DAILY
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Vol. 6. Issue 2614
HH, NKOMBO CLASH? Price K10
Mr Hichilema
…as West UPND splits By AARON CHIYANZO
In the NATION tomorrow...
Who owns CEC?
Tuesday June 2, 2020
A
HASTY decision by UPND chairperson for elections, Gary Nkombo to dissolve and replace the
executive committee in Western Province over accusations of presiding over rampant defections of elected officials has been secretly reversed by his boss, Hakainde
Hichilema leading to a violent clash between the two rival camps. The old committee says they have Mr Hichilema’s blessings to remain in office. To Page 3
Mr Nkombo
You are safe, cops assure Chinese By TAWANDA MUNYUKI
T
HE police in Lusaka have assured the Chinese community that their lives and properties are secure in Zambia. The assurance comes after four Chinese nationals were brutally murdered and their warehouse set on fire in Lusaka’s Makeni area. The incident sent fear in some Chinese nationals who expressed concern over the incident. But Lusaka Province police commissioner Nelson Phiri has assured all Chinese nationals living in Zambia that government has a responsibility to protect them and their property. Speaking during a funeral mass for the deceased Mr. Phiri noted the incident was highly regrettable. “As police we are mourning with our Chinese brothers and sisters and we want to assure you that police is here to protect you and your property,’’ he said.
And Mr Phiri said investigations are going on well as two suspects are already in custody. “We are closely following up the issue and so far we have two people in custody and we would also like to assure you the Chinese Community in Zambia that the perpetrators will be brought to book,’’ he said. And political counselor At the
Chinese embassy in Zambia Lai Bo says the incident is saddening as it raises fear in Chinese national in Zambia. Mr Bo is, however, confident that the perpetrators will be brought to book by the authorities. He says the Chinese community has confidence in the police and their ability to bring the perpetrators to book.
“The incident is deeply regrettable and has caused fear in a lot of the Chinese nationals living in Zambia but we are confident that the Zambian government are doing everything possible to protect and safeguard the lives and properties of Chinese nationals living in Zambia,’’ he said. Meanwhile Patriotic Front national youth chairperson, Kelvin Sampa has described the incident as unzambian. Mr. Sampa who is also Kasama central Member of Parliament said that incident is disappointing adding that perpetrators should be warned. And Mr. Sampa said that Zambia and China share good relations that should not be ruined. “Zambia and China share cordial relations that should not be destroyed because of a few unscrupulous individuals,’’ he said. And executive president of the Zambia Chinese Association Wu Ming called on government and
the relevant authorities to ensure that they expedite the investigations to ensure culprits are brought to justice. Mr. Ming said despite the fact that lives cannot be restored having the perpetrators behind bars will “Our appeal is to the relevant authorities to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice prevails for the deceased,’’ he said.
ASSURANCE “The incident is deeply regrettable and has caused fear in a lot of the Chinese nationals living in Zambia but we are confident that the Zambian government are doing everything possible to protect and safeguard the lives and properties of Chinese nationals living in Zambia,’’
HOME NEWS
Tuesday 2 June, 2020
DAILY
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‘Local firms can assist restructure domestic debt’ By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
LOCAL firms should assist Government restructure the K26.3 billion domestic debt if they feel side-lined with the engagement of Lazard which has been contracted to restructure external debt. Zambia has hired Lazard Freres Gestion of France for US$5 million to restructure the US$11 billion foreign debt over a three-year period, a 0.05 percent of the entire foreign debt portfolio. Mr Mutisunge Zulu, a financial analyst, said If local technocrats feel side-lined, they could assist the Ministry of Finance restructure domestic arrears of K26.3 billion for even five basis points. Mr Zulu said the debt restructure cake was massive because domestic debt also remained a concern. He explained that external debt restructuring was a complex and technical process involving travel to communicate and engage creditors, legal fees and other expenses. “I imagine Lazard will have to trace key creditors holding dollar bonds or engage the biggest creditors, the Chinese to suggest deferrals or some sort of lengthened duration. “Suffice to say there are few to no firms in Zambia that would restructure the nation’s external debt let lone any with a track record as Lazard. Lazard scored 95 percent on technical competence and also had a very solid financial standing,” Mr Zulu said in an interview. Mr Zulu said Zambia’s bold step to take debt advisory seriously sent the right signals towards restoration of fiscal fitness. He stressed that the Zambian authorities had made a very positive step towards solving an economic crisis. “Politics will come to play with criticism which is constructive, the Minister of Finance is onto the right path as unpopular as it may seem,” Mr Zulu said. On the negative reaction from the international market after Zambia engaged Lazard, Mr Zulu said the feedback was expected. “The markets reacted to the Lazard news with a sell-off initially when credit spreads on Eurobonds widened a few basis points as markets priced in admittance that Zambia’s debt unsustainability was a real issue. “The authority’s engagement of an advisor
DAILY
Tuesday 2 June, 2020
HOME NEWS
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HH, NKOMBO CLASH? The Hichilema-backed camp has since declared Mongu, a no-go area for Members of Parliament Imakando Mwilolala, Kapelwa Mbangweta as well as Romeo Kan’gombe as they were marked for lynching by UPND members at any place anytime. According to an insider, Mr Hichilema was peeved by Mr Nkombo’s decision to dissolve the provincial executive committee and secretly reached out to the Musangu Njamba-led team and allegedly offered them money and vehicles to stay on and fight for their positions. The youth team of the dissolved executive took this to heart and mercilessly attacked and scuttled the new executive’s meeting where several people were beaten. In follow up investigations, it has been revealed that Mr Hichilema’s reversal of the hasty
decision to dissolve and replace the former executive committee accused of presiding over rampant defections to the ruling Patriotic Front was done behind Mr Nkombo’s back. Fault lines have since been widening in the UPND as it has come to light that the decision to dissolve the provincial committee which was led by Mr Njamba as announced by Mr Nkombo had no blessings of Mr Hichilema. A party insider who sought anonymity has revealed that instead of boldly presiding over the impasse, Mr Hichilema called Mr Njamba behind the back of Mr Nkombo and the entire national executive committee to assure them that he had no hand in their dismissal. He said Mr Njamba first ignored Mr Hichilema’s phone calls until an intermediary who communicated in both English
and Mbunda called him, asking him to pick-up Mr Hichilema’s phone call. “During the phone conversation, Mr Hichilema could be heard inviting Mr Musangu to Lusaka for a face to face meeting to resolve the problem. Mr Musangu however, turned down Mr Hichilema’s phone call stating that Mr Nkombo’s announcement was a public humiliation for him and therefore, he had no time for private resolutions,” the source said. He said the former provincial youth chairman, however, travelled to meet Mr Hichilema at his residence from where he allegedly returned to Mongu with a Toyota Spotero, an inducement to pacify him so that he did not carry out the threats he issued to the party in a recording that was circulated on social media. “Mr Hichilema then sent
some money to the deposed faction to be used for party mobilisation. A finished Toyota Harrier with a bad suspension was also sent to Mr Musangu Njamba from Mr Hichilema to kill-off the ensuing hostility which was looming between Mr Musangu and MrMbangu over the Toyota Spotero,” the source said. According to the source, this is the beginning of confusion because Mr Hichilema had created two rival camps because two individuals that have been publicly fired by the national executive committee were the ones that the UPND leader decided to give money for provincial mobilisation and party vehicles. “This simply means that the new leadership elected by the national elections committee headed by Mr Garry Nkombo namely Akepelwa and Romeo Kan’gombe, provincial chair-
person and youth chairperson respectively have no blessing of HH,” the insider said. “But the problem is that HH has failed to face his national executive committee so he has simply sanctioned the dissolved committee to get their positions back by hounding out the interim executive,” he said. And in a separate recording, the deposed provincial party chairman could be heard saying that from now on, the youth should beat whoever will pose as interim committee because the old committee was the only committee that has the blessings of the president HH. Meanwhile UPND spokesperson, Charles Kakoma has refuted claims that the old Western Province committee was back in the office. Mr Kakoma said the intrim committee which was put in place party leadership was still
Mr Hichilema in the office. In an interview yesterday, said the party had not rescinded it’s decision and a new committee woukd be ushered in after intraparty elections. Mr Kakoma said the decision was final and things would be as such.