Edith Nawakwi addressing a rally at the Changanamai grounds in Kitwe
Forum for Democracy and Development FDD President Edith Nawakwi says the country has enough wealthy to take care of all its people if prudently managed by the people elected to govern the nation.
Speaking when she addressed a mammoth rally at Kwacha’s Changanami Grounds in Kitwe Ms. Nawakwi said the poverty being experienced in the nation is not because of the country’s lack of resources but is as a result of bad economic management by elected leaders.
The Opposition leader who received a standing ovation from the Copperbelt students who turned up in numbers for the rally explained that politicians have continued to withhold vital information which can be used to prosper as a nation.
She reiterated the need to decentralize the governance system of the nation to ensure that people make their owen decisions in respective districts without the influence of a few individuals in government who do not understand their problems.
“What is government? Government is nothing but the leaders you elect as Councillors and MPs. Government is nothing but the President you elect and these people must be held accountable.
“The leaders should rule according to our wishes and demands and not them imposing what they want on us.
“As FDD we believe that we can only hold these leaders accountable if the governance system is decentralized to allow people make their own decisions.
“The country belongs to all of us hence our leaders should rule according to our wishes and believe this can only happen if we dismantled the current governance system starting from the powers of the President down to the lowest structure as it perpetrates inequality in opportunities and unfairness in the distribution of the country’s resources.”
And the opposition leader wondered what some opposition leaders who are going round the country mean when they tell people that they should be voted for on the basis of continuation of President Sata’s legacy when the people have been going through untold misery in the past 3years.
“I’m not here to ask for a vote from you for me to finish anyone’s legacy but what I’m saying is that we have an opportunity to elect some one you can partner with and start afresh and I believe I’m that person.
“What I’m promising is to partner with you in finding the best possible solutions to our challenges as a nation as opposed to empty promises.
“Some of these politicians are telling you that they want continue with Sata’s legacy what legacy is there to continue? You want them to continue promising you that they will give fertilizer in July and not do that until January? You want them to continue promising you jobs but you are still waiting for those jobs?
She warned the public against voting for people going round the country making unattainable promises saying the country is where it is today because of unfulfilled promises by politicians who have conditioned citizens to believing that you have to lie to win an election.
She added that lies by politicians have not taken the country anywhere but to the doldrums of poverty.
On the mining sector, the life blood of the Copperbelt Province, Ms. Nawakwi said Copperbelt residents continue to get a raw deal on the abundant wealth that the province has because successive governments have continued to look to foreign investors and ignore the wishes and demands of the local people.
She said the current government can’t even allow the youths in the provincial mine from black mountain but would rather give it the Chinese to mine it.
Meanwhile party provincial chairperson Yotam Mutayachalo said the FDD had a quality Presidential candidate boasting of abundant experience in government as a senior minister in various ministries including being the only female finance minister that country has ever had.
He said Ms. Nawakwi was the best suited candidate to move the country forward because of the vision and experience which sets her apart from other candidates.
Nathan Mulonga who is the party national secretary said the country was blessed with abundant natural resource hence people should not be suffering like it is today.
He said what the country needs is a leader with a heart for the country and that Nawakwi was that leader.
And Southern African Students Council General Secretary said it was high time the country gave an opportunity to a mother to govern as the country has been like an orphan for the past 50years due to the failures of men in managing the country.
He observed that even in a home a mother always unites the family and that an individual with qualities of uniting the nation is what the country needs.
The opposition leader was flanked by party national spokesperson, national chairperson and provincial leaders from all the districts of Copperbelt Province among others.
The continuation of Sata’s legacy is the campaign platform for one visionless Lungu.
Ms. Nawakwi, you complement HH so well, I wish there was a way you two could work together. Right now flight HH has more momentum and cruising at very high altitude….please consider booking a place on the flight…
“Enough wealthy” ?????
Enough wealth imwe ba giledi seveni, SSHHAAA!
Mr. Mulenga and Mrs Jelita,
I don’t know if mama Nawakwi broke the English or it was LT who did the slaughter.
I also don’t know if they simply left out the word people. i.e. enough wealthy people blah blah blah
This is a woman I’m watching. I think she has the potential to lead this country as president one day ( for those who were whining about a woman president)
I love her message, She is a better communicator than even hh. hh is promising everything while not even knowing how to achieve them. Probably women can make a difference. If only she and Dr Kaseba can work together….that can be a team. It’s worth trying to give her a vote. Viva FDD. Forget about the types of (Naifwe tutekeko) campainers as alternatives.
A lot still wonder how and why a woman of questionable competence was allowed to hold the position of Finance Minister. Zambia really is a poor country and one would be dull to ignore that fact.
The real questions that must be answered is where is the money that you and FTJ short-changed the Zambian people? Politicians like Nawakwi are retrogressive for development, those whose opinions are incredible misgivings about the true nature of the Zambian economy.
Ms Nawakwi is comparatively accomplished in this male dominated political scene I like her but she’d have been better off working with another party since Zambia is not ready to be led by a woman at least she would qualify for the vice presidency! However her down side nikabotolo.
Edith Nawakwi, you are trying your very best in your own right. You are an intelligent young woman. Please, find your way up in politics by joining hands with well established big parties . Your disposition and input will definitely attract people to think of you just as though poorly people had just started thinking about Kaseba sata. Be tactical woman . stop living in fantacy and castles built in the air. You are an upright woman of strength by standard. Please don’t let selfish men supporting you to remain in perpetuity in Opposition. We need your brains in this country. Kansi imwe bantu mulibwanji? who ever does not change the way he or she thought before does not grow.
AS a sign of growing, I may change from without party to UPND so that I mean what I say. lol.
She should also tell us what her position was when the country was being rapped during the time she was in cabinet – for example, did she raise concerns about CB being denied development despite being the source of wealth that was used to develop other parts of the country; she should show the minutes for the meetings in which she was voicing her dissent at some anti-CB decisions. Otherwise, we will ask what she was doing when she was in govt.