Maravi

(DAILY MAIL) Opposition stance cheers RB

Opposition stance cheers RB
By KASUBA MULENGA

PRESIDENT Banda has been cheered by some opposition political parties’ consent to dialogue, adding that this will be done any time. This follows Government’s invitation to the opposition to dialogue as a way of finding solutions to some of the problems the country is facing.

Mr Banda was answering questions from journalists yesterday at the Lusaka International Airport shortly after arrival from Chipata where he had gone for a three-day private visit.

“Of course, I am the one who told them that we should sit and talk. They are not telling me. So if they are accepting, there is no problem. We will do that any time…We will get in touch with them,” he said.

Mr Banda said Government had never refused to talk to the opposition over economic challenges the country was facing.

“I have already said we are agreeable, so we will talk. We will get in touch with them. Platform means sitting together around the table. If they have accepted, we will meet them any time,” he said.

Early this week, Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, challenged opposition political parties accusing Government of having failed to address economic problems facing the country to suggest how the challenges could be overcome.

But Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata said Government should come up with proposals on how opposition political parties could help find solutions to the problems.

“We can only participate if Government brings on the table what it wants to do to get out of this problem. It is Government which must say these are our proposals, can you please assist us, and we will go back to our people,” Mr Sata said.

United Party for National Development spokesperson, Charles Kakoma, said it was Government’s responsibility to provide a platform for opposition political parties to offer solutions to the problems the country was facing.

“The solutions are there and we are ready to provide them but Government has not provided a platform for those solutions,” Mr Kakoma said.

National Democratic Focus president Ben Mwila called on Government to formally invite opposition political parties to dialogue.

“Government will do well to call for a national economic convention where people from all walks of life will come to contribute, including on how we will prepare for the real crunch because it has not yet come,” Mr Mwila said.

Meanwhile, President Banda said Government would not abolish the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) as demanded by some opposition political parties because they were the ones who called for it.

Mr Banda said those calling for the abolition of the NCC should take full responsibility and not complain about how much was being spent on the process.

He was reacting to Mr Sata’s proposal that Government abolish the NCC to enable the country to host the All Africa Games in 2011.

Mr Banda said Government had to make the bold decision of withdrawing from hosting the Games.

“We need to keep our resources and use them on what is really essential. Sport is very important, but we just do not have a big bag full of money to be able to do all that,” he said.

Labels: CHARLES KAKOMA, INTERPARTY DIALOGUE, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:07 PM