Maravi

‘Govt capitalisation of the poor is disheartening’

‘Govt capitalisation of the poor is disheartening’
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Tue 09 Mar. 2010, 04:40 CAT

THE MMD government has continued to capitalise on poor people’s vulnerability to gain political mileage in rural communities, Fr Charles Tembo of St Mary’s Mission in Lufwanyama has said.

And Fr Tembo has described Vice-President George Kunda’s recent visit to Lufwanyama district as ‘nothing but a mockery’ of the poor who expected him to address various challenges they were facing instead of issuing unwarranted attacks on the opposition political parties.

In an interview in Kitwe on Saturday, Fr Tembo said it was disheartening that the poor people in rural areas had continued to be manipulated as they were swayed in times of elections to vote for people who later forgot about them once in office.

He said the rural communities had been yenning to enjoy the fruits of having a government but they were usually disappointed by manipulators holding government power who usually visited them in the run up to elections, offered them lip service and made them feel as though they would always be available to meet their needs when in fact not.

Fr Tembo said he agreed with assertions from some sections of society that the Lamba people felt cheated and neglected by the MMD government because the people in these areas wallowed in abject poverty and life for the majority was unbearable while government’s intervention had never been felt.

“I stay in Lufwanyama, I know what people go through and today they are saying they have built a school and a hospital. Yes, this could be appreciated but the people there deserve more than what they have done. They need good roads and other programmes that could enhance human integral development. People who live in rural areas shouldn’t be treated as secondary citizens; they deserve to enjoy life just like they leaders do,” Fr Tembo said.

He said it was disappointing that Vice-President Kunda flew to Lufwanyama when he went to address a rally instead of using the road that his government had failed to rehabilitate for many years now.

“People are not interested in political rhetoric we are seeing in the Vice-President. He failed to identify himself with the people of Lufwanyama when he came there with a chopper. We thought he is going to come by road so that he feels the misery we go through every day,” Fr Tembo said.

“Are they going to buy choppers for the people of Lufwanyama who every day feel the agony of having a terrible main road? This is unfair and as long as we have leaders who don’t have interests of the people at heart, we are going nowhere.”

He further said the attitude among government officials who took advantage of people’s vulnerability to gain political power was evil.

He said God would punish people who capitalised on the inadequacy of His people because manipulating the poor was betraying Christ and His teachings.

Fr Tembo said as the country goes to the polls next year, people should vote for leaders of integrity and not dishonest politicians who thrived on lies and manipulation of the poor.

Fr Tembo said the country needed hardworking leaders who would serve Zambia and its people with undivided attention and sacrifice for the betterment of the majority poor in rural communities.

Labels: CHARLES TEMBO, CREDIT FACILITIES, GEORGE KUNDA

posted by MrK @ 6:54 PM