President Rupiah Banda yesterday tabulated development projects that his Government had embarked on saying Government was currently talking with a Turkish company for the refurbishment of the Livingstone – Chililabombwe rail line underscoring the need for infrastructure development if economic growth is to be attained.
Speaking in a special interview with ZNBC’s Kunda Mando and Frankin Tembo Jr last night, President Banda said the country could not realise its vision of prosperity without a good road and rail network.
He said Government was talking to a Turkish company to undertake a study on the refurbishment of the Livingstone – Chililabombwe rail line and that a delegation from that country would be in Zambia this week
“The roads and rail line are important to the country for the movement of goods and for the movement of people and I am happy that the Namwala–Choma Road has finally been completed,” he said.
He said the Namwala–Choma Road had been outstanding for the past twenty years.
“Even our friends who were saying that we are doing nothing now are driving on something,” he said in reference to the completion of the Namwala–Choma Road.
He said the Chipata–Mchinji rail line had been built using the country’s resources.
“With regard to the Mchinji – Chipata rail line it was an old dream of Dr Kenneth Kaunda that we must have an alternative route.”
President Banda said he had been able to respond to his critics through the many development projects dotted across the country.
He said the Government had already allocated money for the Mutanda–Chavuma Road and that three contractors had already moved on site.
“Zambia is a big country; there are many other roads we won’t do all but we want to complete most of them. We want to work on the Chipata–Lundazi Road and the Lundazi–Chama Road. For the Chipata–Lundazi Road we are going to put money in the Budget,” he said.
The president said Government would work on the roads to open up the North-Western Province.
“The North-Western Province is the new Copperbelt, there is so much to move from the Copperbelt to Kapiri Mposhi to Dar or to Lusaka, Namibia and to South Africa. We want to be free to move in any direction,” he said.
President Banda said he was happy the country had produced a bumper harvest of 2.7 million tonnes of maize this year.
“We had up to 59 buying depots last year, now we have 165 but still they are not enough,” he said.
There was a delay in the start of the purchase of maize because of the moisture content.
Mr Banda said he was happy Zambians responded positively when they were encouraged to produce as evidenced from the bumper harvest.
He said he has had to work hard within the limited tenure of his presidency because he did not have the luxury of time given that he assumed presidency mid-way.
On his foreign travels, President Banda said Zambia has obligations it had to fulfill as a member of international organisations.
“We belong to SADC, COMESA and the AU and we have obligations,” he said.
He said criticism was good because it reminded Government they needed to do something.
President Banda said the Government was working with the World Bank on the Kafue Gorge power generation station.
He said so far market had been found where the extra power generated could be exported.
“We have linked up well with South Africa and we are talking to Tanzania and Congo so that we can export the power,” he said.
The president said Government would work with investors to work on the Chingola–Lumwana Road.
He said the Government would build 5,000 housing units for the army and other defence forces.
“We also want to build additional houses for the police,” he said.
On the Kalabo-Mongu Road, he said Government had signed all the necessary documents and down payments would be done by this week so that works start.
On the privatisation of Zamtel, President Banda said the country was already getting the benefits through the reduced rates on international calls.
“When privatising we knew that some workers would have to lose jobs but the idea is that they will be paid unlike in other privatisations when people were told that they would be paid later,” he said.
He said some people had a tendency of opposing Government projects.
“It’s not the first time that we have tried to do something and people have opposed. Ask the workers at Zanaco they are now confident and more efficient,” he said.
He said Government was careful with how resources are being allocated concentrating only on those that would result in sustainable development of the economy.
[Times of Zambia]
that makes the difference while sata and hh are busy talking about thandiwe RB is highlighting developmental issues he has scored. UPND youth boss kalusa said it that while MMD are busy taking development to all corners in zambia HH and sata are pulling in wrong directions with no agenda chimbwi no plan. Lets go H.E.RB
truelly HERB to cement your achievements I will make mention of the schools and clinics you have built in all districts, new roads are being constructed and old ones redone. safe food security with biggest bumber harvest in the region. more jobs more investors. no single mine has closed under your leadership. new banks a sign of stable economy. HH only wants to claim he is better leader for the pact but with nothing to show for just a calculator and under 5 card as sata always refers to him
Issue based politics is the way to go. I congratulate you for this move H.E.R.B
Talking development!! Somebody gonna get choked for they dont know the language of development but unfounded allegations.Kunda Mando is still at ZNBC? The ka lady was cute then.Dont know this time.
President Rupiah Banda’s leadership is all about a synergistic, holistic approach to sustainable development, and sustainable national development to him is anchored on food security realization not the unholy hyperventilation of Sata year after year. The so-called pact is a visionless circus of sore losers without commonality in purpose or comradeship.
Well done HERB. You are doing a good job despite being insulted left right and centre. Now they are after your wife just because she is involved in the uplifting of the most marginalised people in Zambia – rural women. Let them continue to insult you and each other because that is the only thing they are good at. Carry on with the good work. They can argue about inflation but you cant tell somebody whose belly is full that he is hungry.
Sustainable development is not in magical abracadabra more money in the pocket nonsense but realization of real national food security first which RB Is scoring then other areas of development will fall in place. A nation with food insecurity cannot be developed.
Under RB, Zambia wants to feed its citizens adequately hence its ambitious embarking on the promotion of food security for the country through the instrumentality of policies, projects and various initiatives during the less than 2 years reign.
We are in a paradigm shift whose failure has a far reaching implication for our national development since our progress as a country is anchored among others on food security. Truth be told that in the modern world, no nation can truly be great if it cannot feed her populace and no meaningful progress can be made in other sectors of life if there is scarcity of food for the people…In short no system –whether capitalism, socialism or other political ideologies that has mushroomed in post colonial Africa and other parts of the world, can sustain the loyalty of underfed and impoverished people. Food security is the primacy of visionary leadership of RB.
People with low standards get satisfied with peanuts. Those singing praises of RB should try and compare his achievements to other similar nations, not to an opposition fellow who is not governing. What was RB’s achievement before being President? Remember Namboard? Should that be the yardstick?
Big of Mouth! Big of Ego, Big of statue but Quiet small of Mind
bloody cretin
Those vesting their money in the pact circus are doing nothing but unwittingly shredding it in vanity because selling a menu of insults against issues driven politics of RB is nothing but a goose-chess to a historic defeat.
RB for articulately enhancing your ability to identify and deliver strategic priorities that position MMD for a landslide victory mandate, we say Bravo!!!!!
Hmmm! exporting power…my foot!
SC can feast on this rubbish, but bottom line is these are just words. Besides one goes into government to work for the people not expect praises. We pay you so just shut up and work if atall you do any work.Exporting power has been here since Nothern Rhodesia days so you can only cheat people like SC.
he forgoet one achievement! if anything i will call it a milestone coz it is still an impossibilty in my eyes: getting thandiwe to be my wife.
its funny how positions of power can lead to even the ugliest man on earth getting himself some rofl
We though some pipo cant appreciate what RB is doing, there’s a group of zambians that are appreciating all he’s done in these fews years been in office. Come 2011, let all vote for MMD as the opposition wallow in politics of Chidunu.
flag
Though some pipo cant appreciate what RB is doing, there’s a group of zambians that are appreciating all he’s done in these fews years been in office. Come 2011, let all vote for MMD as the opposition wallow in politics of Chidunu.
Mwanawasa and RB are the most progressive presidents Zambia has ever had becz they never abandoned what MMD stands for and implementation of programs, e.g
MMD under Chiluba started the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) to its second stage
MMD under Mwanawasa carried on thru completion of the third part called HIPC completion point.
MMD under RB has continued in infrastructure development with improved reserves at BOZ, Bumper harvest, clinic or school or road or hospital in each rural constituence.
MMD has always gone thru conventions to elect its leaders.
Well said#10.Some people tend to grade utter mediocrity as some great achievement.Wherever we look in this country there is unbeleivable potential for meaningful development.We cannot expect to reduce poverty and other national ills if we settle for less.Otherwise if that was the right way to go great nations like the USA wouldn’t be where they are today.This is one key fact the majority of Zambians need to awaken to and demand more from useless leaders like RB to uplift the standard of life in this country.
Under RB the Zambian spirit of entrepreneurship has been restored evident by citizens reclaiming personal dignity in an ownership society. Citizens in consecutively tripartite elections have deafeningly rejected and left the nosensical “abracadabra” more money in the pocket mantra to lazy bones still thinking patriotism would be betrayed for an insulting retarded magician called sata on the street.
#20 That is why we dont want Sata. You also have to be realistic. Even in the BRIC countries they are still people living in poverty. Lets aim high but also lets be realistic and not believe in 90 day miracles.
# 19 Real Issue Man – May be you have personally benefited from what you have tabulated. I for one have only seen a worsening situation of what KK left. Baba here in Kitwe main roads are a risk for any vehicle and you call that as progress? Bumper harvests are not a new Phenomenal in Zambia cos even in KKs time we used to experience them. It all depends on the wheather. If he is successiul why talk about since we the people will see it without being told.
MMD should just go. Fullu stopu.
The magician of “abracadabra” more money in the pocket nonsense is not our national option. With its strong economic fundamentals, people’s ruling national party-MMD has indisputably placed this country on the path to prosperity. National development and transformation is a process that takes long and better managed by institutional power politics with policies and not individualistic personality cults anchored on insults a madman masquarading as an alternative postulates.
Well done Mr. President! Ushitasha mwana we Ndoshi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now he expect praises for completion of Namwala- choma road because he funded the project with his hard money, huh! In civiliased societies road works are a permanent feature and no one even talks about them because its governments duty to do so.Did he talk about employment for youths, street kids, high school fees, mealie meal prices,luck of drugs at hospitals etc, These are basic stuff that nag our people on a daily basis and not lies about Turkish railway nonsense
Zambians are enterprising people and they hate the nonsensical “abracadabra” more money in the pocket preserved for disillusioned and lazy bones. Our ingenuous people believe in finding opportunities in the mundane, believing in their ideas and having their motivation , and ambitions supported as RB is doing today.
Well, you know I am amazed that the donors have been told to pack up and leave,” Bishop Duffy said. “It will be interesting if all the donors pack up and leave and see what happens.”
Bishop Duffy said it was surprising that the government was telling donors to pack and leave when it kept on borrowing and taking the country back into the debt trap.
“Some of the borrowing is questionable,” Bishop Duffy said. “We borrow from the Chinese to buy these hearses that were supposed to dignify the burial services of the people in rural areas.”
Bishop Duffy said most people in Mongu were opting to hire bigger trucks that take in more people during burials than hiring the hearses.
“We borrowed money to buy these Chinese mobile hospitals. Why do we keep borrowing money from…
China to buy all these Chinese things? That is the question,” Bishop Duffy said.
“But I think we are just getting deeper and deeper into debt, and we are telling people who are giving us grants to leave this country! Something is wrong. It seems we have got things down and skewed somehow.”
The truth is that RB has originated nothing. The little that may be happening today is what he has so ineffectively extracted from the plans and thoughts of a greater mind and better government set. My opinion: RB is incapable of great radical ideas. For instance, does the country have to develop electrical energy facilities just to supply other nations? Would it not be far better to premise the development on our own national industrial growth, and think of exporting power as a secondary matter?
The so-called Bishop Duffy is a disgraced and failed poison chalice in the political wilderness. His socialist utopia has been at variance with the American exceptionism since 1962. Actually American virtues have found him undesirable species- being of highest indignation. I recall how he fiercely opposed the campaign trail of the 44th President of the United States. How much economic expansion has the Chinaman made in western economies post cold war era? When is he coming to intervene here?
Mungoma,
There you go with your unbridled ignorance of basic economics 101. How old are you to talk like that? Even President Harry S. Truman the worst isolationist ever would have found you a liability to listen to.
RB you are a phenomenal,when the chililabombwe-livingstone rail line is done let’s bring in hachipuka to run it the man knew his job.RSZ must pack and go
Only the feeble minded would not know that it takes years for a project to be implemented after initial conception.
So go on, RB. Ride on other people’s initiatives and achievements
While western governments are spending sleepless nights grappling with how to cut spending to reduce deficits, our donor dependent parasitic government, with its shallow minded president are busy scheming how to deplete the little money that is in governement coffers, including what the donors are giving, the same donors whom they are daring to pack their bags and leave.
What *****ic reasoning??
It’s a curse
#20 typical ignorance and lack of capacity to appreciate issues. to you news schools new roads, stable economy new hospitals is nothing. to you food security job creation is nothing. even rome or newyork wasnt built in one day. abashitasha nindoshi. the problem you drunk with faeces you handle and smell in your daily jobs. ukupipa tukote ku atlanta you get confused bcos you dont enjoy the pupu you touch but cant avoid it thats your bread and butter.
ba president natu wet look
#37 marx
You just thinking about faeces all the time, huh? Look at the title again before you continue making a mickey of yourself. looking at the flag i suppose you are at school in one of the East european countries, i wish you were in Russia proper bakupononako ba Russian skin head walitupa. Am not a nurse but i thought nurses in even Zambia do the same ukupipa in our hospitals – abeit for peanuts. Dont spite other people’s professions
It would seem the country is on autopilot. And the only time the leadership wakes up to try and guide things is when their interests, their benefits, their hold on power is an issue. What seems to motivate them most is personal interests and not the wider interests of society. Zamtel workers vs 10% cheleko. Instead of settling the huge debt that our govt owed Zamtel so the company could run normally, RB opted for 10% in preference to saving 1,669 jobs that have been lost at Zamtel. I feel it would have been better if govt paid back the debt and restructured Zamtel a process which would have seen small number of excess labour losing jobs. What a shame!!!!!
TITLE SHOULD READ-RB SPELLS DOOM FOR MMD
One does not to be guarded by unwise Duffy. We hav innate prblem to see which color is best for us. Who has forgoten how much pain and anguish perpertrated in Chawama by Mr. SATA. Have we forgoten the third term who was the kinpin of the same campaign of the disgraced leader Mr. Chiluba. How much money has Mr. Sata accounted for those campaigns he has been walloped. We cannot take away his populist politician. The man is not serious to hold the position of national presidency. If people want to risk let them go ahead. The man is the worst FULUNYEMBA of all time. When the disgraced FTJ was supporting him what was he saying?
HH does not deserve to talk about. He lacks basic leadership qualities lest a qualified accountant and KACHEMA boy. Better what we are now than lab experiment
#42 Kays,you sound pro HERB(sic) but you risk an eviction order from MMD.How can you call the party consultant ,a damn good former president,DISGRACED? The Chawama massacre and the third term shame as one priest famously called it were both conceived and born under the MMD.You may have your own issues with Catholics and their bishops but if you are sincere,you will admit they are always on the side of the poor and marginalised.Zambia minus the catholic factor will be without 20% of facilities for education and health etc.And no,I am not Tonga but I take strong exception to calling someone a kachema(shephered for non Bembas) simply because he comes from a tribe that takes pride and passion in animal wealth.A bit of civilisation is needed bloggers
#43 Under MMD but carried out by Sata. Your reasoning means that everything would be ok if RB changed his party? Am sure all those thousands of children that have been systematically abused by catholic priests around the world agree with your assertion of them being on the side or is it inside of the poor. So it is okay to vote for Sata despite his history because he is no longer in MMD but dont vote for Banda who had no hand in the third-term bid or the Chawama massacre whatsoever – very logical thinking.
Honestly people lets condemn with justifications, the only problem i see here is people dont like the president, Zambia is doing very well economically, i agree thank fully due to the copper prices but even that deserves credit as it could easily be misused. Investors are coming to Zambia, thats a sign that something is right while we Zambians are busy waiting for handouts, lest have a attitude shift people, we cant constantly expect handouts or to benefit in one way or the other without working for things to praise the govt. MMD is doing a good job, obvisiouly with plenty of room for improvement, banks should be encouraged to lend more at favourable rates and encouragement for micro finance to help lift the middle class. This way those under the poverty line will then be lifted up.
#43.My reasoning is that political parties must built on principles which must guard against individuals like Sata or FTJ or whoever from abusing citizens in the name of the party or the presidency.That must also be true of our constitution.We must have systems that stop creating Satas and William Bandas.Failure of the party to do something to control the so called political heavyweights or sacred cows against overstepping their limits is failure of that party and in my opinion,such a party does not deserve to govern.Horrible and inexcusable abuses by Catholic priests but that does not erase the other side of the Catholic Church-social good .Find out from the political consultant if RB needs to change parties;my preference is that he leaves politics,he wasnt and will never be ready to rul
So Called “Senior Citizen vs Capitalist”
It’s interesting to see these vultures jumping on what RB is trying to claim as what he has done within lets say a year. He has built everything within a year and apparently Mwanawasa or even Chiluba did nothing for the past 20 years. If I happen to build my house, raise it to the roof level, erect part of the roofing then I life being life I die. My brother puts three roofing sheets and the house is completed then he claims that he has built the house. Well that will be kinda living in a fools paradise. This is what RB is claiming and this is what these two vultures “Senior Citizen and Capitalist” are championing as developmental issues. Well did RB talk about the sale of Zamtel and jobs lost? Judicial-Political interferance? No-No-No Shame
MWABOMBENI BA PRESIDENT.KEEP IT UP SIR. THE PRPPHETS OF DOOM ARE DOOMED.JUST PREPARE A PLANE FOR SOME OF THEM FOR TRANSPORT TO SOUTH AFRICA WHEN THEIR HEARTS FAIL BECAUSE OF JEALOUS. FOR NOW IT IS YOUR TIME.TWALUMBA KAPATI, UTALUMBI MUBWA!
Ladies and Gentlemen, RB has made so much progress whether you like it or not. I have had the opportunity in the past to meet the advisors of Sata and there is no offer for society but hatred. To undo what others have achieved exactly what Chiluba did to KK’s projects. And please as Zambians lets not paxtris HATE MEDIA. The Catholic Church for you own information caused the Genocide in Rwanda with the Govt of France being a culprit. Those of you who are still full of hate please travel to Kigali and if you are level headed you will change the way you think and attack leadership. All I can see is viva Vasco Da Banda. Hate it or not am voting MMD regardless of which President stands on the ticket its a peacefull party was messed up by Chiluba and RB has shown him peace and he must be shy.
#47. I don’t think saying that RB is trying to claim that he did all what Chilu and LPM failed to do in an accumulative 20 years but said that as much as we are saying that am doing nothing I have completed projects that started as long as 20 years ago. The sale of ZAMTEL is of course hurting evry1 but read on the sale saga of Ghana Telecom. We all know that these people benefit and yet we kept quite on sale of mines where LPM sold for less than US$30m and Zamtel total sale is US$400m. I have met the new MD and he has retained 700 employees out of almost 2000. The speech he gave to his employees was “we shall make mistakes but reverse them”. Last week a technician in Luangwe wasone who was retrenched and has been reinstated as at yesterday. Sale was started in LPM era do ur research…
My challenge now is to our brothers and sitaz in diaspora. Come back and lets unite to build this nation. It needs all those especially born after 1965. The reason is that they are not freedom fighters and freedom builders. We keep critising from the terrances and we can only blame ourselves. People born before that we so fed with freedom fight stories and experiences and will always be like that so all you can do is bridge the gap by getting into leadership. Zim is doing that now and before u know it Zed will be centuries behind again. So Vasco Da Banda in his own world has done extremely well and Viva to him for that
The rehabilitation of the rail line is a long overdue move , but i find it disturbing that we cannot undertake such a project solely as Zambians. It can be done with good organisation. It’s not rocket science , is it ? What does it take to rehabilitate a rail line?
No disrespect to the Turks , but i think we need to appreciate our local skills and abilities a bit more than to always look to outsiders as being better than us at everything. Or perhaps it’s the corruption that has dogged projects of this kind in the past that makes them unsuitable to trust with local zambians.?…. But still , it’s sad that we have to look to Turkey to come and do work which we can do ourselves. All we need is self belief and discipline.
It is a dangerous thing to vote Sata and people like him into power. Such that think it is their right to be in State House. Zambia will never be the same if such a guy came to power. These guys are full of hatred and bitterness. We need a united Zambia and not a nation in which the one tribe thinks is better than the rest. We do not want bloodshed. Their has been peace in that nation for 40 yrs. RB is OK. for the sake of peace and progress, he should Continue. He is God given. He may not be perfect but he is doing alot of good.