The Government has demanded that United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema withdraws his remarks suggesting that President Rupiah Banda had criminal motives in considering the purchase of mobile hospitals from China.
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, said in Lusaka yesterday that the remarks that border on libel could not go unchallenged because Mr Hichilema had not produced any evidence to prove criminal intentions by the president.
Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said the proposal was mooted by Chinese industrialists who felt that mobile hospitals could help alleviate the suffering of the majority of Zambians in the rural areas.
“In accepting to consider the proposal, President Rupiah Banda had the Zambian people at heart most of whom have no access to medical facilities due to long distances or their non-availability.
“Cabinet has not yet sat to consider the proposal and when it does, serious consideration will be given to its feasibility as well as benefits in relation to establishing additional hospitals,” Gen Shikapwasha said in a statement.
Gen Shikapwasha, who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said Mr Banda had a vision for the country that he could fulfill by looking at various proposals and options.
The proposals could be local or foreign and could help the Government achieve its goals of alleviating the suffering of the people.
He said what mattered most about the mobile hospitals the value the project could add to the health service delivery in Zambia.
Gen Shikapwasha said the Government found Mr Hichilema’s allegations totally unfounded and malicious and demanded that he substantiates or withdraws them.
[Times of Zambia]
Dont be economical with the truth. Dont say, “in accepting to consider the proposal,…”, instead you should have said, “in accepting the proposal,…”. HH did nothing wrong. Even at the topmost office, nchekeleko is there. Ronnie, be serious. we are not kids, ka.
I agree with Ronnie on one aspect. RB indeed has a vision. A vision to enrich himself before 2011!!
Key words: Mobile hospitals. Criminal motives. Zambia People. RB Chinese.
Interesting, indeed. Mobile hospitals are a temporary solution to the lack of infrastructure that is characteristic of Zambia.How long is this meant to last? Flying doctor services?
Chinese? What is the quality of these facilities? I think this is dumping. The motives of the chinese is not clean. We are only 10 million, and there are 30000 million, 3000 times more than us. You will find yourselves dead, and Zambia annexed as part of larger china with new name Xia -mbia.
facts and the truth hurts.
HH we are waiting for your evidence. It better be convince evidence beyond reasonable doubt.
Tell will these hospitals be moving patients from place to place? Mobile clinic makes more sense at they deliver services to the people not admissions. Chinese may do it, but I wonder if this appopriet for Zambia. In China even human waste is not wasted, it has its uses. In China people are not a allowed more than one child per family. Are we going to do the same here?
Why cant they build proper hospitals? Its true, someone wants cut from this deal.
this is indeed the PETTIEST REGIME thus far zambian politics are retrogressive its sad. When do these people actually do the real work it seem half the time spent on reacting to what is said about RB…awe shuwa lwafya mwe!
LT you not telling us RB is travelling to South Africa today.The chap is never in office.how can you ever know what is going on in your home if you always out!!!!!!!
#3 and #7 I agree with you. what are mobile hospitals!!! how do they work in the first place? Will they be following patients in their respective homes or what? I don’t clearly understand what this whole thing is!!! and for how long will these mobile hospitals last? up to 2011 as someone leaves state house or……..? If RB seriously feels for Zambians, its better he use that money to build permanent Hospitals extended even to rural areas. That way I think he be remembered even after 2011 because those mobile Hospitals sounds not to be permanent to me.
#10 ba Mwisho: mobile hospitals operate like street hawkers. Like those people going ku mayadi selling vipyango
I Thot HH made references to other scandals where Bwezani called everybody’s opinion nonsense & praised smart Dora.Shikapwasha is jst a petty “Reverand “
Iwe chi pinky nose (as somebody calls you) te mwa UNIP days. HH has got the right to say whatever he wants. I honestly hate such “stone age” thinking……
let HH produce evidence over his claims,he might be seein wat we cant c.
Whats wrong with Gen. Ronnie. HH was simply making a statement on the mobile hospitals and as an oppistion leader, he has the right to comment on issues affecting the nation. When Ronnie said the mobile hospitals are meant to alleviate the suffering of the majority of Zambians in rural areas. How? There are so many vehicles and motor cycles idling around our Govt departments throughout Zambia which need a few bucks to buy spares and often the controlling officers say this was not budgeted for. Most of the roads in rural areas are impassable especially during the rain season. How will these units be moving around the rural areas. The best is to beef the Zambia Flying Doctor Services fleet of planes. The ZFDS has a history of doing wonders and at present most of its planes need spares etc.
crap! bulsit..!
If the General was doing his work and giving us information about govt projects in advance, he’d spend less time in defensensive positions. As it is now, we first hear these projects through rumours & the opposition. I am not saying that I support what HH said, but Nature has a way of filling empty spaces. With Dora scent still in the air…. Today it may be HH, tomorrow it will be someone else as long as the root cause is not addressed.
Since when did China have the right to suggest what is good for our Zambian people.Chinese has only the interest of the Chinese at heart and are never influenced by poverty and pit of any African country .For as long as your pay them well they can supply brothers with ammunition and never care about the consequence.So if the suggestion was mooted by Chinese industrialist then we better be careful with it
Abakamba balefwaya ukulyamo .But kufwa na NO.Kabili ma wanu waishiba ka?
wonders never cease , it is indeed country for the beloved Zambia,whose Leaders have no direction and fail to inspire
What will happen when its visiting hour? chessing the mobile hospital???
This idea was suggested by Chinese Businessmen….mmmmmm. And RB and Co. somehow think businessmen suggest ideas that help you. Na-ah. The businessman exists to make a profit. Period. They are not charities. And somehow RB thinks this is a good idea. Shikas, please explain why this is a good idea rather than threatening people with Libel? Who has come out in support of this idea? Not even the usual gang of sycomphants are in suport of this one. Govt should learn to eat humble pie and scrap the idea. No one has told us how the ntemba hospitals will be better than building permanent structures. Give us your reasons instead of being on the defensive all the time
#21 Mulamu, wantekunya sana!!!!!!!!!
Our Goverment is sick . Am told Wusakile mine Hospital will be closed soon and this so called Rev he is busy wasting our time with mobile hospitals.
#21, wansekesha, imagine your patient is in the mobailo hospital and its in chadiza, the next hour its called to petauke, uko you chase the lorry mwana.
HH did nothing wrong ba Ronnie.When everybody in the country is saying Mobile hospital are not a good idea Nyamaz comes up and says,” its a damn good thing”.what is damn good about these mobile hospital deal apart from nchekelako.
if these guys have failed to handle mobile tv and radio vans,will they handle hospitals? or we will only be seeing mobile hospitals during campaign times?
we shud be serious pa zambia or else china has a lot to dump coz they are busy cleaning up their land for modern infrastructure yet we are busy piling up used things
reverend shikapwasha, i think this man will stop preaching when he realizes how much damage he has caused by defending lies
Sometime ago, on a Saturday and at about mid-day, I had a road traffic incident on great east road (manenekela). A 2 year old child was critically hurt. A passer by offered us a lift to Minga Mission hospital. We got there 2 hours later only to find the mission doctor leaving for a weekend off with his family. He couldn’t help except to offer an ambulance to Nyimba. At about 16:00 we got to Nyimba district hospital. No facilities there. We waited for almost 1 hour for the Clinical officer to be fetched from a village he was drinking to set up a ‘drip.’ No blood bank. We were advised to go to St Francis hospital in Katete. We stood by the road side to flag passers by to hitch a ride. An open van full of people offered a lift at K120000 cost…
With a very sick child, drip in hand we arrived in Katete at about 19:00. Internal injuries were diagnosed and surgery was planned for 22:00 after all logistics are in place. Sadlythe child passed on while undergoing surgery. He had a rupture spleen and lacerated liver. Every time I write or narrate this I feel the pain of a failed health system. This is just one of the many personal experiences I have had with the Zambian health care system. Successive governments have failed the people. Now the World Bank has acknowledged that it too has failed. What shall we do?
New Zealand with a population of 5 million people has a health care budget in excess of $10 billion dollars. This is more than twice Zambia’s debt before it was ‘forgiven.’ ‘We had a $3 billion reserve and a population of 4 million at independence in 1964. We squandered that money in all sorts of ways, some good, some bad. It is no use crying over spilt milk. Now, we must start all over again. It took 66 years of colonialism to get us that far in 1964. Our population has almost trebled in 45 years while our usable resources have shrunk. We need NEW visionaries for Zambia and I believe that any innovative new thinking should be welcome. We cannot go on like we have been for so long. There must be a revolution and that is why I supported the idea of mobile hospitals.
hey ronnie . . . what evidence do you want HH to produce?? RB himself said that mobile hospitals were “very good” & . . . twalishiba mulalyamo!!! nomba twapapa hide when doing so!!!! its an open secret now mwalefwaya ukulyamo . . . Mobile hospitals on which roads in the rural areas? it cant work!!!
LT This is where you go wrong. I made a legitmate submission on the Shikapwasha item and you can’t allow it where are going?
#3, #21, #25 LOL
HH we are waiting for your thread at LT.
#31 , you look like Teta, any relationship?
Shukupwushu, avail us your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators. It looks like you are not a chief government spokeman anymore but CRBD 5. (Chief Rupiah Banda Defender wearing jessey 5). Thats why I have always said you are reactive as opposed to proactive. You always want to defend what the private media has reported. Actually you are among the many other faces we dont want to see after 2011. Lilenipo bwino mukwayi, we will send you a bill after 2011.
We have enough land in zed to build hospitals, them they do not have enough land hence resourt to mobile hospitals besides their roads are good but do we have good roads?? and are we going to manage importing tyres all the way from China for our mobile hopitals once they worn???
there are no mobile clinics here in china, and am sure the Chinese government cannot allow such a thing to happen in their country. am sure this is business for someone, may be RBs sons.
Shikapwasha what to freedom of expression.we all know RB has a dity reputation…..
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, said in Lusaka yesterday that the remarks that border on libel could not go unchallenged because Mr Hichilema had not produced any evidence to prove criminal intentions by the president.
The political lightweight strikes again. Clearly this Kwacha billionaire in the name of Hakainde Hichilema could have afforded some lawyers who would have advised him on what to say. This is clearly libel and HH is very wrong.
The political lightweight thinks he can get ahead by mis-representing his political opponents. Clearly a dirty tactic by the political lightweight HH. UPND, can you replace this political lightweight immediately. UPND has been sinking since he took over. As long as you have HH, you’ll never win an election.
Shikapwasha what to freedom of expression.we all know RB has a dirty reputation…..they should just sit on there arse flipping moblie clinics how far we’ll the go and how many rural area will have access to it……
All the dubious dealings have come square with RB’s government; GMO maize imports, RP Capital/Zamtel, Gwanda maize export, mobile hospitals – the list is elongating with the passage of time. We are becoming a wacky nation.
hahaa! mobile hospitalz!!! the fuel, the tyres, the man power ( skilled ), the horrrifying roads, the wet season in kanyama! ha! 53million USD from who? our hospitals even a panado is diamond, now these mobile hospitals are the ones to have panadol. HH gogo express youself, i would have done the same. am really shocked, what has happened to our brains.
yaba there he goes again defender,but always defending nosense,shikapwasha people are more alert than you think and espect more to be uncovered,just do the right things period.
some if not most Zed politicians are really shallow thinkers.
We seem to believe & trust that Zambia will be taken out of the economic abyss it is in by foreign investors worst still the Chinese who are on a mission to recolonise Africa. We need new permanent infrastructure development projects not mobile clinics that will cost so much money and benefit a few. Let’s face it MMD policies have failed. we need to bring in some new ideas
Rev Ronnie kuti a defender no ulenyela pambilbili at “let him answer gods call”
This whole thing doesnt make sense.it s got all the disadvantages one can mention….it wont work at all.there must be some big cash RB and friends are geting out of this project…HH is rite…
#45 make sure there is no one using the name you give yourself if this is your first time to blogg zebiggie……
Mobile Hospitals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are now openly showing how dull they are,they fail to run adquately the few hospitals we have,what do you think will happen to the mobile ones which need daily running costs. People just build hospitals if you have the money.
Thinking capacity is diminishing in these old people.I admire in animal life where when its old,you carry out game cropping meaning terminating all aging and old animals leaving the Charles Darwin formular of survival of the fitest the weaker ones to be eliminated.
DEJA VU WALASA APO PENA,I WONDER IF THIS GENEAL ‘CHILDREN WILL GROW UP WELL,BULUSE.
For National health service/Universal health care depends or relies on taxes to run efficiently. This implies that most people should be in employment to sustain the delivery of such a service. Mobile hospitals can flourish in developed countries and countries whose economies have emerged significantly i.e China/India. Affordability is the issue that needs to be looked at critically. If the Zambian Government wants to do something about the health care, they should simply improve district hospitals/Clinics before adopting doomed projects. It is for this reason that sad experiences such as the ‘SAINT’s would be lessned or simply avoided. Create more employment opportunities before your creativity corrupts our minds by relying on donor funds. How best do we fix our health system…
President HH is right and let the MMD GRZ stop running government through media bickering. If GRZ is really serious about this news, why haven’t they taken president HH to court the way former President Chiluba FTJ did over the ‘monkey in a tree facing a big maize field’ reference?
I hope this “He said what mattered most about the mobile hospitals the value the project could add to the health service delivery in Zambia” was talked about from a technical educated standpoint.
The things to consider in buying MOBILE HOSPITALS are:
1.Initial price
2.Maintenance costs
3.Life time of vehicles
4.Allowances for mobile health workers
5. How much is the Chinese company going to get out this?
6. Why not use a railway mobile hospital system?
7. Why not start a GRZ motor…
56 continued.
7. Why not start a GRZ motor company 4 this project so that maintenance costs will not enrich the Chinese and a few people in our GRZ who will have to be working with the Chinese company in doing the business/money transactions?
With these few words and “Gen Shikapwasha said the Government found Mr Hichilema’s allegations totally unfounded and malicious and demanded that he substantiates or withdraws them“, I would like to ask president HH to be strong and go all the way even should the MMD GRZ take him to court. This will set a good precedence of our yound democracy. All the best to the UPND Team and please stand up for all the Zambian people.
He said what mattered most about the mobile hospitals the value the project could add to the health service delivery in Zambia.
‘could mobile hospitals add value to the health delivery service – notwithstanding their poor sustainability vis a vis existing health services delivery gaps which do not necessary demand a mobile solution in order to add more value? I have my reservations….
Maestro
Missed you. How have you been? HH needs to become a bit more emboldened. He is not yet emboldened in a hradened spirit of charismatic public disposition. This job is not a back seat job. I really do think he could bring hope to Zambia, only if he himslef would believe in himself enough to deliver us from the hopelessness that is fast gripping the country into slefishness and greed.
Mobile hospitals for mobile societies? RB, be serious, how mobile can you be without a proper road network? Can you access the remortest parts of Zambia with a truck carrying beds and immobilised patients? RB and MMD, please let us look at solutions like men and women who will live beyond tomorrow. You are behaving like amateurs who salivate before the food is even served. Think before you talk or else kuya bebeele. Anyway, with the peope you have chosen to surround yourself with, nothing sensible is expected of you and your Teta and gambling ka Mulongoti supported by very intelligent Vera and manned by a very intelligent shoe polisher – what a govt? Consult zambians who know issues about Zambia and please don’t let China drive us for Zambia has educated people who know solutions.
Can someone tell me how much money in dollar terms do we need to upgrade our U.T.H to the current and acceptable standards instead of buying mobile cantered hospitals. I mean, to bring it to the standards of ‘clinics’ like morningside in the mzansi, so our politicians can stop treking down south for treatment. US$53m??????
ronnie is defending bcoz he is also involved. The truth hurts thats y they are panicking. yaba these old folks George kunda also defended Madam dora. some one would wonder why mumanga anzanu when you are also wrong chaps. Pray that you become like VJ who is always in government
59 Zambia Prophet thanks and greetings. I am well though too much work for me is hampering my regular blogging on LT. Next week is the week of the end of our report and I hope I will be more useful after that to all Zambians.
On “HH needs to become a bit more emboldened. He is not yet emboldened in a hradened spirit of charismatic public disposition. This job is not a back seat job.” I believe that president HH is sacrificing a lot for the sake of Zambians. I am also doing the best I can for all Zambians. This is helping the MMD, PF and UPND to do politics in a better way to provide services to Zambians.With time and the petience of a farmer, we as a Nation will see president HH and the UPND Team making strong better strides for us to attain development. Good day.
Our leaders are a bunch of ignoramuses. They do not expect HH to be praising them. They should read about Thomas Hobbes who said something about those in power wanting to keep it forever while those outside wanting to take it by all means possible. It is simple politics. Shikapwasha and Mpombo, mulejobako na ma book other than newspapers.
They are busy condemning HH, but what they don’t address are the core of his allegations – where does the MMD’s campaign money come from, and are they using state resources to win elections? How about some openness about the MMD’s finances? How about some clarification on why $53 million is available for mobile hospitals, but not for education? I think $53 million would go a long way in abolishing school fees.
This or any government can’t claim ‘limited resources’, when there is always money for pet projects like these.
The government waste is not being addressed. Does a nation of 12 million really need 29 ministries? Why does all the money go to the ministries, instead of national government. In a nation at piece, how can anyone justify Zambia’s level of centralisation?
” Why does all the money go to the ministries, instead of national government. ” – I meant Local Government.
The Ministry of Local Government receives more state money than all local governments combined. This is a major cause of Zambia’s underdevelopment. If people are going to receive services from the government, those must be made available where people live. Licenses should be available at your local government office, without approval from the central government.
What if 50% of national revenues ($550 million in 2004) were directly disbursed to local councils – that would make education, healthcare and other services avaialable locally.
Does anyone remember a story in the last three weeks in which RB said that each time he came back from a campaign tour having run out of money, he would find sacks of money and his wife, Thandiwe, telling him that God would provide. I wish I had copied and pasted that story. In Chewa they call it CHIPHUPU, ZIMPHUPU or Corruption muchizungu.
#42 Kwena wansekesha. Ati Kwacha billionaire! Politica shani filya? He only has Tonga followers by the way!
No doubt the idea of mobile hospitals does not seem to be justified or well thought out. To say this is legitimate for any opposition leader or indeed any citizen. What is immature is for HH to state that RB wants to get a cut from the transaction. If he has no evidence to back up this specific claim he could well find himself in jail for defamation ofthe President. If he has the evidence then he should get his MP’s to begin impaeachment proceedings in Parliament. Either RB or HH should go down for this one. The ball is in HH’s court.
#68 MMD Boot Licker From London….you are dull and one of the plunderers!
Engine shani uko sorry if that hate you. I did not say the words. On being a plunderer, no! Wait your time will come. It may not be in the next 20 years because I can not see UPND wining but be patient. May be with another party.
#71 MMD Boot Licker From London….. My Brother, its seems you have a wrong assumption on who Iam. Am not one of the people who depend on political favours neither do I affiliate to any political party not even UPND!. Despite having been in the Diaspora for a while and in several countries, you may wish to know that I have NEVER vsisted a single Zambian embassy coz I dont need govt support to operate my life. That said, I do think that you Bembas are playing a very dangerous game. Alliniating others will not make you safe and is not good for a Country like Zambia that has so many tribes. As someone working at the embassy, in whatever position, you need to be a bit more mature and respectifull to the Citizens of the country you represent.
Engine I have never seen you support your government. Everything my government does you condemn. ISupport the government in power and stop being petty or you will continue being in diaspora for the rest of your life.
#73 MMD Boot Licker From London …. I think you are just an I*D*I*O*T, and probably just one of the Kaponyas cutapulted into Diplomatic service. I was supporting the govt for beggining to arrange fertiliser early enough on the other thread and now you say I condemn everything…are you new on this blog? Why am even wasting my time convesing with a minion like you?
Engine that rant says it all about you. When you sober up, which I doubt you will, you will see that there was no need for it. Enjoy living in diaspora for the rest of your life.
I bet the governmnet has gotten the strong message that we the people are not interested in mobile clinics. In the event that the government chooses to ignore people power, the mobile clinics must be blocked from entering the country. I am sure we can put to use our brothers and sisters at the entry points to monitor presence of this cargo and blow the whistle should they see it. What we need are provincial hospitals and clinics in the chiefdom areas. Let’s take simple steps at national development.