Maravi

LETTERS

Dealing with street vendors
By Raphael Mukuka, Australia
Monday April 02, 2007 [04:00]

It might be too early to start commending the Lusaka City Council for getting rid of street vendors. This is not the first time they have gone to such lengths to fool society that they are working. The street vendors know this routine so well and they know that the security personnel patrolling the town centre will soon disappear. They will find their way back on the same streets they have been chased from.

What the City Council must learn is how to channel any income within their reach rather than chase potential small business entrepreneurs that can add value if they are well placed in the market circles.

The street vendors come back to the streets because they don’t have an alternative trading place and it’s also easy to lure customers on the street.

This tag of war between the council and the street vendors is as a result of poor planning, the population is growing and yet policy makers are not planning for the future.

Getting rid of street vendors from the streets is not the answer alone, that is just sweeping dirt under the carpet and it will reappear sooner than later. If a bigger market was constructed, the same street vendors we are chasing would contribute greatly to the governments income. It’s easy to see street vendors as an enemy of a clean environment, but those are some of the effects of a mismanaged poor nation with 80 per cent rate of unemployment.

They fight back to get on the streets because that’s the best way they can support their families and the best way to help them is by constructing a market for them to trade from.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24641

Suing govt over demolished houses
By Timothy Muchaba
Monday April 02, 2007 [04:00]

I want to comment on the P.F suing the government on the demolition of illegal structures around the nation.

How can P.F sue the government when they were the ones in the forefront saying that when they come to power they were going to demolish illegal structures starting with Misisi compound, then Simoson building?

It is a great pity for P.F to start making compaigns on such useless topics which they are likely to embark on when they come to power.

Therefore I would advise P.F to persue the people of Southern, Western, North-Western and Eastern provinces to vote for them as they cannot enter State House minus the vote of these provinces.





http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24581

National development
By Kelvin Mwandila, Lusaka
Sunday April 01, 2007 [04:00]

I read the letter written by Ronald Chola about UPND president Hakainde Hichilema meeting with President Levy Mwanawasa in The Post and I totally agree with most of his sentiments. He boldly hit the nail on the head on the apparent opportunism being exhibited by Hakainde Hichilema which will swallow him up if he is not very careful. Attempts to disparage critical issues in that letter, by people like Maurice in his letter of March 30, 2007 suggest deliberate myopia of the highest level.

Presented in that article was the point that meeting the Republican President cannot necessarily result in ending poverty in Zambia. Whoever seems to suggest that poverty will end by trips to State House is very much divorced from reality and does not understand how government machinery works.

The letter asked for active involvement in development issues. There has been an increase in traffic to State House from the time the MMD party president told his members to start looking for his successor.

This has excited a lot of people and some opportunists, if left unchecked, can even abandon their political parties to have a piece of the action in the MMD.

We still remember when the MMD deputy secretary Benny Tetamashimba disclosed to the nation secret overtures by the UPND top brass to enter into some pact with MMD.
These covert manoeuvres where subsequently revealed in The Post. Can anyone honestly be hoodwinked into believing that Hakainde Hichilema's intendedmeeting with Levy Mwanawasa will have poverty reduction as the main issue (or is it now the Constitution?) - given the background of clandestine scheming, denials and counter denials?

It is a pity we have in our community people like Maurice who deliberately choose not to see through these schemes.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24582

MPs should address people's needs
By Mwiya Nawa
Sunday April 01, 2007 [04:00]

Kabwata Member of Parliament Given Lubinda deserves credit for being one of the most outstanding parliamentarians in the House. His debate is refined and always in the interest of the disadvantaged Zambian. I still mourn the departure of Bob Sichinga and Edith Nawakwi from that parliament but at least with Lubinda, David Matongo, Saki, Hachipuka and a few others from PF, I am sure the executive will be kept on their toes. We need more of such MPs who will stand up and be counted for speaking on behalf of the people.

Lubinda’s latest act of goodness was when he moved a motion to increase the allowable pension contribution for workers from K15, 000 to K135, 000

Although we have experienced economists in the government, sadly, they only look at things from their selfish point. What is K15, 000 as a pension contribution?

How great that the executive lost the vote on that motion and were shown that arrogance does not pay especially when dealing with people’s lives. Congrats Lubinda for moving the motion and succeeding with the support of other MPs.




http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24583

Take due diligence
By Abel Mbewe
Sunday April 01, 2007 [04:00]

The article "Take due diligence" The Post March 27, 2007 by Chibamba Kanyama made interesting reading. It is surprising to learn that would-be "entrepreneurs" are able to get loans from financial institutions without a proper analysis of the proposed business ideas.
From a business point of view, it is important to carry out a feasibility study of the proposed business to assess its viability.

It is important to seek legal advice on the legal entity of the business (sole proprietor, partnership, limited liability). In the feasibility study, a lot of questions need to be answered to assist the entrepreneur to arrive at a correct decision.

Chibamba in his article listed some of the important questions. Further, one needs to look at critical factors of success for a particular business. One can ask those already in business to help identify the success factors.

If one cannot identify the factors, then it is advisable not to start the business! An important exercise in the feasibility is to conduct a SWOT analysis (S-Strength, W-Weakness, O-Opportunities, T-Threats). In this exercise, the ‘S’ and ‘W’ will mainly focus on internal factors (entrepreneur and the business), ‘O’ and ‘T’ will focus on the external environment. The SWOT analysis should identify risks and the entrepreneur should show how the risks will be minimised and managed. The next step is to do a market analysis using the 4Ps of marketing. Product : How will the product meet the needs of my customers and satisfy them - For instance in terms of size, packaging, quality and so forth.

Pricing strategy: There are several factors that influence pricing.
Promotion : How will potential customers know about the product? It could be through advertising, discount coupons, competitions et cetera . Market place: How will the product reach the customer? Distribution channels: These may include wholesale, retail, agents, direct sale, mail order and so forth.

Another important exercise is to carry out a financial analysis to calculate the rate of return on the investment. It is also important for the entrepreneur to determine the break-even point (costs=revenue from sales).

It is necessary to know the number of products to be sold in order to make a profit. This will help the entrepreneur to plan the business properly and avoid losses. In addition, an entrepreneur should carry out a cash flow analysis to show the flow of cash in the various areas of the business.

This is important in order to demonstrate to financial institutions that the business will generate enough cash to pay the loan and interest. In some situations, it may be necessary to extend the feasibility study into a business plan – a more detailed analysis of the business operation, financing and management.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24584

Street vendors
By Lucky Mwanaumo,Lusaka
Sunday April 01, 2007 [04:00]

I commend the Lusaka City Council's action to get rid of vendors.
However, I strongly believe the solution to vending has not yet been found and this is the reason the vendors keep coming back to the streets.

For them to come back in the streets, it simply shows that they have nowhere to go. LCC should seriously carry out a research using the same vendors in order to find out what these people want.

These same vendors have now become their partners and not enemies and can be used to find a solution to their problem that has been going on.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24585

Zimbabwe crisis
By M. Mupusakabwe,Choma
Sunday April 01, 2007 [04:00]

As a proud African, I feel a need to add my voice to the debate concerning the current conflicts in Zimbabwe.
There is need to distinguish between two issues concerning the current crisis in Zimbabwe in order for us to make an informed conclusion. These are land and governance issues.

In the interest of the indigenous Zimbabweans, comrade Mugabe did well to implement the land redistribution issue which was amicably agreed upon with the British government during talks for independence.

On the governance issue, Comrade Mugabe‘s government has serious deficiencies, to such an extent where there is rampant political intolerance and dictatorial tendencies. Comrade Mugabe has taken advantage of the popularity he gained out of the land redistribution issue to cling to power and dare to rule until his death, a tendency common to all African leaders, save for Nelson Mandela.

However, it is equally true that Tony Blair and other western imperialists have taken advantage of the negative effects the land redistribution issue has allegedly had on the Zimbabwean whites to push for a regime change in Zimbabwe.

However what Africa needs is not a show down with the western imperialists but to develop democracy to a level where it can provide an enabling environment to economic independence, which is the ultimate goal. I therefore urge Comrade Mugabe to once again have the interest of the common people in Zimbabwe and do an honourable thing of retiring so that somebody else, knowing very well that Zimbabwe is not short of leaders, can take the country to higher heights.




http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24540

Role of opposing views
By Victor Kazembe Kawanga,USA
Saturday March 31, 2007 [04:00]

In the Post edition of Wednesday March 28, 2007; John Milimo has offered some antidotes on merits of opposite views in a system of development-the case of Zambia.

He writes: "Any opposition should not be considered as an enemy but a person with a different opinion, who looks at reality from a different angle" end of quote.

After sleeping on it, I went in search of some theories. I started with someone I know of who is a cognitive neuroscientist in Washington State. "There's an old joke that the function of opposing views is to damage what has been built," he says, smiling, white hair mussed and thick eyebrows animated. "Many a times we think we can go on holiday as soon as we become something and deprive ourselves of an opportunity to do needful things for people.

“There is an unpopular tendency to think that as soon as I have a title I can then sleep and drink triple espressos, cappuccinos etc. But that is like saying, 'I've figured out how to develop Zambia: I'm going to listen to myself and send over my point of view so people won't bother advising me anymore.' It doesn't address the underlying need."
On reflection, I realised that opposing views are like a piece of advice that comes on a silver plate. Leaders have advisors, and this, we all know.

These advisors are paid to do their part. It goes, therefore, to mean that they can go to any length to advise justly or unjustly. But then we have another set of advisors who are unsung. It is those with a different viewpoint.

Those not paid for putting forward any piece of advice to all of us. It is those with an opposite view.
May I take advantage of this standpoint and arguably advise that the crucial function of an opposing view is to boost the memory of others and accelerate learning.

The theory, as I came to know later, is that during the process of opposite views presentation, the brain evaluates recently learned information or done activities and positively decides what to do with it.

In the process, memory consolidation takes place—memories, skills or failures that were acquired during an elapsed period are stabilised or enhanced, or perhaps moved to new locations or starting points. The brain may also extract patterns and rules from large amounts of information during this period.

Evidence that opposing views play a role in memory consolidation and mental processing comes largely from behavioural research in which scientists teach people a task and then try to pinpoint a boost in performance that they can attribute to enhanced performance.

The opposition may facilitate more complex forms of insight as well. For a study reported recently, a group of students were asked to work on a series of interrelated mathematical problems, which contained a "hidden rule" that allowed them to be solved more quickly.

People who returned to the puzzles after a night of discussions in groups found the shortcut roughly twice as often as those who had spent an equal amount of time doing it by themselves or is it individually.

What enabled the flash of insight, the researchers suggested, may have been the "restructuring of representations in memory" during discussions.

We will be doing ourselves a favour if we allowed to be advised by the unpaid, and unsung. In doing so, I am reminded of Martin Luther King, Jr., who once said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends".



COMMENT - Considering "Renegotiating agreements".

What a moron. Not only are these agreements likely to have been arrived at illegally (through bribes), which makes them null and void if found so in a court of law. Certainly, the buy up of Zambia'd Rumanian debt was arrived at through bribing among other Frederick Chiluba. Why do these terrible agreements find friends in George Kunda, minister Magande and a few others? Obviously, this Sanderson fellow knows nothing about the law, contracts or business. He also doesn't think insurers won't do anything not to pay out. Talk about naive.

Is 'blundered' another word for 'bribed' or 'coerced by the IMF'? Let me put it this way, if they had said no, would the IMF have turned Zambia into Zimbabwe?


By Murray Sanderson
Monday April 02, 2007 [04:00]

Your comment of 30th March echoes the general outcry over minimal mineral royalties. Zambia is entitled to a substantial share of its mineral wealth.
Our negotiators blundered in negotiating agreements which guaranteed many years of stable taxation, regardless of future changes in copper prices.

This oversight and the consequent huge loss to Zambia surely justify enforced renegotiation.

This situation is perhaps dissimilar to that which resulted from the sinking of the 'Titanic', which has lately been in the news. The great ship was of course fully insured, so the insurers suffered enormous losses.

They could have refused to pay up, arguing as follows. "We never thought the ship might strike an iceberg, and in any case the 'Titanic' was designed with several watertight compartments, so as to make her virtually unsinkable.

We therefore demand that the insurance cover be renegotiated." Would this argument have held water?

Labels: LETTERS, MARKETEERS, MINING CONTRACTS

posted by MrK @ 3:11 PM