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The Zed Examiner, Woodlands, Lusaka (2025)

20/05/2024

THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION WRITES......

Highlights from the media engagement held by Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa MP.

COMMENTS THAT ZAMBIA SHOULD CHANGE GOVERNMENT BEFORE AUGUST 2026;

✅ Government is carefully studying the statement made by former Republican president Edgar Lungu at Dunamis Church in Lusaka yesterday.

✅ In studying this statement, Government is considering all legal and security implications and circumstances surrounding Mr. Lungu’s statement.

✅ Government finds Mr. Lungu’s utterances not only inflammatory, careless and irresponsible coming from the former Head of State but also deliberate provocation capable of alarming citizens of Zambia with intent to incite civil disobedience, lawlessness and insecurity in the country.

✅ The Constitution of Zambia provides for general elections to be in the interval of five years

✅ In this regard, Mr. Lungu’s statement to innuendo that they could be change of government before 2026 does not sit well with the Zambian constitution.

✅ Any attempt therefore, to assert a probable removal of the lawfully, elected president, is unconstitutional and illegal there by making it unacceptable.

✅ Government is aware that Mr. Lungu wants to take advantage and ride on the cost of fuel, load shedding, mealie meal among others for political expedience.

✅ Government is not sparing any efforts to address these factors.

✅ That is why Government recently successfully negotiated debt restructuring.

✅ Additionally, this ending farming season, Government did everything that needed to be done to provide agro- inputs on time in order to expand Zambia’s food basket.

✅ Further, recently Government concluded landmark negotiations with Glencore, a new equity partner into Mopani mine with ground-breaking result.

✅ With Mopani moving from an average of 65000 metric tonnes of production to an optimal 220 000 metric tonnes of copper, with Konkola Copper Mine deal on board among others, shows how Government is committed to improving the economy.

✅ Government therefore, urges citizens, not to follow Mr. Lungu’s self-made path of destruction.

✅ The opposition would do well to admit and accept that even with the economic challenges, tangible progress have been recorded by this Administration.

✅ Lawlessness and anarchy of any sort, regardless of who's calling for it, shall not be tolerated in this country.

PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA TO LAUNCH CONSTRUCTION OF THE DUAL CARRIAGEWAY;

✅ Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema is tomorrow expected in Kapiri-Mposhi, Central Province for a ground- breaking ceremony to commence construction of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway.

**The Zed Examiner says:**
It is truly quite clear that former President Mr. Edgar Lungu and his cohorts want to use the current economic situation to try and gain political mileage.

His tactics to lure attention of the people are clear however he must be very careful, although it is possible to fight a sitting govt,it's a difficult task which leaves one injured especially if they are a lone fighter and weak like Edgar is.
We feel Edgar should take a seat and be a Statesman who govt can consult. The man really needs to reconcile with the incumbent so that things may be well with him, he can't afford with his poor health to be on the wrong side of the law and end up being detained.

Mr. Edgar Lungu is very lucky that the incumbent President doesn't want a path of vengeance,for what HH went through, others would have persecuted Edgar in different ways.

President HH may not even approve of the tactics the Zambia Police Service is using which in itself is wrong,you can't follow a man inside a parish or clergyman's office and force them out therefore it was a good thing for the govt to apologise most especially to the church and church leader.

We also feel those urging Edgar on have no mercy for him ,the public too should not forget where we are coming from. Edgar was a tyrant and incompetent, we are where we are today because of him and his PF cohort,he should let the UPND govt focus on correcting the mistakes he and his govt caused, the mandate for UPND is 5 years, we can't say the UPND has failed as we have two and half years for the UPND to prove to voters that what they have been doing is for the good of the nation now or in the future.

15/05/2024

Malcolm Jhala writes.....

The Impact of the Bank of Zambia's Rate Hike

The Bank of Zambia has just raised the interest rate from 12.5% to 13.5%. Let's break down what this means for all of us, from the big picture to the everyday impacts.

The Bank of Zambia has hiked the interest rate to try and control inflation. By making borrowing more expensive and saving more attractive, they aim to cool down the economy and stop prices from skyrocketing. Think of it like turning down the heat on a pot of milk to prevent it from boiling over.

With the central bank raising rates, commercial banks will likely follow suit, meaning higher interest rates on loans across the board. It's going to cost more to borrow, whether you're planning to buy a house, start a business, or take out a personal loan. Higher borrowing costs can slow down economic growth in the short term as people and businesses adjust.

Higher interest rates can attract foreign investors looking for better returns, which might boost the Kwacha. A stronger Kwacha means importers might actually get some good news, as the cost of their imports goes down, making foreign goods cheaper. This could help counterbalance the increased financing costs due to higher interest rates. Exporters, on the other hand, might find it tougher to sell abroad if the Kwacha strengthens, making our goods more expensive for foreigners. However, if the Kwacha weakens, importers might feel the pinch again, but exporters could cheer for being more competitive.

Businesses are in for a rough ride too. Higher interest rates mean it's more expensive for them to borrow money for things like expanding or buying new equipment. This might slow down business growth and could even put some jobs at risk. Small businesses might feel the squeeze even more.

If you're thinking about taking out a loan or already have one, brace yourself for higher interest rates. More of your hard-earned money will go towards paying off interest. On the bright side, if you're saving money, you might see a bit more return.

In the long run, if the Bank of Zambia can keep inflation under control, we could be looking at a more stable and sustainable economy. It's like taking a detour to avoid a pothole-filled road – slower now, but smoother ahead.

So, there you have it. The Bank of Zambia's decision to raise the rate to 13.5% is like a double-edged sword. It's a move to tame inflation and stabilise our economy, but it's also going to make borrowing more expensive and might slow down growth a bit. As we navigate these changes, let's stay informed and prepared for the road ahead.

Malcolm,a Chartered Accountant is a tax specialist and Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Zambia,PwC.

03/05/2024

We don't know anything about this Presenter but the now viral story has caught our attention.
We find absolutely nothing wrong with what she said.

The Presenter or moderator of the program was herself not her guests, the Presenter leading and moderating the program should be in a position to understand what a caller is saying,it is not guests on the program to interpret to the Presenter.

The TV station has in-house rules and also regulatory rules set by the IBA to follow in order to have sanity and order. She was in order to ask the caller to use a language she,the Presenter understands lest the caller say something unacceptable for certain ages or something treasonous.

We hope the Presenter does not get disciplinary action. The caller quickly switched to English and sounded fluent enough so the conversation could have been sustained in English or any other language the Presenter said she understood.

03/05/2024

We totally agree with Mable and Nelson. The Mopani decision by the current administration is the best.

On KCM we are also happy that the wrong take over and fake liquidation by the previous administration using thugs like Kaizer was wrong,liquidation was also a wrong process used and paying a liquidator millions of dollars for doing illegal things including splitting operations and getting himself 1% shares in newly created entity created from KCM by the PF government led to unnecessary litigation which in turn led to the situation worsening.

Arbitration was the correct way and getting back the original owners or majority shareholder was the correct decision because as the govt has no capacity to pay Vedanta. We already learnt our lessons from the Zamtel and LapGreen case which should be a clear example for old Sichinga.

Now Vedanta have time to sort out their affairs and if they don't meet the current govt's expectations they have to depart in a clean way that way we don't pay them anything,the next investor should be the ones clearing off Vedanta,govt funds should be for our treasury to help alleviate poverty.

30/04/2024

HATE THE GAME NOT THE PLAYER

We find Mwamba and PF's uneasiness on the recent Auditor General's report funny. The Auditor General did not personally conduct the exercise,auditors did their work and made their findings based on the audit scope they set.
It doesn't matter whether the audit covered a period of 10 years,which is irregular but there is an explanation for that because as we rightly say, "umulandu taubola."

You cannot hide 'ubupupu' under the carpet till the audit period has passed. The truth eventually comes out.

We agree that clarity must be provided on the status of the current Auditor General who is allegedly above retirement age for the position but can we for now focus on the issues highlighted in the report. We need answers that will clarify the picture not personal attacks on the Auditor General who is only trying to do his work.

The AG's eligibility to hold office should be dealt with separately after all Mwamba rightly says his nomination as substantive Auditor General was withdrawn so for now we can only assume he's simply Acting Auditor General so let's deal with the audit findings.

30/04/2024

PF President Miles Sampa had this to say and here is our take.

It is possible for foreigners to understand what is going on in another country because they wear no political specs but look at the set criteria for comparison purposes.

There's absolutely no country in the world where voters would approve of its leader if the country is under austerity measures like Zambia is. Austerity measures put people especially poor people in severe discomfort so for as long as the people are suffering and have not been properly told what the country is going through and why,they will disapprove of such a leader and this all due to having incompetent leaders managing govt communication and the President being slow to act.

The current administration has no communication strategy at govt and party level and if the President doesn't act his govt will continue being unpopular despite setting the country on the right path.

Most Zambian citizens seem not to understand the process the country is going through and it includes many graduates. The country is politically polarised that people cannot apply critical thinking to weigh things, everything is seen using political specs and that is very unfortunate so yes, it is possible for outsiders to see that our President is focused on his goals just like we could measure Mugabe or Museveni's leadership.

So yes Miles, President HH may not be popular today and if an election were to be held today he would probably lose not because he is not competent and doesn't know what he's doing but because the masses don't know what he's doing and what the country is going through and of course we don't expect you to understand as you are an opposition leader, your job is to criticise the ruling govt,it is normal in politics but deep down you may know what the President is doing especially owing to your work experience as a Banker and Deputy Minister of Finance especially having been in the forefront of dealing with the Eurobond issues and justifying further borrowing by your PF administration. HH is repairing the mess you caused and the path he took brings temporary sufferings but benefits will come.

https://www.lusakatimes.com/2013/04/06/we-will-continue-borrowing-we-are-in-a-hurry-to-develop-miles-sampa/

28/04/2024

THE ZESCO ISSUE

How does a Board Chairperson speak on behalf of a corporate entity regarding an administrative matter which is petty? The Board Chairman is not an Executive position involved in day to day operations of the company.

The Board which the Chair heads is responsible for oversight and appointment of the Managing Director only it is an administrative matter which only the Managing Director himself or the Chief Spokesperson has to speak on behalf of the company to clear the air on the allegations levelled against the Managing Director.

The company Spokesperson should state the relationship between the lady in question and the Managing Director and when the lady was appointed and the recruitment process that was used and if there are any company guidelines on such matters and if checks were done to ensure that the decision made to employ the lady who the company chair says is actually a niece to the MD as alleged by News Diggers was an ethical decision.

There is no criminality or serious wrong doing if truly the young lady is the MD's niece,it is just an ethical(moral) issue.

26/04/2024

The Ministry of Health writes...........

FOOTBALLER RAINFORD KALABA’S FIRST ACCIDENT RESPONDER EARNS JOB IN CIVIL SERVICE

The Civil Service Commission has, with immediate effect, awarded employment in the Civil Service to Mephrine Moonga, a Bachelor of Science graduate from Eden University for bravery.

Moonga, 25, has been awarded employment for performing a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on renowned former Chipolopolo captain Rainford Kalaba.
Speaking when he handed over the letter of employment to Moonga, Civil Service Commission Chairperson, Dr. Choolwe Beyani, disclosed that the gesture was an extension of the Presidential Initiative on Cholera Volunteers that has seen several volunteers earn space into the Civil Service.

Dr. Beyani said the gesture is not because of Kalaba’s fame but is about a selfless young lady who rose to the demands of her profession.
He said this when he, Members of the Commission and the Commission Secretary met Ms. Moonga in the Commission’s boardroom in Lusaka to deliver the good news.

“I think it is important to understand that this issue is not about Mr. Kalaba because he is known. It is an issue of a selfless young lady who rose to the demands of her profession under very unusual circumstances,” Dr. Beyani said.
And Moonga says she is grateful to the Civil Service Commission and President Hakainde Hichilema for recognizing her small contribution.
She said the opportunity to serve in government will have a great impact on her family being the first out of four siblings to be employed in the family.
Moonga told the media that she had no idea who the victim was and only learned that it was a football icon after getting home and reading on social media.
“What has happened today has changed my life. On 13th April (2024), on my way home in Chikankata from Lusaka, I helped a victim of an accident not knowing that it would come to this. I am very grateful,” said Moonga in an emotional tone.
Ms. Moonga also informed the media that she had never heard of the footballer nor watched him on television as she is not a soccer fan but that her action was based on her passion to serve mankind.

Minutes after a road traffic accident on Kafue Road, in which the football icon Kalaba was a victim, Moonga asked the driver on the bus she was traveling on from Lusaka to home in Chikankata to stop so she could help the casualties. At the scene, she noticed the female victim was lifeless but the male was still showing signs of life. She performed CPR for about 20 minutes till Kalaba showed some positive response.
Ms. Moonga has been appointed into the Civil Service as a Registered Nurse in Livingstone District, Southern Province.

25/04/2024

IS MIKALILE BEING TARGETED,NO,WE DON'T THINK SO.

We have noticed the noise in the media especially from PF regarding recent audit reports.
The audit though seeming irregular was not the usual audit looking at a particular financial year ,the auditors knew what they were looking for and set their scope, the net was cast wide.

We should not be discussing how far the audit went or the age of the Auditor General but the discoveries made by the auditors ,it is quite clear that there was systemic fraud going on.
We don't think people like Mikalile are being targeted, Mikalile is a good man and he's just a victim of unfortunate circumstances, the targets are the former regime who happen to be people he dealt with.

The allegations are that Mikalile was overpaid and secondly a while back we saw allegations that for the first time in the history of our nation the govt borrowed millions of dollars from an individual or a local company. The likes of Emmanuel Mwamba went on to defend the PF govt. Things were simply not adding up.

We also understand that the Mine Mikalile was setting up in the lower Zambezi though a good one had too much opposition from not only local stakeholders but international stakeholders who wanted the area preserved for tourism and most especially those organisations and individuals fighting climate change so Mikalile is a victim because he was dealing with govt officials who did not think properly so their decisions were questionable.

The purpose of an audit is not to target individuals but productivity improvement in business operations. Financial reliability and integrity,establish compliance with statutory laws and regulations. The exercise is used to track procedures and if they were followed so those who were overpaid and even underpaid will be cited and contracts which were given without following procedures will be highlighted too.
Let's not attack the bearer of bad news but understand the purpose of the task.
Similar audits were done at Zesco,Ministry of Health etc and there were clean ups after to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

https://zambia.actionaid.org/news/2023/press-statement-mwembeshi-mineral-resources-ban-lower-zambezi

25/04/2024

EDGAR LUNGU AND THE ESWATINI ASSETS

A few years ago it emerged that Edgar Lungu was gifted a mansion near a golf course by the Eswatini govt,the Eswatini govt denied doing that. Investigative journalists dug deeper and found that the title deeds were actually obtained by a company called Inyatsi,this is a company owned by Michelo Shakantu behind the same Inyatsi company that is alleged to have been paid millions of dollars to do the Ndola - Mufulira road which they never did anyway.

Because the matter went public ,Inyatsi and Edgar may have agreed to maintain Inyatsi as owner and the best Edgar can do is to be mute than try to taunt the current leadership daily.

Others would have finished Edgar financially and probably lifted his immunity after getting power from him,he's lucky he's dealing with good leaders and incompetent investigative and enforcement officers.
Some of the fellas at Police,DEC,ACC are simply daft that's why cases have been failing and others not pursued properly. If the Hakainde govt really wanted to deal with Edgar they would,he should be grateful that he's ignored.

https://mg.co.za/article/2018-05-18-00-the-life-of-lungu-mystery-mansion-raises-suspicion/ #:~:text=On%20Wednesday%2C%20the%20plot%20thickened,bought%20by%20Inyatsi%20last%20year.

23/04/2024

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄

𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐃𝐄𝐂) 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚 (𝐅𝐀𝐙) 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚.

𝐿𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑘𝑎, 𝑇𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑑𝑎𝑦 23𝑟𝑑 𝐴𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑙, 2024.

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested and jointly charged two (2) Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Officials and two (2) other individuals for money laundering offenses. The suspects apprehended are:
 Andrew Kamanga, FAZ President, aged 57, residing in Lusaka's Mimosa area,
 Reuben Kamanga, FAZ General Secretary, aged 52, residing in Lusaka's Makeni area,
 Madalitso Kamanga, aged 53, residing in Lusaka's Woodlands Chalala, and
 Jairous Siame, aged 44, residing in Lusaka's Mumbwa Road.

These individuals have been jointly charged with several offenses including:
 Obtaining money by false pretense contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
 Obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretense contrary to Section 309 (A) of the Penal Code.
 Conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 313 of the Penal Code.

DEC investigations revealed that the suspects while acting together obtained K341, 902.00 from the Government of the Republic of Zambia under false pretenses. This money was purportedly allocated as allowances for Madalitso Kamanga and Jairous Siame to attend the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The allowances were transferred into their personal accounts with each one (Madalitso and Jairous) getting K170, 951.00. Furthermore, the duo also obtained return tickets valued at K99,980.00.

It was discovered that the funds were disbursed to two individuals under the guise of being FAZ officials, necessitating their attendance with the advance party for AFCON.

However, investigations revealed that neither Madalitso Kamanga nor Jairous Siame held official or executive positions within the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).
This fraudulent activity transpired between 1st January and 15th February 2024, coinciding with the dates of the Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast from 13th January to 11th February 2024.

The suspects are currently finalizing bond processes and will appear in court soon.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) underscores its unwavering commitment to combating money laundering offenses within Zambia. The recent joint charges against Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) officials and associated individuals demonstrate the DEC's dedication to upholding the law and preserving the integrity of financial systems.

As an institution mandated to tackle financial crimes, the DEC reaffirms its stance against all forms of illicit activities, including those perpetrated under false pretenses. The Commission will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in money laundering schemes, ensuring accountability and justice for all.

𝐼𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦:

Sydney Katongo
Assistant Public Relations Officer
𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

21/04/2024

We thank God for the healing mercy 🙏

The Zed Examiner

20/05/2024

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