. Hakainde

2016 is over! And it is certainly that time of the year when people and institutions reflect on the past 12 months – their successes, failures and challenges – while planning for another year ahead.
But what has really been striking in the news in Zambia in 2016? What has been the weirdest, what was intriguing and what is likely to continue making headlines in 2017?
ZRA roar raise row
Zambians woke up to the news on June 22, 2016 that the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) had shut down the Post Newspapers for nonpayment of taxes worth more than K53 million.
The raid of the Post Newspapers premises on the evening of June 21, 2016 by ZRA officers to shut down the paper over the debt did not only raise a row with editor in chief Fred M’membe, but also ignited a catalog of claims which resulted into liquidation of the company.
This was probably one of the striking news of the year considering that the biggest and oldest private newspaper in Zambia had been considered to be ‘indispensable’ by some quotas.
The closure arose from the disputed K53.8 million debt that the newspaper company owed the ‘taxman’. While newspaper had disputed the figure, the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of ZRA before it finally invaded the premises.
Mr M’member who is currently facing contempt of court charges over The Post assets has divided the opinion of many Zambians in almost three decades that he had run The Post.
While he is seen as a hero of justice and truth by his fans, Mr M’membe is also perceived by his critics as an untrustworthy man who used his newspaper to attack those he did not like for one reason or the other.
It is for this reason that a great number of politicians have accused him of wanting to portray himself as a sacred guy trying to make everyone to dance to his tunes.
General elections plus referendum
Elections always make big news anywhere in the world. But the 2016 presidential elections were perhaps even more intriguing and unprecedented in that they were held alongside the referendum for the fir time.
They also carried a new facet after the change of the Republican Constitution which compelled Zambians to elect mayors and council chairperson for the firm unlike in the past when they were chosen by fellow councilors.
The country’s record of being a beacon of peace in Africa was put on a bigger test after unprecedented violence that characterized the campaigns. However, President Edgar Lungu beat main opposition leader
Hakainde Hichilema by 100,530 votes to settle the nerves of 14 million Zambians.
Mr Hichilema did not only lose the vote, but also failed with his bid at the Constitutional Court to prevent Mr Lungu from assuming office after the opposition leader claimed that his votes were stolen. The matter is still active in the court and it is likely to be in the news until deep in 2017.
Did you know that Mr Hichilema was contesting the presidency for the fifth time? He became the first presidential candidate in Zambia’s history to get one million or more votes in a presidential election but still lose the vote.
The Day of Judgment
The campaign mood for the ruling PF for the 2016 elections were dimmed by a striking news from the Constitutional Court just 48 hours before the elections on 11 August, 2016.
The new establishment in the country’s judicial system which is the brainchild of the new Constitution ruled that ministers and their deputies were holding offices illegally and ordered them to vacate immediately.
As if that was not enough, the Constitutional Court’s landmark judgment also ordered the Government officials to pay back the money they had received in form of salaries and allowances from the time Parliament was dissolved in May 2016 when they should have left their offices.
This did not however stop the ruling party from retaining the presidency and the majority Parliament although the matter of paying back the money to government is still subject to court.
Annual Africa Development Bank Meeting
Another major activity that placed Zambia on the world map was the 2016 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) held at Lusaka’s Mulungushi Conference Centre from May 23 to 27.
Zambia in 2016 faced its worst economic crisis in more than a decade with falling copper prices, pressure on the government’s operating and investment budget which had been coupled with inadequate electricity-supply. This had certainly affected the real economic growth of the country.
Therefore, this meeting which focused on energy could not have been held at a better time than in 2016 when the country struggled to revive its crawling economy.
The presence of high profile delegates to the meeting certainly increased confidence in Zambian economy despite struggles. It’s not only Zambia that has been hit by power deficit in Africa and it was not a surprise that the meeting centred on energy with the theme, ‘Energy and Climate Change’.
This should surely have reinvigorated efforts being made by the government to tackle energy problems and bring back on track the country’s economy.
Did you know that Zambia was hosting the Annual Meetings of AfDB for the first time since 1971 despite having a Zambian (in Willa Mung’omba) heading the organisation as a president from 1980 to 1985?
The 2017 National Budget
Like general elections, national budgets are always big news and come with high expectations. The 2017 national budget was perhaps even bigger because it was presented amid economic hardships.
Therefore, it was apparent that it would not only focus on what would be spent this year, but also outline an economic recovery plan to take the country back on its positive economic strides.
Finance Minister Felix Mutati certainly convinced many Zambians by emphasizing that the country’s Economic Recovery Programme, which was dubbed ‘Zambia Plus’, centred on five main pillars.
These included enhancing domestic resource mobilisation and refocusing of public spending on core public sector mandates; scaling-up government’s social protection programmes, and improving economic and fiscal governance.
Other pillars included restoring credibility of the budget by minimising unplanned expenditures and halting the accumulation of arrears. This was this year’s budget and its implementation is certainly going to remain in the news in 2017!
The Horse Shoe Restaurant
Reports of abuse at the Greeks-owned restaurant attracted a great attention from many Zambians but its handling by labour Minister Joyce Nonde was even weird and embarrassing for her.
It all started by a whistle blower Mika Mwambazi who raised the flag on behalf of the employees at Lusaka-based restaurant. After apparent investigations, Ms Nonde said there was no evidence of abuse of employees at the restaurant.
Shockingly, the Minister who is a former unionist with a great reputation, raised eyebrows by calling for the arrest of the whistle blower before a media campaign ridiculing her followed.
The news took an embarrassing direction after the Human Rights Commission (HRC) which had carried a different and independent investigation revealed abuse of employees by the owners of the Horse Shoe Restaurant.
Kambwili axed!
Just when many Zambians thought he was indispensable! Kambwili had received criticism and applause in equal measure, but many thought he would be the last man to be chucked out of cabinet.
He had been seen by his admirers as a ‘man of action’, a resemblance of late Michael Sata but critics have always taunted him as an arrogant politician whose utterances and actions did not only march but also centred on selfish interest.
His character and his position in government had made him so powerful that the probability of being dropped was almost none existent!
Therefore, it was big story in November for many media houses to hear that President Edgar Lungu had fired Mr Chishimba Kambwili as Information and Broadcasting Services Minister before replacing him with little known Kampamba Mulenga.
Mr Kambwili is currently under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the findings are likely to make more news in 2017.
Resurrected!
A man of Senanga district in Western Province believed to have died and buried in November 2015 has mysteriously resurrected in circumstances that have left the police ‘ghosting’ for answers.
This is another story that took the media by storm in 2016! It brought more questions than answers and there is little doubt that up to now, few individuals have comprehended what exactly happened.
Mufalali Mufalali believed to be in his mid-40s is said to have died on 29 October, 2015 and buried on November 1, 2015 in Senenga before he resurfaced on February 7, 2016 – exactly 120 days after being presumed dead and buried.
Western Province Police chief Charles Lungu said the DNA analysis from Mr Mufalali’s biological parents and that of Mr Mufalali did not match. But the deceased was positively identified by his wife and 14-year-old daughter.
“Mufalali’s wife clearly identified the scars on his body as the ones that were as a result of his suffering from herpes zoster that he suffered before he died and the other that he sustained after she hit him with a big stone that left him unconscious after a marital disagreement earlier in their marriage,” Mr Lungu had said at the time of the story.
Certainly this was bizarre!