Maravi

We're following manifesto - PF

We're following manifesto -PF
By Henry Sinyangwe
Sun 02 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT

PATRIOTIC Front secretary general Wynter Kabimba has assured the nation that the government will stick to its programmes in delivering development to the people as enshrined in the ruling party's manifesto.

And Dr Mbita Chitala says the PF will be able to answer the various challenges facing the country as they move into the second year of the mandate Zambians gave them. Meanwhile, Dr Fred Mutesa hopes the PF will make the transition into a ruling party and get to real business in their second year of office.

Commenting on observations by UK-based Professor Clive Chirwa that he was hopeful the PF would completely transform itself into a ruling party by the end of the year and beginning to focus on delivering development to the people, Kabimba yesterday said there were no adjustments to the PF's programmes.

He said the ruling party was following its manifesto.

''The question is 'are you focused as a political party, and do you have a programme that you want to deliver as a government? And to I say 'yes we are'; the PF when it was voted into government last year in September, we had a programme in place and that programme is still in circulation both in the civil service and outside the civil service," said Kabimba.

Kabimba said the party needed skilled and experienced manpower to implement its programmes and the party went into negotiations with some MMD members who were now deputy ministers.

"We do not want our country to go the MMD route of a polarised society and a polarised country, we want every Zambian that has skills to be given an opportunity to participate in developing our country. These skills are not only in the PF but they are also outside PF.

So there is a story of negotiations that went into persuading some of our colleagues from outside PF like the deputy ministers from the MMD to come and join the government. His Excellency the President Michael Sata identified their skills as being important towards the programme that we have as a party," Kabima said.

And Dr Chitala, the Zambia Research Foundation director, said Prof Chirwa's submissions were consistent with what the country required in ensuring growth of the economy.

He said the first year of every government everywhere was lost out because the process of governing in real terms took some time.

Dr Chitala urged government to come up with a growth budget that would inspire social-economic development.

"Professor Chirwa's submissions appear to be consistent with what we have been observing. He talks about the challenges of eradicating poverty in our country requiring growth of the economy through value addition to our products.

That should be the way we should be approaching the whole issue of the growth of our economy and I think all people of good will would want to ensure that the PF succeeds in managing the affairs of our country, Chitala said.

The challenges now are to do with job creation, economic growth and poverty reduction. I think the challenge that President Sata and the Minister of Finance have is to give us a growth budget in October which will emphasise massive public works like Professor Chirwa put it," he said.

"From October onwards we will see better things for our country," said Dr Chitala.

And Dr Mutesa said all serious minded people must observe that the PF has taken time to find its feet.

''All serious minded people have observed that the PF has taken time to find its feet and we can only hope that in the coming year, they will settle down to the important business of governing and developing this country," said Dr Mutesa.

"What is important is what Professor Chirwa referred to in terms of consultation; we do have institutions set up for that purpose. It is important that they are given space to offer their views on policy as well as checks and balances."

Labels: MBITA CHITALA, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 3:38 PM