Maravi

Address Zambia’s problems, Mwaba urges Rupiah

Address Zambia’s problems, Mwaba urges Rupiah
By Agness Changala
Tue 11 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda should address problems facing the country ahead of tripartite elections, according to the ZCTU. Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary general Roy Mwaba said President Banda should not pretend that there were no problems to be sorted out before the country goes to the polls.

He said the current debates on violence, the Barotseland Agreement, windfall tax in the mining sector, media freedom and the 50 per cent plus one clause among other issues needed to be addressed adequately.

He said the government’s response to some national issues was worrying.

“It is at times like this that people expect the government to show leadership and tackle and resolve such issues to the expectation of the public,” Mwaba said.

He said the government had to consistently dialogue with opposition parties and other stakeholders to find solutions to some of the challenges.

Mwaba said since President Banda assumed office, he had never called for a forum where MMD and other political parties could dialogue on matters of national interest.

He said there should be dialogue, tolerance and consensus built around important national issues.

He challenged President Banda to find time and call the opposition political parties to address some of the problems that the country is faced with.

“We want to sit down together. If the government can’t do that, we will create a forum and call political parties and chair the meeting ourselves,” he said.
Mwaba said ZCTU wanted to see the government respect freedom of speech and association for all.

Mwaba called on political parties to engage in issue based politics to avoid the occurrence of violence.

He said the congress would scrutinize the manifestoes of political parties and ask members to vote for one that had its interest at heart.

Mwaba said ZCTU would remain free of interference from any political party.
And Mwaba said ZCTU would never go to ‘sleep’ with the government because it was not a government wing.

He said allegations that the government had weakened and compromised ZCTU were unfortunate.

Mwaba said if an individual was compromised in ZCTU, it was not the organisation.

He said those always mentioning ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba must realise that he was not an organisation but an individual.

Mwaba said people must forget if Hikaumba had committed mistakes in the past and allow him to work with different people in the new executive.

Mwaba said the new executive would continue to be a voice of the workers in the country.

Labels: BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT, ROY MWABA

posted by MrK @ 2:03 PM