Maravi

LETTERS - The Ntundu Issue

Ntundu's blind loyalty
By Mueti Moomba,China
Tuesday February 27, 2007 [02:00]

It makes very sad reading whenever some of our politicians open their mouths and are qouted when they are supposed to be speakers for the voiceless and a channel through which the underprivileged in our society are represented at a higher level. Reading what Ntundu said makes one sad as it brings a glaring example of the people we have elected to represent us. I am sad that there is an area in the home province that is represented by an immature and incompetent man like Ntundu.

What Ntundu was supposed to be discussing was the budget speech and unfortunately he launched into a scathing attack on an innocent citizen of the country who was not even present to defend himself. If Ntundu in his demented self thinks Fred M'membe is a thief, why then hasn’t M'membe been arrested.

If in Ntundu's opinion, owning a mansion or a Jaguar is only through means of thieving then Ntundu has not lived. We are increasingly seeing a culture where politicians who have turned politics into a career are in the habit of singing blind praises for the sitting presidents and turn them into villains once out of office. Remember how many people surrounded Chiluba at one time and how many were ready to defend what he said even with their lives but look at the man now and how many true friends he has.

While President Mwanawasa could be good in his own way, he is not the best thing that has happened to Zambia since life spread and he is prone to error like all of us and especially if he is surrounded by men of Ntundu's calibre.

Everyone is entitled to support who they want and if Ntundu doesn’t know that fact by now or cannot stomach it, then he might as well stop masquarading as a politician and just be the illiterate party cadre he can be.

Blind loyalty will not take us anywhere and people like Ntundu whose highest point in life is meeting the Queen of England are not fit to even represent any Zambian constituency. There are a lot of poor people in Ntundu's constituency that he should be more worried about before he even gets himself a pay rise.

His real masters are the poor struggling multitudes in Gwembe who barely afford two meals in a day while Ntundu is happy to live a life of luxury and can even taunt the humble people in society. Please let anyone with anything on Ntundu report it so that we can tell who is cheap, corrupt and a spineless jobseeker.




http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=23138

MPs should discuss real issues
By Derricks Mwendafilumba
Monday February 26, 2007 [02:00]

The attack by Gwembe member of parliament on a newspaper editor is definately directed at Fred M’membe. It hurts to realise we send these honourable men and women to Parliament at great cost only for them to flip-flop and attack the people who vote for them. Hon MP for Gwembe is supposed to address the many issues affecting the people of his constituency rather than spend quality time in Parliament talking about an editor who has never worn a tie or suit.

Who told him that a suit and a tie is the dress code for every Zambian? Southern Province used to be the maizebelt of Zambia and with the abundant rains we expect MPs to work round the clock and boost agriculture in the province. Fred M’membe and The Post have come a long way from the days of a weekly newspaper to a popular daily newspaper. It has not been easy and the weak and impatient fell off but others have hung and soldiered on and the benefits can now be seen by all.

Honestly, is it a crime for an editor of a big newspaper to reside in Longacres? Do we expect him to live in a shanty compound? For the information of the Hon MP a Jaguar from Singapore can cost as little as eight thousand dollars and not 53000 US dollars. Besides that’s his hard-earned money and not taxpayers money.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=23179

Ntundu should apologise
By Jenkins Chisoni
Tuesday February 27, 2007 [02:00]

Bauze!Bauze!The Post.Sosa! Sosa! The Post icalo cilekumfwa. An attack on The Post is an attack on the freedom of speech of the people of Zambia for which we are envied by most African countries today and in this light, whatever we hate about some of the things Sata has said in the past, at least we should give him credit for his addiction to The Post. He knows the true value of the paper to the nation. Let us be honest, democracy or the fight for it (since we are still struggling) would not have reached this level in our country without the role The Post has played.

Sata has looked at his past in The Post like he would look at his image in a mirror and magnanimously apologised for having participated in sending Fred M'membe, late Mwape and late Lucy Banda Sichone to jail on trumped-up charges. Even before Sata, KK also apologised to the paper for what he had said about the paper when he was in power when he realised the important role the paper has been playing consistently in the developing democracy in our country.

What lessons have you drawn from the apologies, Brian Ntundu-MP for Gwembe? Are you going to wait for your term in Parliament to come to an end to see how wrong you are to attack The Post and its editor? If you follow the guidance and wisdom provided by Speaker Mwanamwambwa, I am sure you will improve as our representative in Parliament, particularly if newness to debating freedoms in the House is a limiting factor. Zambians living in Gwembe area of Zambia elected you to Parliament for all us so that you can bring development to that area for all of us, including Fred M'membe and myself, should we choose to relocate to the area according to the attractions you will create as MP.

The Kariba Dam which brought suffering and displacement for a lot of our people in the Gwembe valley in the fifties was decided upon and built by Federal parliament MPs whom we had no control over. Eventually we have accepted the dam as our asset, development and attraction for all Zambians on the northern bank. I am sure you have met some new Gwembe residents Honourable MP, haven't you? Do you discriminate against them just because they are not originally from the area? Is that the reason why you want to know the origins of the name M'membe? I am sure you are happy that The Post has given you all the villages Fred's parents come from, albeit the information was partially given during the Barotse Royal Establishment controversy on languages.

What about me whose parents were attracted from outside by copper? What crime have I committed to be born Zambian? Home affairs declared me Zambian by birth when my lawyer, who is now the Republican President, filed my case. Do you want me to falsefy my identity with fake villages to be acceptable? No! That I can't do Mr MP. You might find my surname more acceptable than Fred M'membe's but my father came with it from outside Zambia. So, who is a Zambian, Honourable MP, if we follow your thinking? Naturalised Shwatzenegar from Austria is governor of California and Senator Barak Obama Jnr, with his full Luo tribal names from Kenya where his grandmother is still living, is running for nomination as President of the most powerful nation on planet earth, why do you think I cannot serve my Zambia faithfully Honourable MP? I assign you personally sir to fight for my rights as a full citizen in Parliament instead of discriminating against me.

We have not read much about you in The Post previously Honourable MP and therefore may I take the honour, as one of the addicted readers of the paper, to welcome you to readership of the consistent and fair newspaper, The Post. Good luck in the House. I hope my reaction is not misconstrued as an invasion on the debating freedoms of the House; if it is, I unreservedly apologise to the House through the Honourable Speaker.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=23241

Lack of maturity among politicians
By Kennedy Herbert, Ndola
Wednesday February 28, 2007 [09:06]

I wish to start by expressing my disappointment over the attacks by Brian Ntundu, member of parliament for Gwembe, on Fred M’membe.

I feel it’s time that our members of parliament knew the reasons why they go to Parliament and what issues they are to debate, in Parliament.

I see no reason why a member of parliament who understands problems and tours his constituency can start attacking an editor of a newspaper, saying he should advertise his payslips so that we see who gets more money.

Talking about Jaguars and not wearing suits is not the job people who voted for you expect you to do on their behalf.

I strongly believe there are more serious problems and issues that need your concern in Gwembe than attacking an editor.

Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, LETTERS, MEDIA

posted by MrK @ 10:17 PM