Mapoma counsels Sata's ministers

Mapoma counsels Sata's ministers
By Joseph Mwenda
Sun 08 Jan. 2012, 14:00 CAT

MINISTERS should emulate President Michael Sata's principle and avoid living luxurious lives to ensure that the PF government makes a difference in the lives of the majority poor, advises Kenneth Kaunda's former special assistant for economic affairs James Mapoma.

Mapoma, 86 who was Dr Kaunda's longest serving economic advisor between 1986-1992, said nothing will change in Zambia if government leaders do not avoid the mistake that former leaders have made in the previous governments.

In January 2009, President Sata, then opposition leader, advised leaders in government to be selfless and deliver services to the people of Zambia.

President Sata had said selfless leadership is the only path through which Zambia will attain the necessary prosperity.

He said Zambia would not go anywhere without transforming its politics by imparting attributes of servant leadership.

President Sata had also said Dr Kenneth Kaunda developed Zambia to where it is today because of servant leadership.

"Nothing can change once the principle of service and selfless leadership at the top has not been taken seriously. That is why if you live a lavish life (as president), your ministers will say ‘kuti washalapofye' (you can remain behind) and start stealing government resources," Mapoma said.

He reminded President Sata that people who will take over from him will want to prosecute him but said he will not have to worry if his hands will remain clean.

"When Chiluba became president, the first thing he did was to try and bring down Kaunda. He accused him of stealing State House books and threw him into prison until there was no evidence against the old man," Mapoma said.

He, however, observed that too much looting of public resources among government leaders became more evident among government officials afterwards.

"For instance, how can someone bury billions of kwacha in the ground when millions of Zambians are suffering? During our time, Kaunda introduced a leadership code and ministers were not allowed to do any other businesses outside government. I was made to sell my shares in (then) Chilanga Cement and Pall Mall Zambia Ltd when I was appointed cabinet minister," Mapoma said.

He said that was the only way leaders were made to show sacrifice and serve with honesty and integrity.

On the windfall tax, Mapoma, also a former minister of mines, said the issue was whether the country was receiving adequate compensation for the exploitation of its mineral resources.

He said while it was true that the cost of mining and export of minerals was high in Zambia, the question of whether the country was getting enough revenue from the natural resources still remained.

"Mining companies should pay enough royalties to the country because Zambia's economy will not remain the same once our mineral assets diminish," he said. "In other countries like Chile and Botswana for example, government has channeled revenue from the copper and diamond mines towards establishing more sustainable industries which will keep the economy running and continue providing employment to the people and Zambia can do the same."

Mapoma, who was also the longest serving managing director for the Zambia Industrial Mining Corporation (ZIMCO), said the government should introduce a deliberate policy that will revive the industries in the country.

"It is a pity that our industrial sector has not developed as much considering the base that was left by UNIP," he said.

Mapoma urged the government to consider waiving import tax on certain manufacturing equipment in order to encourage more Zambian entrepreneurs to venture into the industrial sector.