Access to State House
By Editor
Wed 13 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
GARRY Nkombo, the opposition UPND member of parliament for Mazabuka, says State House needs to be accommodative to everyone. Garry says, "State House is supposed to bind us together; it must be magnetic rather than repulsive. Accessibility to State House should not just be there if a carrot is dangled".
Is Garry really serious about State House being accessible to every Zambian? We ask this question because the key leadership of his party, the UPND, does not tolerate such type of contacts with State House for its members. If Garry starts going to State House to have a chat with the President over a cup of munkoyo, tea or coffee or even some chibwantu if he takes some with him, there will be problems for him. He will be viewed by the key leadership of his party as being a sell-out, an agent.
But knowing what we know of Garry, we think he means what he is saying and is sincere about it. Garry is one of the most sensible, most reasonable, most accommodative of the UPND leaders. Garry has little difficulty straying out of the UPND laager to genuinely mix with non-members of the laager. So for him, he may see nothing wrong with having access to State House. But let him try to go to State House and see what will happen to him when he comes back to the laager.
Equally, knowing President Michael Sata, as we know him, we don't think he will refuse to welcome to State House Garry or any other Zambian who wants to see him if time permits. It is important to realise that a president of a country doesn't have much time, has very limited time because of the endless list of formal things to attend to. But we have no doubt that even with that, Michael will find time to allow Garry or any of his colleagues to have access to State House.
And moreover, for a member of parliament like him, he is part of government and the President has a duty to see him when he makes such an appointment. But we don't think that a person like Hakainde Hichilema can go to State House to see the President with the civility and humility of Garry. Just listening to the language the two speak, it is not difficult to discern the difference between them. Garry is decent to others in his language even when he is on the attack. Hakainde's language lacks civility. He is always trying to humiliate, demean or belittle others. Which independent person, other than those seeking favours from him, can entertain him? Hakainde doesn't know how to deal with political opponents, people who hold different views from his. To him, disagreement and holding a different outlook, among other things, amounts to enmity. How can such a person go to State House and visit the President? State House is not a kraal where any type of language or behaviour is permissible.
We don't think access to State House is restricted by the current principal occupant of that place. The inhibition lies in the hearts of those who don't want to go there, who can't stand the fact that today's principal occupant of State House is Michael. If someone else they accept, they like or who is probably a member of the laager occupies State House, they will have no problem going there.
If on Monday, you are denouncing someone, on Tuesday, you are insulting that same person and on Wednesday, you want to go where they reside, they will have difficulties accepting to host you. If all the time you are accusing someone of trying to kill you and then all of a sudden you start seeking an appointment to visit them, they will have difficulties opening the door for you.
The truth is the UPND leadership has engaged in the type of opposition politics that are extremely antagonistic. Hakainde himself has openly rejected the concept of a loyal opposition, misinterpreting it to mean accepting to be swallowed or to be controlled by those in the ruling party.
The truth is the majority of UPND leaders and members are afraid of being seen near State House because they will be in trouble; they will be questioned about what they were doing there. Any UPND member seen at State House risks being isolated and becoming a subject of suspicion.
If Garry really wants to see more of his colleagues in the UPND visiting State House, the starting point is to change the attitude of his party towards their members who are seen to be friendly towards Michael.
Truly, as Garry correctly observes, "State House is supposed to bind us together; it must be magnetic rather than repulsive" because State House belongs to all citizens and the President is the President of all Zambians regardless of their political affiliations. But do the key leaders of the UPND truly accept Michael as their President? We don't think they do. If they did, they would be treating him very differently from the way they do. They don't seem to have accepted him as their President despite him being very democratically elected. In a democracy, you have to accept and respect the winners. In a multi-party democracy, those in the opposition have to co-operate with the ruling party to solve problems of society. That's what loyal opposition means and demands.
We do appreciate that in the last elections, the UPND joined hands with the then ruling MMD to defeat the Patriotic Front and Michael. They failed individually and collectively to achieve that goal. The UPND was not treating Rupiah Banda the way they are treating Michael Sata, despite the fact that he led a clearly corrupt regime. Despite Hakainde accusing Rupiah of corruption, he had no difficulties embracing him and working with him. Even when Rupiah lost power, Hakainde and his party tried very hard to make sure that his presidential immunity was not removed so that he could be prosecuted for corruption. Instead, Hakainde and his party still extend solidarity to a man who clearly stole from the Zambian people. Where does that type of behaviour leave the UPND and its leaders? Are these the type of politicians one should befriend and support? Can such politicians be trusted? How does one deal with politicians who defend corruption and the corrupt the way Hakainde and his colleagues are doing?
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, MICHAEL SATA, STATE HOUSE, UPND
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Kabimba should tame his tongue - Nkombo
By Henry Sinyangwe
Wed 07 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT
GARRY Nkombo says Wynter Kabimba should tame his tongue and concentrate on delivering the party's campaign promises rather than petty politicking. And Nkombo says Kabimba, the PF secretary general advised Chinga Miyutu to resign from the UPND and join the PF because he was facing possible expulsion.
Reacting to Kabimba's statement that UPND was holding its members hostage, Nkombo who is Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament challenged the PF to own up and say delivery had failed and we just want to do politics all our lives.
"It is a very cheap affair for a man of his stature, he is a state counsel, and he must understand the rules of natural justice for him to single me out and say myself and Hakainde are the ones holding hostage other colleagues, is totally frivolous," Nkombo said.
He said Kabimba's statement was synonymous to someone that had nothing to say to the public.
"Stop getting personal; there is no reason to attack personalities. If delivery has failed, they should just own up and say delivery has failed and we just want to do politics all our lives. And the end of the day, the Zambian people expect much more from PF in general and Mr Kabimba in particular as a top executive of the party than just rantings of someone who appears to have been stung by bees. He needs to tame his tongue, he needs to conduct himself at his age and he should stop hallucinating," Nkombo said.
He said Kabimba must know that the fact that the UPND do not respond all the time does not mean that they did not have ammunition in words to respond. Nkombo said Kabimba was interfering in UPND's internal operations by getting internal correspondence.
"And what is factual regarding what he said anyway, is that in my private meeting with Honorable Miyutu, he told me that it was Mr Kabimba himself who I don't know where he had gotten this letter that UPND wrote to Mr Miyutu to exculpate himself why he did not go to campaign in Mpongwe. Mr Kabimba got hold of that letter, called Mr Miyutu and told him we have this letter, your party is planning to expel you, so before they expel you, you will be safe to work with us. And that's precisely what I meant when I said Mr Kabimba must now learn to stop meddling in affairs of other political parties and concentrate on delivering on the promises that they made to the Zambian people who were gracious enough to give them the mandate to run the country," said Nkombo.
Labels: CHINGA MIYUTU, GARRY NKOMBO, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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'South Africans are backwards' taken out of context - Scott
By Moses Kuwema
Sat 06 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott says he was quoted out of context by a British newspaper that published a statement attributed to him saying South Africans were backwards.
Vice-President Scott was responding to a question from Mazabuka UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo who wanted to know if the PF had any policy of orienting its leaders in diplomatic etiquette in view of what he termed embarrassing statements from the leaders in government that include ministers, the Vice-President and President Michael Sata.
Vice-President Scott said what he said during the interview with the Guardian Newspaper of the UK was that historically, South Africans were backward as they only got their independence 2O years ago.
"There is no policy to orient the President on diplomatic etiquette. You want the President to be in class and be lectured to? And what I said during that interview was that historically, South Africans were backwards as they only got their independence 20 years ago, whereas Zambia got its independence 50 years ago. That's what I said and the guy who interviewed me decided to remove certain things and I can't stop the press from publishing what they feel," Vice-President Scott said in Parliament.
And Vice-President Scott said the government would not return to the old system of price control.
Responding to a question from Vubwi MMD member of parliament Dr Eustarckio Kazonga who wanted to know the government's policy on price control, Vice-President Scott said the government was aware of the past experiences and would not go back to the system of price control.
He said the government was only interested in having cheaper goods for the people and for more people to access loans and build houses.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Scott said the Electoral Commission of Zambia Act states that a candidate cannot withdraw from an election after the nomination.
This was in response to Lupososhi PF member of parliament Bwalya Chungu who wanted clarity on reports that MMD candidate in the Kafulafuta by-elections Evelyn Mwanawasa had withdrawn from the race.
Vice-President Scott, however, said a candidate could instead withdraw their zeal and enthusiasm in the by-election.
During the same session, Vice-President Scott said the situation in areas near Mozambique was well under control.
He was responding to Chipangali MMD member of parliament Vincent Mwale who wanted to know what measures the government was putting in place to avoid the recurrence of what happened in the 1980s when a civil war broke out in Mozambique between the Renamo and Frelimo, in which most Zambians who were living near the neighbouring country suffered.
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, GUY SCOTT
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Kabimba and I are now good buddies - GBM
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Fri 15 Feb. 2013, 15:20 CAT
PEOPLE should not refer to my quarrels with Wynter Kabimba as squabbles within the PF, says Geoffrey Mwamba.
And Mwamba says he and Kabima have come out to be "good buddies" following their differences.
Speaking during a good governance radio programme on Radio Mosi-oa-Tunya on Wednesday, Mwamba, who is defence minister, said both understand each other.
"Somebody asked me that there are squabbles in PF and I said no, there are no squabbles; he even referred to me and Wynter Kabimba.
I and Wynter are both Cabinet ministers and we are working together and we don't seem to have problems. So people should not refer to my quarrels with Wynter Kabimba as squabbles in the party; that is long gone. Even in your home, we quarrel at time with our wives who are our best friends, it is normal and healthy. It is a pity that it has to get to the ears of the public," Mwamba said.
"Look here, me and Wynter have come out very strong, and we have come out to be good buddies. We have come out to be good friends, because we understand each other; he knows what I don't like and I know what he doesn't like. But what I can assure you is that the PF is intact and we shall remain united."
Kabimba and Mwamba were perceived to be engaged in a fight over who should take over as leader of the PF from President Michael Sata.
And speaking earlier when he met PF campaigners in Dambwa Site and Service, Mwamba said the February 28 by-elections were a litmus test for the PF in Southern Province.
"We shall not fight them, even if they use the Mapatizya formula, we have to be above board. This is the right time for the PF to have a parliamentary seat in Southern Province, so allow me to introduce the Kasama formula in Livingstone. Even if they use the Mapatizya formula, we shall use the Kasama formula, the don't Kubeba formula," he said.
And PF Southern Province political secretary Brian Hapunda said the PF was a peaceful party.
"Just a few days ago the UPND campaign manager Garry Nkombo defamed our President, he insulted our President, ordinarily what we should have done as cadres is that we should have reacted and this place would have been a no go area for Nkombo but here we are we meet and shake hands, so who is provocative? I was in the UPND and I know that the Mapatizya formula means beating," said Hapunda.
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, GBM, MICHAEL SATA, WYNTER KABIMBA
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COMMENT - I guess when it comes down to it, everyone is in favour of land reform. Let's hope they didn't talk about Zimbabwe with a sneer when it was their time of need and they sacrificed when they were getting their land back. Land reform in Zambia, who would have though it. It isn't just Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Botswana.
Nalubamba endorses calls to empower locals with land
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 06 Dec. 2012, 09:20 CAT
SENIOR Chief Bright Nalubamba says the government should empower indigenous Zambians with land. Last week, several members of parliament requested lands minister Wylbur Simuusa to make sure indigenous Zambians are empowered with land.
And commenting on the matter, chief Nalubamba of the Ila people in Namwala district of Southern Province, said the calls were in the interest of Zambians.
"This is a progressive call for the benefit of the Zambian people; that is a welcome move. They must repossess because land is wealth for the people," he said yesterday.
When informed that some members of parliament had also asked government to protect traditional leaders who were being enticed by some foreign investors to sell huge chunks of traditional land, Nalubamba said: "If that has been done against the wishes of the people, the communities at rural level, that land must definitely be returned to the people at community level. I know that as traditional leaders, we are not only restricted to sell land to our people at community level, but they must be given priority because they are our people."
Debating the 2013 estimates of expenditure for the Ministry of Lands on Thursday, all the lawmakers passionately requested Simuusa to repossess idle land after carrying out an audit and give it to indigenous Zambians.
Mazabuka UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo asked Simuusa to dismantle what he termed the 'colonial land tenure system'.
"Her Majesty the Queen of England gratified some people with land post World War II and these are the same people who own a lot of land in Zambia. There are so many foreigners owning land in this country while indigenous Zambians have nothing," said Nkombo.
"I therefore urge the government to provide this ministry with more money as they regularise what is irregular. The colonial land tenure we inherited must now start dismantling. Any land that has not been used in the last 100 years must be audited and given to Zambians for use."
Mpongwe MMD member of parliament Gabriel Namulambe called for serious land reforms.
Labels: BRIGHT NALUBAMBA, CHIEFS, GABRIEL NAMULAMBE, GARRY NKOMBO, LAND REFORM, MMD, WYLBUR SIMUUSA
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Nkombo pledges never to work with PF govt
By Kabanda Chulu
Sun 30 Sep. 2012, 09:30 CAT
MAZABUKA UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo has vowed never to work with President Sata's government because it is intolerant to diverse views.
And gender minister Inonge Wina has advised men who are emotionally stressed and traumatised to come out in the open and seek help.
Contributing to debate on President Sata's address to Parliament, where he offered to work with members of opposition parties, Nkombo, whose statement was continuously interrupted by running commentaries from PF members, said it was good that the Head of State had admitted the lack of expertise among PF members.
"It is good that President Sata has offered to work with the opposition but if the PF government remains intolerant to diverse views, and continues infringing on human rights by unleashing state agents like police on innocent Zambians, and continues applying dictatorial tendencies, then I decline to work with his government," Nkombo said.
"It is sad that the draconian nature of the PF has transcended from the political field into the Church and this compels me not to work with them. If PF wants a one-party state, let them bring a law to Parliament and we shall gladly step aside to do other things."
He said the PF government was quickly helping 'themselves' out of power.
"There is abuse of the public order Act, but people are watching; even when you gag them, subdue the truth, things will still come out. President Sata is a President for all Zambians but personally I didn't swear to be abused by any human being," said Nkombo.
Solwezi Central MMD member of parliament Lucky Mulusa said President Sata's speech missed out an opportunity to rekindle hope in the nation.
"He was supposed to highlight what they have done during the past year and what they hope to do in the coming year with proper indicators so that people can look forward to see changes in their livelihoods," said Mulusa.
And responding to Monze member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu, who asked if it was government position not to condemn violence against men but quickly condemn the vice if the victims were women, Wina said that there were few cases concerning males.
"Also there is complete silence by men but if there are victims, men beaten by their spouses, let them come out and seek help instead of remaining emotionally stressed and traumatised," said Wina.
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, INONGE WINA, JACK MWIIMBU, PF
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Zambia Sugar's defiance on fired workers angers Mazabuka PF
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Sat 10 Mar. 2012, 12:57 CAT
THE Patriotic Front in Mazabuka district is not happy with
Zambia Sugar management for refusing to heed labour deputy minister Rayford Mbulu's directive to immediately reinstate the dismissed general workers.And Mazabuka member of parliament Garry Nkombo says Zambia Sugar management should not use legality to punish the fired employees because management also erred. Nkombo said the company should reinstate the workers unconditionally in order to promote industrial harmony.
Last week, Mbulu gave company management a 24-hour ultimatum to reinstate the casual workers who were protesting against a decision to reduce daily rate from K63,773 to K31,773.
But Patriotic Front district chairperson Gift Hanziba said the stubbornness of the company management was regrettable and would not be entertained by the ruling party.
Hanziba said the company management should be courageous and accept that it made a mistake instead of being defensive on violation of workers' rights.
He complained that the affected casual workers had been warned not to step foot at the company offices by director of human resources, Doreen Kabunda, despite the government ordering her to ensure they reported back to work.
"We wonder who Zambia Sugar Company is going to listen to since the directive by government has been rejected by management. What the company management should appreciate is that you do not antagonise yourselves with government because it's a key stakeholder as far as policy issues are concerned. In fact, most companies respect government directives because it is only sad that Zambia Sugar does not want to abide by the directives," he said.
Hanziba urged the Ministry of Labour to take necessary action against the company for refusing to respect government directives.
Zambia Sugar Corporate Affairs director Lovemore Sievu refused to comment on the matter.
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, LABOUR, RAYFORD MBULU, ZAMBIA SUGAR COMPANY
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George Kunda is mentally unstable and a danger to society-UPND presidential spokesperson
Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 13:48
The United Party for National Development (UPND) has demanded that vice president, George Kunda steps down on medical grounds, alleging that he is suffering from a panic mental disorder that has led to his biomedical insanity state.
Reacting to Mr Kunda’s statement yesterday that UPND Members of Parliament want to expel their president Hakainde Hichilema for failing the party and replace him with Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo, with his Siavonga counterpart , Douglas Siakalima as his deputy, Mr Siakalima alleged that Mr. Kunda has lately been suffering from an obsessive disorder which makes him very unfit to ran the nation in the absence of president Rupiah Banda who left the country for China yesterday.
He has since appealed to president Banda to remove Mr. Kunda from his position as vice president alleging that he is mentally unstable and a danger to society. Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka this morning, Mr Siakalima said the vice president has lately been making a number of unwarranted statements against the UPND because the ruling MMD is stiff scared of the UPND and the pact as a whole.
Meanwhile Mr. Siakalima who is the UPND presidential spokesperson says UPND leader, Hikainde Hichilema is unstoppable and that no war, law or man ill stop him. He said Mr. Hichilema is well prepared to take on any challenge that might come his way because he is properly advised and surrounded by people who are confident in his works.
And speaking at the same briefing, Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo said the vice president is bringing the nation into ridicule by failing to comply with the standards of his dignified office. He describes Mr Kunda as a liar and a man who has sown a seed of discontentment in the UPND, but assures him that seed will not grow because the party is cemented on its own values and principles.
Mr Kunda yesterday said some UPND MPs are discontented that Mr Hichilema has offloaded the party to the Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata where Mr Hichilema has been sidelined. Mr Kunda said the UPND members of Parliament are allegedly preparing to hound out Mr Hichilema and replace him with Mazabuka Central MP Gary Nkombo while Siavonga MP Douglas Siakalima will assume the position of deputy president.
Mr Kunda made the revelations to some MMD cadres and Government officials after his arrival at the Livingstone International Airport.
QFM
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, GEORGE KUNDA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, UPND
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Nkombo urges NGOs to check engagement of foreign investors
By Florence Bupe
Wed 17 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MAZABUKA Central member of parliament Garry Nkombo has challenged civil society organisations to provide checks and balances for the government in the engagement of foreign investors.
Nkombo said civil society organisations should move away from being talk shops, but ensure that they engageg the government and monitored its relations with foreign investors.
“Civil society organisations should learn to engage government on the relationship they have with foreign investors,” he said.
Nkombo observed that local people were usually disadvantaged because the government offered incentives to foreign investors at the expense of local communities.
He said civil society organisations needed to make government accountable in critical areas such as the tax regime as this had a bearing on the well being and economic development of the nation.
“For instance, how much has civil society engaged, tried to make government understand that migration from one tax regime to another has an impact on poverty? Taxes in Zambia have remained high and the poor are the most affected,” he said.
Nkombo said civil society organisations needed to come up with a comprehensive position to the government and act as partners in development instead of taking a lay back position.
And Kanyama member of parliament Gerry Chanda observed that poverty levels in Zambia had continued to be high because of the culture of selfishness by some leaders.
“You can put in trillions of kwacha, no meaningful development will take place because of the culture of selfishness among some leaders,” said Chanda.
Labels: CIVIL SOCIETY, FDI, GARRY NKOMBO, NGOs
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Kapita rubbishes Dora’s linking of UPND to degree clause
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe and Ernest Chanda in Lusaka
Fri 29 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has refuted allegations by MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya that members of the UPND vigorously pushed for the presidential qualifications at the NCC.
And Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo challenged Siliya to name the so-called members of the pact who pushed for the inclusion of the degree clause in the constitution as a requirement for one to run for Republican presidency. In an interview on Wednesday, Kapita said Siliya had started on a very bad note as MMD spokesperson.
“As UPND we have always been against that degree as minimum qualification for a presidential candidate,” he said.
Kapita said no attempts by the MMD would destabilise the PF-UPND pact.
He said there were several attempts by the MMD to cause confusion in the pact.
“The pact would remain strong, we had people who were so close to the pact, who have been going to the MMD telling them all our plans as a pact, but that would not work. The pact is strong and will remain strong, that is why the MMD are not sleeping,” he said.
Kapita said it was totally wrong to set a degree as a minimum qualification for a presidential candidate.
“The MMD are now trying to bring politics to the elite, which is not okay. Basically they are trying to fight one individual but they will fail,” he said.
Kapita wondered what made the MMD think that PF leader Michael Sata had no degree.
“It is totally wrong for them to think Mr Sata has no degree and it is wrong to enshrine a degree qualification in the constitution. I can assure you that will not go through,” Kapita said.
UPND Copperbelt Province chairman Elisha Matambo said it was nonsense for Siliya to accuse UPND members of having vigorously pushed for presidential qualification clause.
“Not everyone with a degree can be a good leader and not everyone without a degree can fail to run the country,” he said.
Matambo urged Copperbelt residents not to be scared of former president Chiluba who is currently campaigning for President Banda in the province.
“They should not be scared of Chiluba, Chiluba is like a snake that cannot bite anyone. He is no longer a poisonous snake,” Matambo said.
And Nkombo said Siliya was hallucinating.
“Let me remind her that being a spokesperson doesn’t mean hallucinating. It was so hypocritical for her to lie to the nation that UPND members at the NCC strongly supported the degree clause for a presidential candidate,” Nkombo said.
“We in the UPND ask Honourable Siliya to go a step further by mentioning people in the UPND who pushed for that clause. I for one debated against that clause and the records are there for all to see. And I know that there are many other UPND members who opposed that clause. I also appeal to our colleagues in the PF Patriotic Front not to listen to such spoilers. Let us continue to strengthen our pact.”
According to the verbatim from NCC, which Nkombo brought to The Post, he had described the clause as discriminatory.
“…I do recognise the progressive nature of this clause, save for a few concerns, and in trying to air my concerns I would like to summon the consciences of all the honourable commissioners in this particular activity,” Nkombo debated.
“…This will amount to discrimination, positive or negative, it is up to your consciences to determine that. But there are certain points that I have regarding this matter and some are that this provision would have been very, very ideal in 1964 going on to maybe the early 80s when access to education was free of charge. This particular clause would have made absolute sense…”
And his Siavonga counterpart Douglas Siakalima warned of bruising Siliya politically.
Siakalima asked Siliya to remember how she messed up at the Ministry of Communications and Transport.
"What I’m saying is that MMD and its sponsors should not take advantage over us in the pact. Dora Siliya is trying to purport that it is the UPND who were trying to lobby for a degree clause. Personally when we started hearing about a degree, I said it is not a prerogative to good leadership. Dora was put there to spread propaganda for the MMD," Siakalima said.
"Dora cannot counsel anyone. Who is she? Let me warn her, she is too young; this is politics, she will be bruised. People have not forgotten the way she messed up at the Ministry of Communications and Transport. And for her to become spokesperson of the MMD she has just come in the firing range and she is not going to contain it. We are not her size."
On Tuesday, Siliya charged that UPND members sitting at the NCC vigorously pushed for the degree clause in the qualifications of a Presidential candidate.
Labels: DORA SILIYA, ELISHA MUTAMBO, GARRY NKOMBO, RICHARD KAPITA, UPND
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Healthcare
By Editor
Sun 06 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
Health is an essential right of all men and women, boys and girls, including those who are still in the wombs of their mothers, and a responsibility of society as a whole.
The data that is available show the severity of the tragic health conditions that adversely affect the vast masses of our people. And we all see this for ourselves every day.
Everything that Garry Nkombo has said about the state of health services in our country is true and cannot be denied by any honest person. It should be clear to all that the solution for this and other serious problems affecting our people lies in us constructing an honest, efficient, effective and orderly political leadership in our country that can help eliminate under-development, but a lot can be done right now.
We need to struggle urgently to tackle the present critical situation of health in our country through massive mobilisation of national and international financial and human resources required. It is absolutely necessary to promote environmental protection, the control of communicable diseases, promote mother and child care programme, distribution of foodstuffs for children, water supply and the like. In addition, there is a crying need to extend health services, train the required technical personnel and guarantee them essential basic medicines which such conditions demand.
It is an imperative need of our times to be aware of these realities, because of what a situation affecting the great majority of our people entails in terms of human suffering and the squandering of life and intelligence. The cold eloquence of the reality being portrayed by Nkombo is in itself terrifying enough. But beyond what Nkombo is saying lies the tragic situation of hunger, abject poverty and neglect that is individualised thousands of times over. This is the expression of the enormous abyss separating the well-to-do and the poor of our country, of the evident inequalities existing in our country.
Whatever efforts are made today to protect them, to prevent their death and illness, to provide them with food, housing, medicine, clothing and education will shape the basic human qualities of that decisive percentage of the future population of our country. And yet, in view of the present trends, what sort of country we will hand over to them, to our children? What sort of life lies ahead for them?
Squalor, disease and lack of healthcare are the basic aspects – together with hunger – characterising the dramatic situation in our country. And as long as health fails to be considered as a fundamental right of every one of our citizens and a duty of the community; as long as the responsibilities of the government and of society in regard to healthcare fails to be recognised; as long as inequalities in the distribution of health resources fail to disappear; as long as poverty, hunger, ignorance and squalor fail to be directly fought against, little will be achieved in improving human health in our country.
The trends which serve as the basis for the sombre immediate outlook for our country are the most obvious expressions of the unbearable situation of injustice and inequality still prevailing among us today. But they are not necessarily inexorable. We can, if we really want, act to change this increasingly unjust future for one that is bright and equitable.
Modern man can’t live without healthcare. The law of natural selection ensured that only the fittest primitive people survived. Modern man must get the most from the organisation of life, for life can no longer be dependent on nature and the environment.
One cannot claim to uphold the sanctity of life if there is no provision for minimal healthcare for all. Life is sacred, a gift from God to be valued from the moment of conception until death. And there is no future development without healthy and educated citizens.
Every person, whether rich or poor, educated or not, political ally, friend or relative of those in power or not, has an equal right to receive healthcare. It is not a privilege for those who are close to those in power to be sent to South Africa for treatment or to be given special or preferential treatment at the University Teaching Hospital. Every citizen should have equal right to receive healthcare.
And in its wide interpretation, the right to life means that the government is required to take such positive measures as to reduce infant mortality, to increase life expectancy and to eliminate malnutrition and epidemics. The enjoyment of the right to life is applicable from the moment of conception.
There is need for us as a nation to affirm in the strongest possible terms the unique value of every human life because human life is a precious gift from God, a source of all life. In the book of Genesis, we read about creation: “God saw all the creation and indeed it was very good” (Gen 1:31).
The last and the highest form of life that God created was human life. “Let us make human beings in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves” (Gen 1:26). The psalmist is even more explicit: “It was You (God) who created my inmost self and put me together in my mother’s womb” (Ps 139:13). Consequently, every human life is sacred and demands the greatest respect and protection at every stage of development. Choose life and not death! God calls us to protect and preserve human life both before and after birth.
The Lord Jesus spent His public life going about doing good, healing, forgiving, comforting and showing compassion and concern for all forms of human suffering. At the same time, He openly confronted the evils that oppressed people.
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of oneself and one’s family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond one’s control.
The right to live a dignified life can never be attained unless all basic necessities of life – healthcare, education, culture, food, housing, work – are adequately and equitably available to everyone.
And the right to health implies that everyone has the right to medical care when sick. This obliges the government to create conditions in which every person has access to medical services and attention in the event of sickness. This right obliges the government to provide enough funds for preventative healthcare and basic healthcare assistance. The right extends to preventative aspects of healthcare.
This includes improved nutrition, sanitation, immunisation, education on health, improvement of all aspects of environmental and industrial hygiene. This right also obliges the govenment to pay a special attention to epidemic, endemic and occupational diseases. AIDS is an example of such an epidemic. There should be policies oriented at prevention, control and treatment of such epidemics. This right obliges the government to pay a special attention to the improvement of health conditions of the children.
There is need for the government to use the maximum of its available resources to realise this right. We say this because to an adequate standard of living implies a standard of wellbeing that is compatible with one’s dignity as a human being. The situation in our country today is such that a few enjoy the right to an adequate standard of living while the majority are deprived of such an enjoyment.
In the interest of the adequate standard of living as a human right, such a status quo needs to be addressed. We are aware of a growing gap between the rich and the poor in our country with regard to expectations, living standards and development. Many people in our country still live in circumstances which are hardly compatible with their dignity as sons and daughters of God. Their life is a struggle for survival.
And at the same time, a minority enjoys the fruits of development and can be sent for treatment abroad for all sorts of minor illnesses while the poor are left to die without even access to the most basic painkiller, Panadol. We appeal for a more just and equal distribution of our nation’s wealth.
“People are the greatest resource of every country!” How often we hear that statement. And how true it is for us here in Zambia! Our people are indeed our greatest resource, our richest treasure, our best hope for the future. Yet today in Zambia, we hear of frightening exhaustion of that resource, of its diminishment, deterioration, exploitation and so on and so forth. We sadly note that this resource is being reduced amidst great suffering, a suffering which by and large seems to go unnoticed by those in power and is often inadequately responded to by government programmes.
We are aware of, and we do commend, some efforts here and there by the government to deal with this tragic situation. But we feel that much more needs to be said and to be done if we are to meet effectively the massive problems of human suffering in Zambia today.
And we shouldn’t be silent in the face of this suffering of our people. More voices need to be heard on this score. And the Word of God challenges us: “If you refuse to hear the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13). We must all speak out and call upon all people of goodwill to deal more forthrightly with this increasing suffering in our midst. We all know our people’s suffering.
Listening to the cry of the poor, then, what are we asking for? We call upon the government to take action to manifest three qualities that presently we find sadly lacking: compassion – whether an accurate perception or not, the public is losing faith in the President and his ministers’ statements of concern for their problems and suffering.
Aside from publicity visits to some compounds or some rural areas by the President and his ministers, very little concrete expression of real concern is heard or seen from government officials; commitment – there seems to be very little effective action taking place in responding to the suffering of the poor. Ordinary citizens hear more about assistance than actual receipt and this raises questions about the government’s desire and ability to deliver what it promises; competence – what is actually happening to so much money coming from international donors?
These issues need to be addressed because this country will not be good for those in power to live in if it’s not good for all of us, for all our people.
Labels: GARRY NKOMBO, HEALTHCARE
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Little is being done to improve health, education – Nkombo
By Ernest Chanda
Sun 06 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
GOVERNMENT is doing very little to improve service delivery in the health and education sectors, Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo has observed.
In an interview, Nkombo said nothing much was being done by government to improve the two areas of health and education and give hope to Zambians.
He said it was a pity that standards in the two sectors had been compromised by poor government policies.
“In the health sector, I think the situation speaks volumes for itself. If you go into a public hospital today, the first thing that greets you is a stench. This is because important components that can help promote hygiene in hospitals have been neglected. The incinerators where hospital waste is supposed to be properly disposed of are non-functional,” Nkombo said.
“And it all comes down to a demotivated workforce among the frontline medical staff. Our government has also failed to account for donor money, which a few months ago resulted in donors withholding support to the Ministry of Health. This is an indication of failure on the part of government. I hear that some donors have resumed funding, but still, discipline is important in the management of resources.”
Nkombo said it was also a known fact that there were no essential medical facilities in rural areas, resulting in the collapse of the health sector.
And on education, Nkombo observed that the standards in the sector have been compromised by the removal of the cut off point system at Grade 9 level.
“While the removal of the cut off point at Grade 9 level makes sense, the result of that action has totally compromised the education sector. People have to understand that there is a difference between educating and schooling. When you talk about educating you are talking about building a person’s mental faculty,” Nkombo said.
“Right now we have a ratio of one teacher to 85 pupils, a situation that will only allow a teacher to have less than half a minute of personal contact with each pupil in one lesson. This reduces the teacher-pupil contact time and results in poor delivery on the part of the teacher. We have pupils who qualify to tertiary institutions and only end up increasing the drop-out level there. All this is because their secondary certificates are raw. I therefore challenge anyone to deny that our educational and health standards have been compromised.”
Labels: EDUCATION, GARRY NKOMBO, HEALTHCARE
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Kabwela’s acquittal has totally embarrassed Rupiah – Nkombo
By Patson Chilemba
Sat 21 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT
MAZABUKA UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo yesterday said Post news editor Chansa Kabwela's acquittal has totally embarrassed President Rupiah Banda. Commenting on Kabwela's acquittal on a 'pornography' charge, Nkombo said it would have made sense for President Banda to have consulted before taking such a flimsy case to the courts. He said the people surrounding President Banda were misadvising him.
“I think that we have seen it in the past, Presidents tend to operate on the belief of the clique of people around them.
So I imagine that, yes, it has caused sufficient embarrassment to himself as a person, but I think there is need for people to look a little bit under to see who actually brought this matter to the attention of the President,” Nkombo said.
"So the people who advise the President have been totally embarrassed. As a head of state, I think also he has been embarrassed. And just a little advice to him that this country belongs to many people. It is jointly owned by all Zambians and even before commencing such a flimsy legal action against Ms Kabwela, he should have done consultations. Even the Director of Public Prosecutions, it is also an indictment on him to have taken the matter to litigation.”
Nkombo said the acquittal was a big statement to Zambians who believed in what he termed as disclosure of what was happening. He said the trumped up charge was an attempt to ground the flow of information in the nation.
Nkombo said there was nothing irresponsible in what Kabwela did because she just highlighted to the authorities the grave crisis that existed at the time.
He said the violence which resulted in the injury of many people as a result of the Kabwela case should be blamed squarely on those who, in the first place, took the matter to the police.
And National Revolution Party (NRP) president Cozmo Mumba asked the investigative agencies to operate professionally and not work on instructions from anyone.
Mumba said NRP regretted having supported President Banda during last year's presidential elections because he had not fulfilled what he promised to the youths.
He said President Banda had failed to honour the agreement to appoint more youths to deputy ministerial positions and to take back the K40 billion youth empowerment to the Ministry of Sport.
Mumba also asked Parliament to repeal the K3000 ZNBC TV licence fees because only those from the MMD were being given coverage.
Labels: CHANSA KABWELA, GARRY NKOMBO, RUPIAH BANDA, THE POST
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