politics – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

Late President Sata – Memories!

Through the 1980’s when I was general manager of the Ridgeway Hotel in Lusaka (now Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel), late President Michael Sata was for some time District Governor of Lusaka, with offices at the civic centre right opposite the Ridgeway on Independence Avenue. He loved the hotel, particularly as I remember, the Jolly Casino! (My then assistant manager, John Phillips, now a highly successful entrepreneur back in UK, can verify!)…

Although I’m not sure if it was true that Mr Sata, as he claimed, could actually see into my office from his office, there were several occasions when he phoned saying “Do some work Chanter I can see you’re loafing”. On one occasion – “the front of your hotel looks nice but I can see into your back yard from my office, get it cleaned up!” We did!

There was one infamous occasion when our late President barged into my office dragging a security guard literally by the ear. “Tell this man who I am!” He shouted, releasing the poor victim from his hold. “Surely you know Mr Sata, the district governor?” I asked the guard. He nodded quietly, clearly thinking better of saying anything. “And tell him I’ll park my car anywhere in Lusaka that I want!” Added the governor. It transpired that Mr Sata had parked right outside the front door of the hotel – the guards had strict instructions to stop anyone parking in this position to avoid traffic congestion. The guard had followed orders and commanded Mr Sata to move his car!” Brave but foolish! “Go away!” He said to the poor man, closing the door as the guard fled. The district governor then sat himself down and continued “now Richard I need a nice suite for the weekend, and a couple of good bottles of white wine!”

One day, in the early 1990’s, after I’d left the Ridgeway and he was now a minister in the Chiluba government, our paths crossed and Mr Sata yelled at me “Hey! We’re going to let established residents like you vote in council elections in future!” It didn’t happen. He was however kind enough to appoint me to the Lusaka Province Liquor Licensing Board when he was Minister of Local Government, which, as I was unemployed and unloved at that time, gave me a considerable morale boost. I was grateful.

I didn’t see him again until just before the 2011 election when he was campaigning in Livingstone and passed through the airport on his way back to the capital. I was waiting to meet incoming guests. “Where are you now?” He asked, recognizing me, and I told him I had a lodge in Livingstone and that he’d be welcome any time. We wished him luck in the upcoming poll.
Unfortunately he never did come to Chanters Lodge, within a few months he was President of Zambia.

May his soul rest in peace.

3
NOV

Africa, Lusaka, politics, Ridgeway, Zambia

Trym & Torkel Fjortoft Guest On The Experience!

Meet Torkel (left) and Trym Fjortoft, Norwegian brothers on their first visit to Africa therefore also Zambia, and guests on the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz. The Experience is our weekly Sunday night radio show, airing from 20.30 – 21.30 hrs (CAT) live on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. You can listen on line too with the right app.

Torkel and Trym told listeners that although they hail from Tromsoe in the far north of Norway, inside the Arctic Circle, they are currently living in Oslo, the capital of Norway. Trym, the older of the two brothers, explained that having finished a degree course in international relations at the University of Oslo, he is currently working at a youth information centre in Oslo, but hopes to return to university soon to study for a Masters Degree. Torkel is still at Oslo University also studying international relations, specifically American history and politics. “Do you like Oslo?” Milli Jam wondered. “Oslo’s great!” replied the boys in unison!

Torkel and Trym told listeners that they were in Zambia with several other members of their family. Their grandfather, also on the trip, was in Livingstone as part of a group of educationalists visiting student teachers on practicals at various primary schools in the area. The boys had grabbed the opportunity to visit Zambia. “Is Zambia what you expected?” We asked. These tall, handsome young Norwegians said that it was everything they expected and more, they said that Zambian people were amongst the nicest and friendliest people they had ever met. (Not at all an uncommon observation amongst visitors to this country).

The brothers went on to explain that they had been very busy since arriving in the country a week ago. They had visited Mongu in Western Province, where they had been given Lozi names and sampled Zambian food, as well as Chobe NP in Botswana where they had seen a lot of game but unfortunately no big cats. They described Victoria Falls as totally amazing and said they had not realised the Falls were ‘so big and so magnificent’. We nodded knowingly and sagely!

The boys, especially Torkel, a self confessed ‘chart junky’ when it comes to music, loved the tracks we played on the show. We opened, as usual, with Avicii’s ‘Hey Brother’ followed by the latest from Sam Smith. We followed this with A Great Big World’s ‘Say Something’ featuring Christina Aguilera, as well as the latest from Zambia’s Franciar. Milli Jam chose tracks from Shakira and Zambia’s Petersen. Our oldie of the week was Baby Love by The Supremes, but local network problems meant that listeners texting in to try to win the prize we give each week to the first person to text us the name of the artist on the oldie, went unwon. My pick of the week was a new track from Guy Sebastian and we closed with an effort from John Martin.

When asked about sport the boys bemoaned the fact that Norway’s medal haul in the just ended Sochi Winter Olympics had been far below national expectations, plus the fact that Ole Gunnar Solskjær recently appointed Norwegian manager of Wales’s Cardiff City, had made a poor start to his new job.

On the social scene “Do you go clubbing?” Milli Jam wondered, and the boys said that both Oslo and Tromsoe had great clubs. Trym and Torkel then started to discuss why they had not found time to go clubbing in Livingstone, and seemed to decide that this was exactly what they would do after they’d been out to dinner at Olga’s, right after the show!

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years’ from now, they both said they were involved in music and wanted to be pop stars. On a more serious note Trym said he would be very happy to be in Zambia but felt it more likely that he would have finished studying and would possibly be teaching, as that profession ran in the family. Torkel the younger brother was insistent that he would be making money ‘doing music’.

Great guests, great presentation, great music, good show!

28
FEB

Africa, Botswana, Chobe, education, entertainment, football, guests, livingstone, Mongu, music, Norway, politics, radioshow, restaurants, sport, training, travel, wildlife, Zambia

Ndubi Mvula – Personally

Why Ndubi personally? Well, when Ndubi Mvula (pictured above) appeared in person as our Guest on the latest edition of ‘The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela’ last Sunday, one of the tracks we played was Nigerian duo PSquare’s latest smash ‘Personally’. Few of our listeners had heard it before and it was an instant hit – especially with the Chanters Girls dancing back at the lodge! ‘The Experience’ is our regular Sunday night radio show airing for an hour at 20.30 hrs CAT on Zambezi 107.7 Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Ndubi is a media consultant, having for a long time been Zambia Daily Mail’s bureau chief in Livingstone, he is now busy helping 107.7 fm revamp the editorial department of their news and current affairs department, and is also involved in the weekly discussion programmes aired by the station. Is there a big difference between the print and audio media in terms of the way they handle the news we wondered? “Well” said Ndubi “one is about what you see and the other is about what you hear!” “Ah!” We said! He went on to explain that in the print media there isn’t always the urgency that there is in radio “you have rather more latitude and chance to work on a story in print” he said, “whereas with radio, the news has to be broadcast instantly”.

Ndubi told listeners that he had studied journalism at the Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka and had joined the Zambia Daily Mail in 1996. He had served until 2012 when he retired. His inspiration to embark on a career in journalism had been the late Charles Mando, a very famous Zambian journalist renowned for his hard hitting Sunday Interview programme and his ability to make famous Zambian politicians squirm in their seats, Republican Presidents included!

Apart from PSquare and ‘Personally’ on this show we played tracks by Dizee Rascal ft Robin Williams, Jason Derulo, Macky2, Pompi, Chris Brown and Avicii. My pick of the week was John Legend’s beautiful ‘Made To Love’. Our oldie of the week was Michael Jackson’s ‘Liberian Girl’ and the prize we give to the first person to text us telling us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up.

Ndubi told listeners that he had two beautiful daughters aged 15 and 10 and that his taste in music was reggae as well as ‘old Zambian’ mentioning artists like late Akim Simukonda and late Paul Ngozi. He told listeners that he had done most of the tourist activities available in Livingstone, apart from the bungee jump, when he had been running ‘Tourist Destination’ a feature in the Zambia Daily Mail bewteen 2004 and 2009. He supports Nkana Red Devils and Liverpool – the latter pleased George! He had been lucky to travel widely around the world when on further training with the Mail including to India, Egypt and South Africa often sponsored by Reuters.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time, this personable ‘real journalist’ replied that he would like to be owning and running his own radio station. We wished him the best of luck.

28
JUN

Africa, Chanters, communications, entertainment, football, livingstone, media, music, politics, radioshow, Zambia

Dr Joanna Lewis

We were delighted to welcome Dr Joanna Lewis (pictured above) as our Guest on the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela. That’s the weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm sponsored by our lodge, featuring latest Zambian and international music interspersed by conversation with our Guest of the week. The show’s been running since 2007 and is popular locally – partly because we give away a dinner for two at the lodge every week if a lucky listener can text us the name of the artist singing our ‘oldie of the week’. No-one won on this week’s show – the track we played was ‘It’s Not Unusual’ by Tom Jones – at the request of our Welsh Guest – but it was just too old for our young Zambian audience to know the artist! We promised to make the question easier on the next show, and we will!

Joanna had been in Livingstone for more than a week in the last stages of hosting and organizing an important international academic conference about David Livingstone, to coincide with the 200th Anniversary of his birth. She told listeners that she is a lecturer in African History and African Affairs at the London School of Economics and Political Science and that this was her fourth visit to Zambia. Single, but “devoted to her boyfriend”, an officer in the British Army, Joanna said she had no children but was a full time aunty to her niece and nephew, Olivia and Thomas whom she greeted on air.

Milli Jam wanted to know more about the conference held during the week and Joanna told him that the meeting had been addressed by international experts, as well as Zambian delegates from University of Zambia all with specialist knowledge of David Livingstone. Some contributors were Ben Di Ponti, who had actually trekked the 1000 kms across Africa following Livingstone’s footsteps, as well as Julie Davidson, a travel writer, who had recently published a book about Livingstone’s wife. Others included John Mackenzie, Keith Hart and Gary Clendennen. “What’s the verdict on Livingstone?” Asked Milli Jam. “Very mixed!” Joanna’s reply.

The music on the show was up to date as usual. We opened with Avril Lavigne’s new hit back to back with Rudimental’s UK number one featuring Ella Eyre ‘Waiting All Night’. George chose Zambian tracks by Chef ft Afunika and Pilato – ‘Kumwesu’ as well as Exile with ‘Nganalikwebele’. Milli Jam served up offerings from Ne-Yo as well as Will.i.am ft Justin Bieber. My pick of the week was Time Bandit’s ‘Mozart’s House’ and we closed with Drake’s ‘Girls Love Beyonce’.

Joanna told listeners that she rather prefers rugby to soccer but when it came to English football clubs her preference was Arsenal, her favourite player ‘Theo Walcott’. ‘All the girls love Theo’ she added. Being Welsh she also likes Swansea City. Music wise our doctor said she liked classical and gospel music but she was certainly foot tapping to the tracks we played on air! Asked where she would like to be and what she would like to be doing ten years’ from now Joanna said she would like to be a world famous novelist with a string of successful novels to her name, retired and enjoying a drink!

Joanna took the opportunity to thank on air all of the contributors to the successful conference, as well as the staff at Chanters Lodge where she said she and her colleagues had been very happy to stay.

27
APR

Africa, education, entertainment, guests, livingstone, London, music, politics, radioshow, staff, victoriafalls, Wales, Zambia

Jimmy J Priest Maliseni Rocks The Experience!

Jimmy J Priest Maliseni (above) needed very little introduction to listeners when I was asked to introduce him at the start of the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George Kaufela. That’s our regular Sunday night radio show airing on Zambezi 107.7 fm every week from 20.30 hrs to 21.30 hrs CAT.

Why? Well Jimmy is one of the stalwarts of 107.7 fm, hosting the Zamtel Sunset Cruise show Monday to Friday, The Boiling Point – a weekly controversial, usually political, interview progamme, as well as ‘Reggae Sunday Service’ on a Sunday afternoon. “So you’re full time with Zambezi 107.7 fm?” Queried Milli Jam “No, part time.” Replied Jimmy. “Gosh!” I said “if that’s a part time work load what on earth do the full time people do here?” No reply…Jimmy admitted to a certain amount of nervousness, being ‘on the other side’ of the microphone for our show..

‘J Priest’ told listeners that he’d been involved with the radio station since December 2008 coming from a background as a DeeJay at New Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone, where in fact our own Milli Jam is currently entertainment manager. In 2002 when the disco had closed for renovation Jimmy J revealed that he had been ‘born again’ and since that time had taken a keen interest in religion. “Are you a priest like your name says?” We wondered. “Not really” said Jimmy, more of a ‘street preacher’. “Ah!” We said. Asked whether he had been brought up in Livingstone Jimmy told listeners that he had been raised and educated ‘all over the country’ as his father had been a manager with NIEC in Kenneth Kaunda days (National Import and Export Company) – a parastatal organization with the habit of regularly transferring managers at a moment’s notice to anywhere in Zambia.

The music on our show was up to the usual high standard. We opened with our 2013 theme by Rudimental ft John Newman – ‘Feel The Love’. The next two tracks were new releases from long established bands – Bon Jovi with ‘Because We Can’ and Pet Shop Boys with ‘Memory Of The Future’. George dropped Roberto’s latest hit ‘Took You’ which features he himself – and a very good track it is too. We also featured tracks from Pompi, LL Cool J, Pink and David Bowie. Our oldie of the week was ‘Trapped’ by Colonel Abrams but no-one could text us the name of the performing artist, so no-one won the dinner for two we offer each week for a correct answer to the question! The song was dedicated to the road construction company resurfacing Obote Avenue, the road to Chanters, who had managed to trap us in the lodge earlier in the week!

Jimmy revealed that his younger brother was a singer with the band Camouflage (whom we had featured on a recent show) and that they had both been born on May 11th although in different years. We joked about the same at his dad’s expense! ‘Priest’ said he was married and had two beautiful daughters. He also revealed that he was the CEO of a company supplying building materials to the Government and that it was really hard to get paid on time to sustain the company. He told us he was passionate about the construction industry. Asked if he had undertaken any of the tourist activities available in Livingstone he told us he had been white water rafting but had not bungee jumped! His favourite music was ‘gospel reggae’ and his favourite artist ‘Stitchie’. He loved football and was an Arsenal supporter. Some of us liked this.

Asked about his biggest influences in terms of broadcasting Jimmy mentioned Field Ruwe. I reminded listeners of the work Field had I had done together on Zambian television in the 80’s. Jimmy J Priest Maliseni said that in ten years’ time he hoped to be ‘a construction industry magnate’ and we wished him the best of luck.

17
JAN

activities, Africa, Arsenal, Chanters, entertainment, livingstone, management, music, politics, radioshow, rafting, religion, Zambia

Brian Suto & Jen Gase rock ‘The Experience’!

What do the average Washington DC investment adviser (with Charles Schwab ) and partner, an IT project manager, do on their Sunday night in Livingstone, Zambia just 10 kms away from the mighty Victoria Falls? Why, appear on the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela of course! That’s our regular Sunday night radio show airing weekly between 20.30 and 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Joking apart we were delighted that Brian Suto and Jen Gase (pictured above), our Guests at Chanters Lodge, agreed to appear on our show. Lively and interesting Guests they were too.

Brian and Jen told listeners that although they’d only arrived in Livingstone at lunch time the previous day, on their first afternoon they’d already taken the sunset cruise on the Zambezi on Lady Livingstone which they’d thoroughly enjoyed. On the morning of the show they’d been to Mukuni Big 5 for the lion encounter and then walked out to Livingstone Island to swim in Devil’s Pool, which they described as ‘stunning’. The following day they were scheduled for a half day’s white water rafting before they left Chanters for the Zambezi Waterfront to link up with G Adventures. They explained that they were booked for an eight day camping overland trip with Gap, taking them from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg via Kruger NP. “Looking forward to it?” George, the host for the day, wanted to know. “We are” replied Brian “but I’m not too sure about the camping.” Jen gave a knowing laugh. “Washington investment adviser camping?” She seemed to be thinking, sure……

George wanted to know if the couple lived near the White House and our Guests said that they lived just 10kms away. Had they met President Obama? We wanted to know, they had not, but they hoped to and were delighted he had won the election. So were we. Music wise Brian told listeners he was into rap, whereas Jen liked softer music such as Mumford and Sons. On this show we featured tracks from The Wanted as well as Christina Aguilera at the top of the show. Zambian tracks were from T-Sean and Zone Fam, which we followed up with offerings from Lana del Rey and Keri Hilson. Our oldie of the week was Danny’s ‘Could I Be’ and we had a great response from listeners by text telling us who was singing the track – all trying to win dinner for two at the lodge. Vuuka won.

Asked where they’d met, Brian and Jen said it had been in Florida where they’d been working for the same company. “Was it love at first sight?” George wanted to know “not really” seemed to be the reply. They told listeners they’d been married for two years. Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing 10 years from now, Jen said she wanted still to have Brian by her side along with 2+ children, Brian seemed to want to be running a small lodge somewhere other than in America – as you do when you’re an investment adviser!!

15
NOV

Africa, Chanters, entertainment, livingstone, music, politics, radioshow, rafting, rsa, tourism, travel, usa, wildlife, Zambia

The Kashitas Repeat ‘The Experience’

The latest edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with The Milli Jam Ingredient, featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela, was rather different for several reasons. Firstly it aired at an earlier time of 18.00 hrs, so that the show did not clash with the final of the Africa Cup Of Nations in which Zambia was participating (and won, whoopee!) Secondly the show went out on the day Whitney Houston’s untimely death was announced, so we revised the play list at the last moment to feature many of her top hits. Sad…

Last but not least, for once we talked some ‘politics’ on the show with our guests Andrew and Caroline Kashita (above). Andrew was a senior minister in both the UNIP and MMD governments in Zambia and we wanted, and got, his expert opinion on a couple of important national and local matters. Andrew and Caroline have appeared on our show twice before.

‘The Experience’ airs every Sunday, usually from 20.30 to 21.30 hrs and is sponsored by Chanters Lodge, Livingstone, Zambia. The show is a great mixture of music and chat and is popular locally especially as we give away a prize of a dinner for two at the lodge each week, to the first person to text us telling us who’s singing our ‘oldie of the week’. On this particular show the track was ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion and the prize was quickly snapped up.

The Kashitas told us they’d been married for 32 years and had a total of four children (two together), all of whom were doing well overseas, they also have one grandchild, Chansa, aged 3. They told listeners they enjoyed coming to Livingstone for a week twice a year to relax away from the hustle bustle of Lusaka. The break also afforded them the opportunity to rest and recuperate at Chanters, and to catch up with some reading, as well as developments in Livingstone. “Why do you always choose Chanters?” Milli Jam wondered “Richard’s an old friend and his lodge just suits us very well!” Was the sweet reply. They also mentioned the ‘convenient location’.

The Whitney Houston tracks we featured on the show were ‘One Moment In Time’, ‘I Will Always Love You’, ‘Dance With Somebody’, Saving All My Love For You’ and ‘I Look To You’. Great selection! Our pick of the week was Lady Antebellum’s ‘Dancing With You In My Heart’. We also featured one song for the Zambian footballers ‘Chipolopolo’ by MAG44, T10, Pompi and Chungu.

We asked Andrew Kashita about the sale of a large share holding in Zanaco (Zambia National Commercial Bank) to a Dutch bank, currently under investigation by the Sata PF Government. Andrew told listeners that as a former chairman of the bank, he felt the sale of the bank to a foreign bank had been against the spirit in which the peoples’ bank had been created in the first place, and also that it had been severely undervalued at the time of the sale. He very much hoped that the situation would be corrected by the sale of more shares to ‘ordinary’ Zambians. He was not however in favour of the sale being reversed but he did feel that the bank should have a Zambian chairperson.

We also asked him to comment on the state of the road from the outskirts of Livingstone to the Falls and he said that he felt the ‘shameful’ situation had arisen from either wrong specifications, poor work by the contractors or poor supervision. He felt that the culprits should be identified and the road repaired free of charge by those concerned, as soon as possible.

We wondered if the Kashitas would be doing any of the many tourist activities available in Livingstone and they told listeners that they were very much looking forward to the sunset cruise on Lady Livingstone the next day. They also planned a visit to the Drift Cemetery in the Mosi-o-Tunya National Park. They told listeners they would return to Lusaka towards the end of the following week using Mazhandu Family Bus Service, as usual.

17
FEB

activities, Africa, banks, development, entertainment, football, friends, infrastructure, music, politics, radioshow, Zambia

Consumer Diaries

Here’s a good website for consumers in Zambia having a hard time at the moment! Consumer Diaries, written by Zambian consumers for Zambian consumers. The latest post involves the suspension of the air service permit for Zambezi Airlines by government – no great surprise there – they’ve been in a shambles for weeks with delayed and cancelled flights. Yesterday there were about 15 stranded travellers at Harry M Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, negotiating seats on other airlines flying to South Africa.

We hope Consumer Diaries will soon turn their attention to Zambia Breweries and the constant annual shortages of beer and soft drinks in Livingstone and other parts of Zambia through October and November – not alright in the nominated (should that be nominal?) ‘tourist capital’.

And what about Zesco? Most Zambian consumers thought that one of the first impacts of the new government would be restoration of constant power supplies – not so – even though the President did fire the Zesco MD nothing has changed there! Just as well we have a good stand by generator at Chanters Lodge!

“The Consumer Diaries is a Zambian consumer’s mouthpiece written strictly by consumers for other consumers. It contains a compilation of reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from consumers themselves. This is done in order to help people have an opportunity to rate product/service experiences that they have had, and also to investigate new products or services in order to make informed decisions.”

Wish them the best of luck!

The picture? A bottle of Zambia’s great Mosi beer – currently unavailable from distributors in Livingstone, Zambia.

31
OCT

Africa, airlines, Consumers, development, Economy, electricity, energy, guests, infrastructure, livingstone, management, politics, rsa, transport, travel, Zambia

Victor Chama Musonda Makes The News!

Meet Victor Chama Musonda (above), guest on the most recent edition of our weekly Sunday night radio show, The Chanters Lodge Experience with The Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild, airing at 20.30 hrs CAT on Zambezi 107.7 fm Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show streams live on the internet too, links are on our Chanters Lodge website or the station’s own site – 18.30 hrs GMT every Sunday, and we’d love you guys out of Livingstone to listen!

It had been such a momentous week for news in Zambia, with the election of a new president from a new ruling party, we felt it appropriate to have a ‘newsman’ as a guest on the show to hear his take on events. Victor is Head of News and Current Affairs at Zambezi fm. “How was your week?” we asked him. “Hectic!” Was the word he used! “We didn’t get much sleep from the time voting started until the final results were announced, I spent most of my time at Livingstone Civic Centre feeding results back to the studio where they were live on air”. He continued. “Now we go live to Victor at the Civic Centre” I said, laughing “we heard you!” “We certainly didn’t get much sleep after the results were announced” I continued “the noise from fireworks, shouting and honking of car horns and blowing of vuvuzuelas in celebration saw to that!”

“How did you get into journalism?” Milli Jam wanted to know and Victor explained that he’d always had an interest in events and writing, so a journalism career seemed to be a natural choice. He explained that he’d studied for three years at the Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka for a Diploma in Journalism. He admitted, however, that he’d always wanted to be a DJ!

The music on the show was hot! We opened with ‘I’ll Fight For You’ by Jason Derulo which samples Toto’s ‘Africa’ a great 80’s favourite in these parts. This track dropped back to back with One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ number one in the UK at the time the show went on air. Our Zambian tracks, selected by George were ‘Mutu’ by T-Boy (‘cut off my head and take out my eyes to stop me messing up’, he’s telling a girlfriend) and George coupled this with Donchi Kubeba by Dandy Crazy. This track almost became a national anthem in Zambia before the election, as the campaign song for the Patriotic Front, the party that won the election. It means ‘don’t tell’ and was urging voters to accept money and gifts from the outgoing political party but then to vote PF! But shhhhh – ‘donchi kubeba’ – don’t tell! Milimo featured ‘How To Love by Lil Wayne from his smash album Carter IV. Oldie of the week was Tina Turner’s ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ and there was a great response to the question ‘who’s singing this?’ Peggy from Maramba won a dinner for 2 at Chanters, she was fast to tell! We closed with Lady Antebellum’s ‘We Owned The Night’ title track from their current US No 1 best selling album. Like I said – hot!

Milimo asked Victor about his family and he told listeners that he was married but only since July, he took the opportunity to greet Theresa his bride who was listening at home. He told us that his father Edward Musonda had played for Kabwe Warriors and the Zambia national soccer team in the early 70’s, and was still actively involved in football administration. He had never bungee jumped but he had certainly walked with lions and ridden elephants with Mukuni Big 5. Before joining Zambezi fm in March 2010 he’d held a similar post at Radio Mosi-o-Tunya also in Livingstone. He further admitted supporting Manchester United. His favourite music was gospel. His ambition to further his education.

Victor stressed the importance of fair reporting and left us with the impression that the news in Livingstone was in excellent hands!

27
SEP

activities, Africa, communications, education, entertainment, livingstone, Lusaka, music, politics, radioshow, usa, Zambia

President Elect of Zambia -Hon Michael C Sata

Congratulations to President Elect of Zambia Hon Michael C Sata on his victory at the polls, following tripartite elections in Zambia on my birthday 20th September! Noisy celebrations continued in Livingstone throughout last night and were still happening as we drove to work at 6.15 hrs. Appropriately it’s a warm, sunny morning in Livingstone.

Mr Sata was District Governor of Lusaka when I was General Manager of Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel in the 80’s and his offices at the Civic Centre were opposite mine at the hotel. He occasionally used to phone saying “I can see you from here, and you’re not working!” Just imagine!

23
SEP

Chanters, Lusaka, People, politics, Ridgeway, Zambia

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