Saturday, April 20, 2024

I will continue travelling-RB

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President Rupiah Banda

PRESIDENT Banda says he will continue travelling abroad because this attracts foreign investment in the country.

The President told off those who criticise his trips that they do not know how Government operates.

He wondered why some sections of society can criticise him even when he travels to attend meetings for Heads of State and Government for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Southern African Development Community.

I have to move. I am a President who is uncomfortable about not developing the country because the tenure of the President is not long. So, I have to prove that I am doing something. I have to prove that I am fulfilling my obligations,” he said.

Mr Banda said opposition political leaders who have been criticising what his Government is doing could have been doing the same if they were in power and advised them to wait for elections rather than continue talking ill about Government development programmes.

Mr Banda said people who have been saying Government is doing nothing to develop the country have been answered by the completion of the Choma-Namwala road and the commissioning of the Chipata-Mchinji railway line last week.[pullquote]I am a President who is uncomfortable about not developing the country because the tenure of the President is not long. So, I have to prove that I am doing something. I have to prove that I am fulfilling my obligations
[/pullquote]
He said he does not want the country to enter into an election year without abundant food and that is why his Government’s commitment to improving the agricultural sector has resulted in a maize bumper harvest this year.

Mr Banda said at the time he became President, the country only had 59 depots but now has about 165 depots, which are still not enough.
The President said he is encouraged that Zambians have responded to his call for them to work hard to produce more food and urged them to continue with the same spirit.

And President Banda said one of the biggest projects his Government has embarked on is the power generation project at Kafue Gorge and thanked the World Bank for assisting in conducting a feasibility study for the programme.

He said Government has already found a market in South Africa and is also talking to Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have a critical shortage of electricity.

Mr Banda said Government will further construct houses for teachers, police officers and defence personnel in various parts of the country.
He said Government will construct 5,000 houses for defence personnel and about 1,000 new schools around the country.

And President Banda said the MMD took a strong stance during deliberations of the National Constitutional Conference to allow dual citizenship for Zambians.
He said that is why each time he travels out of the country, he meets Zambians to encourage them to come back home or send money to their country to prepare for their return.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

59 COMMENTS

  1. no man is an island we are now in a global village were international travel is part of presidential duties. HERB is chief marketing officer of zambia. this month HERB has to go to NY for UN heads of states summit were over 100 leaders will be in attendance including obama cameron zuma mugabe rasanjan ghadafi and rupiah banda. I know sata and HH also do travel extensively except that funds tont allow them to reach out as wide and far as they would wish

  2. RB this is rubbish comments not worthy reading. A president like RB is up to making allowances for the travel he makes as they are given the money in US Dollars. So RB stop fooling the poor zambians about your travels. One there will be no plane to carry you about, planes do drop sometimes so be aware of that. God made humans to live on earth not the skies. We are just waiting for that air distuster.

  3. Obama sends Hilary Clinton to do the travels for him coz he needs to attend his country’s problems. Ba RB never stays in Plot 1 even for a full week.
    All he is doing is contracting debt on our behalf and bringing shoddy investors while making allowances for himself! The railway line and Namwala roads were projects he found already running and they just happened to finish during his tenure. Dont claim credit where its not due to you!

  4. Daily mail! need we say more
    whoever told him that travelling is the only way to attract foreign investors!
    and why is that man always holding on to the railing,does it need his support, kuzionesa

  5. whats the relationship between travelling and attracting foregn investment?? its like saying talking attracts women into bed! bane u need game, its just not bout toking! in same way u need to have solid investment plans. wot a dull man. mmd ba satanyooko imwe

  6. whats the relationship between travelling and attracting foregn investment?? its like saying talking attracts women into bed! bane u need game, its just not bout toking! in same way u need to have solid investment plans. wot a dull man. mmd ba satanyooko imwee

  7. Siungasiye pali tubana twaku Swazy. Anyway you are fundraising for 2010 but at least using legal means. On this one u may not go the Kafupi way.

    This country has gone to monkeys, no wonder baamba no tilila (watering) ku Livingstone. First a Protestant monkey baptised Mpombo, next it was a Catholic monkey baptising RB. If Monkeys can take over our duties what do you think the country wil be like. Dollar Silliest is behaving as she should “a monkey” Its monkey see, monkey do. Parroting is what they are good atDo they want everyone in MMD to think like them??????????

  8. As always. The kwacha is still depreciating or at stalmate, rates are high,unemplyment is skyrocketing,corruption on the increase and we are still padding the hoof! Development? Attracting investors? Chasing away donors-the same donors who filled up zamtrop account during Kafupi? Well,you live by the sword and the rest may be finished by well wishers.

  9. That’s why he run down his Allen West, and could not even afford to pay rates until Kitwe district council had to send in Bailiffs. Remember, he also failed to run Namboard, etc. No strategic thinking, no budgeting, very poor financial management skills. very poor management skills.

    Good infrastructure and Policies are what attract FDIs and not aimless, money wasting tours which deplete the little resources that would be better invested in improving road networks, rail and air transport which are most vital in significantly improving the business environment. Communication and other relevant infrastructure are make it even more attractive for Foreign businesses to invest in the economy, OK, Mr Marcopolo.

  10. Money would also be better spent on skills training, to feed the industrial appetite for skilled manpower, and improving health delivery systems to ensure the population is healthy and dependable to expend their energy to production activities. These are what attract investors and NOT AIMLESS TRAVEL, Mr No Brainer.

  11. Sorry bwana President, that was out of emotions and i deeply regret and appologise unreseverdly. Contounue travelling to attract the much needed investment.

  12. This is the useless and dull president Zambia has ever produced. He does not think before talking. A person who is old enough to behave but he always acts like a kid. really just in Zambia.

    Ala one day the plane will crush and no Zambian will mourn you. be warned RB kamwendo munjira. Atase bane.

  13. While western governments are spending sleepless nights grappling with how to cut spending to reduce deficits, our donor dependent parasitic government and its shallow minded president are busy scheming how to deplete the little money that is in governement coffers including what donors are giving, the same donors they are daring to pack their bags and leave.

    What *****ic reasoning

  14. @31 GHOSTRIDER, If he trims his hair, he will remain more of a skeleton. Its like girls with no hips-some put on tubudula twa ma goalkeeper tuja tuli na ma vitaform mu ma thighs to keep up appearance.

  15. Mr president,it’s a pity you preside over a country with a people who have brains made of wax,pliz just concetrate on scoring points in the rural areas and the we will come back to rule the english speaking black zambians after the elections

  16. Pipo our children we will come and suffer paying for the debts which this president is getting. why cant he put his batts down and talk about issues affect us from his office and sometimes delegate his traveling duties, that’s why he has veep and ministers around him.

  17. # 37 shi philipo u are right, Obama’s concern is to fix American economy and he is spending time talking to locals especially small businesses. why can’t Rb do the same stay home talk to business pipo how Zambian economy can be fixed rather than waisting tax payers money on he’s fruitless trips?

  18. Donors must pack and go so that the mileage for meeting them on their own turf is higher,meaning more money in allowances for HERB and his ministers.Its that simple

  19. Living proof we can elect a person with no intelligence at all. Days like this I am ashamed to raise the Zambian flag. Let’s restore honor to the State House. Let’s get rid of a nyandule!

  20. continue mudala, at your age, you are a wise man and we can see that you are working for the nation and not for your self. continue in this . A Bwezani, pitilizani. Ndiye usogwereri wa mene ti kamba.

  21. numbala 28 walila? mmmh mune those issues of which part i come from are top secret!kutivakwipaya. nizeee. ala chi banda he is even proud and boasting about our travelling allowances? where are u stationed iwe? i like guys like you. deuces wawumfwa?

  22. Mr. President, we beg you to learn to listen to what people are saying. Arrogance is no way to rule a nation or make friends. Thta’s why bloggers who re but children are now calling you chikamba. Mwamona nomba!

  23. He must be quite physically fit to afford that kind of flights daily. i dont know if his trips have contributed to the unprecedented FDI zambia has had lately but for once we have a president who understands something about investment, otherwise we would have been languishing calling people inFestors if we made that simple mistake.

  24. #50 ndalya live: Are you hoping to scope Thandiwe when RB dies in the next 5 years? Condoms are good on the road, especially in Mswati Kingdom!!

  25. Please, Obama does not need to travel to attaract foreign investment, these are completely different scenarios. A president from the third world country needs to spearhead this. People outside Africa are so scared of Africa because they believe that the whole of the continent is like Somalia – even the well-educated. It is sad but true. RB needs to travel . We need to assess the viability of his travels though. Those wishing the demise of the challenger are very shallow and probably very lowly placed in the animal kingdom hierrachy – and it will not happen. You can worship your devil 24/7 – it will not happen.

  26. Donors can pack their bags and go. Rb does not care. Why?
    Because he will follow them to apologise so that they can come back. Nika plani aka!

  27. No, ba RB just continue your travels twalimishiba. Those allowances you get for traveling are really adding up in millions and millions. Rumour has it ati you get about $50,000 everytime you travel. Iyo abena Duniya bakasekelamo.

  28. How can we have a President who even goes abroad for even flimsy excuses. This guy has traveled more in his short stint as President than any other Zambian president. Why does he have ministers then if he can’t delegate.

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