By Noel Lumbama
In the modern world we enjoy an assortment of ring tones from different brands of phones giving us the pleasure of listening to different melodies. Like the different ring tones, the Zambian people are diversely mixed but with a common agenda. Today as we enter a new dawn with PF at the helm of power, we have tuned to a special ring tone of change. We have said that PF is a better option for us. H.E. President Michael Chilufya Sata and his team have been given a mandate to govern us.
Change has taken place in Zambia and in situations of change; resistance and differing opinions are imminent. This is why in the early hours of PF in power there has been criticism. Those quick in criticizing the new government are simply resisting change and in a matter of time will realize the importance of this change to the country. Those who have accepted this change are hopeful that finally the problems faced by the country will be given the due attention. It is however, important for us to remember that differing opinions are key to democracy as they ensure good governance as long as they are constructive. We stand to serve the country better if we say and do things that encourage progress in the country.
What we need to do right now is to provide a working environment and support that the new administration will need to effectively work. This environment includes giving the team time and space. It also means that those of us appointed to serve in this new administration need to commit ourselves to working hard. Just as the commitment that the President and his PF team have so far shown us. PF has been able to immediately get into serious business because the party comes with a 10-year experience of being an opposition and have kept track of issues for that long.
It is therefore our hope that the Sata administration will reverse the wrongs done to the people of Zambia such as bringing back Zambia Airways and other lost values for the country.
A message to PF is that we look forward to good governance that will result in improved livelihoods. It is in our interest to see an all-inclusive strong economy. The President’s opening speech in parliament is an indication that the new administration understands the cries of the people of Zambia.
We have noted with acknowledgement that the PF leadership is persistent in its pursuits. Let us encourage our new leaders to remain persistent in pursuing growth for the nation and especially fighting the menacing corruption.
We would like to see Zambia become a greater nation where all live in peace and are able to raise families, go to school, access services, conduct business, enjoy the freedom of speech and worship. May God continue blessing Zambia.
Enough of the talks, speeches. Â . . . . Â we want to see action.
nonsense….how can this chap try to trivialise and belittle people’s grievances by saying they are resisting change?
we are the very people that pushed for the change!
what we are resisting is more of the same! more talk and rhetoric being disguised as change is what we are against, what action has really been made so far?
we still have no money in our pockets and have not been informed of any serious policies that will change that for the long term anytime soon!
infact we are still fighting for the change we voted because it is yet to be realised!
some of you have misunderstood change as just having different faces, or harassing former leaders or taking vengeance on enemies…how about our suffering??
quite alright we have changed the tenants of plot one, and they in turn have changed the faces of leadership in our nation…but really is that what we voted?
no!!! we voted for policies, action, money, stability and better lives.
the first lady is riding around in a vehicle worth K10 billion screaming change, people are still sleeping in corridors at UTH, money is being spent to pay breached contracts, fuel is cheaper by K400, miners are being fired…their really isnt any change, nothing drastic and new has been accomplished!
we want to hear that more scholarships have been approved, that free education has been launched, that fuel is cheaper by K3500, that electricity bills are being slashed by half, that villages are now electrified, thats the real change we want..not promises
what is being done about the drainage problem in lusaka?
so far all we have been told is a very shady single sourcing procurement contract worth K5 billion was undertaken by the LCC to buy new refuse collection equipment….all that money really? and through single sourcing without budgeting?
we want proper planning and accountability…not a gov’t of response…when disaster strikes they try to respond….Lusaka compounds will again be flooded this year yet we have had time for planning.
How many speeches have we heard so far???
chachilamo! we want action, we want money and mind you we are not happy that now that people have been given power, the first action is to become comfortable and attack enenmies
Only MMD and UPND are resisting change. So far so good!
Dandy Krazy among those honoured. Donchi Kubeba wilalilalila Shhhhhhhh!
To all critics, kindly give the new administration a chance. You want change overnight! Common folks! Not even in the US would things change overnight.
Good article….can`t agree more.
Well articulated article.
Reminiscent of 1991. We have been through this before. The under 5s may not have been there. The PF better start planning for a successor because there is going to be a difficult power struggle ahead.
The Saint bring it on you loner. I hear rats are jumping ship to join the Boat. Where is your friend maestro Pwenke Pwenke? And, oh Capitalist and Bootlicker?Â
what zambia went through wa not change but a replacement of the same old leadership.
Change takes time. And money. So you have to have time to make the money and time to implement policies and plans. Give the new govt time to prove themselves.
HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT SATA I AM WISHING YOU BEST WISHES ON OUR 47TH INDEPENDENCE DAY, MAY ZAMBIA PROSPER UNDER YOUR GOOD LEADERSHIP FREE OF CORRUPTIONS AND MAY YOU LIVE A LONG HEALTHY LIFE,MR PRESDENT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BRING VERNON MWANGA TO FACE THE WRATH OD LAW FOR RIGGING ZAMBIAN ELECTIONS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AND ALSO PUNISH DORA SILIYA AND WILLIAM TEKERE BANDA FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE. LONG LIVE BA SATA AND VIVA PF.
I was not happy @ zamtel many years ago ,i left ,if you are not happy with PF ,ZAMBIA is so rich with many rivers and hungry hippos ,go jump in zambezi,kafue or even ka kwacha river
@ Pretty: You are not pretty. How do you think like a chicken. How much action do you want. The man is acting every day and you demand more. Be careful with what you wish for.
I beg to differ with the statement suggesting that those who are criticising the new leadership are doing so simply because the are resisting change. This is simply not true and the author has to take note that this Government has, by it’s own deeds, given us more enough to talk and criticise. Not because they are new, but because of Mr Sata’s tendencies that were well documented even before to took office. Personally, i wanted change and would have voted MMD but for RB contesting the Presidency. That Man lost is standing the moment he stood shoulder to shoulder with Chiluba and any well meaning Zambian should have questioned that just as many did. So far this Gvmt hasn’t offered any real policies, with the exception of Hon Luo, and all we see is witch hunting and firing of individuals.
I have never been more proud of my british passport. I originally got it to avoid the hussle of repeated visa applications but now i am loving it.
In as much as everyone agrees that change takes time and money, you can not blame anyone when the head of state has without thought, publicly made claims that people will see change in 90 days. And no sooner has he been in office for 24hrs, he starts renaming public places and firing individuals under the ruse of fighting corruption, add the countless and embarassing blunders that we’ve witnessed. But the gullible, including the author, continue to believe that its only a matter of time before we see the light at the end of the tunnel (90 days). To them, all the firing are justified and for all to see that its cleaning up corruption. Never a thought of vindictive behaviour even in the absence of tangible evidence. Any differing option is simply dismissed as MMD or UPND support. Wake up!!!
A well written article if you ask me. The author has done a good job to present a cut and clear analysis of the post election era. He is imposing his views on anyone, he is rather trying to look at things from a common perspective to which every Zambian can easily relate.
As someone else remarked, we may not always see eye to eye but at least we can sometimes agree to disagree. After all we all want the best for our country.
correction: he is NOT imposing his views..
Pliz lets gv Sata and his PF government a chance.Hw does 1 expect change of things in less than 30 days?Lets think reasonably,PF will do wonders if well supported,I wonder what pipo still want.
Stop crying like little children!! begin to work, if you thought money will get itself in your pocked you are fooling yourself. The first important thing we have done together is change the faces, the second should change our attitude from laziness to hard working other wise we die of hunger. Zambia will never again to back to humanism where even amalofwa (unemployed) used to be paid. Thats a old system that can never apply now, that why we Zambias are lazy, we were taught to eat free things. My friend to be independent is to have your own power as a person who can effect things with little dependance on others. If you expect the economy of Zambia to boom within 90 day you must be a fool coz that depends heavily on many things, the least being the Budget. Lets wake from our sleep people
I am not PF but i support any effort to better the living standards of the Zambian people. I have read the ‘article’ above and while some people have applauded it, i can not make sense out of it. The writer was just writing without saying anything. All well meaning Zambians want to see development and the PF is in the driving seat. What is disappointing is that the PF is still campaigning instead of governing. Too much rhetoric without action, meanwhile time is moving. Let PF leaders talk less and act more otherwise, they will fail to beat even RB`s record who was in office for less than four years. We are soon approaching 90 days and nothing has been done worthy looking. MMD will prove to be a better party in two years time when reality sets in.
I cant agree more that those criticising everything the govt is doing haven’t accepted change.
well articulated analysis, lets indeed give president Sata and PF a chance to deliver and they will be judged accordingly.
Change to some is bitter because they ve lost ease contracts, free sponsorship, quick money and when you talk about change, it’s like salt to the wound. Most of the bloggers never visted Zambia and see how much corruption was exibited. Whether replacement, change or what ever… we are proud we have new GOVT setting new ways of doing bussiness.
Let’s give Sata the benefit of doubt for 90 days :-)
Good article. The only thing missing is the part where we talk about our own contribution as citizens beyond just giving the government space. We must also work. Things take time and effort. To just expect the government to do everything is to be blind to the larger picture of reality. Corruption and theft happen also in companies and in civil service offices, by we the common people. Stealing stationary or gadgets from the office, teachers hiding school books so that they can make more money from private lessons, thereby lowering the standards of education in the schools, and limiting the number of those who can access available books, bankers (cashiers) who cash your pay check as though they were doing you a favour and not their job, expecting a tip to “speed up the process” …
… teachers impregnating pupils, citizens not making any efforts to improve their capacity to contribute because they feel justified to milk a relative who has made some progress (I dont judge those who have no choice, or are working hard but need some help.), policemen accepting to take your fifty pin to their pocket and letting you go instead of fining you two hundred and fifty pin that should go to the state coffers, with a receipt issued, and you the citizen who agrees to such an arrangement, or even proposes it,,,, And so on and so forth. Point being, the government has a job to do, and so do we the citizens. the guy at passport office, we bribe him/her to buy our birth-right, yet we do not report him/her because we feel he/she did us a favour…
We should stop accepting being bribed or being made to pay a bribe. We must stop seeing that as normal, as just the way we get by. And we should realise how silly it really is too expect the government or anyone to change so many things already just in one month. It is a process, of which we should be thankful that finally, it has began.
in as much as we want to be proud of being zambians, we workers of zampost are not. we are suffering becoz of our managing director who gives us 130pin as lunch allowance, practice nepotsim, pay us 120 to 180pin as over night allowance. give us 5percent increament, and yet bot a lexus toyota 4by4 at 900million . he fires workers at will. please ba sata fire this man before workers stage a strike. we need to be freed. working 4 a chinese is beta than working under this man
PF is slowly being killed, I hear Kavindele is about to defect? Has that MMD hoodlum who craved to rape someone joined PF??