First Lady Thandiwe Banda says economic challenges on the African continent that have been compounded by the global economic downturn have dimmed the prospects of developing countries achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) within the stipulated time-frame.
Mrs. Banda has observed that the high growth prospects that Africa and other developing countries previously enjoyed gave hope of making positive advances towards poverty eradication and the attainment of MDGs, but that this has been eroded by the global recession.
She was speaking in a speech read on her behalf by Wife of Vice President, Irene Kunda, during the 15th Non Aligned Movement (NAM) First Ladies meeting in Sharm El- Sheikh , Egypt.
Mrs. Banda said Zambia’s economy registered marked improvement, sustained for more than six years through to the first half of 2008, but however pointed out that the global economic crisis did not spare the country, with the mining sector experiencing massive job losses.
“The closure of the mines has led to massive job losses with the most affected being women and children because they assumed the role of looking after families because their spouses were out of employment,” she said.
Mrs. Banda said she was working with ministers’ spouses to empower women, with particular emphasis on rural women.
She added that government has established the Citizen Economic Empowerment Fund through which women are expected to benefit.
ZANIS
On “The closure of the mines has led to massive job losses with the most affected being women and children because they assumed the role of looking after families because their spouses were out of employment,” she said.
Please journalists what is the meaning of this statement !
Lusaka Times, you need to improve your reporting, you’re losing grip fast.
Ba TB abene bachiba kwisa?
Can that girl even read, by the way?
Just asking pipo dont crucify me!!
She should also shut the F**k up, Wives of Progreesive leaders don’t even say much i.e Mrs Betty Kaunda, Mrs Michelle Obama, Mrs George Bush Snr …………….. Thandiwe tell Nyama Soya to respect Zambians, the people who put you in state house, days are numbered!
#3 She can read. She is a qualified teacher
#4
I Dont agree with you point, the first lady is the point of contact to othe mother or women. Tha fact that she is a RBs wife does not mean she must be home watcing TV, Mrs Obama and Mrs Bush, advocate for ladies issues , e. g teaching women to read and green issues.
By the way this teacher does not now anything she is talking about. Was that written for her, it can’t come out of her own head. I was with her at Kitwe teachers College. I never so any LUPIYA TUDILA BANDA coming to see her, i saw another guy.
# 7, what is yout point Ukwa, please try to speak like a well learned person, what has he ex got to do with the speach, dont you know most of the pipo in power have speech writers, pipo who write for them so that we can think that they are clever. Pipo like Obama, Tony Blair and Clinton all have expert speech writers. Please give Mrs RB a break.
Njuga #5 I have come across a few dodgy teachers in Zambia – No disrespect meant, just referring to the exceptions. Simillarly a lot of news readers cannot pronounce words correctly eg the say “constuency” instead of “Con – stit – uency” or they say “en-tour-age” instead of “on-tu-raj” The list goes on.
#9 i dont know what is wrong with most of you , what has pronunciation got to dowith anything? What matters is spelling, the way you pronounce words does not make you less learned, The way pipo talk is influenced by the place they come from , Dont expect a person form Scotland or Liverpool to pronounce words the same way as someone from London.
The International bankers purposefully engineered the worldwide financial meltdown to bankrupt the nations of the planet and bring in World Government.Hard times soon to come, prepare.
Zambians, learn to respect other people’s wives, esp if that wife happens to be the president’s. Off course that is not her speech but reads their own speeches? Even RB’s speeches are written for him. What is important is that whoever is reading the speech should sound convincing and knowledgeable about what they are reading. We are not all orators like Obama.
Yes We Can
That sentence means that women and children have now become breadwinners, or the heads of the households while the men are busy drowning their job loose sorrows in beers.
Ukwa
There may have been a different man coming to Kitwe Teachers to see Thandi but RB is the man that saw the potential in her and evetually married her, not the so called man you used to know
# 12, Thanks for the point well said. It is such a shame that pipo pick on Mrs RB, she is only trying to play her role as the first lady, These are the same pipo to morn if TB was a very loud person. Do you remember what they ued to say about the Regina Chiluba?
Ba Honey
I remember very well. TB is not my best choice for first lady, but since Zambia is stuck with her, we have to accept her warts and all. After all RB chose her and Zambians chose RB!!
No 13 absolutely right. These people are jelous. Thandi has shown that you can be a villager and still be President’s wife. I like people who have excelled, look at Zuma from looking after cows to President of one of the most developing countries.
Criticism of Mrs Rb goes with the territory. If RB can be criticised, so can she. If she prefers a private life, then she can head back to Lundazi.
Its not accent but pronounciation that i was talking about. Imagine how messed up our childrens reading would be if teachers took your attitude. Even someone from Scotland needs to pronounce correctly. There is such a thing as Phonetics, hence BBC pronouncing any name correctly.
Josh, Josh, you are bigging to sound like the one who was dumped by TB, Why are you so horrible to the woman, os are you a sexest.?
Did you have Phonetics while you were in Zed? Dont be smart with us, please just accept TB and all will be fine. I dont condone bad reading or the lack of it.
#12! Spot on. Simplified at NO cost at all. God Bless The Women of Zambia.
Vaseline Petroleum Jelly and Lusaka, I think Josh is the guy who was dumped by TB after she Met RB, please Josh , get a life.
LMFAO tandiweiii
Guys is it true Maureen has shares in Petroda?
Ba Honey 17. Of course we were taught to read using phonetics in Zambia – that was certainly the case at my school. You are more naive than you sound if you think Criticisms of TB will stop because of your say so. I am being realistic and pointing out that public figures will get criticised, that is why they should have good PR people advising them. “Dont be smart with Us” Who is us? Whom do you represent? With all due respect to TB, i would not date her. She is not my type, and i am not her type ( I am not 70 yrs old)
p.s in phonetics A is AH, E is EH, I is E etc simple rule for reading!
I wonder where she did her teaching. I once listened to her speech on TV. It was terrible and embarrassing for the first lady.
Josh Josh, I feel sad that you are picking on the poor lady when all she is doing is to empower the other women of the continent. Its pipo like you who are good at petty things such that in the end you miss the good things the person is trying to bring forward. I speak for other bloggers who agree that you are talking rubbish.
John Doe , what ? please dont start, Have you ever thought that it could be deal tothe lack of experince when speaking in public. Just give TB a few months then you will hear what she will say and how whe will say it.
Ba Honey 24, If you think TB is empowering other women in the continent you are certifiably insane. Politics is a diversion while her husband and sons empty the Zambian coffers. Martin Luther King JR said that to tolerate an injustice is the same as to impose an injustice. I feel absolutely no sympathy for TB. The only thing i feel for her is sympathy. Read comment number 23. This is fact and not lala land illusions. Who appointed you the spokesperson? Eat a D**K
Perhaps she should get ready before venturing into public. Besides i thought she was a teacher? Dont teachers stand in front of a classroom/assembly and speak. TB or RB are not there to “empower…..” No wonder they say Zambians are peace loving! WHo appointed you the spokesperson for other “bloggers”? Delusions of granduer come to mind.
What does she know about economics? Looks like RB is also telling her he has failed because of the global recession and she is also trying to confuse the educated with this nonsense.
When Magande was around we were able to attain the Millennium Development Goals. Let people that know what they are doing help you, don’t be so big headed that even when people are hungry and dying and there is an answer right next to you you choose arrogance.
Tempe
I have read a document that tells us that Maureen has shares in Petrode thus they being able to get all the prime land in Lusaka to set up service stations
Josh
You cannot date Thandi now because she has move way out of your legeaue. Previously, maybe be but what would you be able to say to a girl who come from the village? Nothing I guess.
Josh,
i will not waste my time with pipo who feel good by picking on others, i dont have time to waste on un-constractive issues, am out.
Josh, Josh,The trouble with constructive criticism is that not all people are receptive to it. They may either feel their self-esteem shrinking under criticism, or they may feel that all criticism is negative. ,this can destroy the intent of constructive criticism.
Further, not all people who think they are employing constructive criticism are actually being helpful. They may think all criticism is helpful and may not spare the person any details or couch the criticism in ways least likely to make a person defensive. Communication is loaded with multiple intentions, . Thus people may not know how to actually employ a critique of one aspect of a person without involving their own feelings or frustration that make a critique negative.
Lusaka, Josh sounds like a troubled person, he didnt want TB , then and now thinks TB can look ar him, Did you see what he wrote earlier, that TB is not his type, Off cos TB is not in his league , so Josh , get your bike and move out of the way.
Ba Honey
You are right, Josh alibe na league
Josh, go away with your critique negative.
I wish we could discuss the contents of the story more than the personalities. It was a well thought out speech and it was Mrs Kunda who read not the first lady. For those worried about reading abilities, Mrs. Kunda is a qualified lawyer…hope that helps! Thandiwe is far from good but she has done well for herself and she deserves some praise. She has displayed a high sense of self esteem by not bleaching her skin or ‘over’ making up in the name of rapid urbanisation like Lucy Changwe and many other loud dressers. I don’t like her fashion sense all the time but she does look good, as they say simplicity is the ultimate elegance. Good luck TB and hold your head high, you are wonderfully and fearfully made by the creator himself.
Yaba’ Moses Maxwell Muteteka has been appointed Deputy Minister- Community Development & Social Services. Gud young man I hope you will avoid behaving like Ben Teta, Mike Mulongoti & Micheal Mabenga. We are watching your tongue. Outside GRZ you were talking abit sensible things lets wait and see this time how you are going to conduct yourself.
True Thandiwe, but i would have prefered you using the phrase, “Zambia will not attain…”, rather than, “many developing countries will…”.
#37, When you bootlick, it will show!!!!
In other words, Ireen Kunda said these words. There is nothing like a speech read on ‘behalf of’
Nemo is busy blowing bubbles at state house – monkey, monkey
Bana Banda: Let us not put the entire blame on the Global Economic Recession for failure to attain MDGs. To me the reasons for failure lie beyond the Economic Recession. Listen First Lady, “Even in an economic boom, the MDGs might not be met “. Why? (i) The MDGs are unrealistic for developing countries, (ii) many funding commitments by the rich countries have not been fulfilled, and (iii) our criminous attitude towards: Resources for meeting MDGs are stolen for personal use. Instead of MDGs we now have PDGs (Personal Development Goals). So MDGs may not be met at the expense of PDGs. Bana Banda namusoma. Mwatampa nokulanda pali MDGs. Congratulation mbuya.
40 Woman of Substance: You can really observe.
sometimes it is just embarrassing to be african.. even more so when we have the Banda family to show to the world as our leaders.
Ba Honey, you honestly think that because she is now first lady TB is suddenly attractive? You are right she is not in my league. The sickness of our society, when marrying a man old enough to be your grandad suddenly makes you an idol! Ba honey you sound like you missed the whole point of education, instead, you were schooled. Its obvious you are a product of rough childhood and rapid urbanisation (like TB), a very bad combination. What does the dictionery describe as someone with the mental capacity of a three year old?