LETTERS

Wed, 04 Jan 2017 14:55:07 +0000

Persecuting Bemba PF founders

Dear Editor,

I entirely agree with your contributor who exposed the real issue regarding the current infighting within the PF. It is intended to show that Bemba founder of the PF are being neglected and worst being hounded out of the party.

The narrative being created is that Bemba founder of the PF are being hounded out to make room for newcomers sponsored by former President Rupiah Banda. This is specifically the case with reference to Dora Siliya who has been made a “senior” Minister.

Unfortunately some of our political actors truly believe that this is happening.  Under President Sata, who was indeed politically savy, some of the people who are currently speaking out loudly did not have any position in the party.

For example Kelvin Bwalya or KBF was never given any position by President Sata although he had been active in many ways than one and unfortunately at times putting the party into some disrepute. The debacle of the computer scandal at the last elections being instructive.

This is very myopic thinking because it ignores the basic factor of political organization and the need for numbers. In her own right Dora delivered a very sizeable figure of voters in an atmosphere where the vote could have gone to another side. Therefore it is only proper that she has been rewarded for her effort. No doubt the win will secure PF for now and in the future.

It should also be realized that the composition of the Cabinet has not changed very dramatically. It still echoes President Sata’s design.

The so called old timers in PF must always keep in sight the fact that politics is about numbers and not about longevity in membership.

Ephraim Chama

Defending Chishimba Kambwili the messenger

Dear Editor,

In a sop to justice, former Copperbelt minister Mwenya Musenge claimed that attempts to discipline PF Roan member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili on trivial charges have caused a lot of anxieties in the party and secretary general, Davies Mwila should urgently consider withdrawing the exculpatory letter against the former minister of Information and Broadcasting Services in an effort to unite and harmonise the ruling party (“Musenge defends Kambwili”, Daily Nation, January 2, 2017).

Surprisingly, Kambwili and his defenders may well have thought so.

Even though, several weeks after the UPND was trounced in the August 11 polls and the PF presidential candidate installed as Zambia’s sixth president with the solid backing of the dominant Bemba ethnic regions of Northern, Muchinga, Luapula and Copperbelt provinces, Kambwili had dominated the public discourse.

He appeared to subsume the vice presidency and the PF, or at best seemed to co-govern with President Edgar Lungu because he thought the president had ceded the space of his deputy.

As a result, Kambwili’s ego ballooned and he went on to make bold sweeping pronouncements of policy outside the parent body.

He threatened everybody, including the current Copperbelt minister Bowman Lusambo.

He disrespected him and his ex-MMD colleagues in public. He gratuitously insulted anybody who crossed his path.

He was untouchable. And things became worse after he got fired as cabinet minister.

It was deluded folly of the highest order, because those

targeted with malice were not going to curl up their heels and die.

And thus came the PF secretary general’s exculpatory letter. But it appears Kambwili is only a messenger, a product of other PF disgruntled founder members’ ambitions.

Prominent among his backers has also been the former Copperbelt minister Mwenya Musenge who lost his bid for the Chimwemwe parliamentary seat to an Independent candidate in the August 11 polls.

Then there’s the invisible hand of the infamous cartel. Will Kambwili’s backers stand by him? Not if they are true upright politicians without hidden
agendas.

Sadly, there’s now a sense that he has outlived his popularity and usefulness on the Copperbelt and other dominant Bemba
ethnic regions.

He’s been simply a narcissistic politician lost in the murky and uncharted waters of old political predators.

He’s not his own voice. How Kambwili will escape and

survive the PF secretary general’s exculpatory letter is unclear.

Besides, if things go bad enough with the on-going ACC

investigations, Kambwili will be very busy this New Year in numerous trips to the court house.

He will garner noise at the doorsteps in the first few days, but later on in the subsequent days, he will be

walking alone.

He will not have an organisation behind him like HH and GBM have been doing with their UPND die-hard supporters at the Supreme and High Court grounds in their times of trouble.

Strange as it may appear, the corruption debate, especially of dubious transactions allegedly made by Kambwili, using his political clout has strategically and conveniently not been thrust to the forefront but will not go away, although Kambwili, the messenger, will be defended, or is being defended, on the altar of the
obvious.

Mubanga Luchembe,

LUSAKA

Proposed increase in ZESCO tariffs and ZNBC TV levies not welcome

Dear Editor,

I have learnt of the impending hike of ZESCO tariffs announced by the Energy Minister and of ZNBC TV levy as announced by ZNBC management that has appeared on social media.

I’m sure the directives are coming from some powers above.

For me, it seems the concerned parties have no heart for the poor Zambians who are wallowing in abject poverty.

It is imperative that when you run such crucial institutions before you announce some measures that will affect the general populace, one must sit and reflect over the side effects the measures will bring.

To ZNBC, I ask management as to how many people watch ZNBC TV channels that the citizenry should be forced to pay K30 from K3, when the majority of households don’t have decoders that provide the services to access ZNBC channels.

It is was, however, heartening to learn from the Minister of Information that the proposed hike by ZNBC is currently null and void.

Now coming to new ZESCO tariffs, please bwana Minister of Energy, spare Zambians from further suffering.

I want to advise the minister that he must consult extensively over the matter before rushing to announce the new tariffs.

The minister should not make the Government of the day unpopular through such actions.

I’m a retiree aged 56 years and the Government has not paid me my retirement benefits and I have spent all my coins going to each office of the local Government offices to  try  and get my money but all in vain

Kindly never allow Zambians to remember and miss Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda who ruled the Zambians for 27. Yes, with free education, subsidised mealie meal and many more.

We are not living in the past but times are dynamic so are the minds of Zambians.

It is my humble appeal that what we are reading on social media should not prove to be true news.

Remember that leaders were elected by the people and pledged to serve the poor who are the majority in Zambia.

Frankly speaking, a lot of people are wondering as to where the Government is taking this nation to.

May be it is true that the ‘Animal Farm’ book situation could be true of what Zambians are going through as of now.

May his Excellency the President think of the poor Zambians who are suffering beyond their means?

This is our only country and we have nowhere to run to. The majority of Zambians do not make deals to better their lives.

We don’t budget as our living is beyond our means.

No wonder a lot of the citizenry go for church services to seek the face of God for a miracle.

Let the Government never ever take citizens for a horse and rider.

Many Zambians are too poor to afford such increments. This will certainly be unfair and unjustified.

Abraham Nkunika, Kafue