STATEMENT BY CHANGE LIFE ZAMBIA TO MARK THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORGANISATION AND PROMULGATION OF THE THEME FOR 2010 NAMELY “THE CHANGE WE WANT”

This month May 2010 Change Life Zambia (CLZ) celebrates its first anniversary having been registered on 22nd May 2009. As we observe this occasion we praise God for sustaining us in the midst of hostility. We trust that God will continue to guide us in the struggle for a just society.
We believe that our country requires radical change to usher in upright, patriotic, innovative, pragmatic and selfless leaders that should accelerate development and steer our country to the kind of prosperity that offers a better life for all Zambians especially vulnerable citizens. Against this background, we reiterate the importance of mobilizing people to transform Zambia’s social, economic and political landscape for improved living standards for all.

UNVEILING THE 2010 THEME
We wish to inform the public that the theme for 2009 namely “Change or Die, Zambia” has transformed into a new theme for 2010 namely “The Change We Want”. We are very happy to observe that the theme for 2009 has achieved its objective of raising awareness on the vital need for change. It is now clear that many Zambians appreciate the inevitability of positive change for Zambia to reverse its serious situation of regression and hopelessness. Moreover, poor people in our compounds and villages also know that the only solution to their suffering is change.
For the next one year under the new theme “The Change We Want”, CLZ will implement programmes and activities to facilitate the drawing up of a People’s Manifesto (PM). This will be a document that will outline some cardinal and priority changes that the government to be formed after 2011 should implement to move the country forward. We shall lobby voters to demand adoption of the PM as a condition for them to vote for any party or candidate that will take part in the 2011 general elections.

NEED FOR A PROACTIVE ELECTORATE
CLZ desires to see a proactive citizenly that should not wait for politicians to state what they would do if voted into office but a situation where the people would demand desired changes in exchange for their vote. We believe that time has come for Zambians to demand critical changes as a condition for any political party to get their valued vote.


NEED FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
For many years now our people have been denied a genuine and happy national election victory party where supporters of the losing party or candidate would share a drink and make merry with those of the winning party or candidate. Instead we have sporadic violence after elections and the reason is that majority of our people believe that elections are rigged in favour of the ruling party.
Against this background, CLZ demands affirmative action by government and other stakeholders to ensure free and fair elections in 2011. We believe that failure to implement drastic measures to guarantee free and fair elections will be a great danger to our peace and stability.
Hence, we repeat our condemnation of electoral violence and other forms of politically motivated violence. Moreover, we add our voice to that of various organisations and eminent citizens calling for action to stop electoral violence.
Therefore, we are scandalized and shocked to note that the MMD party has concerned itself more with the loss of the Mufumbwe seat to UPND/PF pact than with the loss of blood and life that happened in Mufumbwe.

CONCLUSION
We call upon our members and sympathizers to continue praying for justice in our country conscious of the reality that peace and development are fruits of justice. We also urge them to pray for national leaders committed to establishing a just society where all live in harmony as brothers and sisters.



Fr Frank Bwalya
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MARSHAL PLAN FOR WESTERN AND LUAPULA PROVINCE

Sakwiba Sikota,ULP,Luapula,Western

wrote:

MARSHAL PLAN FOR WESTERN AND LUAPULA PROVINCE

MARSHAL PLAN FOR WESTERN AND LUAPULA PROVINCES

 

The United Liberal Party (ULP) is calling on government to develop a Marshall Plan to help accelarate development in Western and Luapula provinces. The Marshall Plan we are proposing is similar to the “Marshall Plan” for Europe, announced 60 years ago by US Secretary of State George C. Marshall on June 5, 1947, which set Europe on a path of economic development and ultimately led to the formation of the European Union. Our “Marshall Plan” should be called the “Zambia for All Plan”.

 

Western and Luapula Provinces have consistently emerged as the poorest provinces in most surveys conducted by the Central Statistics Office with the incidence of poverty remaining between 75 and 84 percent of the total population. This is not to say that other provinces should be excluded from the development agenda of the country. We are simply calling on government to put Western and Luapula Provinces as priority areas in the development process in order of agriculture, health, education and directing investment from the Foreign Direct Investment projects.

 

The ULP feel that in order to get greater equity within the country it is necessary to pay extra attention to the two least developed provinces in the country. The aim of any government should be to ensure that no province or region is left behind in development. The statistics we have show that the two provinces which are lagging behind in terms of development in Zambia are Western and Luapula Provinces.

 

Compared to other provinces Western and Luapula Provinces are least developed in terms of education, agriculture, health infrastructure, road infrastructure and Direct Foreign Investment which is channeled to the province. There is a need for Government to increase funding in these areas so that Western and Luapula Provinces can catch-up with the rest of the country in terms of development.

 

In surveys conducted by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on the access to basic amenities such as safe drinking water Western Province has the lowest percentage per household. For example Western province has the lowest proportion of households with access to electricity which stands at 3.5 percent. Yet electricity is one of the major sources of energy that can help accelerate development in the country.

 

The proportion of households without a toilet facility is highest in Western Province at 53.4 percent, followed by 33.2 percent in Southern Province and 21.5 percent in Eastern Province. Lusaka Province has the largest proportion of households with access to safe water (96 percent) while Northern Province and Western Province have some of the lowest proportions of households with access to safe water in the country. Luapula Province has some of the highest deficiencies in nutrition among children resulting in stunting levels well above the national average of 54.2 percent. Luapula Province also has levels of poverty above 75% of the population.

 

The “Zambia for All Plan should deliberately target groups that represent medium and low-income groups who are in the category of subsistence living. The targeted groups should not be less than 50 000 households, representing the rural population. The “Zambia for All Plan” for Western and Luapula Provinces should also aim at reaching directly to at least 15 000 farming families in each Province including those living below the subsistence level.

 

Funds should also be provided in the “Zambia for All Plan” to target female-headed households which have been on the increase as a result of high HIV/AIDS infection. Investment in health should also target women and girls because they are the most vulnerable in terms of HIV/AIDS infection. The poorest provinces in Zambia deserve all the necessary efforts from government to reduce the high levels of poverty. Government should include the “Zambia for All Plan” for Western and Luapula Provinces in the “6th National Development Plan” for the country.

 

ULP challenges all the other political parties to publicly declare their commitment to having the least developed provinces being given special attention which will bring them to simillar levels of development with other provinces.

 

Sakwiba Sikota SC

President

United Liberal Party (ULP)

May 17, 2010

 

PRESIDENT BANDA CONDEMNS TRIBAL POLITICS (FULL STATEMENT)

(Unedited for this blog)

STATE HOUSE
LUSAKA
THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
Media Statement
For Immediate Release

PRESIDENT BANDA CONDEMNS TRIBAL POLITICS

LUSAKA, May 13, 2010 – His Excellency, Mr. Rupiah Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia, on Thursday condemned the emerging culture of tribal politics saying tribalism is a cancer that will destroy the country if condoned.

The President said it was disheartening to see politicians sink so low as to be debating tribal politics in this modern era at the expense of developmental issues. The President said it was not possible for him to appoint a cabinet of 73 people in order to have all the tribes in Zambia to be represented in cabinet. He said cabinet ministers are appointed on merit regardless of tribe, race, sex and creed as per Zambian constitution.

President Banda said he felt vindicated by comments attributed to Paramount Chief Mpezeni that he has not appointed a Ngoni in his cabinet. President Banda, who is Chewa/Ngoni by tribe, said the comments by Paramount Chief Mpezeni showed that he was not a tribalist because he has not appointed a single cabinet minister from his own tribe.

The President said the media should also avoid giving prominence to tribal remarks as they have the potential of sparking hatred and violence as witnessed in a number of countries. The President appealed to his Cabinet Ministers and ruling party officials to avoid getting involved in tribal politics.

President Banda also challenged the media to do a thorough scrutiny at State House and see whether it was true insinuations by some politicians that he has appointed his tribesmen in key positions in his office. He said almost all provinces are represented at State House at very senior level.


Issued by:

Dickson Jere
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS