Address unemployment urgently, Masheke urges government
By Selina Nyirenda
Fri 29 June 2012, 13:24 CAT
YOUTH and sport minister Chishimba Kambwili says the protest by youths who were left out of the Zambia Army/Zambia National Service recruitment exercise is justified. And General Malimba Masheke says the government should address the issue of employment with the seriousness and urgency it deserves.
Commenting on the protest by youths who were not short listed for the joint recruitment exercise at Lusaka's Emmasdale area yesterday, Kambwili said it was unfortunate that the recruitment was done without proper planning.
"I think in my opinion, the whole problem was caused by the department of recruitment because they knew that they wanted very few people but they went out and advertised to the whole world inviting people for interviews. If you call people for an interview, you should give all of them an opportunity to be interviewed, you don't become selective. It's unfortunate what happened yesterday but they had a reason to protest," Kambwili said.
He appealed to the Zambia Army and Zambia National Service (ZNS) to get organised and conduct a safer recruitment exercise which would not trigger riotous behaviour.
Kambwili further urged youths not to panic for jobs and that they should exercise some patience because the government was putting in place a comprehensive programme that would tackle the issue of employment.
"We have only been in office for eight months. We have to plan, from there we have to do feasibility studies then we implement and that would not happen in eight months. We are going to create youth farms…where these youths will be employed then later on become shareholders, and once these are established, we will move on to districts," said Kambwili.
And commenting on the mass turn out of school leavers for the on-going joint recruitment by the Zambia Army and Zambia National Service, Gen Masheke said such was an indication of how desperate people were for jobs.
"I am not seeing an answer to the unemployment situation in the country if government still depends on the military, ZNS, ZAF as a way of solving the problem when these can only pick a handful of thousands of young applicants leaving out the rest," Gen Masheke said.
He advised the government to consider implementing certain measures such as empowering youths in agriculture development.
Gen Masheke said the government should not be shy to work with whoever has good and workable plans because the issue of employment is a national concern.
"In 1991 when MMD came into power, it sold all the parastatal companies, now the number of unemployed people in the country has reached its maximum.
Its uncontrollable," said Gen Masheke.
And Youth Constitutional Coordinating Committee coordinator Mulenga Fube said it was unfortunate that jobs were only being offered to school leavers, therefore neglecting the uneducated.
According to Fube, youths who were uneducated as well as unemployed were a danger to society saying they were easily lured into illicit activities such as drug abuse and other criminal activities.
"A more worrying sector is that those who have never been to school are a time bomb," said Fube.
Labels: CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, MALIMBA MASHEKE, UNEMPLOYMENT, YOUTHS
Read more...
Politics, military are not for making money
By The Post
Mon 25 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
"THOSE who want to make money should not attempt to go into military or politics. If the top leadership is careless and misusing public funds, even those who are under them would do the same. Those in the military should not have cruel motives of making themselves rich at the expense of people they are supposed to serve."
Who is saying these words? These are words of a retired general of our armed forces, an officer who participated in the liberation wars of our region. These are the words of General Malimba Masheke.
And he goes on to add: "During the time Dr Kenneth Kaunda was president, he led an exemplary life. Those who were under him whether in the political, military or any other leadership stayed clean following his example. But when we started having the regime of late president Frederick Chiluba, his style of leadership was misuse of public funds. As a result of Chiluba's leadership style, many people are still facing court trials.
For those under Chiluba, not to be seen to differ with their commander-in-chief, they also started stealing. During our time, the army was looked at as something that was special for the nation. The political leadership must also change.
If the political leadership is crooked, the whole nation will be crooked. If the country has a president and commanders stealing, every officer in rank and file will compete to steal." Gen Masheke was not only a leader in the military, but also served as prime minister of our country - a top political leadership position.
Dr Kaunda set a very outstanding example of selflessness and honesty in leadership. But we as a nation, it would seem, have failed to live up to the standards set by this apostle. We seem to have been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his example.
We need to seriously reflect on comrade KK's example. We should give serious thought to his teachings. Not only we but succeeding generations will remember his example, his message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of our homeland, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We should never allow the torch of his example in what selfless and honest leadership means to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.
Comrade KK led our people for more than 27 years, if we count the pre-independence years as well. But today this comrade has far less property, money or any other form of wealth to his name than Rupiah Banda who only led this country for three years. In three years, Rupiah and his sons accumulated much more than comrade KK and his entire family were able to accumulate in more than three decades of leadership and public service.
Truly, if people got into political leadership positions to enrich themselves, then there is a problem because political leadership was never meant to be a business where profit is the main motive.
There are great dangers when political leadership positions are seen as opportunities for self-enrichment and aggrandisement. Of course, there are many dangers in the present situation where an unlimited wave of consumerism has been unleashed on our people. There is also the danger of weakness. In saying all these things, we are not in any way implying that those in leadership positions should not live decent lives in accordance with their earned income.
If a man thinks that dedicating his entire life to the service of his people means that in return he should not have such worries as that his children lack certain things, or that his children's shoes are worn out, or that his family lacks some necessity, then he is entering into rationalisations which open his mind to infection by the seeds of future corruption. We are not asking for the children of our leaders to go without those things that the children of the average man have or go without.
We would like them to simply understand the standard set by comrade KK on this score and strive to uphold it. The changes we want in our country will be made by human beings and these human beings must forge their selfless spirit day-by-day. Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.
A leader who tries to enrich himself or live lavishly at the expense of his people will never inspire confidence.No one is forced to be a leader. If leadership is too much a sacrifice, one is free to do something else that is more profitable to oneself.
Leadership is the ability of a single individual through his or her actions to motivate others to higher levels of achievement, of conduct. Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitudes and in actions.
If you have a thief for a leader, it is highly unlikely that he will have clean followers behind him. People follow their leaders. And for this reason, example is not the main thing in influencing others; it is the only thing.
Ethics must begin at the top. It is a leadership issue and the top most leader must set the example; must follow the grain of his own wood. There is no power on earth that can neutralise the influence of a high, simple and useful life. A leader is one who knows the way, does the way and shows the way.
Leadership is doing what is right at all times. And as Martin Luther King Jr once observed, "the time is always right to do what is right". The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.
As for our military, it has been disgraced by those appointed to lead it over the last two decades or so. We now have a corrupt military. We say this because the great majority of those who have led our armed forces over the last 20 years have been found to be corrupt.
And this includes their commanders-in-chief. Something has to be done to cleanse our military of this vice and give it an honourable reputation it deserves because, as Gen Masheke has correctly pointed out, the military is a very noble profession.
This is a profession of selfless people. Only those who are prepared, who are ready to sacrifice themselves for their country, for their people should be in our military and be given the privilege to lead it. But over the last two decades we have had all sorts of scoundrels, crooks being appointed to lead our armed forces. This should stop.
There are many decent officers who can be appointed to lead our armed forces. Our army, air force, Zambia National Service and indeed our intelligence services are not short of decent men and women. It is just a question of setting a criteria in our appointments that favours and honours honesty and integrity.
We should not accept to give in to a culture of corruption; "Never give in! Never give in! Never, never, never, never - in nothing great or small, large or pretty. Never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense" (Winston Churchill).
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE
Read more...
'Politics not for those who want to make money'
By Agness Changala
Mon 25 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
THOSE who want to make money should not attempt to go into the military or politics, says General Malimba Masheke. And Gen Masheke says if the top leadership is careless and misusing public funds, even those who are under them will do the same.
Commenting on US military legal counsel Lt Col Sean Madden's statement that generals and commanders should endeavour to retire honourably by not engaging in things that can land them in jail, Gen Masheke, former prime minister in the UNIP government, said the military was a very honourable job.
He said the military was a supreme sacrifice, adding that those in service even swear to protect the country.
Gen Masheke said those in the military should not have cruel motives of making themselves rich at the expense of people they are supposed to serve.
Zambia's immediate former defence service chiefs are in court for alleged theft by public servant involving K1.5 billion.
Others before them, like Gen Geogiago Musengule, Wilford Funjika were convicted for corruption.
And General Masheke said he led a very exemplary life during the time Dr Kenneth Kaunda was president.
He said those who were under him whether in the political, military or any other leadership stayed clean following his example.
"But when we started having the regime of late president Frederick Chiluba, may his soul rest in peace, his style of leadership was misuse of public funds," Gen Masheke said.
He said as a result of Chiluba's leadership style, many people were still facing court trials.
Gen Masheke said some senior military officials under Chiluba started to steal for them not to be seen to differ with their commander-in-chief.
He said during his time, the army was looked at as something that was special for the nation and urged the political leadership to also change.
Gen Masheke said if the political leadership was crooked, the whole nation would be crooked.
He said if the country had a president and commanders stealing, every officer in the rank and file competed to steal.
Gen Masheke urged those from the political level down to all ranks and parastatals to go into business if they want to make money.
"If they want to join politics, they shouldn't come and make money but represent the people and fight for the rights of the people," he said. "So it's not only the military, it's leadership where people think that they have a chance to the Treasury and then they keep themselves rich."
Meanwhile, Gen Masheke advised the PF government not to do to the opposition parties what the MMD did to them.
He said the PF was doing to the opposition what was being done to it when they were in the opposition.
Gen Masheke said this in apparent reference to UPND cadres who he alleged were stopped from conducting a peaceful demonstration even when it was their right.
"The same things are repeating. Are we learning anything? I think we must make our democracy work," said Gen Masheke.
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE
Read more...
Unity
By The Post
Mon 28 May 2012, 13:30 CAT
WE should all join General Malimba Masheke in what he says is his prayer to see the country united to preserve the freedom that was fought hard for.Contrary to what some reactionary people would want us to believe, our country's independence struggle was not easy, was not without great sacrifice. Our independence was not given to us on a silver platter.
People suffered in all sorts of ways to give us the independent Zambia we today enjoy. Those who struggled for the independence of this country fought a noble battle and lived their lives in pursuit of a better life for all who follow.
The Zambia we are enjoying today, the Zambia Michael Sata was honouring some of them in on Friday, is the sweet fruit of their lives of struggle and sacrifice.
This is a generation now reaching the end of a long and heroic struggle. It is a generation that is very rich in principles, values, standards and a spirit of self-sacrifice and selflessness. When members of this generation speak, we should listen carefully.
And when they give advice, it should receive the most favourable considerations. And we should never allow indifference, cynicism or selfishness to make us fail to live up to the ideals set by this generation of heroic freedom fighters. They deserve the respect and honour.
And we are glad that Michael is giving that honour and respect in a way and in a manner that no other president of our country since KK has ever given them. Every one of these freedom fighters deserves our greatest respect. They carried out their responsibilities on our behalf with sufficient honour and integrity. They lived extremely honest and selfless lives.
If they were selfish, they could have shared so many things that the colonialists left as was the case in Kenya where the key leadership shared all the land among themselves. Today in that country, the biggest land owners are the children of freedom fighters. This is not the case in our homeland.
Malimba's call for unity in our country is timely. Before, the tactics of those who used to rule over our destiny consisted of dividing us and of setting one humble section of our people against another. They set one tribe against another.
They set the interests of one tribe against the interests of another. They set every faction of the people against the other factions as part of a strategy to continue their domination of us. They even set sister nations against each other and they set the various sectors of each nation against each other to serve their own interests.
They weakened the people by their practice of setting one humble section against the others. They divided the people into petty political parties that brought no guidance to the nation. They divided the ignorant and misled people into factions, supporting unscrupulous, greedy and corrupt politicians. They thus weakened the people. They thus confused the people.
For our country today, one of the most important things is unity - of our people and of our country - which has made it possible for us to achieve what we have achieved over the last 47 years or so. How could our country have stood firm and tackled all these problems we have had if it had been split into several pieces of Bantustans?
It would not be possible for us to tackle our basic problems if our country was divided into countless parts. So for us today, the form of political organisation we take should always promote unity. And we must always be mindful of this one thing, whatever the trials and tests ahead.
The ultimate strength of our country will not lie in infinite resources or boundless wealth, but in the unity of our people. This we believe very deeply. Let us consider ourselves as Zambians first and then whatever we want to call ourselves or we want to be. And it should be in that order always and only. We have to put the unity of our people first and put it ahead of any divisive partisanship.
And in these times as in times before, it is true that a house divided against itself by the spirit of faction based on all sorts of things, is a house that cannot stand. So, it is necessary for us to join Malimba's prayer for national unity, whatever our personal interests or concerns, and guard against divisiveness and all its ugly consequences.
United we have come this far. Those who have made this unity possible deserve honour and respect. What they have won us when all our people united must not now be lost in suspicion, distrust, selfishness and politics among any of our people.
We know that this country will not be a good place for any of us to live unless it is a good place for all of us to live in. Some of the divisive tendencies we have seen do not necessarily come from the people. They come from selfish, greedy, corrupt and failed politicians. What we need are leaders who will help us safeguard our unity and deepen it.
The greatness of our leaders should be measured by how much unity they bring to our people and our country. Divisive leaders are not leaders at all. A leader who wants to lead a divided nation, a divided people is no leader at all and will lead nothing in the end.
It is not possible to lead a divided people. Good leaders unite people, bad leaders divide people. Anyone who sows the seeds of division is not fit to lead. And we are lucky that our people have been very alert when it comes to divisions. They have never allowed any divisive leader to lead this country or lead it for long.
Those who are banking on sectional, regional or tribal politics will never lead this country. And probably they know that they will never be able to lead this country with their divisive tendencies and that's why they are always fanning divisions among our people.
Of course, nobody can deny the fact that we have many challenges in our country today. Our greatest challenge today is poverty and the inequalities that accompany it. Some of our people are left far much behind, they are still living in very primitive centuries.
But these challenges need a leadership that can square up to them because greatness comes not when things are going well, but greatness comes when we are really tested, when we take some knocks. This is so because only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.
Freedom fighters like Malimba remind us where we are coming from. There is need for us to recall our past, so as to foresee and plan for the future better.
By recalling the past, we will realise that our struggle for independence was intrinsically bound up with the fight for unity. The struggle to defend and consolidate unity, the driving force of our independence struggle, demanded permanent vigilance and action to neutralise and eliminate the manoeuvres of divisive opportunists.
It was not by accident that KK and his comrades defined racism, regionalism and tribalism as enemies to be fought against, just like colonialism. This was necessary because it helped to deprive the opportunists of the chief instruments of their anti-people manoeuvres. And it is also necessary to understand the grandeur diversity and complexity of our country.
Knowing this complexity means studying the divisiveness in our country and the ways of combating it. It cannot be denied that each part of our country has its own specific peculiarities. But it is imperative that all these specific peculiarities should be made to give way to real unity among all our people.
We should detest divisive politics and look at it as a barbaric thing wherever it comes from. This is so because divisive politics pollutes the atmosphere of relations among our people and poisons the minds of the backward, the bigoted and the prejudiced. The founders of this country, of this Republic, never allowed divisive politics and other practices to dominate our country.
Equally, we should never allow our country to play host to divisive politics. Divisive politics must be consciously combated and not discreetly tolerated.
Labels: INDEPENDENCE, MALIMBA MASHEKE
Read more...
Fight hard to preserve unity, Masheke tells Zambians
By Selina Nyirenda
Mon 28 May 2012, 13:29 CAT
GENERAL Malimba Masheke says Zambians should fight hard to preserve the unity and freedom won at independence. Gen Masheke, a freedom fighter, said it was his prayer to see the country united to preserve the freedom that was fought hard for. He said he was happy to have been a part of the struggle for independence.
"We fought for political freedom but now they should fight to develop the country and make sure that the young ones are not suffering from poverty," Gen Masheke said.
He advised the government to consider the interests of the people first.
"They (PF) must not fear anything when preserving the country, not to look at anybody but the interest of the people," he said.
And Gen Masheke said corruption needs a strong soldier like President Michael Sata to kill it.
Commenting on PF government's stance on the fight against corruption, Gen Masheke said fighting corruption was like fighting a war and urged the government not relent in the fight against the vice.
"So this government, I am very happy with what it's doing to fight corruption. Corruption is like a cancer, it's like a war. Corruption leaves potholes in the economy of a nation which would not be covered. So Mr Sata must not relent when it comes to fighting corruption," he said.
Gen Masheke said there should be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption, and that anyone involved in corrupt practices should be made accountable for their actions.
And Bernadette Sikanyika, also a freedom fighter and former governor in Dr Kenneth Kuanda's government, said opposition political parties should support the government in the fight against corruption because it was for a good cause.
"Corruption affects everybody but so far it's like its only President Sata who is in the forefront to fight it. These other political parties are not talking loudly on corruption but instead criticise this and that," said Sikanyika.
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE
Read more...
Gen Masheke backs calls to have KK's portrait on new notes
By Agness Changala
Mon 06 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT
GENERAL Malimba Masheke says putting Dr Kenneth Kaunda's portrait on the new kwacha notes will be one way of honouring him.
Commenting on suggestions that the new kwacha note should have first Republican president Dr Kaunda's portrait, Gen Masheke, former prime minister in the UNIP government, said the founding father did a lot for Zambia and putting his portrait on the new kwacha notes "would make him feel good".
"Personally, I wouldn't mind having Dr Kaunda's portrait on the new kwacha note. It will be okay because KK did a lot of things for this country," said Gen Masheke who was also defence and security minister in Dr Kaunda's government.
The government recently announced that it would rebase the kwacha by knocking off three zeros from the notes. This decision will therefore necessitate the printing of new notes.
And supporting the calls, former Chingola mayor McDonald Mulongoti said late president Frederick Chiluba removed Dr Kaunda's portrait from the kwacha in bad faith.
"…But I would like to urge the government to also consider reinstating Dr Kaunda's portrait on these new notes as a way of honouring him. This obtains in other countries such as India and the United States, among others," said Mulongoti. "We shall always give credit where it is due."
Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, KWACHA, MALIMBA MASHEKE
Read more...
MMD’s abuse of media is part of rigging - Masheke
By Patson Chilemba
Wed 03 Aug. 2011, 13:59 CAT
GENERAL Malimba Masheke has asked President Rupiah Banda to conduct elections fairly because his government’s abuse of the public media is tantamount to rigging. In an interview, Gen Masheke said he was dissatisfied with the coverage of political players by the state-owned but government-controlled Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail.
“At the moment, the public media is exclusively MMD media when, in fact, it is people’s media, which should include what the other political parties that are not in government have got to say,” Gen Masheke said.
Gen Masheke, who was the last prime minister in Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s administration and commander of the Zambia Defence Forces, said President Banda’s government should not think that it had the monopoly of wisdom on the running of the country’s affairs.
He said UNIP felt the same way in 1991 but was removed by the MMD, which had now governed the country for 20 years.
“They should allow fair elections to go on. Misuse or abuse of media, which government is doing now is actually part of rigging because this country is too large. Private media may not reach all corners of Zambia but public media does so,” Gen Masheke said.
And Gen Masheke said it was clear that PF leader Michael Sata had the momentum above the rest heading into the elections.
He said PF was attracting more crowds, with many people joining the party than any other.
“But in an election, anything is possible. But this is my feeling. There may be still other people who will be coming on the surface, but at the moment, contenders are three and I would put PF above the rest,” said Gen Masheke. “This is what it is. People, when they crowd around somebody, they are having hope. Maybe he is creating hope in them… it’s like the act of osmosis, the strong liquid will attract the weak ones. It is because PF appears strong, many are going there and they have hope that on what is on the surface, PF will give them hope.”
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
Masheke calls for review of UN peacekeepers’ mandate
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 08 June 2011, 04:01 CAT
GENERAL Malimba Masheke says the UN must reform the mandate of peacekeepers to allow them to use necessary force and shoot back when under attack.
In an interview yesterday, Gen Masheke, a former commander of the Zambia Defence Forces, said the current mandate where peacekeepers could not fire back when attacked made it difficult for the troops to protect the civilians.
The Zambia Defence Forces was a combination of the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and Zambia National Service (ZNS) before they were separated.
“The mandate of UN peacekeepers must be re-examined to enable them, not only to separate warring groups but also to enforce peace. It must be reformed if it has to serve the purpose,” said Gen Masheke.
“When you are in a peculiar situation in a foreign land to bring peace between warring factions and the others want to overwhelm you, your reinforcement has to pass through other countries and it takes a few days, you should be able to use necessary force to make sure that you enforce your mandate to keep peace which is not possible under the circumstance.”
Gen Masheke said currently the mandate of UN peacekeepers was limited and must be expanded for the benefit of civilians, troops and the global body’s staff.
On May 10, 2011, some suspected tribal armed groups shot and wounded four Zambian soldiers, seriously injuring one, as the peacekeepers were travelling in a convoy in Sudan’s disputed oil-rich Abyei region, which both northern and southern Sudan are claiming ownership ahead of South Sudan’s independence next month.
On Sunday, Reuters news agency reported that the UN was investigating Zambian peacekeepers in Abyei who allegedly hid in the barracks for two days instead of protecting civilians during clashes between northern and southern Sudan forces over the disputed region.
But defence minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa dismissed the allegations, concerning the violent fighting that took place on May 20 and May 21, 2011 between the north and south Sudan forces.
Dr Mwansa said Zambian troops in Sudan’s Abyei region conducted themselves professionally and with utmost sense of duty according to the UN mandate.
Labels: KALOMBO MWANSA, MALIMBA MASHEKE, SUDAN, UN, ZAMBIA
Read more...
Masheke calls for review of UN peacekeepers’ mandate
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tue 07 June 2011, 04:01 CAT
GENERAL Malimba Masheke says the UN must reform the mandate of peacekeepers to allow them to use necessary force and shoot back when under attack.
In an interview yesterday, Gen Masheke, a former commander of the Zambia Defence Forces, said the current mandate where peacekeepers could not fire back when attacked made it difficult for the troops to protect the civilians.
The Zambia Defence Forces was a combination of the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and Zambia National Service (ZNS) before they were separated.
“The mandate of UN peacekeepers must be re-examined to enable them, not only to separate warring groups but also to enforce peace. It must be reformed if it has to serve the purpose,” said Gen Masheke.
“When you are in a peculiar situation in a foreign land to bring peace between warring factions and the others want to overwhelm you, your reinforcement has to pass through other countries and it takes a few days, you should be able to use necessary force to make sure that you enforce your mandate to keep peace which is not possible under the circumstance.”
Gen Masheke said currently the mandate of UN peacekeepers was limited and must be expanded for the benefit of civilians, troops and the global body’s staff.
On May 10, 2011, some suspected tribal armed groups shot and wounded four Zambian soldiers, seriously injuring one, as the peacekeepers were travelling in a convoy in Sudan’s disputed oil-rich Abyei region, which both northern and southern Sudan are claiming ownership ahead of South Sudan’s independence next month.
On Sunday, Reuters news agency reported that the UN was investigating Zambian peacekeepers in Abyei who allegedly hid in the barracks for two days instead of protecting civilians during clashes between northern and southern Sudan forces over the disputed region.
But defence minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa dismissed the allegations, concerning the violent fighting that took place on May 20 and May 21, 2011 between the north and south Sudan forces.
Dr Mwansa said Zambian troops in Sudan’s Abyei region conducted themselves professionally and with utmost sense of duty according to the UN mandate.
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE, UN
Read more...
Rupiah is a total failure, says Dr. Mbita Chitala
By Patson Chilemba
Tue 17 May 2011, 04:00 CAT
PROMIMENT people are now endorsing Michael Sata because they have realised that Rupiah Banda is a total failure, says Dr Mbita Chitala. And Dr Chitala said the President Banda arms scam has the potential to turn into another ‘Chiluba is a thief case’.
Dr Chitala, who is Zambia’s former ambassador to Libya, said there was a Tsunami of change coming this year and no one could stop it.
He said all those who were clever and patriotic should join people like Dr Rodger Chongwe, Ludwig Sondashi and many other Zambians who had come out to endorse the candidature of PF leader Sata.
Dr Chitala said the people who supported President Banda’s candidature in the 2008 presidential elections had now changed their allegiance to Sata.
“Practice makes perfect. You know in the three years of seeing Mr Banda he has been a total failure, and therefore we have to change. And in the current scenario the only option for change with the manifesto is Mr Sata. And anyone who is reasonable in the country can see that,” he said.
On the decision by the government through defence minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa to report Kafulafuta MMD member of parliament George Mpombo to police for revealing that he resigned as defence minister because he refused to be drawn into a questionable US$100 million arms scam by President Banda, Dr Chitala said specialists on such matters said he had done nothing wrong.
He named former Zambia Army commander and the last prime minister during Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s reign, General Malimba Masheke, who had already provided guidance that Mpombo should not be afraid because he had done nothing wrong.
“I think Mpombo can be defined as honourable and patriotic that he was able to refuse to be an accomplice to crime and subsequently resigned. I think the country must thank him for that,” Dr Chitala said.
“This is just a systematic method of trying to intimidate PF members. The same thing happened to Eastern Province PF chairperson Lucas Phiri in Eastern Province. And there will be several others which will be coming.”
Dr Chitala wondered if the government would even take the matter to court because this could be a situation where the President could end up serving a jail sentence.
He said this could be another ‘Chiluba is a thief case’, where former president Frederick Chiluba took people to court but the whole thing opened a Pandora’s box into his crimes, for which he was prosecuted.
“He President Banda is the accused, not Mpombo,” Dr Chitala said. “Like Mpombo himself put it, it will be opening a chain of worms.”
Dr Chitala said there were several things involving President Banda which would come to the fore after he had left office.
He said whereas President Banda enjoyed immunity now and did not need to answer to any crime, people will one day get back to him and ask.
Dr Chitala advised the police to conduct themselves professionally on the Mpombo issue because the whole world was watching them.
He said the police should not be instigated by politicians to do things which were against the people of Zambia.
Labels: GEORGE MPOMBO, MALIMBA MASHEKE, MBITA CHITALA, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
Rupiah has blood on his hands - Masheke
By Chibaula Silwamba, Agness Changala in Lusaka and Speedwel
Sun 16 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT
POLICE killing of people in Mongu can burn Zambia into irreparable political chaos, says former defence minister George Mpombo. And General Malimba Masheke says President Rupiah Banda has blood on his hands following the killing of two people in Mongu.
Commenting on the killing of two people during the Mongu riot over the Barotseland Agreement of 1964 on Friday, Mpombo yesterday said killing people had a tendency of hardening the hardcore feelings of radical individuals in society.
“I am a solid supporter of Zambia as a unitary state but at the same time government must be cautious not to embark on reckless measures that can plunge this country into a serious political crisis,” Mpombo said.
“It’s a sad situation that there is loss of lives which can burn this country into irreparable political chaos. I think it is sad that we can choose to resort to using firearms in a situation that we should handle properly through dialogue.”
Mpombo advised President Banda and his government not to approach the Barotse impasse with strong-arm tactics to show that he was in control by using excessive force. He said the government must refrain from using firearms to counter violence.
“Dialogue is very important but I have seen that the government is acting in a desperate manner. Instead of engaging these people in constructive engagement and ensuring that their views, whether radical or unacceptable are given a chance to be heard, they are using strong-man-tactics,” Mpombo said.
“If irrational views command some following, it is important to sit down and sift through and find a solution.”
During a press briefing in Lusaka on Friday, home affairs minister Mkhondo Lungu said police had no option but to shoot dead a man who allegedly attempted to set ablaze a filling station, while a child died after being stoned during the riot.
And Gen Masheke, a former prime minister in the Kaunda regime and former Zambia Army Commander, said the MMD government had murdered its children in Western Province who were complaining of a matter which was in the government’s hands.
“I am very disappointed with what has happened. They (Western Province youths) were complaining about (dishonouring) the Barotseland Agreement. Instead of telling them what they (government) are doing about it, they send armed police to fire and kill innocent unarmed people!” Gen Masheke said.
“No government should engage in a situation like this in this manner. The complaint which people in Western Province are putting forward is because of poverty and neglect of the province. There are no factories, no jobs. When people leave schools, they have nothing to do. Mr. Rupiah Banda and his ministers that come from Western Province have blood on their hands and they have to do something to wash off this blood.”
Gen Masheke wondered how MMD Parliamentarians from the province would face the people whose children were being killed. He said it was not a question of cessation of Western Province, but people were expressing anger at the situation in the area.
“Barotseland Agreement does not talk of cessation. People in Western Province have been the most humble since independence. Whenever there had been riots (elsewhere), there has not been any in Western Province. When you see such (violent reactions) from the youths, you must understand why.
The government of Rupiah Banda must take responsibility for every person that has been killed, and they must remove police from there,” Gen Masheke said. “The whole area from here (Lusaka) to Mongu, people going through road blocks as if there is a state of emergency. They have passed a State of Emergency in the province without passing a law. There is no law that refuses people to assemble, all they do is notify the police. What has caused the anger is to stop them.”
Gen Masheke said the youths using Barotseland Agreement to cause problems in Western Province were doing so because of poverty, neglect and starvation, which were in every province, except that there were no agreements in the other provinces.
“The whole country is in turmoil. They are claiming to have US$2 billion in reserves and they are claiming to have given trillions of money in maize purchase. But how much of those trillions have gone to Western Province? Nothing! Where there is no justice, there will never be peace,” Gen Masheke said, adding that the issue in Western Province required attendance and not bullets.
And National Movement for Progress secretary Logan Shemena blamed the government for the situation in Western Province. He said the government through police should have allowed the youths to have their planned public meeting on the Barotse issue under very tight security so as to listen to their message.
“The young person who lost his life was not even armed but the police were in numbers. They could have overpowered the young man and arrested him. Our police are even trained to disarm an armed person, so why fire live bullets on a person who is not armed?” Shemena asked.
“The violence has been caused by government. Government could have prevented that. We can’t play politics that will endanger the lives of our people.”
And UNIP vice-president Njekwa Anamela said the government must accept responsibility for the deteriorating security situation in Western Province. He said no one needed to die or be killed for exercising their human rights.
Anamela said restricting freedom of speech, movement, stopping of meetings and shooting people was a crime against humanity.
“Our multiparty democracy is about building an open, transparent, participative plural society in which all citizens should exercise their freedoms of assembly and expression without undue hindrance,” he said.
Anamela said UNIP condemned all acts of violence in any form and that it was the duty of the police to protect everybody and establish a ‘healthy’ environment for debate and dialogue on all national matters. He said the exercise of leadership was to serve everyone, including those who have a different opinion.
Anamela said unleashing instruments of violence on fellow Zambians merely hardened attitudes and backfired in the long term.
Labels: BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT, GEORGE MPOMBO, MALIMBA MASHEKE, MKHONDO LUNGU, NJEKWE ANAMELA, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
The cause of our forefathers has been betrayed – Kazabu
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe and Masuzyo Chakwe in Lusaka
Wed 26 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE cause of our great forefathers has been terribly betrayed, UPND chairperson for education, science and technology Luxon Kazabu has observed. And General Malimba Masheke has appealed to the leadership in the country to work and maintain the cause of those who fought for independence to get Zambia free from poverty and create employment for the people.
Commenting on the Africa Freedom Day, which fell yesterday, Kazabu said freedom fighters engaged in the struggle to
ensure that after attaining independence, the country’s resources were properly harnessed to benefit everyone.
Kazabu observed that currently, no one could confidently stand and say that the country’s resources were benefitting every citizen.
“Most of our people are living a hopeless life whereby they hardly know where the next meal will come from,” he said.
Kazabu added that in a land of plenty like Zambia, it was a paradox that people should be wallowing in so much poverty amidst plenty natural resources.
He called on all citizens to reflect on the reasons why the country’s forefathers went into the freedom struggle.
“If our forefathers had to come back to life, they would have very harsh judgment for us for having betrayed their noble cause,” he said.
Kazabu said the current generation especially those in leadership still had a chance of cleansing themselves by doing things that would add value to every citizen as opposed to focusing on their own narrow interests.
He said when God gave Zambia all her natural resources, He did not mean that they should only be enjoyed by a few.
“Let us re-focus and remember the many people out there who need to be helped. We should ensure that when our people go to hospitals, they find adequate medicines, we should ensure that there are motivated nurses and doctors to treat them, we should ensure that our children go to schools where teaching and learning can be done effectively,” he said.
Kazabu said there was need to create an environment conducive for living.
Kazabu said issues of sanitation, clean drinking water, and better standards of living for people could be achieved if resources were properly harnessed.
And Gen Masheke, who is former prime minister in Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s government, congratulated Zambia for reaching this far.
He said those in leadership should work and maintain the cause of those who fought for independence to create employment for the thousands of youths who were queueing up during the recruitment of police and Zambia Air Force (ZAF) officers.
Gen Masheke said those in authority should not throw away wealth to investors without Zambians getting something out of it.
“I wish we owned something in the mines,” he said.
He said he was very encouraged with Australia’s Prime Minister who said from 2012, all mines would pay super profit tax which is supposed to increase Australians’ tax revenue collection from the mining sector.
Gen Masheke said in 1969 when he was out in the bush, Zambia was getting something from the mining industry, which was the biggest economic field.
He said there could be no development if the government did not control the mines. Gen Masheke said if the government did not control the mines at the time, there would be no tarred roads and clinics in all the country’s districts.
He said currently, the government did not own anything, as there were no industries in the country. Gen Masheke said everything had been sold out and the government only depended on tax from a few people in formal employment.
He said what comes into the country in terms of foreign exchange was beneficial only for a few.
Gen Masheke appealed to the Zambians not to allow wealth to disappear from the country. He said there were so many young Zambians who were unemployed.
He urged the government to create industries and share the country’s wealth equally.
Gen Masheke also appealed to those in leadership to work for the people and not for themselves.
The country joined the continent to commemorate Africa Freedom Day yesterday and several people were honoured by President Rupiah Banda.
Labels: AFRICA FREEDOM DAY, LUXON KAZABU, MALIMBA MASHEKE, NEOCOLONIALISM, WINDFALL TAX
Read more...
Miyanda defends Gen Masheke’s comments on retiring of 6 generals
By George Chellah
Mon 26 Apr. 2010, 04:40 CAT
HERITAGE Party (HP) leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda has advised President Rupiah Banda’s government to revisit its new policy of governing by threats and intimidation because this method seldom achieves the intended purpose.
And Brig Gen Miyanda said attempts to find fault in General Malimba Masheke’s comment on a matter of public interest will turn out to be a wild-goose chase
Commenting on chief government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha’s utterances last Sunday that the government was investigating General Masheke to see if he had broken his oath of secrecy by commenting on President Banda’s retirement of all defence chiefs at the same time, Brig Gen Miyanda dismissed the threats.
“General Malimba Masheke’s comment on President Banda’s recent removal of Defence Force generals cannot by any stretch of imagination qualify to be an offence or breach under our laws. Instead it exposes how jittery government has become. To threaten any former Army or Air Commander with prosecution for an obscure and non-existent crime is the last thing the government should be wasting public funds on,” Brig Gen Miyanda said.
“To threaten General Masheke after his long service is beneath the Zambian government which does not even properly utilise or look after its former service or military personnel.
All military personnel sacrifice one thing when they sign up their lives, which is the ultimate sacrifice. This attempt to find fault in General Masheke’s comment on a matter of public interest will turn out to be a wild-goose chase.”
Brig Gen Miyanda said it was not every statement that amounted to a breach of security or oath.
“In order to succeed in a prosecution of this nature, the government must take into account the facts and the circumstances of the case which may be material and necessary to constitute an offence under our laws; I see none here. Such facts will be found in the statement first made by the President and then commented on by General Masheke,” Brig Gen Miyanda said.
“It is laughable to hear the government declare that the President’s decision to remove defence personnel cannot be debated. There is no such blanket law in Zambia; it all depends on the specific case. How can an opinion become an offence? In fact, the government itself has been condoning serious breaches by disclosing secret tunnels!
“Before initiating any inquiry, it is always necessary to have a modicum of evidence to avoid more Chansa Kabwela-type comedies; General Masheke did not disclose any secrets. He commented on a matter that was put in the public domain by the President himself. The question is, which part of the President’s speech was secret?
And will the President be investigated for being the source of the publication of the alleged secret? I see no such secret in the President’s speech; his action was purely an administrative action that did not even require a Presidential Press briefing, unless truly there was some undercurrent behind the action.
Ordinarily, a retirement is known in advance and even published by the military themselves in their circulars!”
Brig Gen Miyanda said it was completely unnecessary for ministers to keep themselves busy with matters that must in the first instance be handled by professionals under their command, in this case the Police and subsequently the Director of Public Prosecutions (DDP’s) office.
“When president Sata alleged that there was a plot to assassinate him, the correct response was for the operatives in the Police to take a formal statement from him and begin to investigate the allegation with no fanfare.
The press battles with Honourables Chishimba Kambwili, Mumbi Phiri and Jean Kapata have acquired a political label through minister’s running commentaries, leading to the perception that there may be political persecution even when this may not be so.
Leave the Police to handle these things and ministers to comment sparingly should there be need to do so,” Brig Gen Miyanda said. “It is not only insults that are anathema to Zambian politics, but also these daily unproductive threats and intimidation by the government of anyone who comments on matters of national interest.
Day in, day out we hear threats against the Church, the media, students and all and sundry. Threats and intimidation have become the normal way to govern as though punishment is the only option. Government must revisit its new policy of governing by threats and intimidation because this method seldom achieves the intended purpose. The charade must stop. Those who are afraid of shadows usually end up hanging themselves.”
Labels: ARMED FORCES, GODFREY MIYANDA, MALIMBA MASHEKE, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
Leave Gen Masheke alone
By The Post Editor
Mon 19 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT
NO amount of intimidation will silence our people’s desire for progress.
It has become abundantly clear that Rupiah Banda and his minions have run out of ideas on how to keep themselves relevant to our people.
We say this because they have made it very plain that intimidation is their preferred mode of engagement with those who hold views different from what they think. It is clear that Rupiah is becoming autocratic and he is ready to use his position to bully all his opponents into submission if he could. It is also clear that his preferred mode of operation is submarine. Rupiah is hiding behind his minions to push oppressive schemes. Rupiah is pushing his ministers to oppress our people and intimidate them.
Hardly a week goes by without one threat or another being made against this or that citizen for expressing their opinion. If Rupiah had his way, he would want this country to be a police state with his ministers daily directing who should be arrested because they expressed an opinion which was different from what they like.
It seems that Rupiah is trying to relive some very negative periods of the history of our continent. The autocratic tendencies that he is displaying are reminding us of the shameful excesses that characterised the rule of people like Kamuzu Banda in Malawi. Our people will not accept to be intimidated and brutalised in the way that Kamuzu Banda intimidated and brutalised his people in Malawi. Anyway, he may manage to intimidate many of our people but we promise him one thing, we will not be among them.
We decided a very long time ago that our comfort and wellbeing was secondary to the needs of our country. For that reason, we have never shied away from being critical, sometimes in very harsh terms, of governments that have tried to oppress our people and thought they held an unchallengeable hold on power. We have not been spared the indignity of being dragged before courts of law by those in power for the simple reason that we have dared to criticise them.
This is not a mere question of bravado or a disinterest in the benefits of a peaceful and quiet life, but we are driven by the realisation that if all of us kept quiet as things got out of hand in our country we would have no one to blame but ourselves for the anarchy that could result.
We are also driven by the knowledge that we are not the only ones who feel strongly about where our country should go and how wrong some of the things happening in our country are. Yes, Rupiah may intimidate some poor souls into submission but he cannot intimidate all our people.
We do not want to be counted amongst those who chose personal benefit at the expense of national interests. This is what drives us.
The threats to investigate and possibly arrest General Malimba Masheke for expressing his view on Rupiah’s decision to retire all his commanders and their deputies is shameful indeed. What wrong did General Masheke commit when he analysed and gave his view on the implications of the way that Rupiah had behaved? What state secrets did General Masheke divulge?
As he himself says, the shameful threat by minister for information and chief government spokesman Ronnie Shikapwasha is a naked attempt to intimidate a man for expressing an opinion on matters that were in the public domain.
General Masheke left the Army many years ago and to suggest that he has breached his oath of secrecy by commenting on Rupiah’s own comedy of errors when he removed all the commanders of the fighting forces together with their deputies is shallow, hollow and intellectually bankrupt bunkum. It is unfortunate that this is all that we have come to expect from Shikapwasha.
One would have expected that with his experience, he would have dismissed that issue with the contempt it deserved. Anyway, he is not working alone. He is working on the instructions of ‘boma’, Rupiah himself.
How else could one explain the fact that Shikapwasha is telling us that two ministers have been instructed to look into the matter? Who instructed these ministers? It can only be Rupiah. Shikapwasha has no authority to instruct anybody on a matter of this nature.
These friends of ours are very interesting. People like Shikapwasha are always complaining about how this one or that one is not respecting them. What about him? What respect is he showing to General Masheke? Whether he likes it or not, Shikapwasha could never be a soldier and military expert that Masheke was in his time. These are people that served this country and this region admirably and retired from active military service honourably.
General Masheke has been in politics for a long time. Why should he not comment on a matter of general public interest which affects his particular expertise? Rupiah and his minions are so confused they don’t even listen to themselves when they are talking. How many people are they going to threaten with arrest?
Instead of trying to intimidate a solid man, Shikapwasha should concentrate on explaining his boss’ shameful contradiction. General Masheke in commenting on the matter of the retirement of the defence chiefs made it clear that the President had the right to do what he had done.
Having said that, he also pointed out that notwithstanding his right, the President’s actions tended to suggest that there was a crisis. What was wrong about that? If anything, General Masheke’s analysis is supported by Rupiah’s own contradictory pronouncements on the matter.
Rupiah claimed that he had retired the defence chiefs and their deputies because they had reached retirement age and there was need to allow the rank and file in the forces to move up into those places.
Having given what he thought was a satisfactory explanation, Rupiah went ahead to appoint some people who are clearly above retirement age. In fact, the new Zambia Air Force (ZAF) commander Lieutenant General Andrew Sakala was recalled from retirement.
What was so critical at ZAF to recall a man who had retired to replace others who had reached retirement age? The same can be said about the Army commander Lieutenant General Wisdom Lopa. We have no doubt in our minds that he too must be past retirement age.
This raises the question: why did Rupiah give the nation misleading information? Is it wrong for General Masheke to comment on such a serious matter? Rupiah and his minions know that once again they have been caught lying. Their arrogance prevents them from simply keeping quiet. They have instead chosen to attack innocent people to try and mask their naked schemes.
This use of the judicial process to try and muzzle all critical voices will not work. Others have tried it before but it has not worked. What Rupiah and his friends are doing is simply to rob our police and our courts of law of their respect and, therefore, the legitimacy that they should have in the public eyes. This daily menu of threatening investigation, arrest and prosecution of anyone who criticises them is a recipe for disaster.
The police are there to maintain law and order for all of us. Trying to use them as an extension of the political machine is leading the country into anarchy. We all know that if people lose respect for the judicial process, they will find the prospect of taking the law into their own hands very attractive.
These childish attacks on General Masheke will not help Rupiah to divert attention from his disastrous press conference at which he raised more questions than he answered. This was a man who did not even know what ranks the people he was appointing should really have.
Some of the people he appointed ended up with two or three promotions on the same day. What was the rush? Why the confusion? What Rupiah and his minions are doing will not help them. They should leave General Masheke alone.
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA
Read more...
Govt won’t succeed in shutting me up - Gen Masheke
By Ernest Chanda
Mon 19 Apr. 2010, 03:10 CAT
GENERAL Malimba Masheke has dared the government to arrest him over his comments on President Rupiah Banda’s retirement of all defence chiefs over a week ago.
Reacting to chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha’s threat that the government was investigating Gen Masheke to see if he had broken his oath of secrecy by commenting on President Banda’s decision to retire all defence chiefs and replace them with new ones, Gen Masheke described the threat as pure harassment.
He said as far as he was concerned he did not break any oath of secrecy as claimed by Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
“What is his problem? That is a pure case of harassment and they government will not succeed in shutting me up. They can go ahead and investigate, I’m not afraid of anyone. This is my country and I’m a free citizen, free to comment on any matters of policy that affect me and many other Zambians. As far as I’m concerned I have not broken any oath of secrecy because I commented on matters of policy, not material,” said Gen Masheke.
“I challenge them to arrest me now. They will not succeed in shutting everyone up who has a contradicting view on national matters. Again I say, no amount of intimidation from government will shut me up. I’m not afraid of being arrested because I’m a free citizen. Let them go ahead and arrest me.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha was quoted in yesterday’s Sunday Times of Zambia as having said that the government had launched enquiries to establish whether Gen Masheke was in violation of his oath of secrecy by commenting on President Banda’s decision to retire and replace all defence chiefs.
He said the ministries of defence and home affairs had been instructed to investigate Gen Masheke and possibly cite him for violation of the oath of secrecy.
“For someone who was a commander, it is a sad statement for him to make, President Banda’s decision is not subject to debate. It is against this that the Ministry of Defence under Dr Kalombo Mwansa and his home affairs counterpart Lameck Mangani have been instructed to look into the matter and see if General Masheke has broken his oath of secrecy.
There is a statutory situation that will follow if Gen Masheke is found to have committed an offence in this matter,” threatened Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
On April 8 this year, Gen Malimba Masheke observed in The Post that President Banda's drastic decision to retire and replace all defence force commanders and their deputies at once had a connotation that there was a crisis.
Gen Masheke, who served as Zambia Army commander between 1980 and 1985 during Dr Kenneth Kaunda's reign, was commenting on President Banda's retiring and replacement of Zambia Army commander Gen Isaac Chisuzi and his deputy Major General Eliad Mutwale, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) commander Lieutenant General Samuel Mapala and his deputy Major General Evans Chengeta and Zambia National Service (ZNS) commandant Major General Raphael Chisheta and his deputy Brig Gen Joseph Miti during a press briefing at State House on April 6, this year.
Asked about the implication of President Banda's decision to retire the top brass at the same time, Gen Masheke said that would create an impression in the minds of the new office bearers that the whole office was rotten.
“You see, the problem with that is that of continuity. When you remove, normally those who are outside the command when such things happen they may think that the whole office was rotten and they want to come and sweep the house clean and you have a situation where they new office bearers even bring new friends to replace everything when there is no need to replace what is there,” said Gen Masheke.
“When you remove everybody from office at the same time, it means there is a crisis. It's like there is a crisis, sweeping the place clean. That is the disadvantage or the connotation it would have. But the Commander-In-Chief is entitled depending on the information he has. It's the first time now. We don't know what information compelled him to do such a drastic thing. It's a drastic change.”
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA
Read more...
Rupiah, Chiluba’s alliance is a selfish desire to cling to power - Gen Masheke
By Patson Chilemba
Thu 11 Feb. 2010, 04:01 CAT
President Rupiah Banda and Frederick Chiluba's alliance is a selfish desire to cling to power in order to perpetuate the abuse of national resources including institutions such as the judiciary, General Malimba Masheke observed yesterday. And the UNIP National Revival Forum (UNIP-NRF) has decided to work with the UPND.
During a press briefing at the UPND secretariat yesterday, Gen Masheke urged Zambians to seriously watch President Banda and former president Frederick Chiluba’s alliance.
“May we also caution the Zambians at large to seriously watch out on the ill-conceived alliance of Rupiah Bwezani Banda and Mr Frederick Titus Jacob Chiluba. This alliance is a selfish desire to cling to power in order to perpetuate the abuse of national resources including institutions such as the judiciary,” Gen Masheke, who also served as prime minister during Dr Kenneth Kaunda's regime, said. “The good news is that they will be stopped. Zambia today is in a revolution mood and will therefore stop at nothing to deliver change. We, therefore, want to appeal to our members to remain resolute, steadfast and united as has been the case so far.”
Gen Masheke said the UNIP-NRF had been engaged in consultations with PF and UPND to explore ways through which the forum would contribute to the efforts of providing a serious alternative to the inept and corrupt MMD's governance. He said after the consultations, UNIP-NRF decided to work with UPND
“Our working with the UPND is inspired by the vision espoused by its leadership. Suffice to say that we believe in the hopes and aspirations of the party. The party's pro-poor manifesto is a robust plan identical to UNIP-NRF to rebuild our shattered economy in order to provide basic needs such as food, jobs, shelter and health care to our suffering masses,” Gen Masheke said.
He expressed gratitude to the UPND leadership for making the event possible.
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema welcomed the association between UPND and the forum, saying the PF-UPND Pact was the way to go.
He said opponents would try to throw spanners at the Pact, but that he was focused on the bigger picture of removing MMD from power. Hichilema said the Pact was “here to stay”.
He also said that people said he was young, but what mattered most was the rate at which one matured. Hichilema said Zambia was poor because it was poorly managed, saying if President Banda could cancel one of his many foreign trips, money could be served to help address some of the pressing problems people faced.
“The army of unemployed citizens annoys everybody, unless you are not normal,” said Hichilema.
Former secretary to the Cabinet Sketchley Sacika said previously the nation used to experience 18 per cent growth per annum, but people were now happy with the five per cent growth.
Those who attended the briefing included UPND and UNIP-NRF officials and cadres from both parties.
Labels: CHILUBA, MALIMBA MASHEKE, RUPIAH BANDA
Read more...
Masheke has no moral ground to challenge KK, says Kayuni
By Mutale Kapekele
Tue 05 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
A group of UNIP youths and the party’s women’s lea-gue yesterday storm-ed The Post in protest over a story published on Sunday where UNIP Revival Forum chairperson General Malimba Masheke called Dr Kenneth Kaunda an MMD cadre.
Leading the delegation, national women's secretary Beatrice Kayuni charged that Gen Masheke was a political impostor who had no moral ground to challenge Dr Kaunda.
“General Malimba Masheke is a political fraud and an imposter. He has no moral ground to challenge Dr Kaunda because he is a stooge of Michael Sata and the PF,” Kayuni said.
“He is easily bribed and known for contributing nothing to the party and the nation both in opposition and in the government. When he was prime minister of Zambia, he even failed to secure the title deeds for the party assets like Mulungushi Rock of Authority in Kabwe, UNIP complex along Independence Avenue and other party properties.”
She charged that Gen Masheke was also known to destabilise UNIP by creating factions within the party.
“He Masheke is infamously known for creating factions to destabilise the party from 1992 to 1995 when he created a faction against Kebby Musokotwane, and in 1997 to 2002 when he created another faction against Dr Kaunda,” she said.
“In 2000, he was rejected at the party congress as president and after that he joined the FFD where he is still a member. He stood for party president there also but failed lamentably. “
Kayuni charged that Gen Masheke was a liability to UNIP as he had created a huge debt for the party.
“He has always been a liability to UNIP. He created a debt and ran away so he has no moral right to condemn the current leadership which has liquidated the debt that he left and has created new wealth for the party,” she said.
“General Masheke must be grateful to the Kaunda family because without it he could have been a nobody in this nation.”
She said Dr Kaunda's contribution to the country and southern Africa was immeasurable and could not be dented or distorted by “ranting of failed politicians like Gen Masheke.”
Kayuni urged Gen Masheke to desist from “insulting” Dr Kaunda who had quit active politics.
She also described as “lousy” comments by PF general secretary Wynter Kabimba who described Dr Kaunda as a hypocrite and divisive failure acting for self preservation.
“What has Kabimba done for this country?” she asked. “KK deserves respect. KK built this country and now people have come out of their senses and they want to disrespect him. Even the little knowledge they have was because KK sent them to school for free. We are very disappointed with Kabimba and PF president Michael Sata. We expect them to honour KK. Sata was actually groomed by KK and now he is just the same as the MMD who have failed this country. All he knows are insults after he failed in the MMD and he is just like President Rupiah Banda who has moved from being a socialist to liberal.”
She said Sata and President Banda were the same politically as they both entertained former president Frederick Chiluba.
Kayuni said UNIP would not tolerate insults especially if it involved Dr Kaunda.
“We are not going to tolerate insulting behaviour from anybody. They like insulting each other in the press and when we don't talk about it doesn't mean we respect them,” she said.
“KK has a right to give advice to any Zambian as a father of the nation because no one can compare to him in terms of developing this country. Even the MMD cannot show any thing for their 20 years in office.”
She said Dr Kaunda could never be MMD because he believed in humanism whilst the ruling party was liberal.
Kayuni said politics should be based on issues that were affecting the country as insults could not develop the country.
“There are a lot of development issues that politicians can talk about, that is why KK sent them to school so that today they can be political leaders,” Kayuni said.
She also announced that some members of the UNIP Revival F¡orum like Gen Masheke would not be allowed to attend the forthcoming party congress.
On Saturday, Gen Masheke said he could not be surprised if Dr Kaunda had become an MMD cadre following the latter's attack on former defence minister George Mpombo.
Labels: BEATRICE KAYUNI, KENNETH KAUNDA, MALIMBA MASHEKE
Read more...
MMD has outlived its usefulness - Gen Masheke
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:33:25 PM
UNIP Revival Forum chairperson General Malimba Masheke has said MMD has outlived it usefulness. In an interview in Monze on Sunday, Gen Masheke said the MMD had done a lot of damage in the past 18 years.
"There has been a lot of damage MMD has done to this country in its 18-year rule and it has been disastrous. The combination of MMD leadership has not been inspiring to the people of Zambia. It has failed to give hope to the people. Good leadership must think about the people, build schools, clinics, roads and improve the welfare of the people. MMD has outlived its usefulness and it will remove itself one day. The composition of the MMD has never been cherished. It is too much individualistic," he said.
Gen Masheke said Zambia had lost everything at the hands of MMD and the little which remained has been given to foreigners.
He said there was no country world over which left its wealth to the hands of foreigners.
Gen Masheke said that the government of Zambia should have had a hand in its economical activities by keeping some strategic industries such as the mines.
He said depending on foreigners to run the economy of the country was detrimental to the development of the nation.
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE, MMD
Read more...
There's something wrong with Masheke's mind - KK
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday October 21, 2008 [04:00]
THERE is something wrong with General Malimba Masheke's mind, Dr Kenneth Kaunda has said. And Dr Kaunda has urged Zambians to accept whoever is elected in the October 30 presidential election.
Commenting on UNIP Revival Forum chairperson Gen Masheke's comments that Dr Kaunda was behind all the UNIP wrangles, Dr Kaunda who first laughed said he felt sorry for Gen Masheke.
"There is something wrong with the young man's mind. That's all I can say, I am sorry for him," he said.
When asked to comment on the allegations that he wanted to change the name of the party to the United National Integrated Party so that they could not be held accountable for the assets for UNIP since the party would have ceased to exist, Dr Kaunda said he did not want to waste time commenting on such things.
"No I don't think I should waste time on Zambians who are commenting on such things. I feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for him," Dr Kaunda said.
But when contacted for comment, Gen Masheke said if Dr Kaunda was saying he was sorry for him, then he was also sorry for Dr Kaunda.
Last week, Gen Masheke accused Dr Kaunda of being behind all UNIP wrangles and that party president Tilyenji Kaunda was a mere messenger and the rest of his followers were defenseless victims of circumstances.
Masheke said Dr Kaunda was busy destroying what he and other founding leaders built on.
But UNIP national council chairperson Joseph Kenani said the suggestion to change the name was a resolution of the national council, which met, and all resolutions had to pass through the congress for ratification.
"Nothing gets implemented without the congress' approval. So Gen Malimba Masheke should not draw the old man into the UNIP national council," he said.
He also denied suggestions that Dr Kaunda was behind the wrangles of UNIP as he was a founding father of UNIP.
"So until such a time of the congress, we will be using the name United National Independence Party," said Kenani.
And Dr Kaunda urged Zambians to continue being peaceful during the election period.
"Let the voice of the people speak. Whoever is elected, we must accept him, there is no her in that team, there are only hims. Whoever they give us Zambians, we must go by their decision," said Dr Kaunda.
Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, MALIMBA MASHEKE, UNIP NATIONAL REVIVAL FORUM
Read more...
North UNIP followers want Kaunda out
Posted on August 13th, 2008
United National Independence Party, UNIP, supporters in Northern Province have maintained that the entire UNIP executive led by party president, Tilyenji Kaunda, should resign and pave way for fresh elections in the party. Speaking on behalf of UNIP members opposed to Mr. Kaunda’s leadership, veteran politician, Daniel Chanda, accused the current UNIP leadership of illegally holding office following the alleged expiry of mandate in 2005.
Mr Chanda said UNIP followers in Northern province passed a vote of no-confidence in the Kaunda led executive hence the decision to challenge leadership’s continued stay in office.
He urged UNIP members countrywide to support General Malimba Masheke led faction calling itself the UNIP National Revival Forum because it seeks to protect the integrity of the former ruling party.
Mr Chanda, who is former UNIP Mungwi District Chairman, said it was wrong for the current UNIP executive to label the Revival Forum as illegal when in fact it is the one illegally holding on to party leadership.
He warned that UNIP in its current form has lost direction and was headed for doom if genuine members do not rise to the occasion and preserve the interests of the party from detractors.
Mr Chanda also wondered why the Kaunda led executive was opposing calls for fresh elections in order for the party to usher in new office bearers with the vision of taking UNIP forward.
Efforts to get a comment from UNIP acting secretary general Reverend Alfred Banda proved futile.
Currently, UNIP is embroiled in a leadership struggle involving the Tilyenji Kaunda led executive and the Gen. Malimba Masheke faction, with supporters of each camp now resorting to violent acts to justify their agenda.
Ends/WS/ZANIS/SJK
Categories: Headlines
Tags:
Labels: MALIMBA MASHEKE, TILYENJI KAUNDA, UNIP
Read more...
