VillageChampion

#VillageChampion I am from #MWANSABOMBWE #GBVSurvivor #MenstruationHealth #GirlChildEducation

[MUKUBA BOY @mwenya_eric]

Ronnel Manyanga with a classic goal at ADS yesterday.

Ronnel's goal came after Moses Shumah's penalty miss in the opening minutes of the game.

The game ended Power Dynamos 2-0 Kansanshi Dynamos.

Kuli ama goal kufibansa bane, mwilabwepwa.

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@ChefLon_Don Mwapusukeni baby girl

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@ChefLon_Don Pheeeew!!!!! Aren't you God's fave?

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@ChefLon_Don I hope he sulks for you because girl!!!!

[Sishuwa Sishuwa @ssishuwa]

The battle over Bill 7 will be won or lost in parliament: unpacking the dangers of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill

Part II

By Sishuwa Sishuwa

Theme 2. Legalising the use of public resources for election campaigns

The second benefit that Hichilema seeks to achieve through Bill 7 is getting members of parliament to campaign for his re-election and their own using public resources. The president hopes to achieve this objective by changing how the dissolution of parliament works before the general election. Article 81 (3) of Zambia’s constitution states that “Parliament shall stand dissolved ninety days before the holding of the next general election.” The three months that precede the election serve as the designated period for official nominations and campaigns.

Once parliament is dissolved by operation of law, MPs are no longer MPs and lose access to all the benefits that come with the office. Currently, these include a monthly net salary amounting to K60, 000, a $80, 000 interest-free car loan, and a truckload of allowances that cover their work-related costs such as travel, food, accommodation, sittings, and constituency-level staffing. Dissolving parliament long before the election is important to the democratic process for two reasons.

First, it allows those who were MPs before dissolution to focus on political campaigning instead of being encumbered by parliamentary business. Second, it prevents MPs from using public funds and other resources for partisan activities to the disadvantage of their opponents. Altogether, this creates a level playing field during the campaigns and contributes to the overall integrity of the elections.

Through Bill 7, Hichilema is proposing two amendments to the provisions governing dissolution.

The first proposal is to the amend Article 81 (3) to read: “(3) Parliament shall stand dissolved a day preceding the date of the next general election.” The official justification is that this change would ensure that the term of office for MPs is strictly five years, as opposed to the current situation that falls short by three months.

The second proposal is to make MPs retain their position for this additional three-month period but without any official work: “Notwithstanding clause 3, Parliament shall not sit or conduct any business ninety days before the holding of the next general election.”

In making these two proposals, Hichilema has three objectives.

The primary objective is to entice all MPs to support the passage of Bill 7 by dangling a carrot in front of them. If there is anything that Hichilema learnt from Lungu’s failure to pass Bill 10 in 2020, it is that no matter what the public or civil society says in opposition to an incumbent president’s plans on the subject, constitutional amendment bills are won or lost in parliament. This lesson explains why Hichilema could not embark on these constitutional changes much earlier in his term because he first needed to raise the two-majority support that is required to pass them. In furtherance of this objective, Hichilema worked with his loyalists in state institutions such as the police, the judiciary, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), and the Registrar of Societies to:

(i) hijack and take control of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) by installing a state-backed faction as the party’s leadership whose very first action was to expel nine PF MPs in an attempt to force a series of by-elections;

(ii) delay the resolution of the resultant PF leadership wrangles using regime-friendly judges;

(iii) induce vacancies in several constituencies by using the police to arrest incumbent MPs on what appears to be politically motivated charges and getting regime-friendly magistrates to convict them, often after speedy trials or unusual judicial efficiency;

(iv) prevent the main opposition party from sponsoring candidates in the ensuing parliamentary by-elections either by manipulating the judicial process or using the Registrar of Societies and the ECZ on the ground that the party first needed to resolve its factional battles; and

(v) use incumbency advantage and vote buying to win.

Combined, these legal manoeuvres have enabled the UPND to easily secure new four parliamentary seats in five of the seven constituencies that have held by-elections since 2022. The opposition have retained one seat while the remaining two by-elections are slated for 26 June and 10 July 2025.

This abbreviated history of Hichilema’s political schemes provides the clearest evidence that the president had known much earlier that he would take to parliament self-serving and personally-driven amendments to the Constitution rather than implementing his party’s 2021 manifesto that promised to “complete the constitutional reform agenda, anchored on a broad-based consensus among all Zambians” (p.34). Hichilema’s hope is that the UPND will win the forthcoming by-elections before Bill 7 is tabled in parliament on 22 July to reduce by two the number of MPs whom the ruling party might need to bribe to pass the dreadful constitutional changes.

In the meantime, however, the president is offering a more transparent form of bribery that he hopes will appeal to all the MPs: a promise to extend their tenure by three months, as many of them have long demanded. Delaying the dissolution of parliament to 24 hours before the general election would allow MPs to retain their existing lucrative remunerations – an inducement that greatly increases their chances of supporting Bill 7.

The second objective is to enable MPs to campaign for their own re-election using public resources. Campaign finance is ordinarily difficult to raise in Zambia, making attractive any interventions that would help deflate the cost of politics. Moreover, MPs receive constant requests for financial support from their constituents and are required to make monthly financial contributions to their political parties for by-election and day-to-day operational expenses. Allowing them to draw salaries for three months even when they will be doing no official work will significantly contribute to their war chest. In effect, this means MPs will be funded by taxpayers to carry out their political campaigns – another incentive for getting them to vote for Hichilema’s proposed constitutional amendments.

The third objective is enabling MPs to campaign for Hichilema using public funds drawn from the free salaries and the consequent increase in their pension. Currently, lawmakers receive about three million Kwacha (the equivalent of US$110,000) as payment for gratuity in respect of their parliamentary service. Extending the life of parliament for three months would result in an upward adjustment of this amount, making available additional funds that can support their own – and, for ruling party MPs, Hichilema’s – re-election campaigns.

Altogether, the proposed changes would encourage electoral fraud, corruption, or unfair practices during campaigns, and gravely undermine democratic principles such as a level playing field. For instance, challengers, often lacking in financial resources, would find it difficult to unseat incumbent MPs with deeper pockets and who will this time also enjoy the support of official staff in the constituency. Furthermore, the proposals are likely to work to the advantage of the UPND because candidates belonging to parties in government generally find it much easier to attract external financing or more resources from “well-wishers” than candidates of other parties whose campaign budgets usually draw on personal resources.

[Ndinawe @NambeyeNdinawe]

I mastered it🥳 on to the next one 🫡

[Joey_Jay @Joey_Mukando]

I saw a story on ZNBC about a chicken being reported to the police for attacking a toddler.

It had me wondering what an interrogation between ZP and a chicken would look like.

[Bwalya Fundafunda @bwalyaf2]

Selling these two wedding dresses and wedding veil as seen to one lucky bride, make me an offer 🫶🏽

[••PHAROAHS MISTRESS••🇿🇲 @FaithAlakas]

Guys just an update.

ZAF??? Patali sana . Guy unblocked my cousin and paid the school fees in full.

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

They just want to lock us up. Because, what is this?

[Diamond Media @diamondtvzambia]

VOLUNTEERING IS NOT A FORCED ARRANGEMENT, GOVT TELLS DOCTORS

By Elfa Mwale Shampande

Health Minister Elijah Muchima has reminded health workers that volunteering is not a mandatory pathway to employment.

Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday morning, Mr. Muchima questioned the motives behind the Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ)’s recent advocacy, stating that the association appears to be advancing the interests of volunteer doctors who may not even be part of its membership.

This follows a statement issued by RDAZ on Friday, 30th May, announcing that volunteer doctors would withdraw their services effective Monday, 2nd June 2025.

In response, the minister acknowledged that volunteering is a noble gesture and emphasized that those choosing to withdraw are free to do so.

He reiterated that while the government appreciates the contributions of volunteer health workers, participation in such programmes does not obligate the state to offer employment.

However, Mr. Muchima assured that the government will continue to prioritise volunteer health workers for recruitment, in line with the President’s directive.

He also disclosed plans to meet with the RDAZ leadership to hear their concerns and work towards a mature and constructive resolution.

#NewsOnTheGo

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@FaithAlakas Have you ever seen him in uniform?

[Linda Kasonde @LindaKasonde]

FIVE REASONS WHY GOVERNMENT SHOULD WITHDRAW AND NOT AMEND BILL 7 OF 2025

The process is just as important as the content. Amending Bill 7 now will produce an equally flawed outcome for the following reasons:

[Spartan Bob - 117 @Ex_NihiloRob]

If I'm going to spend 7 years of my Life learning how to fix humans, plus an additional 2-3 years practicing what I learnt, it's insulting to Medical Officers to have to volunteer their skills, to show you that they are worthy of a respectable remuneration package.

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

We enter on my befday

[✨☀️ @ngoni_princesss]

PSA: we are not entering the 2nd half of the year tomorrow.

Thank you 😂

[Sishuwa Sishuwa @ssishuwa]

I am eternally grateful to the Government of Zambia for giving me a 100% student loan without which I would never have studied at the University of Zambia and later on awarded the Rhodes Scholarship that entirely funded my master’s and PhD studies at Oxford. I have paid back the loan in full so that the government can help other rural children to achieve their dreams. I encourage other former beneficiaries to do the same.

[Sishuwa Sishuwa @ssishuwa]

I do not understand why you people keep deflecting and evading the simple and straightforward question that I asked: what is the criteria that the government follows when deciding which candidates to float or support for international positions? Why do you keep evading this question?

Andrew Kamanga stood for an international position. The government decided not to support him. Miles Sampa stood for an international position. The government decided not to support him. All I am asking is this: is there a criteria that the government follows when deciding which candidate to support and which one not to? This is the question you people are ignoring and refusing to answer. Why are you evading it?

https://t.co/gYaS4l9wuX

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@mwenya_eric Tuma kaili

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@mwenya_eric find his number

[Bangweulu TV Zambia @BangweuluTv]

HRH Chief Mabumba VIII distances Luapula chiefs from Chief Chisunka’s endorsement of Bill 7, urging consensus and fairness in Zambia’s constitutional amendment process. Justice and equality must guide leadership, not haste.

[VillageChampion @KantaChinyanta]

@EphraimChinga I believe you