Zambia doesn't need bad leaders - Rupiah

Zambia doesn't need bad leaders - Rupiah
By Mutuna Chanda in Mwinilunga
Tuesday September 30, 2008 [04:00]

VICE-President Rupiah Banda yesterday said Zambia did not need bad leaders.
And chiefs in Mwinilunga have pledged to support Vice-President Banda in next month's presidential election. Addressing a campaign rally at Mwinilunga's Freedom Square, Vice-President Banda said Zambia does not need leaders who are troublesome and insult others. Addressing a campaign rally at Mwinilunga's Freedom Square, Vice-President Banda said Zambia does not need leaders who are troublesome and insult others.

"We need to have unity, we have to be united as a country. We need peace. What we don't need are bad leaders; leaders who are troublesome, who call people names, who insult others, women, children and tribes. We don't need such leaders," he said.
Vice-President Banda said those that had been following events in the country would note that he had been insulted but he never responded.

"Those of you who read newspapers, listen to radio and TV, some of us are insulted but you will never hear an insult from me because if I do that, what will I be telling our children? That insulting other people is good?" he asked.

Vice-President Banda said the MMD had a record for all people to see.
"If we say there is a road that is being built from Solwezi to Chavuma and then there is no road that is being built, you will laugh because you know that there is no road. If we say that we are building schools and there are no schools, you will laugh," he said. "I will continue from where the late president Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa left. ... I want to complete projects that he started such as construction of roads and bridges, the refurbishment of schools and hospitals."

Vice-President Banda said if elected Republican president, he wanted to make sure he deepened the democratic process that would see Zambians choose leaders of their choice at every level of governance.

"That is why I am in Mwinilunga today to ask you, to beg you for your vote so that I fulfill my promises. I don't want to take you for granted sitting in Lusaka asking for your vote and you only see me in radio and television. I want you to see me in person," he said.

Vice-President Banda said the North-Western Province had one of the biggest support bases of MMD. He acknowledged that the province had many problems and pledged to do everything within government's means to resolve them. He also warned voters in Mwinilunga to be wary of other political party leaders who were incapable of delivering on their election promises.
"This is campaign time, the other candidates will come but I believe sincerely that the people of North-Western Province know how to make judgment on whether they will deliver on their promises.

It's up to you to evaluate them. Some of them will come and promise but have no experience. Some will come and promise when they know they can't do what they promise. They will just come to cheat you but it's up to you," he said.

Information minister Mike Mulongoti told the residents that candidates like Heritage Party's Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda had difficulties in coming up with 200 members to support his nomination. He said leaders like UPND's Hakainde Hichilema always got angry when called a Tonga while Michael Sata also got angry when people talked about his education.

Mulongoti said Rupiah Banda was educated and had served in public and foreign service with integrity at different levels.
Earlier, during a meeting with Vice-President Banda at Kwakuwahi Lodge in Mwinilunga, the traditional leaders indicated that that they had resolved to support his presidential bid.

"Their royal highnesses have resolved that they are ready to back you," chief Ntambu, who represented the others, said. "We will tell our subjects to back you."
The traditional leaders Vice-President Banda met include chiefs Chibwika, Nyakaseya, Kanyama, Mwininyilamba, Kakoma, chieftainess Ikelengi, a representative of senior chief Kanongesha and senior chief Sailunga.

Chief Ntambu also raised concern over the lack of representation by people from North-Western Province on parastatal bodies, government departments and foreign service. He outlined electricity problems in Mwinilunga, saying that while other provinces had been promised hydro-electricity, there was no mention of Mwinilunga on the list.

Chief Ntambu also complained about the lack of high school infrastructure in the area. He said infrastructure that was being used as high schools were that of basic schools.
He further called for a VIP section to be established at the Mwinilunga District Hospital. He said as the case was, traditional leaders had to share wards with their subjects which was not allowable under their traditional customs.
In response, Vice-President Banda said the head of the civil service, Dr Joshua Kanganja, was a son of the province.

However, Vice-President Banda said he believed Zambians from different parts of the country were serving at different levels of development of the country.

On electricity, Vice-President Banda said Zesco managing director Rhodnie Sisala briefed him on the options to resolve power problems in Mwinilunga. He said Sisala told him Zesco had allowed local investors to raise US $10 million to construct a hydropower station on the western side of Lunga river.

He said the other option was to build a power line from Lumwana stretching over 200 kilometres to Mwinilunga.
Vice-President Banda said Sisala also indicated that Lumwana was interested in extending the power line to Mwinilunga in their pursuit of minerals in the area.