Maravi

LETTERS - Economic Independence, Zimbabwe, Appointments

Economic freedom fighters
By Dr Daniel Maswahu,Cambridge, UK
Monday October 01, 2007 [04:00]

As far as the continuing debate surrounding the grievous plight of Zimbabwe and Mugabe's role, please allow me to qualify my nomination of those people who believe boycotting the Portugal EU summit as nothing short of misguided.

In the first instance, a true leader (as exemplified by the spotless example of our Lord Jesus Christ), does not send their followers anywhere they are not prepared to go. A true leader does not allow their followers to experience anything they themselves have not experienced before.

When Robert Mugabe was a political freedom fighter and was imprisoned and underwent the same suffering that the people of Zimbabwe underwent, then he was truly a leader. The current situation is that millions of Zimbabweans are starving and living on the edge while Mugabe does not live under the same circumstances. Judge for yourselves who is the misleader.

For those very annoyingly loud people who support Mugabe's current stand, the true test of your sincerity would be for you to go and live in Zimbabwe instead of making vacuous noises and declarations you can not support in any way by demonstration.

I can understand our beloved Kenneth Kaunda and the terrifying Michael Sata supporting Mugabe because they are peers. It is the blind loyalty of the younger generation that worries me. I have therefore set down below a brief expose for their intellectual delectation.

A proper dissection of the Zimbabwean saga (and the wider African context) requires a simple but critical understanding of the distinction between political liberation and economic liberation. There is no doubting the fact that numerous African countries are politically liberated. What most misleaders and their feckless victims do not understand is that most African countries are far from economically liberated.

Zambia, for instance, depends heavily (in the range of more than 80 per cent -correct me if I am wrong - for budgetary support) on external forces including the European Union. Given this veritably precarious fiscal position, it would be not merely unwise but outrightly foolhardy for any Zambian leader to impudently go and start bleating about sovereignty to the people funding the national budget.

This is exactly what Mugabe did and the current situation is a very direct consequence of that impudence. The fear is that the current SADC leader as of this Saturday known as Mwanawasa (and all those misguided people supporting the boycott of the Portugal EU meeting) may take us all down the same road without our consent.

This is precisely why I must very loudly declare the very open nature of Zimbabwean citizenship for this misguided horde. Please pretty please, allow Audrey Chindefu to take the front of the queue.

Having gained political independence numerous years ago, African states are in dire need of economic (as opposed to political) freedom fighters. The failure by African political freedom fighters who took over from the colonialists to transform the numerous human and natural resources into economic clout is slowly but surely not merely snapping at the heels but now actively eroding and ravenously devouring the foundations of political liberation.

The African political freedom fighter has very clearly had their day (a line worth quoting to Mugabe and cohorts). The stage has long been ready for the African economic freedom fighter, who is simply an upgrade of the old version.

The weapons and tactics are very different. Will the political freedom fighter gracefully give way to the economic freedom fighter? The answer to that question is loaded and pregnant with the future not only of Zimbabwe but also of the entire subcontinent.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=32128

Political cannibals
By E.M Meleki, Kabwe
Monday October 01, 2007 [04:00]

I write to disagree with the minster of defence's statement which I came accross in The Post dated 30 th september 2007, in which he accussed the people who are shunning the constitution-making procces to be practicing political cannibalism.

It is very disapointing to learn that up now the minister doesnt know that people are defecting due to luck of trust for MMD government in the way they are hundling the constitution making process.

Mpombo, we have seen that the MMD government wants to come up with a constitution which will be in their own fovour. Those peolpe who are deffecting not practicing political cannbal but just trying to be innocent in the tricks the MMD governmnent is using to steal from the Zambian people.

I strongly appeal to Mwanawasa and his government to give us a new constitution in peace with out wasting billions of tax payers money.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=32131

Appointing PROs for govt ministires
By Jeddy Makasa, Mongu
Monday October 01, 2007 [04:00]

I’m amazed at the criteria the government uses in creating positions of public relations officers (PROs) in ministeries.

We have PROs at health, finance and recently tourism ministries. In my view, if there is one ministry that urgently requires the services of a PRO, it is the ministry of local government and housing. Surely, the minister there is overwhelmed with pressure of work as she oversees all councils in Zambia.

Some ministries exist only in Lusaka, yet local government is present throughout the country. Can Hon Mulongoti shed light.

Labels: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, LETTERS

posted by MrK @ 9:19 AM