MMD hasn’t lost ground in N/Province - Rupiah

MMD hasn’t lost ground in N/Province - Rupiah
By Kabanda Chulu in Chililabombwe
Sun 06 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda says the MMD's loss in the Mporokoso by-elections is not an indication that the party is losing ground in Northern Province.

And President Banda says the government will continue enhancing the participation of the private sector in infrastructure development because it releases public resources that government should spend on other priority sectors.

When asked to comment on the MMD's loss in Mporokoso on Friday, President Banda said the ruling party had not lost ground in the area.

“It is very sad but it is just one seat and losing ground is not possible. And I rate my chances very high even in Mporokoso because I think in elections whose data I will keep a secret from you but it is very strong, we shall reorganise ourselves but that is politics,” President Banda said. “It is like boxing. They hit you and you fall down but you wake up and start creating fear in your opponent and you keep on and you can win the fight even though you had fallen once.”

President Banda congratulated the PF for winning the elections.

“I think we gave it the best we can but that's democracy and that's what we are talking about. We must go to elections to win or to lose and when you lose you must congratulate the other and wait for the next round,” President Banda said.

PF's Maynard Misapa beat MMD's Dominic Musonda, UNIP's Anthony Nkonde and NAREP's Joyce Mukando in Thursday's Mporokoso by-election.

And officially commissioning the US$25 million-modern and upgraded facilities at Kasumbalesa border post in Chililabombwe, President Banda said the government alone could not manage to build the infrastructure needed to develop the country.

“As a result, government recognises the role of the private sector as a partner in infrastructure development since resources that government will have spent on infrastructural development are then used for other equally important requirements including health and education,” said President Banda.

“With this consideration, my government approved and adopted the public private partnership policy aimed at increasing efficiency in infrastructure and service delivery because the private sector partners will not only bring finances but also technology and management skills.”

Meanwhile, DR Congo's Katanga Province Governor Moise Katumbi said some Zambian opposition politicians were behaving like empty drums for not appreciating what President Banda had achieved during the past two years in office.

Katumbi, whose speech sounded like a campaign message for President Banda's MMD, said despite putting up a modern border facility, people would still criticise since that was their job.

“Some opposition politicians in Zambia are like empty drums thus making a lot of noise and they fail to appreciate the achievements of President Banda in the last two years but we say 'utatasha mwana wa ndoshi he who does not appreciate is a child of a wizard'. I know Zambia very well since I come from Luapula and President Banda is doing a commendable job but some opposition politicians are liars,” Katumbi said.

“Ask them if they have built even a toilet 'ifintu fintu umwene, ine balintamfya ku Zambia ati naliiba They chased me from Zambia, accusing me of theft but it's me who took the Zambian government to court. And we are happy with these facilities and we intend to put up similar structures on our side since President Kabila is committed to doing so.”