Posts in category: Uncategorized

A clinical trial by Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) published in The Lancet has revealed promising results to reduce malaria relapses, through the broader use of primaquine.

By NATION REPORTER

BANKS have committed to support the agriculture credit window which Government is ambitiously working to implement to increase maize production.

Speaking during a meeting at State House yesterday, Bankers Association of Zambia president Mzinga Melu said all the banks have accepted to support the project as it is beneficial to the banking sector as well as the nation.

She said the banking sector attaches importance to the agriculture sector, this is the reason it wants to ensure that the project succeed.

Ms Melu said banks have been supporting the agriculture sector through the farming blocs and this has helped in improving the sector.

Ms Melu said the sector’s support to agriculture currently stands at K6.3 billion compared to K5.5 billion in 2022 and K4.1 billion in 2021.

Earlier, President Hakainde Hichilema said the government want to ensure that the country’s yield increase to 10 million metric tonnes of maize.

He said the current 3.5 million metric tonnes is too little because Government want more to be exported so that more revenue can be realised.

Mr Hichilema said Government wants the banking sector to take up the responsibility of financing the agriculture credit window as it will be the main vehicle to increase maize production.

Mr Hichilema said when the country produces more it will have enough food security and thereby export to neighbouring countries like Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi and Kenya as they have been identified as new markets.

By ANTHONY SHAFU

THE Engineering institute of Zambia (EIZ) has warned contractors carrying out substandard works across the country.

Speaking in an interview, EIZ president Abel Ng’andu says sub standards works pose a huge danger on human life and property.

He was reacting to reports of shoddy works at    David Kaunda stadium in Chipata, Eastern province.

He said contractors ought to operate within the code of conduct of the regulatory body to avoid accidents, damage to property and loss of lives.

Mr Ng’andu says the institute will take action and hold accountable all those carrying out substandard works. He said those operating illegally in the profession  are doing so at their own risk as the EIZ Act is wolverine to catch up with the perpetrators in the Engineering profession.

Meanwhile, Engineer Ng’andu says the institute is sending inspectors to Eastern Province to investigate construction of infrastructure works at David Kaunda stadium in Chipata, where the contractor is believed to have carried out shoddy works.

Children whose mothers are highly stressed, anxious or depressed during pregnancy may be at higher risk for mental health and behavior issues during their childhood and teen years, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

By  Darlington Chiluba

HE Church has come to be known as a sum congregation of people of the Christian faith in their full expanse, whether catholic or protestant. Definitions may vary and be applied differently, but the association of the term Church is kept for those of Christian faith. 

For our discussion, the church will not refer to a building or those contending interpretations born of history and geography. We will understand Church as a sum of believers who hold spiritual faith in God, Christ His son and the Holy Spirit as per their scriptures. 

This simplified definition is important to entrench the fact that faith, or church is founded on incorruptible truth and transparency. 

In essence, the letter of biblical text is expected to be infallible because it is not inscribed by man nor designed by mortals, but by a supreme deity who is perfect. This understanding, which is a matter of spiritual and provable fact for believers, immediately contrasts with the concept and action of the judiciary whose guiding pole is a law written by mortals. 

In this respect, the law can either be punitive or restorative in its operation, but it cannot be perfect. Furthermore, unlike the (eternal) law of the Church – the Bible, the laws of a country can be changed to suit an agreement or reflect the prevailing consensus of an epoch. 

For example, laws change to address abortion rights, civil liberties such as voting rights for women or protection of children’s rights. 

This is an essential contrast between the two pillars, one text is considered ancient, spiritual and permanent; while the other is widely accepted, respected but pliable. 

Government is anchored on the principles of law contained within the constitution. A constitution is definitive of the power imbued to government to protect its people and their sovereignty to the extent of justifiable violence using the armed forces. For clarity, the sum of national laws makes up a constitution which is a governing instrument for people within its geographic reach. 

As institutions, neither the clergy (in the Church) nor the Judiciary (and its judges and lawyers) are exempt from criticism. Indeed, the criticism of the two institutions tends to be more intense because they are supposed to be the final arbiters of peace and conscience. 

Unlike political choice, people cannot choose the law. They might choose legal representation, but they cannot choose which law should apply to them. Law is prescribed. 

To put it simply, lawyers give interpretation to the law and judges give it application, but neither can readily change it so that they are excused from punishment if they break the same laws. 

Neither judge nor lawyer can operate outside the confines of the constitution. Any perceived notion that judicial officers are exempted from the law can create an incurable mistrust of the judicial system. 

Even worse if judicial integrity and impartiality exists as a façade, then the judiciary becomes an illusion of laws. The same logic applies to church: when the scripture appears to benefit only a section of believers especially the clergy then mistrust arises. 

It means that the reality of infallible truth becomes twisted to enslave potential believers than liberate them. 

Ultimately, a church that is devoid of truth is a cult in pursuit of self-interest. So, if the connection between church and judiciary is diluted to a relationship between a cult and a system of illusional and optional laws, the soul of a country is lost. 

A judiciary without integrity and a church without an ounce of truth is poisonous and equivalent internecine. A fracture or disconnect in the relationship between church and judiciary creates a chaotic confrontation between spiritual and national sovereignty. 

Put together, the Church and the Judiciary are meant to provide citizens a safe haven from the many forms of injustice and complex sum of threats, where they arise. 

This is why some countries prescribe national religions to create a conscious harmony between faith and law. One other country above all, Saudi Arabia, simply made their holy book, the Quran equivalent to law. 

Most other countries simply find some cautious balance between the religious text and jurisprudence in terms of prescribing conduct. The Vatican is a close show of a religious state that applies religious order to the conduct of citizens. 

In the Zambian scenario, the harmony of church and judiciary is canvassed in the constitution to the extent that law is not infringed by faith, or church. The declaration of the country as a Christian nation is not canvassed as a matter of public interest but as a national identity. 

The balance itself does not impede the action of law nor supposes an imposition on the law by biblical text, it is a high calling of a collective soul of a nation. 

That soul of a country will treat the people and its leaders with peace if it is honored. If not, nations deteriorate without understanding why. 

By NATION REPORTER

THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has ruled Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti out of order for effecting changes in the office of the Leader of Opposition based on an instruction from expelled Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa’s group.

And LAZ has condemned the continued arrests and detention of opposition political party leaders, stating that it was an affront to freedoms of expression and speech.

Lungisani Zulu, the LAZ president has said Speaker Mutti breached the Constitution when she recognised suspended Mafinga Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament when there were matters pending in the courts of law. (To page 3)

Mr Zulu said yesterday at a press conference in Lusaka that Ms Mutti was not supposed to take any action immediately she was made aware that there was a worrying caution particularly that she was made aware that the matter was a subject of court action.

“Unfortunately, the conduct of various state institutions clearly demonstrate a narrative that the State is interested in legitimising the action of one faction of the Patriotic Front over the other, even when the matter is yet to be finally determined by the courts of law,” Mr Zulu said.

Mr Zulu said Speaker Mutti could not be making decisions based on exparte orders that had been made by the court and should therefore have waited until the matter was conclusively determined.

“There is no need to hurry, let the matter be determined by the court of law and at the end of it the court will guide and when finally, the court has determined the matter the final outcome will be taken to the Speaker and make a decision afterwards,” Mr Zulu said.

He said it was unfortunate that the Speaker could be making her own decisions on a matter that hinges on a very important constitutional issue which is the election of the Leader of Opposition.

Mr Zulu said according to LAZ, the matter was not an intra-party issue but a constitutional issue because the provisions of article 74 demanded that there must be an election for the Leader of Opposition in Parliament and that the Speaker was supposed to be satisfied that there was an election for Mr Chabinga supported by public documents.

He also condemned government for sanctioning Registrar of Societies Chief Registrar, Thandiwe Mhende, for producing a record of PF office bearers because it was done based on a subpoena and testificandum was requested by High Court Judge Mr Timothy Katenekwa.

Mr Zulu said such incidences have a danger of cowering public servants into doing illegal activities to please their superiors.

Mr Zulu expressed concern with the happenings in the PF but it does not justify interference by external stakeholders, including state institutions.

By NATION REPORTER

ZAMBIA is on the verge of becoming worse than a police State as the UPND is getting more desperate to hold on to power and Zambians should wake up and defend their democracy which they fought for, former President Edgar Lungu has said.

Former President Lungu says signs are there that Zambia has already become a police State where citizens’ rights and liberties are no longer respected by those governing the country.

The former head of State who is the president of the Patriotic Front (PF) is worried that the UPND regime was likely to get more brutal in their desperation to retain power in the 2026 general elections.

He said in an interview yesterday that Zambians should prepare for the worst because the UPND administration was not going to stop at anything in their quest to remain in government even if it was against the wishes of Zambians.

“I went to see Given Lubinda in Lusaka West where he was detained but the police officers could not even allow me to say hello to him. They had to whisk him away…saying they were taking him to Central Police.

But these are the signs that we are establishing a police State. But as they (UPND) get more desperate to hold on to power, Zambians are going to experience all sorts of absurd things. With the desperation to cling to power against the will of Zambians, the country is going to degenerate into worse than a police State, former President Lungu said.  And former President Lungu revealed that a police officer who allowed him to see Emmanuel Mwamba at Chilenje Police Station had been summoned by State House for questioning and reprimand for allowing him to visit Mr Mwamba.

“I am now hearing that the police officer who allowed me to see Emmanuel (Mwamba) has been summoned to State House for questioning and reprimand. Zambians must wake up and defend their democracy. This is how it (dictatorship) starts. But let them know we shall soldier on,” former President Lungu said.   Mr Lungu was yesterday blocked by some discourteous police officers from greeting Mr Lubinda who had been detained at Westwood Police Station in Lusaka West.

After visiting Mr Mwamba at Chilenje Police Station, former President Lungu went to Westwood Police Station to see Mr Lubinda but was rudely denied access. Unruly police officers could not even allow him to say hallo to Mr Lubinda as they forcefully shoved the PF vice president into a waiting unregistered Toyota Land Cruiser and whisked him away to some undisclosed location.

There was commotion at the Westwood Police Station as the police officers attempted to block former President Lungu from getting anywhere closer to Mr Lubinda.

Combined efforts by Brian Mundubile, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Opposition Chief Whip Steven Kampyongo, Members of the Central Committee Jean Kapata and Chishimba Kambwili among other senior PF officials to have the police allow former President Lungu to greet Mr Lubinda were crudely frustrated.  

By GIVEN BANDA

CHILUBI Member of Parliament Mulenga Fube says the arrest of opposition political party leaders is meant to instill fear so that they do not make any political demands from Government.

Speaking when he featured on Millennium TV programme dubbed Law and Order, Mr Fube said the arrests are meant to inconvenience and silence opposition political party leaders so that their voices can be removed from the public domain.

He said the justice system and presumption of innocence is no longer functional because the trend now is to make arrests then later look for cases.

Mr Fube also said it is easy for the police to make arrests before finding one with a case to answer because the move is being influenced by those controlling the instruments of power.

He also pointed out that article 18 of the constitution clearly talks about being presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law but in some cases some individuals have been labelled guilty even before being tried.

Mr Fube said the civic space is shrinking under the UPND because what is enshrined in the bill of rights like freedom of expression, association and assembly is not being upheld as the freedom of expression is attracting flimsy charges.

leaders

Great news for those who lost some or all of their sense of smell or taste due to COVID-19: The effect, while persistent, does not appear to be permanent. A study led by the University of Trieste, Italy, has found that despite the loss of taste and smell associated with COVID-19, progressive recovery and restoration of the senses occurs slowly over time.

By NATION REPORTER

NELLY Mutti, the Speaker of the National Assembly stands discredited and will not be respected by Members of Parliament because her position has now become untenable and should therefore resign, Wynter Kabimba SC has said.

Mr Kabimba, the leader of the Economic Front (EF) party says Patriotic Front (PF) Members of Parliament have completely lost respect for Speaker Mutti because she has failed to be an impartial umpire in the House.

Mr Kabimba said this when he appeared on the Millennium Radio’s Interview Programme yesterday.

He said Speaker Mutti had not only been breaching the country’s Constitution but had been abrogating the Standing Orders, the rules that govern the conduct of MPs, including herself in the House with impunity.

 Mr Kabimba said Speaker Mutti had with impunity continued to harass and humiliate opposition lawmakers while vandalizing the Constitution and Standing orders in the House for which the MPs could not take any more hence their loss of respect for her.

He said it was because of her brazen and unbecoming behavior that had led to the suspension of 19 opposition and Independent lawmakers.

“Speaker Mutti is not objective and I wonder what issue she has with the Patriotic Front. For the Speaker not to allow opposition Members of Parliament to conclusively express themselves is wrong. She is neither the judge nor the voter to curtail debates by the opposition MPs unnecessarily. Even if she was going to sit in that House with a gun, she will never be respected by the MPs because she has exhibited partisan traits in her decisions,” Mr Kabimba said.

And Mr Kabimba has charged that the expelled Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa’s October 24 assembly did not meet the requirements of being called an elective general conference.

Mr Kabimba said Mr. Sampa’s gathering was an illegal assembly that had fallen far short of the requirements of a general conference to produce a party president despite having been gifted with State security.

Mr Kabimba, who had helped draft the PF Constitution said a party conference required that delegates arriving for the elective general conference were screened, which did not happen at Mr Sampa’s meeting.

“According to the party’s constitution, legitimate delegates of the party should come from recognised party structures at ward, constituency or provincial levels across the country failure to which, such a gathering falls short of the criteria to elect a legitimate leader.