Morning Wire | Makebi Fire Fresh Jabs, Rogue MP Suspended, HH Calls Out 'Glorifying Thieves' - The Zambian Observer
Morning Wire | Makebi Fire Fresh Jabs, Rogue MP Suspended, HH Calls Out ‘Glorifying Thieves’
Good morning, Zambia. It’s a Friday already but there enough happenings to overwhelm you.
⚡ Makebi Zulu Spits New Jabs
Late former President Edgar Lungu’s family has unleashed fresh fire, branding government’s push to repatriate and bury him as deceitful and disrespectful. Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu told South Africa’s SABC that the Lungu family has no confidence in the State after what he described as flip-flopping and “goalpost shifting” since the former leader’s passing on June 5.
Zulu insists the body belongs to the family, arguing that Lungu lost all presidential benefits before death, severing the State’s claim.
With former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi’s mediation now declared dead in the water, all eyes shift to Pretoria where Zambia’s amended notice was due yesterday. The final ruling is now a matter for the courts in August.
️ Nkana MP Suspended After Firebrand Outbursts
Nkana Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu will spend the next seven days barred from the chamber. Deputy Speaker Attractor Chisangano delivered the suspension after a string of insults from Mpundu, who has built a rogue brand calling others “ci-freemason” and “Ichimutwe.”
Chisangano shut him down with a cold reminder: “This is not your house, this is the people’s house. Zambians are tired of your unruly and disorderly behaviour.”
Zambia Must Stop Glorifying ‘Thieves’ — HH
President Hakainde Hichilema is putting a sharp edge on his anti-corruption stance.
At State House yesterday, the President told newly sworn-in officials that Zambia’s culture of defending those who loot must end.
He condemned leaders who steal drugs from the health sector only to reinvent themselves as “businesspeople.”
“Public funds are for the people. If you take what is for the sick and pocket it, you are not a businessperson, you are a thief. That is who you are,” he said.
Hichilema challenged the country to separate public resources from private interests and carry personal integrity at all times.
⬆️ Teachers’ Licensure Exam Now A Must
Cabinet has approved a sweeping new Teaching Profession Bill that will require newly trained teachers to pass licensure exams before they stand at the front of any class.
Minister of Information Cornelius Mweetwa described the measure as a turning point for education standards, promising that only the best and most competent educators will shape young minds.
The reforms will also unify disciplinary frameworks for teachers in both public and private sectors, closing a loophole that has long frustrated regulators.
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