Maravi

Rupiah wants to please voters with free houses, says Bishop Banda

Rupiah wants to please voters with free houses, says Bishop Banda
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola and Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 18 Apr. 2011, 04:02 CAT

The decision by President Rupiah Banda to write off outstanding balances on housing units on the Copperbelt is an act of desperation, says Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Alick Banda.

In his homily during Palm Sunday celebrations at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Bishop Banda said the decision by the government to write off the balances was an election campaign gimmick for the ruling MMD.

Bishop Banda said the MMD was pleasing people in the run-up to the elections because it wanted to retain government power at all costs.

“They want to please people by giving them these housing units for free because they want votes but it is difficult to win back the minds of the people if they have already decided that they want change,”Bishop Banda said.

He said if people on the Copperbelt had decided that they wanted change of government nothing would happen.

Bishop Banda said first Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda tried to make moves to win support in 1991 when people had already made their minds that they wanted change and nothing happened.

“Kaunda tried to do the same in 1991 it failed; Chiluba did the same when he attempted to go for a third term bid - it also failed because people wanted change. The current government is doing the same by giving people houses and other things but it will not help them if people want change,” Bishop Banda said.

He said the suffering of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection should unite the Church.

Bishop Banda said Christians must be inspired by the work of Jesus Christ who stood for the poor and preached the gospel for the emancipation of mankind.

During a press briefing at Hotel Edinburgh in Kitwe on Saturday, President Banda directed that all outstanding balances on over 3,386 housing units on the Copperbelt be written off and sitting tenants be given letters of sale.

President Banda said the MMD home ownership policy was not meant to punish people through exorbitant pricing of houses.

“It is meant to empower people and not shackle them as they move towards prosperity and with immediate effect all outstanding balances owed by sitting tenants intending to buy houses should be written off and I direct the Commissioner of Lands to expedite the issuance of title deeds because my government wants to provide all Zambians with security and stability they should have by right,” said President Banda.

Earlier during the official commissioning of a mini-hospital in Ndeke Village and launching of mobile hospital units on the Copperbelt, President Banda said he has become ‘deaf’ in order to stop listening to insults uttered by opposition parties that want to distract his eyes off the ball (elections).

“They will not manage and if I were to listen to these distractions, I would not have done these achievements and the money we are earning as revenue from copper is being used to build hospitals and schools and roads rehabilitation which I will soon launch here on the Copperbelt even if opposition parties say I am campaigning but development should not suffer and my government will continue working,” he said.

Labels: ALICK BANDA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:14 PM