Maravi

Stop your sons’ deals, Mpombo urges Rupiah

Stop your sons’ deals, Mpombo urges Rupiah
By George Chellah
Wed 04 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

FORMER defence minister George Mpombo yesterday urged President Rupiah Banda to stop his sons' business deals because they will eventually put him in serious problems.

In an interview, Mpombo urged President Banda to heed former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele's advice over his sons' involvements in business deals. Mpombo said a person on the presidency required flexibility in dealing with issues.

“I would want him to also deal with issues of his family. People are not saying the children shouldn't do business. They should do it but in a transparent manner,” Mpombo said. “They do not hate his children, as such, but they should not use state machinery to conduct business just because they are the President's sons. They should not be given favours.”

Mpombo urged President Banda to heed Kavindele's advice over his sons.
“…Because at the end of the day, every Zambian looks to the President so the President must look at these issues nationally with humility,” he said.

And reflecting on President Banda's one year in office, Mpombo said President Banda's performance was extremely poor.

“Zambia has been reduced from being a giant in terms of good governance and fight against corruption to a mere dwarf due to an uninspiring leadership of Mr Banda,” Mpombo said.

“In the first year, the leadership's performance has been below par… with Mr Banda coming on the scene it's like the country doesn't even know whether it’s going or coming.”

Mpombo said it was undoubted that Zambia had lost its international image under President Banda's leadership.

“He is busy fighting and quarrelling with everybody, including the donor community,” he said.

Mpombo said there was a huge difference between President Banda and the late Levy Mwanawasa's leadership.

“Mwanawasa's leadership and Mr Banda's leadership are two worlds apart. They are totally different. He has come with his own leadership style,” Mpombo said. “The past one year has been a year of mixed fortune. I wouldn't say he has performed well.”

Mpombo said at party level, President Banda had also failed to manage the ruling party.

“He has performed very, very poorly on the issues of the MMD leadership. He has performed extremely badly in the area of party organisation. That kind of leadership has put the party in a difficult position,” he said.

Mpombo said there was no need for President Banda to be unnecessarily stubborn.

“He has got to have a reverse gear which is important in the national building process… they can harness national unity. In that case, they should be humble… not necessarily being stubborn,” he said.

Mpombo said President Banda had not lived up to peoples' expectations during his one year in office.

“There has been serious gaps in his leadership. For instance, on national governance issues, the handling of important political and economic issues. But there is vast room for improvement,” Mpombo said.

He said the country's foreign policy has completely collapsed.

“On the fight against corruption, we have seen people who were in the forefront of coming up with strategies to fight corruption turning in the opposite side like George Kunda (Vice-President). We need to inspire the public that we mean well as leaders,” Mpombo said.

On the fuel shortage, Mpombo said the government must not accuse the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB).

“The people who should be dancing are the ones at the tender board. Why did they give the deal for the supply of fuel to briefcase businessmen?” Mpombo asked.

“And the government should avoid using sponsored Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). There is too much of State House writing speeches and then asking these one-man army NGOs to read them.”

Mpombo said President Banda had a lot to do in terms of national governance.

Labels: ENOCH KAVINDELE, GEORGE MPOMBO, PRIVATISATION, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:10 AM