COMMENT - What I think a lot of the writers do not appreciate was that the entire economy has been built on quicksand of 'donor aid', and dreams of tourist driven service sector. Now that it is clear that the mines never should have been privatized, and that the mining companies should have paid more than their fair share of taxes instead of just taxing a few workers, it becomes too clear how neoliberalism has failed - under both Chiluba and Mwanawasa. There are no massive cash reserves from mining revenues. There is no infrastructure that has been built. And the commercial agricultural industry is still based around the export of consumer products - tea, tobacco, cotton, etc. instead of food staples that will take care of the nation's first need - to be fed or the second, to be clothed. That is the challenge of this government and any following it until it is dealt with.
We need solutions not rhetoric
Written by Mubanga Luchembe, Lusaka
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:12:30 PM
I refer to your lead story titled ‘Rupiah’s Leadership is Failing
- Muteteka’ of Monday’s Post of December 15, 2008 and would like to echo Moses Muteteka’s sentiments that President Rupiah Banda’s admission that Zambia is facing problems is a sign of failure of his presidency.
What Zambians want to hear from him right now are the solutions as promised during the election campaigns and not excuses. People need to know how the government is going to tackle the following challenges :
1. High prices of mealie-meal;
2. High prices of fertiliser;
3. High prices of petroleum products;
4. Volatile exchange rates;
5. High bank interest rates;
6. Job losses in the mining sector;
7. High unemployment levels;
8. Poor educational facilities
9. Poor medical facilities;
10. High poverty levels;
11. Global financial crisis effects on our economy.
People expect the government to come up with either short, medium or long-term solutions to the challenges stated above.
The Republican President after being sworn into office should not tell the nation that it is difficult to reduce fertiliser prices. And that a solution to the rising food prices lies in growing enough food.
But how does he expect peasant or commercial farmers to grow more food when the prices of fertiliser are so high that they can not even manage to purchase fertiliser and seed at the current prices?
The President should give the nation a break from his rhetoric. He promised cheap food, cheap fuel and cheap fertiliser, just to mention a few of his promises during his election campaign. And the only thing he has managed to do so far is the increase of salaries for his Cabinet ministers, MPs and constitutional office holders.
If he is unable to find solutions to the problems the country is facing, he should just quit before it is too late. Let him give a chance to capable people that can lead the nation without whining.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/2753/64/
Rupiah’s complaints
Written by Joe Kasiya, Lusaka
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:11:40 PM
We used to laugh and jest at Levy’s ill preparedness to assume the office of president when he was awoken from slumber by former president Frederick Chiluba, but President Rupiah Banda is even worse.
The man appears to be groping in the dark like a blind man and leading us nowhere. He keeps referring to the global recession which in all probability he doesn’t even understand when the problems have been largely created by himself and his misplaced Cabinet.
President Mwanawasa (MHSRIP) took over the leadership of this nation when the economy was in tatters, an exchange rate that didn’t make sense and hyper inflation at its highest, but with prudent management of resources and zero tolerance to corruption, he was able to woo investors and bring normalcy to the economy within a short period of time.
His appointment of Ng’andu Peter Magande as finance minister speaks volumes about the fallen presidents great vision for the country. Magande was to become Zambia’s longest serving and best finance minister.
Trevor Manuel, South Africa’s finance minister has held that portfolio for the last 14 years and is probably Africa’s longest serving finance minister. The financial and commodity markets react when he blinks or has the slightest of headaches.
The first statement by the new minister of Finance Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane was that Zambia was not going to be affected by the global recession. How naïve of this technocrat! The kwacha is today trading at K5, 300 to the US dollar and may hit six ‘pin’ before Christmas.
The leadership of this country does not inspire confidence in the majority of Zambians. Rather, it instills and infuse the notion of fear, confusion and each one for himself and ba Lesa for us all in the general citizenry, for how in hell does a whole president complain so openly the way this one does!
The whole Cabinet is forever complaining instead of offering solutions.
It is during moments like these that I miss Levy and Magande for their magnanimity, nobility, high-mindedness, fairness, boldness and generousity of spirit.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/2744/64/
Rupiah’s confession
Written by Fred Chanda
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:10:58 PM
Republican President Rupiah Banda’s admission on his visit to Luanshya that he has faced more problems than any other president, in the Sunday Post (December 14, 2008) made very interesting reading. It is hardly two months into his presidency that the man can be seen to be surrendering to the challenges facing the nation. Allow me to advise him that if he thought being president was about banqueting and feasting and being treated to dancing Mbumbas at the airport, then I am afraid he is in the wrong office.
The nation is waiting for solutions to the many problems afflicting it, not complaints from the President and his team for that is the very reason they drive flagged vehicles so they can solve the nation's problems. In fact, Rupiah should not even compare himself and cry that he is the only President who had to face so many problems. To the contrary, I think he is the luckiest person to have assumed the presidency of this country on a silver plate. The fact that he was even vice to the man who laid a smooth foundation on the economic front and other good governance issues, all he (Rupiah) had to do was continue from there and add value to the nation. But what was the first thing we saw when he was sworn in?
- More money being added into the pockets and handbags of the already well-fed and undeserving politicians.
- More broken promises and unfulfilled assurances on important governance issues.
- Escalating costs of food and skyrocketing inflation, rapid free fall of the exchange rate of our kwacha.
- The re-appointment of proven failures into goverment and complete loss of direction of where the country is heading to.
How can one not face problems when one is not tackling them?
In short, Rupiah has made this nation to be on auto pilot. We seem not to have anybody in charge, so please Mr President spare us. If you were not ready for the job of president (which you seem to be proving to us), please graciously concede and let people who have plans and planned for this country take the nation forward.
It seems we are in reverse gear as a country.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/2745/64/
Dropping Magande
Written by Edwin Zulu
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:09:55 PM
President Banda is going through problems in the country because he fired Ng’andu Magande prematurely. Magande should have allowed him to continue as finance minister. The man is experienced and helped the country come out of the HIPC problems. He is disciplined and has the heart for his country. He believes in delivering and helping his country tick.
And so that is one thing the President must bear in mind, though he has the discretion to appoint anyone as he wishes.
Now that Magande is no longer minister, Rupiah can build a relationship and consult him from time to time, to help our economy heal.
Rupiah must engage the opposition leadership honestly and not use them. He must work with them as partners and not enemies and should be prepared to listen and take their advice seriously.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/2750/64/
Calling for the opposition
Written by Kingsley Kaluba
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:08:13 PM
It’s very sad to hear President Rupiah Banda crying and asking the opposition to work with him.
Honestly, does this mean that people in the ruling party are not capable of helping the President?
It’s now clear that veryone in MMD is after enriching themselves and they don’t care about the poor Zambians because they are already in office and it’s Rupiah who has to carry the weight even if they give him wrong advice.
President’s call for dialogue
Written by Concerned Citizen
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:07:38 PM
Rupiah's call for dialogue with opposition leaders, chiefly Michael Sata, is not sincere because he has previously ignored their advice on important issues including increments for constitutional office holders, mealie-meal prices and fertiliser pricing.
It is shameful that when other world leaders whose countries are directly affected by the global financial crisis have already come up with measures to save companies and jobs, the RB administration's top priority is to increase the salaries of top government officials, backdated by 12 months. While taxpayers are losing jobs, companies are on the brink of closure and food is becoming a luxury for many, the administration has yet to come up with tangible solutions to the problems.
Presumably, they expect Sata to provide the solutions behind closed doors. This is tantamount to outsourcing the job of government to the PF. Interestingly, none of the 'opposition' leaders that supported Rupiah during the election campaign has offered a single solution to the crisis, apart from condemning the planned demonstatrations.
Rupiah and his Cabinet must appreciate that it is their duty as government to provide solutions to the country's problems. The opposition is primarily there to ensure that such decisions are in the best interest of all citizens. The government's inertia and lack of commitment are the reasons the people, mostly affected by job losses and high food prices, are planning to demonstrate as a way of showing their displeasure and frustration. Contrary to the government's misinformation, the demonststrations will not destabilise the country; it is the government's lack of action which can eventually lead to turmoil and destabilisation.
The government must show commitment by immediately scrapping the constitutional office holders' back pay and ensuring that the NCC completes its work by February 2009. The money saved can go a long way towards alleviating hunger.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/2742/64/
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:05:57 PM
Leadership challenges
Written by Yoram Banda and Austin Mbewe
The challenges our country is facing such as constant depreciation of kwacha, escalating prices of mealie-meal, falling copper prices and mining job losses, pose a litmus test to the leadership in place.
Prior to the elections, a lot of promises were made. Anyone can do that but the challenge comes when one is required to walk his talk.
Every president we've had had his own challenges but for one to justify his inability to offer guidance and hope to the country is untimely. You don’t talk of defeat when you are on the battle front. Instead, you inspire your battalion.
So much is expected from Rupiah's administration; how professionalism will be displayed to mitigate the problems in the mines and how boldness will be excercised to make decision to combat the escalating prices of mealie-meal. How understanding and proactive they will be to address urgent needs of the citizen.
Recently, we had seen a lot of panicking and guesswork as pressure mounts. Can it be attributed to lack of workable approach to these problems? Are we lacking a leadership which is informed, proactive, bold and consultative to face the challenges with vigour?
It's really sad for Rupiah to be the head of state in times like this. We could have seen the best of him may be in the Chiluba erra.
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