Support indeco, Chitala advises Zambians
By Allan Mulenga
Wed 08 Jan. 2014, 14:01 CAT
DR Mbita Chitala has urged Zambians to support the re-introduction of the industrial development corporation, saying that all countries have advanced on the basis of revamping parastatals.
Commenting on MMD acting president Michael Kaingu's statement that establishing indeco would take the country backwards, Dr Chitala said the government intervenes in the market to safeguard the public good.
"There are two views in academia; the first view, which is correct, is that when there is a market failure, the state always intervenes and put up a company or project to ensure that public good is implemented. For instance in our case, the problem of the Railway Systems of Zambia, it required the government coming in and intervening and providing a public good on which all other sectors of the economy will enjoy," he said.
"The Railway Systems of Zambia was completely collapsing but now it has been revitalised. So, in the area of industry and commerce, I think we should learn from what has happened in other countries such as South Korea, which has advanced on the basis of parastatals."
Dr Chitala urged the government to manage indeco professionally.
"From the point of theory, there is nothing wrong in the government getting involved in the management of parastatals whenever there is a market failure. The challenge on the state establishing indeco is the challenge that all countries have, that there must be professionalism for the sake of national development," he said.
"The state should only come in where there is market failure; where the market cannot efficiently and equitably operate. The same way I have said about Zambia Railways, where there is so much money required to revamp it and it is only the state that can do that."
Dr Chitala, however, said Zambians were afraid that the establishment of indeco would breed nepotism, and bad governance, as was the case in most parastatals during the days of the one-party state, may be coming back.
On Kaingu's assertions that Dr Kenneth Kaunda was influencing President Michael Sata to make certain policies, Dr Chitala said there was no need to discard all policies UNIP formulated.
"The bottom of this matter is that what UNIP did was not all bad. Certain policies of UNIP were good, of which our politicians must be magnanimous enough and learn from. They may have managed the parastatals badly, but there was professionalism in the manner they were handled," said Dr Chitala.
On Friday, Kaingu, at a press briefing, urged Zambians to reject the re-inrtoduction of indeco, saying it would take the country backwards.
"We are wondering, what is this government trying to do? What ideologies is this government following? Is it socialism? Is it capitalism? Does it want to prioritise the mines again? Does it want to enter the private sector and get shares? Does it want to nationalise again? These are the questions that everybody is asking. What is this indeco about? Tomorrow it will be Zimco, then Mindeco," said Kaingu.
Labels: INDECO, MBITA CHITALA, MICHAEL KAINGU
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(LUSAKATIMES) Re-introduction of INDECO is long overdue – Chitala
Time Posted: January 4, 2014 9:37 pm
Political activist Mbita Chitala has observed the reintroduction of the Industrial Development Corporation (INDECO) in the country by government is a long overdue venture.
Dr. Chitala says government’s idea to reintroduce a parastatal company such as INDECO to coordinate government enterprises is progressive as it will help mange companies that were left in abeyance and uncoordinated after the state privatized some of the public institutions.
Dr. Chitala has told Qfm in a telephone interview that INDECO will bring about the professionalization of management of government business the reason why people in the country should support government’s plan as it is progressive.
The Political activist says this is also why government should quickly and properly implement its idea of bringing back a new INDECO as it will also help the public sector to strive as much as the private sector is currently growing.
He says what government should however first do is to ensure that it comes up with a legal framework by taking a bill Parliament on which INDECO should be established.
Dr. Chitala says a good legal frame under INDECO should exist will further bring about good governance in its operations.
However Lusaka business man Maurice Sokoni has said that plans by the Patriotic Front (PF) government to re-establish the UNIP parastatal, the Industrial Development Company-INDECO will not economically benefit Zambians.
Sokoni said that the move to re-introduce INDECO is aimed at taking the country back to the Kaunda era of authoritarian control of socialist economies.
Sokoni told the Daily Nation that pronouncements made by President Michael Sata in his New Year address to the nation that it will help create jobs is far from the truth.
Sokoni said that the government wants to destroy everything that Zambia had built in the past 20 years by re-establishing INDECO.
He said re-introducing INDECO was the same as re-introducing inefficiency in the private sector.
Sokoni said the plans would only promote patronage adding that it would kill individual initiative which private companies have enjoyed in the past 20 years.
Sokoni further said the plan should be condemned by all well-meaning Zambians who understood how INDECO failed during the Kaunda reign.
He said it was unfortunate and surprising that some economists were supporting the government’s plans of the re-establishment of INDECO.
Labels: CAROLINE SOKONI, INDECO, MBITA CHITALA
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Chitala urges opposition to support Sata on KCM
By Allan Mulenga, Noel Iyombwa and Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Thu 07 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
MORE than 70 workers have received letters of termination of employment from Konkola Copper Mines (KCM). On Monday, President Michael Sata warned KCM not to lay off workers and warned that he would revoke KCM's mining licence if the mine dared to lay off even one miner.
According to letters of termination to some employees at Konkola shaft number one that had been sent earlier before President Sata's warning, made available to The Post, and signed by Eve Banda KCM manager for human capital and management(HCM) at Konkola, the mine advised that the affected employees (76 in total) should see respective HCM business partner for exit formalities.
One of the letters dated September 19, 2013 and addressed to Kazarous Kanengoki mine number 2004348 stated that either party may terminate the agreement by giving the other party 30 days written notice.
"Reference is made to the termination of contract clause in the offer of fixed term contract of employment with KCM which is either party may terminate this agreement by giving the other party 30 days written notice. Accordingly we wish to advise that your contract of employment will be terminated effective October 19, 2013.Your last working shift will therefore be on the same date. In accordance with the terms and conditions of your contract, terminal benefits will be calculated as follows; wages worked for, gratuity at 11 per cent, accrued leave pay and Christmas bonus," one the several the letters given to one of the workers.
President Sata had said KCM chief executive officer Kishor Kumar would be sorted out if he wanted to blackmail government.
Speaking ahead of a Cabinet meeting, President Sata said KCM wanted to blackmail the government after it stopped the company exporting copper concentrates.
Kumar last Friday announced plans to carry out outplacement of 1,529 employees as the mining giant pursued a mechanisation programme for all its operations.
And Dr Mbita Chitala has advised opposition political parties leaders to avoid politicising President Sata's stance on the proposed layoff of over 1,500 workers at Konkola Copper Mines.
So far, key opposition leaders such as MMD's Nevers Mumba, National Movement for Progress' Ngandu Magande and Alliance for Better Zambia's Frank Bwalya have spoken on KCM's intention to cut over 1,500 jobs at Nchanga underground. Others like UPND have been quiet.
Mumba urged KCM to reduce their rhetoric in the media and seek for talks with the government.
Magande said President Sata's warning to KCM to revoke the mining licence was a wake up call to other mining companies.
Bwalya said the threat to revoke the licence could create instability in the mining industry.
And in an interview yesterday, Dr Chitala, who is Zambia Research Foundation director, urged politicians to come together and safeguard the interests of the nation.
"This is not partisan at all. It is the national issue where all political parties should agree on how we could use what God gave us to end our poverty and underdevelopment. This is where all the politicians unite until they defeat the enemy and continue with politics after that is done," he said.
"It will be sad and unforgivable that we who are in charge of our country, we leave nothing other than environmentally hazardous holes, where copper have been taken away to other countries which are smarter than us."
Dr Chitala advised the government through ZCCM Investment Holdings, to increase shareholding capacities in all mining firms.
"These development agreements these mining firms were supposed to offload to list on the stock exchange to enable Zambians to buy, none of them have done that. By this time we should have more than 30 per cent in shares all the mines, but there is nothing like that. We need to increase our ownership of the mines, but nothing is happening. Right now the shares vary, three per cent, some are 20 per cent, some five per cent, some 10 per cent and so on," he said.
"It is not much. We need to increase our shareholding in these companies and also allow shares as we agreed to be quoted on the stock exchange. My suggestion will be the minimum of 30 per cent shares from every mine should be floated so that our middle class can also be participating in development porgrammes."
Dr Chitala said the government should start buying back the shares to get controlling interests in the industry.
"We have a challenge as a country now that we must adopt programmes anchored on nationalism where we can use these minerals to contribute to economic development of Zambia. The time to advance nationalism has come again. We have ZCCM IH as the government which has shares in all these mining companies," he said.
"They must start buying back the shares so that we are able to get controlling interests in the industry. Furthermore, they must use their powers as directors of these mines to safeguard the interests of our country. The minister of finance has got a golden share, we have never heard it being used to safeguard our interests as a country."
Dr Chitala said the government should ensure that Zambians benefit from the availability of natural resources.
"Our country is blessed with copper and cobalt where we get more than 80 per cent of export earnings. And in the same way Angola has oil, Arab nations have oil, Botswana has diamond, even us God gave us copper and cobalt and we should not even be sorry about it. We should use these resources to tackle poverty and underdevelopment. If we do not use these resources wisely, we shall remain poor. It is only copper that can enable Zambia quickly accumulate surpluses and allows us as a country to fight poverty and underdevelopment," said Dr Chitala.
"Copper is a waste asset, meaning within 60 years it will be gone and the multi-national corporations mining our copper will go back to their countries, leaving us with environmentally hazardous holes on the ground to our children."
Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to Zambia Matthew Neuhaus has advised politicians in Zambia not to undermine the mining industry because doing so may not be good for the economic development of the nation.
During a visit to Northern Technical College (NORTEC) in Ndola on Wednesday, Ambassador Neuhaus said undermining the mining industry is not good for Zambians and institutions like NORTEC which produce the skills absorbed by the mining industry.
"There is a populous of some sort of politicians who want to undermine the mining industry sector, that is not good for Zambia and the people of Zambia and institutions like yourself (NORTEC) who produce the skills for Zambia and growing prosperity of Zambia," he said.
Ambassador Neuhaus however, described the economic outlook for Zambia as fantastic saying his country would stand by Zambia in its continued development.
"As long as Zambia continues to take the path it has taken over the decade, it will be indeed the star of Africa. Your GDP is two times more than Zimbabwe, your economic growth is fantastic, obviously, it's important that those policies continue," he said.
Ambassador Neuhaus said he was impressed with First Quantum Minerals (FQM) for adding value to its cathodes and that the mine was doing well in the area of value addition technologies.
"I was impressed when I went to Kansanshi mine to see the value addition that they have done to the cathodes. I must say that it is short sighted of those who object to exporting some of the existing copper until the smelter is there, you need cash flows to be able to develop further, so if your aim is value addition, you have to build from where you are and then encourage the technology that is there," he said.
He said FQM was able to do well because the mine was always looking at technical things.
"So I think there has been some ill-informed debate in some of the press of late here, but we will stand by Zambia for continuing development of the country and we want to help them. We want Zambia to be running the industries; it should be Zambian entrepreneurs into the future who will be putting together the capital," he said.
Ambassador Neuhaus further said it was important to maintain investor friendly approaches because it was Zambians who are benefiting.
He, however, said the new Australian government knows that a lot of development assistance has been wasted in the past and that the country wanted to focus on helping Zambia in areas like Aid for Trade.
Ambassador Neuhaus said Australia's focus was not on trade zones which get special privileges and deny the rest of the country development, adding that the whole country should be a trade zone.
He said trade zones were an excuse for one or two people to make money for themselves adding that Australia did not need the concept of trade zones that the country had been hearing about.
"Our focus is on supporting institutions like NORTEC and supporting companies that are building towns in remote areas like what the mines are doing and spreading the wealth throughout the country; we don't want to see it (wealth) sitting in Lusaka, we want to see it across the country, we want to see those areas that are producing the Copper and other minerals to diversify too; we want to see those areas benefiting as well," said Ambassador Neuhaus.
Labels: EVE BANDA, KCM, MBITA CHITALA, MINING, TAX EVASION
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We're following manifesto -PF
By Henry Sinyangwe
Sun 02 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT
PATRIOTIC Front secretary general Wynter Kabimba has assured the nation that the government will stick to its programmes in delivering development to the people as enshrined in the ruling party's manifesto.
And Dr Mbita Chitala says the PF will be able to answer the various challenges facing the country as they move into the second year of the mandate Zambians gave them. Meanwhile, Dr Fred Mutesa hopes the PF will make the transition into a ruling party and get to real business in their second year of office.
Commenting on observations by UK-based Professor Clive Chirwa that he was hopeful the PF would completely transform itself into a ruling party by the end of the year and beginning to focus on delivering development to the people, Kabimba yesterday said there were no adjustments to the PF's programmes.
He said the ruling party was following its manifesto.
''The question is 'are you focused as a political party, and do you have a programme that you want to deliver as a government? And to I say 'yes we are'; the PF when it was voted into government last year in September, we had a programme in place and that programme is still in circulation both in the civil service and outside the civil service," said Kabimba.
Kabimba said the party needed skilled and experienced manpower to implement its programmes and the party went into negotiations with some MMD members who were now deputy ministers.
"We do not want our country to go the MMD route of a polarised society and a polarised country, we want every Zambian that has skills to be given an opportunity to participate in developing our country. These skills are not only in the PF but they are also outside PF.
So there is a story of negotiations that went into persuading some of our colleagues from outside PF like the deputy ministers from the MMD to come and join the government. His Excellency the President Michael Sata identified their skills as being important towards the programme that we have as a party," Kabima said.
And Dr Chitala, the Zambia Research Foundation director, said Prof Chirwa's submissions were consistent with what the country required in ensuring growth of the economy.
He said the first year of every government everywhere was lost out because the process of governing in real terms took some time.
Dr Chitala urged government to come up with a growth budget that would inspire social-economic development.
"Professor Chirwa's submissions appear to be consistent with what we have been observing. He talks about the challenges of eradicating poverty in our country requiring growth of the economy through value addition to our products.
That should be the way we should be approaching the whole issue of the growth of our economy and I think all people of good will would want to ensure that the PF succeeds in managing the affairs of our country, Chitala said.
The challenges now are to do with job creation, economic growth and poverty reduction. I think the challenge that President Sata and the Minister of Finance have is to give us a growth budget in October which will emphasise massive public works like Professor Chirwa put it," he said.
"From October onwards we will see better things for our country," said Dr Chitala.
And Dr Mutesa said all serious minded people must observe that the PF has taken time to find its feet.
''All serious minded people have observed that the PF has taken time to find its feet and we can only hope that in the coming year, they will settle down to the important business of governing and developing this country," said Dr Mutesa.
"What is important is what Professor Chirwa referred to in terms of consultation; we do have institutions set up for that purpose. It is important that they are given space to offer their views on policy as well as checks and balances."
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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COMMENT - Employers and business owners will always cry to high heaven whenever a law is introduced that might even look like it would reduce their profitability. We need a minimum wage that is at or above the cost of living, which is about $600 per month.
Bulldozing on minimum wage may raise conflict - Chitala
By Henry Sinyangwe
Mon 23 July 2012, 07:30 CAT
DR Mbita Chitala says it is unwise and unlawful for any one party to bulldoze its opinion on the minimum wage as it may raise unnecessary conflict and instability in the country.
Commenting on the recently-announced minimum wage by the government, Dr Chitala, who is
Zambia Research Foundation (ZRF) executive director, said the coming up with the minimum wage required consultation with various stakeholders so as to ensure that all opinions are considered on the issue.
"The process requires consultation between the unions, employers and the state," he said in an interview.
The government over a week ago announced the revision of minimum wages for general workers, with domestic employees and shopkeepers' wages increased to K522,000 and K1.1 million per month, respectively, among other changes
Dr Chitala said the new minimum wage in its present form would be resented by employers, who would also find other ways of avoiding it such as reverting to casualisation or reducing their labour force.
"The clever approach is to introduce the measures progressively over time and use the minimum wage regulation as a threshold to morally persuade employers to practice," he said.
Dr Chitala said this would also help workers to bargain meaningfully.
He said it was wrong for authorities to scare employers that if they did not adhere to the policy announcement, they would face prosecution.
"The policy announcement is progressive but it is wrong to criminalise it," said Dr Chitala.
The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) has since asked for a review of the minimum wage which they say should be done through a tripartite consultative labour council consisting the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), ZFE and the Ministry of Labour.
In its grounds of applications of appeal to labour minister Fackson Shamenda, ZFE submitted that the minister violated part of section 3 (1) of the minimum wages and conditions of employment Act, CAP 276 of the Laws of Zambia by extending coverage of the said minimum wages of employment to sectors where wages are determined through a process of collective bargaining without consulting trade unions.
But Shamenda has insisted that the new minimum wage is meant to protect many Zambians who do not have representation through unions for their lives to be uplifted.
"What we are saying is that let us grow the economy and uplift the lives of the poor people, you don't uplift the lives of others by making somebody also get into the poverty brackets, we are not talking about reducing the salaries of members of parliament . The minimum wage is meant to protect the vulnerable who have no voice, it has nothing to do with trade unions," said Shamenda during a radio programme on Livingstone's Zambezi FM last Thursday.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, MINIMUM WAGE
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Rupiah annoys Sata over Bush
By Ernest Chanda and Afeti Yulu
Sat 07 July 2012, 13:25 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has told Rupiah Banda to prepare to answer for his misdeeds instead of seeking relevance from the international community.
Former president Banda has apologised to former US president George W. Bush over President Sata's remark to the latter when they met on Wednesday, that his visit to Zambia was payback for what colonialists got from Africa. Banda described the sentiments said during a light moment at State House as incorrect and undiplomatic.
But in a statement issued yesterday by his special assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah, President Sata stated that Banda was not the right person to play cheap politics.
"Let Mr Banda prepare to answer for his own misdeeds. Trying to turn a light-hearted exchange between former president Bush and myself, which we normally do, will not help him to sort out his numerous problems," President Sata stated.
"Mr Banda spent his presidency doing wrong things for himself and his children. I therefore, understand his desperation and attempts to seek relevance, though in wrong places this time around. I would encourage my dear brother to come to terms with what has happened and subsequently behave as a mature adult, and leave the running of government to the duly elected officers."
He warned Banda not to take his luck too far because he had offended Zambians in many ways when he was Republican president.
President Sata reminded Banda that it was him who told off the donors when he was in office.
"Today, Mr Banda can pretend to be a friend of the international community because he wants their support to defend the wrong things that he did during his tenure. But we have not forgotten that it is during his administration that he told donors to 'pack and go' when they questioned the corruption in his government," he stated.
"Notwithstanding the many wrongs that Mr Banda committed against our people and us, we have restrained ourselves and tried to accord him full respect. Obviously, Mr Banda is mistaking this for a weakness. We warn him not to push his luck too far. In fact, he is the least person that should cross paths with this administration."
President Sata stated that Banda had turned the head of state's light-hearted conversation with Bush into an occasion for cheap political scoring.
According to a letter sent to Bush and released to the media by his office yesterday, Banda claimed that President Sata's statement did not represent the true feeling of Zambians.
Banda described the moment President Sata had with Bush as an embarrassing experience.
"These statements, which were not only factually incorrect and undiplomatic, do not represent the true feelings of the Zambian people, who strongly recognise the value of positive relations with the United States of America. It is deeply regrettable that these statements were made on the same day as the celebration of your Independence Day, marking the universally-shared hope of self-determination and freedom. As our elected head of state, the President is entitled to formulate a foreign policy of his choosing," stated Banda.
"However, disagreement need not manifest itself in disrespect, and the form and manner in which these statements were made is not representative of our culture. No matter what political views different parties may hold, the people of Zambia are peace-loving, welcoming, and focused positively on the future, not the past. We hope that this unpleasant and embarrassing experience will not dissuade you or other former heads of state from collaborating with us on development projects in the future. Hope, not resentment; hard work, not victimhood; and progress, not retrocession; are the hallmarks of the new Zambia that our people dream of building, and we hope that people of all nations will work with us in pursuing a better future for our people."
And Mbita Chitala has said those condemning President Sata over the chat he had with Bush may be extending the argument too far because what they had was a casual conversation between the two senior leaders of the world and they resolved it there and then.
"While Mr Sata in a very casual and nice way indicated that we in the Third World have been victims of unequal trade in neocolonialism which is a correct statement and Mr Bush in defence of his country says no they have never…but we as we know Mr Sata was correct; not colonialism as practiced in the olden days where they conquered land but of a newer form of which Nkrumah described as neocolonialism. So he was correct, but of course this was a casual chat between the two," he said.
Chitala said anyone commenting on the issue is just being mischievous.
"That was a casual chat and people doing that (commenting) may be extending the argument too far. If even casual chats and jokes should be construed as becoming public policy then that in my view would not be the right way of reading this situation and maybe a condemnation is misplaced…particularly when the two gentlemen resolved their chat there and then. Anyway, this is part of democracy, isn't it?" said Chitala.
Labels: GW BUSH, MBITA CHITALA, MICHAEL SATA, RUPIAH BANDA, STATE VISITS
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Chitala urges government to explain its programmes
By Henry Sinyangwe
Fri 29 June 2012, 13:24 CAT
MBITA Chitala says it will be very sad if the Patriotic Front government which he supported in the last general elections fails to deliver to the people's expectations.
And Dr Chitala says it is saddening that most PF officials are failing to explain the developmental programmes that government is undertaking. In an interview in Lusaka, Dr Chitala said it will be sad if the sacrifices that the people made do not yield any results.
"People in Zambia and outside Zambia would want to see that the PF succeeds as a government. Eight months down the line we have seen progressive things happening, for instance, the fight against corruption has intensified and this is good of course; major challenges being faced are that of employment creation and poverty reduction. But at least the beginning has been done. We do not want to see our sacrifices not to yield positive results," Dr Chitala said.
He said it was sad that some PF leaders left the explanations of government's programmes to a few individuals.
"It is very sad that many people within the PF leadership are not coming out strongly to explain and advise their programmes so that the people get to know what is happening and what they are doing. If there is any fear or lack of knowledge of what is to be done, we are still there to assist. We can help and ensure that explanations that are sustainable and understood come forth," Dr Chitala said.
He said it would not instil confidence if only a few individuals explained what the government was doing as this fatigued the people.
"It will not do to have only one or two people talking and it's not good. There is what we call fatigue. People will get fatigued by listening to the same people explaining the same things all the time. All of them must start talking and go around and indicate what they intend to do and what is happening," Dr Chitala said.
He said people that wanted the government to fail were now united hence if no development was made, then the government would be voted out.
"The current difficulties we are facing is a situation whereby the enemies of the government, who would want the government to fail, are now united and if they don't explain sufficiently with zeal and so on, we will see them go in no time at all and the project of beginning afresh on a good struggle for good governance will not be achieved and all our efforts will not yield any results," said Dr Chitala.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, PF
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Chitala questions Nevers' ideology
By Kombe Chimpinde and Mwala Kalaluka
Mon 28 May 2012, 13:15 CAT
NEVERS Mumba has a baggage-laden political background, says MMD founder member Dr Mbita Chitala. Dr Chitala said in an interview yesterday that in view of his baggage-laden background, such as that of abandoning his own party the National Christian Coalition, Mumba should focus on re-defining the MMD party agenda, which was ruined by former president Rupiah Banda and William Banda.
"He has to tell the Zambians, what will his politics be? Is it going to be confrontational or that of opposing any government programme for the sake of opposing. All these are challenges that have to be answered. Is he going to transform the MMD into a new NCC, the party he earlier abandoned, or is he going to transform the MMD into a religious party of some kind as a third measure?" Dr Chitala asked.
"History always judges us. In our background if you have had baggage, we shall be seen as people who came from a baggage-laden history. If you have been a good person, you will be seen to be a good person. The point at hand is he has been elected by the party and they think that he is the best."
Dr Chitala, who is also president of Zambia Research Foundation, said in democracy, anyone who entered the political scene must have the development of the country as their focus.
"We wish all other parties that have come on board can address issues in such a manner that Zambia wins. This is a democracy and we wish anyone who enters the (political) battleground well. It depends on the programmes that they have, which is the issue of development. All of them have equal chance of winning in a democracy," Dr Chitala said.
"So MMD has elected Pastor Mumba as their leader, maybe that is what they deserve."
Dr Chitala said the political parties of today should focus more on development than anything else.
"If they think Pastor Mumba, with all his background is their best bet to rejuvenate then that's it, but in the current scenario the challenge is about development. UNIP gave us independence, they have gone. The first MMD, in which I was a member, brought about multi-party democracy. The next parties which are coming on the scene after 20 years must address the issue of development and that is how we shall judge them," he said.
"The parties today must address and tell us their views or policy programmes concerning the constitution making which has been going on for years. They must tell us how they intend to create jobs for our young people who are currently hovering between suicide and madness. So many are in the streets aimlessly, they must tell us how they intend to devolve power from Lusaka to the regions, achieve national unity and integration, eradicate poverty and underdevelopment; how they intend to tax the mines whether they are going to re-introduce windfall tax, how they intend to fight corruption and allow for transparency and accountability and also have a free press which has been a challenge for many leaders."
Dr Chitala also said the new system of electing the MMD president through provinces had the potential to create provincialism.
"First of all he Mumba has come out of a new electoral system where they used provinces as electorate and voted per province. To some of us this appears like they have re-introduced provincialism. So this needs to be managed well as it has potential to be very divisive for the country," said Dr Chitala.
And losing party presidential contender Kapembwa Simbao who polled the least votes in the intra-party elections held countrywide on Friday, said in an interview yesterday that election outcomes were usually difficult to tell.
"What was important was to give the members a wider selection, so their choice is their own preference. If they have chosen Mr Mumba and he proves a difficult in future, at least they voted for him," said Simbao, a former works and supply minister and MMD member of parliament for Senga Hill. "That should make the party strong because they have picked the person they believed."
Simbao said what was primary was that the MMD now had a president and that it was normal for those for whom things did not go their way to think otherwise.
"Normally things happen when somebody does not get what they wanted but what is important is to trust in others also," said Simbao when asked if MMD members that did not vote for Mumba would not leave the opposition party.
"In this particular case we follow the majority. So if it is not you who is in the majority, just accept the one who is the majority."
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA
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Hollande's election progressive - Chitala
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 10 May 2012, 17:40 CAT
DR Mbita Chitala has asked newly-elected France President Francois Hollande to come up with progressive policies towards African countries.
Commenting on Hollande's election as France's first left-wing President in 17 years, Dr Chitala, who is Zambia Research Foundation executive director, said the victory was a clear testimony that social democracy was on the rise.
"The election of Francois Hollande as France President is obviously very progressive. You can see that social democracy is on the rise.
They had this issue of austerity and making people suffer should not be the function of governments and states. The purpose of governments is to make people happy and that is why even the conservatives in London, United Kingdom during the last elections lost by more than 400 councils and Labour Party, which has a social programme was elected," he said.
Dr Chitala, who is also former ambassador to Libya, said Nicolas Sarkozy was rejected because of bad policies, particularly towards African countries.
"As you know he was a person who even caused the invasion of Libya, where I was last ambassador in a sphere where the African Union was seeking for diplomatic solutions. For us really it is good for Africa and we also hope that Mr Hollande can come up with progressive policies towards Africa. He has not yet announced what programmes he has for Africa particularly in Franco-Africa where they had used troops in Ivory Coast and we need to know," he said.
Dr Chitala hoped that President Hollande would be supportive to the AU and the entire continent.
"By and large, the election of President Francois Hollande appears to be a progressive thing. We are looking forward that he will be much more supportive of the African Union and formulate programmes which powerful countries are involved in," said Dr Chitala.
Labels: ELECTIONS, FRANCE, MBITA CHITALA, SOCIALISM
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PF knows what it's doing, says Chitala
By Kombe Chimpinde
Mon 30 Apr. 2012, 14:00 CAT
Dr Mbita Chitala says Lameck Mangani, Sylvia Masebo and Patrick Mwanawasa are in the same situation as Mike Mulongoti. And Lameck Mangani yesterday said that President Sata now had a wider family to look at as compared to the time when he was in the opposition.
Reacting to Mulongoti who on Thursday expressed his disappointment with President Michael Sata for not having met him since winning the September 2011 elections, Dr Chitala who is Zambia Research Foundation director however said that they all had one story or another to tell.
"It is not for me to answer about their personal feelings. It is society to answer that one. They are the ones I was able to persuade and those who we helped, they (PF) know what they are doing. Mangani, Sylvia Masebo and Patrick Mwanawasa are all in the same situation. They came from MMD at the last moment. They all have one story or another to tell. I am sure the people who saw those work and whatever they did they (PF) know what they are doing but it is always good and clever politics to be inclusive," he said.
Dr Chitala however said it was not for him to answer about other people's feelings.
And Mangani said that President Sata had his challenges in rewarding everyone at the same time which some people could not understand.
"On those issues, I wouldn't make a quick comment because I have the privilege to meet with Mr Sata. I know his problems and challenges so it will be very unfair for me to comment on some of the issues that we discuss in the bedroom," he said.
"But they have a democratic right to say what they are saying. The President is the father of all the children so if one child is complaining, it is the responsibility of the father to examine the type of complaint that is coming out. You cannot stop children from complaining. It's up to the father to find a solution to address these complaints."
Mike Mulongoti in an interview on Thursdaysaid that he was disappointed that President Sata has never met him since winning elections.
Mulongoti had campaigned heavily for the PF after being expelled from the MMD.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, PF
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Devolution of power aimed at stopping secession - Chitala
By Allan Mulenga
Wed 11 Apr. 2012, 13:29 CAT
DEVOLUTION of power is a strategic response to stop the secession movement, says Dr Mbita Chitala. In an interview, Dr Chitala, who is former Zambian Ambassador to Libya, urged the government to facilitate for the creation of the new management paradigm which provides for devolution of power.
"I think what we need in our new environment is a new management paradigm which provides for devolution of power.
Devolution of power in our case is a strategic response to unite Zambia; to stop secession movements. I am glad about what the Vice-President Dr Guy Scott has been talking about and it also appears in the PF manifesto," he said.
"This is the way we shall stop all these succession movements, as well as those people who want to create division in our country. This will enhance our nationhood as 'One Zambia One nation'. The cure which has been done in all other countries that have experienced this problem is devolution of power."
Dr Chitala, however, said the government should clearly explain what constituted devolution of power.
"The problem we have is that this has not been defined concretely. We don't know what devolution for Zambia is going to be. The challenge we have is for the PF government together with all those who are interested to tell us what they are talking about. What devolution are they talking about; what will it be; what will it entail and then we can comment on it more cleverly? What is important obviously now is that one, there is the experts committee which drafts the constitution.
They cannot give us the constitution which does not provide for devolution of power," he said.
Dr Chitala urged the government to come up with a policy direction regarding the devolution of power.
Labels: DEVOLUTION, MBITA CHITALA
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Chitala urges re-negotiation of Rabobank's stake in Zanaco
By Kombe Chimpinde
Mon 20 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT
SEIZING Rabobank's 49 per cent stake in Zanaco will be injurious to the country's financial sector, says Dr Mbita Chita.
Commenting on Dr Lubinda Habazooka's recent observation that the reversal of the sale of 49 per cent shares of Zanaco Bank to Rabobank of Netherlands would be detrimental to the country's economic and financial stability, Dr Chitala, who is an economist, said the government must instead
re-negotiate various conditions with the bank in view of the various irregularities cited through submissions presented before the Sebastian Zulu-led Commission of Inquiry that sat to probe the sale.
"When we (Zambians) investigated Zanaco, we found that there was a problem in the transaction. Instead of the Ministry of Finance being at the centre, they transferred the process to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, while the permanent secretary there became the chairman of the board," Dr Chitala said in an interview.
"So the evaluation of the company also was faulty, where instead of using market criteria, they used a net value of 1983 which was contrary to the Zambia Public Procurement Agency (ZPPA) Act, which stipulates that any evaluation of any company must be based on the market value."
He, however, said those that perpetrated irregularities during the sale of Zanaco, which was sold at U$8.25 million, must not be let off the hook.
"Let those who broke the law be challenged to explain why they did it," said Dr Chitala.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, PRIVATISATION, RABOBANK, ZANACO
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Allow Zamtel to run professionally - Chitala
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 27 Jan. 2012, 14:01 CAT
DR Mbita Chitala says it is possible for the government to find a strategic partner with Zambian interests in the running of Zamtel.
Commenting on the takeover of Zamtel whose 75 per cent shares were previously owned by Lap Green Networks of Libya by government after establishing that it was fraudulently sold, Dr Chitala a business developer and consultant said in an interview that the acting chief executive officer and board chairman Mupanga Mwanakatwe must ensure that he runs the institution professionally.
"The challenge now is for (Mupanga) Mwanakatwe and the staff that he has put in place to ensure that they run it professionally for the benefit of Zambians," Dr Chitala said.
"Government must allow it to run professionally and report and pay dividends like INDO Zambia Bank jointly owned by government and India. This can be done in all these parastatals we are having."
And Dr Chitala observed that it was still possible for government to get a strategic partner in Zamtel with the Zambian interest, stressing that the proper management of the institution was what must be emphasised.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, PARASTATALS, ZAMTEL
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Mwaanga reflects on Rupiah's presidency
By Kombe Chimpinde and Mwala Kalaluka
Sat 17 Dec. 2011, 14:00 CAT
Banda's children seemed to have acquired appetite for wealth, greed... VERNON Mwaanga has singled out Rupiah Banda's children among people that were greedy and acquired an insatiable appetite for wealth.
In his latest revised edition of the book; The Long Sunset under the chapter ‘Working With Presidents' due for publication next month, Mwaanga, a veteran politician said Banda had insulated himself with people that added no value and did not serve his Banda's image.
"His businessminded children (not mentioned by name) and some close associates who claimed to own the president did not help his image as some of them seemed to have acquired an insatiable appetite for wealth and greed and who in the process, stepped on the toes of far too many people in the government, the MMD and outside," he wrote.
Mwaanga wrote that although it was not fair to expect any man to do more than his best, Banda would have probably dealt with the excesses committed by his allies and close relations had he stayed longer.
"He may have been the shortest-serving president for Zambia so far and he may not have done enough to cage the excesses which were committed by some members of his immediate family and close friends," he noted.
Mwaanga, however, wrote that history would not deny Banda of what he described as many achievements which rightly deserved to be part of the lasting legacy.
Mwaanga, who had worked with Banda over the years both as a diplomat and when Banda was elected President in 2008, further acknowledged that although Banda properly capitalised on the economic gains made in the Mwanawasa regime by building on them, Banda faced challenges of political management of the country and the party.
Mwaanga also described the outcome of a workshop themed "Strategic Planning Workshop" at Andrews Motel in Lusaka organised by Banda's aid Akashambatwa Mbikusta-Lewanika and Dr Francis Chigunta, where he had observed a lot of incapacities in the leadership of the party, such as Banda's dislike for certain members of the party.
"As I travelled with him to some provincial conferences, it became clear that there were leaders he ‘preferred' who had to be elected at all costs regardless of their political repercussions. He had developed this language of ‘I don't want to work with this person', which I found very disturbing and he made it a point to throw his full weight behind the candidates he ‘preferred'," wrote Mwaanga.
Mwaanga noted that after the elections, Banda made it clear, almost with a tinge of arrogance, that there were a number of elected officials he would not work with. Mwaanga considered that decision by Banda as wrong.
"I had chaired this committee, which saw MMD win general elections in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006. It became obvious that my friend of 50 years had lost confidence in my ability to head his campaign team in 2011 and ended up writing me a harsh and undignified letter," he wrote.
Mwaanga also described how he advised Banda against conceding defeat in the 2008 presidential by-elections, following Mbita Chitala and his team's advice for him to do so.
"I told him that the yet to be announced results from Kapiri-Mposhi, one constituency in Eastern Province and two other constituencies from Western Province would most likely increase his lead to between 32,000 and 35,000 votes…as a result my advice which turned out to be correct, a possible constitutional crisis was averted," Mwaanga wrote.
"Had he conceded defeat, only for Electoral Commission of Zambia to announce that he had won after all, it would have been difficult for the opposition parties to accept such a result."
Mwaanga described Banda as a person who had made Zambians proud by not only attending President Sata's inauguration, but also by taking charge of a relatively smooth and orderly handover of power much to the acclaim and admiration of the rest of Africa.
"Not withstanding some of the poor economic decisions he may have made while in office, he made Zambians proud. He was without doubt the most people-friendly president Zambia had," wrote Mwaanga.
And Fabian Musialela, a former district commissioner for Sesheke, said in an interview yesterday that grassroots MMD members had lost confidence in the party's current NEC.
"I want to ask president Banda, with due respect, to avoid interference in choosing the president for the party, because MMD was founded on democratic principles where the majority wins," Musialela said. "We don't want him to interfere simply because his NEC has lost credibility among members of the party."
He said it would be very difficult for the MMD to win any election with a president appointed under the orchestration of Banda.
"Whoever is going to be appointed under president Banda's influence, whether good or bad, the people in the party will not accept," Musialela said. "He has caused damage to the MMD."
Musialela urged the MMD NEC, as it meets today, to accord party members an opportunity to go and elect a party president.
"This is a NEC which, probably, most of the party members have lost confidence in and which was under the leadership of Rupiah Banda who failed to listen to the advice of the party members and ushered this good party into opposition now," Musialela said.
"As Western Province, we are not for the idea of the NEC choosing the president. We are for the idea that NEC facilitates to have a convention for us to go and elect a leader."
Musialela claimed the MMD was still strong in Western Province and that it lost the previous elections in the area owing to the NEC's poor planning and sidelining of key grassroots members.
He urged all the MMD presidential aspirants to accept whoever was going to be elected as Banda's successor, as long as it was done through a convention.
Musialela also asked the MMD to consider convoking an extraordinary convention in the Western Province so that the position of provincial chairman left vacant by Simasiku Namakando's death is filled.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MBITA CHITALA, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA, VERNON MWAANGA
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Rupiah, William have failed to disengage from their violent past - Sichinga
By Patson Chilemba in Chinsali
Sun 11 Sep. 2011, 14:00 CAT
ROBERT Sichinga has told Chinsali residents that William Banda and President Rupiah Banda have failed to disengage from their violent past by unleashing more violence on the nation the same way they beat up the late Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe.
And Kapwepwe's widow, Salome, said the decision by her daughter, Chileshe, to stand as MMD parliamentary candidate in Chinsali is a good political lesson for her to learn politics.
Meanwhile, Dr Mbita Chitala apologised to the people for having helped a failed and corrupt leader like President Banda assume office.
Addressing campaign rallies at Matumbo and Presidents Park in Chinsali on Friday, Sichinga said violence was currently escalating in the nation because the likes of President Banda and Lusaka Province MMD chairman William Banda had failed to disengage from their violent past, such as one incident when they beat up Kapwepwe for differing on political opinion.
"Probably most of you have forgotten; Rupiah Banda, William Banda and Boniface Zulu are the ones who beat ba Kapwepwe at Luburma Market formerly Kamwala. When they come to you and want to make noise, wanting to beat you, you reserve the right to defend yourselves," Sichinga said.
"I am not inciting you to do violence, but when they attack you, you reserve the right to defend yourselves."
Sichinga made the remark during a rally at Matumbo in Chinsali's Shiwang'andu Constituency, but the people there appealed to him to repeat the same statement at Presidents Park in Chinsali Central, because the MMD was hoping to use Kapwepwe's name, hence their decision to adopt his daughter Chileshe as parliamentary candidate in the area.
He said people should dismiss any negative talk that PF leader Michael Sata was sick or that he fainted, as mere nonsense from the MMD.
Sichinga said instead of being responsible enough to purchase maize and pay farmers for their produce, those in MMD were going round threatening people that they would not be paid their dues if they voted for the PF.
He said PF would pay farmers their dues once in government because their policy was about putting more money in people's pockets.
And Colonel Panji Kaunda said thieves in the MMD would find it easier to steal votes if the people do not turn up in numbers to cast their ballots on September 20.
Col Panji said the implication of President Banda's threat to dethrone chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II of the Soli people of Chongwe district for not supporting him was that he would crucify anyone who did not support him.
He said Zambians should rise up in numbers to vote in order to stop President Banda from fulfilling his plan.
Col Panji assured the people that President Banda would definitely be out of office on September 20, 2011.
"If we don't vote in numbers these thieves will steal our vote. If the MMD have their own hospitals where there is medicine, then let them vote for Rupiah Banda. But if they go to the same hospitals we go to, where there are no medicines and women carry their own materials when going to deliver their babies, then let them vote against Banda," he said.
He said late president Levy Mwanawasa left people with eight bags of fertiliser but President Banda reduced that to four.
Col Panji said President Banda had now become like a rat, which was freely moving in the house without fear.
"Tell us what the MMD has done which is good, for them to demand a vote from you. They have run out of ideas and have now resorted to lies. Let them tell you what they shall do for you," said Col Panji.
And Chitala said he had now realised the error he made by being President Banda's chief campaign manager in the 2008 presidential elections.
He apologised for having participated in making a wrong decision of having Banda as President.
Chitala said the manner President Banda and his sons were plundering public resources defied logic.
Chinsali Central PF candidate Christopher Mulenga said the people of Chinsali were not visitors to suffering because they had lived with it under the 20 years of MMD misrule.
PF Chinsali district chairperson Evelyn Kangwa said Chinsali had been neglected as if it never spearheaded the country's Independence struggle.
After the rally, Sichinga, Col Panji and Chitala visited Kapwepwe's widow, Salome, at her residence in Chinsali and she warmly welcomed them.
During the visit, Salome said it was a good learning process for Chileshe to stand as member of parliament in Chinsali.
Sharing a light moment with Chileshe's sister, Chilufya and Salome, Chitala had said Chileshe was not well advised for deciding to stand in Chinsali because President Banda did not want to re-appoint her, hence the decision to send her into a hostile environment in order to give her enough rope to hang herself.
In response, Chilufya said Chileshe had a chance of winning because she was working hard in the campaigns and was well educated.
At this point, Salome chipped in saying it was a good political lesson for Chileshe.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, ROBERT SICHINGA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Zambia needs change - chief Kopa
By Patson Chilemba in Mpika
Sat 10 Sep. 2011, 13:59 CAT
THE country needs a change of government so that the people can experience Michael Sata's leadership, says senior chief Kopa of the Bisa people. And chief Kopa said he thought the votes towards the PF were previously not too favourable in the Mambwe and Namwanga areas probably because Tanzanians participated in the country's voting.
Speaking when Col Panji Kaunda, Dr Mbita Chitala and Robert Sichinga paid a courtesy call on him at his palace at Mpika's Chinamanongo area on Thursday, chief Kopa said it would be difficult for any party to undo the work the PF had done in the area because the party's message had itself captured the attention of the people.
"It's good you have come because your coming is like putting icing on the cake because even the time is short, thus no one will undo the work you have already done. It's just that, as they say, you don't take things for granted but this area together with my relative Sata, work has already been done," chief Kopa said.
"I thank you for coming to push the work here so that whatever your friends have planted in the people should be uprooted because they will listen from you senior people."
Chief Kopa said Sata should be given the opportunity to rule, saying politics was not like a marriage where people could not exchange spouses, but it was about service.
He said people could not be ruled by one party for a long time as if it was a monarchy or chiefdom. Chief Kopa described Col Panji, Chitala's and Sichinga's visit as a mere formality.
"… what people should focus on is that (1) there should be change of government. We also want to see how our relative Sata will work. We also want our child PF parliamentary candidate Davies Mwango to exploit his skill," he said.
And Chitala said he and his delegation had been sent by Sata to pass through the area. He said the PF could not have won previously because the turnout in PF strongholds like Mpika was only 46 per cent.
"The corruption which went down under late president Levy Mwanawasa is now back in full swing under Rupiah Banda," said Chitala as chief Kopa agreed with him saying: "Sanafye yes, indeed."
Chitala said Zambia would be worse off if President Banda continues in office.
Col Panji said no politician had the power to dethrone a chief, but President Banda was now threatening chieftainess NKomeshya Mukamambo II of the Soli people of Chongwe district with dethronement.
"What he started with chieftainess Nkomeshya is directed at all the chiefs in the country," said Col Panji as chief Kopa responded: "Chachine It's true."
When Sichinga mentioned that they would also touch the Northern stretch of Northern Province, chief Kopa said: "Maybe those from Tanzania are the ones who bring confusion because I don't imagine how people there could not see how much suffering is going on in the country."
Chief Kopa said people in the area loved the PF, but there was need to do more sensitisation so that they could turn up in numbers to vote.
He said even during the registration of voters, he literally had to ask people to register.
"People are many but they have not yet appreciated the importance of voting," said chief Kopa.
Labels: CHIEFS, MBITA CHITALA, MICHAEL SATA, PANJI KAUNDA, ROBERT SICHINGA
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Rupiah will soon go to jail, says Chitala
By Patson Chilemba in Mpika
Sat 10 Sep. 2011, 14:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda will soon go to jail and become an example to leaders who plunder resources. This is according to politicians Mbita Chitala, Colonel Panji Kaunda and Bob Sichinga.
The trio made the remarks when they addressed rallies at Chinamanongo and Mpika main markets on Thursday. Col Panji, the People's Pact Forum chairperson, said President Banda was a corrupt leader who had abused his office. He said Zambians should ask President Banda how he had accumulated so much wealth within the short period he had been in office.
"He will be an example to all those who plunder public resources when they are in office. We don't hate him. We want to give an example to the nation that stealing is not good, it brings suffering on the people. When we vote Michael Sata, we shall tell him ‘do this and this', and if he fails, we shall rise against him," Col Panji said.
He said President Banda was a corrupt man who only cared about creating wealth for himself and his children.
Col Panji said those in the MMD kept on accusing Sata that he would cause war if elected, but they forgot that it was President Banda who was threatening the peace by allowing foreign leaders to participate in the election campaigns.
And Chitala, Zambia's former ambassador to Libya, said the country experienced sanity during late president Levy Mwanawasa's reign on the fight against corruption, but the vice had sky-rocketed under President Banda.
He said the MMD were abusing taxpayers money to buy chitenges as well as the usage of the helicopters for election campaigns by President Banda and Vice-President George Kunda.
Chitala said President Banda had been abetting corruption in the country.
He said President Banda even removed the offence of abuse of office from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act in order to hide his corrupt ways.
"I agree with Col Panji that the law has to visit this man and his family, that justice must be seen to be done. They have been using Awards and Compensation where Vice-President George Kunda is. They have been using that vote to steal money from the state as MMD," Chitala said.
"The idea that US$450 million dollars which would have come in as windfall taxes was forgiven and agreeing with the mines to be given some commission which is the money they have used to fund their campaigns."
Chitala said some leaders in other countries faced capital punishment for the kind of abuse President Banda was engaged in.
He said President Banda and his clique had tasked themselves with the responsibility to approve contracts such as those to do with roads, merely intended to bribe voters.
Chitala said the actions President Banda had engaged in, such as the refusal to have his own nationals benefit from their mineral resources through the windfall tax, were anti-Zambian.
And economic consultant Sichinga asked Zambians to turn up in large numbers and sleep outside the polling stations on September 19, 2011 and only leave after the announcement of results in order to prevent President Banda's MMD from rigging.
Sichinga said lame excuses that the mining companies would run away from the country if they were asked to pay windfall tax did not hold water.
He said President Banda and the MMD should explain the acquisition of motor vehicles, which were in excess of US$300 million.
"The construction of Mpundu flats on Leopards Hill Road, how do you explain that? Misuse of public vehicles, where vehicles are changed from GRZ into other numbers in the first place, it is unacceptable. This is why we are saying they must be visited by the law," Sichinga said.
He said Newton Ng'uni was standing as an independent member of parliament, but asking the people to vote for Sata because he had the endorsement of the PF leader.
Sichinga said the candidate for Sata and the PF was Davies Mwango and not Ng'uni.
He urged Mpika residents to turn up in large numbers to vote overwhelmingly for Sata and the PF, rather than the 46 per cent turnout recorded during the last elections.
"Women, carry your children on the back and sleep at the polling station on September 19, to make sure your vote is protected," said Sichinga.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MBITA CHITALA, MICHAEL SATA, PANJI KAUNDA, ROBERT SICHINGA, RUPIAH BANDA, WINDFALL TAX
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Chitala calls on Zambians to start impounding govt vehicles being abused
By Patson Chilemba
Wed 20 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
ZAMBIANS should start impounding government vehicles which are being abused by Rupiah Banda’s ministers for MMD campaigns, says Dr Mbita Chitala. Commenting on the ministers’ campaigns sanctioned by President Banda using public resources, Dr Chitala said President Banda was the main culprit in the abuse of funds because he was deliberately delaying to announce the election date in order to allow his ministers to abuse state resources.
He said citizens, including himself, should become more action-oriented by impounding vehicles that were being abused with impunity.
“In my view, citizens can use the principle of citizens arrest and impound all the GRZ vehicles when they see them being abused by politicians. This is legitimate because the abuse is not only unlawful but it greatly undermines the level playing field,” Dr Chitala said.
He said labour minister Austin Liato and information deputy minister Angela Cifire were recently spotted distributing MMD chitenge materials in Chipata using government vehicles, while education minister Dora Siliya is using a GRZ 869 CE registered vehicle in her campaigns on the Copperbelt. MMD parliamentary candidate in Mongu, Dr Mwilola Imakando, is also using a government vehicle believed to be from the Ministry of Finance.
“Arrest those people and impound their vehicles and hand them to the police, just to show reasonableness. But as I said, all this is because of Mr Rupiah Banda’s stubbornness,” Dr Chitala said. “Any one citizen can do that who has legitimacy, legitimate force to take away these…. I feel we can and I can.”
Dr Chitala said President Banda and the MMD would do anything to try to win the elections, even through fraud. He said even MMD Lusaka Province chairman William Banda was on record as having said that they would use witchcraft to win elections.
“The practice of bribery, since they are very rich, you know they have extorted money from so many people all over the country and outside. The only way is to bribe people, and the first targets are chiefs who they think have the capacity to influence public opinion in their chiefdoms,” said Dr Chitala. “But this won’t work. And we are telling the chiefs ‘just eat, it’s your money. It is stolen money, and vote as your conscience pleases’.”
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, BRIBERY, CORRUPTION, MBITA CHITALA
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Rupiah shouldn’t be given a second term - Chitala
By Patson Chilemba
Thu 23 June 2011, 08:01 CAT
RUPIAH Banda should not be given a second term of office because the abuse of the judiciary will intensify, says Dr Mbita Chitala.
Commenting on the angry reaction from State House to former Task Force on Corruption chairperson Maxwell Nkole’s observation that senior chief Puta’s assertion that President Banda promised to terminate Chiengi member of parliament Katele Kalumba’s corruption cases confirmed there was political interference in the dispensation of justice, Dr Chitala, who is Zambia’s former ambassador to Libya, said Nkole’s observation was a very serious indictment on how the judiciary had been abused in the country.
He said Nkole was a long-serving public servant who knew what he was talking about.
Dr Chitala warned against continuing with President Banda after this year’s general elections.
“And the country should take cognizance of the comments of this honourable person who selflessly served our country with excellence; and that the judiciary in this matter has been compromised and continues to be compromised by the executive. For as long as this continues, there can never be justice in our country or fair play in any way,” Dr Chitala said.
“It will even be worse if Mr Banda is allowed to continue for a second term. This alone shows that there must be change. We need to place in government a new team of citizens who will truly provide for rule of law, justice and fair play in judicial matters.”
Dr Chitala said anyone who tried to compromise the judiciary was committing a felony for which they should be prosecuted.
He said the events from Chiengi should be investigated and truth be known so that the nation could “clean up this abuse which has now become a culture in our country”.
On the statement by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere that Nkole was a bitter and frustrated man who tends to blame his failure to run the disbanded Task Force on others, Dr Chitala defended Nkole saying the statement was unfair and ungrateful to the man who did everything to serve his country.
He said Nkole had a wonderful job with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kigali, Rwanda but chose to stop in order to help Zambia prosecute plunder cases.
“He made sacrifices and the job was very dangerous because he was prosecuting very high people who had their own power. And the trouble with the current regime is that they don’t know how to say thank you. They are very happy to use you but they are born ingraciate. They never know how to say thank you,” Dr Chitala said.
“In the end, it’s them who frustrated him and were able to ensure that the cases he was prosecuting have all been abandoned and back to corruption. So it is them who must be condemned. He was a patriot.”
On Jere’s statement that the President does not appeal acquittal cases to higher courts because the Republican Constitution empowered the Director of Public Prosecutions based on his legal opinion, contrary to the pronouncement President Banda made during a public meeting that he stopped the acquittal into late Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal, Dr Chitala responded:
“Well you should read between the lines what that means if a head of state comments on things like that. It means he has been involved. It’s an admission of involvement and it’s abuse of the process.”
The MMD in Chiengi has resolved not to receive applications from those wishing to stand as MPs until Kalumba is “freed from his corruption cases”.
The party structures in the area have also resolved not to conduct interviews for those wishing to stand as councillors.
The MMD in Chiengi wondered why Kalumba had not been set free as promised by President Banda, who they said had freed the likes of late Chiluba, former intelligence chief Xavier Chungu and education minister Dora Siliya from their court cases.
Commenting on the refusal by the MMD in Chiengi to adopt parliamentary and local government aspirants until President Banda fulfilled his promise he made to them to free area Kalumba, Nkole wondered why the President and those in government had failed to respond to the damning allegations against them.
But reacting to Nkole's statement, Jere described as baseless assertions by Nkole that President Banda interfered with the delivery of justice.
Labels: MAXWELL NKOLE, MBITA CHITALA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Chitala accuses Rupiah of plunder
By Edwin Mbulo
Sun 19 June 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE reasons Zambians want regime change is because President Rupiah Banda has become a plunderer himself, says Mbita Chitala. In an interview, Dr Chitala who is former Zambian ambassador to Libya said the failed constitution-making process was a vote of no-confidence to President Banda’s regime.
“The reasons why Zambians want regime change is not because the MMD has all of a sudden woken up to start this and that developments; the people of Zambia want regime change for six reasons one of them being that President Rupiah Banda has become a plunderer himself,” Dr Chitala said.
He said President Banda had reversed many progressive issues such as the fight against corruption introduced by late President Levy Mwanawasa.
He said repealing of the abuse of office clause 37 in the Anti-Corruption Commission Act had made plunderers run loose on a stealing spree.
He said the MMD government had failed to take development to provinces leading into the Barotse Agreement Mongu fracas where the police killed and maimed innocent Lozis.
“The RB regime has reversed the windfall tax on mines which would have led to significant developmental gains. The RB regime has failed to create employment,” he said.
Dr Chitala said the MMD had reversed the party’s 1991 resolve to make the public media more accommodating to all Zambians by allowing it to create anarchy among citizens.
“The MMD has constantly abused the public media by making them malign citizens like ourselves…the public media has become a focus of de-uniting citizens, I think citizens must reject this.
They must reject the public media like the Times of Zambia, Daily Mail and ZNBC, they must stop paying television licenses,” Dr Chitala said.
He said President Banda’s regime had destroyed the MMD.
“They have killed the MMD, they have introduced violence, we are back to UNIP. You can see that by the leadership which is there,” Dr Chitala said.
On his trip to Livingstone together with former works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti, Dr Chitala said many MMD members now do not want to be associated with the party and people were now inclined to the PF.
“Livingstone and Southern Province is now a shame for MMD, people don’t want to be associated with the MMD. What we found was very impressive and this is what is happening in Northern and Luapula Provinces,” he said.
Dr Chitala said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should engage an independent company to conduct the voters roll verification exercise as there was a risk of having a lot of ghost voters.
“Many people we met in Livingstone complained of a lot mistakes in the voters register such as names and dates of birth,” he said.
Labels: MBITA CHITALA, RUPIAH BANDA
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