This is the year to kick out Rupiah’s useless govt - Sata

This is the year to kick out Rupiah’s useless govt - Sata
By Chibaula Silwamba in Nakonde
Sun 23 Jan. 2011, 04:02 CAT

THIS is the year to kick out the useless government of Rupiah Banda, says PF leader Michael Sata. And Sata said the Mpika-Nakonde road, which he described as Rupiah-Kunda-Mulongoti hell run, was a death trap that was killing many people because of the gullies that had formed due to the government’s failure to repair the tarmac.

Addressing delegates to the PF’s fifth provincial conference for what he calls ‘Muchinga Province’, the north eastern sub-region of Northern Province, in Nakonde District yesterday, Sata told the delegates that people of the area must not go back to vote for the MMD because it had neglected them.

“The MMD are just poor managers who have failed to deliver, so do not allow them another five years otherwise the whole country will be totally ruined,” Sata said.

He said voters must not accept to be cheated by Vice-President George Kunda and President Banda that they care for them because that was a lie. Sata said the duo had not brought development to the region.

He said the government had failed to improve roads, bridges, water dams and business projects, making it difficult for locals and investors to access and develop the many mineral resources among other economic potentials.

He said the Isoka-Kafwimbi-Mbesuma Kasama road could reduce the distance from Nakonde, Isoka and Chinsali to Kasama, but there was no bridge over Chambeshi River at Mbesuma.

“You should ask Kunda and Banda what they did with the money which was budgeted for the Mbesuma Bridge. The Auditor General has repeatedly reported in her annual report those who embezzled the money,” he said.

“Instead, they cause you people to travel all the way to Mpika, 265 kms from here, then another 210kms from Mpika to Kasama. A journey that should take two hours ends up taking the whole day. Is that the development the MMD fellows are proud of?”

Sata blamed the government for not tarring the Matumbo-Chama road, Mweni Bwisi-Kanyala through Mweni Mpa Ngala road, the Mbala-Nakonde-Kanyala to Chipata roads, Isoka-Mbala road and Mpika-Chipata road.

He said these roads were major connectors between districts and provinces, as well as Zambia and Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania.

“Can anyone claim that he President Banda really cares about this province from which his wife comes from? No!” Sata said.

He said the MMD had no promotional agricultural and livestock programmes where the livelihood of most people depended on growing rice, maize, groundnuts, beans, sorghum, other crops and rearing livestock.

He said the government was delaying to pay farmers while some farm produce was wasting away.

“So how are you expected to provide for the needs of your families, buy fertiliser and seed?” he asked.

He said a PF government would ensure that farmers were paid upon delivering their produce to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

He said that was how it used to be until Rupiah Banda messed up NAMBOARD, as its
head.

“Do you even need me to tell you all this? So if you do, will you not join the rest of the country to kick out this useless government of Rupiah Banda?” Sata said.

“Just know that Rupiah’s failures have nothing to do with his tribe or the province he comes from. It is his own failure due to his incompetence and corruption.”

He said Zambia was retrogressing and this was the time to change and vote for PF.

“Tell your neighbours that the boat, ‘pa bwato’, is getting ready to depart. If you are not on board, ‘washala washala’ you remain,” he said.

On citizen empowerment, Sata said ‘Muchinga Province’ has enormous potential which could contribute to poverty reduction and therefore, a PF government would ensure that all citizens had a chance to borrow from the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).

He said a PF government would ensure fair play in disbursing the CEEC monies so that every citizen could progress according to their ability and means, not to be frustrated by political party cadres.

He warned that a PF government would not tolerate party cadres’ interference in empowerment funds.

“Just look at the many examples especially in agricultural processing: cattle rearing and beef processing; growing, processing and packaging of rice in Luangwa valley; processing groundnuts and sorghum; coffee growing in Nakonde and Isoka; growing and processing sunflower; growing and burley tobacco; cassava growing and processing into starch and others products and fish farming,” Sata said.

Sata said the PF had created a new province, ‘Muchinga’ that would cover Mpika, Isoka, Nakonde and Chama districts to ensure the government was closer to the people.

Sata said parliamentarians for Isoka East Catherine Namugala, Isoka West Paul Sichamba and Nakonde’s had betrayed their constituents’ for fear of losing their jobs if they spoke out about underdevelopment.

And Sata said the road from Mpika to Nakonde was causing a lot of accidents because of potholes due to the government’s neglect.

“President Banda is even smiling on billboards on a road with potholes?
Is he smiling at the people that died because of the potholes he has failed to mend?” Sata asked.

Meanwhile, Zambia Police have cancelled Sata’s rally that was supposed to be held today at President’s Park in Isoka District. The rally which the police approved on January 18, 2011 was cancelled without reasons.