One of the consequences of the suspension of funding to Zambia by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has been an increasing number of stock outages and drug rationing that has affected all hospitals nation-wide, Mwandi Mission included.
Stock outages at clinics and hospitals have been so far fairly short term, but Central Medical Stores have sometimes run out of stocks for a considerable period as they wait for emergency shipments to arrive. In cases of low stock levels, drugs are rationed.
Regular readers will remember in an earlier blog the covering of the allegations of corruption at the Zambian Ministry of Health (MoH) uncovered by an investigation by the auditor general. The audit found that the ministry could not account for more than US$7.2 million. The repercussions from this are still being felt.
Another audit undertaken by the Global Fund* reported on poor financial management at the MoH, Ministry of Finance, the Christian Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) and the Zambian National AIDS Network. These bodies used to receive Global Fund monies directly for programme implementation and then pass funds on to other organisations called sub-recipients. The audit found that $10.7 million of Global Fund money was not passed on and, to date, none of it has been repaid. The alleged financial mismanagement includes the purchase of vehicles for personal use, inflated salaries - sometimes more than double the going–rate locally, and funds disbursed to sub-recipients who could not provide auditors with financial records.
The Global Fund only funds CHAZ directly now; the MoH no longer receives funds, its responsibility in this area has gone to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Zambia. Teething troubles with these new procedures have brought delays for us on the ground in receiving funding for our AIDS Relief Programme. We have also suffered two major stock-outs of antiretrovirals (ARVs) recently. Fortunately we had a Hospital vehicle in Lusaka at the time that waited for one of the drugs to arrive in the country. We are relying on UNICEF and USAID who are scrambled to bring in more expensive emergency supplies until the new bodies get their procurement procedures properly functioning. TB drugs have also been in short supply. A week’s supply of the children’s ARVs was borrowed from the District Hospital.
The knock-on effects from this was that we could only give a week’s supply which meant the children and parents having another walk in a week’s time to the Clinic to receive the rest of the month’s supply. This meant further unbudgeted transport costs for the rural poor with an increased risk of defaulting and subsequent resistance.
Those responsible for the misuse of funds are still not being held accountable. It will be up to local courts to prosecute those suspected of fraud or the misappropriation of funds. Civil Society and some NGOs are pressing for this. Patients and clients in this area rely on these funds to provide their medication; if there are no drugs available or they are in short supply they need to know why. They have a human right to universal and equitable access.
Linked to this we have four workers facing immediate redundancy. The Government has recently been recruiting mission workers and has put on their payroll some who were formerly paid by CHAZ through a grant from Government which came originally from outside donors. The Government is keeping that grant to pay workers directly. CHAZ workers who are under 45 years of age and in possession of a Grade 12 School leaving Certificate were eligible to apply. The grant to the Hospital to pay the CHAZ workers is being cut in proportion to the number of workers put on Government payroll and linked to the ‘on paper’ establishment. So we now have four over-aged or under-qualified workers with many years of good experience and loyal service who are about to be thrown on the scrap heap as surplus to requirement. The change-over was supposed to be done over time and using where possible natural wastage. The Hospital cannot at the moment generate enough independent income to pay them or pay their retrenchment package.
Like our clients and patients living with HIV and Aids, these four people are another set of victims of the world’s greed and injustice, their dignity in work destroyed. Wealth that has been given generously is not shared fairly but kept in the hands of a few and misused to promote inequality and injustice.
*The full report can be found by googling 'Global Funding Country Audit Zambia'
Friday, 18 March 2011
Friday, 11 March 2011
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Half the sky?
Women hold up half the sky – Chinese Proverb. Pie in the sky more like! Of course they do, but it is still a glass ceiling!
On Saturday evening Ida received the following text from the Nursing Officer:
'Good afternoon, how are you and the family? I am asking for cleaning materials which you can spare. Women’s Day is on Tuesday and women will come and clean the hospital but up until yesterday I have not been issued with anything. Please, cleaning is on Monday morning at 0830h. I won’t be around, as I will be on the salary trip. If possible women are supposed to work on Monday, freeing men then, so that the women will be free on Tuesday for their activities. Contributions for Women’s Day is K50 000 Thanks.'
Not a lot of warning, but we managed to get a driver who was on an airport run to buy some mops, Windolene, and Surf on Sunday in Livingstone. On Monday morning we cut up some rags for cloths. Early in the cool of the morning regiments of women, Zambian Molly Weirs to a woman (sic), from various Church and other Associations clad in chitenges and headsquares and shouldering rakes and hoes marched onto the Hospital premises and immediately got down to much needed and appreciated business of tidying up the grounds, washing windows, mopping floors and cleaning beds and lockers.
There was none of the annoyance that women from more developed countries may have felt at undertaking such ‘demeaning and menial’ work but there was a pride in doing this women’s work for the common good. The fundamental divisions of labour apportioned to the two sexes here are not yet a great issue. Women still are expected to do most of the child care and tidying up after their menfolk.
Women’s Day on Tuesday will begin with a March from the outskirts of town to the Basic School. The theme: Equal Access to Education and Training: Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women. A speech from the MP’s wife will open the programme . Next will be some ice-breaking activities followed by traditional dances, a drama, a tug-of- war and an educational talk for women and girls,. After lunch a netball tournament will be held, comprising of teams of teachers, hospital, OVC staff and women stallholders from the market.
The ideal girl in Zambia is passive and submissive, serving others and speaking only when spoken to. This is not to say that girls are especially maltreated they are loved and treated humanely within the family. It's just that cultural norms are different. It is not that she doesn't count, it's just that she counts less than her male relatives. This is reinforced at initiation ceremonies.
A problem in rural areas are young girls being 'married off' at an early age despite this being illegal. There is a local case at the moment of a 12 year old being pregnant. There are also a number who fall out from school because they get pregnant. This is allowed to happen because insufficient value is given to girls' education. Why waste your money, she's only going to get married and be a housewife anyway? Your boys'll - (actually their wives!) -look after you in your old age.
Much status for a woman comes from being a wife and mother. After the birth of your child you no longer publicly keep your childhood name but become someone's mother, i.e. Fiona is Bo-Ma Sepo (Mother of Sepo).
Girls of school age are often their Mother's right hand and are burdened with childcare and household chores and duties such as drawing water, fetching firewood, cooking, sweeping, washing clothes and gardening. Many have worked 2-3 hours before they turn up for school, so it is no wonder they are often late. They may have had to walk a considerable distance as well. When they get back it's not homework that is a priority but more housework. With HIV and Aids prevalent, they may be the head of the household or be living with an elderly granny so again a large load falls on the young shoulders.
Many parents, and sadly teachers (male and female), continue to have the expectation that girls will not do well. They, by their attitude, encourage the stereotypical behaviour: the male teachers through prejudice and their perception of what makes a good girl; the female teachers as well because they were brought up in the same way also tend to perpetuate the system. You find this typically in Maths & Science. Home Economics after Grade 7 is purely a girls' subject while the boys do woodwork! Unfortunately too, a number of male teachers also see their female students as fair game.
40% of Mwandi households are woman or child-headed. A lack of economic opportunity and any other alternative make many of these local women look to selling fish, beer brewing and unfortunately these activities often go hand in hand with casual prostitution. Education, training and decent work is certainly a must.
When you can see all this coming through culture and the education system, it is not surprising that you end up with rather a negative self-image and inferiority complex from the attitudes of parents, teachers and the wider community.
There are a number of organisations in Zambia attempting to address this issue, such as GEMS(Gender, English, Maths & Science) and FAWEZA (Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia).
Mubita’s great-aunt, resting on her hoe met and greeted me on the way back from school. The maize crop will be a disaster this year with dry periods and rain at the wrong times.
We saw that on our visit to Kamusa Church on Transfiguration Sunday. It was harder to get to than normal now that inland flood water has started to spread. We were invited after the service for lunch. The people have little maize left from last year so the portion of buhobe that was served was much smaller than usual, the green vegetable was pumpkin leaves. There was sour-milk as dessert and warm milk to drink but no tea-leaves…
International Womens' Day, 8 March 2011
On Saturday evening Ida received the following text from the Nursing Officer:
'Good afternoon, how are you and the family? I am asking for cleaning materials which you can spare. Women’s Day is on Tuesday and women will come and clean the hospital but up until yesterday I have not been issued with anything. Please, cleaning is on Monday morning at 0830h. I won’t be around, as I will be on the salary trip. If possible women are supposed to work on Monday, freeing men then, so that the women will be free on Tuesday for their activities. Contributions for Women’s Day is K50 000 Thanks.'
Not a lot of warning, but we managed to get a driver who was on an airport run to buy some mops, Windolene, and Surf on Sunday in Livingstone. On Monday morning we cut up some rags for cloths. Early in the cool of the morning regiments of women, Zambian Molly Weirs to a woman (sic), from various Church and other Associations clad in chitenges and headsquares and shouldering rakes and hoes marched onto the Hospital premises and immediately got down to much needed and appreciated business of tidying up the grounds, washing windows, mopping floors and cleaning beds and lockers.
There was none of the annoyance that women from more developed countries may have felt at undertaking such ‘demeaning and menial’ work but there was a pride in doing this women’s work for the common good. The fundamental divisions of labour apportioned to the two sexes here are not yet a great issue. Women still are expected to do most of the child care and tidying up after their menfolk.
Women’s Day on Tuesday will begin with a March from the outskirts of town to the Basic School. The theme: Equal Access to Education and Training: Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women. A speech from the MP’s wife will open the programme . Next will be some ice-breaking activities followed by traditional dances, a drama, a tug-of- war and an educational talk for women and girls,. After lunch a netball tournament will be held, comprising of teams of teachers, hospital, OVC staff and women stallholders from the market.
The ideal girl in Zambia is passive and submissive, serving others and speaking only when spoken to. This is not to say that girls are especially maltreated they are loved and treated humanely within the family. It's just that cultural norms are different. It is not that she doesn't count, it's just that she counts less than her male relatives. This is reinforced at initiation ceremonies.
A problem in rural areas are young girls being 'married off' at an early age despite this being illegal. There is a local case at the moment of a 12 year old being pregnant. There are also a number who fall out from school because they get pregnant. This is allowed to happen because insufficient value is given to girls' education. Why waste your money, she's only going to get married and be a housewife anyway? Your boys'll - (actually their wives!) -look after you in your old age.
Much status for a woman comes from being a wife and mother. After the birth of your child you no longer publicly keep your childhood name but become someone's mother, i.e. Fiona is Bo-Ma Sepo (Mother of Sepo).
Girls of school age are often their Mother's right hand and are burdened with childcare and household chores and duties such as drawing water, fetching firewood, cooking, sweeping, washing clothes and gardening. Many have worked 2-3 hours before they turn up for school, so it is no wonder they are often late. They may have had to walk a considerable distance as well. When they get back it's not homework that is a priority but more housework. With HIV and Aids prevalent, they may be the head of the household or be living with an elderly granny so again a large load falls on the young shoulders.
Many parents, and sadly teachers (male and female), continue to have the expectation that girls will not do well. They, by their attitude, encourage the stereotypical behaviour: the male teachers through prejudice and their perception of what makes a good girl; the female teachers as well because they were brought up in the same way also tend to perpetuate the system. You find this typically in Maths & Science. Home Economics after Grade 7 is purely a girls' subject while the boys do woodwork! Unfortunately too, a number of male teachers also see their female students as fair game.
40% of Mwandi households are woman or child-headed. A lack of economic opportunity and any other alternative make many of these local women look to selling fish, beer brewing and unfortunately these activities often go hand in hand with casual prostitution. Education, training and decent work is certainly a must.
When you can see all this coming through culture and the education system, it is not surprising that you end up with rather a negative self-image and inferiority complex from the attitudes of parents, teachers and the wider community.
There are a number of organisations in Zambia attempting to address this issue, such as GEMS(Gender, English, Maths & Science) and FAWEZA (Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia).
Mubita’s great-aunt, resting on her hoe met and greeted me on the way back from school. The maize crop will be a disaster this year with dry periods and rain at the wrong times.
We saw that on our visit to Kamusa Church on Transfiguration Sunday. It was harder to get to than normal now that inland flood water has started to spread. We were invited after the service for lunch. The people have little maize left from last year so the portion of buhobe that was served was much smaller than usual, the green vegetable was pumpkin leaves. There was sour-milk as dessert and warm milk to drink but no tea-leaves…
International Womens' Day, 8 March 2011
Friday, 4 March 2011
A Fairly Civil Disorder
I was in Livingstone again yesterday visiting the bank. I was paying the next instalment on the new High School furniture and in the interests of economy I went in by bus.
I was surprised to see on alighting from the bus, police in riot gear squatting on the backs of pick-ups and patrolling up and down the main streets. Had the turmoil in the Middle East now reached Zambia, I wondered?………. Not quite.
At 0930h there was still a tense atmosphere in town, and the noisy altercation was being observed from a distance by engrossed spectators, offering commentary on the proceedings despite the occasional whiff of teargas wafting through the air; a vain attempt by the police to disperse bus conductors, drivers and taxi operators who had blocked town centre roads in protest against a rumoured rise, in various fees and fines by the police and Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).
As I passed the Post Office the Police were somewhat prematurely and optimistically starting to remove stones and other street debris that had been used by the protesters to block the roads in the town centre. The Livingstone Police, unlike their Mongu colleagues, thankfully only fired tear gas at the mini bus and taxi drivers. This resulted in retaliation by the protesters with rocks being thrown and rolled to block the road, and a tirade of insults and catcalls launched at the Police, prompting bystanders to scatter and take temporary shelter in less exposed areas. Things were now getting serious; even business at the Zimbabwe Market in the town centre came to a standstill.
Meanwhile officials at the RTSA office denied knowledge of any hikes in fees, saying the agency was still charging ‘old prices’. The police then asked the drivers who had gathered along the main street, Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road, to disperse and go back to work as this was an illegal assembly but that the Government would address their concerns.
It was a blessing that that common sense prevailed in the end and no-one to my knowledge was beaten by truncheons nor was any police officer hit by stones. Irene and Dorothy both have relatives who are women police officers in Livingstone.
A by-stander informed me, as we crossed the road together, on the way back from the Finance Bank, that the main gripe was the cost of renewing PSV licence, the fees were to be increased to K1 million (GBP140 or US$220) from the previous charge of about K200,000 (US$45 GBP30). There were also loud complaints from two taxi drivers behind us that the Livingstone Police allegedly pursue and fine motorists unnecessarily to help supplement their low pay. No other city in Zambia it is said is subjected to the same number of ephemeral roadblocks mounted by the Livingstone Police within the city limits.
Taxi drivers the world over are an opinionated and independent-minded group of people. Zambians are no different. Most drivers that we have met are decent and honest family men, very willing to help and trying very hard to scrape a living in order to feed, clothe, house and educate their family. The drivers are not usually the owners of their vehicle and competition for trade is stiff, so life is not easy. They are also expected to raise a minimum amount each day for the owner. The proposed rises were unreasonable and would have been almost impossible to meet. Some street wit suggested because it is election year and because of all the trouble caused, it looked like RTSA (a Government Agency) was ‘decampaigning’ the MMD, the ruling party!
As regards Livingstone City Council charges, apparently taxi drivers were paying K2,000 (45c or 30p) per day while mini-bus drivers were still paying K5,000 per day with large long distance coaches paying K80,000 per trip. These charges have not increased for some time.
It all seemingly ended later in the morning with the Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor asking the Ministry of Home Affairs to direct the police and RTSA to revert to old fees charged to motorists.
Business was back to normal as we left Livingstone on 1430h bus to Mwandi.
*Decampaigning – a Zambian English neologism meaning to campaign against political opponents.
I was surprised to see on alighting from the bus, police in riot gear squatting on the backs of pick-ups and patrolling up and down the main streets. Had the turmoil in the Middle East now reached Zambia, I wondered?………. Not quite.
At 0930h there was still a tense atmosphere in town, and the noisy altercation was being observed from a distance by engrossed spectators, offering commentary on the proceedings despite the occasional whiff of teargas wafting through the air; a vain attempt by the police to disperse bus conductors, drivers and taxi operators who had blocked town centre roads in protest against a rumoured rise, in various fees and fines by the police and Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).
As I passed the Post Office the Police were somewhat prematurely and optimistically starting to remove stones and other street debris that had been used by the protesters to block the roads in the town centre. The Livingstone Police, unlike their Mongu colleagues, thankfully only fired tear gas at the mini bus and taxi drivers. This resulted in retaliation by the protesters with rocks being thrown and rolled to block the road, and a tirade of insults and catcalls launched at the Police, prompting bystanders to scatter and take temporary shelter in less exposed areas. Things were now getting serious; even business at the Zimbabwe Market in the town centre came to a standstill.
Meanwhile officials at the RTSA office denied knowledge of any hikes in fees, saying the agency was still charging ‘old prices’. The police then asked the drivers who had gathered along the main street, Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road, to disperse and go back to work as this was an illegal assembly but that the Government would address their concerns.
It was a blessing that that common sense prevailed in the end and no-one to my knowledge was beaten by truncheons nor was any police officer hit by stones. Irene and Dorothy both have relatives who are women police officers in Livingstone.
A by-stander informed me, as we crossed the road together, on the way back from the Finance Bank, that the main gripe was the cost of renewing PSV licence, the fees were to be increased to K1 million (GBP140 or US$220) from the previous charge of about K200,000 (US$45 GBP30). There were also loud complaints from two taxi drivers behind us that the Livingstone Police allegedly pursue and fine motorists unnecessarily to help supplement their low pay. No other city in Zambia it is said is subjected to the same number of ephemeral roadblocks mounted by the Livingstone Police within the city limits.
Taxi drivers the world over are an opinionated and independent-minded group of people. Zambians are no different. Most drivers that we have met are decent and honest family men, very willing to help and trying very hard to scrape a living in order to feed, clothe, house and educate their family. The drivers are not usually the owners of their vehicle and competition for trade is stiff, so life is not easy. They are also expected to raise a minimum amount each day for the owner. The proposed rises were unreasonable and would have been almost impossible to meet. Some street wit suggested because it is election year and because of all the trouble caused, it looked like RTSA (a Government Agency) was ‘decampaigning’ the MMD, the ruling party!
As regards Livingstone City Council charges, apparently taxi drivers were paying K2,000 (45c or 30p) per day while mini-bus drivers were still paying K5,000 per day with large long distance coaches paying K80,000 per trip. These charges have not increased for some time.
It all seemingly ended later in the morning with the Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor asking the Ministry of Home Affairs to direct the police and RTSA to revert to old fees charged to motorists.
Business was back to normal as we left Livingstone on 1430h bus to Mwandi.
*Decampaigning – a Zambian English neologism meaning to campaign against political opponents.
Friday, 18 February 2011
Awaiting further developments
I have asked for my teaching be compressed into 4 days so that I can use a Wednesday if necessary to travel on business to Livingstone. On returning from there yesterday I noticed at Makanga, a settlement about 15km away from Mwandi, a long gang of piece-workers shovelling sand and digging out a long trench. This is to contain the Chinese-sponsored fibre-optic cable that will eventually be laid from Livingstone to Sesheke once the Lusaka-Livingstone stage is complete.
I was struck by the stark contrast there: the inhabitants of a daub and wattle village digging the trench for 21st century technology to be made available to a fortunate minority in Mwandi and Sesheke, who will be part of the much vaunted global village, but which like the electricity pylons on the other side of the road, will pass the inhabitants of rural Makanga by.
On the other hand, we have made good progress with the Sikuzu Community School. The Bill of Quantities has been calculated and to build the three classrooms; materials and labour included, comes to K233m, $51,850 or GBP32,500. On Tuesday the Committee signed the contract and we hope to start work very soon.
We have at the moment a group of medical students and tutors staying with us at Simba. They come from Eastern North Carolina which too, like this part of Zambia, has a number health issues directly related to poverty. There is an important community aspect to their training and it is good for them to get to see matters from the perspective of a developing country. Most of them are paediatricians, so they have been happy to visit the Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project.
With the moving of the Labour Ward to the Maternity Unit that has freed up the second theatre, so Ida is working on organising the operating theatres and Central Stores. She is looking in particular at infection control and the possible establishment and future workings of the two theatres. They are also preparing for Quarterly District Assessment. Another task in hand is the repair of the leaks in the hospital roof.
We are expecting the return of Ruairidh from Australia in early March and Fiona and Lucy a month or so later when Fiona is given the all clear from with her thyroid from the Doctors there. We have missed them, Lucy has taken her first steps and now has her front teeth.
On Friday fuel was raised by over 11 per cent, the rise in global crude prices and the depreciation of the Kwacha against the dollar being given as the reasons. This will have an adverse affect on prices, food prices in particular and on the annual inflation rate. It takes 40 litres of diesel for a return trip to Livingstone. This will now cost K320,000 instead of K280,000. (GBP45 or $70)
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has urged President Banda in a meeting with him to deal urgently and constructively with the contentious matters raised by Barotseland Agreement of 1964 and the issues arising from the recent sad turn of events in Mongu. The difficulty is that although Zambia is a unitary state, the Agreement brought about a quasi-federation between Northern Rhodesia and Barotseland which has in effect brought into being a state within a state, Western Province within Zambia. This is evidenced by the President of Zambia having to pay a courtesy-call on the Litunga (King) any time, he visits Western Province for any reason.
The underdevelopment being complained about is also being blamed by the Central Government on the traditional Lozi custom which forbids the purchase, selling or freehold ownership of land. It is being argued that no investor will invest in an area where they will not own the land. This argument, I imagine, is not unconnected to the fact that a number of multi-national companies have been recently allocated by the Central Government, blocks to prospect for oil, gas and other minerals.
This is election year for President, National Assembly and Local Government and so the CCZ also urged the Government to restore confidence in the Electoral Commission whose Director was suspended and did not have his contract renewed. The Chairwoman, widely viewed as a woman of integrity, resigned because of outside interference.
The Church expects a free, fair and violence-free election to be held on a level playing field and that people found abusing, stealing, diverting or misapplying hard-earned taxpayers money or other donor or government money be prosecuted without fear or favour. The Church also requested that the Government help to gather in and store the bumper maize crop too much of which is now rotting and going to waste in rural areas.
Finally, the Human Rights Commission in Mongu has been criticized by a Catholic body CARITAS for being ineffective in defending local people’s rights. In fact, the Commission is on record as supporting the police in its ‘noble’ efforts to maintain law and order, thereby defending the use of live ammunition to kill people. Arrested suspects were imprisoned and kept in containers along with injured people for 4 days without food or access to medical care. There are still 106 detainees incarcerated at Mumbwa and 22 people charged with treason in cramped conditions in Lusaka.
I was struck by the stark contrast there: the inhabitants of a daub and wattle village digging the trench for 21st century technology to be made available to a fortunate minority in Mwandi and Sesheke, who will be part of the much vaunted global village, but which like the electricity pylons on the other side of the road, will pass the inhabitants of rural Makanga by.
On the other hand, we have made good progress with the Sikuzu Community School. The Bill of Quantities has been calculated and to build the three classrooms; materials and labour included, comes to K233m, $51,850 or GBP32,500. On Tuesday the Committee signed the contract and we hope to start work very soon.
We have at the moment a group of medical students and tutors staying with us at Simba. They come from Eastern North Carolina which too, like this part of Zambia, has a number health issues directly related to poverty. There is an important community aspect to their training and it is good for them to get to see matters from the perspective of a developing country. Most of them are paediatricians, so they have been happy to visit the Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project.
With the moving of the Labour Ward to the Maternity Unit that has freed up the second theatre, so Ida is working on organising the operating theatres and Central Stores. She is looking in particular at infection control and the possible establishment and future workings of the two theatres. They are also preparing for Quarterly District Assessment. Another task in hand is the repair of the leaks in the hospital roof.
We are expecting the return of Ruairidh from Australia in early March and Fiona and Lucy a month or so later when Fiona is given the all clear from with her thyroid from the Doctors there. We have missed them, Lucy has taken her first steps and now has her front teeth.
On Friday fuel was raised by over 11 per cent, the rise in global crude prices and the depreciation of the Kwacha against the dollar being given as the reasons. This will have an adverse affect on prices, food prices in particular and on the annual inflation rate. It takes 40 litres of diesel for a return trip to Livingstone. This will now cost K320,000 instead of K280,000. (GBP45 or $70)
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has urged President Banda in a meeting with him to deal urgently and constructively with the contentious matters raised by Barotseland Agreement of 1964 and the issues arising from the recent sad turn of events in Mongu. The difficulty is that although Zambia is a unitary state, the Agreement brought about a quasi-federation between Northern Rhodesia and Barotseland which has in effect brought into being a state within a state, Western Province within Zambia. This is evidenced by the President of Zambia having to pay a courtesy-call on the Litunga (King) any time, he visits Western Province for any reason.
The underdevelopment being complained about is also being blamed by the Central Government on the traditional Lozi custom which forbids the purchase, selling or freehold ownership of land. It is being argued that no investor will invest in an area where they will not own the land. This argument, I imagine, is not unconnected to the fact that a number of multi-national companies have been recently allocated by the Central Government, blocks to prospect for oil, gas and other minerals.
This is election year for President, National Assembly and Local Government and so the CCZ also urged the Government to restore confidence in the Electoral Commission whose Director was suspended and did not have his contract renewed. The Chairwoman, widely viewed as a woman of integrity, resigned because of outside interference.
The Church expects a free, fair and violence-free election to be held on a level playing field and that people found abusing, stealing, diverting or misapplying hard-earned taxpayers money or other donor or government money be prosecuted without fear or favour. The Church also requested that the Government help to gather in and store the bumper maize crop too much of which is now rotting and going to waste in rural areas.
Finally, the Human Rights Commission in Mongu has been criticized by a Catholic body CARITAS for being ineffective in defending local people’s rights. In fact, the Commission is on record as supporting the police in its ‘noble’ efforts to maintain law and order, thereby defending the use of live ammunition to kill people. Arrested suspects were imprisoned and kept in containers along with injured people for 4 days without food or access to medical care. There are still 106 detainees incarcerated at Mumbwa and 22 people charged with treason in cramped conditions in Lusaka.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Jesus is good / big / important
This (above) is embroidered onto the pulpit drop at Luanja Church. Silozi uses the same word “tuna” for big, good or important. (You can usually work out the meaning from the context.)
Gertrude Kambole (the Consistory Secretary), Mr Museisei (an Elder), Ida, Mubita and I set out on Sunday. Percy Kaleba, the Youth Pastor stayed to introduce the newly-arrived Minister to Jerusalem Congregation at the Mission. We five went to Luanja on a Consistory visit to encourage the local congregation and offer some outside input. We have been visiting all the rural congregations in turn in the absence of a permanent Minister.
We were warmly received by the congregation, though they had been struck a bitter blow earlier in the week. A young father of five children, and a Church member, who was still under 30 had collapsed and died on the roadside while herding his cattle. It is assumed that it was a heart attack but there are no facilities for a post mortem to be done. Luanja is about 40 km into the bush from Mwandi. They had buried him on the Friday but were still all reeling from the shock, but it is amazing how the Holy Spirit works, and the sermon Keith had prepared on prayer and withdrawing to spend time with God spoke into the situation.
After the Service we were able to visit the home of the young man’s parents and spend time with the family, neighbours and friends who had gathered at the house to offer their support and comfort. We were touched by the quiet, loving and dignified atmosphere in the house, there was sorrow but also joy, not generated by our human effort but as a direct result of the grace of God in the lives of his people.
On Thursday afternoon our new Minister and family arrived in a truck with all their belongings. He is the Rev Wezi Mwanda, and newly graduated from Mindolo Theological College, so Mwandi is his first charge. He has come with his wife, Mary, and young son, Kondwani. He has had a busy time getting to know everybody and visiting all the different ministries of the Church here. This weekend we have a Consistory Meeting where the Interim Moderator, Rev Lubasi, will hand over. All the various Consistory Departments will give their annual report. The meeting will close on Sunday with Morning Worship.
We are at present working to try and reduce the Hospital’s electricity bill. ZESCO, the national energy company, has increased electricity prices for consumers by substantial amounts over the past two years. There was a 40% rise in August this followed an earlier 35% hike in the same year and they will be permitted to raise them again. We are trying to get all areas of the Mission metered separately. The school has already been done and this week the first classroom block of the High School will be electrified.
We know that carbon emissions and global warming are linked, and there are worries here that the rising cost of electricity will force many more people to start using the cheapest source of energy – charcoal. This already is a curse and is being produced on too large a scale and is leading in many areas to serious deforestation. It is totally unsustainable as there is no re-afforestation to replace the trees cut down. You can clearly observe the effects on our road from Livingstone to the Western Province border at Kasaya, where recently a number of settlements have been established. The forest alongside the road is being cleared at an alarming rate and the resulting sacks of charcoal are piled high at the roadside for sale. Fotunately, our Chief is enlightened and has banned charcoal production in his District.
We are now in the middle of our rainy season and there appears to be a more extreme rainfall pattern emerging according to local people. For 10 years from the early 90s our area suffered from regular droughts. For the past five years we have had more than average rainfall for the area. The Zambezi too has reached record levels over the past few years suggesting that there has been more run-off rather than the rain sinking through the ground cover into the groundwater. Deforestation would certainly have contributed to this.
Saying that, we need to remember that alternative forms of energy need to be offered and made available to both the rural and urban people. The biggest market for charcoal is in the high density townships in the towns and cities where there is still no widespread electrification. Over 60% of the population of 13 million lives on less than a dollar a day. Formal employment stands at around 25% of the population, so even were electricity available many simply could not afford it anyway.
Please continue to keep Western Province in your prayers. The 92 year-old former Prime Minister of Barotseland and alleged treason suspect, Mr Maxwell Mututwa, has been discharged from custody. There remain another 22 in remand in Lusaka. 106 detainees who will now, it is said, be charged with breach of the peace and riotous behaviour have been moved from Mongu to Mumbwa Prison 400km away. There are concerns about their continued detention without trial and their being detained so far away from home and their families.
There has been disquiet expressed too about the police use of live ammunition to disperse the crowds resulting in two deaths and a number of gunshot wounds. The local independent Radio Station is still closed though the Roman Catholic Oblate Liseli station has been permitted to continue.
Gertrude Kambole (the Consistory Secretary), Mr Museisei (an Elder), Ida, Mubita and I set out on Sunday. Percy Kaleba, the Youth Pastor stayed to introduce the newly-arrived Minister to Jerusalem Congregation at the Mission. We five went to Luanja on a Consistory visit to encourage the local congregation and offer some outside input. We have been visiting all the rural congregations in turn in the absence of a permanent Minister.
We were warmly received by the congregation, though they had been struck a bitter blow earlier in the week. A young father of five children, and a Church member, who was still under 30 had collapsed and died on the roadside while herding his cattle. It is assumed that it was a heart attack but there are no facilities for a post mortem to be done. Luanja is about 40 km into the bush from Mwandi. They had buried him on the Friday but were still all reeling from the shock, but it is amazing how the Holy Spirit works, and the sermon Keith had prepared on prayer and withdrawing to spend time with God spoke into the situation.
After the Service we were able to visit the home of the young man’s parents and spend time with the family, neighbours and friends who had gathered at the house to offer their support and comfort. We were touched by the quiet, loving and dignified atmosphere in the house, there was sorrow but also joy, not generated by our human effort but as a direct result of the grace of God in the lives of his people.
On Thursday afternoon our new Minister and family arrived in a truck with all their belongings. He is the Rev Wezi Mwanda, and newly graduated from Mindolo Theological College, so Mwandi is his first charge. He has come with his wife, Mary, and young son, Kondwani. He has had a busy time getting to know everybody and visiting all the different ministries of the Church here. This weekend we have a Consistory Meeting where the Interim Moderator, Rev Lubasi, will hand over. All the various Consistory Departments will give their annual report. The meeting will close on Sunday with Morning Worship.
We are at present working to try and reduce the Hospital’s electricity bill. ZESCO, the national energy company, has increased electricity prices for consumers by substantial amounts over the past two years. There was a 40% rise in August this followed an earlier 35% hike in the same year and they will be permitted to raise them again. We are trying to get all areas of the Mission metered separately. The school has already been done and this week the first classroom block of the High School will be electrified.
We know that carbon emissions and global warming are linked, and there are worries here that the rising cost of electricity will force many more people to start using the cheapest source of energy – charcoal. This already is a curse and is being produced on too large a scale and is leading in many areas to serious deforestation. It is totally unsustainable as there is no re-afforestation to replace the trees cut down. You can clearly observe the effects on our road from Livingstone to the Western Province border at Kasaya, where recently a number of settlements have been established. The forest alongside the road is being cleared at an alarming rate and the resulting sacks of charcoal are piled high at the roadside for sale. Fotunately, our Chief is enlightened and has banned charcoal production in his District.
We are now in the middle of our rainy season and there appears to be a more extreme rainfall pattern emerging according to local people. For 10 years from the early 90s our area suffered from regular droughts. For the past five years we have had more than average rainfall for the area. The Zambezi too has reached record levels over the past few years suggesting that there has been more run-off rather than the rain sinking through the ground cover into the groundwater. Deforestation would certainly have contributed to this.
Saying that, we need to remember that alternative forms of energy need to be offered and made available to both the rural and urban people. The biggest market for charcoal is in the high density townships in the towns and cities where there is still no widespread electrification. Over 60% of the population of 13 million lives on less than a dollar a day. Formal employment stands at around 25% of the population, so even were electricity available many simply could not afford it anyway.
Please continue to keep Western Province in your prayers. The 92 year-old former Prime Minister of Barotseland and alleged treason suspect, Mr Maxwell Mututwa, has been discharged from custody. There remain another 22 in remand in Lusaka. 106 detainees who will now, it is said, be charged with breach of the peace and riotous behaviour have been moved from Mongu to Mumbwa Prison 400km away. There are concerns about their continued detention without trial and their being detained so far away from home and their families.
There has been disquiet expressed too about the police use of live ammunition to disperse the crowds resulting in two deaths and a number of gunshot wounds. The local independent Radio Station is still closed though the Roman Catholic Oblate Liseli station has been permitted to continue.
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Moments about Life
A belated good new year to you all. Just to bring you up to date. We saw Gregor and Catriona off in Lusaka at the beginning of the month and then returned to Mwandi with a consignment of Milk Formula. We stopped off to shop for the monthly basics in Livingstone for Kandiana, the Old Folk’s Home. In the past we were able to provide a monthly bag of individual necessities for them. We have received no subsistence grant from the Government since August, so we are feeding them through the generosity of individual Churches. We are about to receive another mouth to feed, an old man from Simungoma who is partially paralysed from polio. There is also Julius, the cook to pay as well as Catherine, the carer who is covered until August by the Church of Scotland.
The Silozi for January is 'Sope' which means the first month when some food is available. This season is reminiscent of Alexander Gray’s lines: “With want an attendant, not lightly outpaced.” What is true for food is also true for the other of life’s necessities. This is also the start of the academic year and we are helping a student, a widow’s son at Banking College a girl at teacher training and two others at Technical College. Keith’s Kids still sponsors 8 pupils who started Grade 10 at Sesheke High before the opening of our High School in Mwandi. 5 Grade 8 pupils have been helped with PTA Fees and 8 vulnerable Grade 1s from Sikuzu with a contribution towards school uniforms. The new Grade 10s will be starting next month.
We are having desks and chairs made locally to seat 120 pupils, thanks to the generosity of a Milwaukee Church. Both staff latrines are now complete and we are waiting to hear about applications for staff housing from Norway and Switzerland. We will require another 3 classroom block if we receive 3 Grade 10 classes this year, as seems likely.
We have now received permission from the Provincial Education Office to proceed with the UCZ Community Classroom at Sikuzu.
Yesterday a Pre-school was opened for the first time at Simungoma, this is the most recent Church to be roofed in corrugated zinc. Grace, an Anamoyo (Woman’s Christian Fellowship Member) and a former pre-school teacher at Mwandi is heading this up. With the Teaching and Learning Centre Pre-School at the Mission and Sikuzu opening 18 months ago and now Simungoma this is the third UCZ Pre-school group to open the latter, two being in fairly remote rural situations. This means that opportunity to attend pre-school is being offered to over 180 three to five year olds who would not otherwise be catered for.
This is all part of a wider strategy for rural development involving the Mission, comprising of the Church with its Health and Education Ministries. Attempts are being made to prompt the reinstatement of defunct Community Health Committees so that the communities works together to make small but incremental steps towards making health care and their children’s education better for all. The community itself is taking the action but the Church and Mission is there to help the community help and develop itself.
We have assisted with the building of a new Community Health Post at Kangugu and are working on similar plans at Simungoma as funds have recently become available. Two Churches should be re-roofed this year. The Australian Church has pledged to help Simenso and Magumwi is next on the list when a sponsor is found. It is hoped that the Home-Based Care that presently serves Mwandi Village can be extended to the rural areas of the consistory. A first pilot programme is being planned for Simungoma.
The foundations for much of this has been done on our visit each Sunday to the rural congregations. The journeys to these places are becoming more difficult with the regular rains we have been having, but it has been good to visit these communities and encourage them in their Christian witness to their communities. These Churches are run by the lay Eldership with only the occasional presence of a minister, yet they are mostly lively and busy congregations with many facets of Christian service.
We still need your prayers for peace in this part of the world. The Paramilitary Police who were dispatched to Mwandi following the riots in Mongu earlier in the month have been withdrawn, but there was renewed unrest in Sesheke on Friday. There have been 23 arrests and detentions those arrested being charged with treason. They appeared in court earlier this week. There have been a number of causes for concern as regards freedom of expression. Radio Lyambai, a mainly Silozi local radio station has been closed down by the Government and one of the management arrested for allegedly broadcasting an advert for a banned meeting to discuss the Barotseland Agreement of 1964. The Government has banned all phone-in programmes on the BA of 1964.
Mr Mwala Kalakula, a Post reporter has been detained for allegedly speaking about the situation to Voice of America.
Finally the National Minimum Monthly Wage has been raised from K268 000 (GBP40/$60) to K419 000 (GBP60/$90) It should be borne in mind that the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection’s Basic Needs Basket for a family of 6 living in Lusaka for October 2010 was K2 877 830 (GBP410/$640). For food-stuffs alone which includes mealie-meal, vegetables, dried fish K895 000 is required (GBP130/$200).
In our comings and goings here with the people and the chain of intense moments meeting together with the visitors to the door we are aware of Jesus drawing near in their eyes, voices and hearts and we pray that we may respond with his kindness, tenderness and compassion. We continue to learn what life is about. With the people here it is not about possessions or accumulation of wealth to store in barns.
It is not about enriching oneself at the expense the soul. Life here in all its poverty is more than just all the things necessary to sustain it. More than money, clothes and food, necessary as these things are. You learn to treasure the things our Lord treasures, despite the greed and avarice of the elite - those who already have; and seeing and living with the needs of those who literally don’t know where the next meal is coming from. We bring nothing into this world and all we take is what we have given to others in need.
As my granny used to say –there’s nae pooches in a shrowd! (A winding sheet has no pockets!)
The Silozi for January is 'Sope' which means the first month when some food is available. This season is reminiscent of Alexander Gray’s lines: “With want an attendant, not lightly outpaced.” What is true for food is also true for the other of life’s necessities. This is also the start of the academic year and we are helping a student, a widow’s son at Banking College a girl at teacher training and two others at Technical College. Keith’s Kids still sponsors 8 pupils who started Grade 10 at Sesheke High before the opening of our High School in Mwandi. 5 Grade 8 pupils have been helped with PTA Fees and 8 vulnerable Grade 1s from Sikuzu with a contribution towards school uniforms. The new Grade 10s will be starting next month.
We are having desks and chairs made locally to seat 120 pupils, thanks to the generosity of a Milwaukee Church. Both staff latrines are now complete and we are waiting to hear about applications for staff housing from Norway and Switzerland. We will require another 3 classroom block if we receive 3 Grade 10 classes this year, as seems likely.
We have now received permission from the Provincial Education Office to proceed with the UCZ Community Classroom at Sikuzu.
Yesterday a Pre-school was opened for the first time at Simungoma, this is the most recent Church to be roofed in corrugated zinc. Grace, an Anamoyo (Woman’s Christian Fellowship Member) and a former pre-school teacher at Mwandi is heading this up. With the Teaching and Learning Centre Pre-School at the Mission and Sikuzu opening 18 months ago and now Simungoma this is the third UCZ Pre-school group to open the latter, two being in fairly remote rural situations. This means that opportunity to attend pre-school is being offered to over 180 three to five year olds who would not otherwise be catered for.
This is all part of a wider strategy for rural development involving the Mission, comprising of the Church with its Health and Education Ministries. Attempts are being made to prompt the reinstatement of defunct Community Health Committees so that the communities works together to make small but incremental steps towards making health care and their children’s education better for all. The community itself is taking the action but the Church and Mission is there to help the community help and develop itself.
We have assisted with the building of a new Community Health Post at Kangugu and are working on similar plans at Simungoma as funds have recently become available. Two Churches should be re-roofed this year. The Australian Church has pledged to help Simenso and Magumwi is next on the list when a sponsor is found. It is hoped that the Home-Based Care that presently serves Mwandi Village can be extended to the rural areas of the consistory. A first pilot programme is being planned for Simungoma.
The foundations for much of this has been done on our visit each Sunday to the rural congregations. The journeys to these places are becoming more difficult with the regular rains we have been having, but it has been good to visit these communities and encourage them in their Christian witness to their communities. These Churches are run by the lay Eldership with only the occasional presence of a minister, yet they are mostly lively and busy congregations with many facets of Christian service.
We still need your prayers for peace in this part of the world. The Paramilitary Police who were dispatched to Mwandi following the riots in Mongu earlier in the month have been withdrawn, but there was renewed unrest in Sesheke on Friday. There have been 23 arrests and detentions those arrested being charged with treason. They appeared in court earlier this week. There have been a number of causes for concern as regards freedom of expression. Radio Lyambai, a mainly Silozi local radio station has been closed down by the Government and one of the management arrested for allegedly broadcasting an advert for a banned meeting to discuss the Barotseland Agreement of 1964. The Government has banned all phone-in programmes on the BA of 1964.
Mr Mwala Kalakula, a Post reporter has been detained for allegedly speaking about the situation to Voice of America.
Finally the National Minimum Monthly Wage has been raised from K268 000 (GBP40/$60) to K419 000 (GBP60/$90) It should be borne in mind that the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection’s Basic Needs Basket for a family of 6 living in Lusaka for October 2010 was K2 877 830 (GBP410/$640). For food-stuffs alone which includes mealie-meal, vegetables, dried fish K895 000 is required (GBP130/$200).
In our comings and goings here with the people and the chain of intense moments meeting together with the visitors to the door we are aware of Jesus drawing near in their eyes, voices and hearts and we pray that we may respond with his kindness, tenderness and compassion. We continue to learn what life is about. With the people here it is not about possessions or accumulation of wealth to store in barns.
It is not about enriching oneself at the expense the soul. Life here in all its poverty is more than just all the things necessary to sustain it. More than money, clothes and food, necessary as these things are. You learn to treasure the things our Lord treasures, despite the greed and avarice of the elite - those who already have; and seeing and living with the needs of those who literally don’t know where the next meal is coming from. We bring nothing into this world and all we take is what we have given to others in need.
As my granny used to say –there’s nae pooches in a shrowd! (A winding sheet has no pockets!)
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