SOME opposition members of Parliament (MPs) and councillors in Lusaka have come under attack from residents and members of their party for failing to provide leadership that could steer development in their respective constituencies.
The residents have demanded that the MPs for Munali, Lusaka Central, Kabwata, Chawama and Mandevu constituencies and the councillors should not seek re-election in this year’s polls because there is nothing to show for their term of office.
“Despite some of the MPs and civic leaders claiming they would change Lusaka in 90 days after the 2006 elections, five years down the line nothing has been done,” said Famous Bwalya of Lusaka Central constituency.
He said Lusaka Central MP Guy Scott has done nothing to improve the constituency and that he has allegedly never visited some residential areas like Northmead.
Mr Bwalya said the poor state of the drainage at Northmead market is just one example that proves that the MP has not bothered to work with the residents.
He said a good MP is one who visits every area under his constituency at least twice in a year.
“Parliament does not sit everyday. They go on recess. We know that Parliamentary Committees are there but he can pass through and sit with the people for 30 minutes and listen to them,” he said.
[pullquote]“Parliament does not sit everyday. They go on recess. We know that Parliamentary Committees are there but he can pass through and sit with the people for 30 minutes and listen to them,” he said.[/pullquote]
Mr Bwalya said in this year’s elections he will not support Dr Scott or any of the councillors who are in the limelight for sharing plots and not enhancing development of the city.
Mrs Acquilline Kalunga of Luangwa township, also in Lusaka Central Constituency, said she has never seen Dr Scott in the residential area.
She urged women and youths not to vote for an opposition MP because they do not care for the people.
“From the debates in Parliament I can tell that opposition MPs have never appreciated the development projects undertaken by the government that mean well for the Zambian people.
“Does being an opposition MP mean never appreciating good things done by Government, such as rejecting the constitution and mobile hospitals?” Mrs Kalunga asked.
Mandevu township resident Ruth Moyo said she is not going to sit and see things go wrong without doing anything.
“My vote will speak for me. I want to see meaningful development come to Mandevu. Having an MP who is just vocal on attacking Government has not helped the people of Mandevu at all. Politics is about talking and working for the people,” she said. The Mandevu MP is Mrs Jean Kapata.
Mrs Elizabeth Nachalwe of Chawama said their MP, SampaBredt, has failed them and should not stand because she will not get their vote.
[pullquote]“My vote will speak for me. I want to see meaningful development come to Mandevu. Having an MP who is just vocal on attacking Government has not helped the people of Mandevu at all. Politics is about talking and working for the people,” she said.[/pullquote]
Mrs Nachalwe said she has never heard Reverend Violet Sampa-Bredt raise her voice in Parliament to express the needs of the people of Chawama in terms of infrastructure development, health services or road rehabilitation.
“We have seen for ourselves that areas where MPs are from the MMD there is development because the MPs speak for the people.
“One example is Chongwe where we have seen a number of schools being built and they have a big district hospital now because their MP does not just speak but pushes and looks for donors to finance different projects,” she said.
[pullquote]“One example is Chongwe where we have seen a number of schools being built and they have a big district hospital now because their MP does not just speak but pushes and looks for donors to finance different projects,” she said.[/pullquote]
Mrs Nachalwe, who is a PF member, said Government waits for an MP to present the needs of the people in his area before they can work together.
She said MPs should also source for funds from donors.
Kaunda Square Stage One businessman Patrick Bwalya, who lives in Ng’ombe township, said he treks between two constituencies – Munali and Mandevu – but has not seen the two MPs or even their councillors. The Munali MP is Mumbi Phiri.
Mr Bwalya said the problem is that people intending to be MPs do not even understand their role and end up promising people wrong things.
He said there is a communication breakdown between MPs and councillors and they do not work together despite most of them belonging to the same political party.
[pullquote]He said there is a communication breakdown between MPs and councillors and they do not work together despite most of them belonging to the same political party.[/pullquote]
Mr Bwalya said he had been living in Kaunda Square since 1983 and has not seen councillors working with MPs.
Mr Watson Mtonga of Mtendere township said the opposition MPs will leave no legacy to talk home about in the five years they have served.
He accused their MP, Mrs Phiri, of being arrogant and that she does not listen to the concerns of the people.
Mr Mtonga said a number of concerns, such as the poor state of roads, have not been attended to in Munali, especially in Mtendere and Kalikiliki.
He urged Zambians to vote wisely in this year’s elections.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
How can then tend to public challenges when daily they are busy competing with Sata and Mmembe in rehearsing insults on RB and MMD if not revising their insults menu?
How can they tend to public challenges when daily they are busy competing with Sata and Mmembe in rehearsing insults on RB and MMD if not revising their insults menu?
A party founded on hatred and utopia is the enemy of any society.
MPs should indeed be accountable to their constituencies but the majority are just statistics in parliament.Part of the problem is that we vote for the party that sponsors the candidate rather than the quality of the candidate.No wonder we had the “KK vs Frog” elections !!
This MMD propaganda is just in futility. We know MMD admires our strongholds which have the largest numbers of registered voters. Pf is not in control of national coffers so the blame goes to the MMD.
THE POST IS DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF UNEARTHING RUPIAH’S INJUSTICES ESPECIALLY IN WESTERN PROVICE. TODAY IMENDA HAS SPOKEN.
VIVA PF INROADS IN WESTERN PROVINCE.
Why is that these two ladies look scruffy on every photo? Their appearance does not inspire personalities of law markers. Look carefully at their hair dressing and clothing, just like ordinary marketeers.
Daily Mail, typical MMD propaganda, why only opposition MPs? What have MMD MPs done, Dora and most MMD MPs have been castigated and chased in their constituencies. How come you don’t report such? Just be fair with your reporting.
Don’t mislead Zambians.
Cheap polliticking will take us nowhere. It is the responsibility of the Central government to provide services and development in general. MPs cannot use their own money to build schools. We must demand development from the gvt.
#6, zuberi why ar you despising our mothers in the markets. Is being a marketeer a curse. Wonder wr you wr buyn vegies b4 shoprite came
I am a Munali constituency resident I conqure on what the people are crying over. PF MP’s has failed to even grade roads in Munali. The story is the same everywhere in Lusaka & C/belt PF controlled Cities! How will they run the Country when they are failing to run & manage Mununincipalities?
This is indeed true, Zambians just vote without analyzing the cadre. Like this time they re talking of change, even when the change will lead them too a ditch. Five years down the line they will be regretting again.
To me what seem to be the biggest problem is level of literacy.For instance where on earth has a government enriched its citizens within 90 days? But when this is said at a rally by MCSatana, people cheer.
Shame on you!!
I equally stay in PHI, just a road from Mtendere Market to PHI is pathetic, even when you wash your car, the dust is un bearable. These chaps must surely go
Roads are a responsibility of NRA (National Roads Agency) and not MPs or councils mwebantu mwebasambilila? If you ae failing to understand simple things like this what of those in rural areas? MPs make laws and push teh gvt to take developement to their areas. Councils only submit what needs to be worked on. It is the gvt that must be blamed. Prove that you are learned through intelligent debates unlike what is obtaining.
#8 john lupasa, PF MPs and councillors are being just judged against the promises or is it lies of their leader Mr Sata. It is Mr Sata who promised to turn councils under PF control into “models of PF governance”. Are you telling me now that Mr Sata is so ignorant that he did not know that development comes form government resources? But the message in the article is that people are saying that development comes from the government but leaders (councillors and MPs) have to dialogue with government for the development to come. If the leaders spend all their time aping their leader in the art of insults, who in government will sit with them?
ShutUp.
Ba Famous Bwalya naimwe kwate amano! They promised that you would see change in 90 days once voted into power. Who is in power now! Blame the MMD for frustrating developement so that myopic people like you can start such tantrums!
Good voting is complete overhaul of old and tired politicians. Just the way old leaves fall from the trees to pave way for the new ones. Then only can you see GOOD FRUITS.
The story is from the usual mouthpiece of the corrupt govt. No more comments
I am not surprised to hear this cos vice presindent (Kunda) even Chiluba used to tell people that once you vote for opposition mps they will not have access to gvt fund. These are just ma dioti who does not understand the importance of developing all parts of the country for the benefit of the Zambian people regardless of their political parties either in opposition or in ruling party must have same access to gvt resources. Or else Zambia will be doomed to a failure. greed and frustrating opp while foreigners take advantage of disorganised state by routing the natural resource
I wrote to Mpombo to get his view on one Senior Citizen and this is what he had to say:
We must treat Senior Citizen and his MMD with a lot of caution and not go in for this chap’s cheap political saber-rattling. Senior Citizen’s conduct smacks of ‘shattering’ irrationality verging on complete political bankruptcy. MMD is in total disarray and they are headed for a deep and suffocating political kerfuffle,” Mpombo said. “They are clearly heading for an irretrievable political imbroglio. With these revelations, Senior Citizen has just read out RB’s political obituary because very few people have any kind of confidence in them.
He (Mpombo) has unmasked Senior Citizen’s hypocrisy and no one has any modicum of trust in them.”He is a cheap Braggadocio who was plucked from pitiful levels of Political ignorance and ordained MMD mouthspeaker!
Young Man MB, I will harangu you and frabask your head in delinguisticability …………The list goes on & on
19/20 u n mpombo are so right this senior citizen of no mans land is an eyesore!
Our research students have told us that the country will start to go forward once the people start to take their party presidents, MPs, majors and counsellors to task. With such cabbage in Lusaka, one wonders why we should have MPs, mayors and councillors.
This is what we want to hear as MMD. Let them continue to dig their own graves, they’re busy with their own personal agendas and forgetting why they’re in Parliament to start with. RB 2011, Nafuti- Nafuti, Nchweeeeee
SENIOR CITIZEN said he would retire from blogging if MMD lost solwezi by elections in 2009.
Two years later we see he is still the MMD mouthpiece on blogs.
Take no notice of his lies as in a few months you will never see him again until 2016
Name: Senior Citizen | Country of residence: ZM | Written: Thursday, 15 October 2009 (10:44)I now advise all PF kaponyas to print this statement and use it to vindicate me if my statement turns a total illusion distant from applied politics and the ballot verdict. I make this statement under no usual political inclination but as a grounded actor in predictive sciences that has never failed me in business, statistical analysis and political research endeavors.
I have used many variables to reach this conclusion. Should Mugara lose, as a democrat I will salute him and his party with dignity, but then will retire from blog politics and my business. Instead, will enter active politics which has never been on my calendar beyond blogging during free times.
But I vow MMD victory in Kasama is undebatable.
Name: Senior Citizen | Country of residence: Zambia | Written: Friday, 16 October 2009 (15:39)
21001Someone has asked “Hello Mr Senior Citizen-are you going to retire from blogging” Quote
ANSWER
I’m a man of my words.
YOUR A F@CKIN LIAR!
#15.
And you believed that! development in 90 days when voted into power. You must be a dreamer. Digging a borehole in Munali has taken five years and not yet completed and you blame not being in power. Just like GK said most of Copperbelt and Lusaka constituencies have no representation in parliament. They just don’t know how and where to lobby for developmental funds – govt, donors and corporate world. The voters in These two provinces must wake up and vote wisely. Seeking a change in the calibre of PF candidates both presidential & parliamentary is not wise at all.
Poverty and UBUTUTU are sins. Zedians rescue yourselves from these dirty acts slapped upon you by no one else except your docility and lack of self will. Why should development be attached to a political party? govt is bigger than any political party and must be separate. But alas, thieves in the coats of chiluba, katele, boniface nonde, stella, the list is long but suffice to say that even the one who bought manda mandas is included have completely run down Zambia. Redeem your selves and cleanse your souls all you zedians or else you will continue wallowing in dire poverty and no one will come to your aid.WORK HARD. This is what has put the great countries on the top notch economically, not political rantings where you see promissory development after 5 years. u mean all these years MMD
its so true ..people of Lusaka were misled to think that pf would change the city..it has gone to worst from worse..they have totally failed us..we need to change..viva real change!
the 2 MPs look like boys..no wonder they are quoting homos and gays ..hahahaha
Mumbi Phiri has done nothing, hence she deserves nothing in regards to votes this year, together with her black cobra uncle satamania
Kwena bana Mayo aba bafiko, Fiko ifi sure. Please Mumbi and jean change your wardrobe.
Most if not all MMD parliamentarians have done exeptionary well in there constituencies. Have have seen there developmental projects in there areas shown by ZNBC. If you only read the post newspaper you cant see what the MMD is doing. Membe is and has always been a prophet of doom.
if mps and councils have no say in development, then lets get rid of them