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Zanaco midfielder Isaac Chansa believes Zambia will not disappoint in Friday’s friendly against Asian champions Japan.
Japan host Zambia in Tampa, Florida en route to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
“Japan are a great team, they have got players who can change the game but I believe we do have players that can change the game for us,” Chansa said.
“We got the experience and with the mix that is there of 2012 and now, I know we will give Japan a good game. We had a good training programme, and all we need now is to go out there and play to win.”
Meanwhile, the 22-member Zambia team left for the United States on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the June 6 friendly.
Football Association of Zambia boss Kalusha Bwalya has refuted allegations that he was paid a bribe by the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid committee.
The UK Sunday Times alleged that Kalusha was one of over 25 African football association presidents who benefited from a US$5 slush fund allegedly set up by Qatar and managed by disgraced ex-FIFA vice president Mohammad Bin Hammam to influence its successful bid they won in December 2010.
Kalusha is alleged to have received US80,000 of which US$50,000 was paid into his account in 2009 and a further US$30,000 followed in 2011.
“Sour grapes. I don’t vote for World Cup bids. It’s done by the FIFA. Executive Committee,” Kalusha said in a statement.
“Don’t think even Bin Hammam was in Qatar bid. I remember we went there for Brazil versus Argentina friendly and there all kinds of people. From Europe , Africa and everywhere.
“It must be a witch hunt by the people who lost the Bid.”
Transparency International Zambia Executive Director Goodwell Lungu (R) (file Picture)
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has charged that posterity will judge both the ministry of Community Development and the PF government harshly over what it has described as an unwarranted move to give notice of de-registration to NGOs that have not registered under the NGO Act.
TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu in a statement issued to QFM News says it is not only unfortunate but very sad that the Ministry has opted for a confrontational stance over the NGO Act when they are so many needs in the community that need urgent attention.
Mr Lungu says the issuance of such threats to stakeholders is shocking considering that NGOs have always been ready to dialogue.
He says TIZ reserves the right to disobey an unjust law as Zambia is a signatory to many international charters that protect the right of association.
Mr Lungu says TIZ is committed and ready to fight what he has described as an unjust law to the bitter end.
He states that as far as TIZ is concerned there is no single entity in Zambia that is registered as an NGO but either as a Society, Trust or Company limited by guarantee among others.
He wonders under these circumstances how the Ministry of Community Development can deregister TIZ which is registered as a company limited by guarantee and not as an NGO.
Mr Lungu has also wondered whether the Ministry of Community Development has powers to deregister an entity that they never registered in the first place.
He has accused the Registrar at the Ministry of Community Development of overriding the powers of the Registrar of Companies and Registrar of Societies where most Civil Society Organisations are registered.
Mr Lungu says TIZ insists that the Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health and the PF Government concentrate their energies in reviewing this Act as promised in their Manifesto and their verbal statements during their first year in office as opposed to the current threats and intimidation.
He says TIZ and other stakeholders are ready for dialogue to resolve this impasse which we have continued to pursue and expect government to reciprocate in the same spirit.
Mr Lungu has since called upon government to withdraw forthwith the letters written to NGOs to debar them if they do not register in the next thirty days.
Efforts to get a comment from Community Development Minister Emerine Kabanshi proved futile as her mobile phone went unanswered.
Movement for Multiparty Democracy President Nevers Mumba has commended party parliamentarians that have remained loyal to the party and continue to lobby government for developmental projects in their constituencies.
Speaking in Eastern Province where he had a series of meetings with officials of the former ruling party recently Dr. Mumba said the party was proud to learn that members of parliament from the Eastern Province and other provinces had not neglected their constituencies and that they had continued to help the people that voted for them.
He urged the MPs to continue with the same spirit as neglecting the people that put them in office will not only reduce their chances of being re-elected when picked to re-contest their seats in 2016 but will also have a bearing on the party’s chances of scooping the 2016 elections.
He also urged the MPs to continue lobbying government and ensure that the projects that the former ruling party had embarked before being booted out of power especially in rural areas are completed as those are their babies (projects) as MMD.
And Dr. Mumba has directed party structures starting with the grass roots across the country to come up with reconciliation committees that will help resolve disputes among members.
Dr. Mumba said the reconciliation committees are meant to help resolve disputes in the shortest time possible with out involving the national secretariate.
He added that people on the ground are best placed to quickly resolve issues as they know each other personally as opposed to sending reports to people in lusaka who may not even know the members involved.
He advised members to involve respected members of their communities who may not even belong to the party to ensure that the cases are tabled and disposed off in a fair and impartial manner.
The opposition leader urged members to embrace the idea as it will strengthen the party and ensure that members remain within the party.
Veteran Politician Vernon Mwaanga has observed that the public is getting disillusioned with the role of political players in providing political leadership in the country’s social and economic development due to the failure by politicians to turn their promises into practice once they assume power.
Speaking when he officiated at the Launch of the survey findings on political party manifesto fulfilment done by FODEP Mr. Mwaanga called on political parties to ensure that they try to fulfil what they promise the electorate as the survey has indicated that elected leaders are voted into office due to what they promise the voters.
The veteran politician said though manifestos are statements of general intent by political players, it is health that they try to address the challenges and issues affecting the masses and fulfil the intentions once elected as voters elect them based on their promises.
He noted that politicians have continued to ignore their pledges once elected into office something he said should change going forward as it has a bearing on the voter turnout during elections.
And Mr. Mwanga said fulfilling promises to the electorate is a bench mark for the survival of political parties as voters will always chose a different party once they feel cheated by the people they put in office.
Mr. Mwaanga who spent over 5 decades practising politics added politicians should also learn to listen and show commitment to embracing suggestions from stakeholders such as FODEP who are providing avenues and creating opportunities through which citizen’s participation can be promoted in the country’s developmental programs as well as their rights to hold elected leaders accountable to what they say and do.
Speaking earlier FODEP president Shepard Chilombe said the report will contribute to information sharing and provide lessons to government, political players and voters.
Opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema says the unprecedented levels of poverty and high cost of living among Zambians under the PF government was way unacceptable.
Speaking when he addressed leaders at various levels of party structures of more than 200 defectors from PF, MMD, and FDD in Lusaka’s Mtendere township in Munali constituency over the weekend, Mr. Hichilema said the PF government was slowly consigning Zambians to their early graves.
“Not long ago, PF government which claims to be pro-poor removed fuel and mealie meal subsidies, a few months ago, they again increased fuel, today as I am speaking to you, they have increased ZESCO electricity tariffs which means the cost of all commodities will go up again,” Mr. Hichilema said.
He said there was hunger in Mtendere and various townships in Zambia and it was time a more responsible and responsive government was put in place in 2016.
Mr. Hichilema said it was clear the PF did not care about the suffering of the masses and the PF leaders in government were involved in serious economic sabotage going by the way they have allowed the Kwacha to depreciate.
“I was listening to the radio the other day, Zambians are now mourning the late Zambian Kwacha. Zambians are even demanding for a day of national mourning for the late Kwacha. They are demanding for all national events to be preceded with a minute of silence in honour of the late Zambian Kwacha. That may sound like a joke but the situation is very serious,” he said.
Mr. Hichilema said at the rate the damage to the country’s economy was going, Zambians may soon end up buying a loaf of bread for K50 and one tomatoe or onion for K20 or more.
“Many of our people are jobless, but the situation is also stressful and depressing even to those who are working because they are forced to buy a few things they can afford today, because prices of essential commodities keep increasing everyday,” said Mr. Hichilema who mainly spoke in Nyanja.
“You look around, how often do you see wedding ceremonies in our communities these days? How often do you meet vehicle convoys honking in our streets for wedding ceremonies? Our young men and women in our compounds are now scared to enter into marriages due to high cost of living under the PF government,” Mr. Hichilema told the cheering audience shouting aleisa aleisa.
He said a number of Zambians that were depending on salaula and other imported goods for survival have been seriously affected by the weakening Kwacha.
He also said the UPND will not stop demanding for a new people driven constitution which Zambians have been calling for many years.
Mr. Hichilema, who addressed the meeting under a small tent at someone’s home, complained that he would have loved the meeting to be held in an open air and relatively bigger grounds but the oppressive situation could not allow.
“I have been told that some of the people could not be brought here to interact with us due to limited space under this small tent. This is how the PF are limiting our freedoms of speech and assembly now and yet they keep claiming there was no opposition in the country,” he said.
As Mr. Hichilema was addressing, police officers in plain clothes came to the UPND party member’s house and attempted to stop the meeting but the residents and defectors chased them away.
“We have called Mr. Hichilema for a prayer meeting here. We are worshipping with him over poverty in the country. So please you are either free to join us in our prayer meeting with him or leave us alone,” the residents told the police.
The police were alerted by Mr. Justine Chipoya from State House who was driving a State House white Mitsubishi Pajero registration number ABX 3850.
He said the UPND was the only alternative for Zambians and it belonged to all members on an equal basis both new and old.
He urged UPND members and the defectors to feel free and interact with various party structures and recruit more members from bus stops, markets, learning institutions, from their homes, churches, and places of work.
Coach Ronald Mukosha has left FAZ Division One North side Lumwana Radiants to join Lime Hotspurs as an assistant.
Mukosha will assist recently appointed Lime coach Linos Makwaza who signed a two-year contract last Thursday.
The ex-Zambia and Power Dynamos defender has previously coached Kalulushi Modern Stars and Geokas Curve.
“Yes, I will be working with Coach Ronald Mukosha from Lumwana,” Makwaza revealed on Tuesday.
Mukosha has left Lumwana sixth on the 18-team table with 17 points from 12 matches.
Meanwhile, Makwaza begun his resign as Lime coach with a 2-1 defeat away at Premium Sport in Kabwe on Sunday.
However, Makwaza is upbeat that his bottom placed side can turn tables and win promotion back to the Super League.
“The league is wide open, even the team at the bottom can rise and take over leadership. It is a matter of commitment and hard-work from
players,” the ex-Nkana and Forest Rangers trainer said.
Lime have eight points from the opening 12 games after managing only one win so far in Division One North season.
File picture:President Sata with First lady Dr Christine Kaseba Sata Tours ZESCO Kariba North bank Extension Power Project in Siavonga
On Sunday, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) approved Zesco’s application to adjust the electricity tariffs by 24 percent for domestic customers and 15 percent for commercial users, with effect from July 1, this year.
This was done to enable the electricity company meet the cost of generation and distribution of electricity to its customers.Many stakeholders have expressed deep regret at this action.
Forum for Democratic Alternatives president Ludwig Sondashi said his party received the news that the PF government had given a go ahead to the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) to revise electricity tariffs upwards with deep regret. He said what is even serious is that the ordinary citizen would pay more while mining conglomerates would pay less.
Dr.Sondashi said such actions by the PF government can only be described as dishonest because the PF were voted for on the platform of the pro-poor policies and more money in people’s pockets. He said the PF government can simply be said to have taken the Zambian people for a ride warranting the need for Zambians to vote for a political party that is serious with governance matters.
Dr.Sondashi added that the sharp increase in the cost of living that the nation has continued to witness since the PF’s assumption of power coupled with nose-diving of the Kwacha against other currencies is testimony of poor governance by the PF administration.
He said it is for this reason that as the Forum for Democratic Alternatives party, continue to state that our current constitution gives excessive power to the president, affording the president an opportunity to run the country as he wishes.
Reacting to the revised electricity tariffs,Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) president Bright Chunga said locally produced products will become increasingly uncompetitive once the new electricity tariffs are effected next month. Dr Chunga said the
depreciation of the Kwacha against the Dollar and the recent approval to adjust the electricity tariffs upwards were some of the issues that were making local products uncompetitive.
[pullquote]such actions by the PF government can only be described as dishonest because the PF were voted for on the platform of the pro-poor policies and more money in people’s pockets[/pullquote]
“We call upon Government to help bring stability to the economy. We the manufacturers are doing the best that we can,” he said.
He said players in the manufacturing sector were doing everything possible to grow the economy but that their efforts were being hampered.
Meanwhile the Chamber of Mines in Zambia (CMZ) says it is not happy with the approved upward adjustment in Zesco electricity tariff and has since engaged the ERB over the increase.
CMZ chief executive officer Maureen Dlamini in said the chamber was concerned with electricity tariffs upward adjustment because it was too high and would further increase the cost of operations for the mines.
Ms Dlamini who was reacting to the announced increase in electricity tariff by 24 per cent for domestic customers and 15 per cent for
commercial users said this hike was bound to have an adverse effect on the mines.
“We are concerned with the increase because it is going to further push the cost of operations for the mines and right now are in
discussion with ERB over the matter,” Ms Dlamini said.
She, however, said the chamber was not in position to comment further until after exhausting the current discussion with ERB
The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) on the Copperbelt has said the tariff increase would raise the cost of doing
business in Zambia and may result in job losses.
FDD Copperbelt chairperson Yotam Mtayachalo said that some companies may fail to cope with the tariff hike and would cut on jobs as a way to sustain operations.
Mr Mtayachalo said while the FDD agreed that Zesco needed to generate income, increasing tariffs for the clients were not a solution
especially that fuel prices had just been increased and the Kwacha had depreciated against the Dollar.
Mr Mtayachalo called on Government to intervene on behalf of Zambians because the Patriotic Front has always said it was a pro-poor
Government.
PRESIDENT Michael Sata addressing Cabinet and journalists at State House in Lusaka yesterday
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has advised Zambians to desist from speaking mockingly about Republican President Michael Sata’s health.
EFZ Executive Director Pukuta Mwanza told Qfm News that Zambians should show maturity instead of making fun of the health of the President.
Rev. Mwanza said whether the President is sick or not, it is wrong for Zambians to continue talking about his health in a mocking manner.
He said those that think the President is not in good health should instead commit him in prayers.
Rev. Mwanza added that the President is a human being like any other person and can fall sick at any time.
He said that those aspiring for the high office of President should be the last ones to laugh at the president when he falls sick.
Rev. Mwanza further stated that it is the President who is in a better position to say whether he is well or not instead speculating on his health.
Rev. Mwanza further stressed that President Sata is the leader for all Zambians and no one should wish him ill health, but that people should pray for his strength so that he continues leading the country and completes his term.
KUMWESU, meaning OUR PLACE, is a half-hour lifestyle and entertainment magazine program that showcases the African lifestyle from across the continent.
The aim of KUMWESU is to inform, entertain and update viewers on the new young emerging Africa, a continent driven by our ever growing entertainment, tourism and business industries.
They cover major events such as music concerts and award shows.
Go behind the scenes of Productions from films, television drama series and music videos.
Get up close and personal with some of the leading personalities in the entertainment business.
Encourage entrepreneurship through interviews with some of Africa’s leading young businessmen and women.
Zambian TV Presenter Mutale Mwanza, hosts the show from different holiday destinations and locations (hotels, lodges) across the African continent.
The field reporters bring us the diversity of our continent from different exciting tourist attractions across Africa accompanied by popular media personalities.
KUMWESU Season 2 hits TV screens this week DSTV Africa Magic Channel
Vice President, Guy Scott, has assured the nation that government has not abandoned the constitution making process as being espoused by opposition political parties and civil society.
Dr Scott says the delay in enacting a new constitution has been necessitated by government’s resolve to come up with a constitution that suits and meets the dynamism of the country in meeting the aspirations of the people.
He said this yesterday in Livingstone when he addressed a Patriotic Front (PF) party meeting at the Civic Centre.
He said the Technical Committee Drafting the Constitution has failed to justify proposed wholesale changes to the current constitution as reflected in the draft copy.
[pullquote]“The British system has worked for over 500 years. It has got its own weaknesses and the owners have not complained, and it has been working here,” he said.[/pullquote]
The Vice President said there has been no strong reason advanced for demands to change the British style of governance that has nominated and elected members of parliament forming Cabinet and to the American style of Cabinet where cabinet composition is drawn from outside the circles of parliament.
“The British system has worked for over 500 years. It has got its own weaknesses and the owners have not complained, and it has been working here,” he said.
Dr Scott said government is strongly opposed to enacting ideological fantasies from the draft constitution such as the right to food because they are unrealistic and inapplicable.
The Vice President also urged party members to bury their differences and focus on reorganising and strengthening the party in Southern Province in order to gain political foothold.
He noted that Southern Province is a difficult province but advised PF members to point out the developmental projects being undertaken by the government in order to woo members.
[pullquote]Dr Scott said government is strongly opposed to enacting ideological fantasies from the draft constitution such as the right to food because they are unrealistic and inapplicable.[/pullquote]
Dr Scott reminded the party that there are four by-elections in Petauke Central, Malambo, Kasenengwa and Vubwi Constituencies in Eastern province that need to be won.
And speaking earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister, Harry Kalaba, dispelled conceptions that President Sata has deliberately made Southern Province lag behind in development.
Mr Kalaba said President Sata moved the provincial capital from Livingstone to Choma in order to accelerate development in Choma and the rest of Southern province.
He said the province has received the highest budgetary allocation in the 2014 national budget to spur development in the region.
Also speaking at the same meeting, Southern Province Minister, who is also PF Provincial Chairman, Daniel Munkombwe, implored the Vice President to compel Ministers and Members of Parliament to visit PF structures than wait for 2016.
SEVERAL Luanshya residents waiting their turn to get medicine from a pharmacist dispensing medication from a mobile pharmacy at Ndelela Basic School in Mikomfwa Township where the Ministry of Health conducted mobile hospital services
A traditional leader has praised government for sending the mobile hospital to his area to offer quality specialized services.
Senior Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda speaking people of Mwinilunga district in North-Western Province says over 1,000 people in Kampemba, Luawu, Lwakela, Nsanakudya and Nyakaseya areas benefited over the weekend from the government’s policy under the Ministry of Health.
Senior Chief Kanongesha says some men and women were tested for cervical cancer and prostate cancer while some shunned because of what he termed traditional myths.
He was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.
The Senior Chief, who presides over Mwinilunga and the newly created Ikelenge districts, said this is the very first time the mobile hospital had reached remote areas like his since the mobile hospital was launched in 2010.
“I commend government for dispatching the mobile hospital to service my area. Most of the people were treated and benefited from the services while a few shunned for reasons known to themselves,” he said.
On shunning, Senior Chief Kanongesha said he would engage district health management boards in the two districts to conduct vigorous sensitisation programmes to educate the villagers on the importance of screening.
The traditional leader appealed to the men and women in his chiefdom against shunning government programmes as they frustrate government efforts of attaining the Millennium Development Goal on health.
The United Nations (UN)has honored Major Alfred Banda and Chief Inspector Ebert Sianyona with the Dag Hammarskjold medal for their gallantly.
This is contained in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Permanent Mission of Zambia to the UN Chibaula Silwamba.
Mr Silwamba said the two died last year while serving with the UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
He said Zambia currently contributes 142 military and police personnel to six UN peacekeeping operations, with the largest number serving in Darfur.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, in a message marking the international day of UN peacekeepers, said 106 peacekeepers died in 2013 while serving in UN operation worldwide.
“We mourn the passing of every one of these courageous individuals. We grieve with their friends and families and we recommit ourselves to ensure that their contributions to the cause of peace will never be forgotten,” the UNJ Chief said.
Mr. Silwamba said Mr. Ban officiated at the wreath-laying ceremony in honour of the fallen peacekeepers and Zambia UN Mission Military advisor, Brigadier General Erick Mwewa, attended the solemn ceremony.
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi has joined calls by various stakeholders for Bank of Zambia Governor Mike Gondwe to resign.
Ms. Nawakwi said that Dr. Gondwe has lamentably mismanaged the country’s economy as evidenced by the Kwacha’s poor performance against major currencies.
Speaking during a Media briefing, Ms. Nawakwi who is former Finance Minister said it is plain truth that Governor Gondwe lacks the basic understanding of the economic matrix and how the financial market operates.
And Ms. Nawakwi has predicted that the decision by the Energy Regulation Board to give ZESCO a go ahead to increase electricity tariffs by 24% will result in hikes of prices of fuel and eventually worsen the poverty situation many households are living in.
The FDD President has also called on the PF government to reverse the Wage Freeze which it imposed on public service workers that has resulted in 10 public service workers’ unions to declaring a dispute with the government.
And Ms. Nawakwi says the government through President Michael Sata and the Zambia Revenue Authority to back date the debt that KCM owes Zambia as revealed by its major Shareholder Anil Agarwal that it makes huge profits from the mine which it got at a low price.
Below is the full statement…
2nd June, 2014 PRESS STATEMENT
Members of the press, fellow citizens, I wish to welcome you all to this press briefing. I have been compelled to address the nation today due to the grave economic situation obtaining in our country which is actually a threat to our political stability.
THE CONTINUED DEPRECIATION OF THE KWACHA
The continued depreciation of the kwacha against the major convertible currencies is adversely impacting on the lives of the majority of our people as the prices of essential goods and services such as mealie meal, water, electricity, transport and housing have kept on rising beyond the reach of the majority of our people. Just yesterday, the Energy Regulation Board gave ZESCO the go ahead to increase electricity tariffs by 24%. At the rate we are moving, we expect the prices of fuel to go up soon. And that will worsen the poverty situation many households are living in.
Last week, The Bank of Zambia told the nation that the kwacha is depreciating because of speculative behavior among players. The Central Bank said people should desist from speculating with the Kwacha to halt the current free fall of the local currency. This is the latest of the many cheap excuses this government has been giving us since the kwacha started its downward spiral. First they told us that the Kwacha was losing value due to the falling copper prices, and then they changed the story and said the Kwacha was depreciating due to their ill-timed Statutory Instruments No. 33 and No. 55.
Then the story changed yet again that the Kwacha was losing its value due to the so called capital projects which the government was undertaking. As if that was not enough the government invented another excuse saying the Kwacha was depreciating because of some imaginary cartel. And now the story has changed yet again. Today the Governor is blaming the so called speculators for the depreciation of the Kwacha.
Surely, it is clear to all of us that the Kwacha has continued to lose its value due to the lack of sound fiscal and monetary policy by the PF Government coupled with the ill prepared individuals who are managing our economy. Dr Michael Gondwe, our Central Bank Governor is a lawyer by profession and is therefore the wrong person to have as Governor of the Central Bank.
Can the Governor tell us why the opening rate of the Kwacha each morning is higher than the closing rate of the previous evening? Does he know that the money market does not sleep? Does he know that his commercial banks are taking foreign positions using the few dollars that he has been pumping in the financial market? Does he even know how much foreign currency, trading outposts such as Shoprite, Game Stores, the mines and such foreign firms are taking outside the local money market?
It is plain to all of us that our Governor lacks the basic understanding of the economic matrix, let alone how the financial market operates. It is for this reason that we are hereby requesting Dr. Michael Gondwe to immediately step down as Governor of the Central Bank of Zambia because we as a people no longer require his poor services.
If the depreciation of the Kwacha is not quickly arrested, we will find ourselves in the Zimbabwe or Greek situation because the purchasing power of our currency is evaporating with each day that passes. This is putting pressure on business houses especially small businesses such as car dealers, hardware dealers, fruit traders, cross border traders ( the Tamanga dot com friends) and the like who heavily rely on imported goods. This increased cost of doing business is beyond the reach of many small businesses. Many such businesses are failing to pay their workers or to operate normally hence many are closing or folding up.
LABOUR DISPUTES
For the first time in the history of this great nation, all ten public service workers’ unions have declared a dispute with the government for unilaterally imposing a wage freeze and refusing to improve the salaries and conditions of our workers.
If this labour dispute is not quickly resolved it may result into countrywide strikes. The consequences of such industrial unrest are too ghastly to contemplate. The escalating prices of essential goods and services that have been triggered by the depreciation of the Kwacha are eroding the value of the salaries of our workers due to the diminishing purchasing power of the Kwacha.
It is for these reasons that we are calling upon the government to immediately lift the wage freeze and honour the 2013 Collective Agreement. We equally urge the government to learn to consult all relevant stockholders and embrace the spirit of give and take before making major policy pronouncements to avoid backlashes. This government has to learn that we are in a democracy and not an autocracy. The government has to learn to deal with our workers in an open and honest manner.We urge the government to deal with these labour challenges with a sober and level headed approach and not the heavy handed approach. We do not want to see what happened with the nurses to repeat itself because the ultimate losers are the poor Zambians who have continued to lack the services of the fired nurses.
As a Party, we fully appreciate the numerous challenges our workers are enduring. The bulk of our public service workers are what may be termed as the working poor. Low wages and poor conditions of service have become the norm for most of our public service workers. Paying for basic needs such as food, shelter and transport is a real struggle for them. Low wages are forcing most of our workers to resort to kaloba and all sorts of loans just to make ends meet.
It is Important to stress that our workers are the engine and backbone of the economy. It is therefore extremely important that the workers are `properly motivated and properly taken care of in order to increase their productivity. However, we want to caution that even if we increase the salaries of the public service workers it will not positively impact on their lives if we do not deal with the falling Kwacha and the general economic mismanagement currently obtaining in our country because the purchasing power of the Kwacha is diminishing daily. We need to seriously work on the fundamentals of our economy which are currently very weak due to lack of sound economic policies and sheer incompetency on the part of some individuals who have been charged with the responsibility of managing our economy.
Thank you. Prepared and issued by: Edith Z Nawakwi FDD President
