Chali Mulenga

By Chali Mulenga As the debate around Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 intensifies, one thing has become unmistakably clear:  Zambia is facing not merely a legislative dispute but a constitutional crisis rooted in mistrust, opacity and political overreach.  Bill 7 has been marketed as a sweeping modernisation of our governance system is promising improved representation, inclusivity and electoral clarity.  Yet, beneath the surface, the Bill reveals deep gaps that threaten both constitutionalism and democratic stability. A Flawed Process From the Start No constitutional amendment can stand on a broken foundation. The Constitutional Court’s declaration that Bill 7 is a nullity should have halted the process entirely.  Instead, the Bill is being revived and repackaged, ignoring the Court’s directive that wide public consultation is mandatory are not optional.  The opacity surrounding the so-called “Technical Committee,” whose reports remain unpublished, only worse...

A 41-year-old man from Simwizi village in Chief Mukuni’s area of Kazungula District has been found dead in what police suspect to be a case of suicide, following earlier threats to take his own life due to debt. Southern Province Police Commanding Officer Auxensio Daka confirmed in a statement that the deceased, identified as Emmanuel Siamutema, was discovered on the morning of 31 May 2025, lying motionless behind an unfinished building in the village. Mr Daka said the matter was initially reported to Libuyu Police Station at 09:00 hours by Joseph Simasiku, 59, also of Simwizi village, who found the body between 04:30 and 05:30 hours. According to Mr Daka, the deceased’s wife, Nasilele Kupota, 34, previously intercepted him with a bottle of Doom insecticide on 22 May around 20:00 hours.  “When confronted, he told her he wanted to commit suicide because he owed someone a lot of money, which he could not pay back,” Mr Daka said.  He added that the wife took the insecticide from ...

  CHALI MULENGA Livingstone Farmers in the Kasiya Resettlement area have raised alarm over the closure of a key access road following a controversial land use change approved by the local council. The affected farmers, led by Mr. Kantu Kantu, have accused the Livingstone City Council of disregarding due process and failing to consult stakeholders before authorizing the development. Speaking to journalists on-site, Kantu, a long-time resident and farmer in Sehena Tevere, expressed concern over the closure of the road which connects the farming community to the main Livingstone–Lusaka Road. The road services over 500 farmers, as well as schools and public facilities within the resettlement scheme. “The road has been blocked because a private developer was granted permission to change the land use from agriculture to mixed-use,” said Kantu. “We were not consulted. When we found out, we followed procedure and petitioned the council. But instead of addressing our concerns, surveyors sho...

CHALI MULENGA Livingstone Livingstone Mayor Constance Muleabai has called for an end to period shame, urging communities to unite in creating a period-friendly world. Speaking during the Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025 commemorations at Mwandi Community School, held under the theme “Together for a Period-Friendly World.” Ms Muleabai challenged menstrual stigma and encouraged girls to embrace their menstrual cycles with confidence. “We should not feel ashamed to be girls. Men will stop attacking us if we start being proud of our periods,” she said, addressing pupils, teachers, and advocates from the Pad-A-Girl Campaign, which organised the event. Ms Muleabai said there was a need for women and girls to pay attention to their menstrual health and manage their periods with dignity and preparedness. The commemoration included the distribution of sanitary pads to pupils, alongside a campaign to promote menstrual health education and tackle period poverty. Praising the Pad-A-Girl Campaign for its...

  CHALI MULENGA  Livingstone   Police in Choma have arrested a 41-year-old woman for allegedly assaulting her 5-year-old niece, leaving the child with swollen legs and severe bruises along her back. Southern Province Commanding Officer Auxensio Daka said the incident was reported on April 24 by a concerned resident of Shampande township. He confirmed the incidence which happened in Choma.  He said the abuse, which is believed to have taken place between January and April 2025, allegedly involved repeated beatings using a stick. Mr Daka said the suspect, identified as Scentia Hanchancha of Shampande B township. He said the suspect told police that the beatings were punishment for the child frequently soiling her clothes.  He said the young girl is now in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare, as authorities have not yet located any close relatives to take her in. Mr Daka said the police have opened a case docket and issued a medical report form for...

Chali Mulenga*   Livingstone  Zambia celebrates Founding Father’s Day, also known as KK Day, one voice has risen sharply above the rest, urging Zambians to reflect not just on history — but on conscience. Joseph Moyo, a respected human rights defender and vocal citizen advocate, has called on Zambians to use this public holiday not for recreation or routine political platitudes, but for deep introspection and renewed commitment to national service, integrity, and humility — the very principles embodied by Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, the country’s founding president. “We must stop romanticizing the past and start embodying it,” Mr Moyo said in a statement issued from Livingstone.  “To honor KK is to live like KK.  That means rejecting corruption, serving with humility, and placing the people above personal gain.” KK Day, observed on April 28, commemorates Dr. Kaunda’s legacy as Zambia’s independence leader and first president.  The day often sees government-or...

CHALI MULENGA Livingstone The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) has raised growing concern over the escalating human-wildlife conflict in Livingstone, fuelled by urban encroachment, climate change, and the unique layout of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Gertrude Mutale, Regional Extension Officer under the Community-Based Natural Resources Management Unit at DNPW, outlined these challenges during a community engagement session, calling for greater public awareness and cooperation. Ms Mutale explained that Mosi-oa-Tunya, Zambia’s second smallest national park at just 6 square kilometres, lacks a Game Management Area (GMA)—a designated buffer zone to enable coexistence between wildlife and humans. “Unlike larger parks such as Kafue, which is surrounded by eight GMAs, Mosi-oa-Tunya is exposed. This absence greatly contributes to the frequency of wildlife straying into human settlements,” she said. She added that illegal settlements have emerged along the park’s border,...