Government has charged that former Deputy Minister and MMD MP for Nchanga constituency, Richard Kazala, has exhibited the worst type of ignorance on how government operates.
Chief government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha , further charged the former minister does not understand how government operates in the use of tax money and implementation of economic policies.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services, said the government uses the same taxes to develop infrastructure such as schools, bridges, roads and salaries among many government programmes.
He said this in a statement released to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Lusaka yesterday.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said since winning the last year’s Presidential elections, President Rupiah Banda has been magnanimous and not shield away from informing the public the challenges his administration is facing.
He said this can be seen in the way the president outlined them in the speech to parliament and at the official opening of the Third Session of the Tenth National Assembly and has continued to do so whenever this needs to do so.
The Chief Government Spokesperson was reacting to sentiments by Mr Kazala in yesterday’s Post Newspaper that quoted him. Mr Kazala told the Post Newspaper that Zambians do not have any hope in President Rupiah Banda and the only hope for them is to wait for 2011 in order to change the government.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha reiterated government’s commitment including Zambians of good will in the national search for solutions to the impact of that the global financial crisis has had on the economy.
He stressed that president Banda as a listening and accommodative leader as evident by his call for a National Indaba to held on the 4th and 5th of april,2009 in Lusaka that will accord Zambians from all walks of life an opportunity to offer solutions on how to solve problems the country is facing.
He further stressed that the Banda’s administration is concerned about the effects of the economic crisis on employment and the general well being of the people.
The Chief Government Spokesperson noted that it is unfair to judge president Banda by the policies and programmes of the late President Mwanawasa especially under the current conditions.
Lt Gen Shikapwahsa advised Mr Kazala that if he does not see what the government was doing which was appreciated by people who understand the economic conditions, he should not tell lies that people have no confidence in the economic management of the government of President Banda.
He said government has acted firmly and effectively to ensure that there is enough maize and that prices are reasonable and affordable and blamed unscrupulous milling companies for hoarding maize and selling it above recommended prices.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said there were a lot of programs that government was undertaking which are part of the diversification from copper mining, including the establishment of economic multi-facility zones, investments in new manufacturing activities and agricultural programs..
The chief Government sporksperson reminded Mr Kazala that the fact that mining companies have been shaken due to fall in prices demands government channels some of its resources to other areas such as tourism and agriculture, which have potential job creating factors.
He said as a former minister, Mr Kazala should know better that it is not government’s policy to nationalise mining and that government has no capacity to take over or run them, adding that government was seriously looking for investors to partner with in these ventures.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha advised Mr Kazala not to be scared of disciplinary action against him by the MMD if he means well in his criticism of the government which his own party helped form.
He further refuted allegations that media was his only channel to criticise his leaders or offer suggestions, saying he could use other channels like the office of the district commissioner or the provincial minister in Ndola.
He said Mr Kazala was being malicious to claim that President Banda had abandoned his electorate and left them ignorant of the problems this country is facing, adding that Mr Kazala cannot be ignorant of the government interventions in mining to save jobs, agriculture to produce food security, tourism and other industries to create jobs and procurement of maize to ensure that the staple food is available at affordable prices.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha reminded Mr Kazala that President Banda has been to many areas that need his urgent attention such as Luanshya, where the closure of the mine has caused untold misery to the people.
ZANIS/ENDS/JT/EB
pipoz mulikwi?HAPPY HANGOVERS!
Litsen to yoself Shikapwasha,you are just trying to save your job.Mr Kazala gave us facts &thts the truth.The one who has come out Ignorant of peoples suffering is Shikap.ZAMBIA TWACHULA SANA!!
Sell all the Maize.
Buy it back at higher prices with a close risk of GMO.
Don’t worry the people understand governments policies well.
2011 cant come fast enough.
chi Shikapwasha chi bootlicker……..man where has your morals/dignity/ gone?u are now a “yes bwana,yes bwana”………shame on u !
CHI SHIKAPWASHA CHILEKENIFYE.TIZA ZIBA VOCITA FWEBENE IN 2011
Chaya malimba muzungu akhondwere Shika at his best with his tunes of one RB akhulu mphuno. Wait we are watching you closely. Remember the 35000, difference that your akhulu mphuno had is now running in a negative. We will for sure vote you out. The country so has no direction. The kwacha has depreciated the waste in the history of the country. Ba Nevers Mumba mwapweni mukwai. You will never rule this country go and work in Canada may be you re-think and repent of your sins so that you can go back to your noble work for the kingdom of God. You have failed to save Zambia through your Zambia shall be save programme. Shame on you.
lipefo
nanga aba ba reverend bushe nikwisa ba funda?
Bola panshi. On this blog people have criticised public servants for corruption. And if we nationalise mines those are the people we want to entrust the the same mines with. Will they change their habits of busakala nyongo? One thing for sure they will certainly be supplying overpriced air and make a lot of trips to go and see whether copper ileyenda pa London Metal Exchange then claim a lot of per diem. At the same time I doubt if we are to be that harsh on Gen Shikapwasha especially without having read what Mr Kazala said. It would be useful to be have both sides of the story before hammering the man (Gen Shikapwashs).
Kazala was just talking about the myopic thinking thinking of RB and his MMD government and that people have lost hope in them which is true. Shikapwasha is a bootlicker.
it seems this govt will be firing anyone who says something against RB.
Imwe Ba Zambia shall be Saved niba Ambasader nomba. Yashani pa zed. Firing and re hiring (i wish LPM was here to see this rubish)
I honestly think it is too early to judge RB. Let us not critise him just for the sake of critism. Lets wait and see how this year’s budget will perform
i always thought this was a man of integrity, but suprisingly he has changed, he has joined the camps of the Mulongoti’s. Anyways Mr Shikapwasha its not your job to tell us how the people of Zambia feel, its us the people to tell you how we feel. So enjoy while you can coz we are tired of your bootlicking speeches. While contries like the USA and the donor nations are busy trying to find solutions to their respective economies, our president ,who comes from a ‘begging’ country is busy travelling, its like a farmer who is busy visitng his friends farm during the rain season, and when its harvest time he goes back to the same farm and begs. what nonsense is that! Come 2011 ya’ll gonna be…
Goodmorning bloggers. When will these politicians stop splashing mud at each other and start proving their ability to deliver to the Zambian people what they owe them? We are tired of experiencing arrested development due to political drama!
Awe ba undataker do we hav 2wait for 3years to pass for us to see that RB has no direction??Other countries are busy coming up with stimulus packages whilst our govt is busy hiting back at evry critic..Shame on shikapwasha
NERVOUS MUMBA APPOINTED AS AMBASSADOR TO CANADA. this shows that JAMES LUKUKU was telling the truth. RBB was busy buying people during campaigns.
No. 9 kamunyama> I think you are the only stranger in Jerusalem. we used our 3pins yestarday to buy the post news paper and we read the opinion of KAZALA. so to me opinion divide by opinion, KAZALA has a point which RONIE understands but he has to keep his job in form of the yes BWANA way. by the way, the copper prices have reached the dreams of the mine owners and yet they are still complaining. whats the logic? besides, for companies like KCM, they have managed to reduce costs drastically. The only problem I see in MMD now is they think they are never wrong no matter what.
wena shikapwasha you are the person who is ignorant coz you are just trying to save you job from RB coz you know that anytime from now he will flash you out.coz mind you RB never wanted mwanawasa thats why he bring back the pipo mwanawasa had removed from govrt back again.this RB is going to finish as all before 201.how can he bring back pipo like VJ,mumba in govt? now what is remaing for RB is to appoint CHILUBA AS AN AMBDER TO ANGOLA & KAUNDA TO UKRIENI.
We can’t sit back and wait. Let us all be serious. That’s the problem with Zambians. We are too weak emotionally, physically and mentally. This is the time to show commitment. I think we are a cursed Nation when it comes to electing Presidents (Pafwapo na umo kateka). We can’t react I don’t why and I fail to understand. This is the time to exert more pressure on the government. Seriously speaking this country needs to develop.
#17 background. Sorry I didn not get a copy of the post thats why I said we need to have both sides of the story. I think LT better improve in giving adequate background for bloggers to make informed comments. As for being the only stranger I doubt because not every one on this blog is able to spend the three pin you are privileged to spend. Now, that aside. But does Mr Kazala’s quest to nationalise hold any water? To what degree should we nationalise? Is it in the reverse manner of the way we privatised companies? It may just sound simple from an arm-chair-critic point of view but it ain’t .
When a government is unpopular MPs with small majorities become jittery. In any case Chingola MPs are usually inconsistent. Kazala wants to be pushed to PF now so that he has enough time to be adopted by 2011. The guy is an MP and he has the floor of the House to debate his views, the chief whip to pass on his ideas to the President and local MMD channels. So, going to a rival press is a clear sign of defiance and disloyalty. I am not a cadre but if I was, I wouldn’t like to have such people in my party.
#20 kamunyama.
SORRY FOR HATING YOUR FEELINGS. THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION. But i still wonder why people like you can’t see that MMD under RB has a very big problem when it comes to admitting mistekes. I don’t think that it needs people with super natural powers to comprehend.
Ronald Shikapwasha was finished at one time and General Miyanda tried to rehabilitate him through Heritage Perty before Lackson Mapushi died from him Shikapwasha took over when he was favoured by Levy. Shikapwasha used to go to the UTH to pray for patients with dusty shoes umukalamba. Today, he is ur.inating on anybody who criticises Impiya Banda. Chibombo, here we come as Given Lubinda marches to State House.
NO one kicks a dead dog. I may not fancy Kazala, he , painfully might know something . however, has he been consistent in thinking? open question. Zambia needs a leader with , a passion for Zambia ,with true servitude spirit , selfless leader indeed… to protect the good would be constitution and the great people of Mother Zambia.
Its a sad fact of reality that Zambia’s political leaders have lost direction all together…we are paying for our sins, for letting these guys rig elections in the first place.
Whats funny is that we get the same recycled leaders that are not “environmentally friendly” anymore.
What is it that RB is going to do now that he never did in the UNIP days?
For crying out loud we are sick and tired of all this nonsense.
It’s time for our generation to rise and make a stand. Twachula fyafula…..time to take over the running of our beautiful country
On “The Chief Government Spokesperson noted that it is unfair to judge president Banda by the policies and programmes of the late President Mwanawasa especially under the current conditions”, but are we as Zambians not following the leagcy of late former President Mwanawasa LP? Since the campaign message of Mr RB Banda was about continued programmes, then it is only fair for Zambians to judge Mr RB Banda using what he promised.
Such must not be a surprise to the Chief GRZ spokesman and I expect him to give me more convincing arguments on the failures of the whole President RB Banda Administration to this day since they took office.
#19 we are not cursed it’s just that instead of voting based on the strengths and weaknesses of leaders we like to vote with our stomachs ( inga bamipela ka 10 kg ka bunga ba posapo nakatenga natu shakers ninshi mwaba votela.)
They are a number of leaders who have shown some good qualities but just because they don’t butter us we chose not to vote for them…others just vote for the sake of it and don’t think of the impact that vote will have on their lives and those of others. Another thing is that we don’t call for transparency of our leaders everything we hear is ‘true’ .I’m tired of this victim mentality we have, it’s high time we stood up and ‘fought’ for our development
what a long ride ahead…amazing how there’s so much controversy. chief boot licker still getting his lick on. Just makes me wonder if MMD really democratically elected their Presidential candidate seeing how many of them are disgruntled