ZAMBIA: WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this morning’s press conference. Yesterday, the nation laid to rest 18 innocent people who died in yet another road traffic accident when the minibus they were travelling in collided with a truck along the Kabwe road. We offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved families and pray for those that are still recovering from their injuries. This incident again reminds us of our frailty as human beings.
The Bible points out that our lives are but a mist. None of us knows when our turn will come to answer the Lord’s call. As a son who lost a mother in a road accident in 2008, I know the pain that the families of the victims of this tragic event will be going through. These avoidable deaths should urge us not towards the edge of despair, but towards an appreciation of the responsibilities we bear as citizens of a nation that claims to follow Christ.
A nation that has been the envy of the continent in the way it has managed transition of power from one regime to another. A nation blessed with abundance in land, water, natural resources, and indeed our most treasured and greatest resource – our people.
We have so much and yet so many live in despair. We have an amazing chance to make great strides in our development and yet we continuously seek the path that leads to mediocrity and neglect. Abraham Lincoln, that famous son of America, once said:
“The legitimate object of government is to do for the people what needs to be done but which they cannot by individual effort do at all or do so well for themselves”.
Our direction as a nation is as much dependent on what the government can be expected to do for us as it is on what we can be expected to do for ourselves. Although many may not yet fully realise it, Zambia is facing a political, social and economic crisis.
We have no official roadmap for a constitution-making process that has gobbled billions of rebased kwacha, our second highest ranked Government official stands accused of inappropriate and undiplomatic language against our biggest trading partner in Africa, public order laws continue to be applied selectively to silence and intimidate the Opposition, laws continue to be amended and altered without adequate stakeholder consultation creating uncertainty and deterring inward and external investment, the energy crisis continues unabated with load-shedding now a standard feature in the majority of the homes of those lucky enough to have electricity, stories of untold misery in health institutions around the country continue to shape the lives of ordinary citizens, traffic accidents claiming multiple lives seem now to occur with greater regularity than ever before.
And all the while, our Government is playing with people’s lives by promoting unnecessary expenditure through avoidable by-elections. To make matters worse, our Government has taken the radical step of removing the subsidy on fuel without taking any responsible steps to contain the enormous and unnecessary expenditure and abuse of taxpayer resources that is taking place every day at the expense of our development.
While there may indeed be reasons for the removal of the subsidy on our fuel, we question the legitimacy of this action by the PF administration when nothing is being done to reduce the enormous waste of resources that continues to drain funds that would be better spent on development. Why remove the subsidy before putting your expenditure priorities in the right order? Why are you still accepting defections from the Opposition in Parliament when you know this will put a strain on our national finances? We ask those members of parliament from Solwezi East and Feira that have abandoned the parties on whose tickets they were elected to examine their consciences.
[pullquote]Why are you still accepting defections from the Opposition in Parliament when you know this will put a strain on our national finances? We ask those members of parliament from Solwezi East and Feira that have abandoned the parties on whose tickets they were elected to examine their consciences.[/pullquote]
We ask them to think long and hard about setting an example of selfless leadership. Mr. Taima, Mr. Ngoma: you and I are supposed to represent a new generation of thinkers. You and I both know you were not elected to defect. You and I know that you were elected to serve your constituents; to ensure that the underprivileged in the areas you campaigned so hard in, could have a chance at a decent life. Each of you comes from a constituency in which many have to walk miles to seek medical attention, where our men, women and youth have to spend backbreaking hours scratching the land to make a living.
Misery upon misery has been piled upon the poor and underprivileged in our land and while politicians continue to bicker and fight, their problems only become worse. We urge the PF administration to get its house in order and stop treating their development responsibility as a political weapon. Every area has the right to development and not just areas with a PF member of parliament.
We must reclaim our country and redeem it from the circus it is fast becoming. Only yesterday, another MMD Member of Parliament resigned. We are all responsible for taking such action as is necessary to make our nation better in each of our communities.
We urge every concerned Zambian to get involved now in shaping the future of Zambia. Not tomorrow, not even this afternoon or this evening but now. Let us not be responsible for the failure of our state. Let us not allow the PF administration the freedom to apply resources as they deem fit against the wishes of the people.
My urgent appeal goes directly to our Republican President.
[pullquote]Demonstrate that you are as committed to reducing unnecessary government expenditure as you are to saving money by removing the fuel subsidy. You can start by reducing the bloated cabinet you promised to fight while you were in Opposition.[/pullquote]
We urge you President Sata and your Patriotic Front administration to live up to your Party name and act patriotic. If Mr. Taima’s seat has not yet been declared vacant by the Speaker of the National Assembly, reach out to the Opposition in Parliament to rescind this decision. Reject any further attempts to join your ranks through unnecessary by-elections.
This means not allowing Mr. Justin Chishiba who is intending to resign from the MMD to cause yet another waste of resources meant for development. Have a heart for the people on whose backs you rode to power and on whose minds you planted your promises.
Demonstrate that you are as committed to reducing unnecessary government expenditure as you are to saving money by removing the fuel subsidy. You can start by reducing the bloated cabinet you promised to fight while you were in Opposition.
Our country cannot afford the cost and inefficiency of having 41 deputy ministers with an average of 2 deputy ministers per ministry, costing us billions in salaries, remuneration and support costs every month. Why would the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce , Home Affairs, Local Government and Housing, Transport, Works, Supply and Communication each need 3 deputy ministers?
For the sake of our politics, for the sake of our people and for the sake of posterity – our future generations, we urge you to refrain from ruining our future.
My final appeal goes to every Zambian that truly cares for this country. Get involved now. Make a difference. Join our effort to restore our nation to the place that God always intended for it to be.
I thank you and may God’s grace be with you all.
5 May 2013
Should start by paying back the tax payers’ money that was used when you travelled to Brazil inUkwa’s company.
well written article! But chipimo before you tell off Taima and Ngoma, you also, that money you and your uncle in state used to go and relax on the brazilian beaches was meant for poor…
You cannot judge Chipimo on the Brazilian trip, he has more to offer to ordinary Zambians . Let me realistic and not judge Chipimo on a single trip.
Any level headed person wil agree that you cannot judge someone’s character on one incident. He is the future clever, humble and has a heart for the people.
They all say nice things before they get into power. We’ve seen this time and again. FTJ sweet talked us into privatization and we’ve never recovered.
ok.sounds good.lets hope its not mere rhetoric as usual
Wow, and our president??? Will he issue and inspiring statement like the above? Come on man of action. Talk to the nation.
CORRECTION MANDINGO ITS “MAN OF NO ACTION”. HIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED. GEORGE CHELLAH TELL YOUR BOSS TO START PACKING. ITS HIGHLY UNACCEPTABLE TO CHEAT YOUR OWN PEOPLE LIKE THIS. THE ARTICLE ABOVE IS VERY CORRECT. THIS MAN HAS NO HEART FOR THE POOR.
CORRECTION MANDINGO ITS “MAN OF NO ACTION”. HIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED. GEORGE CHELLAH TELL YOUR BOSS TO START PACKING. ITS HIGHLY UNACCEPTABLE TO CHEAT YOUR OWN PEOPLE LIKE THIS. THE ARTICLE ABOVE IS VERY CORRECT. THIS MAN HAS NO HEART FOR THE POOR.
CORRECTION MANDINGO ITS “MAN OF NO ACTION”. HIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED. GEORGE CHELLAH TELL YOUR BOSS TO START PACKING. ITS HIGHLY UNACCEPTABLE TO CHEAT YOUR OWN PEOPLE LIKE THIS. THE ARTICLE ABOVE IS VERY CORRECT. THIS MAN HAS NO HEART FOR THE POOR.
Chipimo pliz spare us your nonsense! Didn’t you promise not to criticise the govt? Lets see you practice politics of development kaili! Your ka small arrest has made you changes specs!
When did he promise not to criticize government? That’s what that opposition is there for you dog to criticize when things are pear shaped so that government steps up.
Chipimo be reminded that Ukwa was put on this earth for a purpose. And one purpose only. Elections! Ukwa lives for elections. Without elections he is as good as dead. So please don’t deny him the oxygen of his life.
Let us all raise our glasses and make a Patriotic toast to : More Elections!
I like this, sounds funny yet so true!
wena wena wena Concalves…hahahahahahah! ka niti yetezi!!!
So very true, you only see him energised at by-election campaigns….mention press conference and he sends his inexperienced PA Chellah to issue statements.
Ba Concave its “elections” not Sata’s survives through erection.
Another strategy to make a name who is young to follow your gimmick!
I hope Zambians now see we only have one hope for the future….Chipimo. Sata and PF are clueless. Ati patriotic? show us the patriotism
you see future in chipimo?what future let him start by paying back the taxpayers money he used to buy suits and specks in brazil !otherwise i see no difference betwn cnp, nawakwi and chipimo, they all remind me of headless chickens.kaunda,chiluba & chanda chimba iii warned you,look at the mess yu gat yaself into.
you see future in chipimo?what future let him start by paying back the taxpayers money he used to buy suits and specks in brazil !otherwise i see no difference betwn cnp, nawakwi and chipimo, they all remind me of headless chickens.
I agree with broc lesnar, he just forgot another thief whole stole money through privatisation, this ma called HH. These chaps are good before you elect them but when in power they are terrible. Elias,s party leaders were fired for stealing from his ka small party. Who else could be stealing. I would say Elias himself. So i dont agree with this ka emotion press address which has no substance apart from ranting woth no practical solution.
Mr chipimo if you continue addressing Zambians in english you are going no where.
Speak to Zambians the Fr Bwalya language.
On by-elections i am not with you sir, but on other issues spot on sir. For by-elections its not the fault of PF but the opposition MPs who are trecking to PF. Why should PF be feared so ?? Even when PF was in opposition the MMD RB wouldnt want a by-election with PF? Why is it so? Does it mean that PF is so strong that it should be feared like this? Sir Chipimo, its infact your chance to showcase your election prowess. Go and campaign so that you scoop the seat period.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Chipimo cannot win an election. Once again, People want to turn a deaf ear and close their eyes from the truth. UPND and HH are better placed to run government now than NAREP and Chipimo.
All this about defections and by-elections sounds well and good, but is this not a democracy? Swallow that.
democracy my foot! in a democracy you dont arrest people for addressing peaceful meetings,this country has unfortunately been taken back to unip days, reminds me more of dinosaurs & museums,actually the current leadership should have been in a museum somewhere i suggest lstone!
Wnats the time now plizi
Chipimo: it’s by-election galore. Go for it president Chipimo, don’t you want to have at least one NAREP representative in parliament: Solwezi, Feira and, the very latest, Kafulafuta, is it not?
Defections, as much as i hate defectors can’t be blamed on PF, but the unprincipled opposition, it all comes, as we have said before to the politics of the stomach, in Africa iam afraid, it is about self, not serving people or taking a stand on what you believe in. I am sure there are many MPs in the opposition right now, who would like to cross over for dear MANNA!
Where are you going iwe wine?
This Guy is presidential material. The type that this country lacking! Chipimo didn’t make a mistake going to Brazil, I don’t see anything wrong with what he did! He went there as an opposition leader from Zambia, not a cadre!!!!
Iwe, he went as a cadre, remember the praises he was showering PF because of what he thought were favours from PF when HH and NM were being arrested and frustrated by the regime. Until his small arrest last week, then he starts to see wrong in PF and then you say Presidential material…my foot. This is another *****, who has been looking for PF favours. Get lost!!!!
Thumbs up Elias, come 2016 you have my vote!!!!!!
It will be a wasted vote……….
Broc lesnar….Chipimo could still afford expensive suits and spec because he was a succesful corporate lawyer before he joined politics. He is not poor bearing in mind.that he is still.a partner by his law firm. Therefore all the money the.law form makes he still.gets a share as a major shareholder.
Please do judge him by episode of hids life, there is more to life than Rio.
democracy my foot! in a democracy you dont arrest people for addressing peaceful meetings,this country has unfortunately been taken back to unip days, reminds me more of dinosaurs & museums,actually the current leadership should have been in a museum somewhere i suggest lstone!
I agree wholeheartedly on everything else Chipimo Jnr has said except on by-elections. To expect PF not to accept defections from any opposition party is to pretend that politics is a game of “sanctified religious rituals” (such as: Thou shall not covert they neighbor’s wife, they neighbors maid, etc.)—which they NOT!
Politics is a game of numbers and praying on your opponent’s weaknesses. UPND is also doing the same thing to MMD even though UPND is also in the opposition. I am sure MMD would be doing the same thing if they were in PF’s shoes. In fact, MMD acted the same way when PF was in opposition and MMD needed the numbers in Parliament to ram through their defunct Constitution shenanigans. This is the game that is played in politics the world over.
continue from @Yambayamba above…
Yes, we can appeal to the good conscious of the MPs and the political parties to fully exam their actions and its effect on our meager financial resource before they defect or quit. But that is only hope and faith (which are kind of religious principles) that they will do the right thing. Unfortunately, in politics religious dogmas rarely work!
At the moment MMD is weak and PF and UPND are enjoying the pickings. MMD itself has made this process very easy for their opponents. Firstly, I see no value or reason why MMD leadership has stack with Rupiah Banda (who should have retired by now.) Rupiah’s heart is not fully with MMD.
continue @Yambayamba…
He never renounced is UNIP membership before taking up the leadership role in MMD so he really does not care what happens to the biggest opposition party he belongs to. RB at the moment does not see a savior in Nevers Mumba than he sees in Hakainde (remember the comment he made: Awemba ni a crooke manigi!) He thinks HH can save him from his present legal troubles than Mumba can, hence his selling out of MMD to UPND. Of course MMD leadership did not anticipate the hegemonic and cannibalistic tendencies of UPND—now they are seeing the true colors of Hakainde and his big ego.
Ba PF will continue holding bye elections and they have a legitimate right to do so. The only way to overcome this situation is through a new constitution. But as things are right now, they have every right to hold bye election.
Second, RB has betrayed the MMD by forging an “unholy” partnership with Hakainde
continue @Yambayamba…
Hichilema, an act which has dispirited a lot of MMD ardent followers and members. Third, threats of expulsion from the party have left many opposition MPs who want to work with the PF govt to advance development with very limited choices but to defect or quit. And what we are currently witnessing are the fruits of such myopic party policies in the opposition, and not because of PF actions. For what harm does it do to any political party to let your MPs serve in the cabinet? I don’t get it!
continue @Yambayamba…
So, all these problems can’t just be blamed on PF. After all, what these MPs are doing is not against any law and it is their constitutional right. Unless Constitutional mechanisms are put in place to prevent or at least discourage such defections from occurring, this trend is going to continue no matter how expensive it may be—after all, NO ONE SAID DEMOCRACY IS CHEAP!
From the ratings, it seems Mr Chipimo has some supporters. I think he can be a very influential politician if he reached out to voters full time. Distinguish yourself from the dirty pile of politicians, you will undoubtedly be a good President!
They all say nice things before they get into power. We’ve seen this time and again. FTJ sweet talked us into privatization and we’ve never recovered.
Very true. But one thing for sure is that this Guy is a different breed! Comparing him to Sata, Nevas, HH or ba Father Bwalya, you can easily tell that the Guy is an intellect!
democracy my foot! in a democracy you dont arrest people for addressing peaceful meetings,this country has unfortunately been taken back to unip days, reminds me more of dinosaurs & museums,actually the current leadership should have been in a museum somewhere any suggestions ??????
my president, that’s my word and I am sticking to it. u ‘ve got my vote bro, come 2016 i will cast it for you.
PF has to take the biggest blame on these defections, the are behaving very greed
Soon their greed will catch up with them, they need to discourage this politics of the belly.
Would you call this one as press address apart from an emotional talk shared with the press.
1. My question is if NAREP was in power and did not have enough MPs on it’s side yet the opposition who is supposed to work with the Government keep on threatening the Govt in power that if you dont do this for us, then we are going to sabotage the whole budget. What do you expect a Govt in power to do? You dont appoint ministers from the opposition, you are called tribalist. You appoint ministers from the opposition, they are threatened with death and later on they get expelled from their parties thereby derailing the who govt program. So did you Chipimo expect Ba Sata to stay and quiet and cry foul that the opposition is fixing me?
So the by elections cannot be squarely blamed on PF but to a large extent on MMD and UPND. These pseudo parties have gone to extent of trying to hold the govt at ransom. Come on guys, to every story, there are two sides the supply and demand. This situation is like the woman who was caught in the act of it in the bible. The men were quickly trying to demolish her yet the other person she was is not in the story. It’s like she was alone commiting chigololo. Jesus intervened because he knew their wicked hearts. So, the opposition has supplied the by elections through expulsions, death threats etc… and PF has demanded by elections to get in more MPs to avoid being held at ransom.
Unfortunately to trust a kolwestan again is suicidal for the country ,too much power hungry and elitists.Chipimo your minor thesis is good ,i can easily give you a B+ but the problem is that your uncle whom you have addressed it to can’t read he only reads women bums ,lol !!!!!!!!!!Useless Ukwa.
“Kafulafuta Member of Parliament, James Chishiba, announced his defection to the ruling PF today during the press briefing citing bad leadership style being exhibited by party president, Nevers Mumba.” Fact, opposition MPs are running away due to bad leadership in your parties. Don’t expect PF to run your opposition parties which you are willingly forming daily, thogh is your right also. The advice on avoiding bye elections is good but unfortunately it is directed at wrong players PF & opposition MPs instead of Opposition political leaders & voters who are fueling it. Why are parties being formed daily if there is turmoil in Zed. South Africa is not a trading partner but imperialist. How many Zed companies are in RSA & how many RSA companies are in Zed, does SAFA camp in Zed? But FAZ.
Truth be told, All defectors are after money. When you look at PF Closely its insufficient hence the reason to entice greedy chaps like Namulambe, Masumba, Taima ,Chishiba and other bootlickers. Sata Has the pontential to deliver except he has willingly allowed the same corrupt system he initiated while in MMD to work to his advantage. Its more on who has money to offload than Party leadership or structure. Just a quick reminder, didn’t these guys insult Sata when they were busy licking tax payers money under RB? or Why would you adopt someone who is yet to learn your systems at the exepense of your royal members you suffered with to see off RB? Fili ekotuleya
Clearly EC has a head on his shoulders. He is an intellectual. We need a leader as President in Zambia. Someone with foresight. Someone with a good plan to take the country forward. We need a fresh mind in power, we are tired of politics of old. EC you have my vote come 2016.
Well Written Chipimo is right, WE CAN NOT HAVE MPs defecting just because they don’t want to pay their loans. Unacceptable and as young Zambians we should truly claim back our country, these old FOX will finish our economy; they have very few years to live. It will be the Youth and Young to safer. THE PF HABIT OF ACCEPTING OPPOSITION DEFECTORS SHOULD BE CONDEMNED. These BY-ELECTIONS ARE AN EXPENSE TO OUR COUNTRY, YET WE HAVE PEOPLE DYING IN HOSPITALS BECAUSE OF LACK MEDICATION. MR President????? Show us your commitment to changing Zambia than just building your PF Empire. VERY SAD.
Well Written Chipimo is right, WE CAN NOT HAVE MPs defecting just because they don’t want to pay their loans. Unacceptable and as young Zambians we should truly claim back our country, these old FOX will finish our economy; they have very few years to live. It will be the Youth and Young to safer. THE PF HABIT OF ACCEPTING OPPOSITION DEFECTORS SHOULD BE CONDEMNED. These BY-ELECTIONS ARE AN EXPENSE TO OUR COUNTRY, YET WE HAVE PEOPLE DYING IN HOSPITALS BECAUSE OF LACK MEDICATION. MR President????? Show us your commitment to changing Zambia than just building your PF Empire. VERY SAD.
Ba Kipimo mwisho. This is the time you could scoop at least two of the seats in parliament. What is done is done! Let bye gones be byegones. Now when is NAREP going to represent us in parliament? Too many academic lecture from the outer circle yaya.
Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting. Zambia has been the envy of the African continent as a pioneering country in terms of democracy but the story ends there. We have not made any strides ever since we went into plural politics or multiparty democracy – call it what you may. We are caught in a downward spiral fall from democracy to satasim which we all saw signs of before electing Personal Fortunes into power (PF) In life, they say if you see the bandwagon, then it’s too late. Why? it means you are not on it and it has already gone. These guys who are jumping ship to get on a boat (pabwato)on lake bangweulu or mweru watipa (sp) are going nowhere. Your day is coming when the boat will run aground. That boat is not on the kafue river, neither is it on the Zambezi nor lake Kariba. DIP
Yes! DIP…… Drown In Peace
or try putting your canoe on the Mighty Zambezi river and head towards the direction labelled ‘Falls’ keep going until you hear a big splash then you know you have arrived. My crocs haven’t been fed in a while. Goodbye, you are the weakest link and good riddance!
Nice essay, you could become president of your class. However nice essays are not enough for political success
“Kafulafuta Member of Parliament, James Chishiba, announced his defection to the ruling PF today during the press briefing citing bad leadership style being exhibited by party president, Nevers Mumba.” Fact, opposition MPs are running away due to bad leadership in your parties. Don’t expect PF to run your opposition parties which you are willingly forming daily, though is your right also. The advice on avoiding bye elections is good but unfortunately it is directed at wrong players PF & opposition MPs instead of Opposition political leaders & voters who are fueling it. Why are parties being formed daily if there is turmoil in Zed. South Africa is not a trading partner but imperialist. How many Zed companies are in RSA & how many RSA companies are in Zed, does SAFA camp in Zed? But FAZ.
I went to Zambia last year to remind myself why I left in the first place. I wasn’t disappointed as I was reminded immediately I stepped foot on Y/our cursed land. The immigration officer wanted a bribe just because I was travelling with a Latin girlfriend. Then a taxi driver wanted to get rich overnight to drive me and my girlfriend to Intercontinental hotel. Now I have decided to just by an island on the Indian Ocean where I am my on president and all.
^buy an island. I speak deutsche. Therefore, excuse my English learned people.
^ own president
Rubbish…..^nonsense…Excuse my English…I speak Bemba, Lozi, Tonga, Lala and Tumbuka…and I still Iove my country