Maravi

Pastor fears poverty-induced chaos

Pastor fears poverty-induced chaos
By Sheikh Chifuwe in Mpika
Tue 24 May 2011, 03:30 CAT

A MPIKA clergyman says the country needs spiritual intervention to avert a disaster which might come about due to escalating poverty levels.

During a public discussion organised by the Press Freedom Committee of The Post at CIMS Restaurant in Mpika, Pastor Clement Kaunda of the Baptist Church warned that the country could be plunged into chaos if a lasting solution to the alarming poverty levels was not found.

Pastor Kaunda said it was unhealthy for parents to continue sending their children to sell food along the highway just to earn a living. “When I look at the poverty levels in our country, my heart bleeds.

Unless there is intervention, we are headed for a disaster,” said Pastor Kaunda on Thursday. “Under this government, we don’t seem to be getting anywhere. It’s really frustrating to some of us.”

During the discussion, some Mpika residents said the high poverty levels could only be eradicated if President Rupiah Banda’s government was replaced by a responsible leadership that would value and uphold citizens’ dignity. Rogers Chinyeke said Zambia was not a poor nation as portrayed by those in power.

Chinyeke said most people were wallowing in abject poverty due to selfish leaders who had continued to mismanage the country’s economy. He said the government had even refused to re-introduce the windfall tax in the mining sector.

Shadrick Nkole said the nation could do much better with a party that would rise above the mess that the MMD government had caused through unnecessary presidential trips and the continuous misuse of resources by ministers.

“The country needs a responsible head of state that has a fatherly heart and can work with anyone without looking at the political and religious background of individuals to prevail over the mess that has been caused by the ruling MMD,” Nkole said.

The residents resolved to sensitise villagers in remote areas since it was clear that many people wanted regime change. They called for the use of the parallel vote tabulation in this year’s elections to reduce electoral fraud.

Labels: MPIKA, POVERTY

posted by MrK @ 5:24 PM