Maravi

Rupiah’s leadership is full of senseless rule, says Simuusa

Rupiah’s leadership is full of senseless rule, says Simuusa
By By Edwin Mbulo
Sun 13 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda’s leadership is full of parroting and senseless rule, says an opposition parliamentarian. In an interview, PF Nchanga member of parliament Wilbur Simuusa said the high poverty and unemployment levels that have driven Egyptians to protest were higher in Zambia than the North African nation.

“Zambia has been driven from a middle income nation to one of the poorest in the world because of what I can describe as President Rupiah Banda’s leadership which is filled with parroting and senseless rule,” Simuusa said.

He said 2011 was a time for Zambians to work together and vote the MMD out of office as it had only managed to create a lot of job loses especially on the Copperbelt.

“President Rupiah Banda has managed to paint a rosy picture of a retrogressive regime, they MMD are boasting of high copper prices when in actual fact we are only getting three per cent from mining revenues,” he said. “Admittedly copper prices are going up but who are the beneficiaries? It is the Chinese and the Muzungu’s white investors who own the mines,” he said.

Simuusa said the government was painting a good picture of a gloomy poverty situation in Zambia.

“Egyptians are protesting over poverty levels which stand at 40 per cent, in Zambia the levels are at 80 per cent, the North Africans also protested against the high unemployment levels which stand at 11 per cent while in Zambia it is at 50 per cent and the Copperbelt has the highest rate at 22 per cent,” he said.

Simuusa said labour minister Austin Liato should just admit that his government cannot give Zambians a better minimum wage instead of saying that people were happy.

“We don’t have the ability to compare ourselves with other countries and the MMD should learn to admit failure,” said Simuusa.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, WYLBUR SIMUUSA

posted by MrK @ 3:14 AM