Sata's win is refreshing - Wila

Sata's win is refreshing - Wila
By Ernest Chanda
Mon 03 Oct. 2011, 16:30 CAT

LUSAKA lawyer Wila Mung'omba says the desires of many Zambians could be met by President Michael Sata's administration. In his congratulatory message to President Sata, Mung'omba said the Patriotic Front's electoral victory was refreshing and provided a new start.

"Our country has enough resources to take care of our entire population, to create hope for everyone. Our children and grandchildren deserve quality health and education; they deserve to be employed when they have been trained. These desires now appear implicit in President Sata's appointment of his Cabinet," Mung'omba said on Saturday.

"I like the combination of education and science and technology. I also like the new Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health. These are landmark innovations in Zambia's health sector. Zambia still loses too many mothers at childbirth, and too many of our children even before they reach five years. I hope this new ministry will deal with these eradicable health-related problems."

Mung'omba said in the past administration, the Ministry of Community Development had been abused by the ruling party to distribute money and food to fictitious women organisations during campaigns.

He said the transfer of Early Education to the Ministry of Local Government was also significant.

Mung'omba said the move paved the way for local authorities to start getting involved in providing early education exposure to children.

"Whereas there are limited pre-school facilities in certain urban areas, there are absolutely none in rural areas. I hope the new ministry can deal with this deficit," he said.

"I congratulate President Michael Sata very heartily on his election as President of the Republic of Zambia. I also hasten to congratulate him on his perspective and well-balanced Cabinet. There could have been more women in it, but on the whole, it is a Cabinet that for a long time comes with fewer ministers carrying their own tags of corruption and incompetence."

And Mung'omba said the new Ministry of Labour, Sport, Youth and Gender must be looked at in terms of expanded education and health policy.

He said when the youth get trained, they must look forward to making a decent life for themselves and contribute to the development of their country through decent jobs.

"Social security is still too weak in Zambia and I hope that these reforms are aimed at reducing the current uncertainty. The levels of poverty we have seen since 1990 have been a result of poor policies. Education had stopped to be a priority and jobs were for the favoured few," said Mung'omba.

"Every Zambian has a right to employment. A nation that fails to prioritise education cannot develop and will always remain vulnerable to poverty. Every government ministry must endeavour to exploit any educational component in it to advance knowledge and, therefore, efficiency and productivity. The winning of elections by the Patriotic Front is refreshing. It is a new start. The President deserves support of the Zambian people. There is always strength in unity. So I congratulate the President and his cabinet."