Petauke Councillors Say Lack Of MP hampering Development

Dora Siliya

By Paul Shalala in Petauke

Some Councilors from Petauke District in Eastern Province are not happy that they have no representation in parliament due to a long court case surrounding the eligibility of former Petauke Central MP Dora Siliya to participate in a by-election following the nullification of her election in June 2013.

In an emotional petition to the Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission in Petauke, the councilors have called for a new law that will ensure electoral disputes are disposed  off by courts within six months.

Mbala ward councilor Simon Longwe told the commission public sitting at the Petauke Civic Center on Friday that several constituency development fund projects in Petauke are not succeeding because the area has had no Member of Parliament for the past 17 months.

"Am an angry councillor. Why is the judiciary taking too long to pass judgement? In other constituencies they passed judgement, why not Petauke? We can not develop this area because we have no MP here," said Longwe.

And Nyika ward councilor Kelvin Phiri says development in his ward has been affected because there is  no MP to lobby for the construction of roads and other infrastructure.

Legal and Justice Sector Reforms public sitting in Petauke

"People have no water here, people have no roads here, farmers are not being paid. Yes am a councillor but i have limits. We need an MP," said Phiri.

In June 2013, the Supreme Court nullified the election of Ms Siliya as Petauke Central Member of Parliament following allegations of corruption during the 2011 campaigns.

However, the constituency cannot have a new Member of Parliament until the courts of law determine Ms Siliya's eligibility to contest a by-election.

Malambo constituency in Eastern Province and Mulobezi constituency in Western Province are also waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on the eligibility of their previous MPs to contest by-elections.

Paul Shalala Wins African Journalism Award

Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reporter Paul Shalala has won second prize at the 2014 African Fact Checking Media Awards that were held at the Safari Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya last week on Friday.

The Africa Fact Checking Media Awards, which are sponsored and hosted by the France-based AFP News Agency and the Kenyan-based African Media Initiative, are held annually to award the best three investigative stories produced by African journalists.

AFP Foundation Director Robert Holloway, who announced the winners, said Mr Shalala’s investigative story on the inpact of mining investment on farmers in Zambia was a good piece of journalism worth recognising.

Mr Holloway, said a team of judges decided to award the second prize both to Mr Shalala and Kenyan journalist Victor Amadala because both their stories had a huge impact on society.

Ghanaian freelance journalist Edem Srema walked away with the first prize for his documentary on the illegal mining of gold in Ghanaian water bodies.

On September 25, 2013 Mr Shalala's 12 minutes investigative feature story on the impact on local farmers by multi-national mining investors in Mazabuka and Solwezi, was aired on TV's Morning Live programme.

Last year, the same story was shortlisted for the 2013 African Story Challenge Media Awards but Mr Shalala did not make it among the three winners.

Read the official announcement of the award winner at the Africa Check website: http://africacheck.org/how-to-fact-check/the-african-fact-checking-awards/


The link to Mr Shalala’s original story is here: http://www.paulshalala.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-impact-of-multi-national-mining.html

The award winning 12 minutes video by Mr Shalala can be watched on this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZwczRoPvSs&feature=youtu.be

Tilyenji, Muliokela, Hichilema Declare Themselves Ready For Polls

Tilyenji Kaunda

By Paul Shalala

Opposition UNIP President Tilyenji Kaunda, Poor People's Party President Alex Muliokela and UPND President Hakainde Hichilema are the only presidential aspirants who have so far confirmed their participation in the forthcoming presidential by-election whose date is yet to be announced.

The by-election has been necessitated by the death of President Michael Sata who was yesterday buried at Embassy Park in Lusaka.

Last week, UNIP National Chairman Jonathan Kenani announced that the party's  35th national council committee meeting had resolved to adopt Mr Kaunda for the forthcoming presidential election and the 2016 presidential election.

35th UNIP national council committee

And Mr Muliokela says he is headed for a landslide victory as he has unparalled messages.

Hakainde Hichilema

"Zambia needs a man of my calibre for a President because of my hard work towards reducing poverty," said Mr Muliokela.

And Mr Hichileman in an interview with
journalists at Parliament on Monday after a thanksgiving ceremony for the late president, said he was ready to attempt the presidency for the forth time.

"I'm ready and we are ready as UPND. We will contest this election because we want to give the people a constitution that will avoid wastage of resources by giving the people good laws," he said.

Mr Hichilema contested and lost presidential elections in 2006, 2008 and 2011.

Edgar Lungu

The ruling Patriotic Front is tomorrow expected to convene a Central Committee meeting where issues surrounding the party candidate will be discussed.

PF Secretary General Edgar Lungu has since declared that the PF will stay on despite the death of its founder Michael Sata who led it from inception in 2001.

There are so far opposing views on how the PF will adopt its presidential candidate.

Some members are calling for the Central Committee to do so while others want an urgent General Conference to be convened to allow members to choose their candidate.

"We will not allow cartels and other highest bidders to hijack the PF. This party will stay on because Michael Sata instilled his vision and ideals in us the members," said Lungu during the requiem mass at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka yesterday.

Meanwhile, the former ruling party MMD is still in a deadlock as t who will lead it in the forthcoming polls.

MMD President Dr. Nevers Mumba and former President Rupiah Banda are said to be frontrunners in the battle to lead the party in the presidential by-election.

Nevers Mumba and Rupiah Banda

"We are mourning and its not appropriate for me to comment if am contesting or not. But for those who want to hijack the MMD, we have a strong constitution and no one can hijack it," he said in an interview on Monday.

And Mr Banda also refused to comment over the matter.

"Let us discuss those matters after we bury His Excellency President Michael Sata," said Banda, who led the MMD and the nation from 2008 to 2011..

Meanwhile, several other opposition political parties are not yet certain on who will contest the presidential elections on their respective tickets.

FDD President Edith Nawakwi, who lost the 2011 presidential elections, is reluctant to attach her name to the polls.

Edith Nawakwi

"I can not state whether i will contest or not. It is up to our National Secretary to disclose who is interested or not within our party," said Nawakwi as she smiled.

And ADD's Charles Milupi says his party will on Thursday hold a National Executive Meeting to decide whether to run for elections.

"We will have a National Executive Meeting on Thursday where we will decide whether to run or not. We will also decide who to run if that will be the case," said Milupi, who also lost the presidential vote in 2011.

The National Restoration Party (NAREP) is tomorrow expected to announce whether it will contest the elections or not.


Under Zambia's 1991 constitution as amended in 1996, the country is supposed to hold elections within 90 days of the the office of the President being declared vacant.

With 28th October 2014 being the date President Sata died, Zambia is supposed to hold the elections on or before January 26th, 2015.

President Michael Sata Praised For His Social Protection Reforms

Mutale Wakunuma

By Paul Shalala

The Platform for Social Protection Zambia (PSPZ) has praised the late President Michael Sata for having reformed the social protection sector in the three years he has led Zambia.

PSPZ Country Coordinator Mutale Wakunuma says President Sata delivered the National Social Protection Policy and scaled up the social cash transfer scheme from 19 to 50 districts during his tenure.

Below is a press statement Ms Wakunuma has issued:

7^th November, 2014

The News Editor’s

All Media Institutions

Immediate Press Release

Re: Remembering the H.E President Micheal Chilufya Sata in the Social Protection Reforms in Zambia

The PSP Zambia Board of Directors, Country Coordinator and Staff join the People of Zambia in mourning the loss of our beloved President Excellence Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata.

We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the first family, extended family, his friends, party colleagues and indeed the whole nation. PSP Zambia will remember H.E. Michael Chilufya for the bold transformations he brought to the Social Protection sector as a true reflection of his heart for the poorest and most socially and economically excluded groups of our society. In the three (3) years in office, the late president Michael Chilufya Sata delivered The National Social Protection Policy, Disability Policy, Social Welfare Policy and Aging Policy with their implementation plans complete and approved by Cabinet; the 700% dramatic increase of Government Support towards the SCT funding going far and beyond the funding agreement signed with cooperating partners; and the up-scaling of the Social Cash Transfer scheme from 19 districts to 50 districts ensuring that more poor Zambians benefit from the Social Cash Transfer program and lastly the anticipated Sovereign Wealth Fund which will allow Zambia to save and invest for future generations. The foregoing reflects the aspirations of a leader and a party which meant to improve the general wellbeing of their people.

His passing has robbed Zambia of a bold and ambitious leader whose shoes will be difficult to fill. May His Soul Rest In Peace

Issued By:

On Behalf of the Platform for Social Protection (PSP) Zambia

Mutale Wakunuma (Ms)

Country Coordinator

Platform for Social Protection (PSP) Zambia

Kangombe Proposes Creation Of Michael Sata Academy For Politics

Christopher Kangombe

By Paul Shalala

Patriotic Front Riverside Ward Councillor Christopher Kangombe has proposed the creation of the Michael Sata Academy for Political Leadership and Governance that will train young people in the ideals the former Zambian president stood for.

Mr Kangombe, who is a councillor in Kitwe's Kwacha Constituency, says President Sata dedicated his public life to providing political leadership from being a ward councillor up the ladder until becoming Republican President and the only way Zambia can honour him is by setting up an academy named after him.

"This should be done with the intention of honouring the man we are mourning today. Many have said nice and positive things about the late president and the only way we can honour him is by establishing an academy that will provide leadership training courses in the field of politics and governance," stated Kangombe, a second term Councillor.

He adds that President Sata represents what most of people want to achieve in the quest to provide political leadership in Zambia

Mr Kangombe says the people of Zambia deserve good leaders for the years to come and he believes that Zambia as a country needs to start preparing young leaders through effective leadership training.

The book Kangombe wrote

"I will soon be writing to the Secretary of the Patriotic Front, Hon. Edgar Lungu and the Acting Republican President Dr. Guy Scott on the need for both government and the ruling party to buy into this idea and see to it that it is implemented."

"We cannot preserve history without preserving the legacies of the men and women who made that same history. Michael Sata has secured his place in history and we have to honour the role he has played by establishing an academy that will train many more young Zambians into leaders of tomorrow.," he added.              

In 2011, Kangombe wrote a book on the role of students in society and President Sata wrote its foreword. 

President Sata died on 28th October, 2014 in London and he will be buried at Embassy Park in Lusaka on 11th November, 2014.                 

Police Confirm Bonnie Tembo's Death

Bonnie Tembo

By Paul Shalala

The Zambia Police Service has confirmed the death of civil society activist Bonnie Tembo who passed away yesterday.

Mr Tembo, who served as Anti-Voter Apathy Project Executive Director for several years, left the organisation soon after the 2011 General Elections.

Below is a statement from the Police over Mr Tembo's death.

PRESS RELEASE

TO                   :         ALL MEDIA

FROM            :         PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE       

DATE              :         7^TH NOVEMBER, 2014

SUBJECT        :         PRESS RELEASE

"Police at Matero Police Station are holding on to female Gwendolin Chanda aged 41 years for both her safety and circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Bonny Tembo.

Brief facts surrounding the death of Mr. Bonny Tembo are that yesterday he was travelling from Chipata to Lusaka who upon reaching Luangwa sent a text message to Ms Gwendolin Chanda informing her that he was unwell and was coming back to Lusaka.

When he arrived Mr. Tembo went to her house and found a daughter to Ms Chanda who gave him the keys to the house. Mr. Tembo later went to lay in the bedroom.

Upon reaching the house Ms Chanda decided to take Mr. Tembo to Matero Reference Clinic where he passed on at 13:20 hours.

We are awaiting the response from the family of Mr. Tembo as to when they intend to bury so as to conduct an autopsy to ascertain the actual cause of death."

Rae Hamoonga

DEPUTY POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER