Metro

Opposition parties, PEP, UPPZ knocks President Hichilema over handling of cholera epidemic

Published

11 months ago

January 9, 2024

Zambian opposition parties, the Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) and the United Prosperous And Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ), have faulted President Hakainde Hichilema’s handling of the cholera epidemic which has so far killed not less than 30 people.

PEP leader, Sean Tembo, who spoke with journalists in Lusaka on Tuesday, called on the government to provide food at cholera centres where people had been admitted.

Tembo decried a lack of food at the various centres which he said had contributed to the high levels of mortality among cholera patients.

He noted that most of the patients at centres did not have access to food, believing that this was exercebating the situation which was also being compounded with diarrhea.

“We believe that food is critical to help fight the cholera outbreak and the appeal must be addressed with the urgency by government,” the PEP leader said.

He emphasized that the economic conditions were also not favourable and that people were unable to buy food either for their relatives or themselves.

Also reacting to the situation,
leader of the UPPZ, Charles Chanda, expressed concerns over Hichilema’s recent actions and claims in the fight against the cholera outbreak.

Chanda questioned the president’s commitment based on a photo posted on his Facebook page, which raised serious doubts about his understanding of the situation on the ground.

“The photo in question shows President Hichilema without gloves, suggesting a lack of adherence to basic hygiene practices in a time when it is absolutely crucial,” he stated.

Chanda, however, wondered why the president, who claimed to be taking the fight against cholera seriously, would neglect such a fundamental precaution.

“It is essential that our leaders set an example by strictly following recommended guidelines to avoid undermining the efforts of those tirelessly working to curb the spread of this deadly disease,” Chanda said.

“The President’s actions portray a lack of seriousness and raise questions about the authenticity of his involvement.”

He noted that the “fight against cholera necessitated the utmost dedication, coordination, and implementation of measures consistent with global best practices.”

“The President should consider the impact of his actions and ensure that his every move contributes to the overall efforts aimed at eradicating this deadly disease from our beloved nation,” Chanda insisted.

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Metro

Zambia: FOX report highlights persistent media harassment, calls for reforms

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A new Freedom of Expression (FOX) report by the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, has raised concerns over what it describes as the continued harassment of media professionals in the country despite collective efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.

The FOX Report serves as a call to action for all stakeholders to create a safer and more enabling environment for the media to operate without fear or intimidation.

Chairperson of the MISA-Zambia Board, Lorraine Mwanza, who raised the concerns while launching the report on Tuesday at the Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, highlighted that journalists and media practitioners in the country still faced intimidation, censorship, and violence for fulfilling their role of informing the public.

“The harassment of media professionals is a stark reminder of the threats posed to democratic values and the fundamental rights to seek, receive, and impart information without fear or hindrance,” Mwanza said.

She expressed solidarity with those who are targets of attack, and reaffirmed MISA’s commitment to defending journalists’ rights and protecting the integrity of the profession.

Mwanza further called on the government to address barriers preventing journalists from accessing public officials, emphasizing that public officials were custodians of critical information necessary for informed decision-making.

“When citizens have access to government data, they can better understand policies, monitor public spending, and advocate for change in their communities,” Mwanza noted.

She also appealed for the review and repeal of laws that undermine democracy, stressing the importance of enacting legislation that guarantees media freedom, freedom of expression, and digital rights, and commended the government for responding to calls from civil society organizations to withdraw the controversial Cyber Bills from Parliament.

Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana, in a speech read by Ministry Director Mordern Mayembe, reaffirmed government’s commitment to upholding media freedom and freedom of expression in Zambia.

Metro

Nigeria: 614,937 killed, 2.2m abducted in 1 year— Report

Published

20 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A new report released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that over 614,937 Nigerians were killed and 2,235,954 others kidnapped across the country in one year between May 2023 and April 2024.

The NBS report, titled, “The Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024”, says based on the surveys conducted between May 2023 and April 2024, the 2.2 million Nigerians who were kidnapped across the country paid a whopping N2.2 trillion as ransom, with an average amount of N2.7 million per incident.

The report also disclosed that murder rate was highest in rural areas with 335,827 incidents and 279,110 in urban areas.

A zone-by-zone analysis of the report showed that the North-West had the highest murder cases of 206,030, followed by the North-East which stood at 188,992, while the least was recorded in the South-West at 15,693.

The report also revealed about seven in 10 households reported murder cases to the police nationwide with 33 per cent of households responding that the killer was an unknown person, and 23.4 per cent confirmed that the murderer was a member of the household; while 1.0 per cent reported that the murderer was either a spouse or a lover.

The report said 1,668,104 persons were kidnapped in rural areas and 567,850 in urban areas with the North-West having the highest cases of kidnapping with 1,420,307 abducted, followed by the North-Central with 317,837 and the South-East at 110,432.

“Of the estimated amount of N2.2 trillion payments to free victims, the North-West reported the highest ransom paid with N1.2 trillion; while the South-East was the least with N85.4 billion.

“Disaggregated by zones, the North-Central reported the highest proportion of payment of ransom at 83.4 per cent, followed by North-East at 78.6 per cent.

“Households in urban areas paid an average of N3.7 million compared to N2.3 million in rural areas,” the report stated.

It added that about 91 per cent of kidnapping incidents were done for ransom in the form of money, goods or other benefits.

“While 2.4 per cent of cases were attributed to political, criminal, or terrorist objectives; 2.1 per cent were linked to personal or family disputes. Custody disputes accounted for 0.5 per cent of cases,” the report said.