Rupiah's govt has become a liability - HH

Rupiah's govt has become a liability - HH
Written by Katwishi Bwalya in Mazabuka
Wednesday, April 01, 2009 4:42:13 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda's government has become a liability to the country for failing to respond to the challenges facing many Zambians, UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has said.

Addressing scores of Mugoto villagers who were displaced from their land by Munali Nickel Mine of Mazabuka on Tuesday, Hichilema said the MMD government had now reached a point of diminishing returns.

About 77 families of Mugoto village were displaced to pave way for the Munali Nickel Mine, which is owned by Albidon Mine of Australia.

"In the last 20 days, I have been to the Copperbelt where 20,000 miners have lost their jobs, in the same 20 days; I have been to Mongu, Senenga and Kaoma to see how the people of Barotseland are suffering because of the floods that have hit them, and I have been to Mumbwa and Mkushi to see the area that used to produce a lot of maize but due to poor agriculture policy by the MMD government that is not the case now. And now I am here at Mugoto to see how you are suffering," Hichilema said.

"The person you elected by the name of Rupiah Banda has never been here to see how you have been suffering but me who is in the opposition I have come to sympathise with you. Seeking public office means being there for the people when they are in need."

He said it was unfortunate that government had allowed Albidon Mine to put Munali Nickel Mine under care and maintenance without fulfilling the agreement that was signed for the community to be compensated.

Hichilema said it was unfortunate that most local people were employed as casual workers contrary to what was agreed upon by the mine.

"They [mine] agreed to employ the locals, they also agreed to build a school and a clinic but how do they build a school up to grade four?" Hichilema asked. "They decided to employ the locals as casual workers because they wanted to run away from certain obligations."

He said the government should intervene to ensure whatever was agreed upon is fulfilled because the future of the mine was uncertain.

Hichilema urged the government to ensure that any investment agreement benefits both the locals and the investors.

"When we are negotiating for any development, we should be serious and fair to the investors and not forgetting the people," he said.

"But this shows you that the government is not serious in uplifting the standards of people for allowing the investors to dump the people just like this."

He said there were lessons that could be learnt by the Zambian people over the problems that had arisen since President Banda came into office.

Hichilema also donated 100 pockets of cement towards the rehabilitation of the bridge and the construction of the clinic that Munali Nickel Mine embarked on.

"Time has come for the people to be alert when electing a leader and not to elect someone who is in the darkroom but someone who is knowledgeable," Hichilema said.

He said in view of what was happening in the country, there was need for Zambians to acknowledge that the MMD government had failed.

"Let us unite and come together as Zambians irrespective of where we were born, what language we speak and agree as Zambians that this government has outlived its usefulness," he said.

"President Rupiah Banda, [Patriotic Front leader], VJ [Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga] were foreign officers in embassies when Obama [Barrack US President] was only two years old but here you are still recycling leadership."

He said the failures of the government should not be attributed to the global economic crisis.

"This government has reached what we call in economics as a point of diminishing returns. Zambian people are in desperate situations and have lost hope in the ability of the MMD government to look in their needs because people are now on their own," Hichilema said.

"The MMD government under Rupiah Banda has now become a liability to the country and come 2011 people should not be emotional when voting. The problem facing the country is because of government sleeping on duty. That is why Zambians should not accept mediocre leadership," Hichilema said.

And Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo said the MMD government could be cited for negligence for failing to compel Munali Nickel Mine to compensate the displaced Mugoto villagers.

Nkombo said Munali Nickel Mine had not fulfilled its obligations of compensating the communities that were displaced.

"This government should address the plight of the people here because under the law, the department of mines should be inspecting to see whether Albidon had fulfilled the agreement to compensate the people," said Nkombo. "People are in serious difficulties here and need government's quick interventions."