It's evil to call Scott a colonialist - Fr Luonde
By Moses Kuwema
Mon 03 Feb. 2014, 14:01 CAT
ANGLICAN priest Fr Richard Luonde says it is evil for UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to refer to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott as the only remaining colonialist.
In an interview, Fr Luonde said Hichilema was being racist, something he said should not be promoted. Hakainde last Wednesday racially attacked Vice-President Scott, saying he was the only remaining colonialist.
"Guy Scott is a Zambian who has grown up in Zambia and he should be allowed to exercise his freedom of expression. To begin to use the language which is provocative and segregates against individuals cannot be accepted in a modern Zambia. We should live in harmony. As a person who is educated, he should not utter such words. He is inciting people to rise against certain sections of society," Fr Luonde said.
He said it was unfortunate that current politicians were rooted in politics of tribe and regionalism.
Fr Luonde said the promotion of regionalism and tribalism in politics was bad.
"What is coming in could easily break up this nation and lead us to a civil war. Politicians should speak the language of development. We are headed nowhere if we speak the language of tribe and regionalism. Zambians should make sure people who are tribal and promote regionalism are not supported or listened to," he said.
Fr Luonde said the practice of tribalism and hatred was what led to the killing of innocent people in Uganda.
"We don't want Idi Amins in Zambia. If we become tribal and segregative, that will be a total destruction to our nation," said Fr Luonde.
When receiving defectors from other political parties in Matero last Wednesday, Hichilema said any Zambian who held a critical view against the government was being treated like a criminal even after years of independence from colonialists.
He said the country had gotten rid of all colonialists except Vice-President Scott.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, RICHARD LUONDE
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Taking development to rural areas
By Editor
Thu 30 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT
Vice-President Dr Guy Scott is saying that taking development to rural areas is an uphill struggle. This is true. Our economy is not providing basic needs to our people, especially those in the rural areas.
Many of our rural dwellers go without medical attention because there are no adequate facilities in their vicinity. Some of our rural children go without education because there are no schools nearby.
Why is this so? The main cause is the waste of public funds. Every kwacha or ngwee misspent is a kwacha or ngwee taken away from our rural poor.
Our economy is influenced by external factors in the world market where we have little or no influence. However, it depends even more on internal factors, which we do control. Corruption, embezzlement, fraud and outright theft are things that we hear every day, in the public and private spheres, in all parts of our society, high and low.
Dishonesty is destroying us and greatly reducing our capacity to provide for the rural poor and get them out of abject poverty. This country is rich and blessed with resources which hard work can develop for the benefit of all: there is no blessing in ill-gotten gains. Only what people have worked for and earned by their own honest effort will make them prosper in the long run.
People live beyond their means; then they have to make shortcuts to maintain their lavish lifestyle, which is not really supported by earned income, and keep this 'house of cards' from collapsing.
Everybody wants an even greater share in the national cake; too few make a genuine contribution to the enlargement of this cake.
As a result, a few get even richer, while the majority, especially the rural poor, get ever poorer in real terms. This leads to social tension and may eventually even bring about strife.
We elbow and push each other out of the way in the general scramble for a share of this cake that is not meaningfully increasing in size and value. Prosperity thus achieved will never be secure and always in danger from those fallen by the wayside and envious of our 'luck'.
We must progress and prosper all of us in solidarity. There must be genuine growth, which benefits all, especially the rural poor and the disadvantaged.
We must restore among our people once more the virtue of honesty everywhere: when we travel on buses and on the marketplace, in shops and on the factory floor, in business dealings and in public administration, in doctors' surgeries and in hospitals, in the media and in politics, and at election time. We must stop demanding bribes and stop paying bribes, whether as a vendor, a driver, a businessman, a police officer, banker or politician.
To tackle our rural poverty meaningfully, we need to store the moral health of our nation. We need to create more wealth and be productive. For that, we need peace and a chance of everybody to make an honest living.
Every citizen of this country, according to our Constitution and our Christian teaching, is infinitely precious. And yet we have some of our people, our fellow citizens living like rats. How can we live with these contradiction and at the same time profess to be Christians, democrats, revolutionaries, humane and kindhearted?
We are not just the 'masses' manipulated by cynical election campaign teams in the battle for votes, we are not just material fed into our economic machinery, we are not just cannon fodder sacrificed by leaders for political convenience. Every citizen of this country, young and old, is infinitely precious.
We have been taught that the Christian commitment to the realisation of the right to an adequate standard of living for every human being is built upon the concept that Christ is in those who are poor and have no shelter, food and clothing. When these people go hungry and suffer, Christ suffers as well.
As we have stated before, the poverty our rural people have to endure are a result of human agency. At the heart of every economic system lies human needs, human abilities and human decisions, and it is the choices we make in addressing those needs, sharing those abilities, and making those decisions, that determine the justice or injustice of economic system. The more powerful our economic position, the greater our freedom of choice, with the poor and the marginalised having very little effective choice in their economic decisions. And this is where the state comes in to protect their interests and ensure their progress and upliftment by any appropriate means. Where the individuals cannot provide for themselves, the state should come in.
It is for this reason that the efforts the government is making in trying to establish an industrial development corporation deserve support.
There is thus a moral quality about an economy, a quality which has its roots in the morally correct or incorrect choices by people; and it is the moral quality of the economy that enables us to make judgements about whether or not it is a just economy.
Truly, taking development to our rural areas is an uphill struggle. But this is something we can overcome and change; it is an uphill struggle we have to conquer and triumph over. The idea of bringing about a change in the economic system, or an adjustment in the way it is run, or simply of dealing with its negative consequences, may seem impossible. But it's not something beyond us, something we cannot change.
And we shouldn't try to transfer our responsibility to improving the lives of our people, especially the rural poor, to certain abstract concepts, and pretend that it is these concepts rather than ourselves that are accountable for the way the economy works. We say this because behind these various concepts lie human actions and decisions, real economic choices made by all of us. Yes, changing the lives of our people, especially our rural poor, is an uphill struggle. But it is not a struggle we can abandon. We have a moral responsibility to our brothers and sisters who are wallowing in abject poverty. We cannot abandon our moral responsibilities to them even when it is difficult to fulfil them, even when it is an uphill struggle to free them from the shackles of poverty.
Every human being of goodwill must be committed to changing the social and economic order that is cruelly unjust. Most of our people, especially in rural areas, today find themselves in a state of poverty, the injustice of which cries to heaven for vengeance. The alienated masses in our rural areas are increasing at an accelerated rate. Changes must be made; present conditions must be improved. The present situation calls for more radical changes. This poverty situation, we feel, is the product of unjust socio-economic structures.
To change this situation, we also have to change ourselves. We are the products of a society that has taught us to look coldly on the impoverished plight of our brothers and sisters, especially those in rural areas. We therefore call upon all persons of goodwill in our homeland to cooperate in truth, justice and love in transforming the lives of our people, especially the rural poor, in bringing about the dawn of a new era for them. United in difficulties and hopes, we can make the needed changes in the lives of our people.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, RURAL AREAS
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Tribe, race mean nothing in Zambia, says Scott
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 30 Jan. 2014, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says tribe and race mean nothing in Zambia. And MMD president Dr Nevers Mumba says the Katuba by-election will help the opposition understand the need to have a working relationship.
Speaking on Tuesday when he addressed a public meeting in Katuba after PF candidate, Moses Chilando successfully filed in his nomination papers, Vice-President Scott said issues of tribe or race do not work in Zambia.
"I want to thank you in advance for coming and thank you for voting. Don't let anybody tell you that this candidate Chilando is a Bemba... he should be a Lenje or vice-versa. In Zambia, tribe and race mean nothing. Who can I be representing if we are representing ourselves?
Lenje represents Lenje, Bemba represents Bemba and Muzungus represent Muzungus, it does not work," Vice-President Scott said.
He said the PF had chosen the best candidate for the job of area member of parliament for Katuba.
He urged the PF members in the area to be resolute, determined and send Chilando to Parliament, saying he would make sure he did the job.
"I am just telling you that we have chosen the best man for the job.
There were some very good candidates, but we chose the one we agreed on. Be resolute, be determined, send him to Parliament, I will make him work. Don't fight, no intimidation, we don't need any of that," said Vice-President Scott.
And speaking after the MMD candidate Cecil Holmes filed in his nomination, Mumba hoped that the outcome of the Katuba by-election will help send a strong message to the opposition.
"We hope this by-election will help the opposition understand the importance of a working relationship. We hope it will send a strong message to opposition political parties, but also the people of Zambia," Mumba said after being asked on the filling in of nominations by six opposition political parties in view of a recently formed alliance of opposition parties.
Mumba said in future, it would be important for opposition political parties to work together in dealing with matters which he said affected the people.
And Mumba said people should not expect violence from the MMD, saying the party had a new culture.
"There is a new culture of MMD in as far as violence is concerned. Don't expect any violence from MMD," said Mumba.
Meanwhile, Allan Malawo, the UNIP candidate, said it was high time young people jumped on the band wagon and joined his party.
Malawo said most of the UNIP members had aged and invited young people in the country to join the party.
Malawo further said the ground in Katuba was very fertile for UNIP and rated his chances of scooping the seat highly.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, GUY SCOTT, NEVERS MUMBA, TRIBALISM
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UPND wants 50%+1 clause for selfish reasons - Scott
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 23 Jan. 2014, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says opposition political parties such as the UPND are championing calls for a new constitution because they want to be kingmakers once the 50 per cent plus one threshold is enacted.
And Vice-President Scott says it is not true that the terms of reference for the technical committee allows them to release the draft constitution simultaneously to the government and the public.
In an interview, Vice-President Scott said the trouble with Zambia's constitution-making process was that people were not looking beyond one election.
"The UPND is the third-biggest political party in Zambia. It gets much more power if there is a 50 per cent plus one clause because now it holds the balance. If you go back to the elections of 2011, if there had been a 50 per cent plus one clause, UPND would have been in a very strong position because although President Sata won, he did not get 50 per cent plus one. The UPND could be bargaining to PF and MMD to say what are you giving us to bring our vote behind you? They would have been the government or most powerful of the three parties although they are the smallest. So they are thinking '50 per cent plus one is a very good idea because now if we get a similar split of votes like in 2011, we are the kingmakers', and that's the noise coming from them," he said.
Vice-President Scott said the trouble was that people were just thinking about what effect the constitution would have on the next elections.
"They are not thinking how it will suit their children and grandchildren. For instance, the parentage clause, it is something which the MMD came up with just to exclude Dr Kenneth Kaunda from standing in 1996? The National Constitution Conference also did the same thing with the proposals for age limit for one to aspire as president in order to disadvantage Michael Sata. These are some of the issues I was raising when I said I don't like certain clauses in the current Constitution because it bars me from standing as president and not that I support calls for a new constitution," he said.
Vice-President Scott said the government did not want to come up with a constitution aimed at making sure the PF loses the next elections in 2016.
"We want to have a good look at what our consultancy (the technical committee) has done. If we are convinced, we shall look at how we are going to pass it into law," he said.
Vice-President Scott, however, said the PF could still win the elections in 2016 by the 50 per cent plus one margin.
"I don't think many people are ill-inclined towards us. We have some lack of popularity here and there but where we won, we would win all of them again," he said.
Vice-President Scott said people should not pre-empt the government's position on the constitution.
"People seem to forget we are the government. They think if they can gather enough church mother bodies, enough NGOs, CSOs, demonstrations, church services, that you can run the country; you can't, the government runs the country," he said.
Asked if the country would have a new constitution before the 2016 general elections, Vice-President Scott answered in the affirmative, saying as long as the "constipation surrounding the process is cleared".
And Vice-President Scott said there was nowhere whatsoever in the terms of reference for the technical committee where it is stated that they should release the draft constitution simultaneously to the public without government approval.
"If somebody is claiming that the technical committee should hand over this document at the same time as the government, where is this? There is no mention of that in the terms of reference. Let us be reasonable," he said.
Vice-President Scott also observed that it was not right for individuals who were members of the technical committee to be making noise on the new constitution.
Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, GUY SCOTT, UPND
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Sata drops two deputy ministers
By Roy Habaalu
Mon 16 Dec. 2013, 11:20 CAT
President Michael Sata has with immediate effect dropped Rodgers Mwewa and Ronald Chitotela as deputy ministers of Agriculture and Labour respectively for being investigated by the ACC for misuse of public funds.
President Sata made the announcement this morning shortly before a caucus meeting involving Cabinet Minister and PF members of parliament (MP) at state house.
The dropping of the two comes after Vice-President Dr Guy Scott's revealed in Parliament on Friday that the Anti Corruption Commission had started investigating Chitotela and Mwewa for misuse of public funds after being cited in the Auditor General's report.
Chitotela is an MP for Pambashe while Mwewa is for Mwansabombwe..
Mwewa is also married to suspended Permanent Secretary in charge of Administration at Cabinet Office Anna Mwitwa-Mwewa.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA, RODGERS MWEWA, RONALD CHITOLELA
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Chirwa must stop his silly pronouncements - Scott
By Allan Mulenga
Wed 11 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott has advised Professor Clive Chirwa against making silly public pronouncements over his Zambian citizenship. In an interview on Monday, Vice-President Scott said the government was not losing any sleep over Prof Chirwa's threats to renounce his Zambian citizenship.
"I don't know what he wants to achieve. He is facing some sort of investigation or charges. It makes no difference whether he even becomes a citizen of the moon. It doesn't make any difference, so we are not losing any sleep over it," he said.
"My advice to him is to stop making silly public pronouncements like that; 'I will throw away my citizenship', so what?"
Vice-President Scott said he renounced his British citizenship to become a Zambian a long time ago.
"He doesn't want to be a Zambian, that's all. I renounced my British citizenship many years ago to become a Zambian citizen. Now if he wants to throw away a Zambian passport, let him throw it away," said Vice-President Scott.
Labels: CLIVE CHIRWA, GUY SCOTT
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Scott urges public-private partnership for job creation
By Francis Lungu
Mon 02 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says the government's plan to create 200,000 jobs in the next one or two years can only be attained in partnership with the private sector.
He said the government's drive for economic growth should heavily involve the private sector because without partnership, employment opportunities could not be created.
Vice-President Scott (below) was speaking on Friday evening in Lusaka during the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) annual gala dinner.
He said the PF was a pro-business government and was particular on what type of business it encouraged.
Vice-President Scott noted that Zambia was an expensive destination to do business, but that the government was doing everything possible to address challenges hindering smooth business activities.
"Zambia tends to be a high cost destination of doing business, some of it is the fault of government because of high taxes, but some businesses have taken advantage to distort the business environment with high prices. We have a very distorted private economy," he said.
He said the government was still focused on growing the economy which required huge amounts of resources.
He noted that the country's Gross Domestic Product had grown to considerable levels, giving the economy the capacity to borrow for sustainable economic growth.
Vice-President Scott said the PF government acknowledged the country's economy had to be competitive to guarantee sustainable growth, but that it required bold decisions.
"You have to borrow money to do business. The role of government is to ensure flow of money in long term-at least 10 years. We intend to maintain levels of growth…through growth, we are pulling thousands out of poverty. We want to get the benefits of this (economic) growth by pulling people out of poverty," he said.
Vice-President Scott also said Zambia had one of the highest population growth rates in the world, a situation he described as a challenge which the government had to deal with to equate with economic growth rate.
He also appealed to Zesco to increase power supply for the economy to remain competitive.
Currently, Zambia's hydro power generation capacity is 1,557 megawatts against the total demand of 1,850 megawatts. Demand for electricity has kept on growing in recent years due to factors such as population growth and increased economic activities.
And ZACCI president Geoffrey Sakulanda said business continued playing an important role in economic development and in job creation.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, PPPs
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Kumar was very arrogant - Shamenda
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 01 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
LABOUR minister Fackson Shamenda says he will not support deported Konkola Copper Mines chief executive officer Kishore Kumar's return to Zambia because of his arrogance to him and President Michael Sata.
Commenting on Vice-President Guy Scott's statement that Kumar has appealed against the deportation and the government was considering the move, Shamenda said Kumar not only exhibited arrogance towards him, but also to President Sata.
"I don't like his Kumar approach to industrial relations and I will not support his coming back anyway. From my point of view, I don't like arrogant employers. Even they have an attitude like the apartheid or neglecting the workers, we are trying to harmonise industrial relations," he said.
"...not that employers should be arrogant; we want to have a situation where there is harmonious industrial relations for higher levels of productivity. The employer will get his part, the government will get the resources from the taxes and then the employees will have a comfortable life. That's all what we want in life and that is the approach of the Patriotic Front government."
Shamenda said he would not tolerate arrogant employers in the country.
"I have reported his behaviour which is highly unwarranted. As for whether he was going to come back or something, my working relationship with him will be very difficult," he said.
Shamenda said unlike his predecessor, Kumar was not reasonable when dealing with labour matters.
"I don't care whether there is Kumar or no Kumar, but as far as I am concerned Kumar was very arrogant. He was arrogant to me; he was arrogant to the President. So for me I have no time for such characters. So far I am working very well with other persons, like his predecessor; he was a gentleman. I highly regret that he left. You could differ in principle, but still more he was a very humble fellow. He was a polite guy," he said.
Shamenda said Kumar should shoulder the blame for his deportation.
"...for Kumar when the President said, 'you should go and tell Kumar he should not dismiss people', he said, 'me industrial relations are not my priority, I am going for a technical meeting'. I said, 'my friend, the President is saying I should discuss this issue with you'. He says, 'policy statements are rhetoric.' That is how the whole thing started and then he went for that technical meeting at Intercontinental Hotel. That is when the Minister of Home Affairs wanted to confirm from him, then he started running away. That is how he was declared a PI prohibited immigrant," said Shamenda.
On Friday, Vice-President Scott told Parliament that Kumar had appealed against his deportation, and the government was considering the move.
Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, GUY SCOTT, KCM, KISHORE KUMAR, TAX EVASION
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Scott links violence to lack of jobs
By Abel Mboozi and Roy Habaalu
Tue 12 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
HIGH unemployment levels among frustrated youths is causing them to engage in violent activities, Vice-President Guy Scott has charged. And Lusaka Province PF youth chairman Kennedy Kamba has been appointed Lusaka City Market manager.
Meanwhile, confusion ensued in town yesterday after people purporting to be PF youths attempted to take over the management of Lusaka's Soweto Market. Vice-President Scott has expressed disappointment that at a time when he thought the 'war' in the party had come to an end, similar ugly acts were manifesting.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Scott noted with concern that unemployed lawless youths had continued to cause confusion especially in the central business centre by engaging in violence acts.
He was confident that the police would do a good job to contain the situation which he said should not be entertained at all.
"It is even difficult to know whether these cadres are of known origin. Just today (yesterday) in the central business area, cadres of unknown origin were fighting about who should controls markets," he said.
"Markets yield plenty of money, so cadres of unknown origin are fighting over who is controlling markets. We have got a lot of unemployed lawless youths around who obviously want to take advantage of the situation."
He said the basic charge for buses loading at the Intercity Bus Terminus was K100 and so with dozens of them loading, more millions were being raked in.
"Because of this, a lot of people are interested in that money and these are the things causing confusion. We don't even know whether these are party cadres or not," VIce-President Scott said.
On last Thursday's violence in the PF which left one cadre dead, Vice-President Dr Scott said it was difficult to deduce what was really happening.
"It is confusing because we are not even very sure whether its our cadres at forefront of this violence or not. I hope it's clearing itself in the system but it's taking long than we thought," Vice-President Scott said.
And according to a letter of offer of employment, Kamba takes up the job under housing and social services department of Lusaka City Council.
"I am pleased to inform you that you have been offered temporary employment in the housing and social services department under City Market as manager for three (3) months subject to renewal until the City Market Management Board is constituted," read the letter from LCC acting town clerk Moses Mwelwa.
Among its conditions, the letter stated that Kamba's employment could be terminated by either party by giving a day's notice without any reason whatsoever.
He has been asked to report to the acting director of housing and social services for assignment of duties.
And Kamba said he will use the position to speak for the marginalised and improve sanitation.
He said most traders at the market were subjected to harsh conditions and sometimes made to pay levies that were not accounted for.
"Those (marketeers) are the ones that voted for the PF. They are the people that spent long hours waiting to cast their votes for President Michael Sata and I will do anything possible to protect their interest.
I will ensure they are proud and free for voting for this government. We want to bring order and sanity in all markets and trading places. We will work together to strengthen both the market and the party and this time around, no one will use marketeers to promote their selfish interest. This is the beginning of a new era, the era of peace, unity and orderliness," he said .
Kamba said accountability would be top on his agenda.
He takes over from Horace Longwe.
Longwe had imposed himself as Lusaka Province chairman purporting to have been appointed by President Sata.
He was part of the PF faction that championed demonstrations demanding the removal of Wynter Kabimba as PF secretary general.
And around 09:00 hours yesterday, some youths assembled near the new bus stop between old Soweto and City Market.
The youths attempted to remove the appointed authorities in charge of routing local buses.
But prompt action by riot police prevented the confrontation, leaving some traders too scared to conduct their business as they vacated the premises.
Police were deployed in key locations around town, causing panic among vendors and traders who scampered to safety on suspicion of ensuing riots and looting.
One of the officials at City Market, who sought anonymity, said the 'unruly' cadres were eager to take over operations of the bus stations in order to raise money for their violent demonstration agendas.
"Those boys in charge at Soweto (market) are from our structures… from the wards but these hooligans wanted to remove them so that they can use the station to fundraise and continue with their demonstration against some party officials," said the source.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, UNEMPLOYMENT
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Don't compare Sata to former presidents, Mulongoti tells Scott
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 07 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
MIKE Mulongoti has advised Vice-President Dr Guy Scott to stop comparing President Michael Sata's leadership with former presidents' style of leadership.
On Sunday, Vice-President Scott said President Sata was so far a better leader than any political leader in the country. Addressing a rally at Kundamfumu Primary School in Mansa, Vice-President Scott said President Sata had proved to be the best Republican president in the history of Zambia.
But Mulongoti yesterday said Vice-President Scott's comparison of President Sata's leadership style with that of former presidents was demeaning.
"He Vice-President Scott is using a language that gives the impression that others don't matter at all. We would like to believe that PF as a political party is not a kantemba owned by three people the way he put it. I don't think any individual in any political party is indispensable. It is just a matter of time," he said.
"This issue of beginning to compare President Sata and rubbishing the others before him is in bad taste. Those people were presidents of Zambia; they deserve to be respected in the same way that Mr Sata would like to be respected."
Mulongoti said Vice-President Scott should stop stirring up people's emotions by attacking former leaders.
"Dr Guy Scott doesn't represent the views of all Zambians over the matter. So, if he wants to keep those views, let him keep them to himself. He must not evoke the feelings of the people unnecessarily. He should not be attacking leaders in a demeaning way," said Mulongoti.
Meanwhile, Mulongoti said those who financed Robert Chikwelete to denounce PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba could be ominous as they were harbouring anger towards the justice minister.
Mulongoti, who is People's Party president, said it would be "naive for the public to assume that "the war in the PF" had ended when senior PF members who were using Chikwelete remain silent over the matter.
"Their Chikwelete's sponsors silence can be ominous; there could be fire burning under, which we have not seen on the surface," he said.
Mulongoti said Chikwelete's apology did not represent the stance of ministers and members of the central committee who issued statements against Kabimba.
"There were ministers who issued statements against him. There were members of the central committee who issued statements against him. Does Mr Chikwelete represent all those? I don't think so. Mr Chikwelete represented himself at a personal level. We have to see genuine reconciliation representing the views of everybody who was involved," said Mulongoti.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA, MIKE MULONGOTI, MMD, PF
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Scott defends K4m budget for by-elections
By Abel Mboozi
Thu 07 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-President Dr Guy Scott on Wednesday defended the K4 million allocated for by-elections in next year's budget saying the figure cannot be accurately estimated.
And Parliament approved the K107 million allocated to the Electoral Commission of Zambia with the opposition bench urging government to let the commission operate independently.
Responding to concerns by mostly opposition members of parliament who argued that the K4 million provided for by-elections was not adequate, Vice-President Scott said the figure was all right.
He told Parliament that ECZ was cardinal in conducting credible elections and as such the government had this time around increased the commission's budget allocation.
Vice-President said it was difficult for the government to accurately estimate the cost of by-elections.
"The compliant from honourable Muntanga about money for by-elections, Mr Speaker, money for by-elections cannot be accurately estimated," he said.
Vice-President Scott noted that most by-elections that had fallen had been held and only two or so were remaining to be conducted.
On funds for the delimitation of constituency boundaries, Vice-President Scott said it had been moved into a much larger vote on the constitutional and referendum processes.
"In an event that the referendum doesn't come over this year, then the moneys will be available for a quicker and accurate delimitation and if it has to come over, there has to be supplementary budget," he said.
He noted that the government had doubled this year's budget to ECZ and as such complaints mostly by the opposition bench were out of place.
And the House approved the K107 million budget for ECZ next year with opposition members of parliament arguing that the money was not enough for the commission.
Chipata Central MMD member of parliament Mtolo Phiri said ECZ was supposed to enforce the electoral Act and deliverer democratic governance; so it required adequate funding.
Phiri urged the government to stop interfering with operations of ECZ by threatening staff at the commission with dismissals.
Solwezi central MMD member of parliament Lucky Mulusa said ECZ needed to find another level of relevance than its current state.
Mazabuka UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo said the money allocated to ECZ was not adequate for it to undertake ventures like the continuous voter registration exercise.
He accused the PF of interfering with the public broadcaster which he said blacked-out the opposition.
Kalomo UPND member of parliament Request Muntanga said ECZ should be allowed to operate without interference by especially those in the government.
He said each time ECZ told the government a correct thing; ministers accused the institution of being biased towards the opposition, which was not correct.
Muntanga argued that the K4 million provided for by-elections was not adequate taking into account the fact that over K100 million had already been spent on by-elections.
"There are about 16 or so pending electoral petitions and so the K4 million is not enough for such an exercise," said Muntanga.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, GUY SCOTT
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Development impossible with corruption - Scott
By Prince Chibawah in Mansa
Tue 05 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says it is impossible for the country to record development if the government does not first eradicate corruption.
During a rally at Namwandwe Catholic Church football ground in Mansa on Saturday, Vice-President Scott said no government could deliver development if it did not prioritise the fight against corruption.
"The MMD government failed to develop the country because of high levels of corruption recorded," Vice-President Scott said.
He said the government had taken an active role to fight corruption for economic development to be enhanced.
Vice-President Scott noted that it was the responsibility of the government to reduce opportunities for corruption if the country was to record meaningful economic development.
"Corruption is a global economic challenge and if much effort is not put in place, it has potential of jeopardising the delivery of development in the country," he added.
Vice-President Scott said the government had taken deliberate measures to eliminate corruption, especially in public institutions.
"Such measures have significantly reduced the opportunities for corruption. And we can confidently deliver development to all the provinces," he said.
Vice-President Scott added that the vision of the government was to develop Zambia beyond recognition.
And Vice-President Scott said the government had removed consumption subsidies on maize and fuel to necessitate more developmental projects.
He said the removal of subsidies was done in the interest of the majority poor Zambians, contrary to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema's negative criticism.
Vice-President Scott said Hichilema's criticism of the removal of subsidies was mere cheap politicking and should be ignored by every well-meaning Zambian.
Vice-President Scott, who accused the UPND leader of 'thinking after talking', urged him to stop misleading the nation on issues effecting the lives of the people.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GUY SCOTT
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War in PF over - Scott
By Ernest Chanda, Namatama Mundia and Prince Chibawa in Mansa
Sun 03 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says no one will chase Wynter Kabimba, himself or President Michael Sata from the party, "we are here to stay and that's final". And Dr Scott says the 'war' in the Patriotic Front was over.
Featuring on Radio Yangeni in Mansa yesterday before he addressed two public rallies, Dr Scott said he was not worried about beginners in the party who thought they could take over power using money.
"I know Michael Sata very well, in 20 years we have traveled on the same vehicle, we have slept in the same guest houses, we drove across the country together and exchanged many, many words. So, I'm one of the better judges of Michael Sata around," he said.
"And I don't know him as well as his wife knows him about so on and so forth, but I know him pretty well. And I'm not at all worried there're some beginners, some amateurs who think that with cartons of money you can change the balance of power."
And when asked whether the wrangles in the party were over now, Dr Scott answered in the affirmative.
"I think so, I've been very confident throughout. And I think that confidence is paying up. What's going on in the Patriotic Front obviously is that there has been an attempt to disrupt it or to change the balance of power in the party. And that attempt has basically failed. People sometimes continue fighting a war when it's over because they don't know it's over," Dr Scott said.
"But it's over, if you read The Post this (Saturday) morning you will find apologies from Mr Chikwelete; a letter to me, a letter to Wynter Kabimba saying 'I'm sorry for everything'. Certain key people have been removed; there is really no need to talk about these things because they are internal matters.
And in Bemba people say kwapa tacila kubeya (a subordinate cannot be more powerful than his superior). So, you take Michael Sata as a shoulder that you could ride on top if you wanted. And everything is as far as I'm concerned back to normal."
Dr Scott praised PF members in Luapula Province for not participating in the wrangles.
He said they had displayed a mature way of handling internal differences by keeping quiet.
Asked to mention the people that were causing wrangles in the party, Dr Scott declined, saying he did not want to wake up sleeping dogs.
Dr Scott said there had been a group of senior PF officials whose aim was to distabilise the intra-democracy of the party.
He said it was unfortunate for some party officials to start challenging President Sata and Kabimba prematurely.
"President Sata has suffered for the PF party for over 22 years. And some people, they thought they could commence challenging him prematurely," he said.
And Dr Scott said majority Zambians would vote for the PF based on the tangible development and not mere promises.
He said it had been witnessed in the past two years that the PF government was determined to develop the country within the planned time frame.
"Our developmental agenda is clear. We want to deliver massive economic development to all parts of the country. Come 2016, there will be less talk in terms of campaign because the people will be judging on the development to be delivered," Dr Scott said.
He said the government had committed to addressing high levels of unemployment.
Dr Scott said much consideration was made to invest more in infrastructure development which had potential to create more job opportunities.
"Our key priority is to address the high leaves of unemployment especially among the youth. And this is the major factor contributing to high levels of poverty not only here in Zambia but in most African countries including South Africa," he said.
Dr Scott added that other areas of developmental focus were in agriculture, health and education.
"Agriculture is our top priority area on the PF developmental agenda. For example, here in Luapula Province, this year, the Food Reserve Agency has paid farmers over K72 million, remaining only with K2 million," he said.
Dr Scott further said the government was also in the process of revamping the Mununshi banana scheme in Mwense district and the Kawambwa tea estate.
He said that it was for that reason that people of Mansa Central Constituency should vote for PF candidate Dr Chitalu Chilufya in the November 22 parliamentary by-election.
"You need to vote for Dr Chilufya so that he can continue implementing the developmental agenda which has been set for this area," added Dr Scott.
And Chipili Constituency member of parliament Davies Mwila revealed that the government had secured land for the construction of University of Luapula and that the funds had been allocated in the 2014 national budget.
"The government is also in the process to construct Mwense Technical College in a bid to make tertiary education accessible in all the areas," said Mwila.
And Mansa Central Constituency PF candidate Dr Chitalu Chilufya who featured on the same programme, said the party had a developmental agenda which should be carried on.
" The vision is very clear for all to see. We are focusing on education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, road infrastructure and job creation," said Dr Chilufya.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA, PF, RADIO YANGENI
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Wage freeze for govt workers final - Scott
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Sun 03 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott says corrupt people get attracted to the ruling party. And Vice-President Scott says the two-year cap on wages for civil servants is final but the government is willing to engage trade unions. Vice-President Scott said this in Parliament on Friday during the Vice-President's question time.
Mapatizya UPND member of parliament Clive Miyanda caused laughter when he asked Vice-President Scott to apologise to home affairs minister Edgar Lungu who said he was uncomfortable working with corrupt ministers. Lungu on Friday sat next to Vice-President Scott in the National Assembly.
"If the Honourable cares to go back to the story in The Post newspaper, he will find no mention of me saying that we have corrupt ministers in the government," Vice-President Scott. "What I said is that corrupt people such as those in the land-grabbing industry in Lusaka are attracted to the ruling party. The people in Lusaka West, when the MMD was in power, they had blue chitenge; as soon as PF came into power, they had green chitenge. I will stand by that."
Vice-President Scott said the government would proceed to implement the planned two-year ban on increase of salaries for civil servants and also the recruitment of new government workers.
This was in response to Sinda MMD member of parliament Levy Ngoma who queried on the planned picketing of Parliament by the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions to force legislators to overturn the proposed freeze in wages and hiring of new public workers.
"The wage freeze is for two years and there hasn't been a freeze this year. There had been enormous increments at certain levels in the civil servants," Vice-President Scott said. "We are not authoritarians, we are not dictators, we are prepared to talk about almost anything. We are not afraid to talk, but we have made our position very clear."
And Nalikwanda MMD member of parliament Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, quoting the Daily Mail, asked him on what the government planned to do for the people of Sioma who were reportedly buying roller meal at K150 per 25 kilogrmme bag.
In response, Vice-President Scott said: "That is Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit DMMU's responsibility and I will see to it that is done, but I wouldn't believe everything I have read in the Daily Mail anywhere."
Labels: CLIVE MIYANDA, GUY SCOTT, PF, SALARIES
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Chikwelete sorry
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 02 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
ROBERT Chikwelete has apologised to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba for his offending conduct towards him.
According to a letter of apology dated October 31, 2013, Chikwelete further apologised to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott for denouncing, insulting and humiliating the duo.
"Re: Apology for offending the party. I refer to the above matter and would like to apologise to you sir, as secretary general of our party, Patriotic Front, for the offending conduct towards the senior leaders of our party especially yourself as the secretary general and the Vice-President of our party Dr Guy Scott and other genuine members of the party who were offended by my conduct, I ask for forgiveness," read Chikwelete's letter in part.
And Kabimba said he had accepted Chikwelete's apology because he was convinced it was in good faith.
He said he had no doubt in his mind that Chikwelete, the suspended PF Chawama constituency chairman, was sorry and that he regretted his actions.
"I told him I had accepted his apology because I myself remember very well Chikwelete's contribution to the party and therefore I thought he could still be useful as a member of the party and that those demonstrations against me would not be the way of him developing his career in the party for the future," Kabimba said.
"I also told him that I did not see how anybody would give him credit as a member of the party for leading those demonstrations by way of addressing his grievances. The meeting was very cordial and I have no doubt in my mind that the man was sorry and contrite and he had regretted his actions."
He said two days before the Lusaka demonstrations, he had phoned Chikwelete to discuss his grievances and those of others.
Kabimba said he sought a meeting with Chikwelete so that he could hear him out, to which he agreed.
"I was therefore surprised and disappointed that instead of coming to see me on the appointed day he (Chikwelete) decided to get involved into those demonstrations," he said.
Kabimba said Chikwelete told him that he was a troubled person and that his conscience was not free because he saw that there was nothing wrong that he had done against him personally or to the party.
He said Chikwelete complained that he had been let down by not being given a job despite promises by President Michael Sata to him personally.
"He went further to say one of the first promises was that he would be sent into the foreign service, when that didn't work out he was promised that he would be appointed district commissioner for Chitambo district. To his disappointment, neither of them materialised. He also claimed that he was disappointed and not happy with the provincial and district committees and he thought that the two committees were being protected by the secretary general and for that reason he decided that him and his colleagues should rise against the secretary general in order to get rid of Lusaka Province and district officials," Kabimba said.
He said Chikwelete told him that senior members of the party were financing the demonstrations and named them.
But when asked to reveal the names, Kabimba said it was not necessary to do so.
"We want to put this behind us and move our party forward," he said.
"...The gist of his apology was that he had recognised that I had worked very well with him as a councillor until he became (Lusaka) mayor. He praised my contribution to the party since I became secretary general so he wanted to make amends so that we continue working together."
Kabimba said the meeting where Chikwelete apologised was sought through his lawyer Robson Malipenga.
He said Malipenga phoned him that Chikwelete wanted to personally apologise over the demonstrations against him which he led in Lusaka.
Kabimba said he was initially reluctant to meet Chikwelete but because the request came from his lawyer and his personal friend, he accepted because he did not want to appear to be harbouring a grudge against Chikwelete.
"I decided I would meet Robert Chikwelete in the presence of Robson Malipenga hence our meeting held on 21st October, 2013. In the meeting there was Robson Malipenga and myself," said Kabimba.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Chikwelete sorry
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 02 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
ROBERT Chikwelete has apologised to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba for his offending conduct towards him.
According to a letter of apology dated October 31, 2013, Chikwelete further apologised to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott for denouncing, insulting and humiliating the duo.
"Re: Apology for offending the party. I refer to the above matter and would like to apologise to you sir, as secretary general of our party, Patriotic Front, for the offending conduct towards the senior leaders of our party especially yourself as the secretary general and the Vice-President of our party Dr Guy Scott and other genuine members of the party who were offended by my conduct, I ask for forgiveness," read Chikwelete's letter in part.
And Kabimba said he had accepted Chikwelete's apology because he was convinced it was in good faith.
He said he had no doubt in his mind that Chikwelete, the suspended PF Chawama constituency chairman, was sorry and that he regretted his actions.
"I told him I had accepted his apology because I myself remember very well Chikwelete's contribution to the party and therefore I thought he could still be useful as a member of the party and that those demonstrations against me would not be the way of him developing his career in the party for the future," Kabimba said.
"I also told him that I did not see how anybody would give him credit as a member of the party for leading those demonstrations by way of addressing his grievances. The meeting was very cordial and I have no doubt in my mind that the man was sorry and contrite and he had regretted his actions."
He said two days before the Lusaka demonstrations, he had phoned Chikwelete to discuss his grievances and those of others.
Kabimba said he sought a meeting with Chikwelete so that he could hear him out, to which he agreed.
"I was therefore surprised and disappointed that instead of coming to see me on the appointed day he (Chikwelete) decided to get involved into those demonstrations," he said.
Kabimba said Chikwelete told him that he was a troubled person and that his conscience was not free because he saw that there was nothing wrong that he had done against him personally or to the party.
He said Chikwelete complained that he had been let down by not being given a job despite promises by President Michael Sata to him personally.
"He went further to say one of the first promises was that he would be sent into the foreign service, when that didn't work out he was promised that he would be appointed district commissioner for Chitambo district. To his disappointment, neither of them materialised. He also claimed that he was disappointed and not happy with the provincial and district committees and he thought that the two committees were being protected by the secretary general and for that reason he decided that him and his colleagues should rise against the secretary general in order to get rid of Lusaka Province and district officials," Kabimba said.
He said Chikwelete told him that senior members of the party were financing the demonstrations and named them.
But when asked to reveal the names, Kabimba said it was not necessary to do so.
"We want to put this behind us and move our party forward," he said.
"...The gist of his apology was that he had recognised that I had worked very well with him as a councillor until he became (Lusaka) mayor. He praised my contribution to the party since I became secretary general so he wanted to make amends so that we continue working together."
Kabimba said the meeting where Chikwelete apologised was sought through his lawyer Robson Malipenga.
He said Malipenga phoned him that Chikwelete wanted to personally apologise over the demonstrations against him which he led in Lusaka.
Kabimba said he was initially reluctant to meet Chikwelete but because the request came from his lawyer and his personal friend, he accepted because he did not want to appear to be harbouring a grudge against Chikwelete.
"I decided I would meet Robert Chikwelete in the presence of Robson Malipenga hence our meeting held on 21st October, 2013. In the meeting there was Robson Malipenga and myself," said Kabimba.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Mwamba got himself retired - Mulongoti
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 31 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PEOPLE'S Party president Mike Mulongoti says Emmanuel Mwamba got himself retired through his attempts to supplant the Minister of Information.
And The Zambian Watchdog has offered to give Mwamba back his former job as the online publication's correspondent now that he has been with immediate effect retired from the civil service in national interest as permanent secretary at Cabinet Office.
But when contacted for a comment, Mwamba who first sounded surprised, remarked: "Oh! Let me get back to you."
Mwamba, however, never got back and several attempts to reach him proved futile as his mobile phone went unanswered.
According to a statement by the President's special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah, President Michael Sata wished Mwamba success in his future endeavours.
"This is to confirm that with immediate effect, you have been retired in national interest. I wish to thank you most sincerely for the services you rendered to the government during your tenure of office," read President Sata's letter to Mwamba in part.
On Monday, President Sata told Mwamba in his capacity then as former information and broadcasting services permanent secretary not to use the ministry to fight his own political battles.
On the same day, President Sata transferred Mwamba to Cabinet Office as permanent secretary.
Speaking at State House before a Cabinet meeting, President Sata told Mwamba to cease being a civil servant if he wanted to engage in political battles.
"Don't use my ministry to fight your own political battles. Go outside, stand on a platform and we can meet you on the ground. Don't use my government. You are supposed to protect the people," he said.
President Sata further castigated Mwamba for issuing nationwide radio licences to privately-owned Radio Phoenix and Qfm.
Early this month, justice minister Wynter Kabimba wrote to Mwamba telling him that he was prepared to destroy the public media in order to please his paymasters and their cronies.
In a letter to Mwamba dated October 3, Kabimba, who is also PF secretary general, said he would not sit back and allow the destruction of the public media to continue unabated to the detriment of national development.
Vice-President Dr Guy Scott also wondered what Mwamba was doing at the Ministry of Information if he was failing to ensure journalistic standards in the public media.
During the same period, veteran politician Simon Zukas who was serving as a board member on the Zambia Daily Mail board, resigned alleging bad corporate governance practices by Mwamba.
After Mwamba's retirement, the Watchdog immediately posted on its website accessible through Facebook, that they had consistently told Mwamba to take it easy as he could crash.
"We are however, willing to give Mwamba his former job as our correspondent if he is willing," read the posting which was however edited after some time.
And commenting on President Sata's statement to Mwamba that he should not use his government to fight political battles, Mulongoti, a former information minister in the MMD government, said Mwamba was supposed to have been an advisor to his minister and should have never tried to supplant him.
"If a minister is attacked, the civil servant must advise the minister on how to react and provide answers. Now if a civil servant is the one that is on top, what happens is that if he is under attack, the minister cannot defend him because the expert is supposed to be a civil servant," he said.
Mulongoti said in as much as civil servants were expected to be robust in their approach to governance, there was need for them to take a back seat so as to provide information to their ministers at a political level.
He said failure to do so on the part of technocrats usually resulted in what had happened to Mwamba.
"We have nothing against the man. He has got this unlimited impatience on wanting to get things done. But in every circumstance, there are certain precautions you must take because in the process you step on other people's toes and sometimes you can injure yourself because of over-exposure. As a politician we are used to these things; they attack you today, you are in the ditch, tomorrow you rise again but you don't expect a technocrat to go through that. A technocrat must be in the background and only speak when they think maybe they want to correct something, with the permission of the minister. You must not supplant the minister and be the person on top," said Mulongoti.
Labels: GBM, GUY SCOTT, MIKE MULONGOTI
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Zuma red-faced after 'Africans backward' gaffe
22/10/2013 00:00:00
by Agencies
SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma was on Tuesday left red-faced following a public backlash at comments labelling nearby Malawi as backward.
While trying to convince motorists to accept a controversial plan to toll highways in and around Johannesburg, Zuma yesterday said South Africans need to stop thinking like "Africans in Africa, generally."
"We can’t think like Africans, in Africa, generally. We are in Johannesburg, this is Johannesburg. It's not some national road in Malawi," Zuma said during the ruling ANC party public forum last evening.
His comments went viral on social media, with the opposition party calling him to retract them.
Zuma’s office scrambled to correct the diplomatic gaffe today, saying media quoted him out of context.
"The remarks were made in the broader context of South Africa achieving more in the past 19 years of freedom and democracy," said his spokesman Mac Maharaj.
He said Zuma was trying to justify the sophisticated road system in the country's economic hub, saying the roads were better than those of other small towns.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance said "the president should rather take a leaf out of the books of other African economies that are actually growing faster than us."
South Africa's government has been struggling to enforce a controversial tolling system on roads between Johannesburg and Pretoria, amid strong public opposition.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, JACOB ZUMA, MAC MAHARAJ, NEOLIBERALISM, SOUTH AFRICA, TOLL ROADS
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We're here to work, not to argue - Scott
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 22 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott says he is not interested in gossip and resentment because he does not have the time and energy to waste on arguments that should be taking place at the golf club.
On Saturday, home affairs minister and PF disciplinary committee chairperson Edgar Lungu said reconciliation in the PF would not work as long as Vice-President Scott and justice minister Wynter Kabimba do not point out the corrupt and tribal elements in the party.
But Vice-President Scott described the statement as Lungu's own opinion and that he was not interested in village politics.
"We have got a big job to do. This country is three times the size of the United Kingdom and it is very backward in infrastructure and so forth. We don't have time or energy to waste on arguments that should be taking place at the golf club or whatever. Let us use our energy to bring about the achievements of the party manifesto," he said.
When asked if his party would be able to deliver development in the absence of unity within the party, Vice-President Scott said there should be unity with the people that wanted to see the country develop.
"That's the unity which has to be there. If somebody wants to do politics, arguing like who said what, we will not get anywhere. The President knows that and I am sure Edgar knows that," he said.
Further asked what his message would be to the PF grassroots supporters in view of the lack of unity amongst the top leadership, Vice-President Scott said the grassroots should not be despondent.
"We are on the job, we are developing the country. We are not going to run this country as if we are a women cooperative where people are jealous because another one was with somebody's husband and so forth. We are not interested in village politics. We are all here to work. We are not interested in gossip and resentment. Getting the coffin into the streets with my name on it, you have to forget all that stuff. There is no point wasting energy going over the same ground again and again. We are not here to argue. We are here to work," said Vice-President Scott.
In September, Kabimba said there was a clique of tribal elements that was sponsoring anarchy in PF.
But Kabimba's statement was dismissed by sports minister Chishimba Kambwili who even urged him to apologise to Kabwata PF member of parliament Given Lubinda over the behaviour of PF cadres towards him.
However, Kabimba responded by saying Kambwili was part of the tribal clique in PF.
Later, Kabimba's statement was supported by Vice-President Scott who said there was some element of tribal prejudice at work in the calls for Kabimba to resign.
Vice-President Scott also said there was also a large element of corruption involved in the people who were causing confusion in the PF because they are trying to immunise themselves against forces of law and order.
"The use of a term like tribal clique has certain implications…There is certainly some element of tribal prejudice at work. Whether this amounts to a clique or a conspiracy or simply to old habits that die hard, I would not be in a position to judge because I don't have a tribe, unless Scottish is a tribe. So I don't know very much about tribalism," he said recently.
Vice-President Scott said there was certainly a large element of corruption involved in the people who were causing the disruption in the PF.
"I think there are a lot of aspects and forces at work including opposition forces, wanting to confuse the party from inside. We are acting against it. I think it is being taken. It will not run forever. I expect it to be under good control in the next few days," he said.
Vice-President Scott said there were people within the PF who had their own agendas.
Labels: GUY SCOTT
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Scott visits Masebo at UTH
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 17 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
TOURISM and arts minister Sylvia Masebo is admitted to UTH suffering from anaemia. And Vice-President Dr Guy Scott, who yesterday visited Masebo with commerce minister Emmanuel Chenda at the Fast track VIP section, said it was politics that had caused Masebo's illness.
UTH deputy managing director Dr Laston Chikoya said Masebo had been admitted to the hospital since Monday, adding that she was responding well to treatment.
"When she came in, she was quite sick but as you can see, she has done very well. She has responded to treatment and the doctors looking after her are very happy," said Dr Chikoya.
Vice-President Scott said he went to visit Masebo to ensure that she recovers quickly.
Chenda told Masebo that she still had a "carryover" from the United Nations World Tourism conference from Livingstone.
"You look brighter today and you are carrying a Sylvia smile. We are missing you and we decided to come and see you. At least we can see that smile back," said Chenda.
Vice-President Scott then told Masebo that she did a fantastic job in Livingstone.
"We have come to make sure that she gets fit quickly and gets back on the floor of the House. I am sure you will be very well attended to; take it easy," he said.
Masebo said the nurses had been very nice to her and asked how the debates in Parliament were going on.
Labels: ANAEMIA, GUY SCOTT, MALARIA, SYLVIA MASEBO
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