Vernon Mwaanga said : “The Malawi judicial system has raised the bar of constitutionality and integrity on the African continent, which I hope will be emulated by other countries, including Zambia,” “It has also shown how important it is for petitioners, who feel aggrieved by outcomes of presidential elections to be heard from beginning to end”

nyasatimes Thursday, February 13, 2020 2:23:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “A deeply religious man, who respected all people regardless of their status in society,”

premiumtimesng Monday, January 21, 2019 9:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “A deeply religious man, who respected all people regardless of their status in society,”

thenationonlineng Monday, January 21, 2019 8:43:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "He was a decent man who served with humility and unrivaled integrity. A deeply religious man who respected all people regardless of their status in society,"

xinhuanet_en Monday, January 21, 2019 4:40:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga observed ( about Frederick Chiluba ) : “Civil society in Zambia was once acknowledged as one of the most vibrant and outspoken in Africa on many issues affecting the rights and obligations of citizens. The same cannot be said today. They were vocal in campaigning against the unwise third term which the late president Frederick Chiluba wanted to pilot. Their firm and uncompromising campaigns, coupled with pressure from within the MMD itself, produced the desired outcome and the country avoided a national catastrophe. It is an indisputable fact, that countries with a vibrant civil society produce better human rights, better governance, better accountability and respect for the rule of law,” “Civil society is key in promoting sound democratic values and in instilling hope in many down-trodden citizens”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “They appear to have either been compromised or intimidated by their funding masters both local and external. The once outspoken civil society organisations, with one or two exceptions, have been shunted to mere praise singers of the ruling elite or of their funding masters,”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “It should be borne in mind that some of the leaders of these civil society organisations have been at the helm of these institutions since time immemorial and may have outlived their usefulness. I think the time has come for civil society to energise itself so that it gets back to playing an active role in protecting the democratic and electoral gains the country has made since 1991,” “Without playing this role, we can forget about these gains given the very limited poisoned and hostile space being given to opposition political parties, whose leaders are constantly being arrested and harassed on flimsy grounds. What is even more disturbing is that many of the church organisations, the media, students movements, professional bodies and trade unions which used to provide active civil advocacy on matters affecting the citizens, have also retreated to silent rooms. Their prophetic voices which used to give direction to our country in difficult times have suddenly gone silent”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Civil society should enjoy and exercise a large measure of autonomy from their funders both local and external and particularly from the government of the day and the ruling elite, if they are to continue enjoying the confidence of the citizens they serve. If this is not in evidence, the citizens will lose confidence in civil society and their perceived autonomy and freedom to speak for the voiceless citizens. Civil society should re-examine itself before it suffers from a crisis of relevance,”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "This is commendable and consistent with Chinese government policy of helping people who are in distress all over the world,"

allafrica Monday, September 26, 2016 9:36:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "This is commendable and consistent with Chinese government policy of helping people who are in distress all over the world,"

allafrica Monday, September 26, 2016 9:19:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "This is commendable and consistent with Chinese government policy of helping people who are in distress all over the world,"

allafrica Friday, September 23, 2016 9:09:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga observed : “It is obvious that regardless of what happens in the Supreme Court, we shall have an inauguration after having a flawed presidential election after the debacle of the Constitutional Court, which failed to hear the election petition,” “The nation is still in a state of shock and disbelief. The tension in our country is palpable. The subject of the petition not being heard at all still dominates conversation at dinner tables and other social gatherings”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “The last presidential election has left a deeply divided country with fifty percent of the population celebrating and the other fifty percent bitter and angry about the failure of the Constitutional Court to hear a petition, which was properly before the court as the Constitution of Zambia demands,” “UPND was within its right to pursue a legal path by going to court to present whatever evidence they had and let the matter be decided purely on its merit. This path was sadly denied and justice has become a bridge too far, in a country which has been acclaimed the world over as a beacon of peace and constitutionalism. Something has seriously gone wrong and national soul searching is called for”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Serious questions have emerged about the purpose for setting up a Constitutional Court, which is not going to hear petitions, and the quality of men and women who should sit on that court and the experience they should possess to guarantee that justice is not denied to citizens. There are additional questions for our lawmakers too, who conduct ratification hearings to make sure that only the right people serve on this important court whose decisions cannot be appealed anywhere,” “People nominated by the President and sent to Parliament for ratification should be subjected to severe scrutiny to make sure that they are experienced enough and suitably qualified to occupy the high offices to which they have been nominated. Ratification should, therefore, not just be a formality but a serious process, which serves the greater good of society”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “The election has also left friends and families divided and irresponsible statements by some of our political leaders are fueling tribal animosity in a country which has lived under the banner of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ for fifty two years. Statesmanship and leadership will be required to heal the wounds of division and reconcile our nation. A deeply divided country is the last thing we want to see at this difficult time. Dialogue at the political level is desperately needed, and even if it is promoted by SADC or the AU, to address the deep differences which have emerged and which will not go away on their own. Arrogance of power in situations like this will not bring us peace,” “We need dialogue for the better good of mother Zambia, because peace, once lost, is very difficult to re-establish as experience has shown in other countries. As the old adage goes, ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ The country faces gigantic economic, social, political and constitutional problems, which will require consensus building inside and outside parliament. We still have a very defective constitution which has been exacerbated by the rejection of the referendum which would have introduced a new Bill of Rights”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “The economy has been slowing down and soon, there will be an austerity programme imposed by the Bretton Woods institutions, which will result in a higher cost of living for all and impose additional hardship on the population. We also have to deal with the issue of the independent media which has been denied operating space as democracy demands. An independent media is essential in every democracy to help achieve checks and balances, as opposed to merely on a tame state media which merely acts as a supplement to the government gazette,”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The ConCourt judges have proved to citizens and the world at large that they do not understand their duties and responsibilities. They must either resign on moral grounds or be dismissed for gross misconduct and assassination of the Constitution of Zambia, which they were supposed to defend, uphold and protect,” “The decision by the Constitutional Court not to hear the presidential election petition, without even hearing the matter, is a constitutional coup and sets a very serious and dangerous precedent for the future. The lawyers for the petitioners were first given dates to the effect that their petition would be heard from September 5 up to September 8 and then suddenly on September 1, they were told - and it is on record - that the court had reversed itself decision and that the petition would be heard the following day on Friday September 2 and concluded before midnight”

postzambia Friday, September 9, 2016 2:01:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “After what must have been a lot of political pressure, the court by three judges to two, reversed itself yet again and held that the extension it had granted the petitioners last Friday was unconstitutional and that the petition could therefore not be heard on account that it was constitutionally time barred; this was unfortunate,”

postzambia Friday, September 9, 2016 2:01:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The ConCourt judges have proved to citizens and the world at large that they do not understand their duties and responsibilities. They must either resign on moral grounds or be dismissed for gross misconduct and assassination of the Constitution of Zambia, which they were supposed to defend, uphold and protect,” “The decision by the Constitutional Court not to hear the presidential election petition, without even hearing the matter, is a constitutional coup and sets a very serious and dangerous precedent for the future. The lawyers for the petitioners were first given dates to the effect that their petition would be heard from September 5 up to September 8 and then suddenly on September 1, they were told - and it is on record - that the court had reversed itself decision and that the petition would be heard the following day on Friday September 2 and concluded before midnight”

postzambia Thursday, September 8, 2016 4:00:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “After what must have been a lot of political pressure, the court by three judges to two, reversed itself yet again and held that the extension it had granted the petitioners last Friday was unconstitutional and that the petition could therefore not be heard on account that it was constitutionally time barred; this was unfortunate,”

postzambia Thursday, September 8, 2016 4:00:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Since the general elections on 11th August, 2016, our country has gone through an uncertain and worrying period of anxiety. The presidential election has shown that our country is deeply divided and needs reconciliation and healing. This requires political leadership, which will recognise the value and importance of keeping our country together no matter what it takes. Finger pointing and blaming each other for violence and other evils will not solve our problems. Demonising other tribes, without acknowledging our own faults and failures, is wrong and irresponsible,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Having had a disputed Presidential election, the matter has now rightly gone to the Constitutional Court for adjudication. It is critically important that all the parties respect the Constitution, maintain peace and refrain from the tribal or political blame game, which will take our country nowhere,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “We Zambians must learn to accept our own roles and responsibilities in the looming situation and uncertainty we face. We should stop shifting blame to others. We must all examine our individual and collective conscience and contribute to Zambia's renewed quest for peace and prosperity. We must all commit ourselves to work tirelessly for peace, without which no amount of outside assistance and no amount of hope will make a difference to our cherished national motto of one Zambia, one nation. The time for all of us to act is now. Tomorrow may be too late,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “I have stated many times before, that dialogue among our political leaders is vital, because without it, our democracy will become a heroic failure and the high price we paid for it will be in vain. I call upon our church leaders, regional leaders in SADC and in the African Union, to initiate this dialogue between Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema, before our situation perilously drifts out of control. Both SADC and the AU have got early warning systems through the SADC Organ for Politics, Defence and Security and the AU Department for Conflict Prevention Management and Resolution which was created for this purpose,” “Zambia has played a major role in conflict prevention and management in many African countries. Diplomatic efforts are usually the most cost effective and quickest to deploy to facilitate much dialogue, defuse tension, promote national reconciliation, advance respect for human rights and institutionalise peace”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “As a constitutional democracy, we must be guided by what the Constitution of Zambia says. If we don't respect the Constitution, then we shall be inviting anarchy, which is undesirable,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Commission ) : “As regards the just-ended elections, I am unconvinced that they met the high bar of free, fair, transparent, credible and democratic elections in accordance with SADC and AU protocols to which Zambia is a party. My reasons are that there was disgraceful biased coverage of the public media in favour of PF against opposition parties, including rejecting even their paid adverts, use of public resources by illegal ministers and deputy ministers who should not have been in office since January 2016 when the amended Constitution kicked in and abolished the office of deputy minister and May this year when Parliament was dissolved. There was absence in many polling stations of G12 forms, which are used to reflect authentic results from polling stations and signed by party agents and which are supposed to be used to verify results,” “The presence of unauthorised and suspected intruders into sensitive ICT areas of the Electoral Commission of Zambia raised levels of suspicion, which were already high. There was inability to provide credible answers to these highly disturbing irregularities. This raises serious questions of credibility of the voting, counting and verification process. Given these grey areas, which appear to have been glossed over, it would be an extravagant exaggeration for me to classify the just-ended elections as free and fair”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “I would like to congratulate the people of Zambia for having turned up peacefully and in large numbers on 11th August 2016 to exercise their democratic right to vote for political leaders of their choice in the presidential, parliamentary and local authority elections. Our country has had a long history of holding peaceful campaigns and voting peacefully on Election Day. The violence and vitriolic language we witnessed in the campaigns, accusations and counter accusations of who was responsible for it, fails to address the real issues of lack of serious political leadership, which is capable of condemning any and all violence regardless of who is involved and for whatever reasons,” “Violence is violence and it has no place in our democracy. It must be strongly condemned. Those responsible for ordering and carrying out these dastardly acts deserve to be sent to jail. The question is why should we be having this violence now, involving our two major political parties, UPND and PF? There is too much hostility and mistrust between leaders and supporters of the two major parties, partly arising from an absence of dialogue between them”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “President-elect Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema must be encouraged to have dialogue. The last election showed that our citizens are split right down the middle. It is the duty of the Republican President to initiate genuine dialogue between him and leaders of opposition political parties so that our country can go through a process of healing. Experience has shown that when their supporters see their leaders meeting and talking one to one to discuss national issues, the hostility between them will reduce considerably and the leaders will begin to build the much needed trust between them,” “Opposition leaders and their supporters should not be seen as enemies of the party in government and vice versa. They have an important and critical role to play in every democracy by providing checks and balances to the government of the day and to ensure that it is tolerant to opposing views and remains firmly committed to good governance, human rights and the rule of law”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Going forward, I hope that we as a country can, in an inclusive manner, look at our amended Constitution afresh and consider introducing proportional representation for parliamentary and local government elections because it would defuse the tribal tendencies for people to retreat into their provincial and tribal enclaves when seeking election to political office. One just has to look at how many members of parliament are being elected or standing in their tribal areas, which is not consistent with our national motto of One Zambia, One Nation,” “Besides, proportional representation would be more representative of the will of the people and also allow the smaller parties to play a role in the Parliament, consistent with their levels of their voter performance. It is not possible for them to do so under the current electoral system of first-past-the-post”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “It is absolutely shocking that the order given by the Tribunal which has been reinforced by them is not being obeyed. There’s a division of labour in terms of functions of government institutions. And when an institution like the Tribunal makes a decision, that decision must be respected and it is absolutely shocking that they have not allowed The Post to reopen, which reinforced the view that I have held together with many others that this is not about tax issues, it is a political decision and someone will be able to account for it one day. It will not go unpunished and those who are responsible for it and denying the public a more balanced view of issues pertaining to the elections will have to account for it,” “So it’s a very sad development for our country and when you have a situation where certain institutions refuse to carry out directives they are given by institutions like the Tax Appeals Tribunal, you are essentially writing a prescription for jungle law where no one is going to respect authority of any kind. It will lead to lawlessness in the country and we don’t need that. We have been a lawful country, we have had a reputation for free, fair and transparent elections and we want to preserve this before the election, during the elections and after the elections”

postzambia Saturday, August 6, 2016 8:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “At the end of the day, if we are going to have free, fair and transparent elections, we also need to have a free press so that the issues are put to the Zambians to enable them to make informed decisions of their own. An attempt has been made to deny the Zambian people access to balanced reporting which they get from The Post by just sticking to state media which is under the impression that it’s role is only to publish what government and PF leaders say, not only about the elections but also about other people,”

postzambia Saturday, August 6, 2016 8:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “SABC has been publishing and showing campaign rallies and showing what opposition leaders in South Africa are saying. They are giving them a platform to explain to the South African people what exactly they want to do for them if elected in their local government elections which are taking place in a few days. That’s exactly how a public media should be. This is the reason why when there is a change of government, heads of public media and some of their subordinates are dismissed because of their lack of objectivity and their lack of impartiality in reporting campaigns and electoral outcomes,” “Democracy is seriously under threat because it is being undermined by institutions of governance such as the media, the public media, which is supposed to be a true reflection of the Zambian people only concentrating on one side, which I find absolutely deplorable. The Zambians are the best judges and they will make the right decisions when they are in the booth on the 11th of August. We fought very hard to establish this democratic dispensation that we have but it is now being undermined and that is very sad for our country and for our people”

postzambia Saturday, August 6, 2016 8:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “It is absolutely shocking that the order given by the Tribunal which has been reinforced by them is not being obeyed. There’s a division of labour in terms of functions of government institutions. And when an institution like the Tribunal makes a decision, that decision must be respected and it is absolutely shocking that they have not allowed The Post to reopen, which reinforced the view that I have held together with many others that this is not about tax issues, it is a political decision and someone will be able to account for it one day. It will not go unpunished and those who are responsible for it and denying the public a more balanced view of issues pertaining to the elections will have to account for it,” “So it’s a very sad development for our country and when you have a situation where certain institutions refuse to carry out directives they are given by institutions like the Tax Appeals Tribunal, you are essentially writing a prescription for jungle law where no one is going to respect authority of any kind. It will lead to lawlessness in the country and we don’t need that. We have been a lawful country, we have had a reputation for free, fair and transparent elections and we want to preserve this before the election, during the elections and after the elections”

postzambia Friday, August 5, 2016 10:35:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “At the end of the day, if we are going to have free, fair and transparent elections, we also need to have a free press so that the issues are put to the Zambians to enable them to make informed decisions of their own. An attempt has been made to deny the Zambian people access to balanced reporting which they get from The Post by just sticking to state media which is under the impression that it’s role is only to publish what government and PF leaders say, not only about the elections but also about other people,”

postzambia Friday, August 5, 2016 10:35:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “SABC has been publishing and showing campaign rallies and showing what opposition leaders in South Africa are saying. They are giving them a platform to explain to the South African people what exactly they want to do for them if elected in their local government elections which are taking place in a few days. That’s exactly how a public media should be. This is the reason why when there is a change of government, heads of public media and some of their subordinates are dismissed because of their lack of objectivity and their lack of impartiality in reporting campaigns and electoral outcomes,” “Democracy is seriously under threat because it is being undermined by institutions of governance such as the media, the public media, which is supposed to be a true reflection of the Zambian people only concentrating on one side, which I find absolutely deplorable. The Zambians are the best judges and they will make the right decisions when they are in the booth on the 11th of August. We fought very hard to establish this democratic dispensation that we have but it is now being undermined and that is very sad for our country and for our people”

postzambia Friday, August 5, 2016 10:35:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Reports that certain diplomatic missions are being investigated for helping to publish The Post newspaper are alarming and represent outrageous and despicable levels of desperation never seen before in the history of our country. The resilience of The Post to publish even the truncated editions of the paper should be commended,”

postzambia Saturday, July 23, 2016 5:46:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Reading ) : “Public anger about inability to access independent stories from The Post newspaper, which is not able to publish in the normal manner, is still very high. Reading the onesided reports in the state media without balancing them with independent reports has become a very painful experience. We all know that the closure of The Post at this particular time, under the pretext of tax issues, is a fallacy,”

postzambia Saturday, July 23, 2016 5:46:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said ( about Anderson Mazoka ) : “Anderson Mazoka came into politics for the right reasons: to serve the people and improve their welfare and not to make himself rich because he and his family were already comfortable. As we reflect and celebrate his life, let us remember that in him were humanity and humility; he understood the past and regarded it as the basis to improve the present and the future,”

postzambia Tuesday, July 12, 2016 7:28:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Association ) : “Democracy accepts that there bound to be divergent views concerning national issues amongst us, because we are not a monolithic society and these differences should be respected and dealt with in a sober and respectful manner. The Law Association of Zambia is a professional body of lawyers which is firmly committed to upholding of the Constitution of Zambia, human rights and the rule of law. When they raise issues, they should be carefully considered and given reasoned and not emotional responses. This is the way previous presidents and governments have dealt with LAZ,”

postzambia Monday, July 4, 2016 8:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “We don’t want to start writing a prescription of a failed state. Let us all put our country and our people first and not self-preservation. History will not be kind to those who will have failed to recognise this fact,”

postzambia Monday, July 4, 2016 8:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “We cannot have our cherished principle of the rule of law brutalised and vandalised with impunity in this manner,”

postzambia Monday, July 4, 2016 8:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “Violence and intimidation are on the upswing, billboards and posters are being pulled down, burnt or defaced and party hooligans are terrorising people on the streets, including newspaper vendors and in the markets, all in the name of election campaigns,” “This is totally unacceptable and must stop. There will be winners on 11th August and the biggest loser will be our democracy, which has become a casualty of political hooliganism, a greed for power at all cost and thuggery”

postzambia Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:15:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “We have certainly not moved forward to modernise our politics, let alone our campaign rhetoric, which is full of insults, hate speeches, personal and tribal attacks,” “The quality of some political players we have does a disservice to our country because they don’t seem to understand that in democracy there is need for mutual tolerance and space for opposition voices to be heard and respected and not to regard them as enemies, but mere opponents and vice versa”

postzambia Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:15:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “What we have now is an uneven playing field where the ruling PF occupies all the space in the public media, almost to the total exclusion of opposition parties. The only print media which gives coverage to the opposition parties and even the PF is being brutalised by government using instruments of state violence to silence them,” “It is provindential that we are still able to buy copies of The Post on the streets, thanks to their resilience and steadfastness. The official reason for the closure of The Post we are told is noncompliance with tax obligations but every right-thinking Zambian knows that it is not the only reason, if at all and it smacks political interference, which poses a serious threat to the broad issue of press freedom in a democratic society”

postzambia Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:15:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "The Post provides checks and balances to every government of the day as our democracy demands, which the public media has lamentably failed to do in this country. It (The Post) must therefore survive at all cost and continue to serve the people of Zambia by digging deeper and without fear or favour. Let common sense prevail,"

BBCMonitoring Wednesday, June 29, 2016 4:06:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The Post provides checks and balances to every government of the day as our democracy demands, which the public media has lamentably failed to do in this country. It [The Post]must therefore survive at all cost and continue to serve the people of Zambia by digging deeper and without fear or favour. Let common sense prevail,”

postzambia Tuesday, June 21, 2016 12:23:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga observed : “We are suddenly seeing a reduction in load-shedding, roads which were neglected hurriedly being worked on, chiefs being given allowance increments, women and youths being given empowerment funds, party cadres fighting over campaign funds among others. On the down side, the cost of living for families is beyond reach, unemployment levels are going up, inflation is still in double digits, the national debt is going up, chronic shortages of medicine in our clinics, rural health centers and hospitals, delayed salaries for civil servants, delayed payments for businessmen and women doing business with government, retirees not being paid, tight money supply in the economy and levels of political intolerance rising,”

postzambia Wednesday, June 15, 2016 3:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “Zambians are mature enough to draw their own conclusions as they enter those polling booths to cast their votes on August 11. Admittedly, elections by their very nature are divisive and even heated, but we should not lose sight of the bigger picture that democracy has enough room to accommodate our political and election differences. Our country has had no history of election violence and we all have a duty to preserve this proud record by rejecting and condemning the disciples and high priests of violence and intimidation. Zambia is more important than any other individual person or leader,”

postzambia Wednesday, June 15, 2016 3:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said ( about Michael Kaingu ) : “If that is what Kaingu is saying, it is regrettable and irresponsible,”

postzambia Tuesday, June 14, 2016 5:57:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “They [ECZ] need to enjoy the confidence of those who are participating and they must be open and transparent at every stage; not just at a stage where people go to verify their names in the register but what happens on voting day and how these votes are counted, tallied, transmitted to ECZ and where elections are announced so that at every stage, the process is transparent because this gives confidence to those who are participating and it makes it easier for them to accept the outcome of elections whether they win or lose. ECZ should treat every participant equally without any discrimination,” “They should listen to the concerns of the participating political parties. When the citizens, participating political parties lose confidence in the ECZ, that is a red line; it has the potential to bring about conflict in the electoral management system of elections, which is not desirable”

postzambia Friday, June 10, 2016 8:26:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “Allowing ministers to continue in office creates a very uneven playing field and that is why there has been a lot of concern about this issue of ministers continuing in office and then being able to contest elections as well,”

postzambia Friday, June 10, 2016 8:26:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Commission ) : “Zambia will be under a national and international microscope to see to what extent our electoral democracy has taken root. Already, questions are being asked about the ease with which the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) arrogantly disregarded the concerns raised by all the major opposition parties about the awarding of the controversial Dubai company the tender to print ballot papers for the people of Zambia. This has taken away part of the confidence these political parties had in the ECZ to conduct a free, fair, credible and transparent election, based on a stakeholder consultative and non-confrontational process. Printing of ballot papers is part of this important process,”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “After that minus for ECZ is said, we must, even under protest, see issue-based campaigns devoid of personal attacks, hate or tribal speeches, insults, unpalatable language, threats, intimidation and violence. Elections are a contest for power and they involve a contest of ideas, ideologies and programmes,” “They should not degenerate into violence or war. How they are conducted and how instruments such as the public order Act are applied all contribute to their peaceful outcome. Already, there are reports of campaign posters and billboards of political parties being torn up or defaced by supporters of rival parties, leaders of parties being forced out of private radio stations, which does not enhance the integrity of our country”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “They must strictly apply the law fairly and justly to all and dispel the impression that they take sides with the ruling party and their satellites, because no one is above the law. National security and defence institutions are there to defend the county and prevent a breakdown of law and order. When they fail to do so, the people of Zambia will lose faith in them and in their professionalism,”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “It is my hope that the party thugs, hooligans and loose canons will not be permitted to undermine the electoral process through their actions and utterances and that the people of Zambia will be allowed to vote freely and carry on with their daily lives before, during and after the elections,”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The Malawi judicial system has raised the bar of constitutionality and integrity on the African continent, which I hope will be emulated by other countries, including Zambia,” “It has also shown how important it is for petitioners, who feel aggrieved by outcomes of presidential elections to be heard from beginning to end”

nyasatimes Thursday, February 13, 2020 2:23:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “A deeply religious man, who respected all people regardless of their status in society,”

premiumtimesng Monday, January 21, 2019 9:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “A deeply religious man, who respected all people regardless of their status in society,”

thenationonlineng Monday, January 21, 2019 8:43:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "He was a decent man who served with humility and unrivaled integrity. A deeply religious man who respected all people regardless of their status in society,"

xinhuanet_en Monday, January 21, 2019 4:40:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga observed ( about Frederick Chiluba ) : “Civil society in Zambia was once acknowledged as one of the most vibrant and outspoken in Africa on many issues affecting the rights and obligations of citizens. The same cannot be said today. They were vocal in campaigning against the unwise third term which the late president Frederick Chiluba wanted to pilot. Their firm and uncompromising campaigns, coupled with pressure from within the MMD itself, produced the desired outcome and the country avoided a national catastrophe. It is an indisputable fact, that countries with a vibrant civil society produce better human rights, better governance, better accountability and respect for the rule of law,” “Civil society is key in promoting sound democratic values and in instilling hope in many down-trodden citizens”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “They appear to have either been compromised or intimidated by their funding masters both local and external. The once outspoken civil society organisations, with one or two exceptions, have been shunted to mere praise singers of the ruling elite or of their funding masters,”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “It should be borne in mind that some of the leaders of these civil society organisations have been at the helm of these institutions since time immemorial and may have outlived their usefulness. I think the time has come for civil society to energise itself so that it gets back to playing an active role in protecting the democratic and electoral gains the country has made since 1991,” “Without playing this role, we can forget about these gains given the very limited poisoned and hostile space being given to opposition political parties, whose leaders are constantly being arrested and harassed on flimsy grounds. What is even more disturbing is that many of the church organisations, the media, students movements, professional bodies and trade unions which used to provide active civil advocacy on matters affecting the citizens, have also retreated to silent rooms. Their prophetic voices which used to give direction to our country in difficult times have suddenly gone silent”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Civil society should enjoy and exercise a large measure of autonomy from their funders both local and external and particularly from the government of the day and the ruling elite, if they are to continue enjoying the confidence of the citizens they serve. If this is not in evidence, the citizens will lose confidence in civil society and their perceived autonomy and freedom to speak for the voiceless citizens. Civil society should re-examine itself before it suffers from a crisis of relevance,”

postzambia Tuesday, October 18, 2016 10:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "This is commendable and consistent with Chinese government policy of helping people who are in distress all over the world,"

allafrica Monday, September 26, 2016 9:36:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "This is commendable and consistent with Chinese government policy of helping people who are in distress all over the world,"

allafrica Monday, September 26, 2016 9:19:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "This is commendable and consistent with Chinese government policy of helping people who are in distress all over the world,"

allafrica Friday, September 23, 2016 9:09:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga observed : “It is obvious that regardless of what happens in the Supreme Court, we shall have an inauguration after having a flawed presidential election after the debacle of the Constitutional Court, which failed to hear the election petition,” “The nation is still in a state of shock and disbelief. The tension in our country is palpable. The subject of the petition not being heard at all still dominates conversation at dinner tables and other social gatherings”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “The last presidential election has left a deeply divided country with fifty percent of the population celebrating and the other fifty percent bitter and angry about the failure of the Constitutional Court to hear a petition, which was properly before the court as the Constitution of Zambia demands,” “UPND was within its right to pursue a legal path by going to court to present whatever evidence they had and let the matter be decided purely on its merit. This path was sadly denied and justice has become a bridge too far, in a country which has been acclaimed the world over as a beacon of peace and constitutionalism. Something has seriously gone wrong and national soul searching is called for”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Serious questions have emerged about the purpose for setting up a Constitutional Court, which is not going to hear petitions, and the quality of men and women who should sit on that court and the experience they should possess to guarantee that justice is not denied to citizens. There are additional questions for our lawmakers too, who conduct ratification hearings to make sure that only the right people serve on this important court whose decisions cannot be appealed anywhere,” “People nominated by the President and sent to Parliament for ratification should be subjected to severe scrutiny to make sure that they are experienced enough and suitably qualified to occupy the high offices to which they have been nominated. Ratification should, therefore, not just be a formality but a serious process, which serves the greater good of society”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “The election has also left friends and families divided and irresponsible statements by some of our political leaders are fueling tribal animosity in a country which has lived under the banner of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ for fifty two years. Statesmanship and leadership will be required to heal the wounds of division and reconcile our nation. A deeply divided country is the last thing we want to see at this difficult time. Dialogue at the political level is desperately needed, and even if it is promoted by SADC or the AU, to address the deep differences which have emerged and which will not go away on their own. Arrogance of power in situations like this will not bring us peace,” “We need dialogue for the better good of mother Zambia, because peace, once lost, is very difficult to re-establish as experience has shown in other countries. As the old adage goes, ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ The country faces gigantic economic, social, political and constitutional problems, which will require consensus building inside and outside parliament. We still have a very defective constitution which has been exacerbated by the rejection of the referendum which would have introduced a new Bill of Rights”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “The economy has been slowing down and soon, there will be an austerity programme imposed by the Bretton Woods institutions, which will result in a higher cost of living for all and impose additional hardship on the population. We also have to deal with the issue of the independent media which has been denied operating space as democracy demands. An independent media is essential in every democracy to help achieve checks and balances, as opposed to merely on a tame state media which merely acts as a supplement to the government gazette,”

postzambia Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:04:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The ConCourt judges have proved to citizens and the world at large that they do not understand their duties and responsibilities. They must either resign on moral grounds or be dismissed for gross misconduct and assassination of the Constitution of Zambia, which they were supposed to defend, uphold and protect,” “The decision by the Constitutional Court not to hear the presidential election petition, without even hearing the matter, is a constitutional coup and sets a very serious and dangerous precedent for the future. The lawyers for the petitioners were first given dates to the effect that their petition would be heard from September 5 up to September 8 and then suddenly on September 1, they were told - and it is on record - that the court had reversed itself decision and that the petition would be heard the following day on Friday September 2 and concluded before midnight”

postzambia Friday, September 9, 2016 2:01:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “After what must have been a lot of political pressure, the court by three judges to two, reversed itself yet again and held that the extension it had granted the petitioners last Friday was unconstitutional and that the petition could therefore not be heard on account that it was constitutionally time barred; this was unfortunate,”

postzambia Friday, September 9, 2016 2:01:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The ConCourt judges have proved to citizens and the world at large that they do not understand their duties and responsibilities. They must either resign on moral grounds or be dismissed for gross misconduct and assassination of the Constitution of Zambia, which they were supposed to defend, uphold and protect,” “The decision by the Constitutional Court not to hear the presidential election petition, without even hearing the matter, is a constitutional coup and sets a very serious and dangerous precedent for the future. The lawyers for the petitioners were first given dates to the effect that their petition would be heard from September 5 up to September 8 and then suddenly on September 1, they were told - and it is on record - that the court had reversed itself decision and that the petition would be heard the following day on Friday September 2 and concluded before midnight”

postzambia Thursday, September 8, 2016 4:00:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “After what must have been a lot of political pressure, the court by three judges to two, reversed itself yet again and held that the extension it had granted the petitioners last Friday was unconstitutional and that the petition could therefore not be heard on account that it was constitutionally time barred; this was unfortunate,”

postzambia Thursday, September 8, 2016 4:00:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Since the general elections on 11th August, 2016, our country has gone through an uncertain and worrying period of anxiety. The presidential election has shown that our country is deeply divided and needs reconciliation and healing. This requires political leadership, which will recognise the value and importance of keeping our country together no matter what it takes. Finger pointing and blaming each other for violence and other evils will not solve our problems. Demonising other tribes, without acknowledging our own faults and failures, is wrong and irresponsible,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Having had a disputed Presidential election, the matter has now rightly gone to the Constitutional Court for adjudication. It is critically important that all the parties respect the Constitution, maintain peace and refrain from the tribal or political blame game, which will take our country nowhere,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “We Zambians must learn to accept our own roles and responsibilities in the looming situation and uncertainty we face. We should stop shifting blame to others. We must all examine our individual and collective conscience and contribute to Zambia's renewed quest for peace and prosperity. We must all commit ourselves to work tirelessly for peace, without which no amount of outside assistance and no amount of hope will make a difference to our cherished national motto of one Zambia, one nation. The time for all of us to act is now. Tomorrow may be too late,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “I have stated many times before, that dialogue among our political leaders is vital, because without it, our democracy will become a heroic failure and the high price we paid for it will be in vain. I call upon our church leaders, regional leaders in SADC and in the African Union, to initiate this dialogue between Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema, before our situation perilously drifts out of control. Both SADC and the AU have got early warning systems through the SADC Organ for Politics, Defence and Security and the AU Department for Conflict Prevention Management and Resolution which was created for this purpose,” “Zambia has played a major role in conflict prevention and management in many African countries. Diplomatic efforts are usually the most cost effective and quickest to deploy to facilitate much dialogue, defuse tension, promote national reconciliation, advance respect for human rights and institutionalise peace”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “As a constitutional democracy, we must be guided by what the Constitution of Zambia says. If we don't respect the Constitution, then we shall be inviting anarchy, which is undesirable,”

postzambia Friday, August 26, 2016 6:02:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Commission ) : “As regards the just-ended elections, I am unconvinced that they met the high bar of free, fair, transparent, credible and democratic elections in accordance with SADC and AU protocols to which Zambia is a party. My reasons are that there was disgraceful biased coverage of the public media in favour of PF against opposition parties, including rejecting even their paid adverts, use of public resources by illegal ministers and deputy ministers who should not have been in office since January 2016 when the amended Constitution kicked in and abolished the office of deputy minister and May this year when Parliament was dissolved. There was absence in many polling stations of G12 forms, which are used to reflect authentic results from polling stations and signed by party agents and which are supposed to be used to verify results,” “The presence of unauthorised and suspected intruders into sensitive ICT areas of the Electoral Commission of Zambia raised levels of suspicion, which were already high. There was inability to provide credible answers to these highly disturbing irregularities. This raises serious questions of credibility of the voting, counting and verification process. Given these grey areas, which appear to have been glossed over, it would be an extravagant exaggeration for me to classify the just-ended elections as free and fair”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “I would like to congratulate the people of Zambia for having turned up peacefully and in large numbers on 11th August 2016 to exercise their democratic right to vote for political leaders of their choice in the presidential, parliamentary and local authority elections. Our country has had a long history of holding peaceful campaigns and voting peacefully on Election Day. The violence and vitriolic language we witnessed in the campaigns, accusations and counter accusations of who was responsible for it, fails to address the real issues of lack of serious political leadership, which is capable of condemning any and all violence regardless of who is involved and for whatever reasons,” “Violence is violence and it has no place in our democracy. It must be strongly condemned. Those responsible for ordering and carrying out these dastardly acts deserve to be sent to jail. The question is why should we be having this violence now, involving our two major political parties, UPND and PF? There is too much hostility and mistrust between leaders and supporters of the two major parties, partly arising from an absence of dialogue between them”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “President-elect Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema must be encouraged to have dialogue. The last election showed that our citizens are split right down the middle. It is the duty of the Republican President to initiate genuine dialogue between him and leaders of opposition political parties so that our country can go through a process of healing. Experience has shown that when their supporters see their leaders meeting and talking one to one to discuss national issues, the hostility between them will reduce considerably and the leaders will begin to build the much needed trust between them,” “Opposition leaders and their supporters should not be seen as enemies of the party in government and vice versa. They have an important and critical role to play in every democracy by providing checks and balances to the government of the day and to ensure that it is tolerant to opposing views and remains firmly committed to good governance, human rights and the rule of law”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Going forward, I hope that we as a country can, in an inclusive manner, look at our amended Constitution afresh and consider introducing proportional representation for parliamentary and local government elections because it would defuse the tribal tendencies for people to retreat into their provincial and tribal enclaves when seeking election to political office. One just has to look at how many members of parliament are being elected or standing in their tribal areas, which is not consistent with our national motto of One Zambia, One Nation,” “Besides, proportional representation would be more representative of the will of the people and also allow the smaller parties to play a role in the Parliament, consistent with their levels of their voter performance. It is not possible for them to do so under the current electoral system of first-past-the-post”

postzambia Thursday, August 18, 2016 12:58:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “It is absolutely shocking that the order given by the Tribunal which has been reinforced by them is not being obeyed. There’s a division of labour in terms of functions of government institutions. And when an institution like the Tribunal makes a decision, that decision must be respected and it is absolutely shocking that they have not allowed The Post to reopen, which reinforced the view that I have held together with many others that this is not about tax issues, it is a political decision and someone will be able to account for it one day. It will not go unpunished and those who are responsible for it and denying the public a more balanced view of issues pertaining to the elections will have to account for it,” “So it’s a very sad development for our country and when you have a situation where certain institutions refuse to carry out directives they are given by institutions like the Tax Appeals Tribunal, you are essentially writing a prescription for jungle law where no one is going to respect authority of any kind. It will lead to lawlessness in the country and we don’t need that. We have been a lawful country, we have had a reputation for free, fair and transparent elections and we want to preserve this before the election, during the elections and after the elections”

postzambia Saturday, August 6, 2016 8:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “At the end of the day, if we are going to have free, fair and transparent elections, we also need to have a free press so that the issues are put to the Zambians to enable them to make informed decisions of their own. An attempt has been made to deny the Zambian people access to balanced reporting which they get from The Post by just sticking to state media which is under the impression that it’s role is only to publish what government and PF leaders say, not only about the elections but also about other people,”

postzambia Saturday, August 6, 2016 8:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “SABC has been publishing and showing campaign rallies and showing what opposition leaders in South Africa are saying. They are giving them a platform to explain to the South African people what exactly they want to do for them if elected in their local government elections which are taking place in a few days. That’s exactly how a public media should be. This is the reason why when there is a change of government, heads of public media and some of their subordinates are dismissed because of their lack of objectivity and their lack of impartiality in reporting campaigns and electoral outcomes,” “Democracy is seriously under threat because it is being undermined by institutions of governance such as the media, the public media, which is supposed to be a true reflection of the Zambian people only concentrating on one side, which I find absolutely deplorable. The Zambians are the best judges and they will make the right decisions when they are in the booth on the 11th of August. We fought very hard to establish this democratic dispensation that we have but it is now being undermined and that is very sad for our country and for our people”

postzambia Saturday, August 6, 2016 8:29:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “It is absolutely shocking that the order given by the Tribunal which has been reinforced by them is not being obeyed. There’s a division of labour in terms of functions of government institutions. And when an institution like the Tribunal makes a decision, that decision must be respected and it is absolutely shocking that they have not allowed The Post to reopen, which reinforced the view that I have held together with many others that this is not about tax issues, it is a political decision and someone will be able to account for it one day. It will not go unpunished and those who are responsible for it and denying the public a more balanced view of issues pertaining to the elections will have to account for it,” “So it’s a very sad development for our country and when you have a situation where certain institutions refuse to carry out directives they are given by institutions like the Tax Appeals Tribunal, you are essentially writing a prescription for jungle law where no one is going to respect authority of any kind. It will lead to lawlessness in the country and we don’t need that. We have been a lawful country, we have had a reputation for free, fair and transparent elections and we want to preserve this before the election, during the elections and after the elections”

postzambia Friday, August 5, 2016 10:35:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “At the end of the day, if we are going to have free, fair and transparent elections, we also need to have a free press so that the issues are put to the Zambians to enable them to make informed decisions of their own. An attempt has been made to deny the Zambian people access to balanced reporting which they get from The Post by just sticking to state media which is under the impression that it’s role is only to publish what government and PF leaders say, not only about the elections but also about other people,”

postzambia Friday, August 5, 2016 10:35:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “SABC has been publishing and showing campaign rallies and showing what opposition leaders in South Africa are saying. They are giving them a platform to explain to the South African people what exactly they want to do for them if elected in their local government elections which are taking place in a few days. That’s exactly how a public media should be. This is the reason why when there is a change of government, heads of public media and some of their subordinates are dismissed because of their lack of objectivity and their lack of impartiality in reporting campaigns and electoral outcomes,” “Democracy is seriously under threat because it is being undermined by institutions of governance such as the media, the public media, which is supposed to be a true reflection of the Zambian people only concentrating on one side, which I find absolutely deplorable. The Zambians are the best judges and they will make the right decisions when they are in the booth on the 11th of August. We fought very hard to establish this democratic dispensation that we have but it is now being undermined and that is very sad for our country and for our people”

postzambia Friday, August 5, 2016 10:35:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “Reports that certain diplomatic missions are being investigated for helping to publish The Post newspaper are alarming and represent outrageous and despicable levels of desperation never seen before in the history of our country. The resilience of The Post to publish even the truncated editions of the paper should be commended,”

postzambia Saturday, July 23, 2016 5:46:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Reading ) : “Public anger about inability to access independent stories from The Post newspaper, which is not able to publish in the normal manner, is still very high. Reading the onesided reports in the state media without balancing them with independent reports has become a very painful experience. We all know that the closure of The Post at this particular time, under the pretext of tax issues, is a fallacy,”

postzambia Saturday, July 23, 2016 5:46:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said ( about Anderson Mazoka ) : “Anderson Mazoka came into politics for the right reasons: to serve the people and improve their welfare and not to make himself rich because he and his family were already comfortable. As we reflect and celebrate his life, let us remember that in him were humanity and humility; he understood the past and regarded it as the basis to improve the present and the future,”

postzambia Tuesday, July 12, 2016 7:28:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Association ) : “Democracy accepts that there bound to be divergent views concerning national issues amongst us, because we are not a monolithic society and these differences should be respected and dealt with in a sober and respectful manner. The Law Association of Zambia is a professional body of lawyers which is firmly committed to upholding of the Constitution of Zambia, human rights and the rule of law. When they raise issues, they should be carefully considered and given reasoned and not emotional responses. This is the way previous presidents and governments have dealt with LAZ,”

postzambia Monday, July 4, 2016 8:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “We don’t want to start writing a prescription of a failed state. Let us all put our country and our people first and not self-preservation. History will not be kind to those who will have failed to recognise this fact,”

postzambia Monday, July 4, 2016 8:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “We cannot have our cherished principle of the rule of law brutalised and vandalised with impunity in this manner,”

postzambia Monday, July 4, 2016 8:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “Violence and intimidation are on the upswing, billboards and posters are being pulled down, burnt or defaced and party hooligans are terrorising people on the streets, including newspaper vendors and in the markets, all in the name of election campaigns,” “This is totally unacceptable and must stop. There will be winners on 11th August and the biggest loser will be our democracy, which has become a casualty of political hooliganism, a greed for power at all cost and thuggery”

postzambia Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:15:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “We have certainly not moved forward to modernise our politics, let alone our campaign rhetoric, which is full of insults, hate speeches, personal and tribal attacks,” “The quality of some political players we have does a disservice to our country because they don’t seem to understand that in democracy there is need for mutual tolerance and space for opposition voices to be heard and respected and not to regard them as enemies, but mere opponents and vice versa”

postzambia Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:15:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “What we have now is an uneven playing field where the ruling PF occupies all the space in the public media, almost to the total exclusion of opposition parties. The only print media which gives coverage to the opposition parties and even the PF is being brutalised by government using instruments of state violence to silence them,” “It is provindential that we are still able to buy copies of The Post on the streets, thanks to their resilience and steadfastness. The official reason for the closure of The Post we are told is noncompliance with tax obligations but every right-thinking Zambian knows that it is not the only reason, if at all and it smacks political interference, which poses a serious threat to the broad issue of press freedom in a democratic society”

postzambia Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:15:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : "The Post provides checks and balances to every government of the day as our democracy demands, which the public media has lamentably failed to do in this country. It (The Post) must therefore survive at all cost and continue to serve the people of Zambia by digging deeper and without fear or favour. Let common sense prevail,"

BBCMonitoring Wednesday, June 29, 2016 4:06:00 AM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “The Post provides checks and balances to every government of the day as our democracy demands, which the public media has lamentably failed to do in this country. It [The Post]must therefore survive at all cost and continue to serve the people of Zambia by digging deeper and without fear or favour. Let common sense prevail,”

postzambia Tuesday, June 21, 2016 12:23:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga observed : “We are suddenly seeing a reduction in load-shedding, roads which were neglected hurriedly being worked on, chiefs being given allowance increments, women and youths being given empowerment funds, party cadres fighting over campaign funds among others. On the down side, the cost of living for families is beyond reach, unemployment levels are going up, inflation is still in double digits, the national debt is going up, chronic shortages of medicine in our clinics, rural health centers and hospitals, delayed salaries for civil servants, delayed payments for businessmen and women doing business with government, retirees not being paid, tight money supply in the economy and levels of political intolerance rising,”

postzambia Wednesday, June 15, 2016 3:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “Zambians are mature enough to draw their own conclusions as they enter those polling booths to cast their votes on August 11. Admittedly, elections by their very nature are divisive and even heated, but we should not lose sight of the bigger picture that democracy has enough room to accommodate our political and election differences. Our country has had no history of election violence and we all have a duty to preserve this proud record by rejecting and condemning the disciples and high priests of violence and intimidation. Zambia is more important than any other individual person or leader,”

postzambia Wednesday, June 15, 2016 3:10:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said ( about Michael Kaingu ) : “If that is what Kaingu is saying, it is regrettable and irresponsible,”

postzambia Tuesday, June 14, 2016 5:57:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “They [ECZ] need to enjoy the confidence of those who are participating and they must be open and transparent at every stage; not just at a stage where people go to verify their names in the register but what happens on voting day and how these votes are counted, tallied, transmitted to ECZ and where elections are announced so that at every stage, the process is transparent because this gives confidence to those who are participating and it makes it easier for them to accept the outcome of elections whether they win or lose. ECZ should treat every participant equally without any discrimination,” “They should listen to the concerns of the participating political parties. When the citizens, participating political parties lose confidence in the ECZ, that is a red line; it has the potential to bring about conflict in the electoral management system of elections, which is not desirable”

postzambia Friday, June 10, 2016 8:26:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga said : “Allowing ministers to continue in office creates a very uneven playing field and that is why there has been a lot of concern about this issue of ministers continuing in office and then being able to contest elections as well,”

postzambia Friday, June 10, 2016 8:26:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated ( about Commission ) : “Zambia will be under a national and international microscope to see to what extent our electoral democracy has taken root. Already, questions are being asked about the ease with which the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) arrogantly disregarded the concerns raised by all the major opposition parties about the awarding of the controversial Dubai company the tender to print ballot papers for the people of Zambia. This has taken away part of the confidence these political parties had in the ECZ to conduct a free, fair, credible and transparent election, based on a stakeholder consultative and non-confrontational process. Printing of ballot papers is part of this important process,”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “After that minus for ECZ is said, we must, even under protest, see issue-based campaigns devoid of personal attacks, hate or tribal speeches, insults, unpalatable language, threats, intimidation and violence. Elections are a contest for power and they involve a contest of ideas, ideologies and programmes,” “They should not degenerate into violence or war. How they are conducted and how instruments such as the public order Act are applied all contribute to their peaceful outcome. Already, there are reports of campaign posters and billboards of political parties being torn up or defaced by supporters of rival parties, leaders of parties being forced out of private radio stations, which does not enhance the integrity of our country”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “They must strictly apply the law fairly and justly to all and dispel the impression that they take sides with the ruling party and their satellites, because no one is above the law. National security and defence institutions are there to defend the county and prevent a breakdown of law and order. When they fail to do so, the people of Zambia will lose faith in them and in their professionalism,”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT

Vernon Mwaanga stated : “It is my hope that the party thugs, hooligans and loose canons will not be permitted to undermine the electoral process through their actions and utterances and that the people of Zambia will be allowed to vote freely and carry on with their daily lives before, during and after the elections,”

postzambia Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:49:00 PM EAT