Maravi

Ministers failing to explain policy, says Siabutuba
By Gift Chanda
Wed 25 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT

SOME ministers have difficulties explaining very basic and straightforward government policies to the people, says former CSPR board chairperson Partner Siabutuba.

Commenting on President Michael Sata's call on ministers to explain developmental achievements under the PF's tenure, Siabutuba said some ministers behave like they do not believe in the President's vision.

"The President is spot-on to urge his ministers to go out and explain government development success. But ministers need to also go out and explain government programmes and policies so that people can understand exactly what the government's intentions are in as far as bringing development is concerned," Siabutuba said in an interview.

"What is worrying however is that some of the ministers have difficulties explaining very basic and straightforward policies. It is as if they don't believe in the vision of President Sata himself or the PF manifesto."

President Sata last week questioned why ministers and party officials have remained quiet when people and opposition leaders like United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema were busy attacking the party.

He told the ministers to explain the government's succeses, saying nobody was going to defend the party and the government if they did not protect party policies from attacks and explain to the nation what the government was doing.

But Siabutuba said unless ministers fully understood both President Sata's vision and the PF manifesto, they would somewhat "sabotage" all efforts to take the country forward.

"Therefore, the President must not just end at encouraging his ministers to just go out and explain development success. He should challenge them to also understand and appreciate government and PF's vision so that they can go out and explain the vision perfectly to the grassroots," he said.

Meanwhile, Siabutuba said the government needs to explain how the electronic voucher system would be used in the distribution of farming inputs under the state-run Farmer Input Support Programme.
He explained that some farmers in Southern Province were panicking as information on the e-voucher system has been scanty.

"...and panic is not good when you are heading into the farming season," said Siabutuba.

Labels: PARTNER SIABUTUBA, POLICY

posted by MrK @ 10:17 AM