Maravi

Munkombwe defends his appointment

Munkombwe defends his appointment
By Patson Chilemba in Lusaka and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Sunday February 24, 2008 [03:00]

NEWLY appointed Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe has said he is a very useful person who is capable of performing despite his old age. But Mapatizya UPND member of parliament Ackson Sejani said the appointment of Munkombwe shows that there was a serious problem of leaders in MMD.

Commenting on his appointment by President Levy Mwanawasa, Munkombwe said by accepting his appointment, he was not falling prey to the recycling of old leaders.
“Performance and work is not related to age. I have the capacity to perform and the President knows that and it is from that knowledge where he has made this appointment,” said 76-year-old Munkombwe.

Munkombwe said no country would survive with only the young in leadership positions. He said there was need to blend the old and new people in leadership.
He said experience had shown that some young leaders have proved ineffective in strategic positions.

Munkombwe said he was strong enough and would serve the country for as long as God continues to give him strength. He said he would work hard to ensure that Southern Province retained its status as the country’s main food basket.

And Munkombwe pledged to help President Levy Mwanawasa to increase the tone in the
fight against corruption in the province. He said that the tone in the fight against corruption had already gained momentum.

“President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa has already set the momentum in the fight against corruption and it is incumbent on all of us as ministers to keep the momentum, I shall help him increase the tone on the fight against corruption,” he said.

Munkombwe warned people of taking great risks if they indulged in corrupt practices.

“The situation is already intimidating and people who want to take a risk to venture into this vice, they can do so at there own risk. With this kind of tone already set by President Mwanawasa people who indulge or attempt to indulge in corruption just want to take great own risks,’ he said.

Munkombwe thanked President Mwanawasa for appointing him as provincial minister and also pledged to work towards poverty reduction in the province.

“I shall try to work hard and try to reduce poverty levels in the province and this I hope to achieve by working with all elected leaders in the province regardless of their political affiliation,” he indicated.

Munkombwe also pledged to work closely with the Vice-President’s office to mitigate the flood situation in the province. The provincial ministerial position fell vacant following the dismissal of Joseph Mulyata last month by President Mwanawasa since he is appearing in court on charges of abuse of authority.

Particulars of the offence are that Mr Mulyata, being a person employed in the public service as a provincial minister for Southern Province between 5th July and 13th July, 2007 in Livingstone abused authority of his office by directing officers from the Road Development Agency (RDA) to release a Germins Motoways bus registration number GML 06 belonging to Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba that had been impounded for evading the weighbridge without paying the required fine, arbitrarily and prejudicial to the interest of the Government of the Republic of Zambia.

Labels: ACKSON SEJANI, DANIEL MUNKOMBWE

posted by MrK @ 6:29 AM