IFCC urges Rupiah to focus on alleviating national problems
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Friday, March 20, 2009 2:39:06 AM
THE International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) has said President Rupiah Banda must not concentrate on how he will finish off The Post but how to alleviate the many problems affecting Zambians. In a media statement issued in Lusaka, IFCC president Bishop Simon Chihana stated that The Post was the only print media of the masses that President Banda might need one day.
"IFCC has been compelled to speak on The Post and President Rupiah Banda saga because it seems it is taking the attention from the President to focus on real issues that are affecting the Zambian people at large," Bishop Chihana observed. "We want to say that any leader must know that he or she will receive opposing views contrary to his expectations and leadership. If a leader cannot acknowledge the fact that there are other people with opposing views to his, this can be a great nightmare."
He stated that any leader must understand and agree that he was just a human being like everybody, bound to make mistakes and if corrected they must swallow their pride and admit by addressing the problem.
"We solemnly believe that the media neither have enemies nor friends but work according to the weather patterns of things that are happening on the ground in the nation and in a given environment. Therefore, we want to encourage the President to have his emotions restrained against The Post newspaper because it just seems that it is only he and The Post in the land," Bishop Chihana stated. "We realize that our people are facing many difficulties and challenges in terms of how they can afford food, how they can get jobs and protect their jobs, how they can receive adequate medical attention, how they can have their children attain better education."
He observed that the controlling of mealie-meal prices was one of the biggest issues that the government needed to look at, than the fight against The Post.
Bishop Chihana further stated that IFCC believed that President Banda's government must continue curbing and fight corruption in all government institutions.
Bishop Chihana also advised President Banda not to be disclosing confidential materials that he found at State House or in government.
"It is extremely important for presidents also to understand that it is not a right attitude to be disclosing every secret they find documented in State House. People are looking to our dear President to provide leadership in sorting out the situation we are in right now and not the [other] way round," Bishop Chihana stated. "The President must not be overtaken on how he can deal and finish The Post newspaper but how he can work out a programme to alleviate the many problems being faced by the Zambian people because bread on the table shall not come by quarrelling with the newspapers. Agriculture, health and education sectors shall not improve by spitting in the face of [Post editor] Fred M'membe."
He advised President Banda not to preoccupy himself with plans to close The Post.
"In a good time of our democracy, The Post is the only print media that has stood the test of time to allow readers have a choice from the government newspapers and effectively covering the whole Zambia and outside," stated Bishop Chihana. "The Post is the only print media of the masses that President Banda might need one day and therefore trying to remove it is of no use at all."
In the recent past, President Banda has repeatedly issued threats against The Post over the newspaper's critical coverage of his misdeeds and those of his government.
Addressing MMD cadres at State House recently, President Banda declared: "I will ensure that they [The Post] close down by the debt they owe the Zambian people, if they don't pay back soon."
A week later, President Banda told demonstrating students at State House that The Post stole US$30 million from the Zambian people.
Labels: IFCC, RUPIAH BANDA, THE POST
Read more...
Chihana urges govt to do away with proposed salary increments
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Sunday September 21, 2008 [04:00]
INTERNATIONAL Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Bishop Simon Chihana yesterday said it would have been better for the government to completely do away with the proposed salary increments for constitutional office holders instead of shelving it.
Commenting on the statement by Vice-President Rupiah Banda that he will not assent to the Bills on emoluments for constitutional office bearers, which sailed through all the stages in Parliament, Bishop Chihana said the announcement was a good idea but the Vice-President should not have waited for the elections to do that.
He said Vice-President Banda should have stopped the bills completely in the interest of the nation as opposed to referring them back to Parliament.
Bishop Chihana wondered why it had to take an election to see whether the Bill would be endorsed or not.
"I think that way it is going to help a lot. To look at it with a clear mind, a lot of people are concerned in as far as the needs of people," he said.
Bishop Chihana said the government should have first looked at the needs of junior officers in the government before they looked at their salaries.
"Just like in a home, a parent is concerned about his children and when the children are satisfied, he too can satisfy himself," Bishop Chihana.
Vice-President Banda on Thursday during the launch of his campaign for the presidency revealed that he had not assented to the Bills seeking to increase salaries and allowances for constitutional office holders and would send them back to Parliament for re-consideration.
"Let me assure you that I have listened to the concerns of the Zambian people. On that note, as you know I have still not signed the legislation concerning the salary pay rise of constitutional office holders. I will ask my colleagues to look at the legislation once again. I will be sending this legislation back to Parliament for re-consideration," said Vice-President Banda.
Labels: CABINET, IFCC, SIMON CHIHANA
Read more...
Don't vote on tribal lines, urges chief Ndungu
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sunday September 14, 2008 [04:00]
SENIOR chief Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi district has urged Zambians not to vote for the next Republican president based on tribal or regional lines but on credible leadership. And International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Bishop Simon Chihanahas observed that it will be retrogressive for Zambians to vote on tribal lines during the forthcoming presidential election.
Speaking in an interview from his Mize capital in Zambezi yesterday, chief Ndungu said ordinary Zambians were looking for a person who could unify the country regardless of tribal inclinations.
“On those who are campaigning for the Republican presidency, it is not that every tribe will rule this country. What is important is the capacity to deliver,” chief Ndungu said. “I would not want to say much on those who are saying they have 100 per cent support where they come from but the people of Zambia will vote for credible leadership and not on regional lines.”
Chief Ndungu said those politicians that would anchor their campaigns on tribal or regional lines should know that ordinary citizens would vote for a candidate who would take development to their respective areas.
“It is better to select a capable leader, because as you know here in Zambezi we have so much to do,” chief Ndungu said. “We want a government that will construct a bridge across the Zambezi River and any leader who will campaign on that will certainly win the hearts of the people of Zambezi.”
And Bishop Chihana urged voters to judge each presidential candidate and vote based on their leadership abilities, not on tribal interests.
“We also want to take this opportunity to appeal to our fellow citizens that they should not vote on tribal lines, personal hatred or other negatives and retrogressive reasons,” Bishop Chihana said. “And thus we advise that the Zambian people should cast their vote in the coming elections by looking at our political leaders and see if one has experience that the nation can benefit from in bringing about economic development.”
He further urged the electorate to ascertain whether one had right judgment in governing the people and making decisions before voting for that presidential aspirant.
“…And also if one has the nation at heart and indeed should be a Christian faith-based person,” Bishop Chihana advised. “Zambians must avoid voting for presidential candidates that have any corrupt past record, or have stolen from government coffers in any way and those who promote regional politics.”
Bishop Chihana said a president of Zambia must be a father for all tribes, the rich and the poor, and a protector of national interest and foreign investment.
Addressing people who welcomed him at Chipata Airport last Friday, Vice-President Rupiah Banda, who hails from Eastern Province and who is also the MMD presidential candidate, said he expected the highest number of votes from the province to offset any deficits he might have in other provinces.
Vice-President Banda asked the Easterners to vote for him, their own son. He also thanked the people of Eastern Province for having ‘created’ him.
“I am from you; I have my (late) mother here, my grandparents here, my brothers, my children, my grandchildren. I look round here, I almost know everyone, I am very proud of that and I am very happy to be in front of you now as a representative of the party in the forthcoming elections,” Vice-President Banda said.
He told the people of Eastern Province to ask other presidential candidates to return where they hail from, should they visit his province to ask for votes.
Opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata recently charged that Vice-President Banda is a known tribalist.
Meanwhile, Bishop Chihana argued that it would be extremely unfair for Zambia to go ahead with the presidential election without addressing the number of concerns relating to the untimely nature of the polls.
“Whilst we appreciate the fact that the government has announced the date for the presidential election, we want to mention that we are also equally concerned with a number of very important and necessary things relating to this untimely election to be in the way we expect it to be free and fair,” he said. “We therefore want to appeal to the ECZ to reconsider the set date to a further one.”
Bishop Chihana explained that the sensitisation period of the electorate was extremely too short to cover the whole nation particularly those in rural areas.
“The millions of the 2006 electorates have since passed away due to sicknesses, accidents, murders and this creates an obvious negative number of voters,” said Bishop Chihana. “The millions of youths that were not eligible to vote in 2006 are now of age to cast their vote…these are potential voters who must not be ignored by the state.”
Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, IFCC
Read more...
