Maravi

Letters - Dora Siliya, Rupia Banda and Police Brutality

Nullity of Dora’s deals
Written by C Mbwili
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:21:00 PM

I wish to express suprise at the fact that we all appear to be overlooking certain aspects of our laws.

Unless our laws, rules and regulations are wrong, I wish to point out that whatever Dora may have signed, if she skipped any part of the due process, it is automatically a nullity and does not require any ‘authority’ to pronounce it as such.

Nullification is automatic going by my deduction of the regulations governing tender procedures, and those who flout the procedures are automatically subject to disciplinary action going by magnitude and extent.

And considering the fact that efforts were made to help matters in the communications minister’s case, she has to be made to answer with immediate effect. That said, I wish to seek guidance from the ACC on why they have remained mute and have not moved in Dora's direction as they have done on the FRA CEO whose matter came up after. If the MMD government is of men and not laws, our land is and the MMD government happens to be on it, be reminded.

I further wish to remind all those in the government that the President will not protect you in your misdeeds, as evidenced by the process explained by the former vice-president Enoch Kavindele in Wednesday’s Post edition. I am calling on civil society and all Zambians to exercise diligence on this matter, you have a duty.


http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/5106/64/

Dora, exculpate yourself
Written by Dorothy Mwanza
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:20:15 PM

I would really like to thank The Post for continued vigilance in exposing corrupt and highly questionable deeds of those we have entrusted with our resources. Their deeds can be likened to cankerworms that keep feeding on our harvests, leaving people hungry and poor. It is very easy for many people to dismiss as sour grapes what has emerged from The Post emanating from the demise of Zambian Airways.
I wish to implore Zambians to rise above petty conclusions and critically analyse what has been revealed concerning tender procedures involving huge sums of money that have been disregarded with impunity.

It is clearly amazing that despite all these revelations, to date we have not been given any satisfactory explanation to warrant these actions except that of Rupiah, saying Siliya is smarter than many who are questioning her. If these people truly consider themselves as our servants, they need to exculpate themselves to their bosses (citizens) for the allegations that have been levelled against them. It is important that leaders be held accountable and no one will do it for us.

It is not wrong to demand an explanation nor does it mean that you hate Dora if you did so. Where is the Oasis Forum? Where is the Women's Lobby Group? Where are the mother church bodies? Why haven't you demanded an explanation? Men and women of Zambia, we need to stand up and demand the truth. If The Post is lying and just rumour-mongering, then let Dora come out and explain.


http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/4986/64/

Rupiah’s support for Siliya on Zamtel
Written by Mateo
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:19:22 PM

The comments made by President Rupiah Banda on the sourcing of the strategic
partner for Zamtel makes me sad and wonder whether the President has the interest of the nation at heart.

Inasmuch as we cannot dispute the fact that Zamtel is technically insolvent, our question as Zambians is, why were the proper tender procedures not followed?

We want the President to answer on the rare credibility of RP Capital which made them not to be given an opportunity to compete with other bidders.

In this light, we are saying we are not ready to give Dora Siliya a chance for as long we smell a rat in the manner the tender was awarded to RP Partners.

Our other worry as Zambians is that there is a possibility of under-valuing Zamtel and the same people might not find a buyer and instead want their own company to come and buy Zamtel cheaply.

How patriotic is the minister on this matter?


http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/5025/64/

Dealings of Rupiah’s sons
Dealings of Rupiah’s sons
Written by C Mbwili, Lusaka
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:17:50 PM

While we appreciate that President Rupiah Banda’s children are adults and independent, we need to be alive to the fact that there is a matter of undue advantage when relatives of high-standing officials participate in these deals.
The officers handling the matters are exposed to certain pressure to appease the ruling authority through favours to these relatives. I am certain now Rupiah’s children can visit any ministry and they will access it without any appointment, taking advantage of the nature of African political foolishness.

Why is Rupiah treating his children’s dealings with the goverment differently from the incarcerated former ZAF commanders' daughters' company providing services to ZAF? Government is an institution like any other of which the President is the managing director and we are aware of the ethics that go with family members of the MD dealing with the institution he is heading.

If there is no law governing the President’s family members’ use of pecuniary advantages, then something must be done. However, a reasonable father should caution his children as such bad publicity indicates they are treading in murky waters. Why should the whole President allow his children to be the subject of discussion in two scandalous dealings within a week. Lead your children from temptation, Rupiah, or they will perish with you.

It shows Rupiah has mental challenges that come with old age, as he had told us a few weeks back, and if he can’t manage his children how will he manage Dora and her sort? As for the Banda children, you are adults and will be dealt with as such by the Task Force when your time comes as you are not the first nor last president’s children.


http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/5107/64/

Rupiah and his sons’ deals
Written by Concerned citizen

Rupiah Banda must not treat the issue of his son’s behaviour lightly. He must not make him close his eyes and ears to the urgent need for him to put his house in order.

Whether he likes it or not, some people strongly believe in the ‘Like father like son’ saying. If Rupiah fails to correct his son’s behaviour, will we find it easy to believe that he is different from them?

In some countries when the president or king leaves office, one of his sons takes over. Common sense has it that such a son must be presidential material. If Rupiah fails to preside over his sons, how can he be the President of Zambia worth his salt and what could be the effect of this failure on the country? How can we vote for Rupiah or anyone else of his type in 2011?

We don't want Rupiah's sons or Rupiah himself to have a bad name. We haven't forgotten how Castro Chiluba behaved because according to his stupidity he thought he was a tiny president of Zambia as well. May that ugly history not repeat itself.


http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/5103/64/

GMO import scam
Written by Concerned citizen
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:13:58 PM

The importation of GMO maize and subsequent statement made by the President, Mr Rupiah Banda, as reported by The Post of Febraury 10, 2009 is extremely worrying. Properly interpreted, the statement confirms that the President is pro-GMO. As a country, we risk uncontrolled inflows of GMOs.

This is a disaster to this country and should be stopped forthwith by all Zambians who love this country.

GMOs are not a solution to the current maize crisis. Instead, we risk compounding this crisis up to unmanageable levels. Acceptance of GMO maize will impact negatively on Zambia ’s agricultural development in terms of production and export marketing. Small-scale agriculture will be severely affected while issues of environmental contamination are beyond our comprehension.

Up to this time, even developed Europe has adopted a cautious approach towards GMOs. Why should Zambia, which has no capacity to create or accept another crisis that it cannot manage.

Issues of food security and safety are extremely important and cannot be solved overnight by accepting GMOs. Again, we have no capacity or resources to monitor the impact of GMOs on food security and food safety.

Levy Mwanawasa, the departed great son of Zambia made responsible decisions and demonstrated that this country can feed itself. One year after experiencing severe maize shortages, Zambia produced a bumper harvest in 2006 and recorded a surplus. We can do it again without resorting to GMOs as long as the leadership is focused. I am sure Levy’s government made enough consultation and research on this matter such that we do not need to revisit this issue just now. It will be a complete waste of our meagre resources.

I salute all the institutions and individuals who ensured that the GMO maize was repatriated to RSA.

Zambians, let’s not allow a clique of incorrigibles to feed us on food whose safety is qestionable. We are not guinea pigs in a laboratory.

Through Mwanawasa, Zambians said no to GMOs.

May God bless and deliver our country from careless, selfish and irresponsible leadership.

http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/4985/64/

Rupiah’s trips
Written by Edwin Zulu
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:12:49 PM

The President has travelled a lot in the three
months he has been in office.

He has been to Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Ethiopia, Botswana and now he is in Tanzania.

With due respect, I think he must sit down and consider working on the problems people are facing in the country than travel so many times in a short time.

If there is anything of prime importance, he can send his vice or indeed invite his counterparts to Zambia.

These trips are at the tax payers’ expense. If the President has to succeed, he must get down to work and results will show.

He was with the Tanzanian President a few days ago in Ethiopia; why didn’t they discuss matters of national importance there?

US President Barack Obama has been in office for a month and has not travelled, he is busy trying to repair the economy and better the lives of the American people.

Zambians are living in abject poverty and amid job losses, it is time the President and his Cabinet found solutions for the people.

I think he would have travelled more than any president we have ever had by the time he finishes his term of office.


http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/4911/64/

Police brutality
Written by HC – Ndola.

It is a very sad situation the way the police are handling citizens nowadays. I don’t know if we are living in a police state or not. I believe that there is procedure and a system with regard to dealing with people that break the law. What is really sad is that there seems to be no regard for human rights by the police in Zambia.

The picture on the front page of Saturday Post ( February 7, 2009) is sad indeed. The overzealous police officers beat up innocent citizens whose only crime was to go and show solidarity with their leader.

Looking at that ‘war face’ of the officer in sunglasses, I wonder if he would do the same if he were sent to Darfur because that’s where such energy is required.

If taxi and minibus drivers are unruly, then the traffic officers are worse. Somebody tell me, maybe I’m missing the point here, is this the new police service that has been introduced to serve us better? I would like to appeal to the Inspector General of Police to discipline his officers because I believe as a tax- payer, I pay them to protect me and not to harass me.

Labels: CORRUPTION, GMO, MAIZE, POLICE BRUTALITY

posted by MrK @ 10:09 PM