GOVERNMENT says plans by the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) to move a motion to impeach President Banda will fail.
Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Government will wait for the opposition to move the motion.
He was responding to Nchanga PF member of Parliament, Wilbur Simusa who said his party and the UPND will move an impeachment motion against President Banda when Parliament reopens today.
“We are ready for them, let them go ahead with their plans, we are waiting for them,” he said.
Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said Kasama member of Parliament Saviour Chishimba gave good reasons of cheap politics when he resigned.
Mr Chishimba, who resigned from the PF on Sunday, said progressive change for Zambia will not come based on political partnership and that change that people need is not the removal of the MMD from power but progress in their living standards.
Gen Shikapwasha said the opposition is running an agenda of cheap politics, adding that such an agenda will not take the country anywhere.
“It is wasting people’s time even to think of impeaching the President. What reasons have they got?” he asked.
He said Government had invited the opposition to attend a national consultative forum so that they could put forward their ideas and agenda but that they declined to attend.
“We expected them to use this dialogue to lay their ideas before the Zambian people but they failed to do that because they have no agenda for the people of Zambia. The only agenda they have is greediness of getting into power. They should know that God does not allow greedy people to get into power.
“So, this impeachment move will come to nothing. We will deal with the impeachment motion when it comes,” he said.
Gen Shikapwasha challenged the opposition to tell the nation the plans they have to develop the country.
He said President Banda’s government is on course to develop the country.
“This government has held the country together and will continue to do so,” he said.
Gen Shikapwasha said the mining industry, whose resources were allegedly plundered by some of the people in the opposition, has now been resuscitated by the MMD government.
He said the economy has stabilised despite the recession.
Gen Shikapwasha admitted that there are challenges Government is facing, but that these will be dealt with.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Can we wait for 2011 please..
Dear Ronnie,why do you feel the need to respond to everything.Gosh,this man has a problem ,seriously.STFU
It can be a great thing in the history of zambia as a nation,but I think for the sake of peace lets just wait for 2011.the problem is they(MMD) will still rig the elections.
Zed u a right the man cant cheel hey why worry if RB is safe chill man!
Ronnie better ignore certain things ya why comment on anything? awe bakaaamba mwalikwata mouth cholera
Tired Lieutenant-General
Count down to 2011 is on course! Impeachment or not – 2011 kuya bebele!!!
actually the presdo stands on grounds for impeachment…Dora breached the constition and the presdo defended her..the constution he sworn to uphold.she was only cleared by a high court judge,overrulling two leanerd Suprime court judges(only in zambia where subornate judge over rules the superior judges”supreme court”) and we now he did that under instructions to save RB emberassment.just like the kabwela case,we now the judges wont go agnist RB’s directives but they should prepare for themselves come 2011 for there injustices even when we now they acted on instructions.thats the price these unprincipaled “judges,IG and the likes will pay”..VIVA 2011,LONG LIVE PF_UPND PACT
Why r u toking abt it wen the owners r quiet,COWARD HYENA,ichimona
the decent thing they can do if they are principaled given the kabwela case and belive in justice is to resign to avoid reapcations after 2011..i support sangwa’s for the call of justice sakala and chitengi retaired,these have been compromised by RB mixing with convicts whom they wil pass judgment in monnths time is unearthcal to say the least!
#9Zoe thank you.You couldnt have said it better.why is he bothered.Bachita fye oko baumfwa even if twapamwela ninshi he’ll respond.This man.And I thot elderly people were wise.baba imyona for real.
The entire MMD pack is gittery of the UPND/PF pact. Thats why they have been doing some propaganda of late. Impeachment will surely work. Keeping the whole pack of MMD thugs in goverment for too long will result into mayhem for average Zambians. Rupiah has surely failed to run this country. instead of us going foward we are going backwards at a very dangerous rate. Politics are now all about benefits and pesercution.
Of course it will fail if you block the wiheels of justice.
Selfish politicians, just wait for 2011. Ninshi kanshi ?
Ba LT,mine is a Zambian flag wats up?? And for which country is tht flag?
#2 you are goddamn right. If Shikapwasha opens his mouse just know h’e responding to the opposition or he’s just uttering some nonsense. They all don’t seem to know what their responsibilitis are and yet they are getting gratuity. For nothing!
From this article it shows clearly that our opposition especially this past or pact has no real agenda for the Zambian peole. MMD may be going off tangent but I believe there are some things they are doing well and my expectations from these parliamentarians both ruling and opposition is to prepare for real debates of development. I thought if the opposition were serious about the Zambians they would be the one saying when parliament opens we shall ask to forgo our mid term gratuity but they are talking about impeachment which has no value to my grand mother in chisani village. Rubbish politiking.
What offenses has the president committed to warrant impeachment proceedings against him? Does ineptness and mediocrity rise to the level of impeachable offenses? Come on now opposition; please get serious building your grassroots support for future elections than engaging in ridiculous and fruitless political escapades!! Don’t squander the goodwill and public support that you are slowly gaining by pursuing misguided and dead-end adventures. Patience pays—but your seeming desperation to get rid of the incumbent president may turn off a lot of potential supporters of yours. 2011 is just around the corner, can’t you guys just wait and show us what you are really made of then?! Impeaching a sitting president is serious business, therefore deserves a thorough weighing of matters!!!
OFFICIAL REQUEST TO LUSAKA TIMES (LT)
Please LT I am requesting you to bring Barrack Obama’s text speech paragraph by paragraph so that we can discuss and debate it here. In as much as we would like also talk about current home politics, we should never forget the larger picture that Zambia is part of Africa. I believe it is really going to add value to our debates.
Right now we are on nation building and we definitely need to discuss extensively Obama’s speech.
what does it take to impeach the president? How many MPs are in opposition? It will be a good thing to do, right now there is no hope, no law, no direction.
#19, which of Obama’s speeches are u referring to? That man is very clever- RB must go to US for tutorial; maybe he will be able to pump some sense in Ronie! Anyway u cant teach an old dog ……..
It is God who has held the country together, Ba Reverend mwalaba shani!! All guyz care about is your welfare. Don’t pride yourself too much, Ronnie, God will expose you and your cronies. This country shall be there,can be there even without a president, as we are seeing today, there is no president in Zambia!!!!!
This Shikapwasha, is he normal?
Ubushilu bwali kwata umuti …….Ubupuba there is no cure
The UPND-PF pact has the right motive but personally i think it is too early to impeach RB.Yes Zambia is on auot-pilot (leaderless) but the pact must sort out their leadership so that we Zambians can knowingly support their cause. No use impeaching Rb and then you are chimbwi’s with no plan. The Pact needs to show us that their pact is solid and that their support base is solid too.Ronnie is like an ignorant businessman who refuses to recognise competition until his business run over and its too late. I forsee this chap jooining the pact and saying he knew all along the pact would win!
How will the process work? Doesn’t the MMD have more MPs than the opposition? Are there any MMD MPs who will vote with the opposition? Opposition should be telling us who they will field in 2011 as presidential candidate instead of this. I would like to know what they would do in the current economic climate. For example where would they get the money to give big pay rises to civil servants without plunging the country into debt and high inflation?
The UPND-PF pact has the right motive but personally i think it is too early to impeach RB.Yes Zambia is on auot-pilot (leaderless) but the pact must sort out their leadership so that we Zambians can knowingly support their cause. No use impeaching Rb and then you are hyenas with no plan. The Pact needs to show us that their pact is solid and that their support base is solid too.Ronnie is like an ignorant businessman who refuses to recognise competition until his business run over and its too late. I forsee this chap joining the pact and saying he knew all along the pact would win!
the pact is really putting the pressure on govt and that is good .democracy is about majority rule .if the majority of parliament says yes ,then we say yes after all MPs represent us .viva pact .naibipa pact .
If they wait for 2011, MMD will rig the elections and then you will start saying lets wait for 2016. So lets start now now. Why wait for 2011 when grounds are there. It has happened in South Africa why not in Zambia.
#25. The opposition will get money from where MMD is getting money to pay MPs mid term gratuity.
its interesting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s really worrying that adults on this blog fail to realise that Shikapwasha does not speak in his personal capacity,he is the govt spokesperson & first point of contact for all queries by the press so hate him or like him,he’ll say many things on a daily basis so you need to insult Banda & his govt collectively.
At the rate things are going and if the opposition has some serious allegations against Banda then why not try to impeach him.Leaders should be servants of the people and should listen to the people but Banda seems not to listen to the people apart from a few old guards in MMD who advise him wrongly for their own job security.Like it or not,Banda will definately be haunted like Chiluba is now,he has to answer & sweat for his misdeeds.
something is seriuosly wrong in our country.
Ronnie, Teta and Mulongoti what are your roles in governmet?? you always react to petty issues…
Ho! Shikapwasha has impressed me today with a grin on his face.
This is all evidence of “some” unschooled legislatures in the August house. The proponent of this baseless and unrealisable impeachment drum beating nonsense Wilbur Simusa has only proved his distance from constitutional law. Even a first year law student at UNZA must be laughing at such ignorance.
#21, Boy Who Shouted Lion,
Thank you.
Am referring to the speech he made on his first visit as president to Accra, Ghana, this month.
It is worthwhile debating.
Many odds are against them. They have not shown understanding of the process, no constitutionality and have no basic number to move the motion that can be accepted by the speaker. You mean those 19 PF and 22 UPND members with a few disillusioned MMD MPs will do them a miracle of their passion for nonsense? ????
Only MMD has the number that can create a constitutional crisis. The MMD numbers, PF reformists MPs and other progressive UPND in good silent working terms with MMD together are the ones with the key to any crisis. Can PF cadres give me the constitutional basis of this nonsense if its not aberration tactics of failures in their constituencies hoping to divert constituency pressure for failure to deliver?
Its such endless unresearched reckless talk shows denying the Haka-Sata Joint Presidency based marriage of convenience a break and rejection in the eyes of voters from their vicious cycle of circus politics without a future. It’s like they have no research teams to make informed fundamental imoves of issue driven leadership with policy. Each cadre rushes to the media with any nonsense that cooks up in his head.
i feel embarassed to adress myself as a zambian. just take a good look at these gov officails.rupia,kunda,mulongoti,teta,siliya,shikapwasha,musokotwane…………………am nt in zambia ryt nw bt my bloood boils wen i read wat is hapening back hom.
Why should women agree to have s.e.x with ugly me. Because Ronnie wants love too.
There is so much disgruntlement in the MMD such that when this motion to wire Nyama Soya is tabled, he will then realise just how unpopular he has become. I also hear abalozi are unhappy with his responce to their desire to get the VEEP post and will vote with the alliance. We’ll see who is stupid here. By the way, Kunda is in Sharma El- Sheikh, how I wish “the same” happens to him, Lesa sure twapapata!
I dont know if the opposition has enough reasons to impeach the president but at the rate RB is going, Zambia is sunk and I dont see how we’ll stay afloat for until the next elections. Esp since we are ‘beggars’ and the donors are pulling the plugs left, right and center. For us who can even sit and type on a computer, things are rough but not hopeless. Take a walk through some of our compounds where children eat once a day and you will want to impeach the man yourself!
Leadership is measured by the degree of realizing what you pronounce if very sensitive. You cannot keep on making alarming statements and score zero on all of them. What has happened to the 24 hour ultimatum? What has happened to the early election decree and how many times is this impeachment call keep vibrating in the mouth of losers?Seemingly, these terms are just populating up in the mouth of the Pact and used unwittingly irrespective of how they dent them. Now Voters are even calling them Zed’s political “chatterboxes”.
jokes, comedy, funny, muppet show , this is wat is going on in zed
i dnt toatlly blame the leaders, i blame the people for turning a blind eye and deaf ear to the coruptio going on. we knw who are stealing and we jst clap wen they do so. we ar killing ourselves. imagine if all these billions that are stolen frm the govt every year were saved!!!!!! Lets probe all govt departments. u see wat am talking abt.
The nobility of the move is unquestionable. However it’s a long shot to say RBB has breached the constitution. I am afraid the Charge won’t stick.
Let the opposition dig more into the many allegations of corruption surronding this govt and when they find something compelling should go ahead and impeach. There are members of the MMD who can vote for the motion….I am thinking of Magande, Masebo, Shakafuswa, Sakeni and probably Chibombamilimo.
#42, Mwangala Sianga (PROF),
Ugliness is on the face. You never know may be he is very handsome down there. Remember also what is ugly to you is handsome to another.
By the way, are you female?
the PF-UPND pact is making him under pressure
….. no words for this noseman
Maybe am stupid but what exactly has Banda done that is impeachable? What exactly are the grievances against him? I know a lot of people dont like his style but is travelling too much or being pissed on by a monkey an impeachable offence?
Ashamed Zambian – people where only having one meal even under othe Presidents in Zambia. That situation is not unique only to Banda. I think the whole impeachment exercise is futile. Also if they were to get rid of Banda, would that mean that MMD govt is finished or would it not mean theat Kunda becomes president?
Retired and tired General has mouth cholera….leave hime alone as he is trying to please his visionless boss RB…. come 2011 they are are gone to their farms and villages! zwaaaa MMD and Bwezani.
Impeachment or not 2011! wafwa walemana.
MMD full of shitTTTT!
What has happened to baby c??Does anybody know??
# 52. Indeed Baby C has been missing for sometime now on the blog, Others missing are Ba Moze, Nine Chale, Miss Daisy, Mama G. Guys where are you. We are missing your postings and humor.
this is as Shikapwasha has correctly said cheap politicking meant to embarass the govt. It will not work for the simple reason of numbers and if you add the rebel mp,s from pf then its a far shot. Secondly impeachment is reserved for certain offences and i do not think that there is any thread of eveidence that the constitution has been violated, in competence is not an impeachable offence.
Bane. Harrington to appeal against Judge Musonda`s ruling. Go on Harry. This is why this man Shika shani uko is panicking.
Do you really think we will ever have leadership that can resist the global dictatorship of the international banking cartels and the multi-national corporations? Even Bush and Obama are just stooges to these guys. If you’re in Zed, get a plot, a water pump, solar power, a shotgun, and raise your family hoping for the best… This is the age of INDIVIDUAL EMANCIPATION…. Weak individuals cannot build a strong nation regardless of leadership. We are in a global slavery system which is way way above the heads of our leaders old or new. We will have new leaders. Prove me wrong then.
I really really do hope I am wrong.
The opposition at it again.Never serious with themselves.History shows that NOT even in the US has an Impeachment bid been successful.The issues on which the bid is based is not sound enough.Their lack of being issue-based and their insatiable appetite for power will lead them to doom.Bush committed serious impeachable offences but Democrats chose to talk to the people.People judged and I dont have to say what is there.The biggest problem we have in Zed is both the Opposition and the MMD alike are for cheap talk at the expense of development..That’s why Prof.Chirwa has taken it upon himself to show us Zambians how to do politics and be issued-based AND this TULI PA BWATO without any substantianted action plan.
Sniper sharp shooting…. No argument…
#19
Obama is a deceiver, he says one thing and do another.
Why wait for 2011 am I going to be hungry until 2011, common sense people common sense!
RB OUT! The people have spoken they do not want you.
Ba LT shani ilyashi lyakwa Harrington kaili? May be reason to impeach somebody.
Speechless, I sympathise with you but what these guys are trying to do is unattainable in our political setup. It has been tried before and the outcomes are very familiar with all of us. Why can’t these riffraffs concentrate on pressing issues such as resolving the causes of donors’ disatification in the way the government is handling corruption issues. Otherwise, this whole thing is an exercise in futility.
# 48, curious case, dig the name dude.
we will see how long you will grin when you snap your a.s.s from that disfunctional govt
Twafwa insala mwe, impeach wa mpuno ikulu, coz personally i won’t lose anything.
#64, Chapwa,
May be so may be not! That is the reason we should ask for this debate. He is more worth discussing than Teta or Mulongoti.
#37 Yes we can
A U.S. Army Reserve major from Florida scheduled to report for deployment to Afghanistan within days has had his military orders revoked after arguing he should not be required to serve under a president(Obama) who has not proven his eligibility for office.
As an officer in the armed forces of the United States, it is [my] duty to gain clarification on any order we may believe illegal. With that said, if President Obama is found not to be a ‘natural-born citizen,’ he is not eligible to be commander-in-chief,” he told WND only hours after the case was filed
#71We can
A major Ghanaian news outlet has been caught in a revealing slip-up after it reported that President Barack Obama’s recent visit to the African country was a return to his birthplace.
Article 2, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution states, “No person except a natural born citizen… shall be eligible to the office of president.”
This invalidates the legitimacy of Barack Obama’s presidency if, as a growing number of people believe, he was in fact born in Kenya and not Hawaii as he claims. After mounting pressure, the Obama campaign released a Hawaiian birth certificate on June 13 2008, but skeptics claimed that it showed signs of being forged.
anyway lets watch and see
#71 We can
In April a transcript from an interview with Obama’s step-grandmother was released in which she discussed being present at Obama’s birth in Mombasa, Kenya.
What is worring us now is that Zambia PLC as a BRAND is lacking a credible leadership..The MMD government does not have the confidence of the international partners.There is nothing more disturbing than government officials deeping their hands in the till. There is a cloud hanging over some senior MMD leaders , for example the impending serious court cases against Katele ,Dora .. As for Shika something, Teta, and Mulongoti, they aRE THE MODERN VERSION of kamalondo barking breed.
RB is fraid of attending international conferences no wonder he has sent Veep to Egypt
That officer is worth firing!
Who is a ‘natural-born citizen,’ of US, any way?
That aside, we leave it to US politics.
However, it is undeniable that Africa’s new leadership (you and me) need to learn something from Obama’s speech:
” Development depends on good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That’s the change that can unlock Africa’s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.” he said
#73, Chapwa,
Obama’s birth place is Hawaii (USA); not Africa, sir! Your sources are very misinforming.
#53(Chapwa)
That soldier is a redneck and will not go anywhere.If we are to read the same US Constitution on how to be a Natural citizen,OBAMA qualifies.Iam sure he fell short of saying he is a racist which has no place or I should say blacks have fought so hard in the US.
#75, Chapwa,
Read your sources properly and understand them.
Of course Obama’s step grand mother must have been there when Mr. Obama himself ( Barrack’s father) was born in Mombasa. No contradictions whatsoever!
Beware of Obamadness… Watch and wait… Better still, watch and PRAY… Even better still, just do the best you can. Politicians are politicians… They work for their funders, not for their electors. Tell me one thief you know who sends you a message to warn you that he is about to rip you off. The sweetest tongue has the sharpest tooth…
I’m no expert, so feel free to never mind me….
This man has shame at all,what he thinks that what he say,come 2011,will see if you will even open that ugly mouth.
If Zambia is to acquire aid from the USA, our govt needs to fight corruption. How? Must have “concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting and automating services … strengthening hot lines, protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.”, Barrack said.
# 81, Son Of A …..,
I don’t blame you for the fact that you are Rupiarmania and Tetamania. They are your role models , I have mine too.
if i could talk to God, i would ask him why he gave Shikapwasha that large nose…icimoona kwati baba sapikepofye!
You Ronnie will end up in jail for declaring oi imposing fear in all your corrupt judges.
As usual, the Chief Government Spoksesman is a day late and a dollar short! Where was he when VJ was saying the same thing? Sleeping? What a spokesman!! Always only parrots what others have already stated!!
ba Ronnie, what kind of a military man are you kansi? i have failed to understand you – Felix Mutati behaves more of a General than you bwana Lt.Gen!! Lyonse ni bootlicking, is that what you were taught in the military academy?? i dont think so! even a regular soldier cant lower himself that much…… anyway!
So this Man knows the outcome of the impeachment already and the whole thing will be an academic exercise. This type of leadership is hopeless. Your days baba are numbered.
is where u find a tired ex-military turned politician turned bootlicker for a failed president
The way things are going, Zambians would be lcuky to get rid of this government. No rule of law. Unfortunately these guys saw what happened to UNIP in 2001. They would do anything to stay in power. Mabenga, Dora, Katele, Nevers Mumba`s appointments just goes to show how pathetic my country is. Disregarding the rule of law. Bloggers we just waste our time here. Nice way of keeping busy though if there is nothing else to do. Sorry but MMD will be around for sometime.
Government of orders, military orders that is
On ““It is wasting people’s time even to think of impeaching the President. What reasons have they got?” he asked“, the reasons will be put forward when time will come — probably at the National Assembly — and so don’t worry yourself Mr Minister as of now.
On ““So, this impeachment move will come to nothing. We will deal with the impeachment motion when it comes,” he said“, even former Iraq President Saddam Hussein’s information Minister spoke in a similar way to the advancing USA and British soldiers saying we will send thme back in bags, but what happened at the end of the conventional war?
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Matt 7 + KJV Bible
7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy…
On “Gen Shikapwasha admitted that there are challenges Government is facing, but that these will be dealt with“, this is the first good statement I have read coming from the President RB Banda Administration.
I hope such will continue while the senior GRZ officials will outline the President RB Banda manifesto for Zambia while they reduce in responding to the UPND -PF PACT.
Have a blessed day you all.
_
Matt 7 + KJV Bible
7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
It is surprising that poor opposition politicians are pre-occupied with JUST going to state House. It is a tragedy that the aim of a political part can be such short sighted.
By the way, do not take the peace which Zambia is enjoying for granted. Do not do anything which we will live to regret for a long time to come. I hope the MPs will be wise enough. The opposition needs to mature; start talking about what they would do if they were running affairs. Politics with emotions produce nothing constructive.
96 Lelo greetings. Following your “It is surprising that poor opposition politicians are pre-occupied with JUST going to state House. It is a tragedy that the aim of a political part can be such short sighted.” Why are there provisions for impeaching a siting President of Zambia in our Constitution and other laws if such can never be used at all.
Stop cheating yourself and let the law take its course just like it did in the case of Minister Dora Siliya. If the allegations that will be levelled against President RB Banda will amount to not being satisfactory of him to be impeached, good for him.
_
Matt 7 + KJV Bible
7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Its straight foward Ronnie is not expected to say “YES IT CAN WORK” or is he?
its really senseless, you need at least half the parlimenterians to pass such a motion to investigate the president and two thirds to remove him if a tribunal appointed by the \chief justice finds him guilty of breaching the constitution, Now in this case, not even the offnces are known. but hell it could gain the opposition some well needded politiv=cal mileage
May be we should bear with these clowns. I dont think it is easy being in the oppostiion