All posts by : Felistas

Researchers have uncovered that some childhood cancers have a substantially higher number of DNA changes than previously thought, changing the way we view children’s tumors and possibly opening up new or repurposed treatment options.

BARNABAS ZULU NKANA Football Club are on the verge of completing a major signing as they close in on Kabwe Warriors’ veteran defender, Kabaso Chongo. According to renowned transfer expert Wami Katanga, negotiations between Nkana and Warriors are at an advanced stage, with both parties optimistic about reaching an agreement soon. Chongo, 33, is understood […]

NATION REPORTER  THE cost of living remains high and beyond the reach of the majority of poor and marginalised citizens, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has stated. According to the JCTR’s Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) for May 2025, the average monthly cost for a family of five stood at K11, 272.97. […]

BARNABAS ZULU LUSAKA lawyer Jonas Zimba has warned that President Hakainde Hichilema is trying to create a constitutional dictatorship, where he will be the only supreme leader in the country, who will wield so much power and further prolong his stay in office beyond what has always been the tradition in the nation. In an […]

BARNABAS ZULU COPPER Queens captain Barbra Banda says she is determined to lead Zambia to their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, as the team prepares for the 2024 tournament set for Morocco this July. Zambia has been drawn into what many are calling the “group of death” – Group A – alongside […]

Zambia is once again standing on the precipice of a major constitutional change, but the ground beneath this reform appears worryingly unstable. The Administration has proposed a radical shift in the electoral framework—combining three distinct systems: First Past the Post (FPTP), Proportional Representation (PR), and the Majoritarian model. Each of these models, when applied individually, comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. But combined without prior public understanding or endorsement, they risk throwing Zambia’s democratic process into chaos.

First Past the Post is the current model in most Zambian elections: the candidate with the most votes wins. It is simple, familiar, but often leads to disproportionate outcomes and the marginalization of smaller parties. Proportional Representation, on the other hand, is praised for fairness, as it allocates seats in proportion to the votes received by parties. Yet, it demands high institutional capacity and voter sophistication. The Majoritarian system, often used in presidential elections, requires a candidate to secure over 50% of the vote—potentially necessitating a runoff. When merged, these three create a labyrinthine voting system that risks disorienting the electorate, overwhelming electoral institutions, and distorting the will of the people.

The greatest concern is not even the technical complexity, but the complete absence of consultation. The constitution, the supreme law of the land, should be a product of broad consensus, not elite imposition. Yet, this proposed amendment has been drafted and pushed forward without adequate dialogue with citizens, political stakeholders, or civil society. It is an affront to democratic norms that such a monumental shift in how power is decided should occur behind closed doors.

In countries like Germany and New Zealand, hybrid electoral systems were implemented only after years of civic education, public debates, and referenda. Their experiences underscore a critical truth: systems that govern democratic participation must be understood and owned by the people. Anything less is technocratic overreach.

In Zambia’s case, the dangers are immediate and severe. Introducing a multi-system electoral model without first engaging the people could breed suspicion, discourage participation, and open the door to manipulation. Voters already struggle with low civic literacy in some regions—how then can we expect them to navigate a ballot split across three electoral logics?

Furthermore, the rushed manner in which this amendment is being introduced raises uncomfortable questions. Is this complexity by design? Does it serve the interest of democracy, or merely that of those in power? These are not abstract fears. Zambia’s history shows that when reforms are rushed, opaque, and exclusionary, the outcome is not stability—but strife.

We call on the government to halt this process immediately and engage in an inclusive national dialogue. Reform, especially constitutional reform, must be people-driven, transparent, and guided by consensus—not executive decree. Anything less is not reform. It is regression.

Democracy is not built in silence. It demands participation, understanding, and trust. Let us not abandon these principles for expediency.

The Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology divisions at MUSC have joined forces to create and test an algorithm for treating children with sickle cell disease who present to the Emergency Department (ED) with a fever.

COVID-19 cases are rising again as a new variant begins to circulate in some parts of the world. The World Health Organization said Wednesday the rise in cases is primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions.

New treatment guidance has been developed to help doctors tackle uveitis—one of the leading causes of vision loss. The new clinical guidance, by a team at the University of Bristol, aims to help thousands of sufferers keep this painful eye condition at bay. The study is published in JAMA.

What happens in the minds of people who use the internet addictively? Prof. Dr. Matthias Brand from the University of Duisburg-Essen and his team want to find out. Since 2020, the scientists have searched for underlying psychological and neurobiological processes. They are now publishing their initial findings on self-control functions in the American Journal of Psychiatry.