Maravi

I can now afford to go on holiday – Rupiah

I can now afford to go on holiday – Rupiah
Written by Katwishi Bwalya, Mutuna Chanda and Masuzyo Chakwe
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 2:38:08 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday said he can now afford to go on holiday because the price of mealie-meal is much cheaper for Zambians.And President Banda said he does not know how to go about the issue of job losses in the mines, although the government is working at ways of protecting jobs in the industry.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front (PF) Copperbelt chairman Mwenya Musenge has said it is very irresponsible for President Banda to go on holiday when there are massive job losses in the mines.

Speaking to journalists before departure for a ten-day holiday in Mfuwe, President Banda said those criticising him over the holiday should instead go to the field and work.

“Let them decide that themselves and go to the fields and work, instead of criticising others because everybody is going on holiday and I hope you [author] will go to have a little bit of rest and so on…now that the mealie-meal is a bit cheaper, have a little nshima and so on and that is normal,” President Banda said.

President Banda said he had now shamed his critics who thought he was not going to reduce the price of mealie-meal in the country.

“I hope they realise that we are a serious government and we listen when our people complain. We try to find workable ways all the time and we are not talking but thinking all the time. We are very happy that there is a good response from the millers. Now we want to concentrate on production so that next year we can have more maize,” President Banda said.

“Twice, we have done it [reduction of fuel] and we will sustain it because we have worked it out. We could even have lowered it even more but we are considering that for the future, which is why we are going step by step and slowly, and we have done it and nobody has done it before.”

And President Banda said the government was planning to ensure that mine workers did not remain unemployed due to the current economic problems, although he did not know how to go about it.

“What we are considering is to ensure if possible that our workers do not remain unemployed. How we are going to do it, we don't quite know yet, but we are definitely making plans to continue with our people in Luanshya employed. I think that is our first step and what happens afterwards, we will look into that,” said President Banda.

President Banda is accompanied by first lady Thandwe and children, his two older sons Nenani and James with their wives and children. He was seen off by Vice-President George Kunda, Cabinet ministers and MMD cadres.

Meanwhile, President Banda also appealed to Zambians to avoid excessive drinking or engaging in activities that were likely to disturb peace during the festive period. He urged Zambians to use the Christmas period to reflect and plan ahead for the coming year.

In a statement issued by State House chief analyst for press and public relations, Dickson Jere, President Banda wished Zambians a peaceful Christmas and urged them to spend the day with family and friends. He said Christmas should also be a day on which Zambians should remember the Lord Jesus Christ through prayers. "Let this be time for families to be together and plan for the New Year," he said.

President Banda advised road users, especially public transport drivers to take extra caution when driving to avoid road accidents, which were usually prevalent during the festive season. He reminded Zambians, especially the youths, to always be careful and mindful of the deadly HIV and AIDS and that prevention was always better than cure.

And President Banda revealed that the government was considering sending humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe.

“We are not quiet, we are working. Yesterday we had a long meeting and we have been asked by SADC to join the rest of the SADC area in providing humanitarian assistance to the parts of Zimbabwe that are closest to us,” President Banda said.

“So the Minister of Health is working on that and most likely this weekend, he will probably be traveling there. We are making plans to assist and that is more important than just politicking.”

But Musenge said President Banda was supposed to be busy engaging mine investors and speaking with the people this time when there were massive job losses in the mines, instead of going on holiday.

“Government should quickly come up with a solution to the job losses in the mines,” he said. “Government should be ahead of the issues happening in the mining sector. They should engage the mines and ensure by the time they are coming to lay off workers, they will have exhausted all the channels.”

He said instead of resting for 10 days, President Banda should be on the ground to explain to miners what action the government was taking in saving their jobs.

“Rupiah Banda has failed to live up to his campaign promises in which he used to tell the people that 'ndani azaphika nsima lelo? Ni Banda'. He gave people an impression that their problems were going to be overcome and that is what they are looking to instead of him going for a holiday,” Musenge said.

“They are worried about how they are going to put food on the table and feed their families and this cannot happen when they are losing jobs and government does not seem to be doing anything serious about it.”

Musenge said mining companies should not rush into laying off workers but ensure that they made their proposals to the government on how jobs could be saved in the face of low copper prices.

Labels: MWENYA MUSENGE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:38 PM