DAMBISA LANDS MAJOR DEAL

Fast rising musician Dambisa’s moon is shinning brighter every now and then. After releasing the Umusungu song that has taken local radios and online platforms by storm, our snoops were informed yesterday that the Lusaka based budding star is in advanced stages of cupping her contract with the PF government’s department that handles entertainment.

In fact, the sexy looking singer was witnessed performing during the Meet The President Dinner that took place afew days back at Mulungushi Conference.

“Actually the biggest part of the contract has already been negotiated and agreed upon. She will be amongst afew other artists that will be endorsed to entertain the crowds during our campaigns and we are in final stages of commissioning her.

A source from the government informed that “Dambisa’s appearance at the President Dinner confirms that all is set,” a source said without delving into the contract details and how much the singer will bag since the contract is yet to be signed.

Dambisa is one of those talented and energetic musicians that can put up a very massive performance anywhere. Click here to watch her latest music video.

Source: MusicZambia

WATCH RUPIAH CALL SHOTS IN PF GOVERNMENT – UPND

UPND says Zambians must closely watch Rupiah Banda’s involvement in the Patriotic Front government.

Contributing to the debate on whether President Edgar Lungu was advancing Michael Sata’s legacy and vision in his style of governance, UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said Banda seemed to be calling the shots in the PF government.

“Edgar Lungu seems to be merely acting. The one calling the shots appears to be Mr Rupiah Banda. For a vulnerable President like Edgar Lungu who was merely put there and has no real stamina of his own, one can conclude that Mr Rupiah Banda will continue to call the shots, to do the real job behind the curtains,” he said. “No wonder when you look at the choices of [President] Edgar Lungu so far; he has visited Zimbabwe twice, which is of course a sensational place for Rupiah Banda. So it appears Edgar Lungu is getting very good tutelage and you have also seen that [President Robert] Mugabe was the only foreign Head of State who came to his inauguration.”

Mweetwa said he was aware that Banda had his own preferences on who to appoint in some Cabinet positions.

“That is why you find that (Lungu) has even failed to finalise his Cabinet until now, because he is still consulting his master. I am also told that Mr Rupiah Banda also has preferences on who is supposed to be appointed in certain positions in the foreign service and even the Cabinet ministries. And this is very disappointing,” he said. “We understand, of course, that Rupiah Banda bankrolled Edgar Lungu. The moment that Rupiah Banda joined Edgar Lungu’s campaign, then Edgar Lungu’s campaign gained the momentum. Even the music systems that they were playing, like when they came to Choma, were those that Rupiah was using in 2011. So it is true that the piper calls the tune. Edgar Lungu now will be made to dance to Rupiah Banda’s tune.”

Mweetwa said Banda’s target was to include people in government who would get him off the hook regarding the corruption charges he is facing in court.

“He is going to instigate the firing of some people in order to ensure that there is a friendly team to take care of his cases in court and it is very unlikely that President Lungu can turn against Rupiah Banda. It is very difficult for one to think that a person who played the role that Mr Rupiah Banda played will be ignored by [President] Edgar Lungu,” Mweetwa said.

He said the UPND would like to see President Lungu carry the mandate which Zambians gave him with no external influence because they already rejected Banda in 2011.

“We only wait and see what other things are going to happen, but we are very disappointed that Mr Lungu has started on a note which does not, in our view, give a perception that he is in charge. We as a party would like to see Mr Lungu perform his mandate in accordance with what we the Zambian people gave him, devoid of any form of influence or interference because he enjoys the full mandate of the Zambian people,” said Mweetwa.

PF FACTIONS CASE POSTPONDED TO DECEMBER 5TH

The court case in which the two PF factions are doing war had been postponed to December.
The faction led by Edgar Lungu (clique or Chawamwa PF) has taken the Cartel, led by Guy Scott to court over the general conference held in Kabwe.

There were two conferences in Kabwe; each elected its own president and said the other other conference was illegal.

So, the PF has two presidents, Edgar Lungu and Miles Sampa. The court said the cartel has not made submission in court so they are giving them time. The watchdog understands that the cartel will not only defend itself but will put a counter claim, namely thar the conference by Edgar Lungu’s team was the illegal one.

Meanwhile, Milesa Sampa, president of the other PF (for convenience lets call it Matero PF) says what happened in the ruling party was almost a Coup d’état. Or is it ‘Kachasu PF’ versus ‘Skirts PF’

GBM CALLS FOR PF MEMBERS TO UNITE

Kasama Central PF Member of Parliament Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has called on PF members in Kasama and across the country to renew their commitment to the ideals which made them the party of Choice in 2011.

On his Facebook posting, Mr. Mwamba says there are sections of society who ferment tribalism to suit their ill-agendas.

Mr. Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, says the members must be reminded that PF is for all Zambians from all walks of life.

He says if one finds a PF member being tribal, they should be told to stop because it is anti- PF and un-Zambian to champion an evil such as tribalism.

Mr. Mwamba, who is also former Defense Minister, adds that it remains wishful thinking that PF’s national character can be tainted by a few men and women of ill-intent.

The Kasama Central lawmaker furthermore adds that it is therefore a duty of every PF member to ensure PF remains the party of choice.

Mr. Mwamba says there is also need to remain loyal and supportive of President Michael Sata in order to deliver to the expectations of the people.

SECURITY OFFICERS RAID HOME OF FORMER MINISTER OF JUSTICE WYNTER KABIMBA

At approximately 0200 hours this morning, about 15 security agents from the Office of the President (OP) Special Branch conducted a raid on the home of Wynter Kabimba, the recently ousted former Justice Minister and Secretary General of the ruling Patriotic Front party.

The raid of Kabimba’s home comes just one day after his surprise firing, an event which has shaken the nation and prompted a realignment among the party’s leadership.

According to a source close to the OP, the intelligence wings were conducting the search of Kabimba’s private residence on instructions from the Commander in Chief President Michael Sata, looking for any compromising materials or documents.

Although the official statement announcing Kabimba’s dismissal offered no detailed explanation, it is widely believed that he was involved along with other members of the so-called cartel in leaking a confidential government letter concerning the refund of some $600 million in value-added tax to mining companies by the Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda, who recently became the most favoured successor to take over from President Sata.

According to the source, when the officers arrived at Kabimba’s home they immediately knocked and his wife opened the door. The officers politely introduced themselves and then went ahead with the operations, heading directly upstairs to search Kabimba’s home office.

The raid of the former Justice Minister’s home allegedly resulted in the recovery of several top secret State House documents, including those labeled “For the President’s Eyes Only” and “Confidential” in blue folder files, the source says.
The officers later opened his Dell Computer and copied the contents of its hard drive, as well as making a copy of all the data on an Apple iMac for later examination, the source says.

Although Mr. Kabimba was not on the premises when the search began, the witness says that everyone present – including his wife, his daughter, his nephews and other relatives from his village – were shocked to be the subject of a search by the intelligence wings.

Thirty minutes after receiving a text message from his wife, Kabimba arrived in a Black GRZ Toyota Land Crusier V8 registration 68422 B accompanied by another Blue GRZ Toyota Land Crusier carrying Post editor Fred M’membe and an unidentified woman, the source says.

The former Justice Minister was very angry to discover the search in progress, and began shouting at the agents for disturbing his home at such a late hour, the source says.

Kabimba then telephoned Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito to halt the raid, but Nchito said he was powerless to do anything, the source said, while Fred M’membe maintained his silence and watched the events unfold.

Before departing, the OP officers then confiscated the government vehicles the two men had arrived in, as well as repossessing a government owned Toyota Prado that was also on the property at the time.

PF CADRES CELEBRATE WINTER’S DISMISSAL

Traffic in Lusaka’s Central Business District was yesterday disrupted as PF cadres took to the streets to celebrate the firing of Wynter Kabimba as Minister of Justice and PF Secretary General.

The cadres thronged the ruling the party’s Lusaka District office in the town centre where they celebrated Mr Kabimba’s sacking.

The jubilation was characterised by dancing, singing and honking along Freedom Way
And in Chipata, PF cadres have joined the celebrations saying the firing of Kabimba will bring sanity and order in the party.

The cadres have since appealed to President Sata to consider firing District Commissioners perceived to be Mr. Kabimba’s supporters.

Meanwhile, Grand Coalition for a People Driven Constitution has extended an olive branch to Just fired Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba to join them in the Campaign for the release of the constitution.

Speaking in an interview, Coalition Spokesperson McDonald Chipenzi said Mr. Kabimba who has now earned himself a ‘Doctorate’ in denying the people of Zambia a new Constitution will now see the need to demand for a people driven Constitution.

Mr. Chipenzi said Mr. Kabimba has also paid a price for not listening to people’s call for him to step down including some from his party.
He also said this gives good lesson to leaders that do not want to listen to what the people they are leading are saying.

Mr. Chipenzi who is also FODEP executive Director said the firing of Kabimba is not shocking.

He said as FODEP they advised Mr. Kabimba before to consider only having one position as having two positions like he did was so difficult.

Mr. Chipenzi is hopeful that the former Justice Minister will join the masses in calling for the release of the draft constitution.

And newly appointed PF Secretary General Edgar Lungu has said that his appointment as secretary general and Justice Minister has come as a surprise.

Mr Lungu said he had a meeting with President Sata in the morning and that the President had not mentioned anything on the appointment.
He said he would inform the nation on the plans he had for the party but that he would wait until he met the President before meeting the media.