Letters To The Post

Zambia’s economy
By Mubanga
Saturday February 17, 2007 [02:00]

President Mwanawasa has been talking about corruption for too long. The recent one being K3 trillion which he later 'corrected' to be 36 billion stolen. Is mere talking about corruption enough? Where are you learned people to help in explaining what is going on in our country?

I briefly heard finance minister Magande also saying that the ministers are not corrupt, the corrupt are those service-providers who pay bribes to ministers to help them win contracts. I feel that something is wrong here. Shakafuswa we need to see your muscle, not just blind us with hard talk just to be deflated...

In our country from the head of state to senior ministers, there are many contrasting views and pronouncements which need our learned people to take this government to task. I just wonder the purpose of this pronouncements. Are these mere threats knowing that the people involved either know too much about the other deals that everyone else in (top) government positions keeps doing at the expense of Zambians?

The Vice President also said something in Livingstone regarding workers not being used to turn against investors! All the talk is fishy! Why shouldn’t the government protect its people from cruel investors? Why shouldn’t the government take action on thieving ministers? In the recent past, we heard and we know that something has been swept under the carpet! Come on show us your integrity and simply resign! Corruption is corruption regardless who is involved!




http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=22713

Building Levy’s house
By Gilbert Wandi
Saturday February 17, 2007 [02:00]

It was interesting to read in The Post of Friday 16th February that the government wants to build President Mwanawasa’s retirement house before he leaves office. Now, please, I need to be educated on this issue: does our Constitution say that the government should build a retirement house for an incumbent president or one that has already retired?

I really wonder why the government is in such a hurry when president Mwanawasa still has slightly over four years before he retires. In any case, former President Kenneth Kaunda and founding father of the nation retired in 1991 but his house is yet to be completed.

The construction of his house has been progressing at a snail’s pace with the result that the man has been living like one who never did anything important for this nation. History will judge this country harshly for decisions that are made out of selfishness without consideration for others.

Is the hurry in building President Mwanawasa’s house founded on some perceived fear that he might not complete his term of office? Or is it out of sheer greed and crass selfishness? Or that he is not sure about the treatment he will get from his successor given his track record?

One of Zambia’s governance tragedies is that its institutions, including Parliament, are too weak to check wrong and senseless executive decisions.