Politics
-
Sata Behaving Like an Emperor – Muhabi Lungu
Opposition Movement for Multi Party for Democracy presidential spokesperson Muhabi Lungu says President Michael Sata is behaving like an emperor by ordering police to arrest protesting students over the removal of subsidies. Commenting on President Sata’s ordering of Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa, Lungu said in a democracy people must be free to express to express themselves. “I am afraid the president is behaving like an emperor to anoint himself to order the arrest of people for exercising their rights,” Lungu said. “In a democracy, people have a right to demonstrate unfortunately this is symptomatic of the daily breakdown …More
-
Arrest Protesting Students, Sata orders Police
President Michael Sata has directed Lusaka province police commissioner Joyce Kasosa to arrest all students protesting against the lifting of the fuel and maize subsidies. President Sata has also called for the expulsion of all students that protested this morning. The head of state sounded the order shortly before he laid ground for the construction works for Palabana University in Chongwe district this morning as UNZA students stormed the streets draped in black to protest rising living standards of living. President Sata has also accused United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema for allegedly dishing out money to …More
-
Police Fire Teargas at Protesting Unza Students
Police have fired teargas at University of Zambia (UNZA) students to disperse thousands that have converged on Great East Road to protest the removal of subsidies on mealie meal and fuel by President Michael Sata and his Patriotic Front government. A similar protest is imminent in Kitwe where Copperbelt University (CBU) students are gathering to join their government in mounting pressure on President Sata to reverse the removal of subsidies whose immediate effect has seen a rise in commodities. The angry UNZA students are unshaken by the heavy police presence and use of teargas as they chant slogans calling President …More
-
Mulungushi University Joins UNZA, CBU in Subsidy Protest
Students at Mulungushi University, the country’s third public university, have joined in calling for government to reverse its decision to remove the fuel and maize subsidies. Speaking through their union leader Lengwe Bwalya, the students said the move by the government would raise the cost of living for ordinary citizens. Bwalya said for an institution like Mulungushi University which had no bursary scheme they feared that the hike of the cost of fuel would be passed on to students by management. “I think the government should listen to the cries of the people. This is about ordinary people that feel …More
-
Students, CSOs Launch Black Friday to Protest Sata Regime
Eleven leading Civil Society Organizations have vowed to stage countrywide protests if the Patriotic Front government does not withdraw the removal of the fuel and mealie meal subsidies joining University of Zambia students who today start a class boycott in what is dubbed as Black Friday. And opposition United Party for National Development says it will hold countrywide demonstrations over the removal of subsidies on fuel and mealie meal. The CSOs who include the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), Operation Young Vote (OYV), Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), and …More
-
Guy Scott Campaigns in Sinazongwe for Imminent By-Election
Vice President Guy Scott has camped in Sinazongwe District the likely setting for yet another parliamentary by-election where he has been promising development. The Vice President who is usually President Sata’s messenger to election areas has traversed Sinazongwe in the company of expelled UPND area MP Richwell Siamunene. Curiously the ministers’ spouses led by Scott’s wife Charlotte are also in the area making donations including 250 blankets to Maamba General Hospital. The two groups have carried with them each a full public media crew that has unsparingly dished the ‘development’ agenda. Scott has also promised the construction of the bottom …More
-
Road Accidents Rock Lusaka and Copperbelt
The worrisome trend of road traffic accidents in Zambia has continued with two recorded on Thursday on the Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces. In Lusaka 33 people escaped with injuries when a Ticklays Bus registration number ABM 9416 overturned after bouncing off a speed hump whilst overspeeding in Chisamba area. The victims were rushed to the University Teaching Hospital where 25 of the 33 admitted had been discharged by evening Thursday with the rest still at the hospital in serious condition. University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Mwenya Mulenga confirmed receiving 30 casualties with 10 being admitted to the hospital. Mulenga said those …More
-
Sata Hires Muchinga Old Men to Denounce Father Bwalya
President Michael Sata yesterday invited about 20 old men that claim to be freedom fighters to denounce Father Frank Bwalya who has caused the PF sleepless nights ever since he turned against them. The old men who were ferried from Chinsali admitted that their primary purpose of travel was to denounce Fr Bwalya from State House at the invitation of President Sata. They have since advised Fr Bwalya to refrain from attacking old people like President Sata even if they are wrong. Speaking on behalf of the group, Samson Chifwamba said Fr Bwalya should recognise the efforts that old people …More
-
Supreme Court Opened a Pandora’s Box – Mulongoti
People’s Party President Mike Mulongoti says the judgment that the Supreme Court on the three suspended judges makes him wonder if the judiciary really wants the autonomy they cry for. And Mulongoti said government should budget for subsidies the same way they budgeted for by-elections. Featuring on Radio 5FM’s Hot Seat Programme Mulongoti said the ruling by Judge Chibesakunda-led Supreme Court bench was a lost opportunity. Recently four out of seven Supreme Court judges voted to give President Michael Sata his wish to have a tribunal investigate the three judges that among other things ruled against his friends (Director of …More
-
Chikopa Should Recuse Himself – Changala
Human rights activist Brebner Changala has asked Malawian Judge Chikopa to consider recusing himself on moral grounds from chairing a controversial tribunal whose clear agenda is to satisfy the demands of President Michael Sata and his two key allies. Changala says that President Sata must be reminded that Judge Chikopa’s controversial tribunal would haunt him for the rest of his life, and this is one matter that would follow him to his grave. Speaking in Lusaka during an interview, Changala said the people of Zambia had wholesomely condemned and rejected the tribunal from proceeding. “In whose interest is this tribunal …More