OIL FIRM RAIDED DAILY
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PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTEGRITY
...in another mukula scam
C3765-30-31
Kasama MP warns UPND chief Mr. Sampa
Mr. Mucheleka
HH DESERVES PRIVATE PROSECUTION
Vol. 6. Issue 2703
By SILUMESI MALUMO
A PRIVATE prosecutor should take up the prosecution of Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the whole privatisation process because the “Deep State” will never take up this task as it is
Price K10
Wednesday September 9, 2020
not in their best interest. Moreover, Government may not want to do this for fear of being misunderstood, former National Democratic Congress (NDC) secretarygeneral Mwenya Musenge has said. (To page 3)
…apologise or else, Mucheleka told [Page 4]
Mr Musenge
...no sacred cows in corruption crusade
Katele denies ‘acquitting’ HH (p.3) The two trucks the Scania from South Africa and the Freightliner (right), Zimbabwean registered where found laden with Mukula tree logs. [Pictures Linda Tembo Soko] See story on Page 4
Mr. Lusambo
IMF talks on again
Kenyatta and Odinga pledge to heal divisions See story on Page 19
Commonwealth sidelines ZCID on dialogue preps Ms Mbewe (right) with some of Daily Nation Reporters in the newsroom in Lusaka.
See story on Page 4 Lungu hails Daily Nation editor’s international award Demolish structures ConCourt must explain • Mwanakatwe reveals contributing to Chilanga vacancy - YALI floods - Lusambo P.4 talks set for April See story on Page 2 See story on Page 3 By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has applauded Daily Nation Executive Editor, Mary Mbewe for scooping the 2020 Editorial Leadership Award Laureate for Africa by the World Association of Newspapers
(WAN-IFRA)-Women in News (WIN). In his congratulatory message, President Lungu encouraged Ms Mbewe to continue flying the Zambian flag higher. “Let me congratulate Mary Mbewe, who has been named the 2020 WIN Editorial Leadership Award Laureate for Africa. (To page 3)
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER; BUILDING THE NATION WITH REAL ISSUES
Wednesday 9 September, 2020
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ZNFU THEATRICS WE are surprised that our commercial farmers still want to resort to issuing threats against Government over perceived policy changes. We should in fact ask them if Government has ever refused to meet them and discuss their concerns – whether over agricultural prices or other pertinent issues. It is in this vein that we are surprised with the latest threat coming from the farmers – that they will abandon maize production if Government does not rescind its decision to ban the export of the grain. Their threat follows a recent statement by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Michael Katambo that the maize export ban would continue until the country was food secure. We see nothing wrong with the government’s position. Why should the nation risk exporting its maize without ensuring that there are adequate stocks in the reserves? But the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) feel that the minister’s position contradicted earlier assurances that borders would be opened if the harvest would be good. According to ZNFU public relations officer, Calvin Kaleyi, with the good maize harvest that was recorded in the last farming, it was tantamount to policy inconsistency for the export ban to continue. Mr Kaleyi said the poor price of the maize coupled with export challenges would force farmers to abandon maize production and focus on growing other valuable crops which would enable them to earn more. We do not think the ZNFU should hold the government to ransom over an issue that could be discussed and settled over a cup of tea. Government has never banned the export of maize but would rather this was done in an orderly and transparent manner. What must be paramount however is that the country must always ensure there is enough in the grain reserves stocked by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Although the ZNFA claims the nation had a bumper maize crop, we hope it must also be conscious of the problems that the nation has had to contend with. The floods experienced in some parts of the country in which villagers lost their entire crops, not forgetting the debilitating drought in the southern part of the country. These natural calamities entail that Government has to fall back on maize from the strategic reserves and provide relief food to the affected areas. This exercise is ongoing. While we recognise that farmers are a special group making significant contribution to the nation’s economy, we feel they must not abuse their special place in the country. They do not need to resort to threats if things do not go their way. The ZNFU for example has always had access to the highest office in the land to voice their concerns. We do not expect them to start behaving like an opposition party or pressure group. If anything, they must regard themselves as being in partnership with the government. The ZNFU has always enjoyed a special relationship with the government and we are sure it has played a crucial role in influencing the government’s agricultural policies.
DAILY
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‘NO WAMUYAYAYA’ By SILUMESI MALUMO
P
OLITICAL parties need to respect their constitutions. It is important that the UPND follow what its constitution stipulate to choose leaders, Patriotic Front (PF) national chairperson, Samuel Mukupa has said. Mr Mukupa wondered how a political party which had failed to respect its constitution can respect the Zambian Constitution if given the
mandate to run affairs of the country. Mr Mukupa said “My personal opinion, not of the Patriotic Front is that if these people are abrogating their own constitution can they even respect our Republican Constitution? “If you can’t respect your own roots how can you really respect the constitution that governs the country?” Mr Mukupa said. “And the thing is that even if you make an appeal to these
people to respect their constitution nothing really will change because the issue of disrespecting their constitution has been in their veins and it will never change. He said it was unfortunate that the main opposition political party had overlooked the constitution for 20 years now and it had become normal to them. Mr Mukupa said such kind of leadership cannot manage to handle the national matters.
Govt slams mobile service providers By NOEL IYOMBWA
GOVERNMENT is not pleased with the services rendered by all mobile service providers in the country, Transport and Communication Minister Mutotwa Kafwaya has said. Mr Kafwaya said in an interview that Government’s position on the matter justifies the decision by the Zambia Information and Communication Authority (ZICTA) to fine all service providers recently for the poor services.
He said ZICTA’s action was a reminder that they should perform in accordance with what they stand for and that is to serve the people with dignity. The minister said Government had wanted to introduce a fourth mobile service provider to bring about competition and quality services by other existing service providers. “Government is putting some measures in place to enhance improved quality of services. Government has spent a lot of money on ICT
infrastructure,” Mr Kafwaya said. He said government would soon advertise for a fourth mobile service provider to replace UZI which had failed to start operating in the country. UZZI committed about US$400 million investment to set up a new network across the country which would also come with 400 direct jobs at various levels. However, the company’s licence was revoked after they failed to start operating despite the State extending the licence twice.
Online voter registration: UPND wins application By GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA
THE Lusaka High Court has granted UPND leave to apply for judicial review to stop the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) from conducting online voter registration. Judge Mwila Chitabo granted the opposition party their application to commerce judicial review filed last month. “Upon reading affidavit filed in support of the application; it is hereby ordered that leave to apply for judicial review be and is hereby granted to the applicant herein. It is further ordered and directed that inter-parte hearing of this matter shall be on September 9, this year," read the order.
By SANFROSSA MANYINDA ABOUT 10 percent of the population in six districts in the country was infected by the Covid-19 virus by July, 2020, a Ministry of Health survey has indicated. This is indicated in the ministry’s prevalence studies of Sarscov-19 findings in six districts. The survey was conducted
In this matter, Ms Gertrude Imenda suing in her capacity as UPND deputy secretary-general has cited ECZ and the Attorney General as respondents. The UPND want an order to quash the decision by ECZ to give a 30 days cut off time for the voter registration exercise scheduled for October 18, 2020. UPND submitted that the decision to launch and host the online voter registration is illegal as it was not anchored or authorised by any law. Ms Imenda stated that ECZ did not consider that the cut off period of 30 days will either cause “panic registration” reaction in the minds of the citizens to meet the deadline that will result
in congestion at the designated registration stations and a resultant surge in Covid-19 cases. They want a declaration that the prescribed protocols for voter registration on its website are ultra vires section 8 (2) (3), section 15 and section 125 of the Electoral Process Act number 35 of 2016 as read with regulations 11 and 12 on the Electoral ( registration of voters) regulations of 1973 amended by statutory instrument number 62 of 2005. UPND is seeking a declaration that ECZ acted unreasonablely, irrationally and /or with a hidden alterio motive at the command of an invisible hand in announcing the 30 days cut off time for the voter registration.
Mr Mukupa
‘Compel parties to name source of funds’ By PETER SICHALI PARLIAMENT should introduce laws to compel political parties disclose source of funding to avoid illicit money that may put the country’s peace and security at risk, Zambia Youths Association in the Fight Against Corruption (ZAFYAC) has said. ZAFYAC Executive Director, Maurice Malambo, said reports that an opposition political party was getting funding from foreign entities were worrying. Mr Malambo said getting foreign funding for campaigns could in the long run put peace and security of the nation at stake. He said some political parties had been held hostage by some leaders because they had international connections to financiers. “It is important to have laws in the country to compel political parties to state sources funds used to run their political parties,” Mr Malambo said. Mr Malambo said it was important to have laws so that political parties were not bankrolled by foreign entities that were not in good standing with international norms. And Mr Malambo has advised the UPND to emulate PF and hold a general conference. He said it was unfortunate that UPND as a largest opposition political party has continued to breach the party’s constitution.
‘Only 10pc had Covid-19 in 6 districts’ for the ministry to understand the extent of the disease and who was affected in the country. The survey was conducted from July 2-31, 2020. The six districts are Lusaka, Livingstone, Solwezi, Ndola, Nakonde and Kabwe. Giving the findings of the
report during the Covid-19 update, Infectious Disease Director Professor Lloyd Mulenga said that the collection of data was not restricted, and that it was collected from all ages. Prof Mulenga said that this was the time the country saw a peak in infections. “We are impressed to learn
that there was an overall acceptance of 100 percent among health workers compared to 99 percent among out department patients,” he said. Prof Mulenga indicated that most health workers contracted the virus from the communities where they lived and not at health centres.
DAILY
By KETRA KALUNGA FARMERS will abandon maize production if Government does not rescind its decision to ban the export of the grain, the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has warned. This follows Agriculture minister, Michael Katambo’s pronouncement that the maize export ban would continue until the country was food secure. Farmers felt that the minister’s position contradicted earlier assurances that borders would be opened if the harvest would be good. ZNFU public relations officer, Kelvin Kaleyi, said with the good maize harvest that was recorded in the last farming, it was tantamount to policy inconsistency for the export ban to continue. Mr Kaleyi said in an interview that the poor price of the maize coupled with export challenges would force farmers to abandon maize production and focus on growing other valuable crops
Wednesday 9, September 2020
Home News
FARMERS WARN GOVT …lift maize export ban or else which would enable them to earn more. He said during the opening of Parliament by President Edgar Lungu this Friday, a policy should be triggered that would ensure that the entire agricultural value chain was satisfied and not only the end-user. Mr Kaleyi said farmers would be affected badly if they continued to face challenges when exporting maize was viable. He said this would force them to think twice about growing maize going into the next farming season. “If a farmer is not given a good price and when a farmer wants to export and face challenges to export, it is going to affect them
Mr Katambo badly such that going to the next farming season, they would think twice about it. ‘They would grow another
value crop instead of growing the political crop like maize and this would affect maize production,” Mr Kaleyi said.
Katele denies ‘acquitting’ HH
By SILUMESI MALUMO
I AM not a judge for me to acquit Hakainde Hichilema on privatisation allegations levelled against him, former Minister of Finance Katele Kalumba has said. Dr Katele said it was only qualified judges who can pass judgement on the allegations made against the UPND president. The former minister said he was not the right person who can free Mr Hichilema as there were right channels on how it can be done.
He said it was only important that Mr Hichilema also cleared himself on multiple questions on conflict of interest issue. “What has been reported that I did clear Hakainde Hichilema on the privatisation issue is false. I am not a judge for me to acquit him. This can only be done by qualified judges because they are the ones who have been trained to handle cases of such nature and not me. “I think there is need to be truthful in reporting instead of publishing issues that someone did not say. Such reporting is very misleading and should not be encouraged
at all. We need to inform the nation with truth and not distortion,” Dr Kalumba said. The News Diggers in its Tuesday, September 8, 2020 edition published a screaming headline “Katele acquits HH on privatisation, due diligence was done by Zambia Privatisation Agency, Hichilema being cited because he is seeking public office. But Dr Kalumba said the media organisation twisted the entire statement he made, stating that he did indicate that Mr Hichilema needed to clear himself over the matter at hand.
Lungu hails Daily Nation editor’s international award (From page 1) “Mary is a talented Zambian journalist who has served both public and private media and is currently the Daily Nation Executive Editor. To you Mary I say keep flying the Zambian flag higher,” President Lungu said. The award is in recognition of excellence in leadership and an unwavering commitment to equality and press freedom in the African region. The WIN Editorial Leadership Award selects one outstanding editor from Sub-Saharan Africa and one from the Arab Region, annually. Candidates are selected by the Award Selection Committee, which is comprised of members of the WIN Steering Committee as well as previous Laureates. The announcement of the award was made yesterday at WAN-IFRA’s Digital Media Africa conference and Ms Mbewe is set to receive her award in person next year in Thailand. WAN-IFRA Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Peyrègne, said recognising leadership and celebrating excellence was even more important in today’s context. Mr Peyregne congratulated Ms Mbewe for the achievement and said the award came at a right time. “While media and the world remain gripped in this crisis of the global pandemic, Mary continues
to exemplify excellence and resiliency bringing everyday news and human stories day after day,” he said in a statement. He said the association intended to hold an in-person award ceremony at the upcoming WANIFRA News Media Congress as was the tradition. “The Congress itself was cancelled due to Covid-19, but we are hopeful that we can hold it as planned in June 2021, with Mary Mbewe being in attendance to accept the award at that time,” he regretted. WAN-IFRA Media Development and Women in News Executive Director, Melanie Walker, said: “Naming Mary this year’s Laureate takes on particular significance as we mark the 10th anniversary of our work in gender equality and media freedom in Zambia. “We are very honoured to welcome Mary into our esteemed group of Laureates, each of whom inspire and pave the way forward for the next generation of leaders.” In receiving her award, Ms Mbewe dedicated the award to all the hardworking men and women who spent hours making life easy for others, such as the women in shelters. Ms Mbewe also dedicated the award to the Zambian media personnel for striving to be better than the best, sailing and surviving through storms in a tough field - especially the havoc caused by Covid-19.
Mining taxation ‘indaba’ on hold
By SILUMESI MALUMO
THE planned mining “indaba” to address taxation in the sector has been rescheduled to a later date. Minister of Mines and Mineral Development, Richard Musukwa, told the Daily Nation in an interview recently that Government had proposed to hold the “indaba” with various mining houses to iron out the complaints which had been raised surrounding taxation.
Mr Musukwa said that he was scheduled to meet all the mining houses so that all the issues can be settled. The planned meeting was supposed to take place in the past two weeks. But in an interview yesterday, Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development Permanent Secretary, Barnaby Mulenga, said Government had made head ways to hold the planned mining “indaba.” Mr Mulenga said currently, the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development was putting systems in place in readiness of the “indaba.”
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WHO MUST TRY HH? (From page 1)
Mr Musenge said a private prosecutor would be the best to take up this onerous task because “Deep State” will never take up this task, and Government will not want to be seen as prosecuting a rival. “Deep State” is a term referring to compromised state agencies. Mr Musenge said there is need to engage foreign investigative wings, to work with local private prosecutors to carry out thorough inestigation into the fraudulent sale of national assets. However, Mr Musenge said the best was to have a private prosecution of the case so that Zambians can have input, especially those with firsthand information of what happened during the privatisation programme. He also said there was need to establish why the AntiCorruption Commission (ACC), the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and other investigative agencies were failing to take appropriate action against the culprits. Mr Musenge said the local investigative wings had failed to investigative the matter which had resulted in a sad economic situation for the country. Mr Musenge who is also former Copperbelt Minister said with the arrogance being Mr Hichilema exhibited by local investigative agencies, only foreign investigative wings would help to bring the matter to bed. He said in an interview yesterday that Government should ensure foreign investigative wings conduct a private persecution so that people know what really transpired. Mr Musenge said foreign investigative wings were the only ones who can do a better job to unearth whatever happened. "I think it will be nice to call foreigners on this issue. This thing will continue coming up even in the generations to come if it is not tackled now,” he said. The Anti-Corruption Commission, he said, has really failed us by failing to investigate the issue of privatisation. "The issue of Intercontinental Hotel in Livingstone which was sold at a cheap price when we had good bidders. We need answers on these issues and the only ones to do it better are foreign investigative wings," he said. Mr Musenge said there was no need to hesitate over the matter because the truth needed to be revealed. He said it was important to take action against those who would be found to have plundered the country's economy. "For me I think those who did everything to put the country where it is need to face the law," Mr Musenge said.
CONGRATULATIONS
THE team at Daily Nation would like to congratulate Mary Mbewe, our Executive Editor on being named 2020 Women In News (WIN) Editorial Leadership Award Laureate for Africa.
Women in News Editorial Leadership Award Laureate 2020 - Africa _____________________
MARY MBEWE Executive Editor, The Daily Nation, Zambia