President Rupiah Banda says that the forthcoming National INDABA scheduled for 4-5th April is not political but intended at deliberating and solving the economic problems facing the country as a result of the global economic recession.

In an interview with ZANIS at Matsapha airport in Swaziland shortly before his departure back to Lusaka, Mr. Banda pointed out that it is sad that some political parties have misinterpreted the planned INDABA.

“It is an economic INDABA intended to enable Zambians talk about their country and to find ways overcoming the effects of the global financial crisis,” explained Mr. Banda.

Government has in the 2009 national budget provided a number of incentives aimed at cushioning the impact of the global economic melt down on the country’s economy.

President Banda was in Swaziland to attend a one day Southern Africa Development Community-SADC Extraordinary summit aimed at discussing and charting the way forward on the economic recovery plan for Zimbabwe and to also resolve the current political unrest in Madagascar.

And Mr. Banda has described the one day extraordinary summit which came to a close last night as a success.

He further commended King Mswati III and his government for organizing the summit saying countries in the region are committed to solve problems affecting member states.

Mr. Banda who outlined some of the key issues which were resolved in the summit on the economic recovery plan for Zimbabwe and the political insecurity in Madagascar said the Heads of States and governments in the region are happy with progress made on the implementation of the unity government.

He however said SADC heads of states have agreed to work our measures of resuscitating the economy of Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, President Banda has expressed concern that men and women in uniform are behind the violation of the constitution in Madagascar.

He said what happened in Madagascar was unconstitutional saying the ousting of a legitimately recognized government of President Marc Ravalomanana and ushering into office of a President Andre Rajeolina is another serious violation of the constitution for Madagascar.

“Indeed the constitution has been violated in Madagascar and we have seen men and women in uniform putting the law in their own hands by bringing in a person who is not of constitutional age among other acts,” he said.

Mr. Banda pointed out that all SADC countries are constitutional and SADC Heads of State have since condemned what happened in that country.

Mr. BANDA was among eight Heads of States and government who attended the one day Extraordinary summit which was chaired by His Majesty King Mswati III who is also Chairperson of the organ on Politics, Defense and Security.

President Banda has since arrived back home. He was received by a number of cabinet ministers, government heads and the ruling MMD cadres at the international airport. Defence chiefs were also on hand to welcome the President back home.

Among the notable were Vice President Anthony Kunda, Information and Broadcasting minister Lt. General Ronnie Shikapwasha, MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba and other senior government figures

ZANIS/CBM/ENDS/MM

First Lady Thandiwe Banda has challenged Zambians to appreciate and acknowledge positive developments that the health sector was scoring in the country.

ZANIS Kitwe reports that Mrs. Banda said despite the many challenges that the health sector was facing, a lot of positive strides had been recorded in the growth and delivery of quality health care services to the public.

Mrs. Banda, who was speaking at the Zambia National Service (ZNS) after winding up her three day tour of health facilities in Kitwe yesterday, said it was sad that people were always negative when talking about the health sector.
She however observed that Kitwe was facing a challenge of health facilities and has since called on Zambians and cooperating partners to help improve these facilities.

”A country cannot be productive, let alone have a promising future if its citizens have ill-health,” she said.

Mrs. Banda has since commended all health workers at health institutions she visited for being committed to their work despite having many challenges.

Meanwhile, the First Lady, Thandiwe Banda, has donated assorted foodstuffs, beddings and kitchen utensils to Mapalo Vineyard Christian Community School in Ndola.

Speaking when she made the donations in Ndola today, Mrs Banda said although the donation was small, it would help mitigate the sufferings of the vulnerable children at the school.

The donated items include blankets, plates, pillows, footballs and cakes among others.

And speaking at the same occasion, Ndola District Commissioner, Moses Mumba, said the donated items will greatly help improve the welfare of children at the school.

Mr Mumba also commended the church for working with government in providing education to the vulnerable children in society.

He appealed to other churchs and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to emulate the First Lady’s gesture.

And Mapalo Vineyard Community School teacher, Lewis Musonda, said lack of the basic educational materials and infrastructure hinder children from realizing their maximum potential in education.

Mr Musonda said the school faces a lot of challenges in providing quality education to the vulnerable children. He cited challenges such as inadequate classroom blocks, lack of desks and text books.

He also cited difficulties in sourcing money for the teachers’ salaries which usually comes from contributions from the church.

Mr Musonda appealed to government, NGOs and the civil society to help the school with the needed learning materials such as books and in raising the teachers’ salaries so that the orphaned children at the school can receive decent education.

The school, which is run by the Seeds of Hope International in Partnership with Mapalo Vineyard Christian Fellowship, has 93 girls and 84 boys.

ZANIS/PFK/KSH/ENDS.

Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has assured Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya, of continued moral support from sympathizers that believe in her genuine leadership.

Mr Munkombwe said he had faith in the judicial system and was confident justice would prevail in the case involving Ms Siliya since Zambia did not operate under a system of jungle laws.

He said this when Ms Siliya paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Livingstone today.

Mr Munkombwe said unnecessary suspicions by detractors were aimed at disrupting government’s agenda of attaining sustainable economic development.

He said Ms Siliya had fallen into unforeseen pitfalls while in the process of trying to perfect the transport sector which was previously dormant and was in urgent need of regenerating interest from investors.

And Mr Munkombwe assured Ms Siliya that most of the bridges in the province were in good condition but bemoaned the lack of progress on some roads like the Choma-Namwala road.

The Provincial Minister also alleged that the introduction of democracy in Zambia by former President, Fredrick Chiluba, was to blame for the culture of insults that people had currently adopted.

He said it was sad for people to freely insult their Republican President, but commended the late president Levy Mwanawasa for trying to correct the situation.

Meanwhile, Ms Siliya said trade was the engine of development and it needed good infrastructure if the country was to use it as a tool for improving the economy.

She said too much time had been spent on meetings and her ministry was in a hurry to implement developmental programs because that was what people were interested in.

Ms Siliya called on the private sector to embrace and supplement government efforts in implementing programs in the communications and transport sector since government alone did not have adequate resources to develop the sector.

Ms Siliya is in Livingstone to host her counterparts from Malawi and Mozambique for the Inter State Zambezi Shire Consultative Meeting to explore the possibility of navigating the Zambezi and Shire Rivers in a bid to open up water transport up to the Indian Ocean .

ZANIS/ENDS/AMM/EB