Maravi

PF took-over a disorderly government, says NGO

PF took-over a disorderly government, says NGO
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Sun 30 Sep. 2012, 10:00 CAT

THE PF need time to deliver on their campaign promises because they took over a disorderly government, says Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Zambia resident director Henier Naumann.

And Naumann says he "trusts in the professional capabilities" of Wynter Kabimba to act independently as Minister of Justice without neglecting his duties as PF secretary general.

Reflecting on the first year of President Michael Sata and the PF in government, Naumann said the current regime took over a difficult job.

He said the renewed anti-corruption crusade and introduction of strong social elements to the robust growing economy epitomized the first one year of the performance of the PF in government.

"They have taken over a very difficult job; the government was in a disorderly position and they tried by all means to start the fight against corruption and to slowly introduce some social elements into the policy," Naumann said in interview.

He said the introduction of the social elements in the country's economy would ensure the concerns of ordinary Zambians that the high economic growth rate had not made a dent on high poverty levels were addressed.

"Now, there was a lot of discussion in the country why the PF has joined the Socialist International and there were some fears in the country that the PF would go a socialist way," Naumann said.

"These have no basis; the Socialist International is a gathering of social democratic parties worldwide, for example, then British Labour Party is a member, Germany's Social Democratic Party is a member...these are political parties with policy directions which do not interfere into the economy - at least not in a strong way that they nationalise or they put too much regulation in the economy."

He said the strong social elements of the government in the economy did not threaten private sector investment which had been responsible for the recent robust economic growth rates in the country.

"The government is aware that the economic roles in the past have come from the mining sector and from private investments into the mining sector and I am sure they will treat the private sector in a way that they are willing to invest further and they can attract further foreign direct investments into the country and that only this can be the basis for social programmes," he said.

Naumann said although the government had shown willingness to deliver on its key campaign promises, it still showed some administrative weakness which he said should give insight to the regime in implementing policies in the next four years.

"I would want to rank myself in the calls of those saying give the PF more time in order to fulfil the promises in their manifesto," he said. "Any engine of a motor needs time to run smoothly and the start of the PF was everything but good; the Ministry of Labour was reorganised four times; it takes sometime before the machinery of the new government could work and then we can expect some good results.

Some concerns on the international side towards the devolution of power; that has to be seen. Promises were made but the real decentralisation policy has not been submitted. The PF has promised in their manifesto the independence of the Judiciary - I think that has not brought some tangible results but we have to give them some time."

Asked to comment on the appointment of Kabimba as justice minister following the retirement of Sebastian Zulu in unexplained circumstances last month, Naumann said he was confident that Kabimba would act independently in the two positions.

"I can't comment on the decision of the Zambian government, I foresee a slight problem that somebody who has to organise the party has to be at the same time be the custodian of an independent Judiciary," said Naumann. "But I trust in the professional capabilities of Wynter Kabimba that he can change the two functions and can act independently as Minister of Justice and the other side does not neglect his duties as PF secretary general but it has to be seen. In the international comparison, it is an unusual construction that the secretary general of a party is at the same time the Minister of Justice."

Labels: FRIEDRICH EBERT STIFTUNG, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 6:50 PM