Donor funding doesn’t threaten Zambia’s sovereignty – Ngondo
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Mon 12 July 2010, 03:20 CAT
ALL Peoples Congress (APC) president Ken Ngondo has said donor funding to Zambia does not in any way threaten the country’s sovereignty.
Commenting on President Rupiah Banda’s recent attacks on donors, Ngondo said President Banda’s statement on donors was very unfortunate.
“He President Banda must be aware of the history of this country, how UNIP government with Dr Kenneth Kaunda tried to castigate the donors and eventually he lost government in 1991. The donors are very important, especially with HIV and AIDS. The funds that we are getting, we are having lots of people that are benefitting from that aspect,” Ngondo said in an interview. “There are areas like the Ministry of Health, they need the donor funding. We cannot manage to sustain our people under these diseases, which are there now. I think it is a very unfortunate statement.”
He said it was sad that while the Road Development Agency (RDA) had not accounted for colossal amounts of money, many roads such as the Chipata-Lundazi road were in a deplorable state.
“I have just come from Lundazi, and the road is in a terrible state but we hear K3 billion has not been accounted for. This is sad because the road to Lundazi is very vital for business people. There is a lot of trade going on in Lundazi, Chama up to Northern Province. We need that Chipata-Lundazi road done urgently,” he said. “They promised they would start the works on the 1st July but they haven’t. They are just halfway there at Lumezi, and the other way, it’s terrible.”
He said it was regrettable that after many years of independence, there were still roads that were in a terrible state.
“The people don’t want jobs from the government. The people want to be respected and they can only be respected if the road infrastructure is done. Secondly, you have seen the bumper crop that I have had this year, this is not a joke. There are two things in this world: you must have shelter, you must have food security, and I am adding value to food security. People come here. They are poor, I am giving them maize,” Ngondo said.
He also praised briefcase business companies for buying maize from farmers.
“I told you last time that I praise the business companies. If there were no briefcase companies, our people were going to starve. Whether they are buying the maize at 30 pin per 50kg bag or K35,000, K45,000, it’s a good idea because these people have got commitments. They have hospital bills, they have children who are going to school, they need money,” Ngondo said.
He said the reduction of the fertiliser allocation under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) from eight to four bags had also reduced the farmers’ production.
Ngondo also said the farmers were annoyed because FRA had not yet opened the market and the maize price was not being increased.
“Prices have gone up for almost everything, fuel, clothes, fertiliser itself but when it comes to pegging the price for buying the produce, soya beans, beans, rice, maize they are not increasing. I think we are not serious with the peasant farmers, and I think it’s high time the government of the day started looking at the farmer,” said Ngondo.
Labels: APC, DONORS, KEN NGONDO
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Sharpen alliances to dislodge tired MMD, Ngondo urges opposition
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 07 July 2010, 04:01 CAT
THE opposition should sharpen their alliances in order to dislodge the already tired MMD from power next year, All People’s Congress president Ken Ngondo has urged.
And Ngondo said the constitution-making process is a futile exercise.
In an interview at his Mbaula Farm last Sunday, Ngondo, who boasted of a bumper harvest, said it was nice to have a PF-UPND pact.
“Last time, I commented that we need a united front in order to dislodge the current government which has overstayed and tired but we need to sharpen our alliances. It’s nice to have a UPND-PF pact, but what does it mean? Come next year, the pact could be different just on the position of leadership. We should sharpen our alliances and choose a particular leader who should lead us to fight this regime which is tired,” Ngondo said.
He said the opposition should do what was done in 1991 when they defeated UNIP.
“Just like in 1991, Chiluba emerged and everybody rallied behind him.
That’s what we need to do,” Ngondo said.
On President Banda’s claim that the MMD was popular, Ngondo said it was normal for a ruling party to profess to be popular.
“Dr Kaunda said the same in 1991, among the outsiders, one leader, a guy like me I saw Dr Kaunda three times at State House and I assured him he was not winning the 1991 elections but he assured me that he was winning. I said to him that I will win Chipata Central but I don’t think you will win yours. What happened? He lost and blamed the women who didn’t vote. It’s normal to be blinded when you are seated there (State House). Ask how many cabinet ministers now have doubts about them (MMD) winning, many,” Ngondo said.
He said there was a big problem with politics of appeasement in the country.
“As long as I have a job, I have to praise the boss, if I don’t I will lose it. Isn’t that the case? Let’s see when we get closer to elections whether it will be the same attitude, whether people will have the same guts like they are having now because there had been so many problems, you know it and you can see it,” Ngondo said.
“I think even the old man Rupiah Bwezani Banda can see a lot of red in front of him, is it a lot of red or red card? Why are they afraid of the red card? They have been red-carded by other people, isn’t it?” Ngondo asked.
He said Fr Bwalya was a good young man whom he had no quarrels with.
And on the submissions to the draft constitution, Ngondo said many people who supported the constituent assembly which turned to be NCC were very disillusioned.
“President Levy Mwanawasa meant well, but he was also skeptical because I was one of those advocates who had the last say in having the NCC. The man (Mwanawasa) told us that you can call it anything, a constituency assembly, NCC or whatever but his officials, like the Vice-President, they are the ones who have manipulated the draft constitution and this forty days they have given (to make submissions on the draft constitution), they don’t tell us when it started because as political parties we never even received the draft constitution,” Ngondo said.
He said he was sure that even the district commissioners did not have copies to give to the people.
“You go to NCC secretariat, they say you should go to government printers and buy a copy. How can people buy a copy which is a public document? When millions were spent on the NCC! What should happen is that the period should be extended and, secondly, we already made our wishes known to the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission, which this NCC has taken out. Things like the human rights issues, they are not there, they have removed the 50 per cent plus 1; all the things that were suggested by people, they have been removed,” Ngondo said.
“…people will repeat the same things and are they going to consider them? This is how insincere the whole exercise has become; they are concentrating on conditions on presidential candidates to be a degree holder. Who told them? The people of Zambia should choose who they want to be their leader and that’s discrimination like what they did to Dr Kaunda,” Ngondo said.
He said the draft constitution should not be accepted for the sake of the 2011 elections.
“The draft constitution is for the future because time is not there to do justice to it,” said Ngondo.
Labels: KEN NGONDO, MMD, PF-UPND
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Ngondo denies having attended Africa Freedom Day celebrations
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sat 29 May 2010, 04:01 CAT
ALL Peoples Congress (APC) leader Ken Ngondo has said he did not attend the Africa Freedom Day celebrations because President Rupiah Banda’s government is following the footsteps of the Frederick Chiluba regime.
Briefing the press in Chipata on Thursday, Ngondo refuted media reports that he attended the commemorations that were held in Lusaka on Tuesday.
“I want to comment on what came out in the public media especially the Daily Mail also on ZNBC television that All Peoples Congress president attended the celebrations. This is a lie, I wasn’t there. I have been in Eastern Province since last Saturday,” Ngondo said.
“I did not attend Africa Freedom Day celebrations as Ken Ngondo and my family that was invited by the government of the day because I feel President of the Republic of Zambia Rupiah Bwezani Banda and his government of the MMD is following the footsteps of the Chiluba government where they never respected the freedom fighters.”
He said it was bad that the government did not care for the people who fought for the country.
“Hardly a month ago, we lost Honourable Haswell Mwale, one of the founders of UNIP and the founders of this nation. He was among the gang of the people who produced UNIP. The men never got respected by the Chiluba government, neither the Rupiah Banda’s government,” Ngondo said. “He late Mwale was in UTH, the President of the day never visited him. I don’t know, he couldn’t be sent to South Africa for major spinal operation. At the same time he was in Intensive Care Unit I was also in Intensive Care Unit for pneumonia. Now coming to Haswell Mwale, it pains me so much. If we talk of Africa Freedom Day, these are the people the government should respect. Yes, they are entitled to state funeral but I would have expected the Head of State, to have him at the graveyard, to bury our colleague, but it was only Dr Kaunda, myself and others. To me they do not care about these freedom fighters.”
He said a few days after Mwale’s death, Vice-President George Kunda was flown to South Africa for medical review.
“As I am talking to you now in Eastern Province, we have Dr Siteke Mwale who is still working as Ambassador Great Lakes Region. He is very sick; he was taken to South Africa by a son. He has come back, he is not well. He is at home. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The government of the day has not even considered to continue with the medication that he was getting in South Africa,” Ngondo revealed. “Can we say we love each other? Can we say we are not tribalists? Can we say we love the people of Zambia? Can we say we love freedom fighters? So to me Africa Freedom day for this year does not make any sense at all. It’s one of those calendar days that have no meaning and this is why I didn’t attend. I have been attending all Africa Freedom Days in the past.”
He said the government needed to reflect on Africa Freedom Day and its meaning.
Ngondo also said briefcase companies had invaded most parts of the country because of the government’s delays to start buying crops.
“We have seen briefcase companies buying maize. Where is the government of the day to buy the maize? We are seeing figures of US $150 million provided, but they are not buying maize from the people. They are telling them to wait until it’s dry, it’s too wet. Meanwhile, the so-called briefcase companies are assisting our people. Our people have got hospital bills, school bills and other bills to pay,” Ngondo said. “What can we do? Tell me young people of today. Is this the government that is caring? We need a deep reflection of what is going on in the nation. The judiciary when it wants to act it acts, but this interference from the executive will create chaos.”
He said although the three arms of government appeared separated in theory, they were practically not.
“Anybody who criticises the government of the day is an enemy, let’s not forget this is a multiparty country. We need people who can provide checks and balances. Let’s not, because of poverty, regard those in opposition to be enemies of Zambia. Let’s persist in protecting everybody. Let’s have everybody have the freedom of speech,” Ngondo said.
He also said APC did not participate in the Milanzi by-election because it was called at short notice.
Ngondo said he was seriously preparing for next year’s general election.
He said the politics of the Chiluba government who thought that money was everything needed to go.
“We are preparing seriously for next year. We are all recruiting young people. Why young people? There had been so many policies by the government assuring empowering of young people. Tell me, who has been empowered? Citizens empowerment that is being talked about, tell me how many people have been empowered.” asked Ngondo. “So politics of compromise have to go, politics of provinces they have to go, politics of Chiluba government who thinks money is everything has to go. We know that during elections money is dished anyhow, young people should think about this. Is this what you want your country to be?”
Labels: AFRICA FREEDOM DAY, APC, KEN NGONDO
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There’ll be a new govt in 18 months – Ngondo
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Thu 28 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
There will be a new government in 18 months, All People's Congress (APC) leader Ken Ngondo has declared. And Ngondo assured that the opposition political parties will fight as a united front to ensure a change of government in 2011.
Ngondo said Zambians were very resilient and would unite and fight for the 50 per cent plus one threshold required for one to be President.
“We are going to fight as a united front, we are going to make sure that in 18 months we have a government that will listen to the will of the people. Things will change and the people who are enjoying power and who are frightened of these simple measures like free press, 50 per cent plus one will be very disappointed because I don't think the Zambians will sit back,” Ngondo said.
“We are going to spearhead the campaign for change, change must come. You cannot be our champion, you are supposed to be our servant and you don't serve the people of Zambia only by being a President. You can serve people in many capacities. What we want is good governance.”
Ngondo said he was very disappointed that the government was supporting undemocratic methods of electing a president. He said it was evident from all the past constitution review commissions that Zambians were crying for a 50 per cent plus one clause.
“This is long over due. Every Constitution Review Commission, people of Zambia cried for 50 per cent plus one and we have seen all world over. Even the socialist Romania, they had 50 plus one and they were on re-run, which shows that that's the way democracy should run,” Ngondo said.
“I am disappointed that the government of the day which is supposed to be progressive and democratic can support such undemocratic methods of electing a president.”
He said Zambia had a problem because since 2001, the Republican president had never won an election.
“How will posterity judge us? We are working for the future of our children, not ourselves. Why should people who have jumped on MMD ticket because of democracy that MMD brought take the clock backwards to the old age of 1964? This is really saddening,” Ngondo said.
He said he was also disappointed with MMD cadres who were threatening violence.
“I am very disappointed with the statements that are coming from party cadres, MMD party cadres threatening democracy. Anybody who speaks out, let it be a journalist, let it be a politician, they want to silence us.
What is democracy? We have been enjoying this freedom of speech under our generation and the young generation were enjoying this. Now they are trying to close them out,” Ngondo said.
He said the inclusion of the clause by the NCC in the Constitution which will require presidential candidates to be degree holders was a violation of human rights.
“People must have the freedom to contest the highest office with minimum education. I can understand the progression for the future where degrees now are being handed over left, right and centre in Zambia. You remember as APC in our manifesto that at the end of our term of office if we had been voted in, we will have had a university in every province,” Ngondo said.
He said the discretion of choosing the Republican president should be left to the Zambian people and not the NCC.
“…This is the same thing that happened to president Kenneth Kaunda, stopping him to contest the presidency because his parents came from Malawi. Here the front runner in the opposition is Mr Michael Sata. We don't know whether he has got a degree or not but I am reliably informed he may surprise people, he may wear a gown as a graduate before 2011 so what will you achieve. Degrees can be obtained, just need to go there university for two years and you get a degree,” Ngondo said.
He said it was not true that a degree holder was a best leader in a country.
“Even fools graduate, as Kaunda put it at one point. We had best leaders who never had a degree, we have already seen the examples of people like John Major never had a degree but he was the best prime minister, Winstone Churchill and many others. So to be a leader it doesn't mean necessarily that a good leader should have a degree. If the intention is to upgrade the country because they are so many degrees that are coming up, well and good, but there should be a transitional period for that,” Ngondo said.
And Ngondo said all the presidents the country has had were his friends but he did not like dishonest people.
“It's better to be honest, let's have leadership with integrity, very sincere people who everyone would want to lead us. We have had all the presidents of this country, all are my friends. If you see my albums are full with pictures with every president from Kaunda, Rupiah but we disagree on one thing. If you are dishonest I am not your friend. I am bound to come out because both my parents were Christians. They taught me honesty,” Ngondo said.
He said he had a lot of respect for late president Levy Mwanawasa.
“…I don't want this to be an issue but he Mwanawasa meant well. This is why you saw me asking for continuity. We went to back Rupiah Bwezani Banda for the sake of continuity and he had promised that he is going to be there for one term. Now that he wants to come back in 2011 we are going to unite with other people to make sure there is a change because with a simple majority, no party in the opposition can form government.
So I can assure you, unity will come, alliances will come, will work and I am sure with my little research from what they have been asking and I haven't responded and I am going to respond now. We are quite sure we will put one candidate so that in 18 months we change the scene of Zambia for the better of our children and the journalists,” Ngondo said.
Ngondo, whose farm is near President Banda's, also complained over the high prices of fertiliser.
Labels: APC, CADRES, KEN NGONDO, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Judiciary has been on trial in 2009 – Ngondo
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 27 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT
ALL People’s Congress (APC) president Ken Ngondo yesterday said the Judiciary has been on trial this year because of the Executive’s interference in high-profile corruption cases.
And Ngondo said President Rupiah Banda had done very well in managing the economy amidst the global economic crisis this year.
Reviewing the year in an interview yesterday, Ngondo said the Judiciary would have to be cleared from the public perception that it was unfair to some people while favouring others.
“The Judiciary is on trial because the cases that were inherited from president Levy Patrick Mwanawasa have reached a stage more less a stalemate. The Judiciary seems to be in court; now everybody is judging them based on these records that seem to be unfair to others and fair to others,” Ngondo said. “It would have been better to request all those that are accused of corruption to bring back the funds that are alleged to have been stolen and forgive them to start afresh. If they have assets, get the assets to compensate what is being considered to have been corruptly gotten. That is how the Judiciary can be cleared.”
He demanded that the government must register the London High Court judgment against former president Frederick Chiluba.
“These are the issues that should force government to look at things differently. Either we forgive everybody otherwise the Judiciary is in court. There must be a way of starting afresh because they will go on and on and on, we don’t seem to have a solution to the problem. These are corruption cases and I am sure the solution is for the people to redress,” Ngondo said. “Coming to president Frederick Chiluba that is why we are talking of registering the London High Court judgment because that is a civil case where millions of dollars have been proved to have been taken and that is the funds that the taxpayer want to come back. That is the bone of contention. People want that money back; they don’t want Frederick Chiluba to be in jail. The criminal case is what was dismissed but the civil case, the way I understand it, is that the money must come back. That is why people are demanding that register this judgment.”
Ngondo expressed concern about how Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa, the courts and the government handled the issue of expelled Patriotic Front (PF) parliamentarians.
“On Parliament democracy there has been a problem there in that the Patriotic Front had dismissed some of its members of parliament and the Speaker of the National Assembly has not accepted to declare those seats vacant. They have been in court and out of the normal it’s becoming abnormal now where it looks like the government is keen to see those people still in the House,” Ngondo said. “It would have been a good idea if these parliamentarians’ seats were declared vacant and go to a by-election. It would have been a smooth operation as far as parliamentary democracy is concerned. It has brought acrimony to the political parties as to how fair the situation is. Parties control their members and it takes the parties to decide who should be their member or not and not the government of the day.”
On the economy, Ngondo said President Banda had done very well.
“The success story is the investment in Luanshya, North Western Province and Chingola. After the economic crisis, at least Zambia has come out very well than what was expected. I think that is a credit the way it has been handled,” Ngondo said. “What I am not sure about are these MFEZs Multi Economic Facility Zones if they will benefit the ordinary people.”
Ngondo paid tribute to the deceased politicians.
“We have also been unfortunate; we lost good friends like Lieutenant General Christon Tembo, Mr John Mwanakatwe, Gwendoline Konnie, Mr Chitalu Sampa and many others. Of course, I can’t say I was very close to Benny Tetamashimba but it was a big loss to government, the way he spearheaded the campaign for the current President and also the issue of the hearse which I am very keen to see how it will end, it’s another corruption case that has to be pursued,” said Ngondo. “After this Christmas, remembering the birth of Jesus Christ, I just pray that love, justice and fair play should prevail in our country.”
Labels: ALL PEOPLES CONGRESS PARTY, JUDICIARY, KEN NGONDO
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Kunda, Mchenga must go – Ngondo
By Chibaula Silwamba
Mon 21 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
ALL Peoples Congress (APC) president Ken Ngondo has demanded that DPP Chalwe Mchenga and Vice-President George Kunda must resign because they have failed to perform their duties.
And Ngondo observed that corruption had become deep rooted in the government of President Rupiah Banda. Meanwhile, Ngondo said President Banda does not listen to advice but challenged him to weed corrupt elements from his administration.
In an interview on Saturday, Ngondo said demands for the resignation of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mchenga must be extended to Vice-President Kunda, whom he referred to as “a chap at the centre of the rot in the judiciary”.
“The resignation that is being called upon by the people of Zambia, I think is long overdue. But who will get the job? Are there any suitable people who can do that job perfectly in the interest of the people of Zambia? It seems choices are becoming very limited.
As the public, we have very limited choices now to make,” Ngondo, who vigorously campained for President Banda during last year's presidential by-election said.
“I hope something can be done soon and that something means bringing back the judiciary and the confidence of the people in the judiciary.
It's long overdue but now what will be the alternative. Have we got alternatives? We are in a very awkward situation as the public. There are so many things that are going wrong in the judiciary. One doesn't really know whether the Vice-President, who is the Minister of Justice, is doing a good job too.
“The call for the DPP's resignation should not end up there; it should go along the line. Isn't it? His bosses are also not doing well. Can you imagine sitting in London for ages and ages and failing to register the London judgment? And the chap Vice-President Kunda is still at the centre of things.”
Ngondo said the whole setup in the judiciary needed re-examining by Zambians.
“Really, is this how we are going to carry on with these people? He Vice-President Kunda is still at the centre. He should go actually. Kunda is long overdue. He should go. What is he doing there?” Ngondo asked.
“The whole thing is deep rooted. It needs cleaning up. The whole thing must be cleaned. You can't hold two positions as if there are no suitable people. The whole system seems rotten.”
Ngondo said it was very difficult for lawyers and the judiciary in general to justify what they were doing nowadays.
“The public is losing confidence in the legal profession. It seems that even cases that are straight forward, we are finding them complicated and if the judiciary is going the way we are going, I don't think we will have any country left,” Ngondo said.
“We, as All People’s Congress party are very disappointed with the way the judiciary is handling national issues. I hope they can reach a stage where they can build confidence again.”
Ngondo said President Banda had failed to weed corrupt people from his administration.
“He was supposed to weed the field when he came in. When we voted him in to take over, he was supposed to weed the field. But the guy is not weeding the field. He didn't weed the field,” said Ngondo.
Asked about how he rated President Banda's management of national affairs since his election, Ngondo responded: “You know it. Your newspaper has been explaining everyday to the people of Zambia but how many people read the paper? I have started reading it and I am enjoying it. Can we tell him to weed the field now? What we should do is...He doesn't want to listen. You have seen, your paper has tried, isn't it? Does he listen to anything? He doesn't!”
Ngondo, who last year claimed that he had stopped reading The Post, expressed gratitude for the newspaper's reporting.
“So you young man if you ask Post photojournalist Collins Phiri, I have started reading the paper, the other day he was seeing me enjoying reading the paper. So I am enjoying the paper now. So you can carry my story properly, I am telling you. I don't think I can come out and say I have been misquoted. No! The guy President Banda must weed the field, he never weeded the field. He must weed the field,” said Ngondo.
“We are not impressed with the impressions of corruption; it's deep rooted now. He needs to clean up the whole thing. When I say the whole thing, I say the judiciary. The people of Zambia are dissatisfied.”
Labels: APC, CHALWE MCHENGA, DPP, GEORGE KUNDA, KEN NGONDO
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Ngondo to start reading The Post
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 29 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT
ALL Peoples' Congress (APC) president Ken Ngondo has said he will start reading The Post because it is exposing corruption going on in the current government.
Featuring on Radio Phoenix’s Let the People Talk programme in Lusaka on Friday, Ngondo, who last year claimed that he had stopped reading The Post because it was attacking President Rupiah Banda, said he would resume reading the newspaper.
"I will start reading The Post and I will start answering questions from The Post reporters who have been phoning me very frequently that I am ready to read The Post newspaper.
The reason is simple; I have learnt that for a politician, good or bad publicity is still good and they have pointed out, from what I hear, certain aspects that have revealed the corruption that has been going on in this government," Ngondo said.
"In our manifesto, which you know very well, we talked of transparency. Let me read it to you: unnecessary secrets in governments lead to arrogance in government and defective policy decisions."
Ngondo explained that he had stopped reading The Post because it was biased against the presidential candidate the APC was backing, MMD's President Banda.
"From day one of the campaigns that we launched to support Rupiah Bwezani Banda, The Post took a very uncompromising angle, discrediting the President before he even took office. In other words they behaved like they were another political party." Ngondo said. "They probably had some preferred candidate. I had also to put my stand very clear."
Ngondo also claimed that he had not been paid any money by the MMD for his support for its candidate.
"When we took this stand to support MMD, my party, All Peoples' Congress Party never received a penny from MMD or the President although we hear some political parties received some money," Ngondo said. "My party never received a penny. Neither did my party go into an arrangement seeking a position in the government of MMD. That is how principled Ken Ngondo is."
Ngondo said the MMD and government never compromised him.
In mid September 2008, Ngondo declared that he had stopped buying and reading The Post because it was constantly attacking then vice-president Banda, his brother.
"Your paper is just attacking Rupiah although he is not answering but you have continued attacking him. That's why I buy all the papers but I don't buy your paper now," Ngondo had said.
And Ngondo promised to favourably revise media laws.
"We will introduce freedom of information Act and leading to more open government and an independent Central Statistical Office. This is what we said in our manifesto of 2006 when we participated in the presidential and general elections," Ngondo said.
"I am happy to see that progress is being made in this aspect where the media are now going to regulate themselves, should they agree, and it will bring transparency to the government of the day.
These are the reasons why I want the listeners and our supporters throughout the country that this is why we supported the presidential candidature of Rupiah Bwezani Banda."
He said his APC party was not MMD despite its support for the ruling party during last year's presidential by-elections.
Labels: KEN NGONDO, RUPIAH BANDA, THE POST
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