There is no leadership crisis in MMD - Mabenga
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 05 Oct. 2011, 08:50 CAT
THERE is no leadership crisis in the MMD, says the party's national chairman Michael Mabenga. An former MMD Mbala parliamentarian Guston Sichilima says this is not the time to mourn for the MMD. In an interview, Mabenga who was defeated in the contest for the Mulobezi seat, said former president Rupiah Banda had not retired from active politics.
"There is no leadership crisis in the MMD, the former president Rupiah Banda has not retired from active politics, so when the time comes that will be taken care of," said Mabenga.
But when reminded that Banda in his farewell speech to the nation said he was retiring from active politics, Mabenga insisted that Banda did not bid farewell to the MMD but to the nation.
Mabenga said the MMD would be re-branding and would send people across the country to find out what caused the party's loss in the general elections.
And Sichilima echoed Mabenga's sentiments, saying the MMD was not short of leadership.
"There is no leadership crisis in MMD because even you if you are a member of the party, you can take leadership. Let me say we are there; we are not short of leadership, there is NEC National Executive Committee right now that is going to spearhead the coming together and definitely we are not short of leaders. Leaders can even come from outside if they so wish, so the Zambians are there that are going to
spearhead and move the MMD forward," Sichilima said.
Sichilima said the future for the MMD was "very bright" and urged the young generation to take up leadership in the party.
"Where we are leaving they should come and takeover. MMD will always remain there, leaders may change but MMD will still be there. We have to soldier on, this is democracy.
The youths must not just end at voting, they must go further to developing Zambia. It's not the time to mourn for the MMD, it's a time to recollect and work together as a party. I will remain loyal to my party like I stated when I was not nominated and I will work within the party and I will remain there,"
Sichilima said.
Labels: GUSTON SICHILIMA, MICHAEL MABENGA, MMD, NEOLIBERALISM
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World Bank invites Sichilima to African Diaspora Open House
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 22 Feb. 2010, 03:59 CAT
AN advocate of Zambia and Diaspora engagement Chasaya Sichilima has been invited to the World Bank’s second African Diaspora Open House. The event scheduled to take place in Washington DC on February 25 is targeted to share progress on the African Diaspora Program (ADP).
The ADP is a World Bank initiative to implement a number of specific activities which would affect directly and positively the African Diaspora and their activities in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative was launched in November 2007.
According to a statement, Chasaya and other participants would join Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank managing director, and Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank vice president for the Africa Region.
It stated that the second African Diaspora Open House was an opportunity to share information on progress made to date with the ADP, as well as to reflect on and seek advice on areas where progress has been less than anticipated.
“The bank will also seek ideas and inputs on specific elements of the ADP. Consultation will cover: Diaspora Engagement Policy i.e what African governments can do to encourage and facilitate Diaspora participation in development activities; Remittances, especially how these can be leveraged for development; Brain Gain, specifically how African Diaspora Professional Networks and organizations can contribute to brain gain in home countries using ICT and other virtual platforms; and Hometown Associations and the mainstreaming of their contributions to the development priorities of African governments,” read the statement in part.
It stated that ideas would also be sought on broader African development challenges and opportunities.
According to the statement, discussion would be initiated on issues of governance and capacity development; private sector development; youth and employment, women’s empowerment, information and communications technology; and the delivery of services such as health, education, and social protection.
Chasaya is president of the Zambian Canadian Foundation.
He is also the business and government liaison officer of Zambia Diaspora Connect, an organization whose objective is to make the Zambian diaspora engage more meaningfully in the country’s development.
Commenting on the invitation, Chasaya said, “It is humbling but great that Zambia will have presence at such a forum. There is emerging cohesiveness in the Zambian Diaspora about participation at home.
The Open House will afford an opportunity to share ideas and experiences, and for a country like Zambia which is just beginning to embrace its diaspora, there will be lessons to be learnt on how we can move the process further and contribute to the nation’s development agenda.
Labels: AFRICAN DIASPORA OPEN HOUSE, GUSTON SICHILIMA, World Bank
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Kaingu doubts NCC’s ability to deliver
Written by Katwishi Bwalya, Ernest Chanda and George Chellah
Friday, May 15, 2009 2:29:12 PM
DELEGATES to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) have complained of the tendency by some members to sign for allowances without attending the sessions. And community development minister Michael Kaingu on Tuesday said he was worried that the NCC might not come up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.
Meanwhile, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi has withdrawn her participation from the NCC.
On Wednesday, some NCC delegates expressed concern over some of their colleagues who signed for money but did not attend the sessions.
Independent Churches of Zambia (ICOZ) president Reverend David Masupa wondered why some delegates signed for money and left immediately without attending the sessions.
"Chairperson, we have members here who know the honourable members of the NCC who are just coming to sign. They go and then they come back to sign and they go. Could we come up with a mechanism of controlling this because we are all here to contribute?" asked Reverend Masupa.
Deputy minister in the office of the Vice-President Guston Sichilima also raised a point of order on the tendency by some members of the NCC who were only collecting money without attending the session.
"Some members of parliament have been seeing coming to sign for money but they go away without deliberating. I need a serious ruling Mr chair," Sichilima said.
NCC chairperson Chifumu Banda said some officers have been put on high alert to monitor people who had a tendency of collecting money and go without attending the deliberations.
"We have some people who have been planted somewhere who are watching some members who are in the habit of doing that so, be warned because we will soon read out their names and we are watching them very carefully," said Banda.
And Banda said Nawakwi withdrew her participation from the NCC because she needed to be with her injured son who was involved in an accident in Malaysia.
"So FDD sent a replacement for Honourable Nawakwi because she had to leave the country to be with her injured child in Malaysia and the appropriate committee was told," Banda said.
And the NCC failed to get the required two thirds majority vote for the clause that allows the terms and conditions of the government loans to be laid before the National Assembly before coming into operation unless they have been approved by a resolution of the National Assembly. This means that the clause has now been reopened for debate until a decision is made.
And the NCC unanimously adopted two clauses in the finance committee report which allow the Minister of Finance to borrow money from any source on behalf of the country as authorised by an Act of Parliament.
Debating Article 311(3) which forbids the Minister of Finance from committing the country to a loan without parliament approving the terms and conditions of that loan, Kaingu argued that the clause could give parliament more powers than the executive.
"I am worried in the manner this committee is trying to replace the function of the Minister of Finance. We should have separations of powers or else we will end up making one institution very strong and I am worried that this constitution which we are making here will not stand the test of time because other people will come to change these things. I am worried," Kaingu said.
According to Article 311(3) of the 2005 Mung'omba Draft Constitution, which was also adopted by the committee: "The terms and conditions on the loan shall be laid before the National Assembly and shall not come into operation unless they have been approved by a resolution of the National Assembly."
Works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti said adopting the clause would make it difficult for government operations in an event of a hostile Parliament.
"If you adopt this clause then you are saying there will be no separation of powers because you will be pilling everything in the hands of parliament and suppose you have a hostile parliament and you don’t get the support of other MP’s?” asked Mulongoti.
He was supported by Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe who said the country would be losing out on the loans if authority was given to Parliament to approve the conditions of the loans.
"Those who negotiate will tell you that there is scramble for money but if you are given the money and the Minister of Finance says 'let me first go to parliament for authority', somebody else will get the money. And if you have a hostile Parliament you will paralyse government operations," said Munkombwe.
Other ministers who stood to oppose the clause included information minister Ronnie Shikapwasha, foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande and Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima.
But Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) president Mwilola Imakando said adopting the clause would encourage transparency and borrowing responsibly on the part of the government.
UPND vice-president Ben Kapita said the clause was a progressive one and would enhance accountability.
And the NCC on Tuesday unanimously adopted two clauses in the finance committee report which allow the minister of finance to borrow money from any source on behalf of the country as authorised by an Act of Parliament.
The clauses were also in accordance with the recommendations of the Mung'omba draft constitution of 2005.
Article 311 (1) reads: "Subject to this Article, the minister responsible for finance may borrow from any source, on behalf of the Republic; provided that the Minister responsible for finance shall not, in any year, borrow beyond the aggregate debt stock, including interest and fees on the debt."
And clause 2 of the same Article forbids the minister of finance from borrowing outside the Act of Parliament.
The clause reads: "The Minister responsible for finance shall not borrow, guarantee or raise a loan on behalf of any State or organ, state institution, authority or person except as authorised by or under an Act of parliament."
The NCC is still deliberating on the report of the finance committee.
And Mwansabombwe PF member of parliament Samuel Chitonge has said it was irregular for the NCC to announce that he faces expulsion for being constantly absent from the plenary sittings without apologies.
"I’m not a member of the NCC. How do you expel someone who is not a member? Let them do whatever they want. I don't care even if they expel me I don't want their money. Let them take it anywhere," Chitonge said. "I belong to PF and whatever PF decides I have to abide by that. I didn't come to Parliament dubiously. I came through PF and PF has decided against the NCC."
And Lubansenshi PF member of parliament Lazarous Chota said the PF members that were being threatened with expulsions from NCC withdrew their membership some time back.
"We withdrew from the NCC just when they started sitting. They know these things but I don't know why they are trying to do this. I haven't received their money so why should I care if they expel me or not? I resigned so what action can they take?"
Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, FDD, GUSTON SICHILIMA, MICHAEL KAINGU, NCC
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More districts run out of food
January 5, 2009
The number of districts faced with hunger has increased from 21 to 29. And government will now need to distribute additional relief food between January and Match to cover all areas affected by hunger.
This is according to the latest assessment conducted by the Zambia Vulnerability Assessment Committee, under the Vice President’s Office.
The government had estimated to distribute about 11,110 metric tonnes of food during the same period.
Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Guston Sichilima, said at a press briefing that government is determined to provide adequate relief food to all hunger stricken areas.
Several parts of Zambia, especially rural areas, are facing food shortages as a result of floods during the last rainy season.
The floods destroyed crops and infrastructure.
[ZNBC]
Labels: GUSTON SICHILIMA, HUNGER, ZVAC
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