Top 10 News Stories in 2010

As the end of the year approaches, we are now looking forward to 2011 hoping and praying of a brighter year for Zambia. The challenges of 2010 fade as our people dream of new possibilities next year. But it’s also worthwhile to reflect on what’s changed in the last 12 months. This discipline allows us to collect and consider our thoughts and proceed forward with confidence. I have compiled a list of the top 10 Zambia stories from 2010. Admittedly, this is inherently subjective, but I have tried to reflect stories which were most read and debated across many of Zambia's public forums.

10) KCM Pollutes Kafue River Again  

We asked "was something brewing in Kafue river?". The answer was a definite "yes". The town of Chingola suffered once again recent more mining effluent from Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Tailings Leach Plant (TLP) leaving most of the townships without tap water.  Media reports spoke of high river poisoining and peasant farmers living along the river picking the dead fish for consumption. The company was fined a meagre K21m which did not please the victims. This story is vital because 2010 became another year in which we were reminded of the environmental genocide which continue to be perpetuated by mining companies in league with corrupt government officials who have failed to implement responsible environmental policies.

9) GMB beats His Wife

Kasama Central MP Geoffrey “GBM” Mwamba became the public face of perpetrators of gender based violence after allegations of wife battering. The PF parliamentarian later defended his actions citing that it is all part of marital bliss, "who doesn’t fight with a wife, anyway? Who has not fought a wife…who is married, tell me. In his words, "If a man and his wife do not fight, then they don’t love each other. I beat my wife because I love her. She also sometimes beats me, do I rush to a radio station to complain that I have been beaten by my wife?". The case was subsequently dismissed in court after the wife refused to testify against her husband. The government is bringing forward gender based but none that deals with the complex issues related to witnesses which were alighted by this case.

8) Dr Musonda Fired for Firing Gunshots

President Banda bowed to public pressure to fire Dr Solomon Musonda as Healh Deputy Minister after Dr Musonda fired gun shots at a Patriotic Front (PF) cadre in Serenje. The former Minister was subsequently charged with causing grievous harm with intent to disfigure with the case still pending in the Kabwe High Court. The victim, a Jackson Musaka, lay in hospital for many days and it is very likely that he will pursue a separate civil proceeding for monetary compensation. The story is important because of the poor way in which the case was handled by the Republican President. It took weeks before the President decided to fire  the disgraceful minister. But it also shows how some "power hungry" many of the so-called public servants are. One is made a minister to look after the people not try and kill them!

7) Chiluba Defeats "The London Judgement"

The Supreme Court decision in Attorney General Versus Dr Frederick Chiluba and others was more important than many have realised. Yes it completed the personal rehabilitation of the Republican President Frederick Chiluba and ensured his pension benefits were not depleted, but much crucial is that it maintained the independence of our courts against non-binding foreign judgements. A careful reading of the Supreme Court judgement reveals not only that is was proper and correct but also helps to point to the real problem which one hopes that people will turn to - the poverty of our public prosecution.  Sometimes we blame the courts when the real problem lies with our prosecution. The case was not lost that day, it should never have been so poorly prosecuted. Contrary to what many people think convicting Chiluba based on the case presented would have been gross injustice. If we want to see justice done we must look at the entire justice system not just pick on our judges.

6) ZAMTEL Is Sold for "A Song"

ZAMTEL was finally privatised to LAP for just $106 million net. The Libyan government owned parastatal acquired 75 per cent shares after a bidding process that failed to attract leading global telecomms players and was shrouded in the RP Capital scandal. However, we should not down play its significance. Selling ZAMTEL is likely to have a significant impact on the telecomms sector for better or worse. As it was sold, other important complementary changes were also taking place, not least the liberalisation of the international gateway which saw government finally reduce the fee from US$12 million to $350,000 - something we have long advocated for.

5) Zambia Records A Bumber Harvest. 

Zambia this year recorded a staggering 42.1% increase in maize output from the previous year, making it the highest crop harvest in about 22 years. Total maize production rose to 2.7 million tonnes, beating last season's harvest of 1.9 million, to leave the surplus at 1.1 million tonnes. What should have been a good news threatened to become a bad one as news begun filtering that no strategy existed for getting rid of the surplus. Crucially more government  funds were needed to ensure the harvest did not rot, translating into a huge subsidy. The government has responded by setting up a committee that will look at maize marketing in the future and there are signs of greater use of ZAMACE. All in all 2010 was a good year for agriculture and the government is to be commended with room for improvement.

4) Red Campaign Movement is Launched. 

Father Frank Bwalya after being fired from Radio Icengelo took his message to the streets with an ingenious "red card" campaign, getting international coverage along the way. He was immediately  arrested,  thrown in jail  and later released with his cases still pending in court. The leading civil society groupings seems to have embraced the movement, with the country's most important and influential NGOs - SACCORD , TIZ , CSPR, Caritas Zambia and Citizens Forum executive joining to wave red cards. The RCM is the first serious attempt at a galvanising the grass roots to push for cross party change. It is worth monitoring in 2011. History records that a separate "white ribbon" campaign was launched in opposition but it has since died away.

3) Fundanga Takes Over Finance Bank  

The Bank of Zambia placed Finance Bank, the nation’s largest privately owned lender, under central bank supervision. Although Finance Bank is partially owned by Credit Suisse Group AG, the move was largely interpreted as aimed at fixing one of the richest men in Zambia, Rajan Mahtani who in recent times has withdrawn funding support to MMD. Although the full effects of this decision on our financial system are yet to be felt, a clear development is that Fundanga's pandering to immediate political forces appear to have done irreparable damage to the informal "independence" of the BoZ and has highlighted the need for a stronger legislative footing. As the man himself previously noted "although it has been observed that there is recognition of the relative degree of autonomy of the Bank of Zambia, this is mainly informal and has been attained on account of personalities". After Mwanawasa died, the personalities changed.

2) The Windfall Tax Debate Hots Up

The mining taxation debate captured the mainstream media after copper prices nearly breached the $9000 per tonne mark. Intellectual consensus appears to be reached that the current fiscal regime based on profits is not working and a revenue based approach would be more transparent and guarantee a fair return for our people. Over the last year we have see experts from all walks of life and the ZE website has led in capturing those opinions. However, it remains disappointing that the leading political parties are all pro-low mining taxation and as yet there appears little prospect of a change in the status quo. No party has yet committed itself to changing the regime as part of its election strategy. Nevertheless, this remains the single most important economic question facing Zambia as we enter 2011.

1) Appalling Violence in Mufumbwe 

The Mufumbwe bye-election will go down as the shocking bye election in recent time. Violent MMD cadres armed with catapults and stones sent Inspector General of Police (IGP) Francis Kabonde into hiding as they chanted “Boma ni Boma. Tamwalale lelo (government is government, you won’t sleep today).”  One media source reported, "two people are confirmed dead and three others nursing serious injuries after a vehicle being driven by MMD parliamentary candidate Mulondwe Muzungu's son hit them early this morning around 05:00 hours". And that was just the tip of the iceberg. The IGP retained his job but his ministerial boss was replaced by a UNIP parliamentarian after widespread loss of confidence in the ability of the state to protect its citizens. Calls for an independent inquiry have fallen on deaf ears. However, a recent High Court judgement has set a strong precedent that the violence "affected voter turnout" and therefore not free and fair. Whether that restrains violence in 2011 is entirely a different question. Our prayers must remain for a peaceful 2011.