The High Court last week ruled that former local government minister Nkandu Luo breached the rules of natural justice when she banned Tujilijili - leading to damages to be awarded to the 15 liquor companies:

"I award damages to the applicants for loss of verifiable stock or equipment which must be assessed by the learned Deputy Registrar of the High Court in the absence of agreement. In awarding these damages, I am satisfied that if this was a claim made in ordinary proceedings by way of writ, the applicants would have been awarded damages as a remedy for the losses..."

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The three Church mother bodies [CCZ, EFZ and ZEC)] recently released a press briefing with a critique of the current political and economic stitution. They also made the following observation on parliamentary bye-elections:

"Even though these elections are being held within the provisions and confines of the law, we are also increasingly seeing more and more by-elections being instigated or motivated by greed, individual interests and a selfish propensity for political dominance by the ruling party....Also we question the integrity of these by-elections. Who is really behind the current spell of elections? What value are these by-elections adding to our political environment? Why are our leaders so ready to waste such colossal sums of money in the campaigns whilst our hospitals still face a ...

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A Solwezi magistrate was arrested recently for corruptly receiving K7000 (rebased). Henry Aongola aged 35, a Magistrate in Solwezi was arrested alongside other two individuals. He was charged with corrupt practices by public officer. It is alleged in April 2010 the magistrate corruptly received money from Joyce Nshindo as an inducement to pervert the course of justice in a criminal case concerning her son Justine Lukanga. Justine was facing a charge in the magistrate's court.

We need more of such arrests. Corruption in the judiciary must be top priority. A clean judicial system can help deter corrupt practices. A dirty and corrupt judiciary encourages even greater corruption. Corruption in institutions which are tasked with combating corruption is likely to encourage corruption in other ...

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Davies Mwila (Deputy Defence Minister) says government will lease the Zambia China Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe if negotiations with the Chinese to re-open the plant fail. Mr. Mwila says government is keen to have the Textile Company re-opened so that local people are employed. It has engaged the Chinese Embassy to help. Government owns 34 percent of shares in the Zambia China Mulungushi Textiles with the Chinese holding the rest. The textile was basically closed in 2008. The Ministry of Defence is tasked with reviving it.

The goal should not be creating jobs per se. It is easy to create any jobs - the goal is to create jobs that are sustainable in the long term. In other words jobs that are not being subsidised by tax payers. If the Chinese don't want to run the project it may be that ...

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Dora Siliya MP recently wrote an interesting article on the "Tragedy of Perception". I am excited to see MPs writing more. Here is the bit that caught my attention :

Let me bring you back to where we are currently, a cross road of perceptions. Are we doing better compared to 5 or 3 or 2 years ago? Do we have the right to freely assemble and associate? Are human rights being respected? Do we get a sense that our Government is fair and reasonable? Is the discourse on tribalism in Government perception or reality? Does the opposition have the political space to provide the much needed checks and balances? Is the Judiciary and Parliament operating without interference? Have the NGOs been coerced? Is the media reflecting society or just passive while sections of it push a narrow private agenda? ...

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By Chola Mukanga

These are busy times for Bank of Zambia (BOZ) Governor Michael Gondwe. The Kwacha continues to face a battering, it is now its weakest position in 12 months and second worst performing currency in the region. The Governor is struggling to bring it back to what he regards as a "more realistic" level. Despite throwing millions of foreign reserves it continues to slide with declining foreign investment. High food and import costs recently prompted BOZ to raise interest rates and increase the reserve ratios for commercial banks.

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I recently asked our Facebook Page contributors on their assessment of NAREP and why it has failed to make a mark with voters. More than 110 of readers responded in a well manned and respectful political discussion. Here are the top five reasons they gave on why think NAREP appears to have failed to make an impact and seems in reverse. These are their reasons, as voters, not mine:

(1) Lack of engaging leadership - In one word NAREP's leadership is described as "poor". Its leadership is believed by many to be closely aligned to the PF government. This has resulted in NAREP leaders going abroad with President Sata and also being unable to hold Government to account with necessarily boldness. Elias Chipimo's leadership was particularly cited as lacking charisma and a common touch (in contrast ...

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By Chola Mukanga

Dietrich Bonhoeffer at the height of Nazi German asked of German literature, "Do you know a work of literature written in the last, say, fifteen years that you think has any lasting value? I don't. It is partly idle chatter, partly propaganda, party self-pitying sentimentalism, but there is no insight, no ideas, no clarity, no substance and almost always the language is bad and constrained".

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By Chola Mukanga

Parliament has lifted the 4th President's immunity from prosecution. Mr Banda will now be investigated and fully prosecuted if the case is strong. Historians and lawyers will be quick to remind us, that if the Chiluba saga is anything to go by, the process takes long and Mr Banda is unlikely to face jail. In the end it is all a 'storm in the tea cup'. It is all academic and the greatest impact is on Mr Banda's personal pride.

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By Chipo Muwowo

A family holiday in December 1996 took us to Kariba, the Zimbabwean tourist town located a few kilometres from the border with Zambia. It is home to Lake Kariba, a vast and impressive dam teeming with animal and plant life, favoured by tourists and vital for the supply of hydroelectricity. We stayed at a small lodge overlooking the lake and soon after arriving, realised that we were the only black family there. Everyone else was white. We stayed.

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