Sunday letters

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 09:59:10 +0000

Israel’s renewed ties with Zambia

Dear Editor,

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu’s statement that Zambia wanted to renew cooperation with Israel in the area of health is a breath of fresh air that most Zambians have been awaiting for far too long.

It is worth mentioning that the diplomatic relationship which Zambia severed with Israel in solidarity with Arab and other African countries in 1973 remains one of the most unfortunate things to ever happen to Zambia.

Let’s begin with the historical context that produced it (“Israel,

Zambia to renew ties”, Daily Nation, March 3, 2017).

First, the 1973 oil crisis began in October 1973 when the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries proclaimed an oil embargo.

The embargo was a response to American involvement in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Six days after Egypt and Syria launched a surprise military campaign against Israel, the US supplied Israel with arms.

In response to this, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC, consisting of the Arab members of OPEC plus Egypt and Syria) announced an oil embargo against Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The crisis had a major impact on international relations and created a rift within the Organisation for African Unity (OAU).

Some African nations and Zambia sought to disassociate themselves from United States foreign policy in the Middle East to avoid being targeted by the boycott.  Arab oil producers linked any future policy changes to peace between the belligerents.  To address this, the OAU countries in solidarity with Arab oil producers led to the severing of international relations with Israel.

By the end of the embargo in March 1974, the price of oil had risen from US$3 per barrel to nearly $12 globally; US prices were significantly higher.

The embargo caused an oil crisis, or “shock”, with many short- and long-term effects on global politics and the global economy.

It was later called the “first oil shock”, followed by the 1979 oil crisis, termed the “second oil shock.”

This is what formed the essence of the retrogressive African

solidarity support to Arab oil producers.

Unfortunately, Africa was caught by the tide of  the oil shocks that ensued in the 1970s, thanks in part to the refusal by Arab oil producers to sell their oil to African countries at discounted prices.

It was this attitude of the Arab oil producers that compelled the Kenyan nationalist Martin Shikuku to suggest bartering the barrels of water from the River Nile with barrels of Arab oil from Egypt to the chagrin of the Egyptian authorities.

It is equally known that first president Kenneth Kaunda’s 1970s

proclamation of ‘an egg and a pint of milk per day for every Zambian’ was rendered a pipedream due to the exit of Israeli agricultural experts who were based in Mpongwe and Masaiti farming blocks after the severing of international cooperation with Israel.

Going forward, Zambia badly needs Israeli experts who will provide their specialties in most academic, agricultural, scientific and technological sectors of the country, hence the renewed cooperation with Israel is truly a breath of fresh air.

Mubanga Luchembe,

LUSAKA

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Cartel driving LAZ

Dear Editor,

Those Zambians who think that the war against the cartel is over are simply cheating themselves.

It is far from being over and if anything it is now at its peak and if government and other concerned stakeholders fail to take appropriate action, the cartel will come out unbruised and continue to so what it is known best for.

The events in our Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) could be just be the tip of iceberg. There is obviously more than what meets our eyes.

As for LAZ I hear its leader Linda Kasonde is connected to some members of the cartel through family ties.

Did you ever get shocked for its support for the opposition UPND? Not for me as I suspect she could be holding a position in UPND for obvious reasons.

With demonstrations coming on board, I think it would do LAZ and Kasonde in particular a lot of good if she stepped down than hanging on to something which is already malodourous.

It is a matter of time and the truth will soon be known about our famous LAZ.

Concerned lawyer, LUSAKA

Double-faced LAZ exposed

Dear Editor,

The Law Association of Zambia has countless times, failed to come to the rescue of its members and the Zambians in general on several interpretations of the law thereby leading to delayed dispensation of justice.

This time around, however, they have acted swiftly in the case of Mr. Nchima Nchito for impersonation, a criminal offence which as a regulator and legal professional body should not be seen to be defending regardless of who is the complainant is because they will have difficulties in dealing with their members who will be found with similar offenses in which the Association will have no political interest.

This is what happens when professional bodies become political in nature and dealings.

They will be torn apart in the execution of duties and in the end, they will be compromised.

The case of the Post Newspaper (in liquidation) has been branded political persecution by the defendants and therefore, any involvement by LAZ is a self-indictment.

Then, who is LAZ fighting, when it is an Association whose membership cuts across political lines.

LAZ should just dissolve itself as a regulator and register with the Registrar of Societies as a political party to pave way for another legal professional body.

Adeodatus Matafwali

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THAT ANNA

By Andrea B Matambo

That Anna…

I’ve heard about her often.

They say she is something.

Her children about seven;

When her husband stopped working, She schooled and raised ‘em all alone.

That Anna,

I heard she never even reached grade seven!

But God, how she reads!

And, oh, how she writes!

Heard she taught herself both and then,

Aiming for neither fame or greatness,

Limited her literacy to her bible and the business!

That Anna,

She must think she’s Oprah.

I hear she is versed as hell in money Math,

None of her businesses ever failed;

Point something something every month,

Untouched by neither dollar nor pound!

That Anna,

In the 90s she had a Salon,

So I heard;

One day robbers broke in

And took all she had.

Would she go on?

All said she was undone from within!

That Anna,

To everyone’s surprise,

Suddenly switched lanes,

And built a food business,

Such first in New John Laing;

To that compounds happiness!

That Anna,

None is as tested and tried.

Many tried, many failed;

Many more want to know what her weakness is.

She runs more than three businesses.

We wonder what her secret is.

What now will her competitors do?

She’s never been businessly beaten since 1992.

That Anna,

I’ve heard she’s the Queen Bee

Of her great extended family;

That Mother Teresa manner:

Adores all, and wishes ill to none;

Loving all the neighbor kids like her own.

That Anna,

Diabetes leaves many dead.

Does she know that

Too much sugar in the body is bad!

Her sweetness one day will break her apart.

That Anna,

Just the other night her main shop was robbed clean.

It being raining, none heard a thing.

I hear she left for town the same sad morning;

And that when back she came,

Her shop was full and flowing again.

Joyous plus jealous jaws dropped;

Some women can’t be stopped!

That Anna,

Despite her struggles, moves and lives with ease

As if she is not in her early forties.

Still so brown and so beautiful,

You may think she is twenty-two

More so if you are a foolish fool!

That Anna,

Some years back I heard,

That a stomach operation did her bad;

Now that she’s up on her feet again, not all are glad.

That Anna,

I hear she is active at church too!

A proactive member of St. Anna;

Those Catholic women who wear blue,

And white when they come through.

That Anna,

They say to speak more than six
languages

Is close to being a genius;

How then do I compute this –

For that Anna speaks sixty-six
languages.

That Anna,

Pocketing people and gold!

Those that are close to her,

I am told,

Say she is a smart Hustler!

That Anna,

Better be a friend or else,

She may run you out of customers;

Man or woman matters less,

She can change your life in two months.

That Anna,

She used to make clothes I heard;

Farming always, sometimes baking;

They say she’s a Jack of all trade!

An Alchemist of money-making!

Give her rags; later she’ll sell you a door-mat.

Thanks –say what?

And you thought you were too smart.

That Anna,

Never does she claim to be one

But what one hell of a female
entrepreneur!

Before my mission on Earth is done,

God knows I should interview her.

That Anna,

She’s a staunch Christian they say!

I hear she prays a lot at night,

And that she reads the bible the same way.

Could that be the source of her light?

That adroit Anna,

I pray to ask her one day!

***The End***