ONLY ZAMBIAN COMPANIES WILL DEVELOP THE ECONOMY IF SUPPORTED – SAP

Government has been called upon to supplement the efforts of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by providing tax incentives to facilitate growth in the local economy. The call is from a locally based International Forex Trading Company, Southern Africa Portfolio Managers Enterprise Limited. Organisation Chairperson, Clement Mwila has appealed to Government to fully embrace SMEs in order to attain economic growth and mid income status by 2030. Mr. Mwila notes that developed economics like China have embraced SMEs to achieve the economic development. He adds that with Covid-19, a global pandemic, most business have slowed down in growth and profitability ,which has affected the maximization of wealth for shareholders but International Forex Trading is proving to be a force to reckon. And Company Chief Executive Officer, Chipo Bwalya pledged his company’s commitment towards youth empowerment and enhanced employment creation. Mr. Bwalya discloses that his organisation will soon employ and train one million people in Forex trading. The duo was speaking last Friday, 15th May, 2020 at the Shareholders Extra Ordinary Meeting in Lusaka. Southern African Portfolio Managers Enterprises Limited was registered under the Company’s Act of 2016 and has 33 shareholders with Investments in non-current assets and others assets as at 30th April 2020. The core business is Forex trading which involves the buying of commodities, derivatives, stocks, indices etc on the world financial markets as over $6 trillion is traded on a daily basis making it the biggest industry in the whole world. SAP Managers Enterprises limited has increased its shareholding by 200% due to a number of strategic decisions that have benefited the business.

Reality check

The people fighting commissioner General Kingsley Kangwa Chanda, are people who have been directly affected by the decisions made to bring smuggling to non existent. You are being fought Commissioner General because of your workable decisions which are implemented to the best interest and that all Zambians will become beneficiaries. We have seen in the past how a group of a few individuals who where benefiting and enriching them selves only , by doing the wrong things . These people fighting you thought they where untouchable because they have a syndicate for smuggling, undervaluation , TPIN abuse, Etc. but now that you have put serious and effective control measures to halt all there illegal schemes which were making the government loose revenue, they have made a cartel to fight all your well meaning policies and decisions. A wise man once said , a thief can never break in an empty house, this statement should give you enough light as it speaks volumes. You have set targets for revenue collection and you have beat the targets, which has never happened in the ZRA records. President Lungu in his speech at state lodge after the keep fit. He made mention that his very proud of you , because you are doing the Nation nothing but the best, he also stressed a point that no TAX man is loved by the General populous . This shows that the message of Tax has reached to the people of Zambia and they have known the importance but they are failing to adjust, which is very normal in due course they shall surely adjust and do the correct things where Tax is concern. *TRUE VOICE*

Zambia’s maiden World Cup Appearance in-sight

I have no doubt that Zambia’s Copper Bullets will shoot down the Super Eagles of Nigeria and subsequently, being among the 32 teams that will feature at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It is interesting to note that the Chipolopolo Boys, who were drawn in a seemingly ‘group of death’ are standing in second position above north Africans Algeria and current African Champions, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. Only a few believed that Zambia could be above them. We are clearly matching ahead of Cameroon the star studded Desert Foxes, whose qualification is so close yet not guaranteed For those soccer pundits, who even refused to discuss Zambia's prospects of qualifying to the showpiece, remember that our World Cup themes lately including for our junior teams has been 'Bola na Lesa' something that has never been embraced in a game littered with superstition and witchcraft. I remember how some people mocked Chipolopolo coach Wedson Nyirenda when he took the team through prayers during a match against Nigeria at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola and we lost. However, the junior team during both the World and Africa Cup always praised God in their search for glory and the rest is history. I am optimistic that God who never abandoned David in his hardest moment will see us through to the World Cup. On top of it all, Zambia currently has some of the finest talent on the African Continent, as demonstrated over the years. Remember, we are a powerhouse of football on the Continent and this is an opportunity for us to amplify this to the rest of the world. We are not pushovers and people should have respect for us. This is the right stage and opportunity to show the unexploited talent. Zambia is going to Nigeria on October, 7th in Uyo, to demonstrate that names do not play football but passion and commitment. The small names in the team such as Patson Daka, Enock 'Computer' Mwepu and Fashion Sakala are ready to be moulded into authority at global level and Nigeria will be a starting point on that day. Globally, Nigerians are naturally known as fraudsters and let not the false impression created so far distract our aspirations to qualify. Wedson ‘Wada wada’ Nyirenda, has become the man you would love to hate following the recent performance of the team. The indigenous tactician has reinvigorated the Zambian spirit. He pays no attention to indiscipline but focused on delivering with resources at his disposal. The coach has given each and every player an opportunity to don nation colours unlike in the past where administrators did the job for the coach. What about FAZ President Andrew Kamanga and team? At least for once we have administrators at Football House focused on delivering to our expectations amidst distractions.

Political Alliances: A New Challenge for Zambia?

Undoubtedly, Zambia will be heading to the polls on August 11th, 2016 as an established constitutional obligation of its approximately Seven million eligible voters. Following the enactment of some clauses in the constitution such as the fifty percent plus one for a majoritarian and running mate and subsequent enactment of the document, there has been a lot of movements on the local political landscape, as different political players are busy attempting to create, formalize and consolidate their unions with various stakeholders. However, the issue of alliances in this country is not knew having witnessed the establishment of several of these arrangements that failed terribly to succeed. Firstly, as a people we need to appreciate the fact that many of our existing political parties are empty shells and have nothing to offer thus leading to the failure of these alliances to succeed. Accordingly, the alliances have a lot of hidden agendas, which no one is ready to open up and discuss with all the stakeholders. Most of the decisions are top- bottom-rocked rather than grassroots. For stance look at the rocket speed at which the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has responded to the call and request by the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) leader, Edgar Lungu to partner and form an alliance. Firstly, the former ruling has not yet resolved its challenges with some senior members of the party and the grassroots. A thorough consultative process has not been concluded for the party President, Dr. Nevers Mumba to quickly rush and claim that it is ready to forge an alliance. This could prove costly to the MMD especially that the PF is now larger and could easily swallow the latter if no proper mechanisms are put in place to ensure that both parties still remain as separate entities. President Edgar Lungu is proving to be a shrewd politician and he is well aware of his needs from the much-anticipated alliance. He has a well-defined agenda compared to the excited MMD, who have been subjected to all kinds of misery and ills and an opportunity to return to government will surely be received with both hands. Besides, many MMD members of Parliament have already been serving in the administration of Edgar Lungu since his ascendancy to power surely this could only be an opportunity of icing the cake for both parties. The biggest challenge nevertheless, for both parties is to harmonize party policies and the grassroots structures that have seemingly not have been consulted yet in formalizing the pact, the sure way of securing another victory for President, Lungu, who has barely been in office for a year punctuated with numerous challenges such, high cost of living, load-shedding but having done so well in infrastructure development. The biggest threat that the PF/MMD possess is that the former ruling party is well assured of extinction or political oblivion in that the party has been so fragile in recent times especially during the last presidential elections, in which several members of the party formed different alliances with different political parties such as the Rupiah Banda/Edgar Lungu alliance, Members of Parliament/UPND Alliance and finally Nevers Mumba equally participating in the polls. So this could be a question of if you cannot beat them, join them? And Rupiah Banda is the biggest winner in the question having opportunely worked with them earlier in the last elections. That be as it may, while past alliances have failed, the emerging alliances brought about due to the amendments to the constitution like the proposed PF/MMD alliance may be a marriage of convience but is bound to produce something more tangible. It cannot be disputed that since the 1991 elections that ushered in late President Fredrick Chiluba, subsequent elections have failed to produce a majoritarian President.Political analyst predict that even the the forthcoming August 11 elections will not be able to produce an outright winner at the first ballot.Furthermore, there has never been guarantee that an alliance will win outrightly, as evidenced from past elections. This will in turn mean a re-run will culminate in to further alliances in a bid to pro-pup the drop out political parties prefered candidates. Therefore the emerging alliances coming due to a change in the constitution are a matter of neccessitity than just convenience. The end result is that the country's blotted political parties will begin to dwindle and like it is being feared the MMD/PF alliance may go on especially after the elections see the formation of a new party to suit the changing times going forward. Therefore if alliances failed to work in the past, it cannot go that even this time around they will fail, the dynamics have changed.Kudos must be given to the PF and President Edgar Lungu for initiating the alliance with PF. Equally MMD's Nevers Mumba and his NEC must be praised for reading the situation and changing times early enough, the two parties must now sit down and address the intricacies of the alliance and put it behind them to face the coming elections as a united front, it will not be easy, but if both camps put the interest of the country face the rest will fall in to place, what they have done so far is a huge step, to initiate the process. I can even predict that even FDD leader Edith Nawakwi may be scoffing at the idea of alliance but sooner rather than later she will go in to an alliance or something in those lines. Watch the space.........

Scandalous Shocker: Zambia's Green Gold sold for a Song

Mukula tree also termed as the GREEN GOLD has continued to attract attention in the country mainly due to the illegality or under hand manner its being handled by Government from the time the tree's true value became clear arising from growing demand in Asia especially China. For starters Mukula tree is an exotic species of wood that at most takes 100 years to reach maturity and grows mainly in mountainous places of Eastern, Northern, Central, some parts of Lusaka and Muchinga provinces.Not so long ago Zambians in these areas began to exploit Mukula and selling it to local Chinese business people at very attractive prices such that one traditional leader confirmed that his subjects had abandon farming activities in preference to cutting and trading in Mukula. The trade went on for some time until Government expressed concern and before long imposed a ban in trading in Mukula, this happened just about two years ago. Government went further to create a task force headed by the Inspector General of Police to curtail trade in Mukula, a task force that was operating like the secret service drawing huge government resources without clearly spelt accountability mechanisms. This created friction between the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Limited-ZAFFICO-and the police a case in point was in Serenje where ZAFFICO Officers carrying out their mandate were arrested by Police on what was termed as a routine patrol. And so with the said ban in place and police operations the numbers of confiscated Mukula continued to pile up both within the country and neighbouring countries like Malawi, while the demand in China remained at its highest creating a fertile ground for corruption. For instance the decision by government to suspend the issuance and renewal of round wood harvesting concessions in Zambia siting the need to review the old regulations in order to enhance sustainability in management of forestry resources is one decision which begs further explanation as on the other hand government has announced the sale of piled up Mukula logs under the auspices of ZAFFICO. In this transaction four Chinese companies have been identified as sole buyers or importers to which ZAFFICO will sell the logs. The four Chinese companies are Shanghai Hu Nan Foriegn Economic Corporation Limited, Xinxudong International Logistics Company Limited, Zhanjiagang Free Trade Zone Zhouglian Wood Import and Export Limited and L & X trading Limited. With the lack of competitive bidding the four companies are buying the Mukula logs at a way too low price below the market value. The decision has disadvantaged many Zambians that wanted to take part in the auction and is more likely to throw local businesses in turmoil. It is opportunities like the one presented by Mukula and the demand that the country has failed to use to address economic diversification and its related issues like unemployment.

Zambia is also failing to use this resource in value addition, the Mukula logs are going to China in their raw form, only to come back in Zambia in polished tables, chairs, shoes and other ornaments which we pay at high prices, creating jobs and wealth in China. With the right political will and the desire to walk the talk regarding diversification, Mukula presented a starting point which unfortunately will be missed because of narrow selfish interest by a few individuals in government, who have decided single handedly to eliminate anyone else in the Mukula business, but deal with four Chinese companies for a precious resource that the country in general should derive benefits from.

Zambian Parliament?

I am making an earnest appeal to the Zambian people to forgive their Members of Parliament but never forget their names in light of the outcome of the constitution of Zambia bill Number 16 of 2015 and the Constitution of Zambia(Amendment) bill number 17 of 2015 at second reading stage in parliament after the governing political party managed to secure a two-thirds majority in the house with the support of the former ruling party, movement for multi-party democracy(MMD). It be put on record that the action of parliamentarians is day-light robbery to the people of Zambia for denying them an opportunity to determine their own destiny.Primarily, Members of parliament were part of the provincial assemblies that were organised to collect submissions and that the contents in the draft constitution were a determination of the Zambian people drawn from various parts of the country. l mean the the supreme organ of the land, Zambia is the masses, its people who made the submission on what sort of the constitution they want. After the submission period was over the commission went and compiled a draft on the submissions made. Therefore, what is/was required now should have been to publish the draft for people to read and scrutinize thereafter, the government would have facilitated for the referendum(popular vote) to ask if the what was contained are the clauses people have been aspiring for.l mean people should have been given a chance for this popular vote and not this shot-sighted approach that Zambia has implemented. Zambia needs an overhaul when it comes to the constitution because in the past people have had no ownership to the document, as it has either entrusted the president or the law makers themselves with so much power. The current constitution has failed to inspire the ordinary people to be active participants in the democratic dispensation.The process that parliament has settled on is prone to manipulation based on the arrogance of numbers and party royalty for instance by the patriotic front, who are the majority in the Zambian parliament.It is always difficult to comprehend with the delusion among our members of parliament have sacrificed such a progressive draft on the alter of expediency for purposes of political appeasement for nothing more than shameful selfish gain in exchange for adoption .As much, as l respect and acknowledge that Zambia, is a democracy, parliament is a wrong forum to accord us a people driven constitution because the members are driven and motivated by partisan interests and not that of the Zambia people.Parliament has betrayed us and they will do so again even without thinking twice about it.Shooting down the bill would have meant returning the draft to the masses, even those that never took part or make submissions have a say after which the constitution is rejected depending on the results of the referendum and not parliament, especially this TOXIC Parliament, I must add! The constitution, a mother of parliament cannot be adopted by its child, the National Assembly, this, Lawyers like John Sangwa debated before very well. This is truly, a bad legacy for our "Care Taker" president, Edgar Lungu, who should have inspired us to greater heights by attaining what has been elusive for all these years but of course its the usual deceptive" Donch kubeba. I do not need to be a lawyer to guide that this parliament may end up being a Constitution dustbin for because of the lack of a clear 2/3rd majority the bill may fail at third reading.. not a profit of doom but simply giving an opinion. Now see, the government proudly terms some clauses of the constitution contentious without providing any clarity on those same. Who even said those are the only contentious clauses according to the majority Zambians? "Other African countries like Kenya and South Africa, a people driven constitution is only possible away from Parliament.When the history of this country is written, make no mistake to have a permanent imprint of their names omitted. And those that feel that the constitution is not important, a constitution is a priority if we were to talk about accountability, transparency and facilitation economic development and the country should have made the seemingly extravagant expectation once and for all, as we might be returning to this once unresolved business again. Nothing Lasts For Ever.Good day

Zambia’s wildlife trafficking officials are aware?

The dates might be elusive on my fingertips but an approximation is in order to ensure that l am within my perspective in today’s writings. The day must have been 2nd January, 2013 when then Minister of Tourism, Sylvia Masebo summoned journalists to her office to drop a bombshell and subsequently, justify her unceremonious dismissal of four top senior managers including its Director General, Edwin Matokwani. The usual uncompromising but elegant, Masebo sometimes referred to as an iron lady of Zambia’s modern politics had a challenge for the men of the pen and note books to thoroughly investigate the many planes that were invading the Zambian airspace to air lift Zambian animals to unknown destinations. Ironically, since it was coming from a politician, it was kind of difficult to trust her especially that her and the colleague, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba popularly known, as GBM sat in the same cabinet under the King Cobra, Michael Sata. But it had been rumoured that the duo literally spoke on key cabinet decisions.

So for me it was Masebo Boza! My thoughts were further amplified by the Minister of Defence, Geoffrey Mwamba, some clergymen and opposition political parties who claimed Masebo was just hallucinating and that there has never been a breach of Zambia’s airspace. Yes l was on the same wavelength of thinking with these individuals. It was just never possible that Zambia could be so porous by design to allow such illicit activities because the minister in charge had said our men and women in uniform are ever alert. Shockingly, few days later, a major revelation was made that a Mozambican national was allegedly operating an air strip in Luangwa district of Lusaka. Then reality dawned on me to begin to question the competence of the country’s armed forces in dealings with issues especially that someone had been allowed to operate an airstrip in a foreign country. But this slowly died out after Madam Masebo was dropped by the President. There was no follow up from the government to substantiate the claims that a senior government official had made about the safety of our animal in various national parks dotted across the country.

When the country was almost departing that episode, a much more sophisticated exposure was made following the arrest of seven foreign nationals in Southern Province for attempting to transport sable antelopes to South Africa. I thought for a moment why Masebo’s utterances were ignored!Where some indigenous people involved in the execution of this evil act! Who is involved and Why! Why are they being protected! These questions are not be getting adequate attention from the relevant offices governing the tourism industry. Like in the past, the excitement will soon die out and everything will be forgotten because no one just cares like it was in the case of Sylvia Masebo’s revelations, its business as usual. I vividly remember one senior government official revealing that she was surprised to have found Zambian animals in Brazil for an exhibition fetching handsomely yet government did not know how these animals found themselves there. Surely, we seem not too serious with the management of resources that God has entrusted with us since time immemorial. So many things appear to be carpeted with impunity despite having structures to deal with these matters. For instance in the latest revelation of animals being transported from Lusaka to Southern Province, Where is the source of these animals! Has Government through the Ministry of defence started manning the many abandoned airstrips across the country to ensure that our wildlife is protected? One day, we shall wake up to find even mbeba, a chipatanese (People of Eastern Zambia) delicacy has been airlifted thus coordination is needed between the government security wings and ministry of tourism and not rhetoric that have been exposed to lately. The recent revelations are just a tip of an iceberg of what is going on in our wildlife sector. Remember Eight more South Africans have just been arrested for being in possession of 16 impalas in Central Province. The trend is shocking and worrying, it’s time to act to save our wildlife. The pictures are courtesy of the Post Newsppaers