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Democracy should be based on truth, not lies – Rupiah

Democracy should be based on truth, not lies – Rupiah
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Thu 31 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said Zambian democracy should be based on truth and positive criticism and not lies. And President Banda urged Zambians to openly reject attempts by anyone aimed at inciting them to fight each other.

Officiating at the ground breaking ceremony for the upgrading of the Chipata-Mfuwe road that would cost K290 billion on Tuesday, President Banda said Zambians should not care about the people who claimed that his government did not do anything.

“I would like to assure everyone who is here that what we are doing here today can be reciprocated in every district, every province of our country. This government under my leadership is ensuring that resources are put in place for road reconstruction, road repairs, bridge reconstruction and all these developments that are associated with the road from Chipata to Mfuwe, that we are doing this in every part of this country, that I am very proud of what we are doing,” President Banda said.

“This government is committed to do these things but other people will come and you know...they will tell you that nothing is being done. Don't care about them because they have no eyes, ears and are not knowledgeable.”
He urged Zambians to enjoy their democracy and to criticise each other but not to tell lies.

“Let us enjoy our democracy, let us criticise each other, let us go to each and every Zambian and ask them. Try and convert them to support us to vote for us when the elections come. But let us not tell lies in the process. Don't tell them that there is no road that is being worked upon between Chipata and Lundazi because those people will find out one day that you are not telling them the truth, the road is being worked upon,” he said.

“Don't tell people that there is no effort to build the road from Chipata to Mfuwe because the people will see it as they pass through. Let us ask that our democracy should be one based on the truth and not only that all suggestions tell us how best you would like us to develop this country. Let us not call each other names because there can be no two presidents at one time as we have known since the independence of our country.

“What we need is to be fair to the Zambian people. Tell them the truth and let them decide whom they want to be their president when the next elections comes, whom they want to be the political party to rule them when the elections come and in that way if you happen to be lucky and you are elected to serve then it will be easier for you to become a president because you also would know politics of projects... Not politics of hatred but of opposition to one another so that whenever you are on power people can give you the appropriate support that you need when you are elected as president.”

President Banda said former president Dr Kenneth Kaunda was abused when he was in power but he was now being praised for having been a good leader.
He said Dr Kaunda built schools and hospitals in every province of the country.
“The same thing president Chiluba came, he was vilified, he was called all kinds of names forgetting that it was him who brought the democracy which we are now enjoying. The same people went on to do the same to the late president Levy Mwanawasa.

They are not even ashamed to remember a little bit that it was them who were writing. It was them who were broadcasting in the TV stations that president Mwanawasa was useless and was this and that,” he said. “All sorts of names, I am sorry may God protect him wherever he is for mentioning his name. But we all know and for that name I am sure young people, many young people here remember the amount of abuse he went through from the same quarters. They should at least have a memory to remember that it doesn’t pay to call people names. Now they are saying no, no we must emulate but you are the same people who were calling him names not me.”

He said if it were not for him and the people of Zambia, president Mwanawasa would not have been able to achieve what he achieved.

“May I say this to the people of Zambia, don't allow anybody to make you enemies of one another. We must learn to live together in harmony. We may disagree it is only human to disagree even in our homes we disagree. But we must always remember that we have got to be civil towards one another. This country belongs to all citizens regardless of what church you belong to, what race you belong to, what tribe you belong to,” President Banda said. “It is our country, all of us as long the law says you are a citizen you will remain a citizen and you must be respected and protected by the law.”
He urged Zambians to reflect on their attitude to well meaning government programmes and change their mindset.

“Let us learn to embrace the development that is being introduced by our government and guard it jealously. After all the projects belong to each one of us. I would like to thank their royal highnesses who have come all the way from Mfuwe to really cast their eyes on the beginning of their road, their royal highnesses led by Inkosi yamankosi Mpezeni for being here. This is our role as leaders to witness and embrace development as it comes so that our people can benefit," President Banda said.

He said the works on the Chipata-Mfuwe road would be completed by 2013 and would be financed by the government.
President Banda said the upgrading of the road would help improve the lives of the people through easy transportation of people, goods and services.
He urged the Ministry of Works and Supply and the Road Development Agency (RDA) to prioritise the enhancement of safety in their road designs on all the roads in order to save lives.

And Mulongoti said it was the desire of the government and RDA to improve the road infrastructure countrywide.
Mulongoti said currently the government had reached an advanced stage in its plans for the maintenance of two other major roads in Eastern Province, namely the remaining section of Chipata-Lundazi and the rehabilitation of the Chipata/Lusaka road.

RDA board chairman Walusiku Lisulo said RDA was extremely pleased with government’s current commitment to funding the sector adequately.
And commissioning the new Chipata Trades Training Institute campus situated along Malawi road, President Banda said Zambians should always unite.
President Banda said he was grateful to commission the training institute and the road works because that is what it entailed to be a leader.

“We have done something and we want to do more and more that we can do so that when our time is over we can say ‘yes we tried our best’. And when I retire I am driving between Chipata going to Lilongwe to go and have a beer, if I will still be drinking by then, I could point to say ‘I was involved in the opening of this institution, in the construction of this institution,” he said. “This should live beyond my mandate as President.

Thank you so much and I’m urging you to continue being united, to be peaceful and reject openly any attempt by anyone to make us fight against each other we are all Zambians this country was given to us by God and a wonderful country for which we must thank Him."
President Banda said as the country went forward in unity and peace, people would see development.

He urged students to look after the property because it was expensive.
He advised the youths to concentrate on education because that was the beginning of their journey towards the future and that they should not be surprised if they suffered in future.

And Chipata Trades Training Institute board chairperson Fabian Kapatamoyo urged students to guard the institution jealously.

Labels: DEMOCRACY, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:18 AM