PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa says he remains committed to fighting vices such as corruption that frustrate government’s efforts of improving the national economy.
Dr Mwanawasa said he will continue with the crusade against corruption in order to secure a stable environment for the implementation of developmental projects.
He said the crusade has helped the country regain investor confidence in various sectors of the economy especially in the mining sector, and increased donor aid in the education and health sectors.
In view of the prevailing environment for investments, Dr. Mwanawasa said government has embarked on mineral and oil exploration in selected parts of the country.
ZANIS reports that The President said government is spending substantive financial resources on exploiting natural resources for improved economic activities that are aimed at alleviating poverty.
Dr Mwanawasa further stated his return to active politics in 2001 was intended to improve transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
Meanwhile the president has called for the quick completion on rehabilitation of Kagoro basic school for which government released K19 Billion for the project.
He expressed concern with the slow pace at which rehabilitation works are going on at the school.
Dr Mwanawasa also expressed disappointment with Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) for wanting to insist on carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project when, the school has in fact existed since 1943.
He said the money that the ECZ expected the school to pay in form of study fees could be used for other projects at the school.
The president directed the minister of education professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa to ensure the quick completion of rehabilitation works at the school.
Dr Mwanawasa said his emphasize on free education to be compulsory for all children in the country was aimed at ensuring that all children receive better education as was the case in the past.
Dr. Mwanawasa who this afternoon completed his three day visit to Katete is tomorrow expected to attend the burial of vice president Rupiah Banda’s late mother Sara Zulu in Chipata and later return to Lusaka.
He was in Katete to drum up support for MMD parliamentary candidate Reuben Banda for tomorrow’s Milanzi Bye Election.
The Seat which is being contested By UPND, UNIP, ACP,PF and FDD fell vacant after the death of Chosani Njovu of UNIP.
ZANIS/HN/LN/SJK/MK/ENDS
LPM should also look at goverment expenditure? let him look at how much is wasted on our (fortune seekers) politicians. The people of zambia do not need hand outs from Maureen Mwanawasa’s initiative? let the money be utilized through the right channels? why maintain the slush fund if he is demanding for transparency? politicians….one must indeed be a fool to dwell on a fortune seeker’s promise? but my surprise the majority of our country folk fall under this category “foolish”. Some individuals still believe that king cobra or any other fortune seeker would redeem them from their hardships.
I’ve given up on boma. Malinga nili na soup, mutenje na ndiyo…palibe kantu.
Blah blah blah…..i agree with you # 2
Bafikamba aba problem is that they say one thing and do the exact opposite, let him just do what he has to do and he will be judged by posterity period, he doesn’t even need to tell us, we shall tell him if we think he is committed to development, it is not for him to say, my God.
I was watching Dr. levy mwanawasa on the bbc website the other day were he was talking about Zim. I couldn’t help wonder if the people of Zambia had found the best leader in Dr. Levy. He speaks very slow and sometines it seemed like he was not sure of what he was talking about.
I don’t think the president can handle western style media interogation that western politicians face. He seems too relaxed because he knows that he is not accountable to anybody. Zambia needs a young fit leader to move the nation forward. I hope Dr. levy is the last one we will have from the good for nothing generation of current leaders.
Leave the president alone and let him do his work. None of you chaps 1-5 could do any better for Zambia if you were in office. The first thing you would probably do is open a swiss bank account, the rest I don’t wanna know. I for one, am satisfied with LPM…and I like his shirt on the photo!
#5- useless comment, shallow mind.
i like the shirt too!
A better photo indeed…
#5 Good comment, we are all not MMD party cadres.
#7 walasa!! #5 is a useless chap who has nothing to offer. I like the shirt too. On average LPM has perfomed better.
#5 I just watched the video on bbc, I think you’re right. Zambia can do better than ba levy, its nothing personal. The video says it all, yaba.
#5 right on, some people accept low quality leadership just because they are benefiting from it. Zambia should always be on the look out for better things in the country including better leadership for the sake of developing the country. I like smart open minded people like you #5.
Levy was on hardtalk #5, get the video if you can and see how well he executed himself. I find it rather hush that a president can be judged based on how well he talks, what did chiluba do for us with his dictionary type english!
#14 can you state exactly what mwanawasa has achieved that sets him apart from Chiluba and KK?
I challenge anybody to post mwanawasa’s top ten achievements to date as the President of Zambia.
#13 Mbuzi (Goat) mwati ndiwe mu zambian? Just becoz you dont see the achievemnets doesnt mean they are not there.
#1 corruption levels under LPM have hugely dropped
#2 more investments in the county flowing in
#3 prevailing peace despite pipo like you
#4 sustainability of alot of things
#5 accountability
#6 Transparency
#7 …………………………………list endlesss
Nine Chale, I don’t know you nor do I intend to but I’ve always thought you to have some valid insights. But your comment in #6 is soaked in indifference.
Granted, LPM isn’t the worst serving president today but he’s also not the best. What has GRZ done for you lately? You don’t come off partisan but even patriotism has its limits, bululu. My point is simple – this non-stop talk must be transformed into reality for the people. Otherwise leave us to educate our children and build quietly the nation we love.
#12,13 & others-People differ others speak slowly with substance others fast without substance.Others are short huge,slim etc. Credit should be given where due.
#15- You must be blind not to see the development LPM has brought. what is your profession so i can shed more light on what LPM has done in your area of speciality?
My friend #17 Double Standards, I understand your point though your observation is not quite right: just because I don’t belong to the league of anti-Levy critics does not mean that I am indifferent. My point is also simple: live and let live. Even the scriptures say “strive not with a man without a cause if they have done thee no harm”. Zambia and it’s leadership have done me no harm, if anything, they have managed to keep the country peaciful, which is our greatest asset (just compare us to Zimbabwe!), so I will never be bitter despite the slow developments, which I don’t feel is influenced by politics alone.
#16 you have failed the challenge. I challenged anybody to come up with just ten (10) achievements and you only managed 6. Your list is also full of intangible achievements, achievements which cannot be measured.
1. Corruption is on an all time high, mwanawasa just two days ago said his ambassadors and high commissioners are mismanaging their budgets, he also said recently, that there is too much corruption in all government ministries and among public servants.
2. Investments are coming in because of the process that Chiluba started.
3. We have always had peace in Zambia from KK to date that cannot be considered an achievement that sets levy apart from KK and Chiluba.
To most of you talking about LPM… Hey… You dont have to look to LPM for development!!! All of us have to work hard despite the levels of poverty!!!
Much is vested in us!!! Its just the rewards(Profit) that will make a difference at the end of the day!!! Go to a very developed country and just sleep if you will ever see confort or revenue!!!
Wake up, Work up!!! My bros and sis
The fight against corruption is qite good though the best driver is notLPM because he is the product of the same. He is the president and is immune now but most of the Government appointments are still done on tribal and party lines. LPM is a product of corruption and thats why Chiluba will never be convicted in his Presidency. What ever is happening is to help his Law fraternity frends benefit. Its unfortunate most of the Zambians are not educated and have limitations in Challenging or questioning legal giminastics. Work up LPM has no capacity and serious measureable and predictable agenda on corruption. Principle First.
whilst i have been away i have noticed that the mice have played very hard as such let me accept the challenge set #14 the goat
1. NEPAD indicated that zambia is the best place for investment in sub-saharan africa because of its sound economic and leadership policies i.e fight against corruption, something unattainable during KK and FTJ tenures.
2. Under levy Mwanawasa Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) is at an all time high needless to say that’s better than his predecessors.
3. Copper output is also at an all time high some 15% higher than under british rule or KK’s regime.
4. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of 1st January 2008 has increased by some 7% as compared to figures published
4.cont… by the UN in 1999.
5. For the first time zambia can boast of having financial reserves currently at k900bn+ a luxury that we have never had since independence.
6. Balance of payments are positive by 5.7% a feat which was only possible in 1973 when the kwacha was stronger than the Pound sterling.
7.A clear indication of the separation of powers can be seen u can now distinguish the three arms of govt Legislature, Judiciary and Executive. something which was clearly in absentia.
8. Constitutional reform has for the first time incorporated all zambians not just the president as was the case with KK and chiluba.
9. A clear recognition of the House of chiefs as a traditional law
/cont…. making institution as compared to the use of headmen and District Commissioners in the chiluba era.
10. At least 30% of Mwanawasa’s Cabinet consists of females as compared to chilubas 25% achieving the much needed balance of gender equality in governance and corporate institutions though i admit it should be more.
11. For the first time since the early years of the 2nd republic, under mwanawasa, national policy has been universal that is it is no longer mining oriented Agriculture and Tourism also contribute enormously to our GDP such that our farmers are now putting pressure on government to revive Nitrogen Chemicals of zambia (NCZ) to help subsidize their fertilizer usage where
/cont… as before we were supplementing them with imported agriculture inputs from neighbouring zimbabwe but now we have our own and export to neighbouring countries.
12. The transport network has improved in rural areas under Mwanawasa i need not tell u about the furore that erupted about the chembe bridge.
13. free education upto grade nine or grade ten an achievement Chiluba could not accomplish.
14. our health system is not something to be proud of but it did not deteriorate in his 8 years at the helm instead his health policies have achieved a remarkable fall in HIV AIDS casualties as compared to his predesessor FTJ….. i could go on this should satisfy u 10 + 4 mbasela.
Mbuzi, need I say more, I was priviledged to work with Government before and after Chiluba and just the statement that he issued were enough to switch civil service thinking to that of accaountability, if you are not based in Zambia Mbuzi, please ask your relatives and friends that are here.
oh yeah by the way I also like ur shirt Mr. President, dont worry no. 14 nabamu tuma he is from zimbabwe he is a goat herder a child of a zezulu polygamist.
sorry mwiinga ntokwamba #15 Mbuzi
You see there is a side to Mwanawasa that people do not see, first and foremost have you ever heard anyone being shot in the leg by one of his sons or daughters. Have you seen him in more than average suits with blingage, for me that says a lot about the confidence and composure of a man, for those that do not know him, Mwanawasa has always been speaking the way he does, even when he was solicitor general he used to speak the same, so what are you guys saying about his speech, the accident might have, take note MIGHT, have had an effect but comeon guys be real.
Levy Achievements.
1. Increased farming output
2. Increased tourism traffic
3. Increased mining activities
4. Fibre optic communication cables
5. Investment in SME’s
6. Increased foreign investment activities
7. Inflation at an all time low
8. Zambia gets it first $1 billion reserves
9. Setting up of the citizen economic fund which gives loans to youths to start small and medium enterprises
10. Setting former refugee camps into training centres.
11. Investments in other provinces other than Lusaka and CB (e.g Eastern and Luapula)
12. Increase in GDP per capita from $300 to $900
13. Zambia voted most improved economy
14. Trade surpluses
15. Kwacha strengthens.
16. etc
VOTE UPND (HH)
This chim-mbuzi is living in a cookoo land. if you live in a Village in Zimbabwe id suggest you move on to greener pastures. LUsaka is just across the zambezi and its a beckon in an otherwise confused region. al tell you one thing…wether you wnt to listen or not….Zambia is no Switzerland but its 10 times better place to live in today than its has been under that old KK and the thief- kafupi.
Goat has gone silent because pepo have listed the 10 IT wanted
number 30 i have to agree with you the guy is humble….his not in your face…. not arrogant…and the biggest thing about LPM is his modesty. you got to admire that. not all are sharp on the tongue…not all are charasmetic like Blair but hey….zambia has got a leader whos got a well functioning head. RESPECT MAN!!! but still needs to do more.
Gentlemen forget about Mbuzi akalikudya uuzu ife banzake tikudya nyama!!
#26 on point 14 you left out a critical area of funding. For the first time in 15 years all health institutions received their 2006 and 2007 funding in full with an additional surplus funding in June/July 07 because ZRA collected surplus the same was passed on to user departments.
In July/September07 all 40% arrears accruing from Chiluba govment were paid.
mbuzi has surely gone to eat the grass……..or he is in somones pot being cooked for sapa…hence the silence.
#23 – 26
1. Again the issue of fighting corruption is selective and intangible in measurement. We know Katele Kalumba and Michael Mabenga both convicted of crimes are still in Mr. Mwanawasa’s gov’t. Zambia is the only country is Africa that allows 100% externalisation of profits which denies the local Zambians from benefiting from the wealth exported out of the country instead of reinvesting those profits in needy areas like health, Education infrastructure etc.
2. Again FDI is coming in because the current gov’t has decided to turn the country into a haven for corporations to come and take anything they can while denying local companies some of the privileges such as tax breaks. Local com
Cont’d …Local companies pay more taxes than foreign companies and Zambians are still the most taxed people in Southern Africa, how can the nation develop if the small businesses are not protected against foreign competition?
3. Copper output is high because of high demand mainly from the East (china and India), this has nothing to do with Levy, it was bound to happen to any other leader. If levy stepped down today, tomorrow we will still have the same output. However, on this issue, most mines have poor health and safety records, they provide poor pay and poor working conditions that is why we have strikes every now and then. These same copper investors are polluting the environment such as rivers and air around residential areas near mining sites, we are yet to see the impact this will have on future generations.
4. GDP reaching 7% is just an estimate and most of the development is on paper. For most of the poor people life is still the same. We still have a lot of shanty compounds in the capital and around the country. In fact unemployment is still high.
5. Why put money in reserve when the country needs it for the development of more high quality schools, hospitals so that we can stop the president from going overseas for treatment.
6. It does not matter what percentage the balance of payments is if the people are not feeling, seeing and appreciating the benefits.
7. We all know that the president has his hands in everything, most judges are political appointees and some are even personal friends of the president, clearly there is no separation of powers as you claim.
8. Zambians wanted a referendum on the constitution but levy denied us that, instead in chose to do it the NCC which is full of cadres again denying the people of Zambia full participation is deciding our country’s destiny. No wonder some churches and opposition parties are not participating.
9. The house of chiefs is just another of levy’s political tools, it is full of party cadres and not incorporate all traditional leaders in the country. The house of chiefs only has 26 members out of a possible 286 recognised chiefs in the country. Levy has turned chiefs into another set of politicians.
10. We can even have 50% women but it does not matter if they are not making any difference in the country. Masebo was looking more like a diva than a female leader in the paper the other day.
11. Agri growth is due to zim white farmers that have come to settle in Zambia. Levy has failed to create local farming capacity. Tourism and Mining are also dominated by foreigners, further denying Zambians a level playing field.
12. The transport network is still very bad that is why we have high accident rates, and it generally cost more to run a car because of bad roads.
13. Education is still bad, what’s the point of offering free education up to grade nine when you don’t offer any options for further education. UNZA and CBU are forever striking.
14. Come on, levy himself has no faith in the local health system that is why he flies to Britain all the time for treatment. What kind of leadership is that? At least KK used to get treated locally and he created capacity locally too.
Please try again, you have failed the challenge.
I almost dismissed this “mpongo” (Mbuzi in Tonga), he actually raises a lot of issues in his discussion above. Pankoloko come to our aid.
A mpongo is never satisfied with anything….!!!
Pankoloko does not know what time it is. This is not the time to be lying to Zambians, this is the time to take advantage of external factors favorable to Zambia’s development.
It remains to be seen what levy will achieve when he steps down in less than 3 years time from now.
Mbuzi, I like your style and you have raised a lot of issues, good man. We need more people like you to develop our young nation.
i dismiss those claims as frivolous and u can raise many others for each and every one of the achievements i can choose to name next, however that’s neither here nor their, u asked me to give u achievements that levy has accomplished whilst in power and i have provided them u cant expect levy to change every single thing to the last minute detail thats a responsibility for future parliaments and zambians at large as well, levy is no superman but his efforts on national development have had more effective results than his predecessor i gave u consolidated facts ur assertions are speculative and would do well at a PF rally.
#46 u have just contradicted urself from 41-43 u dismissed levy’s achievements by suggesting that external factors like white farmers and high copper prices have helped him achieve his goals and yet at 46 u do a 180 degree turn to suggest….
‘This is not the time to be lying to Zambians, this is the time to take advantage of external factors favorable to Zambia’s development.’
Levy has done just that. most leaders are judged on how they react to conditions and how they use those conditions for the country’s benefit surely LPM has been effective.
His name is already cast in stone bar any unfortunate event between now and 2011 what time is it? i make it 12:10!
Nine Chale, I was correct about you. You’re not petty.
Amen pankoloko!!! utoamba chinichini!
Mbuzi is just like sata….. even when there are real achievements he just wants to be negative. LPM is no GOD and he cant not make radicle overnight changes. the achievemts listed above are real……….. you can have your opinion but general feeling is levy has achieved more than the ones before, given the time. Zambia started from a very very low base hence to see real changes it takes time. America was not built in 10 years. there is still alot of poverty not just in zambia but even in the worlds fastest growing economies India and China and yet there achievemnt is there foreverybody to see.
Amen pointer!!!
#13,
When LPM became president the, GDP was $4.3m and now it is $11.4,see,it has tripled if not duadrupled.Mbuzi learn to give credit where its due.The economic growth rate stands at 6.5% and yet during the soft spoken Chiluba,it was negative despite his oral and rethoric skills.The per capita has risen from $420 to $900.Sure mbuzi you cant see all this.Prove to me you,re not the real Mbuzi(goatano).
Correction
GDP $4.3b and now it is $11.4b
I look at all the bloggers write all I see is how much people depend on Goverment to do everything fo them. I urge MFUMU YA MFUMU to educate you all. MFUMU YA MFUMU ali na mano maningi. Please educate them I salute you!!
Shushu dont cheat pipo with wrong ecnomic figures which are manipulated by your system without any evidence on the ground. pipo are poor and everything in mess. gudluck.
58 keep quite man if aint got anything to bring to such forums. what system are you talking about??…when pepo like seem to cast doubt on every system that is out there. u dont even kw wat it means to live in a country that is a mess. i suggest YOU get your ecomomic facts right. i will not sit here and let arm chair critics like you get by. in fact you mite actullly be one of those who even fail to put bread on yo table…..and expect the rest to feed you.
Guys, i have said before lets not use this site to campaign for anybody.lets discuss issues as they are and look where we are coming from then we will have an insight of where we are going.LPM has done very well but still he can do better.We need someone now who is going to improve what LPM has so far done and that is the issue at hand. Lets not be fooled by eloquent speakers.we need to ask them questions about how they are going to improve the nation given the numerous areas that need development.Let them table their manifestos for us to see and analyse.Lets not make another mistake please
Pankoloko, Look at Levy’s achievement
Zambians given poor jobs
The government says it is not impressed with the quality of jobs being offered to Zambians in the mining sector.
Labour and Social Security Minister Ronald Mukuma says although the number of jobs being created by investors has increased tremendously in the mining sector, the quality of jobs offered to Zambians is not satisfactory.
He said there is need for constant dialogue with various investors to ensuret Zambians are offered quality jobs.
Mr. Mukuma noted that government is working hard to ensure issues of casualisation, discrimination and the firing of workers indiscriminately is done away with.
The Labour and Social Security Minister observed that the payment of salaries based on colour would soon be a thing of the past.
He was speaking at a press briefing in the Copperbelt mining town of Kitwe.
LPM is clue less on what real enemies to our development are.
He fails to list the following:
1. Poor education at all levels;
2. ABsence of freedom to information;
3. Poor public accountability for resources made available to public services;
4. Poor accountability and reporting on agreements reached with foreigners on the exploitation of our national resources;
5. Poor agreements reached on the issue of what Zambians will benefit from foreign investments;
6. Absence of a well-defined vision for Zambia that can galvanize the country with One Zambia, One Nation motto;
7. Poor law and order issues – Zambia Police still gun down people and get away with murder of attempted murder;
8. Loans still being made that are not well debated among Zambians with their benefits ill-defined and only to ensure the consumption behaviours of the top leaders with these monies.