CHURCH RELIEF FUNDS STILL AVAILABLE – SUMAILI

By ANDREW MUKOMA THE church should take advantage of the empowerment package that has been set aside by the government, says Former National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili. Reverend Sumaili said some organizations and churches had already started receiving the empowerment fund. The former Minister urged the church in Livingstone to take advantage of such a package. She was speaking when she addressed the religious leaders in Livingstone. Rev Sumaili said that empowerment fund for the church was meant to reduce the pressure the on the church in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Let me address the issue of empowerment. I am not there but I have an interest to see that the empowerment programme comes to pass and the church is blessed. I am encouraging you the church to apply and even to form cooperatives so that as ministers for fellowship, you can access that help. “You know, this is the first time such a facility is being put in place and it had to satisfy government regulations and as ministry of national guidance and religious affairs, we had to make sure we do it properly and ensure it meets the guidance of the ministry of finance and also the ministry of justice,” she said. Rev Sumaili said church operations, just like in other cases, had been negatively affected since the outbreak of covid-19 in March last year. “I am outside but I am also following up to ensure that this funding is quickly released because we are still in that Covid-19 situation and the churches have been affected badly,” she said. Rev Sumaili said it was against that background that the church needed a breather through the empowerment fund. “I know a number of organizations, churches have started receiving this funding so, please wait a lit bit more, patiently this funding is coming,” she said She disclosed that there were discussions in Government to increase the funding saying that the initial approved amount was K 50 million but the response had been so overwhelming. “There is a possibility that the amount is going to be increased. I know that some people have been spreading rumours that it is fake, it’s not true, it is not going to work….no, the funding is already set for the church and what we want is even more funding for the church,” she said. Rev Sumaili said that the voice of the church was so critical in the nation and in particular to national development. Election 2021 – Zambia risks endorsing state capture through the ballot he term state capture was little known or even unheard of until after the complete liberation of Africa. The South African government has been a target of various interest groups wanting to control state institutions to gain preference in the award of public contracts. State capture has become manifest as a governance problem in Africa. It has become an effective tool of control by neo colonialists through multilateral institutions such as the Commonwealth and through transnational coporations involved in commerce and industry. The most pronounced incidents of state capture have been reported in South Africa. Th Gupta brothers were accused of state capture during the tenure of President Jacob Zuma. Critics allege that state capture has continued under President Cyril Rhamaposa and this time the white business establishment led by the Ruperts and Openheimers have been accused of controlling the presidency. Should state capture be a matter of concern to voters in the forthcoming Zambian Presidential and General Elections? Perhaps it will help citizens to make decisions on this very important matter and there is no better way than to listen to those who have experienced its manifestation. Below is a verbatim report of South African Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng discussing state capture. “Let us stop accepting as a fact anything that is dished out to us. I keep on telling people that one of the intelligence agencies, in fact two, the Germany and the American one many years back, did research, it was a project started by Hitler, and they discovered that all you have to do to discredit a  person is to recycle a lie that is blended  with the truth many times over. If you repeat it and repeat it and repeat it, ultimately it is going to be accepted as the truth; and there is something else they discovered; that 87 per cent of the public don’t interrogate anything that features in the public domain, they readily accept whatever is said. The problems that we have as a nation are far too serious for us to allow ourselves to be manipulated, it’s a sign that you have no respect for yourself. It’s a failure by any leader to allow themselves to be pulled by the nose like that. A government of the people by the people and for the people; does it continue to be so? Even if you stand no chance of winning the elections, unless, you are connected to the financially well resourced, and if they fund you to the point where you succeed and win and become a government, are you not captured in advance? So we need to really think deep about how capture happens. There is no free lunch and never for the millions. You may get free lunch maybe for a thousand Rand. But once they begin to give you one million Rand, three million, five, fifteen hundred; whether I set you up in business or in government, there will be payback time. Why should I make you a multimillionaire, why? Why do I prefer you over others? It’s an investment. And be careful about those who are prepared to do everything even outside of the book to ascend to a leadership position.” Mogoeng was speaking at a gathering in Kempton Park to mark Mandela Day. There are thousands of reasons why our former colonizers; the British through the Commonwealth or through British multinational companies such as Anglo American, British Petroleum or even Puma Energy Ireland who hold majority shares in Puma Energy Zambia would like to have a government of their choice in our country. One of the 16 presidential candidates in the Zambian elections is Mr Hakainde Hichilema has very intricate or complex business relations with all three British multinationals. In January 1995, BP Zambia which was a subsdiary of British Petroleum pulled out the management of the local pension scheme from the Zambia State Insurance Company and handed the lucrative cash assets to Anglo American Central Africa Limited Financial Services Division which was then managing the Saturnia Regna Pension Trust Fund. A few years down the line, Anderson Mazoka who was the managing director of Anglo American Cenrral Africa Limited formed the United Party for National Development and two companies were formed to continue managing the Sartunia Regna Pension Trust Fund. When Hakainde Hichilema succeeded the late Mazoka as president of the UPND, he was given shares in the two companies. He presently holds shares in Benefits Consulting Services Limited and African Life Financial Services though Menel Management Services Limited. Africcan Life Financial Services Limited was created through an agreement between Anglo American and African Life Assurance Company. Munakupya Hantuba a well known business partner of Hakainde signed on behalf of Aflife. The other signatory was a Mr Edwin Mwikisa. This agreement reveals a typical neo-colonialism tactic. Anglo American sold its Zamanglo properties to the Saturnia Regna Pension Trust Fund for $3 million which was externalised by African Life without payment of the statutory transfer tax. And the properties were and are still registered in the names of some dead trustees Anglo American have also given Hakainde Hichilema shares in Sanlam Insurance Zambia. Records also indicate that money from Zambian pension schemes has been invested in Sanlam properties all over Africa. Further, pension funds have been externalised into offshore tax havens that benefit foreigh partners than the members who contribute the funds. Hakainde Hichilema is also at the service if not under the command of British Petroleum and Puma Energy in relations to the BP Zambia pension scandal. Correspondence which has been in public domain reveals a well-orchestrated conspiracy between the two companies on the one hand and Hichilema/Anglo American companies on the other. The Defendants of the record in the pension matter before court is BP Zambia now Puma Energy Zambia but Benefits Consulting Services Limited has become the defacto defendant and one of Hichilema’s partners in Sanlam Zambia is the defence counsel. These are huge investments by British multinationals in one individual. There is no doubt that Anglo American has made Hakainde Hichilema a millionaire and there will be a payback time. A pre-capture has definitely taken place and Zambia risks falling back into the hands of imperialists. The benefits a more nationalistic government far outweigh the dangers of a captured government. Yours truly Troubleshooter pentvision@gmail.com, ecchipalo@icloud.com, ecchipalo@yahoo.co.uk