By Rev K.Kaoma
Mr. President, I am exceedingly disappointed that we are now lining up for mealie-meal in our nation. I find it extremely discourteous that Vice President Mr. Guy Scott had the guts to blame the shortages on millers while other PF officials blamed it on opposition leaders.
Your Excellency, I grew up under the Kaunda UNIP regime when shortages of basic needs were a norm. I remember waking up at mid-night in order to line up for mealie-meal at various milling companies in Mansa. I have always dreaded those days and never imagined that I would witness it again in my life-time but was wrong.
I was highly critical of the reigns of your predecessors due to excessive corruption and hard and irresponsible economic policies that characterized their leaderships. But as bad as they turned out, they did everything possible to provide mealie- meal and other basic goods to Zambians who could afford to pay for them. It is shameful that you seem to be taking us back to the UNIP era. Do you want to be remembered as the President who brought back “long lines” in Zambia and then blamed it all on the opposition?
Mr. President, how can you explain your administration’s failure to buy all agriculture produce across the nation, to pay farmers on time, water shortages at University Teaching Hospital, and now the shortage of mealie -meal in the nation? How about the reduction in the transmission radius for UNZA Radio, your love for the Public Order Act, the failure to address the street vendors’ situation in the nation, and of course your chaotic handling of the Barotseland issue? I realize that your Party’s answer is the same – blame it all on the opposition.
[pullquote]when the MMD government came into power in 1991 – to which you were a part, the country was almost bankrupt. Inflation, shortages of basic commodities, and a debt of US$7.2 billion were among the many challenges the MMD government had to address. But your situation is different. Zambia has made great strides in agriculture and other economic activities. All you have to do is to provide visionary leadership and the country will follow[/pullquote]
Sir, PF is not the only party to govern under multi-party politics. MMD under Mwanawasa and Banda governed under similar conditions. Regardless of their shortfalls, these administrations took responsibility for their actions and failed policies. This is not the case with you. It is just arrogance or have you developed presidential amnesia, usually associated with State House? During your 10 year in opposition, you were a fierce critic of MMD policies. You courageously stood with exploited workers in the nation to an extent that President Mwanawasa once demanded your arrest. When the Banda administration shot at innocent citizens in Mongu, you stood in solidarity with the victims of state violence. Your solidarity won you crucial popularity in Barotseland – the vote that helped deliver State House to PF. Such are the politics of opposition. So why are you now whining whenever opposition leaders do the same?
May be you understand the politics of opposition better than governance. The truth is, you are no longer the leader of the opposition party but the President of Zambia. We expect you to direct and negotiate the terrains of multi-party democracy. Least you forget the opposition will not help PF win popularity in the nation. Neither are they expected to agree with you on every matter of governance. Such a possibility is only conceivable in one-party rule and not in multi-party democracy which strives on compromises and negotiations. Here your negotiating and not bullying skills will play an important role. The opposition will only compromise with you if they know that they risk being perceived as obstructionists – which is not the case today. I know you expect them to blindly follow your directions like your cronies in PF. But if they do so, how are they going to make a case for your replacement to the electorate?
[pullquote]the opposition will not help PF win popularity in the nation. Neither are they expected to agree with you on every matter of governance. Such a possibility is only conceivable in one-party rule..The opposition will only compromise with you if they know that they risk being perceived as obstructionists – which is not the case today[/pullquote]
My former headmaster at Kawambwa Boys Technical School, Mr. Kawesha used to convey us to “use commonsense although it was not very common.” Of course, commonsense tells me that you can only arrive at your final destination if you know it. In political terms, you can’t expect to have a good cabinet or administration unless you know where you want to take the nation. It seems to me that you lack a clear vision for the nation. This has made it impossible for you to find capable individuals to help you govern. No doubt you inherited MMD corruption but you have had many months to put your house in order. Your trial and error form of governance is responsible for the current state of affairs.
You don’t need reminding that when the MMD government came into power in 1991 – to which you were a part, the country was almost bankrupt. Inflation, shortages of basic commodities, and a debt of US$7.2 billion were among the many challenges the MMD government had to address. But your situation is somehow different. Zambia has made great strides in agriculture and other economic activities. All you have to do is to provide visionary leadership and the country will follow. We expect the PF administration to deliver farming inputs on time, buy maize and pay farmers on time, supply millers with enough maize and keep street vendors off our streets, and of course address the plight of our retirees among many issues. You have no excuse for current state of affairs in the nation, Mr. President. Please, stop the blame game and start governing. We are counting on you to direct our nation but only if you have a right vision. As the biblical proverb states, “where there is no vision, people perish.”
Iwe chi Reverand walatushupa! ndiwe ndani wamene iwe ai. ichindike sana sana
One correction Kaoma, RB was never corrupt that was a smear campaign Ukwa and his POST mounted to win the elections. Its only poor souls like you who beleived that labishi.
OK, tell me what he stole if you have any proof, the lexus car Kaseba is driving? or the hotels in Malawi and Tanzania which we now know are non existant?
Iwe! Explain how his wife came to have a billion smackers in her account and countless buildings in and around the SADAC region in just 5 years on a teacher’s salary? You are the one that is blind.
And what evidence do you have that your corrupt ex president was not corrupt? I’m sure you benefited a lot from his corrupt with his children, and you regret a lot that you fortunes are slowly going down, you *****.
iwe ka#1 its u n yo sata who is suppose to do that ala,sha!
ichailenifye …. lol
Dream On reverand of Lucifer. Go to hell with your confusion. Dont breed anarchy in zambia. Sha! comeout in the open. why hide
Ba Reverend,go and preach salvation.Your letter is full of hate,not constructive and has not given us any solutions.You can not blame the president but the governing system.Thats why we need a good constitution.
Reverend, you have hit the nail on the head!!! Very few Zambian are able to criticize the president. Please keep it
You think he preaches to trees that dont eat? some ignorant chaps! you have been brain washed to think preachers are only confined to the pulpit but alas, the same pulpit is the place were political leaders are annointed so trying to marginalize the church you dig your own deep bottomless pit
very true indeed…..this blame game is going out of hand now…Yesterday it was the opposition want to keill the president,today the opposition are cuasing water shortage at UTH and tomorow the opposition are causing mealie meal shortages…what cant u arrest them them…one thing i know for is that “SABOTAGE TO THE ECONOMY IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE and deliberately creating artificial shortage of comodities amount to sabotage
Great article!!
Very good observation but one thing am very sure about is that this man will definately deliver.Good observation rev.
Iwe Reverend Kaoma sela tubombeko!!!! Sporadic mealie meaql shortages have always been there, except they dont last. These are artifical shortages caused by either greedy millers hoping to force Government, through FRA to sell them maize cheapily and this is being sorted out. Find some other issues to write your erratic letters to the President. Are you kind of men of God who have habit of marrying and divorcing from among your flock?????
Let the man express himself, these are serious issues raised here……….
Yes, they dont last. This one has lasted. What does that say about your intelligence Mr. Bonehead?
It is true, the man has failed.
#4 I totally agree with you…… but also agree with him but government should rather be positive minded than play blame game….this is modern politics where even a villager seem to have some understanding of government responsibility so rather they detail to us corrective measure to be taken as they claim to have suggested we had bumper harvest so where is the shortage coming from…clearly to some extreme VP would be right too but we want solution kwasila mwe
The current situation is really bad. And this game of blaming the opposition on each and every negative thing will never help the rulling party, instead, they should wake up and do they work. I think PF and POST performed better while in opposition.
Walasa article, UKwa has no direction, zooooona one year yapita munthu is not even addresing the nation on which direction he is taking, yashupa bamudala and boza yapakisa
thats the more reason this country is ever going backwards.No clear policy from the government.We spend more time blaming each other at the expense of developing.I am yet to hear Obama blame George bush for his failures.Lets walk the talk.
Rev. Kaoma, you should care more for people’s souls more than their stomachs, oh I forgot, the more money people have the larger 10% means for you right?
Souls wont live without a full stomach, you moron!
Little Paul, you are emotional, is daddy a pastor? Taxing Zambians an extra 10%? Shame on you.
And where are the Catholic priests who speak 4the poor??? Is it true they speak or they spoke 4the underprivileged??? So quiet 2de just bcoz their saint is ruling??? Father Bwalya, are u still chewing thoz chickens u killed pama rallies??? Shame shame and shameeeeeee!!!!!!! We suffered a lot during Chilubaz tym and his fello is in state house, mealie meal shortages all over!!!! Humble yoselves and consult where need be, not the arrogance of Kabimba and Bob Sichinga or watever the sir name is…. Lets be real PF need to be pushed to work, not praising them owez for nothng!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow!
What do you expect from a mentally retarded man like Ukwa? My continues going out for HH the great son of our soils who will bring transformation in the lives of many Zambians. Thanks Rev for the good article.
Is this Fr. Frank Bwalya disguising himself as Rev. Kaoma? Just checking!
Iwe ka Rev. Father.. DR.. Kaoma. whichever applies to you…you are busy criticizing from far while enjoy Obama free meals in the USA… Walitumpa sana.. come back and show you true patrotism… your relative are the lead simagolers in your village which is no president ‘s fault. The problem is Congo lacking leadership to stir the country to prosperity… hence depending on Zambia..
If PF and President Sata heed the advice given at the end of the day they and not the Rev will be the heroes. The job PF has is easier than MMD had in 1991 and if they deliver Zambia will be forever grateful
Lovely! Word of Wisdom!!!!!!!! Let him who has ears hear!
Those who dont agree with the aticle we are lining up with them in queues to by mealie meal, the only good part is, even the suppoter of this faillier are suffering only few are enjoing.
uuli na matwi yakumfwa naomfwe
Well spoken Rev. baya sana bafikala baketa, nabafilwa , no buyantanshi
Hey guys lets go to BBC African football in numbers and vote for Chris Katongo for African Footballer of the year 2012. There are only 5 shortlisted names and results will be announced on Dec 13, 2012. Let us not allow our friends outvote our man! You can vote on BBC African Football page or send a text message The winner will be decided by African football fans, who have until 1830 GMT on Thursday, 13 December to vote for their choice.
“You can either vote via this page or by sending an SMS from your phone to +44 7786 20 50 75:
Text 1 for Demba Ba
Text 2 for Younes Belhanda
Text 3 for Didier Drogba
Text 4 for Christopher Katongo
Or Text 5 for Yaya Toure”
I will vote for Demba, coz his names sounds like he is Tonga……..
Seriously, there is no serious shortage of mealie meal as even yesterday, some policemen impounded a truck load of mealie meal heading into Congo DR. What the Zambian goverment needs is to enforce this Congo DR border with millitary personnel and issue a statutory instrument against exporting mealie meal. This will stop all the mealie meal smugglers conniving with millers to export mealie meal to Congo DR for supernormal profits. We have to ensure that the military personnel at the border are spread out on all roads, including small dust roads leading to Kasumbalesa and Mukambo border posts. The Congolese should not try the patience of the Zambians by taking our food as they wage wars and dance to rhumba with no agriculture activity in their country. Just my suggestion!
Kaoma, the game is over. Just sit down and study the trend and you will see that your article is full of rubbish. Why is the shortage of mealie meal on prevalent in Chingola/Chillilabombwe. Take a trip and investigate. Am just from Chingola and the situation I found on Saturday has been reversed. The stuff is now all over the place. Kaoma you want the president to man the boader/ Afterall even some of your fellow clergy are ivolved in the smuggling of mealie mael into Congo. This is not the first time this has happened. We have seen it crop up from time to time. Ba UPND 2016 is very far for you to start taking stupidy advantage of the situation.
There is no mealie meal shortage on the Copperbelt. Everyone complaining is just from the opposition. Sour Grapes.
Good free advice from the reverend, i hope and pray that Mr. Sata will take heed and the blame game should come to an end, we fought very hard for multipartism and no one should be allowed to rob this country of our cherished democracy.
Ba Kaoma tekenyeni tumone.! What are doing for Zambia yourself, other than collecting tithe from your congregation and living well off of it?
I used to love this chishi mapepo now it looks like he has started overdoing it.Taikwete amano iwe.
I used to love this chishi mapepo now it looks like he has started overdoing it.Taukwete amano iwe.
Yamunyokola njala Reverend
Bauze mbuya…………..ndeloleshafye……..
The reverend is spot-on
This gvt is the worst ever including the bloody president
Ba Rev seleni tubombeko! You only focused on the negatives and ignored all the positive things PF has achieved so far!.
PF are failures. It is a problem of a warped vision. PF is more concerned with entrenching nepotism and tribalism than bettering the entire nation. Sata is not a National leader. He is a tribal warload!
Naimwe ba PF balisela kale bombenifye!!!!!! Stop being defensive
What good has the pf done apart from creating districts everyday they r just buying time these burgers
God Bless you Rev. All remains in the hands of the President of the beautiful land of Zambia to pick that which he can learn from this observation. “My people perish because of lack of knowledge and vision.”.. My advise to His Excellency MCS is that let him be a good and humble listener, for he is a father to the whole nation and not PF alone. God bless the President and our beloved Country Zambia for us to fly like a noble Eagle… Shalom.