Maravi

Don’t depend on donors, Tilyenji advises Rupiah

Don’t depend on donors, Tilyenji advises Rupiah
Written by Patson Chilemba
Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:57:15 AM

OPPOSITION UNIP president Tilyenji Kaunda yesterday asked President Rupiah Banda's government not to depend on donors during these hard economic times the country is going through.

In an interview, Tilyenji said the country should come up with its own ideas on how to address the problems it was facing. He said donor countries were currently focused on solving their own problems in view of the economic crisis that has hit the world.

"We must find solutions based on our own ideas. The donors are busy solving their own problems. We must not depend on them. We can borrow from them but must look at our own history. Let's go back to history and see how we handled things," Tilyenji said.

On the petition by Chongwe resident Waziona Nkhwekwe to Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, urging him to set up a tribunal to probe former finance minister Ng'andu Magande for allegedly abusing his office when he supported the proposed deferment of Zambian Airways' debts to government, Tilyenji said the nation should encourage the setting up of tribunals so that national leaders could be made accountable for their actions.

He said corruption must be fought and rooted out of the country.

On MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande's alleged corruption when he requested then home affairs permanent secretary Susan Sikaneta to pay over K1 billion to suppliers who had pledged support to the MMD, Tilyenji said the due process of the law must take its course.

He said investigative wings such as the Police should be made independent so that issues such as the one involving Kaande could be investigated. Tilyenji said such a thing could not have happened if the civil service was professional enough.

He said the government should follow proper channels when appointing people to the civil service.

On the argument by several people such as Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and Lusaka lawyer Dr Rodger Chongwe that former president Frederick Chiluba should not be allowed to attend state functions because he was a disgraced leader who was crowded with criminal cases, Tilyenji said the nation should learn to respect the office of former presidents rather than looking at Chiluba as a person.

He said the nation would be creating chaos if they failed to respect the office of former presidents.

"The office of former presidents must be respected, let's not look at Mr Chiluba as a person," said Tilyenji.

Labels: DONORS, INDEPENDENCE, RUPIAH BANDA, TILYENJI KAUNDA

posted by MrK @ 7:57 AM