Maravi

Resign, Bishop Lungu challenges ineffective MPs

Resign, Bishop Lungu challenges ineffective MPs
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Saturday, January 03, 2009 7:25:06 AM

ZAMBIA Episcopal Conference president Bishop George Lungu has advised Zambians not to complain about the current economic problems but find a lasting solution for the benefit of the country.

And Bishop Lungu has challenged members of parliament that are not able to work for their constituencies in Eastern Province to resign.

In an interview to review 2008, Bishop Lungu said Zambians should look for solutions to respond to the current global economic crisis whose impact is now being felt on the local economy.

"Psychologically, it's not good for our nation, for our families. Let us receive this as a challenge and a challenge always demands a response, what is it that we have to do in order to respond to this challenge of global crisis? We have the land and other natural resources, what do we do about this? So I think we should be people of hope that in spite of what we read, what we hear, the Lord is with us; He is Emmanuel; He is being born amongst us; believe that He is giving us hope.

There is a possibility of change,” Bishop Lungu said. “He associates himself with the rich and the poor that means also that with him, we are going to succeed, so it’s not a time about just crying about the situation, about this and that no, just seek solutions together as a nation, as a Church, as an individual…let us seek solutions to respond to this global crisis, people say necessity is the mother of innovation so let’s be creative, let’s be innovative.”

And commenting on concerns raised by traditional leaders who attended the Eastern Province Royal Foundation conference last Tuesday that some MPs do not visit their constituencies, Bishop Lungu said parliamentarians that felt they were not able to man their constituencies effectively should resign.

"Voter apathy comes about when you have this situation where people have voted you into office but after that, the MPs have nothing to with their constituencies, they do not have time to go there," Bishop Lungu said.

"I think if they feel they are not able to do things, well why can’t they resign? It's not fair and if people feel that they have been left in the cold after voting someone into office whom they thought was going to help them, I think this was a popular cry and the chiefs were honest about the situation and Caritas also supported the chiefs’ observation and said this is what they find when they visit various constituencies.”

Bishop George Lungu also said the job losses in the mines were a threat to the nation and its people.

He said Zambians should change their mindset in order to promote development in various areas.

"We know that in the past, roads between villages were not maintained and constructed by the central government. The villagers, the headmen and the chiefs organised certain services that people are able to do so they did those things, but these days you wait until the central government sends a grader into your village otherwise we end up going through the bush, other people say no this road is not repaired because the government does not care, so I think this is an exaggeration of the situation the same things that we were able to do without outside help,” Bishop Lungu said.

“People have shown that they are able to do certain things without the help from outside and this can change the situation and if the mindset is changed that indeed there are certain things that we can do for ourselves which can change the situation and if we have the ability to do it, we need to go ahead and do it.”

Labels: ECONOMY, GEORGE LUNGU, GREAT DEPRESSION II

posted by MrK @ 7:26 AM