and media) of Fred M’membe’s Post Newspapers.

Kabimba’s backers – the infamous cartel engineered led by M’membe and partly financed by the disgraced businessman Rajan Mahtani – have made significant headways in warming their relations with UPND. And this seems to be working very well for them.

It doesn’t require scientific perusal to establish UPND has already sold itself to the cartel. Both Hichilema, his mouthpieces and online media are speaking the Mahtani language, describing his recent arrest as some sort of “harassment.” They’ve also hedged their bets on the tribunal investigating Nchito’s abuses of office, issuing some rather uninformed opinions that the DPP would “not receive a fair trial,” though declining to explain exactly why that would be the case.

The same Hichilema who had put his youth members in harms way to call for the resignation of Nchito as DPP forgot about the blood those boys shed on the streets of Addis Ababa Drive to jump to the defence of the same man he wanted out. HH himself has faced arrest and some hours in jail due to the direct orders of Nchito. His men such as Clayson Hamasaka and their families have suffered indescribable harassment but he can still afford a grin on his face to defend the evils of less than five months ago ochestrated by Nchito.

But while these two men may be willing to bury the hatchet in pursuit of their separate goals, Fred M’membe is much more sceptical. He knows Hichilema is likely to turn against him in betrayal in the future, and this perhaps is the reason the marriage between UPND and Rainbow is being pushed for Kabimba to be the main man.

Nevertheless, UPND is currently experimenting with supporting the much hated cartel – testing the waters to see if their members will swallow the bitter pill. Hichilema recently said that Nchito was being “victimized” by President Lungu who he alleged wanted to protect his friends from prosecution.

“We all can see what is going on. Mutembo Nchito is being victimized by President Lungu who wants to protect his friends who have issues with the judiciary,” he said.

“They know that with the corruption cases in court by their friends it will be difficult for them to get them off the hook if Nchito continues at the helm. Given the circumstances everything has happened I doubt he will be given a fair trial.”

This is certainly not the same Hichilema who called for Nchito to face the law over the Development Bank of Zambia K14 billion debt and several others owed to the National Airport Corporation.

But one thing for sure, he is still the same Hichilema who M’membe said “can’t be trusted” because he was “too full of himself.” And it should be even harder for the UPND faithful to forget how M’membe preached such ugly hateful tribalism against the people of Southern Province more than anything else bringing into our vocabulary what we now know as Bantustan to describe UPND under Hichilema.

Even Kabimba has previously thrown in some strong jibes against his new political partner HH, at one time calling him “the most useless politician who will never rule Zambia.”

Kabimba says Zambians doesn’t need a leader like Hichilema who he said is the tribalist.

Today, the two parties are throwing their real character behind the scene for expedience in order to assume power. Of course, M’membe and the cartel are very much aware that to achieve their 2016 goal, they need Hichilema more so he has garnered some goodwill which they can package to successfully defeat President Lungu.

So, they are working hard to successfully strike a detail that will make Hichilema Number 2 to Kabimba. And this strategy is what Hichilema is oblivious about. He is excitedly thinking he will be leader of the united opposition but no, the cartel has other plans.

To the cartel, a minority in the Bantu botatwe grouping like Kabimba is a lesser evil. So being as politically naïve as Hichilema has been over the last 10 years of his political career, he risks auctioning UPND. After all, this is the last and final attempt for him to come close to government unless he is happy to go into retirement as the most unsuccessful politician of our time.

Whether the socialist ideas of Rainbow and the free market policies of UPND will unprecedentedly merge, it will be interesting to witness the cartel finally relegate Hichilema to a position he has relentlessly refused to take but may just finally compromise to save face.

The post Opinion: Hichilema and Kabimba Make Odd Bedfellows appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Following a video depicting a cruel type of training of Zambia National Service (ZNS) recruits leaked to social media, the service has four officers who were training instructors.

The video was widely condemned as an abusive way of inducting human beings into service and fell far below the standards of initiating human beings into national service.

Social media was critical of the 5 minute clip which showed the ZNS recruits being subjected to hazing, a kind of corporal torture which involved the recruits being starved, rolled in mud, and subjected to high temperatures without the provision of drinking water; then, lined up for lashes.

Following the release of the video in which the officers were delightfully torturing their colleagues, investigations were launched in the maltreatment of recruits at the Kabwe Training School.

Public relations officer Lieutenant Colonel Mable Nyone said the abusive officers have inflicted physical abuse on the recruits against the laid down procedures. It was decided to dismiss them from employment.

Col Nyone said the apparent physical abuse was proved to have taken place against the Training Standing Orders of the institution.

“Following the apparent physical abuse of the Zambia National Service recruits during training at the ZNS Training School in Kabwe and the investigations that followed, it has been proved that the instructors went out of their way to inflict physical abuse on the recruits ignoring the Training Standing Orders thereof,” she said.

Col Nyone said the decision came after investigations revealed that the four officers and the one serviceman were involved in the physical abuse of recruits.

The post ZNS Fires 4 Abusive Officers Following “Cruel” Training Video appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Former Vice-President Guy Scott, Kabwata MP Given Lubinda, Jean Kapata (Mandevu), Miles Sampa (Matero), Nkandu Luo (Munali) and Mulenga Sata (former Mayor) are all members of the Lusaka City Council.

Information emerging that Lusaka councillors, as disturbing as it is, could not have dropped far below their noses. What is their role? Or what was their cut?

Play parks in Libala and Woodlands are reportedly sold to the tune of U$4 million to the Chinese buyer only willing to part away with U$3 million.

It’s not a secret especially in Kabwata constituency that Lubinda has been preying on every piece of land or property that is connected directly or indirectly to the council.

And it’s important he comes clean on the issue especially that this is happening in his constituency. Lubinda toured this properties during the council property audit. What was his intention?

The parks were reportedly shared among councillors in a secretive and highly disguised procedure which did not involve residents directly.

The sale which has angered residents because of the lack of transparency and apparent conflict of interest has sparked demands for the Government to undertake a full scale investigation into the rampart sale and secret disposal of land meant for public use.

Last week, civil rights activist Brebner Changala demanded that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must move in and swiftly investigate the alleged dubious sale of two recreational centres in Woodlands and Libala by the Lusaka City Council (LCC).

Now residents have demanded for the cancelation of the deals and reversion of the properties back to the communities.

Minister of Local Government John Phiri has since said the alleged scam has not come to his attention but promised to follow up the matter.

Lusaka deputy mayor Potipher Tembo said he was not involved in the alleged dubious sale of the recreational centres in Woodlands and Libala. “I am not involved in the sale of land at the council because we have committees which decide which land should be sold so I cannot talk about something that I am not involved in,” he said.

Tembo said the person who leaked the information to the media was better placed to have facts.

“Ask those accused of having sold the same land if it is true they got the money and how much was it,” he said.

civil rights activist Brebner Changala demanded is demanding answers and reveals that the Looters Basketball playing field in Libala had allegedly been sold to a Chinese investor to a tune of K12.1 million, while another property in Woodlands which was allegedly given to two councillors by the council, was also earmarked for selling by the duo.

“The second property is in Woodlands; it is a play-park along Tonya road off Mosi-oa-Tunya Road which was given to two councillors at the Lusaka City Council. Upon the completion of the conveyance by the two senior councillors, the two decided to sell the property at US$4 million to a Chinese national, who has only agreed to give them US$3 million but they want it to be sold at US$ 4 million so that they can equally share the money. So, that is what has delayed the conclusion of the transaction,” Changala said.

Lubinda should therefore answer what his role in these dubious land transactions are. It’s not possible that such land will be distributed without the knowledge and blessing of a full council meeting where Lubinda, Sampa, Scott, Mulenga, Kapata and Luo will be present.

The post Where Was Lubinda, Kapata, Luo, Scott, Miles and Mulenga in the $4 Million Scandal? appeared first on Zambia Reports.

Following a statement on national television suggestion the Patriotic Front government intends to spend a about US$190 million on a fleet of motor vehicles for security wings, Zambians are wondering the actual cost involved in sourcing a single item of the said property.

According to the statement, Home Affairs Minister Davis Mwila says the vehicles will be bought for the Zambian Police, the Drug Enforcement Commission, Prisons Service and the Immigration Department.

Global Voices quotes Kaluba Chilaisha’s Facebook maths deducing there are more questions than answers to this announcement. A link of the amount to a loan from China that authorities initially did not announce to the nation not too long ago is brought in the picture.

“Just watching the evening ZNBC news and heard that government will spend $192m for 400 vehicles for security wings. The math can’t be correct, $480,000 per vehicle? What type of rides are these and from where?

“I mean, this is serious guys! There are reports of $192m loan which ties to this now!”

A further explanation as to the details of this transaction may be required to settle the emerging storm.

Read more on Global Voices.

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Opposition Forum for Democracy and Development, FDD, spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says Zambia is doomed following the announcement by Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda that there is a K20 billion budget deficit.

Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has announced that the 2015 budget deficit has ballooned from a projected K 8.5 billion to a staggering K 20 billion in the first six months of the year.

Chikwanda has blamed the widened budget deficit to a slowdown in government revenue mainly due to reduced copper earnings and some unbudgeted for expenditure such as the January 20 presidential election.

But Mwanza argues that the deficit was a development his party predicted.

He writes, “Three months ago we told the Nation that the Budget had COLLAPSED. We advised Mr Alexander Chikwanda to quickly present an Emergency Budget to Parliament.

“The Government responded with insults and ridicule. But today the Minister of finance has succumbed to the truth. The Budget Deficit has balloned to K20 Billion. That is almost half of the entire 2014/15 National Budget. And Chikwanda and his PF are now asking Parliament to allow him to borrow upto K60 Billion. That is more than the entire National Budget itself. This is a Crisis. We are doomed.

“Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu and his entire Government are behaving as business as usual. No sense of urgency, no sense of prudence, not even an ounce of concern, busy gallivanting around.

“The Bank of Zambia Governor Dr Kalyalya has informed the nation that this Government is borrowing monthly to finance it’s operations. He has told us that Lungu and his clique are spending more than we are earning as a nation. The revenue collection is down but the spending is ever going up. It’s time for these guys to go.”

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