Rupiah fails to explain Kalabo trip

Rupiah fails to explain Kalabo trip
By Mwala Kalaluka in Kalabo
Mon 30 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda's three-day visit to Kalabo's Africa Parks (AP) managed Liuwa National Park was shrouded in secrecy and mystery following his failure to 'explain' the purpose of his visit there.

And President Banda has urged MMD members in the Western Province not to be depressed about what is happening in the ruling party, because some people just want to take power from the MMD.

President Banda arrived at Kalabo Airstrip at around 10:43 hours on Saturday in the midst of a downpour and just told a sizeable crowd that welcomed him that he was happy to spend two days in the district, among other scanty details.

President Banda was accompanied by tourism minister Catherine Namugala, finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti, MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kande, among others. But details of his itinerary in the district were not very clear.

Earlier, before President Banda's arrival aboard a ZAF plane, three choppers, which included the copper-coloured Presidential Chopper (AB139), a ZAF helicopter (AF 769) and another ZAF helicopter carrying the provincial permanent secretary Ikanuke Noyoo, touched down at the airstrip.

After President Banda addressed the crowd, the presidential motorcade started moving towards the red carpet to take the President into Kalabo Boma, about four kilometers away. But President Banda was heard indicating that he was going to board the Presidential helicopter to fly across the Luanginga River into Liuwa area.

When some journalists from the public media were about to board one of the helicopters to accompany President Banda, State House chief of protocol Bob Samakai told them to wait as the helicopter would pick them after about four minutes.

Some police officers that had been ordering people to pave way for the presidential motorcade on its way into Kalabo Boma, stopped when they realised that the Presidential helicopter was taking off for Liuwa.

A paltry crowd spread along the road from the airport to the district commissioner's office to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade that never came. Some government officials drove back to the district commissioner's office waiting to get information of the next step on the programme.

A government official, who confirmed that President Banda would be staying at Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa's village within Liuwa Constituency, also told The Post that it was like President Banda was on a private visit to Liuwa National Park.
"But you can see all the resources and time that have been spent here," the government official said.

Western Province minister Sikwibele Mwapela said in his welcoming remarks earlier that the development projects that President Banda's government had initiated in the province were unprecedented in the history of Zambia.

Mwapela attributed the low turn out of people that welcomed President Banda at the airport to the rains. However, he said the people of Kalabo had been waiting to see President Banda since his election last year.

Mwapela said the only problem in the province was the bad road infrastructure. He, therefore, asked President Banda to consider the people of Western Province in that area.
And President Banda said contrary to Mwapela's satisfaction on the many development projects that his government was undertaking in the province, he was far from being satisfied.

President Banda said he was happy that he would spend two whole days in Kalabo district, since it had always been his wish to do that.

"I was last here in October last year during the campaign for the last presidential election and again I was so well received," President Banda said. "I am happy that it has been possible this time to visit the people of Kalabo and the neighbouring villages. I want to thank you for the wonderful vote that you gave me.

I will never forget and I ask our God to give me energy to continue to work for the people of this province and the rest of the country because you employed me to be your number one civil servant."

President Banda admitted that his government still had a lot to do in terms of developing Western Province, especially in the area of road infrastructure.

"We would like to do a lot for the people here, particularly in the area of roads," President Banda said. "We know you need a road and the Minister of Finance is almost getting fed up with me because I am constantly calling him."

President Banda reassured that his government was going to work on the Mongu-Kalabo road.

"I just want to ask...the people of Western Province, like all other Zambians, to remain calm," President Banda said. "Just give us time we will try our best."

President Banda said he was happy with the organising skills of the MMD leadership in Kalabo and he advised them not to get depressed with what was happening.

"I have always been proud of their hard work," President Banda said while looking in the direction of the local MMD leadership. "Do not get depressed with what is happening. You are the ruling party and naturally they want to take it from you."