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(DAILY MAIL ZM) 10 years in power enough - Scott

10 years in power enough - Scott
‘...koswe nga aikalisha mung’anda, alalya nakasuba’

VICE-President Guy Scott with his wife, Charlotte, and PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba sharing a light moment during a breakfast meeting at Hotel Intercontinental in Lusaka yesterday. - Picture by JOHN NGOMA.

VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott yesterday recommended that political parties should limit their stay in office to at least 10 years to avoid being complacent.

Dr Scott said 10 years is enough and not wamuyayaya (eternal) as the case was previously. It was in reference to the UNIP reign of 27 years under first President Kenneth Kaunda.

This was the first time a senior Zambian political leader was discussing publicly the limiting of a political party’s stay in office instead of rolling out a strategy to stay in office forever as Zambia’s democracy continues to grow.

Dr Scott, who calls himself a Chola Boy (right-hand man of President Sata), cracked the audience with laughter over a breakfast meeting when he fluently recited a Bemba saying that goes: “Koswe nga akokola mung’anda ala lya nakasuba (when a mouse overstays in a house, it openly eats during the day).

Dr Scott was speaking during a question and answer session at a working breakfast at Hotel Intercontinental, hosted by the Patriotic Front (PF) Women’s League.

Dr Scott caused more laughter and earned himself applause when he added that the “rat actually graduates from eating during day time to flipping through television channels.”

University of Zambia lecturer Gerald Mwale said he was encouraged by Dr Scott’s statement on limiting the duration a party can stay in office at a time that most parties want to remain in office forever.

“This is very encouraging and ought to be commended because it shows that the current crop of politicians have a life beyond politics,” Mr Mwale said.

“They don’t want to make politics as their economic livelihood as the case has been in the past… this type of thinking must be encouraged,” he said.

Dr Scott said it is easy to lose focus when one overstays, adding: “We constantly need to review Governments and for me, 10 years in power is enough.”

He said it is critical for Government to change hands in good time to enhance democracy.

Dr Scott said economic prosperity is closely linked to political change.

The MMD stayed in power for 20 years in which it changed Presidents three times.

He also disclosed that Government is working on plans to list more public companies on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LUSE).

He was responding to a question from Luse chief executive Beatrice Nkanza, who wanted to know if Government intends to list more public companies on the local bourse in order to boost its growth.

“As soon as the ministries of Commerce and Finance work out policy memorandum, the Government will release huge chunks of public companies on the stock market,” Dr Scott said.

Dr Scott said the PF Government believes in a free market and will encourage privatisation.

“What we are fighting is the bogus privatisation that happened in the past two to three years. We don’t wish to repeat the mistake,” Dr Scott said.

He said the PF Government will be happier with honest privatisation.
Dr Scott said during the last three years, selective rules were applied on certain foreign investments. He said there were special deals on taxation, immigration and other selective rules.

He said the PF Government will treat all foreign investments equally.
And PF secretary-general Wynter Kabimba, who also attended the breakfast meeting, said it is criminal for political parties to use Government resources for their operations.

“We have tried to completely separate the party from Government. We will not dip our fingers into Government coffers,” he said.

Mr Kabimba said the party is on an intensive recruitment drive for more members.

“We need more educated and dedicated members to join our party. We want people who can help to develop this country,” he said.

Others in attendance were ministers for Defence Geoffrey Mwamba, Mines Wylbur Simuusa and Traditional and Chiefs Affairs Inonge Wina, among others.

Dr Scott also said President Sata should have actually become President in 2000 and not 20 years later after being “dribbled” and that as “his chola boy, I always knew he would lead the country one day.”

Labels: GUY SCOTT, PF, TERM LIMITS, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 7:10 PM