GOVERNMENT will not accept aid tied with governance conditions as long the Patriotic Front (PF) remains in power, justice minister Wynter Kabimba has said.
Speaking at the Indian Business Council of Zambia (IBCZ) farewell dinner for Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Ashok Kumar in Lusaka, Mr Kabimba said Government would not bow down to the dictates of donors on account of aid.
“The Government would always resist any strings to arm-twist Zambia.
The culture of tying strings to aid, like unless you do A you will not get B, never again will we accept aid which is not based on mutual respect,” Mr Kabimba said.
He said it was gratifying that India had not at any time despite giving aid and development cooperation assistance to Zambia, used political strings to arm-twist Zambia.
Mr Kabimba who is PF secretary general said Mr Kumar would be missed because he was a friend of Zambia having served in the country for five years.
He urged the outgoing envoy to use his position to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of agriculture and other fields.
Mr Kumar said he would miss Zambia because of the hospitality he used to enjoy during his stay.
He said Zambia was a rich country looking at the number of resources the country had and that nothing should stop it from developing.
Former first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda who was the guest of honour said Zambia would miss the out-going envoy.
Dr Kaunda said India had been an all-whether friend to Zambia from the time of struggle for independence.
“This is a wonderfull day. It is not time to mourn but to celebrate High Commissioner Kumar’s five years contribution to Zambia, although we will miss him,” Dr Kaunda said.
Mr Kumar came to Zambia in 2008 and has retired from diplomatic service.
Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde, Gender Minister Inonge Wina, deputy chief Justice Florence Mumba, Health deputy minister Christopher Mulenga, were among other dignitaries in attendance.
Bwana Kabimba,aid MUST be tied to governance bcoz PF’s muzzling of opposition is eroding checks and balances and rule of law.Which foreign investor will put their $$ in a lawless nation with no protection of capital or rights?
Kabimba refused to attend BY’s funeral 2 days ago… But GBM was more than present.
GBM was physically MORE than present!
The problem with Kabimba is he writes his speech and delivers it as if he were the president. In his mind he believes he is the successor. He has looked PF leadership and sensed cowardice among them. They are afraid of Sata. He is not. There must be a good reason for that. Written by Nostradamus with the Canadian flag. The one with the American flag got my name without my permission.
Good point sir, especially those conditions which favour their own people investing in Zambia. The western world is too craft , check them sir.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Dev’t aid and foreign investments are two different things.Get some education bwana.
Well, good governance need not be a concern for any government founded on democratic principles. The fact that the PF administration is uncomfortable with calls for good governance says a lot about the PF’s democratic credentials. It is no secret that Sata is a dictator . Denial of permits for opposition rallies, poaching of MPs to create a one party state, incessant arrests and persecution of gvt critics, bullying of electoral commission, interference in the judiciary and keeping of Chibesakunda as acting chief justice clearly show the true colors of Sata and the PF.
The only thing I would not accept is aid being tied to homosexual rights.
The rest of the governance conditions should not give rise to any headaches if the Pf gvt believed in democracy.
So you saying Zambia will accept it after PF or they did before? Guys, a country is not about who accidentally got into government. We need to have an identity as a nation. Not swaying every which way depending on who is driving, kwati LiHule!
But again, Kabimba’s speech at that farewell dinner was in bad taste and not in keeping with diplomatic ettiquette. It surely must have spoilt a few appetites. But went to confirm what most diplomats accredited to Zambia have now come to expect of the PF gvt: its shocking lack of ettiquette and international norms of conduct. Total lack of sense of occassion . Kabimba fails to distinguish occassion to politic and when politics should be put aside. There was no need for all that talk- why would any seriuos person surely mention PF gvt and good governance in the same sentence if not just to draw attention at how the two are mutually exclusive of each other ? Dull.
Exactly my view…does this man ever know when to say certain things. He seems quite detached most of the times. Is it the Efavirenz drug giving him problems with clarity of thinking.
Uyu muntu alayumfwa sana ayi?
Kabimba is so self centred that he thinks he is an oracle of knowledge. If your government observed all/most of the international conventions and protocols subscribed to, foreign governments wouldn’t attach governance conditions to the aid. This implies that there are some things amiss with the PF government or any other government for that matter if the government concerned is being asked to observe governance issues. Why doesn’t Kabimba admit that they have alot of work to do in this area than being arrogant and claim they wont accept any aid tied to governance observance? Refusing this aid, the people who suffer is the common man as you, Kabimba, and your clique have amassed so much wealth through your illegal activities like the oil deal, and will be flown to India for medicals etc
This creep IS NOT presidential material ! Here he must have been thinking that he was the president of Zambia ! Where was the president by the way??
..it depends if you are negotiating from a strong base…..the more desperate you are the more vulnerable you shall be to ‘conditions’……recently INDIA looked at our health sector and only Indian companies got the tenders to construct 650 health centres…was it a coincidence or conditions attached to the package….?…WK has really matured into a politician……..
Yes, right, base eh? ….and where is PF’s Zambia? RSA and or Nigeria may say what Winter said but not Zambia…that is roaring like a lion without teeth.
…again it also shows ill thinking on Winter’s part coz he wants to muzzle good governance without being queried……FOOLISH…FOOLISH…FOOLISH.
Zambians wake up, lets speak strongly AGAINST THIS GUY. HOPEFULLY BA SATA IS NOT IN THIS wINTER BOART.
If anyone wants an accurate yardstick to measure just how high or low the Current PF Govt is flying in terms of decorum, aspirations etc.. use KK as a reference point. You will notice that nowadays KK makes more sense than Kabimba / GBM / Scott or Sata when he talks not because he has gotten smarter, no, not at all, but because the Govt of the day has sunk so low it’s a complete disgrace. Someone should drill it into Kabimba’s head that the Countries giving Aid to Zambia do not owe us a living, it is the other way round. So, what gives him the right to lecture to and threaten these Govts about their foreign policy on Aid? Cont’d…..
only those with dirty minds will critisize kabimba’s speech.
Nice one PF stick to it!
@jasto.
You think if UK and the USA pulls a plug on Zambia you will still singing praises to PF and Kabimba. Just wait and observe what is about to happen in Zimbabwe soon when USA says no it currency. Where do you think you will sell you copper and get oil from.
Think before you yap. For now we can not afford to upset our masters because we can’t even manufacture a button like India and China does.
Do that and we such see who will suffer ask mugabe he will tell you that you are playing with fire. Britain and the USA do not take kindly such comments from an ***** like you winter. Your a.s.s
Cont’d…..In other words, Imagine a well known local beggar approaches you, not for the first time, and asks for money. But he first lectures you and threatens you not to make any suggestions on how he can better use the money to improve himself. How many times are you going to stomach that kind of nonsense from him before you begin to ignore him all together? And who is going to suffer in the long run, you the lender, or the perpetual beggar who seems to take pleasure in staying that way? This is where Zambia PF Gvt is today, and sliding downwards into abyss.
Interesting reporting by Lusaka Times. Everyone will be missing everyone else it seems!:
“Mr Kabimba who is PF secretary general said Mr Kumar would be missed…”
“Mr Kumar said he would miss Zambia…”
“Former first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda who was the guest of honour said Zambia would miss the out-going envoy…”
Hollow utterances from someone who doesn’t even sign the cheques…the sight of this man is so cringe inducing!!
Though I’m not an ardent admirer of yours Mr. Justice minister… I think you have sounded the right note on this issue.Tied aid has been the architecture of Africa’s under development for many a year… These so called western donors preaches what they don’t practice(respect human rights, bra bra and they go as they have often done over centuries inflict count less human rights abuses including; the inhuman African colonialism, wars in Iraq and Kabul…). It only becomes good governance and respect for human RIGHTS when not perpetrated by those sheltered by the western consensus. To hell with Western tied aid. Hello CHINA!!!
Mr Kabimba we appreciate if you put your request in writing and we will promptly notify our treasury to discontinue our aid.
Kabimba Wakuta manje wayamba Kunyela mumbale.
@Samba Waiona,
You’ve hit the nail on the head. Actually in Setswana we have a similar saying, ”Phokoje monyela sediba”.
I agree with Kabimba, its better to be poor and free than rich slave. Zambia has everything we need to develop our country but we need to change our work culture.