Zambia Media Critique

Incarcerated UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema waves at supporters when he appeared at court before being taken back to prison …as pressure mounts on Zambia to address deteriorating political environment On 10 th April, 2017, Zambia Police undertook a night invasion of the house of leading opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema. The Police switched off power at the house, blocked the main roads and then broke down the gates to the house to gain access to the house before firing teargas into the house. The night long raid ended the following morning when he was finally apprehended and taken out and later slapped with a treason charge among others. His arrest came amidst Hichilema’s continued insistence that he would not recognize Lungu as duly President of Zambia because the Courts failed to hear his petition against his election in 2016. At his instigation, UPND Members of Parliament have also made it a habit to stay away from Parlia...

 The Catholic Church today issued an important statement on the political situation in Zambia through its Council of Bishops. The church has made important pronouncements on the state of our nation. On the judiciary the bishops observe: “For some time now, there has been a persistent discourse on the state of the judiciary in Zambia with respect to its independence and impartiality. This situation has undermined public confidence in this institution. There is need to restore confidence in this important arm of Government. There are also many unresolved questions of public interest that have been left hanging and unanswered by the Executive.”3 Where is the Judiciary to call the Executive to attention?  Here below is their full statement: IF YOU WANT PEACE, WORK FOR JUSTICE (Paul VI)  “Let Justice flow, … down like a river that never dries …”  (Amos 5:24)  Statement on the Current Political Situation in Zambia   To all Catholic faithful an...

AFRICAN politicians long abandoned the idea of servant-hood. As famous Kenyan Law Professor Patrick Lumumba recently observed, in Africa, the shortest route to ill-gotten wealth is political leadership. Examples abound across the continent of Africa of how poor citizens continue to cough blood to sustain the lavish lifestyles of politicians. How much are these our new masters’ worth? Is it fair that the highest paid politicians in the world should be coming from some of the poorest regions of the world? According to Professor Patrick Lumumba, almost all the people who move into politics in Africa do so with ill-intents to loot the coffers of the state and perpetuate their stay in office. Speaking at the 11th series of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial lectures at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana Prof Lumumba questioned the behaviour and the motives of politicians on the African continent.   "If you want to get wealth without working for it at all join African politi...