Friday, March 29, 2024

Large Presidential entourage and airport welcomes a waste of tax payers money

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President Edgar Chagwa Lungu being entertained by PF supporters at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Friday, 2nd October, 2015, upon arrival from New York, USA where he had gone to attend the 70th United Nations General Assembly. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/State House
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu being entertained by PF supporters at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Friday, 2nd October, 2015, upon arrival from New York, USA where he had gone to attend the 70th United Nations General Assembly. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/State House

When we pay our taxes, we do so with the notion that our monies will go to Zambia’s developmental agenda, but alas , we are sponsoring musicians to have a good time in the United states.

As a country we claim to have no money for important projects like diversification, energy systems upgrade, upgrading UTH,a place where many citizens die because there is no equipment to treat certain illnesses like cancer etc. But we have enough money to charter a plane at K4 000 000 for the president to fly and with him , a large entourage that has no purpose.

An entourage that eats out of our hard earned taxes, is accommodated in 5 star accommodation off our taxes, and is given huge sums of money as allowances off our taxes ? Why did they take with them musicians and party officials for government duty? What was their purpose at the UN? Did the UN need filler entertainment for the first time in history ? Then upon the return, a huge welcome party is organized , chewing more tax payers money.

President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (second from right) and Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri photographed using a selfie by Francis Malama (right) during the USA-PF Fundraising at Davenport Country Club in New York, United States of America on Friday, September 25,2015. PICTURE BY SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE ©2015
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (second from right) and Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri photographed using a selfie by Francis Malama (right) during the USA-PF Fundraising at Davenport Country Club in New York, United States of America on Friday, September 25,2015. PICTURE BY SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE ©2015

People are paid allowances for welcoming the president. Why is that so? Defence chiefs are paid over K2000 every time they welcome or see off the president, all the dignitaries are paid off. It is only in Zambia that such careless extravagance is present.In india for example , their leader is merely picked up by a small tata vehicle and another behind for security. India as a country is 100 times bigger than Zambia.

Even in the wealthy European nations, no such expenditure can be afforded. We love Edgar Lungu as a person, for me personally , he cancelled my Expulsion from university, and dropped the police charges against me for protesting for hostel accommodation at higher learning institutions- the hostels currently under construction when he was the home affairs minister.So there is no malice.

But what we hate is self inflicted POVERTY. It is very immoral for a government to spend so much tax payers money on non progressive agendas. I don’t mind the president using my taxes when he goes to the UN, what we mind is people like Mumbi Phiri bathing in state finances at the expense of children dying of cancer at UTH, at the expense of children dying of malnutrition, at the expense of youth unemployment, I find that very wrong at whatever level. Invest OUR money in Income Generating progressive ventures.

By Niza Phiri (munali aspirant)

51 COMMENTS

  1. It is madness how leaders from poor countries have tax payers monies at their disposal for personal use.It’s incredible how people in their prime of their lives who should be productive are made to go to an airport to sing and dance and or salute some guy who just spent a nice time in a luxurious New York hotel at their expense. Really when shall we rid our poverty mentality

    • This author is a confused lot. Ecl had two functions to attend to
      1. Pf fundraising
      2. U.N. meeting

      The musicians flew straight to pf function on a different date and came back on a different date from elc. Why confusing the already confused upnd cadres.

    • It does not matter whether there 2, 3, 4 functions. In these hard times a poor country like zambia can afford to be so wasteful to carry a band of musicians at govt expense to a party function; i pray that all donor shud stop giving aid to zambia. We don’t need it coz we have lots of money.

    • PEOPLE LIKE SPONGE BOB SHOULD BE THE LAST TO COMMENT UNLESS YOU DON’T LIVE IN ZAMBIA TO SEE WHAT YOUR LUNGU HAS DONE TO THIS NATION.THE DAMAGE PF HAS DONE TO THIS COUNTRY WILL BE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.IF YOU ARE NOT A TAX PAYER BETTER KEEP QUIET BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW PAINFUL THIS MONEY IS TO GIVE DOGS WHO CANNOT UTILIZE IT PROPERLY.LET US SUPPORT WHERE IT IS DUE NOT THIS USELESS AND EXPENSIVE TRIP LUNGU TOOK WITH CADRES.

    • this tradition of going in numbers to greet the president started with kaunda when he went kubulaya to negotiate the independence of zambia. when he came back, the people were so anxious to hear the outcome of the talks that they all went to the airport in solidarity and support as well as to hear the news for themselves. so when he came out with the smile and RBG power arm people ululated with happiness. for it symbolised steps closer to an independent zambia. But unfortunately this tradition has continued without fully understanding why it was done in the beginnning. lack of research and study put people in a social quagmire where they just perpetuate behaviour without knowing why. Learn and study yourself and understand. Chagwa coming back home doesnt warrant such solidarity!!!

    • This is Niza Phiri started very well in his article,,,,, until he started fighting with his ex-girlfriend mumbi Phiri in public,,,,Niza move on please,,,,, Mumbi is now in love with HH

    • That’s why Africa will never move forward, with such leadership?? I have never seen such silliness. Zambians are stupid to vote for such people.

    • Zambians paid more than $300k for a photo opportunity of lungu with Obama and another selfie of lungu staring at the Pope. Other countries took bussiness people with them to enhance trade and investments, the kaponyas lungu took spent all their time trying to get lungu photographed with Obama. Total waste of the countries scarce money.

    • @ sponge bob

      As usual, further evidence of 1mbecility. Please seek medical attention before you qualify to become PF Minister.

    • @David Chinyama. pictures dont lie what was mumbi phiri doing in NY and on whose expense and benefit? it is you who seem o have no facts i.diot

    • That’s the problem right there, cadres like you lot don’t use their brains, you think politics are a joke an everyday free sport to outdo each other. Before attacking Niza read what he’s written with your thinking caps still on, evaluate rationally if it would make sense to an average normal person , don’t just shoot him down because your PF is in Government. Many of us put in quite considerable amounts of time and effort campaigning for this party in 2011 but we’ll not shy away from condemning wrong stuff going on at the moment.

  2. Unfortunately, the author spoils his point about unnecessary displays of patronage by saying that he supports Lungu for having done him a personal favor. Small wonder the author wishes to be an MP.

    More of the same anyone?

  3. KK was a good man but hero-worshipers made his head become drunk with power to the extent of them saying “Lesa pamulu, Kaunda panshi”. He got so drunk that he became a dictator. Same applies to FTJ. In 1991 FTJ was a humble man until MMD cadres started worshiping him.

    Worshiping Lungu won’t make Zambia’s economy resurrect. This scourge of welcoming presidents at the airport is very wrong. I miss Levy Mwanawasa mweee….

    • Kagame is a good man, it’s just the people around him forcing him to go for a third term… blah blah. KK was NOT a good man and he was just made worse by the sycophants who made sure he had no trace of the havoc he wreaked on the innocents.

  4. The one-party state mindset is still here,i.e. large presidential delegations on overseas trips and compelling women marketeers,and other unemployed young men and women,to dance at airports when the president is departing or arriving; is this stupidity or madness?I think it is both.
    Given the rampant poverty in this country,the extravagance during these presidential trips is immoral and shameful.

  5. Its encouraging coming from an aspiring MP unfortunately when people get to parliament they toll the party line and start supporting wrong agendas, they think of their stomachs and not the country.

  6. Imwe bantu, leave this hired jet issue alone, it’s not lungu only who chartered a jet, Mutharika of Malawi did the same, Nyusi of Mocambique chartered one, Museveni of Uganda hired one, Kagame of Rwanda rented one, list goes on. only Jacob Zuma flew using his presidential plane because it could meet all necessities worth to fly on European skies.

    • @Viyazi Tembo. If my neighbour hires a palne, I should also hire one? Kaunda, FTJ, Levy flew to USA on commercial airlines. Why should Lungu use the little money left to charter a Jet? It is an abuse of scarce resources!

    • @JKL, KK used to disturb Zambia Airways schedules by hij-sorry-taking an entire DC-10 for weeks on end while the airline sought alternative carriers for their passengers. Zambia Airways was demised with Penza’s blessings 1994 long after KK was done.

    • These poor presidents should have hired one plane or bus. Why pretend when back home your people sleep on bare floors.

    • @Pondala, please let’s get serious. These guys are playing with your balls man!
      KUCHINDANA ANGACHINDANE, KOMA MACHINDENIDWE is what is worrying. They do not need to go to USA to go and bonk!

  7. How can they dancers frm ZED on government costs to fundraise for a party which has failed to run government lamentably.Its waste of resources.God save our beloved nation from these visionless rulers.

  8. It’s amazing to read some shallow commentries epecially from PF group that demean Zambians intelligence to evaluate moral conduct of those in power belittling the suffering of majority Zambians. The state of the nation is in dire need of resustaining before total collapse and those in PF can hardly see it. The claim of the Post newspaper destroying the economy just goes to confirm how shallow and clueless PF ministers and the lot are destroying the nation.

  9. Viyazi Tembo

    Leave Uganda out of this madness. Museveni has his own challenges here. He actually used his Presidential Challenger and did not hire one.

    • Shameless liar! Museveni’s presidential plane is not called PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGER, tell the people accurate info, I’m saying things I know, I was in that dusty city Kampala on sunday, dunderhead…….

  10. As long as you have so many people without jobs or anything worthwhile to fill their time with, such acts will continue, busy wriggling their b.u.m.s and waists for some guy. Even married women, dancing for another man just because he won or stole some dubious elections, pathetic!

    • When I see this photo what it says to me is here are all the BEGGARS hoping to get PF handouts for doing nothing but singing praises.

      What these dullards fail to realise is that it is this Lungu is the selfsame man that has taken all THEIR MONEY and spent it ON HIMSELF!

      Look further than your noses.

  11. Well, a President is like the queen been in a beehive. All the little people have to surround, massage, deliver, protect, encourage, defend queen bee for she is the head and director of ALL their well being.

    See, even nature is instinctual about its survival, and identifies that which is central to its progression. (I think bees pay in pollen….probably just as expensive in bee land).

    Seriously, it’d be odd if we just let our President drive past without a fuss or a wave. We’ve done huge entourages and large citizen welcome packs since independence.

    • @kalok, he is in dire need of a BRAIN TRANSPLANT rather than a sex-change! He has been behaving like an innocent and ignorant little girl for a long time already!

      Notice he is too shy to even give a PRESS CONFERENCE!

  12. These up and downs think they can use ox carts to London……impossible ! You are being told that there were two functions,govt in nature and fundraising for the party.Why are you confusing the two ? Your bitterness and hate will take you to hell.

    • @Wisdom, your man can’t even afford a wheel barrow. His grandfather could neither afford those Chipata bicycles.
      We just need the man to give work to these people he is appointing and not just create salaries for them. If I had my way, I would have fired Edgar during the last cabinet meeting.

  13. Before 1991, as school pupils, we used to line up from the airport into town and from town to state house just to wave at KK from morning up to whatever time the dignatory would come. This was a must but That ended after 1991. Now we are saying even this nosense of causing unnecessary conjestion on the already small roads because the party cadres are going to the airport to see off or welcome the president must end.

  14. Am surprised, why is it that people with the name wisdom are not wise? There is this ***** called wisdom who thinx like a lunatic. Have such dunderheards like him zambia is no gonna develop. What a waste of a sperm

  15. This up type of expenditure makes me sick! There are people starving in this country yet leaders go on a jolly in a hired plane The only comforting thought is the same people who voted for PF are experiencing the worst. I hope us Za,beans have learnt. Look at that hat on EL! Honestly it says a lot!

  16. ECL will only leave state house in 2021 imwe why this fuss about HH ??. Running business and government are two different things. We all saw what Sata did when he was a minister didn’t we ?. What has HH done except make money for himself?. The way he is been hailed it’s like he will solve our problems, let him show us how he will do it.

  17. @HAPPYJAMES Ugandan dunderhead! I have better and accurate info of your own country than you do, your president’s official aircraft is called GULFSTREAM 550 not CHALLENGER as you are unashamedly lying to the world………..MBUZI YA MANO KUNSI, u can’t even type your own name correctly.

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