Maravi

Revolt advocates are not normal - Rupiah

Revolt advocates are not normal - Rupiah
By Christopher Miti and Chibaula Silwamba in Chipata
Mon 28 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has described people urging Zambians to emulate pro-democracy protestors in North Africa and the Middle East as not normal in their heads. During this year’s N’cwala ceremony of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province at Mtenguleni in Chipata on Saturday, President Banda urged Zambians to ignore advocates of Egypt-style demonstrations.

“Now that we are in the election year 2011, I urge everyone of you to do all you can to uphold and protect the peace that we continue to enjoy in our country,” President Banda said. “Just let those who are not normal in their heads who want us to emulate what is happening in the Middle East. We went through all that in 1991 and we are proud that the people of the Middle East are emulating us, Zambians, in pursuit for democracy.”

Protesting Tunisians and Egyptians forced their presidents to resign and sparked similar demonstrations in Libya where citizens want Muammar Gaddafi, who has been in power for over four decades, to quit. In other Arab nations, mostly in the Middle East, people are thronging streets protesting in a similar manner.

And President Banda urged Zambians to show the world that they could conduct election campaigns and vote in an environment of peace and goodwill. He urged politicians from both the ruling and the opposition to wish each other well.

“Let us conduct our campaigns with respect for those who have to choose whether or not to vote for us. Zambia is well known for being a haven of peace in a generally troubled continent, and I am proud of that,” President Banda said.

He said the government was supportive of cultural development and that this year, with the support of UNESCO, the government had facilitated a community-based inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of the Ngoni people.

President Banda said if the weather patterns remained good, the province would realise another bumper harvest.

And Paramount Chief Mpezeni commended the government for increasing the Constituency Development Fund and urged it to increase the fund further in order to achieve higher levels of development to the people.

Mpezeni, whose speech was read by N’cwala ceremony national organising committee chairperson Robinson Zulu, urged the government to continue with the Farmer Input Support Programme.

He said poverty in rural areas could only be reduced through viable agricultural policies. The paramount chief commended the government for the various developmental programmes in the country.

Mpezeni also presented awards to outstanding Ngoni people that included late Ken Ngondo, Professor Patrick Mvunga, Tom Mtine, Govert Daka, late Layford Mbawe and late Fikizolo Jere.

The paramount chief donated some wheelchairs to the disabled.

The ceremony was attended by Paramount Chief Kalonga Gawa Undi, senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II, diplomats and many other notable people from both the local and international community.

Labels: EGYPT, FISP, ROBINSON ZULU, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 11:01 AM