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(LUSAKATIMES) Sata pledge to wipe out graft in his first Independence Day message to the nation

Sata pledge to wipe out graft in his first Independence Day message to the nation
TIME PUBLISHED - Monday, October 24, 2011, 6:08 am

PRESIDENT Sata says his government will remain resolute on the fight against corruption to help put Zambia back on the path of social and sustainable economic development.

Mr Sata said corruption is a cancer which derails national development, and that meaningful sustainable development can only be achieved if the vice is wiped out of the country.

President Sata said this in his address to the nation last evening ahead of today’s Zambia’s 47th independence anniversary, whose theme is, Rejuvenating our Prosperity, Patriotism through the Fight against Corruption.

He said the Patriotic Front (PF) government has declared a zero tolerance to corruption because Zambia is in a hurry to develop and improve the lives of its citizens.

“Corruption is a cancer which delays and derails national development by fattening the pockets of a few selfish individuals at the expense of the majority.

“It is for this reason that the PF government intends to rejuvenate the fight against corruption and greed so that we may achieveprosperity and patriotism,” President Sata said.

He said the government will remain resolute to improving the lives of its people because of the overwhelming mandate that the Zambian people have given it to fulfill the promises made during the election campaigns and subsequent pronouncements.

President Sata said the Zambian people have lost their dignity in their own country because they have been deliberately impoverished through theft and plunder by the people in whom they entrusted their well-being.

President Sata said Zambia is in a hurry to move forward and hungry for development. The PF government has, therefore, declared zero tolerance on corruption to help build a better and prosperous nation.

“By putting us in office, your message was loud and clear. You wanted a better Zambia, a Zambia in which corruption, poverty, injustice and indignity are no more.

“A Zambia of equal opportunities for all, a Zambia where hard work, honesty, integrity and patriotism are not options but hallmarks of citizens’ commitment to the national cause,” he said.

President Sata said the PF government will remain firm on fulfilling all its election promises in realising its vision for a better Zambia. He said using the overwhelming mandate the people gave to the party, Government intends to ensure that it does all it can to uplift the living standards of the people.

“Today, the 24th October, 2011, we celebrate our 47th independence anniversary. It is a time when Zambians should have great joy and pride in themselves and their country.

“We celebrate our liberty and freedom from the shackles of colonialism, freedom from indignity and oppression that we suffered at the hands of our colonial masters. Indeed, freedom to govern and determine our own future, our destiny in building our own nation,” President Sata said.

He said even as the country celebrates 47 years of independence, Zambians should not trust in the arm of man, but thank God for his mercies for giving the people peace and unity despite the country facing many failures and challenges.

President Sata said Zambians should thank God for guiding the country peacefully through the September 20 tripartite elections as well as bringing the people together.

He said elections are now over and that the will of the majority has spoken, hence the need for all Zambians to pull together and put aside partisan interests and contribute effectively to national development.

President Sata called on all Zambians to join hands in working for a better Zambia for all.

“Let us spend our time as productively as possible while your government puts in motion policies and programmes that will trigger the creation of jobs, wealth and more money into people’s pockets.

“The independence we celebrate today was attained at a great cost. Our founding fathers and mothers spared nothing in freeing us from the yoke of colonialism. No pain was too hard for them to bear, no load was too heavy to carry, no life was too precious to lose for the cause of freedom, prosperity and dignity for mother Zambia,” he said.

President Sata said the independence anniversary is a time to renew people’s individual and collective commitment to building a better and more prosperous Zambia as envisioned by the country’s founding fathers and mothers.

He said the freedom is meaningless if it is not translated into better living standards through more jobs for the people.

President Sata called on all Zambians to renew their commitment to and patriotism in building a Zambia where every youth, every mother, every father, uncle and aunt will find a job, decent shelter, clothing and food.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Labels: INDEPENDENCE, MICHAEL SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:42 PM