Windfall tax will be disastrous - Xingeng
By Misheck Wangwe in Luanshya
Wed 25 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT
IT will be a disaster for the mining sector if the government acts on calls for the reintroduction of windfall tax, says CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines chief executive officer Luo Xingeng.
But Reverend Richard M'bao has argued that reintroduction of windfall tax is inevitable and the PF government must bring to an end the manipulation of mineral resources by putting up a more effective fiscal regime.
Briefing the press in Luanshya after the annual awards ceremony for miners, Luo said windfall tax, if introduced, would scare away foreign investment in the mining sector.
He said mines like Luanshya Copper Mine's Baluba Mine had huge challenges and the company was making efforts by reinvesting in it to make it survive.
Luo said windfall tax would discourage such investment because some mines were currently surviving only through serious capital injections and were yet to record significant production.
"If Baluba Mine was a tree, we can say it almost dried. We are putting fertiliser to save it and we know we are not going to see its fruits anytime soon. So windfall tax will be disastrous if reintroduced. What Zambia needs right now are favourable policies that will encourage more investment, create jobs while helping to create wealth," Luo said.
And speaking earlier during the awards ceremony for miners, Luo said production at Baluba met huge challenges as the trackless equipment was in poor condition, the new long-hole drilling machine was extensively damaged, and defects also existed in production management.
He said all the challenges resulted in the failure to achieve the 2013 production target.
"From January to July, the unit cost of copper in concentrate reached US$7,980 per tonne, which was close to US$8,000 dollar per tonne. However, the London Metal Exchange (LME) copper price was about US$7,100 per tonne on average. From the comparison of the cost of production and the selling price, I wish you can fully understand how difficult it is for management to keep Baluba surviving," Luo said.
He said to reduce the high cost and save Baluba, the company quickly replaced the damaged drilling machine and strengthened the cost control. From August, the cost of production slightly reduced and production returned to normal.
Luo said at CLM's Muliashi Mine, after going through huge hardships, the new mining process and technology had shown great life.
He said the agitation system had surpassed the design capacity, which reduced the negative impact of the low ore grade.
Meanwhile, former chairperson of the Pastors' Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, Reverend Richard M'bao said the poverty situation in Zambia amid rich mineral resources was a serious contradiction that must be addressed through the introduction of appropriate taxes.
Commenting on calls for the PF government to reintroduce windfall tax, Rev M'bao said it was unacceptable that Zambia had almost 70 per cent of its people living in abject poverty with very little access to basic requirements like clean water and energy.
"We can say that for many years now, the country has been yearning for appropriate taxes, the current fiscal regime for the mining sector is inadequate and Zambians deserve more that what has been offered. Zambians need windfall tax so that when super profits are made by foreign investors in the mines, those companies will not take away everything but share with the government and the people," Rev M'bao said.
"Remember when the late president Mwanawasa introduced windfall tax, benefits of that were seen by ordinary citizens. It became clear that the decision of his successor Rupiah Banda to remove windfall tax was not in the best interest of the nation, hence the need for President Michael Sata's administration to reintroduce windfall tax."
He warned that if Zambians were not careful, the country's natural resources would diminish and investors would run away, with the country having nothing to point at as benefits of having minerals.
Labels: LUO XINGENG, RICHARD M'BAO, TAXATION, WINDFALL TAX
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'Do not relax in fighting corruption'
By Editor
Mon 20 May 2013, 14:00 CAT
Reverend Richard M'bao has advised the Patriotic Front and its government not to relax in fighting corruption. Rev M'bao says the Patriotic Front and its government has an obligation to seek justice on behalf of Zambians over the plundered economy.
Truly, the pursuit of justice must the fundamental norm of this government. And corruption is an evil that should be erased from every part of our public life, from every level of our government. Corruption has to be consistently fought. And fighting corruption is not a matter of hating individuals but of hating an iniquitous practice that is depriving our people the chance to see a reversal of economic and social fortunes.
What Rev M'bao is preaching is repudiation, rejection and hatred of injustice. Corruption is an injustice that no just, fair and humane society can tolerate.
There is no better love for a corrupt person than to stop him from being corrupt. We were taught that there was a constant struggle between good and evil, and evil had to be punished. We were also taught that those who committed crimes and were responsible for injustice, evil, would be punished in hell. Could that be interpreted as an expression of hatred?
What really causes hatred is social injustice, marginalisation and exploitation of others. That, objectively, is what causes hatred - not punishing those who have stolen from their people, those who have abused public trust to enrich themselves, families and friends. It is a question not of preaching hatred but of explaining a social reality, something that has occurred in our country.
We agree with Rev M'bao that a sitting government has every moral and constitutional obligation to seek justice on behalf of the people whenever issues of corruption and misappropriation of public funds arise, and that it's high time we stopped entertaining crooks. But today we have all sorts of politicians, and even some clergymen, supporting crooks and unscrupulous politicians who have stolen from the people. How can one explain this? How can UPND and MMD justify their support for and defence of the corrupt? How can they label as persecution or political victimisation efforts to bring those who have stolen from the people to account for their crimes?
We all know that unless we remove corruption from our public life, we will not see much development in our country. No matter how much resources we are given, if corruption persists and is not punished and stopped, our people will not see much development. And as Rev M'bao observes, the country will only see development if those entrusted with public offices embrace values of serving people with undoubted commitment and sacrifice.
But we also know that fighting for justice opens one to assaults from the forces of evil. Corruption always fights back and targets those who are in the forefront of attacking it. Wasn't Levy Mwanawasa a target of corrupt elements? They only started praising him after he was dead. Some of them could not even attend his funeral. Levy was a hated man by the criminals. Those who were sent to jail under the efforts Levy exerted to fight corruption are still fighting those who joined forces with him, those who fought on his side against corrupt elements. The fight against Levy by corrupt elements still continues. Even jailbirds, people who have been convicted for corruption at almost all levels of our Judiciary, still cry to have been victims of Levy's political persecution.
With Levy gone, the fight has turned on Michael Sata who is doing almost the same things Levy did, albeit at a different time and in a different way.
Clearly, there is something seriously wrong if a political leader, a political party is supported and defended by corrupt elements, former jailbirds of corruption. And our opposition should be very ashamed of itself for being the darling of corrupt elements. Why are corrupt elements today rallying behind the opposition MMD and UPND?
Of course, people never run out of excuses for supporting wrong causes, wrong things. Some are saying they are not against the fight against corruption but they are opposed to the selective way this fight is being waged. This is not a new argument. We have heard this argument before. It was there during the time of Levy and it was used by similar elements to fight Levy and his fight against corruption. There is no way a mistake in the fight against corruption should drive an honest person to defend the corrupt and corruption.
There is no way a mistake by Michael Sata and his government should drive an honest opposition politician to start defending the corruption he used to expose, the corrupt elements he used to denounce not very long ago. Can hatred for Michael and opposition to his government really justify the embracing of corruption and corrupt elements that we are seeing from our opposition today?
In a big fight like this one, mistakes are going to be made, there may even be collateral damage here and there. But can that justify the total abandonment of such a genuine and legitimate fight by anyone? Again, this is a classical case of those who stand for nothing falling for nothing. It's clear that they were exposing and denouncing that corruption simply because the people who were involved were political opponents or enemies at that time. Now they are their friends and the equation has automatically changed.
They are not against corruption; they are simply against individuals. It's not very long ago that Hakainde Hichilema was calling all these elements he is today defending corrupt and was exposing their corruption. At that time, they were political opponents of his.
Today they are his political allies and they are no longer corrupt; he has cleared them of corruption; they are today victims of Michael's so-called intolerance! What hypocrisy is this? How unprincipled can one be?
There is need to tell the people the truth. And what they should tell the people is that 'yes, these guys stole but they are our friends and we will defend them. Yes, we called them corrupt but that was then because they were not our friends, but now they are our friends'. This is what Hakainde and his friends should be telling the Zambian people, not the lies they are telling them.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MMD, PF, PROPAGANDA, RICHARD M'BAO
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Remove corrupt judges - M'bao
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe and Moses Kuwema in Lusaka
Thu 21 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
RESTORING the integrity of the Judiciary will remain a dream in Zambia if the acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda allows herself to work with corrupt elements already in the system, says Reverend Richard M'bao.
Commenting on President Michael Sata's appointment of justices Lombe Chibesakunda and Florence Mumba as acting chief justice and deputy chief justice respectively, Reverend M'bao who is chairperson of the Pastors Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said transforming the Judiciary would not be successful if corrupt judges and staff within the system were not removed.
Rev M'bao said individuals within the judicial system with questionable characters must be investigated and removed from the system if Zambians were to have a credible Judiciary.
He said justices Chibesakunda and Mumba must look at their appointments by President Michael Sata as an opportunity to contribute to national development by creating a corrupt-free Judiciary.
Rev M'bao said the judiciary in Zambia was under ridicule because of compromised individuals that were serving their own interests and the interests of a few influential individuals.
"The appointment of the new Chief Justice must be a turning point for the country's judicial system. There is no way Zambians will take comfort in the Judiciary if radical measures aimed at 'sweeping the dirt' in the system are not immediately implemented," Rev M'bao said.
Rev M'bao said justice Chibesakunda had a mammoth task of redeeming the name of Zambia's Judiciary by creating an institution of justice.
He said the existence of courts alone provided no guarantee of justice as the institution was heavily corrupted in the previous regime.
Rev M'bao said the current status of the Judiciary was so weak that it could not gain public support because of the existence of individuals that refused to deliver justice in the past.
"The Judiciary will not change until those who serve in it and the public change their attitude and refrain from corruption. Some individuals have remained stubborn and are now fighting President Sata. It will be total confusion if corrupt elements are entertained within the system," he said.
And Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba says the judicial reforms may be conducted better with justice Lombe Chibesakunda and Florence Mumba at the helm of the Judiciary.
Commenting on President Sata's appointment of Supreme Court judges Chibesakunda and Mumba as acting Chief Justice and deputy respectively, chief Nalubamba said the two were clean.
"People have spoken enough and there is need for Zambians to listen to the people's voice. I want to believe that even the judicial reforms may be conducted better when Chibesakunda and Florence Mumba are there. Why I say so is because they have never been talked about in a very negative way, they are clean. They are a good appointment. We wish them well in their new positions," chief Nalubamba said.
Justices Chibesakunda and Mumba replace justices Ernest Sakala and Dennis Chirwa who have gone on leave pending end of their contracts this August.
Labels: CORRUPTION, JUDICIARY, RICHARD M'BAO
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Rupiah lacks moral right to discuss upholding Constitution, says M'bao
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Sat 07 Apr. 2012, 13:29 CAT
RUPIAH Banda has no moral right to speak to the world about upholding the Constitution and democracy as his three-year rule was a disaster for Zambia, says Rev Richard M'bao.
Commenting on former president Banda's inaugural lecture at Boston University in the US where he said his administration chose to uphold the Constitution and allow the legal system exercise its authority, Rev M'bao, the chairperson of the Pastor's Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said Banda was generally a bad leader for Zambia, saying that was the main reason the electorate voted him out of government.
He said Banda's first lecture at Boston University could have made more sense if he confessed that his administration failed to build a Zambia that many poor people wallowing in poverty desired.
Rev M'bao said it would have made a lot of sense for Banda to use the Boston University platform to apologise to the Zambian people over the misery they were subjected to due to bad governance of his regime.
He said memories were still fresh in the minds of the Zambians that Banda, during his time as Republican president, spent more time persecuting the people he perceived to be his political enemies by abusing the legal system than attending to the plight of the poor.
Rev M'bao said there was no way the former Republican president could be talking about upholding the Constitution when he extensively abused the public media, fought hard to muzzle the private media and leaders of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) who were perceived to be anti government.
"We observed with sadness how individuals perceived to be anti-Rupiah Banda were ill-treated. We saw malicious schemes on targeted individuals. He is the very man who is at the centre of late former president Frederick Chiluba's acquittal of all corruption charges. How can he tell the world today that his administration upheld the Constitution? No! The three years was a disaster for Zambia," Rev M'bao said.
He said if Banda was doing justice and if he was a very popular leader, Zambians wouldn't have voted for the current President Michael Sata who was the main opposition leader during his tenure.
Rev M'bao said a little integrity would be added if Banda begins to tell the nation the truth that his governance system was inept and did not meet the aspirations of many Zambians.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, RICHARD M'BAO, RUPIAH BANDA
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Poverty remains a vexing problem - M'bao
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Tue 27 Dec. 2011, 13:30 CAT
THE ultimate goal of the PF government in 2012 should be to bring down the alarming levels of poverty in Zambia, says Reverend Richard M'bao.
In his festive message, Rev M'bao, who is the chairperson of the Pastors' Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said the new leadership must preoccupy itself with ways of attending to the plight of the majority poor who resolved to change government with the hope that the PF would uplift their living standards.
He said many people in Zambia and on the international level had always wondered why the country had remained one of the poorest despite having abundant mineral wealth.
Rev M'bao said President Michael Sata had an obligation to reorganise the country's governance system, to wipe out corruption and to ensure that national resources are equitably distributed in the country.
He said in the festive season, leaders were encouraged to think of the poor and to take pragmatic steps to end chronic poverty.
"One of the great gifts to be sought at Christmas is to experience an increase in our love of the poor. Poverty, it is true, remains a complicated and vexing problem, especially in African countries like Zambia. The increasing number of children on the streets, orphans, single motherhood and unemployment remain a big challenge," he said.
Rev M'bao said the celebration of Christmas should be an opportunity for deep reflection on the part of individuals for them to be humble and to learn to love the poor more deeply, with an abiding and deep affection.
Labels: POVERTY, RICHARD M'BAO
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'PF has opportunity to put Zambia back on path of development'
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Mon 14 Nov. 2011, 13:55 CAT
THE PF government has every opportunity to put Zambia back on the path of development by expediting the enactment of a people-driven constitution, says Reverend Richard M'bao.
In an interview, Rev M'bao, who is the chairperson of the Pastors' Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said Zambians would only appreciate the meaning of democracy and good governance if the new government committed itself to giving the nation a constitution that would give power to the people.
Rev M'bao said the MMD regime failed to embrace the wishes of the people on the Constitution because of selfishness of leaders who were in government.
He said it was sad that the country lost huge sums of money on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) which was imposed on the people despite the then government being cautioned several times that the process would fail.
"We want to commend the Catholic Church, political parties and many other institutions that never gave up but were willing to protect the interests of the poor despite the tyrannical leadership that were exhibited by the MMD government. These institutions should not relax but they must continue speaking until a new constitution that will embrace the desires of the people is put in place," said Rev M'bao.
"Since its independence in 1964, Zambia has made several attempts to enact a people-driven national constitution through the appointments of constitutional review commissions. Observers, including church officials, say these attempts have been thwarted by strong politicians whose interest is to entrench their hold on power. We hope President Michael Sata who pledged to run a people's government will do the wise thing; he should give Zambians what they have been yearning for for decades and history will remember him as one of Zambia's visionary leaders."
Labels: DEVELOPMENT, PF, RICHARD M'BAO
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Zambia needs leaders that are ready to sacrifice
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Wed 17 Aug. 2011, 08:30 CAT
ZAMBIA needs leaders that are ready to sacrifice their comfort and privileges to uplift the living standards of the majority poor, says Reverend Richard M’bao. In an interview, Rev M’bao who is chairperson of the Pastors Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said only selfless leaders would help the country to come out of the shackles of poverty.
He said the country had faced serious governance challenges in the past two decades since turning to multiparty politics because of lack of credible leadership to fight corruption and an ineffective governance style.
Rev M’bao said it was unfortunate that the country would soon celebrate 50 years of independence without a credible republican constitution that represents the wishes of the people because of selfish leadership.
He said it was disheartening that politicians, especially those in government, had amassed wealth for themselves and their families when the majority of citizens were wallowing in poverty and the country still facing the challenges of underdevelopment.
“In the day-to-day contacts of civil society organisations particularly with the rural and peri-urban poor, revelations have been observed first-hand about the suffering of our people. The truth of the matter is that people are suffering and dying because they are unable to access adequate health care, sufficient food and other basic needs,” said Rev M’bao.
Labels: LEADERSHIP, POLITICS, RICHARD M'BAO
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‘Politics of deceit and manipulation’
By The Post
Wed 20 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
Reverend Richard M’bao says politics of deceit and manipulation are the root cause of poverty and underdevelopment in Zambia. He also says that what Zambia needs is sincere leadership. And he has appealed to the people of Zambia to demand credible leaders because “the country needs a leadership that will provide relief and restore dignity in the lives of many people, a leadership that will restore the integrity and independence of the judiciary, the public media, law enforcement agencies and other state institutions”.
Indeed, this is what this year’s elections should be about – the choosing of leaders who will help reinforce our people’s belief in justice, strengthen their confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all; leaders who will help us triumph in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people.
Leadership is very vital to the future of our nation. But in the end, good leadership will be achieved, not by the formality of structures, but by the integrity of the participants and by the willingness of all of us to work together and be inspired by a larger vision.
We have a role, as citizens, to play in the construction of a leadership that will create the Zambia we want to live in. And while it is necessary to hold our politicians accountable, it is equally important that in our own lives, we exemplify the leadership values we wish to see in our leaders, namely justice, integrity and trust. The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive. And power is the ability to do good things for others.
Rev M’bao further advised Zambians to vote for leaders that will spearhead good governance and heed the cries of the people over the constitution. Politics need people with credibility. Their presence in the political arena can bring good values to the political process. It is our duty, as citizens, to ensure honest politics in our country.
An authority, a political leadership, is needed to guide the energies of all towards the common good. And government is the instrument by which people co-operate in order to achieve the common good. In a democracy where leaders are chosen by the people and for the people, such leaders should view themselves as being representatives of the people at all levels. These leaders should listen to the people, respect the people and work for the welfare of the people. It is said that “the ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people”. Let the people’s representatives fight against injustice; let them devote themselves to the welfare of all.
Rev M’bao’s call for the constitution to be an election issue is well-founded because the constitution is at the heart of the nation-building process. The constitution reflects the wishes and aspirations of the people. And it is the constitution that regulates human conduct in necessary matters concerning the common good.
Rev M’bao’s intervention should not be seen as an attempt to discredit any political party. It should be seen as an attempt to bring the light of the gospel into our election decisions and to allow God to “lead us besides still waters and restore our souls”. As a shepherd, Rev M’bao should offer some advice to the voters on what to look for in the candidates and their political parties. In a word, Rev M’bao is urging us to use our votes for the good of Zambia as opposed to the good of a particular individual, group or political party. He is urging us to vote according to our conscience and in accordance with the highest human values without allowing ourselves to be pressured or dictated to by manipulators. Rev M’bao is advising us to evaluate candidates on their willingness to listen to the concerns of the people and their selfless response to the needs of all. He is also urging us to pay attention to the competence of the candidates and their reputation for honesty and selfless dedication to the common good.
We have seen that there is a serious attempt to manipulate public opinion and to fraudulently obtain the support of our people. But we know that manipulators have never deserved anybody’s respect or been successful anywhere. They will give you free houses, mealie-meal, sugar, fertilisers, money and so on and so forth just to confuse you, manipulate you and get your votes. Manipulators are like little sailboats that go with the winds and the waves. Manipulation is synonymous with opportunism.
Manipulation doesn’t have substance; it doesn’t have roots. Everything in life – respect, relationships, serious analysis and understanding – is possible among people who are honest with themselves and others. So when it comes to voting, evaluate each candidate on the basis of their competence, courage to speak out the truth, concern for social justice, desire to work for the common good instead of self-enrichment, disposition to use power for service, especially service for the poor and underprivileged, openness to dialogue, good moral standing, transparency and accountability to the electorate. Weigh every candidate in the balance of truth, justice and unselfish service, and, if they are found wanting, reject them and elect others in their place. Our votes can help eliminate the unworthy and improve the quality of governance in our country. In casting our votes, we should never be swayed by personal profit, tribal or regional bias, but solely by consideration of which of the candidates is better for the nation. Candidates should be voted for strictly according to the good we think they can do.
We must vote wisely and only for people who are known for their honesty, ability, dedication and concern for the welfare of all. Let’s make full and proper use of our right to vote by voting for people who will help us create the type of Zambia we want to live in. If we want a Zambia where justice reigns, we shouldn’t vote for people whose records on corruption and the fight against it are poor. Those who have defended corruption and abused power don’t deserve our votes. Those who have abused the judiciary by manipulating its processes and decisions don’t deserve our votes. Those who are abusing state resources and institutions also don’t deserve our votes.
We need a leadership that sees and feels the joys and hopes, the sorrows and anxieties, of the women and men of our time, especially those who are poor or afflicted in any way, as its own joys and hopes, sorrows and anxieties. In short, we need an honest and selfless leadership. This is the leadership Rev M’bao is rightly urging us to choose. Let’s choose a leadership that will bring material benefits to all our people, a leadership that will help our people to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children.
Labels: MMD, POVERTY, RICHARD M'BAO
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Rev M’bao links poverty to politics of deceit
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Wed 20 July 2011, 13:59 CAT
POLITICS of deceit and manipulation is the root cause of poverty and underdevelopment in Zambia, says Reverend Richard M’bao. In an interview, Rev M’bao, who is Pastors Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa chairperson, said Zambians must vote for leaders that would spearhead good governance and heed people’s cries over the constitution.
Rev M’bao said it was distressing to note that African countries like Zambia with abundant mineral wealth were still lagging behind in terms of development because of the insincerity of leaders in development.
He said the electorate must vote wisely and make the country a better place by voting for leaders that would fight corruption vigorously and put up a credible constitution that would allow the general populace to take an upper hand in the governance of the country.
“What Zambia needs is sincere leadership. There is massive political rhetoric going on with leaders trying to portray a picture that the country is doing very well politically and economically when in fact not. Corruption, poverty, injustice and political oppression are still the main challenges that leaders have failed to curb. This should be at the back of every voter’s mind as the country goes to the polls,” Rev M’bao said.
He said Zambia had no shortage of credible leaders that were ready to drive the agenda of the people in the economic, social and political transformation of the country.
Rev M’bao said it was a shame that with abundant mineral resources and massive direct foreign investment, many Zambians were struggling to survive because of inept governance system.
He said the country was in need of strong leaders that would give power to the people for the betterment of the country.
“My appeal to the people of Zambia is that they should demand for credible leaders. The country needs a leadership that will provide relief and restore dignity in the lives of many people, a leadership that would restore the integrity and independence of the judiciary, the public media, law enforcement agencies and other state institutions,” said Rev M’bao.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MMD, POVERTY, RICHARD M'BAO
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Don’t allow Chiluba to have upper hand in politics - Rev M’bao
By Misheck Wangwe
Fri 04 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT
ZAMBIANS should not allow Frederick Chiluba to take an upper hand in the country’s politics, says Reverend Richard M’bao.
In an interview, Rev M’bao, who is the chairman of the Pastors’ Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said the recent statement attributed to former president Chiluba that he would use his dribbling tactics to ensure that the MMD wins elections should not be taken kindly.
Rev M’bao said the conduct of Chiluba did not befit what was expected of a former head of state.
“Former president Chiluba has an obligation to sensitise Zambians especially young ones on the importance of democracy. He has a right to belong to a political party of his choice, but above all give moral guidance to the nation.
But it seems he has lost credibility and his active partisan politics is a matter of survival for him. This is dangerous for Zambia’s democracy especially in the election year,” he said.
Rev M’bao said politics of manipulation should not be tolerated.
He said Chiluba was expected to act as a true statesman because he was respected in countries like Congo DR where he played a role in restoring peace and tranquility during his tenure as president of Zambia.
Rev M’bao said Chiluba would only restore his integrity as former head of state if he embarked on a reconciliation process with Zambians who felt injured because of the rampant abuse of public funds the country experienced when he was Republican president.
Meanwhile, Rev M’bao said the Zambian government and the people who support Chiluba risked losing credibility because there was no logical conclusion of his plunder cases.
He said the refusal by the government to appeal his corruption cases would never restore Chiluba’s integrity among Zambians.
Rev M’bao said the suspension of two UK-based lawyers over their involvement in plunder of Zambia’s national resources should be a great lesson to the government and the judiciary.
Labels: FREDERICK CHILUBA, RICHARD M'BAO
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Don’t allow them to cheat poor souls
By Editor
Sat 13 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
IN our editorial comment yesterday we said that by quoting a lot from the Bible and other religious teachings, we were not in any way trying to compete with our clergymen in preaching the gospel.
It is not possible for us to avoid using religious teachings to explain what is going on in our country, the world we live in. If we were to ask a Zambian worker, a domestic servant, a farmer what concept he or she had of the world, he or she would surely couch his reply in religious terms. The most elementary concept that the poor and suffering, the marginalised, the oppressed people of our country have of the world is a religious one. Ignoring this reality is foreclosing the possibility of establishing a link between our political outlook and the great majority of the masses of our people.
We have to be sensitive to our people’s religious concepts. It’s not easy, for instance, to convince a worker or a farmer that he has to fight for some utopia, for democracy or a more just, fair and humane society whatever that society may be called. But it’s very easy to tell him, “Look, we believe that there is only one God, who is the Father. If that is true, we should all live as brothers and sisters, but the brotherhood that God wants doesn’t exist in our nation.
It is denied by injustice, unfairness, selfishness, vanity, greed, corruption, intolerance, inequalities of all sorts, economic contradictions and so on and so forth. So for us, basing ourselves on the very root of our faith, fighting for brotherhood means fighting against all those things that concretely and historically hinder justice, fairness, humaneness, social equality, freedom and full dignity for everyone no matter what his job, tribe, colour or ideas.” This is the approach we find reasonable in the circumstances of our country. And that’s why we have joined the many priests, pastors, reverends and others in basing our political arguments on biblical or religious teachings.
It is for this reason that we share the views of Reverend Richard M’bao, the chairperson of the East and Southern Africa International Pastors Forum, who is currently visiting our country in paying tribute to all our religious leaders who, amid lack of understanding and in the blessedness of the thirst for justice, are preparing, in the manner of John the Baptist, for the coming of the Lord in a more just, fair and humane society whatever that may be called.
Reverend M’bao is right when he says “political governance should be aimed at attaining the common good and not the manipulation of the poor that we see from politicians. They should not be given room to cheat the poor souls, that’s why the clergy’s presence in the promotion of human dignity must be felt and respected by all”.
We think the highest level of religious thought was reached when some clergymen and other religious people became aware that no people and no man had the right to abuse others, to rob others, to exploit others, and that the fruits of the efforts and intelligence of each human being should reach all others; that man really had no need to be a wolf, but could be a brother to man. That is the main essence of the premises on which our clergymen who, following the example of Christ, devote their work, their preaching to the humble, the poor; dedicate their work to fighting against abuse, injustice and the degradation of human beings.
This also reminds us of Fidel Castro’s 1971 talk with Catholics in Chile, his 1977 meeting with ministers in Jamaica, and the phrase of his in the first few years of the Cuban Revolution: “He who betrays the poor betrays Christ.”
All religions preach love as their core teaching; yet we find people who are apparently very religious and faithful to their religious practices and at the same time, very selfish, very greedy, very corrupt, very intolerant and very difficult to live and work with. We find among them those who do not seem to have any qualms of conscience about their selfish and corrupt behaviour like stealing public funds; abusing power; telling lies; taking bribes; cheating in elections, politics and business; being vengeful and so on and so forth. These people may even go to church, temple or mosque on their way to do these evil things. We find this phenomenon all over the world and down the centuries.
When religion degenerates into religiosity either at the individual or at the organisational level, religious practices and structures tend to replace religious values. Religion, then, instead of becoming a liberating force, a force of justice, fairness and humaneness, becomes a means of exploitation, abuse, deceit and corruption, or as Karl Marx would say, opium, both of individuals and of religious groups.
It is understandable why, as Reverend M’bao has correctly observed, clergymen who criticise inept governance must be encouraged and their teachings listened to. Truly, politicians must not be given a chance to prevail over every governance issue in the country. After all, all politicians, whatever their rank, are servants of the people, and not their masters, and whatever they do should be to serve the people, and as such cannot be expected to lord over the people. If they look at politics this way, they will not have difficulties discarding this culture of intolerance and lack of humility which makes them fail to place the humanity of others before self and accept that all citizens have a right to participate in the shaping of their destiny directly without fear of reprisal.
Without courageous clergymen, we don’t know where this country would be today in terms of good governance. We therefore need these courageous and honest clergymen to continue to be the conscience of our nation, moral custodians and fearless champions of the interests of the weak and downtrodden.
Our clergymen, our religious leaders have both the right and duty to participate fully in building a just, fair, humane and peaceful society with all the means at their disposal. And they are not fully rooted among their people if they do not try to establish justice. And as it has been stated before, politics is not a “dirty game” but is a genuine way of being at the service of others for the integral development of the country. This being the case, our priests, pastors, reverends and other religious leaders have a role in ensuring honest politics in our country. Politics needs people with integrity because their presence in the political arena can bring gospel values to the political process.
We say this because good religious leaders value the democratic system in as much as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guarantees to the governed the possibility of electing and holding accountable those who govern them, and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate. Politics is therefore for the good of the people and the country, and not for the political survival of any individual or political party. And for this reason, we believe that true democracy is a growth in the confidence, in the power of ordinary people, humble citizens to transform their country and thus transform themselves.
It is a growth in the appreciation of people organising, deciding, creating together. It is a growth in fraternal love. This is the true meaning of democracy. And love is the extraordinary force which leads people, which leads our clergymen to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice, fairness, humaneness and peace. To love someone is to desire that person’s good and to take effective steps to secure it. Besides the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked to living in society: the common good. It is the good of “all of us”, made up of individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute society. It is a good that is sought, not for its own sake, but for the people who belong to the social community and who can only live and effectively pursue their own good within it.
To desire the common good and strive towards it is a requirement of justice, fairness and humaneness. To take a stand for the common good is on the one hand to be solicitous for, and on the other hand to avail oneself of, that complex of institutions that give structure to the life of society, juridically, civilly, politically and culturally. The more we strive to secure a common good corresponding to the real need of our neighbours, the more effective we love them. Every Christian is called to practice this charity, in a manner corresponding to his vocation and according to the degree of influence he wields. And when animated by charity, commitment to the common good has greater wealth than a merely secular and political stand would have.
If we look at things this way, it will not be difficult for us to understand why Reverend M’bao is saying that “politicians must not be given room to cheat poor souls” and that “those who criticise inept governance must be encouraged and their teachings listened to”.
Labels: POLITICS, POVERTY, RICHARD M'BAO
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Rev M’bao encourages govt critics
By Misheck Wangwe
Sat 13 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
VISITING Eastern and Southern Africa International Pastors’ Forum chairperson Reverend Richard M’bao has said politicians must not be given room to cheat poor souls.
And Rev M’bao has advised that men of God in Zambia who criticise inept governance must be encouraged and their teachings listened to.
In an interview in Kitwe on Wednesday, Rev M’bao who was in the country to attend a conference on strengthening the forum’s Zambian Chapter said politicians must not be given chance to prevail over every governance issue in the country.
He said the general citizenry together with stakeholders who had a mission of uplifting people’s living standards must be given chance to decide the country’s destiny.
“Political governance should be aimed at attaining the common good and not the manipulation of the poor that we see from politicians. They should not be given room to cheat poor souls, that’s why the clergy’s presence in the promotion of human dignity must be felt and respected by politicians,” Rev M’bao said.
He said the international forum of pastors had been following closely the governance issues raised in the past by Change Life Zambia director Fr Frank Bwalya and other clergy.
“Fr Bwalya’s way of evangelisation is timely and purely on giving life to dry bones to live again by speaking for the majority poor hence the need for people holding government power to listen to his message and work towards uplifting the standards of the majority poor,” Rev M’bao said.
Rev M’bao said the pastors’ forum at the international level would not restrict itself to the pulpit but would also speak out on various governance issues and support people who dedicate their lives to the promotion of good governance on the African continent.
“We have heard a lot about clergymen like Fr Bwalya, Fr Augustine Mwewa, Fr Mpasa, Bishop Paul Duffy and many other men of God in Zambia who criticise inept governance. These men of God must be encouraged and their teachings must be listened to and their advice taken seriously if the country is to attain meaningful development,” advised Rev M’bao said.
He said it was saddening that many African governments did not take pragmatic steps to implement suggestions from the church particularly from men of God who had close contacts with the people.
Rev M’bao said this was partly why many countries in Africa had been riddled with challenges such as lack of proper democracy, poorly managed political elections, conflicts, poor health care and poor education.
Labels: INTERNATIONAL PASTORS FORUM, RICHARD M'BAO
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