Maravi

Banda urges Zambians to pray for his trips

Banda urges Zambians to pray for his trips
By Chibaula Silwamba and Patson Chilemba
Thu 30 Sep. 2010, 04:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday asked for prayers as he travels abroad. But Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata said President Banda’s trips are fruitless. And President Banda said the replacement of Peter Daka by Dr Eustarckio Kazonga as Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives is meant to make maize procurement and transportation more efficient.

Before his departure for Nigeria to attend that country’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations scheduled for today, President Banda, who is constantly criticised over his frequent international trips, asked for prayer.

“Pray for us, we are going very far. We will pray for you also to remain well,” President Banda told journalists before departure. “I have been invited by the President there in Nigeria; they are having their 50th anniversary of their independence. As you know Nigeria is a very close country to us, so we decided that we should go there.”

Asked about concerns that he had transferred Daka from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to Science, Technology and Vocational Training in the same portfolio because of irregularities in the purchase of fertiliser, President Banda said he just wanted to realign the ministers.

“No! No! There were no such a thing; it was something that I just feel that I realign my colleagues so that I could give them more appropriate positions,” President Banda said. “As you know the issues of maize payments and maize movements are very important now. My feeling is that this rearrangement will make it more efficient.”

On doctors’ countrywide strike, President Banda expressed optimism that the problem would be resolved.

“As a matter of fact, I have just got a report from the Secretary to the Cabinet, they doctors will be meeting the Secretary to the Cabinet; they were meeting yesterday Tuesday with the minister of health,” said President Banda. “I am sure that matters will be resolved. We will sit down and find a solution and it is better not to comment before they meet otherwise that will prejudice the meeting.”

And President Banda said the government would soon make a decision on the way forward in the constitution-making process after the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) last month presented the draft constitution to the government.

But Sata, in an interview, said President Banda was stiff-necked because he had failed to listen to the public’s concerns over his frequent fruitless trips which had only succeeded in draining public coffers. He said President Banda had failed to explain to the nation how much investment had come into the country on account of his many travels.

Sata said President Banda was now soliciting for trips in order to raise money for his 2011 campaigns.

“What is happening is Rupiah doesn’t make any fruitful trip. He only makes a trip if there is something personal for him. At the moment he is moving left, right and centre to meet the people so that he can get money for campaigns next year,” Sata said.

“He was required to go to United Nations General Assembly, he did not go because there is no money there. So he had to go to South Africa and Mozambique. So from there he has now gone to meet Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. His former accountant at NAMBOARD arranged for him to go there. He solicited it through his accountant.”

The President has in the last week been to South Africa and Mozambique.
On the removal of Chriticles Mwansa as Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) commissioner general to now serve as science and technology permanent secretary, Sata said Zambians should not forget that ZRA workers recently revealed that they had been ordered to raise K60 billion for the MMD campaigns in 2011. He said Mwansa had been removed probably because he was not user friendly, since he was appointed by late president Levy Mwanawasa.

“He knows Zambia Revenue Authority; that is where there is more money. I am sure he is looking for his relative. The workers have been given a target to raise K60 billion. Remember they announced that the budget for this year will be K17 trillion. Probably he finds Chriticles Mwansa is not friendly enough,” Sata said.

On the forthcoming Mpulungu by-elections, Sata challenged health minister Kapembwa Simbao to deny assertions that the government had sent Ministry of Health vehicles and bicycles to the area.

He said the MMD government had retained the usual desperation of implementing last minute developmental projects in areas that were to hold by-elections.

And PF Mpulungu district chairperson Charles Mazimba said Mpulungu had in the recent weeks received new government vehicles which were being used for campaigns under the pretext of conducting outreach programmes.

Labels: PETER DAKA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:44 PM