MMD is full of tired brains – HH

MMD is full of tired brains – HH
Written by Katwishi Bwalya and Christopher Miti
Monday, April 06, 2009 3:39:34 PM

THE MMD government and its leadership are full of tired brains, UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has charged. In an interview yesterday, Hichilema said the holding of the indaba after the budget had been passed would not yield any positive results.

Hichilema wondered how the government would increase allocations to certain sectors of the economy in the event that the indaba made a recommendation for that.

"The indaba should have been held before the budget was concluded such that the result of the indaba would be taken into the budget and then resources would be allocated," Hichilema observed. "Let's say for example, the indaba says increase expenditure on agriculture. Where are you going to find the money?"

Hichilema said it was also shocking that the government had decided to spend taxpayers' money on the indaba without Parliament approval.

He wondered how much money had been spent on the event looking at the large number of delegates.

"The issue of the Indaba goes in line with the issue of cost control," he said.

Hichilema said the government was being reactive to the country's problems and challenges as opposed to being proactive.

"You don't need an indaba to realise that the price of meal is too high and what you need to do," Hichilema said. "Having the indaba now is reactive instead of being proactive. You don't need an indaba to cut the size of Cabinet, to reduce the travel cost. Do you need an indaba to instruct everyone in government not to travel first class?"

He said the MMD government had outlived its usefulness and that Zambians needed to realise this.

He said the MMD government should have shown leadership by cutting what he called low hanging costs.

"MMD can't be helped because they don't realise that we are in a crisis. If they appreciate that fact, the overall cost control measures would include reducing the size of Cabinet. There is nothing wrong in talking and devising solutions, but time is of essence," he said.

Hichilema likened the just ended indaba to a lecture.

"I opened the radio and listened to their debate. It was full of people saying nice things to each together, people receiving accolades but we need to be serious. I think we need fresh thinking," Hichilema said.

And former Chipangali UNIP member of parliament Lucas Phiri charged that the indaba was a sheer waste of money and time because the previous indabas had not yielded anything.

"I condemn strongly the idea of holding indaba after indaba. Before the good leader late president [Levy] Mwanawasa died, he held the indaba. I want to ask those that are rushing for the indaba in Lusaka; what is this Indaba for? Can we look at the implementation of the previous Indabas? Can the government tell us what we have benefited from the previous indabas apart from holding indaba after indaba, spoiling monies which were supposed to go for mending of bridges which have been washed away in our areas," Phiri said in an interview last Friday.

Phiri said it would have made more sense if the money being spent on the indaba was channelled to needy areas such as the agriculture, health and education sectors.