Maravi

Rupiah has discovered the beauty in being a butterfly, says Nawakwi

Rupiah has discovered the beauty in being a butterfly, says Nawakwi
By Patson Chilemba
Wed 24 Mar. 2010, 12:40 CAT

FDD president Edith Nawakwi yesterday charged that President Rupiah Banda is travelling frequently because of the benefits such as allowances that accrue to him individually through the many trips.

Commenting on President Banda's assertions that those who had continued attacking him over his visits to other countries were doing so out of ignorance, Nawakwi said President Banda had discovered the benefits of flying.

“President Banda has just discovered the beauty in being a butterfly. You see I am looking at a butterfly, it sits here, it flies, all of a sudden he has discovered the beauty he has in wings. Once you discover that beauty you can't sit down, I am a student of literature in English, learn to use those metaphors,” Nawakwi said.

“Anyone who understands literature in English will know that he never sits in his office.”

Asked if she implied that the benefits included the allowances that accrued to the President as a result of his frequent trips, Nawakwi responded: “If I say beauty in being a butterfly, it comes with the trappings of flying. I mean I don't want to go to lengths because it's costly, but you want to use simple words, and it is a very expensive venture because unfortunately I haven't heard him go to inspect his maize in Chipata.”

Nawakwi wondered why other Presidents never visited Zambia frequently if it were true that he visited other nations as a way of maintaining good neighbourliness.

“But why can't they foreign Presidents visit us? We want them here because if you are to maintain good neighbourliness lyonsefye iwe uyafye mukupula ubwali you are the only one that eats nshima from others,” Nawakwi wondered.

“Others should come and eat from your place as well; because a child who always goes to the neighbour, people will always say 'don't you have your own place where you can eat'? We want the President also to invite his friends here every week; they stay in the hotels and leave some money in the hotels.”

On President Banda's claim that people were ignorant about the benefits of his trips, Nawakwi said the head of state was just as ignorant about the plight of the suffering majority in the nation.

“Especially the expectant mother whom I had to canoe in the night, how does he expect that woman to know that she has a President who is in Namibia? And if your car is washed away by the river, are you supposed to be proud that your President is having tea with his friends?” she asked.

Nawakwi said it was not necessary to always visit when technology such as video conferencing and phone calls could be used to get in tough with other world leaders.

“It is just one cellular phone call away by ZAIN or 'RP Capital Zamtel',” Nawakwi said. “We can introduce video conferencing because it seems my President wants physical contact. He can physically talk to other heads of states from here using video conferencing.”

Nawakwi said President Banda should not expect to hear words such as “well done” from Zambians for flying around like a butterfly.

She said right now children at a place called Gotagota in Southern Province were unable to go to school because the bridge on the Chongwe River had been washed away.

Nawakwi said someone's car was recently washed away as a result of the flooded river.

“I don't want to see crocodile tears from Bwezani. If you are recording, please I beg, give that tape to the President that here in Chiawa, we are pleading, can he help people of Gotagota,” said Nawakwi.

President Banda on Monday said those who had continued to attack him over his visits to other countries were doing so out of ignorance.

President Banda said meetings with other heads of state were important, especially in maintaining good neighbourliness.

The President said meetings were used to explore other avenues of trade among countries.

Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:53 PM