Letters - Governance

Rupiah’s obsession with Dora
Written by E S, Disturbed citizen

I wish to comment on the lead story of The Post of June 24, 2009, "Dora faces CBU Students Demo." This demonstration is seen the day after the rejection of the same Dora by the University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU).

I love Dora myself in as far as her good looks are concerned but when I consider her re-appointment as Cabinet minister, my hair stands on end and pressure mounts in me like magma in a volcano desperate for eruption. Running a ministry, especially the Ministry of Education, is extremely demanding.

It has nothing to do with Dora's immaculate looks. How can someone who failed to cross anthills manage to cross mountains? How can someone who failed to ride a bicycle downhill cycle up to the summit of Mount Everest? I am asking these questions because the Ministry of Education is more demanding than the Ministry of Communications and Transport where Dora Siliya was.

The RP Capital scandal clearly shows that Dora was weighed in the ministerial balances and was found wanting. Never mind the judgment of the court over the case. Judges are human beings and they are bound to err. In fact, no-one can rule out miscarriage of justice in certain issues especially in the Zambian situation where there is no real separation of powers worth to write home about.

When we say that as education minister, Dora Siliya is a square peg in a round hole, we mean it. We produce this statement without rancour, malice, ill-will or vindictiveness. We know the political campaigns Rupiah Banda made in the direction of quality education. Education for all by 2015, for instance, requires an able minister of unquestionable management ability, otherwise the promise will be a noisy gong, a tinkling cymbal. Dora cannot live up to our expectations.

Now that the UNZA and CBU have rejected Dora, the whole nation will eventually sing the anti-Dora song. Yet Rupiah Banda, going by his recently held bogus press conference, still insists that he cannot take advice from the opposition or from students. Now that Zambia has rejected Dora as education minister, who will benefit from the ministry? Only Rupiah will benefit and Rupiah is not Zambia.

To err is human. Rupiah Banda is human. Therefore, he errs - simple syllogism. It was an error for Rupiah to re-appoint Dora as minister, worse still as education minister. We need a credible minister who will not be a let-down. When we voted for Rupiah as President, we did not sign a contract that we will blindly follow Rupiah's decisions. After all, there is no school where people train to be presidents. In Rupiah's case


Rupiah’s misplaced priorities
Written by Your Citizen, C. K. Lusaka
Saturday, June 27, 2009 4:07:39 PM

Rupiah Banda,

You had me lost when you were addressing the nation on Wednesday June 25. Surely you never touched on any pressing issues other than showing us that you and your friends' bellies are full and we should remain hungry.

First the ‘picture’. I have not seen that picture but you see situations probably allowed someone to show the world what is going on in Zambia today.

And regarding the pictures that seemed to be of much concern to Rupiah than the welfare of the Zambian people, it is clear that in a normal situation, photographers would not have been allowed in maternity wards unless with the permission of the people involved, but that was in the corridors. Our mother, like you rightly put it, was not attended to, why?

The answer is simple Mr President, it is because you are not attending to the grievances of the health workers. How should a story be told Mr President, sir? Maybe those who took it thought you would only act if you see the real situation since you said you have no time to meet health personnel because you have your ministers who can deal with that.

Wars have been stopped when the gravity and consequences have been exposed, as you saw in Gaza, the beheading in east Timol, Iraq just to mention a few. It is your intervention that people are asking for, not threatening thephotographers. Many people, children included, I am sure witnessed the happenings at UTH not just the photographer.

My advice to Rupiah is that he should amicably fix the problems in the Ministry of Health becaues threats won’t help. Let’s treat that as a lesson learnt. Second, you chose to answer Patrick Mwasawasa at such an important forum; why should the young man be a national issue when he was just responding to one of your minister’s remarks? Do you need a person to attend your rallies for them to be appointed or known or that could be done on merit? I’m sad, sir. On Mr Sata, The Post and HH, surely you spent almost all your time talking about them when nurses, teachers and miners were eagerly waiting for solutions to the many challenges they are facing. From the many jokes and healthy laughter I got from my radio, I surely concluded that Bob Marley was right when he sang..."Them belly full but we hungry". No offence intended, sir.


Simbao’s ignorance
Written by Concerned citizen, Lusaka
Saturday, June 27, 2009 4:06:33 PM

Allow me to comment on the press briefing by the Minister of Health saying nurses will be fired and those roaming the streets should apply for position that will be left vacant by dismissed nurses.
Please, do we really know health sector? It’s shame for the minister to say something that cannot happen. Let him tell the nation where these nurses without jobs are, as tbe country is in a shortful of almost 12,000 nurses. Where is the money coming from to pay the health workers on these conditions. If this was coming from Dr Chituwo I was going to get surprised because he knows the health sector from ward, Director to a minister. Simbao should consult doctors from the Ministry of Health before making statements and job offers.

It’s even making worse, as I quote, the Presiden’s speech, "the current strike has been going on with the health workers and according to you, it’s not about 15 per cent, its allowances night duty, overtime whatever they call it". It’s a shame mocking workers when it’s clear that the head of state does not even know the allowances involved.


Harrington is pursuing a noble cause
Written by E W, Katete

Allow me space in your esteemed paper to resound MM's (The Post - Thursday June 25) call for financial help towards Harrington as he pursues the Dora Siliya saga in the courts of law.

There is absolutely no stress needed to convince any transparent and just citizen (not just Zambian citizens) that what Harrington is pursuing is indeed a national course that the majority of us citizens feel part of. It would, therefore, do well to not only be emotive about the saga, but to pull together our resources where our emotions lie. It is common knowledge that lawsuits come at great financial costs.

May I, therefore, propose that Transparency International - Zambia (TIZ) opens a "DS Scam Support" account with a countrywide represented bank so that as progressive citizens, we can contribute towards this just and noble course. Viva unity in just purpose Zambia!

What do others think and say?