Taima still has MMD blood in him - Sata
By Moses Kuwema, Kombe Chimpinde and Misheck Wangwe
Thu 18 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says Richard Taima might still have some MMD blood in him. Addressing a rally at Kasapa Basic School on Wednesday, President Sata said the PF did not adopt Taima for the Solwezi East by-election because the party wanted to start afresh.
"When Taima phoned me that he wanted to resign and join us, I told him you are welcome but we won't take you back to Solwezi East because we wanted to start afresh and you might still have some MMD blood in you. I told him we will give you a job because I know you have to feed your family and children," he said.
President Sata said Taima was still a young man and that the PF would look after him but not as member of parliament.
"I told Taima we won't adopt you but will find you a job. I told him Ilyo mwali mu MMD, mwali ba chibola nomba kuntu mwaisafyala shani mu PF? I told him the time he was in MMD he was barren so how can he
bear children in PF?" asked President Sata.
And President Sata said from the time he became Republican President, he had never heard any of the opposition members of parliament from North-Western Province complain about the problems faced in the province.
"The opposition members of parliament in this province don't complain for you. I live in Lusaka and I have never heard anyone complain for you. It is your vote and you can do as you like with it. We will listen to your representatives while in Lusaka but since I became President one year, nine months, I have never heard any one member of parliament complain about your problems," he said.
President Sata addressed meetings at Mapunga in chief Mujimanzovu's area, Mushindamo Basic school and Kasapa Basic School.
And chief Kalilile of Solwezi called on President Sata to declare Mushindamo a district.
The PF is fielding Peter Ilunga in the July 25 Solwezi East by-election.
And President Sata says that he wants his government to deliver and not to go about lying to the people.
Speaking at a rally held at Chiwala Basic School, in Masaiti district where he went to drum up support for the PF candidate in the Kafulafuta by-elections James Chishiba, President Sata warned that his government did not want commotion.
"Takwaba ubuteko ubufwaya icongo (There is no government that likes squabbles). Where you (Chishiba) have come (PF) you have to deliver. Ifyo nshilefwaya fyakulabepa abantu (there is no government which wants mayhem. ..what I don't want is lying to the people)," he said.
Where you have come in PF I pity you because people here want development. I haven't come here to ask them to vote for you, they know how to use their cards. This is why I am going round, I will be in Mkushi also. If you are not careful you will miss MMD because I don't want people to be told lies," President Sata told Chishiba.
President Sata said Chishiba had matured and outgrown the tendencies of MMD.
He said PF was a parent of Zambians unlike MMD which was barren to needs of the people.
He said Chishiba ought to be ashamed that some parts of the area had not been electrified since he became member of parliament.
"You have to speak on behalf of these people. You are asking these people to give you this job now when they give you this job, what will be in it for them?" he asked. President Sata said pupils were traveling distances to school for a long time.
"If you fail to perform within three months, we will chase you and chase you from Parliament and replace you with another one. So if you don't want to be chased, you put more effort," President Sata said and asked the people of Kafulafuta to retry Chishiba for them to experience real development in form of schools, roads and clean water.
President Sata also said his government would never spend money on things like fuel subsidies that disadvantage the poor and only benefit a few rich people.
President Sata said it was illogical to have a situation where the poor were serving the rich with vehicles in terms of fuel subsidies.
"Some people are talking about subsidies. Tell me, of what benefit is that arrangement to the poor? How many poor people have vehicles here? That money would be used to bring development here because only a few rich people were benefiting. I want everyone in leadership to have a heart for these poor people, think always about the children in that school who don't even have a blackboard in their class," President Sata said.
He said people should not be cheated by any politician that that they would bring development when they were not in government.
President Sata said he wants to work with leaders that always think about the plight of the poor.
And speaking before President Sata addressed a rally at Bangwe Basic school, Patrick Mwanawasa said he would stand as member of parliament in the area in 2016.
Gabriel Namulambe, who is deputy foreign affairs minister said the MMD could not give Zambians anything because they were busy fighting each other.
Namulambe said it was President Sata who had money and resources and there was no need for the people of Kafulafuta to remain in a disorganised opposition which was not adding value to their livelihoods.
And Willie Nsanda said President Sata should run his two terms to achieve his vision for the country Nsanda said 2016 was for President Sata.
"President Sata is the owner of the programme he has started. After five years, you will see miracles; he is the one that controls, he has the vision. If he was a train, he is the head and we are the wagons," said Nsanda.
Nsanda said PF was more interested in delivering development than trading insults as was the case with the opposition.
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, RICHARD TAIMA
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Masumba's son drowns in pool
By Agness Changala
Sun 03 Feb. 2013, 14:40 CAT
STEVEN Masumba has demanded an explanation on the death of his son who drowned in Richard Taima's swimming pool on Friday. Masumba's son, Milangwe, who was about one year four months old, drowned in a swimming pool at Taima's residence in Woodlands on Friday.
Taima's niece, Stacy, is the mother of Masumba's son. An emotional Masumba, who had difficulties explaining the death of his son, in an interview yesterday demanded an explanation from Stacy and her family on what had transpired regarding the incident.
He said he was informed about his son's death by Taima while he was in Solwezi.
Masumba said the time the incident occurred, Stacy was at Taima's place and that he did not know exactly what transpired.
He said he expected the mother or anyone present to monitor the child's movements, especially that there was a swimming pool.
"Eventually the mother should also be in a position to give feedback on what transpired and where was she when the same thing was happening?" he asked. "I can't understand up to now and I am still in a confused state of some kind."
Masumba said what had happened sounded simple when it was someone else involved but added that the pain he was feeling was something he could not explain.
Masumba, however, said he had no option but to accept what happened to his son, saying it was the will of God.
And Taima, who also confirmed the death of his grandson, explained that he had arrived in Kapiri Mposhi en route to Solwezi when his wife called and told him about what happened.
Taima, who is commerce deputy minister, said he was told that Stacy was in the bathroom and left the son with her young cousin from Solwezi who was on holiday.
He said when Stacy came out of the bathroom, it was the cousin's turn to bath when the absence of the child was noted.
Taima said after searching around, the maid saw the baby through a kitchen window and told Stacy that the child was in the swimming pool.
He said Milangwe was taken out of the swimming pool and first aid was administered but to no avail.
Taima said the child was later rushed to Maina Soko Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Taima, who has hosted the funeral at his residence, further said the child's body is in Maina Soko Hospital Mortuary and burial is expected to take place today or tomorrow.
Labels: RICHARD TAIMA, STEVEN MASUMBA
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By-election looms in Solwezi east
By Mwala Kalaluka
Mon 12 Nov. 2012, 14:00 CAT
SOLWEZI East MMD member of parliament Richard Taima says there will be a serious electoral showdown in Solwezi should his party go ahead with its latest plans to hound out those serving in the current government.
Commenting on President Michael Sata's assurance to all opposition MMD members of parliament serving in the government that his administration will take urgent and practical interventions to ensure that they are protected against all forms of harassment and intimidation, Taima said during an interview yesterday that the assurance could not have come at a better time.
President Sata, who urged the affected members of parliament to draw comfort, courage and lessons from Stephen Masumba's victory, said even in the worst case scenario, their parliamentary seats were safe as they were guaranteed adoption under the PF ticket.
Taima said there was information that the MMD's plan was to kick out its members of parliament serving in the government.
He also congratulated Masumba for shaming his critics by retaining the Mufumbwe seat on the PF ticket.
"They were going out of their way to kick us out of the party so that we can force by-elections and that includes Solwezi East," he said. "But I can't say that came officially to me."
Taima said there was excitement among some MMD members in North Western Province where they were peddling lies that he had 'lost' his parliamentary seat.
"I am more than ready," he said, adding that what he had done in Solwezi East may not be much but it spoke for itself. "If as per their MMD plan they had won Mufumbwe and decided to hound us out of the party, they are more than welcome. The people of Solwezi East are solidly behind me."
Taima said he was already receiving phone calls from Solwezi East as information about threats to hound him out of the party filter through to the constituents.
"If these rumors may turn out to be true some day, I can assure you that it can be a serious showdown," said Taima. "I have a lot of support from the people of Solwezi East."
And another MMD member of parliament serving in the PF administration told The Post yesterday that many of them were eager to ditch the MMD because it was a sloppy party that could not detect UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema's schemes to destroy the former ruling party.
"The people in MMD are somehow very dull politicians because the UPND have seen the loopholes in MMD and it wants the MMD to expel their people so that when they do that, they will say it is UPND which is popular in that constituency," the source said. "MMD is not able to detect that their alliance is just a shallow one."
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, RICHARD TAIMA
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Taima urges private sector partnerships
Written by Nchima Nchito Jr
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 4:22:21 PM
COMMERCE deputy minister Richard Taima has called for partnerships within the private sector for the realisation of meaningful development.
Launching Powerworld’s franchise of Lister Petter Limited products on Monday evening, Taima said the business community had an important role to play to the Zambian economy.
“The Zambian economy requires the support of the business community in order to meaningfully attract not only foreign and local investment but to add value to the goods and services being produced in the country for the benefit of the consumers,” he said.
On the coming of Lister Petter products onto the Zambian market, Taima said they had come at an opportune time to help mitigate the impact of power outages in the country.
“As such, I wish to challenge various business sectors represented here to consider emulating Powerworld,” said Taima. “It is through such economic initiatives that we shall be able to reap the full benefits and create more employment for our people in the country.”
And in an interview, Lister Petter Limited business development manager Nick Vaisey said his company hoped to develop the Zambian market into a million pound business.
“Our products have been present on the Zambian market for a while and are well known and trusted in the various sectors of the economy. But it’s only now that they will be sold with the full after sales support of Lister Petter,” he said.
Vaisey said Lister Petter was here to stay in the local economy.
“We are very opportunistic about the partnership we have entered into with Powerworld and the ability to fully service the Zambian market,” said Vaisey.
And Powerworld service manager Clement Kasenge said the partnership with Lister Petter would enable his company be competitive in the pricing of its products.
Kasenge said middlemen had been cut out with the acquisition of the franchise while also offering full service support for products bought from Powerworld.
Lister Petter is based in Gloucestershire in England and has operations in the US, France, India and China.
Powerworld trades as Partsworld and is a member of the Union Gold group.
Labels: PPPs, RICHARD TAIMA
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COMMENT - So for the MMD, responding to the global economic crisis is just a matter of making things even easier for the mines. How convenient.
Zambia’s economy still unstable
Saturday, July 4, 2009, 11:56
Government has observed that the 44th edition of the Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) has come at a time of economic uncertainty.
Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Richard Taima said Zambia’s economy was currently in an unstable condition mainly due to the global economic recession. Mr. Taima said this yesterday when he officially opened the one day small scale business forum at the ZITF’s presidential pavilion.
“The 2009 Trade Fair has come at a time of uncertainty regarding our economy. We all know that the global economic growth slowed down from 3.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent in 2008,” he said.
He however said government had already taken steps to redress the situation.
He said already government had found a strategic partner at Luanshya Mine, adding that the move had brought relief in the country.
Mr. Taima further said government had embarked on other supportive measures such as the announced reduction in customs duty on heavy fuels mainly used in the mining sector from 30 per cent to 15 per cent.
He also said the deferring of value added tax (VAT) on copper concentrates as another measure being taken by government through the Ministry.
He explained that all the measures were being put in place to reduce the cost of business in the mining industry, so as to encourage existing mines to remain in business.
The ongoing ZITF is expected to be officially opened by Republican President Rupiah Banda and his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete on Sunday.
ZANIS
Labels: ECONOMY, GREAT DEPRESSION II, RICHARD TAIMA
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Govt to participate in regional trade fairs
Written by Margaret Habbuno
Friday, May 08, 2009 4:52:21 PM
COMMERCE deputy minister Richard Taima yesterday said government has put in place measures that will ensure it participates in various trade fairs in the region.
During a meeting to review Zambiaís participation at this yearís Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Taima said measures were being put in place by his ministry to ensure that the country participated in several fairs in Southern Africa, Comesa as well as in countries such as Japan and China.
Taima disclosed that government spent a total of US $15,000 (about K76.4 million) for exhibition space at the just ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
“Our participation was a success. Directives to the ministry for Zambia to participate in other fairs in SADC, COMESA, Japan and China are being looked into,î Taima said. “The participation of Zambia in the Fair was a success and the sectors that represented Zambia were textile and clothing, mining, pharmaceuticals, information and technology, among others.”
He said the Ministry of Commerce facilitated the transportation of both exhibits and exhibitors to and from Bulawayo.
“The ministry paid for exhibition space for all exhibitors and traders in the Trade Fair at a total cost of US $15,000,” said Taima.
At least 30 Zambian companies exhibited at this yearís Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
Labels: RICHARD TAIMA, ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR
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Poor funding hinders manufacturing sector
By Business Reporter
Inadequate funding and an oudated legal framework are among the constraints hindering progress in the local manufacturing sector, Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Richard Taima has said.
Mr Taima who was officiating at an international workshop on manufacturing statistics in Lusaka yesterday said that apart from poor physical infrastructure, the local production sector was facing a lot of challenges which the Government was ready to address.
“Lack of funding, poor infrastructure, outdated and sometimes inadequate statistical legal provisions, are some of the challenges that Government will address amidst ever increasing demand for resources among various competing sectors of the economy,” Mr Taima said.
The minister said there was great need to monitor the growth of the manufacturing sector as it was an important factor in monitoring progress towards achieving the economic targets.
He said statistics play a pivotal role in policy formulation, decision making evaluation and monitoring of Government programmes and projects.
“There is great need to monitor the growth of the manufacturing sector in a quest to improve the standards of living of the people and also assess whether the set targets were being achieved,” he said
Mr Taima said as a priority sector, Zambia had dedicated a whole chapter in the Fifth National Development Plan to deal with statistical development for monitoring and evaluation due to the sectors’ strong multiplier effect to the economy.
“This is based on the assumption that productivity gains and technical progress arising in the manufacturing sector would rise not only for the sector alone but also in other sectors,” he said.
The Government had created relevant institutions to require statistics on various economic sectors, such as the Zambia Development Agency, Zambia Competition Commission, Zambia Bureau of Standards and the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission.
Mr Taima said even at regional and international levels, various measures were being put in place to manage critical statistics for development, but that there was need for harmonisation of those effect.
“The challenge before you as professional statisticians is to ensure that required statistical data is made available in user friendly formats and disseminated expeditiously for timely decision making,” He said.
Mr Taima also noted that there were shortcomings in terms of capturing statistics because of a number of operations difficulties.
Labels: MANUFACTURING, MULTIPLIER EFFECT, RICHARD TAIMA
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