Maravi

(TIMES) Banda’s vision

Banda’s vision
...Pledges to flatten fuel prices in line with neighbours
By MAYA NTANDA

ACTING President Rupiah Banda has said he will prioritise the reduction of fuel prices to levels obtaining in neighbouring countries if elected head of State. Mr Banda said that he planned to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel further because economic activities such as mining and agriculture were largely dependent on petroleum products.

“I am targeting reducing the prices of petrol and diesel because all activities are dependant on that. We will reduce the price of fuel so that we come to the same prices as that of our neighbouring countries,” he said.

Speaking in Lundazi when he addressed a public rally at Kaunda Square grounds yesterday, Mr Banda said he had already demonstrated that he could reduce the prices of fuel and Zambians should trust him as he would stick to that.

He said he had started the fight against poverty by reducing prices of fertiliser to from K200,000 to K50,000 per bag and that was an indication of the determination to improve the people’s living conditions.

Mr Banda said that the nation was faced with numerous problems and whoever assumed the presidency after the polls should aim at reducing poverty.

He said he was duty bound to fulfill the vision of late president Levy Mwanawasa more so that he served as vice president to the late head of state.

Prior to the appointment as vice president, he said that he had retired from public life and nobody knew that he would now be asking people to vote for him in a presidential election.

He said Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata had consistently been abusing and insulting him from the time he started acting as president but he would not hit back.

Speaking at the same rally, United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota said Mr Banda was the only presidential candidate capable of presenting a cabinet with a national complexion.

Mr Sikota said that if by accident Mr Sata emerged victorious, he intended to stay in power until 2013, a move, which he said would be illegal, unconstitutional, and a clear sign of a leader who was a dictator.

Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi said she did not campaign for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Lundazi in 2006 because she did not agree that the presidency should be given to a young person, Hakainde Hichilema.

She likened Mr Hichilema and Mr Sata to property grabbers saying the MMD was still mourning the death of Dr Mwanawasa.

“If your friend is mourning, do you go into his house and start grabbing his property? This is what Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema are doing,” Ms Nawakwi said.

UNIP leader Tilyenji Kaunda said the electorate should vote for Mr Banda so that the country could continue to enjoy peace and stability.

MMD chairperson for publicity and information Benny Tetamashimba said that many provinces had endorsed Mr Banda and it would therefore be imprudent for the people of Eastern Province to deny him a vote.

He said that if people loved Dr Mwanawasa, they should give Mr Banda a vote as he was the only presidential aspirant that worked closest to the late president.

And Andrew Lungu reports that Mr Banda has asked the people of Mambwe District not to be complacent but to turn up in large numbers and vote for him on October 30.

Addressing a rally at Masuumba grounds in Mambwe yesterday, Mr Banda said he was the most qualified person among the three candidates contesting the presidential election because he served as vice president for two years.

The acting president said if some opposition leaders were in his position they would have done everything possible to remain in power without calling for fresh elections.

Mr Banda emphasised that the presidential election was only to cater for the remaining three years of the mandate the people of Zambia gave the MMD.

He warned the people not to be swayed by Mr Sata’s statement because it was contrary to what was enshrined in the constitution of the country.
The acting president said by 2011, Government would have built 88 new high schools.

He said Government would also focus its energy on the health sector, which he said was also paramount to the development of the economy of any country.

On road infrastructure, Mr Banda said the Government was concerned with the deteriorating of many roads leading to the South Luangwa National Park.

He said the park had many tourist attractions that needed to be exploited and this could only be done if the road network leading to this park was worked on.

Mr Banda also disclosed that Government was taking measures to reduce tourism visa fees in order to attract more investors to the parks.

“Exorbitant tourism visa fees are a hindrance to tourists visiting the country. We have worked on this issue and very soon you will see a number of tourists visiting the country,” he said.

He pledged that once voted into office this monthend, he would also ensure that all the abundant mineral deposits that were lying in Mambwe were exploited.

“I am told that there are abundant copper, gold and nickel deposits in this district. I pledge that under my leadership all these would be exploited,” he said.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:34 PM