Today's letters

Mon, 06 Mar 2017 10:13:41 +0000

Watch out for opportunistic UPND secessionists

Dear Editor,

The decision by the UPND leadership not to recognize President Lungu is a ploy that must be nipped in the bud very decisively because it is ploy and plot that is intended to separate Tonga speaking people from the rest of the country in the same way that secessionists in Barotseland are trying to divide the country.

The handful of UPND leaders who are championing this cause are determined to gain power at whatever costs even if it means keeping Southern Province as a no go area for the Patriotic Front or indeed any future Government that may not be UPND.

You can be rest assured that the people in the Province have no intention of breaking from relations with the country because of the intrinsic relationships that have been created over the years, they feel very much part and parcel of the country.

The biggest problem is with the UPND leadership starting with their leader Hichilema Hakainde who has been in the forefront of preaching his message that the vote has been stolen from him. He had been repeating the message to the people in the Province thereby convincing them that Zambians are rejecting the southern Province. The logic is simple and quite effective, namely, by rejecting HH a southerner the rest of the country is rejecting the south.

This is of course a fallacy because many people rejected HH because of his personal attitude which continues to show complete disregard for public opinion. He believes himself to be the alfa and Omega and not given to being contradicted.

This is character trait that is very different from Edgar Lungu who actually invites different opinions and often humbles himself in situations where he could very well exercise his office and might to suppress dissent. He gave power to Scott when in reality the instruments of power were left with him by late President Michael Sata.

There is no way HH would have handed over power. He would rather have exhausted all the courts of law to ensure that he retained power.

The Government should not let one man and his band of MPs, which includes incorrigibles such as Garry Nkombo split this country on account of their personal ambitions. The country is far much bigger that the individuals who pretend to be leaders.

The Government must reach out to the people of goodwill in all the Provinces where it was not fully supported because of the tribal propaganda spread to secessionists.

Sylvester Mwitwa

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UPND dysfunctional leadership

Dear Editor,

It is more than clear that the UPND leadership has become dysfunctional purely because its leaders do not have a calling to leadership.

They lack passion for leadership by solely relying on their own skills to do everything and are generally blind to their inadequacies and drive.

Often times the UPND top leadership see their positions in terms of privilege and power and will ignore any form of advice because they think they know it all. They are essentially unprepared for leadership and are unwilling to be held accountable for their conduct because they are not leaders but bosses.

I do not know how many times I am going to say this for the benefit of Hakainde Hichilema.

He badly needs God’s intervention, to change his life and way of doing politics.

If he continues to think that he is best economic manager for this country, then he is making a big mistake because he is implying that if he died today Zambia will also die economically. Ha ha ha ha!

That is an ugly misinformation. There are out there better economists than him, at least so I think.

Now what is this I hear that the man is complaining that the U-2o soccer team is tribal because there are no Tonga players in it. I hope this is mere rumour because if it is true, all I can say is heaven forbid.

UPND with HH is not going anywhere because of that tribal or regional tag, yet we all know that Zambia is far greater  and bigger than UPND and he needs to make it big so that it can fit into Zambia not the way he is playing his politics today.

Again my simple advice is for the party to go for a convention so that new leaders can be elected, including the new president who will have national appeal.

UPND badly needs a Zambian as its leader. Not a Bemba, Tonga or Nyanja but a Zambian.

Politics of tribalism should be shunted to the dust bin because they stink.

Please, Mr Hichilema hear me just for once. Go for a convention to get a fresh mandate from the people instead of throwing your tantrums on other political parties, PF in particular.

From the above there is no doubt that the UPND leadership has become dysfunctional and irrelevant to today’s Zambian politics. The wall will soon collapse on it.

Josiah Soko Salima Road, Matero

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Councillor Patrick Salubusa a patriotic leader

Dear Editor,

I write to commend and actually congratulate Councillor for Kapwepwe Ward 25 in Matero, Patrick Salubusa for exhibiting exemplary leadership not seen from many of his status.

The Councillor has hit the road running from day one to alleviate the livelihood of his voters in his Ward, something amiss from many leaders.

He has actually hit headlines for the good cause for his bosses in Kapwepwe Ward 25, which is very encouraging.

I wish the rest of Councillors can take a leaf from his exemplary leadership to better their Wards.

Alas, others have become bosses with impunity, not knowing that leadership is about selfless execution of one’s duties for the benefit of the bosses; who are the voters regardless of the resources at hand.

His recent exploits to organise a comedy show for the benefit of raising resources for the construction of a maternity wing in Matero is but just one of his best endeavour.

If all leaders can exhibit such selflessness gestures, Zambia will surely improve drastically.

Congrats Salubusa and keep it up.

Wisdom Muyunda

CHINGOLA

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The curse of street vending

Dear Editor,

To say that Lusaka has become the most filthy capital cities of our times due to street vending is an understatement.

Foremost, it should be stripped off the city status because it is just a big yard where dirt rules with unbelievable impunity.

Once upon a time Lusaka was known as the Garden City of Africa, but all that has evaporated into filth because politicians have somehow failed to control it for their political gain.

Shopping in the central business district of Lusaka is a nightmare. You either become a victim of pickpockets because of overcrowding or you may be lynched for stepping on someone’s sausages being offered for sale on muddy floors.

Still you may be greeted by that smell from used underwear (salaula) being sold without shame. I am talking about used underwear and bras. Our women kaya Mwandi!

Our Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has fought wars to clear the streets of these garment with almost no success.

I will not be surprised if soon vendors will be selling used underwear and roasted groundnuts right in front of our prestigious Bank of Zambia. It is a bizarre scene.

There is total madness in Lusaka and the sooner our politicians realise this trouble, the better for us all.

I think that now is the time to make that stitch and save nine later.

I, therefore, stand to salute cities like Kitwe and Chingola who took the bull by the horn and cleared their streets of vendors through tacit. Lusaka should do the same.

Once Lusaka does that even the issue of flooding will come to an end because these vendors litter the streets as if they brought these roads from their villages.

Born Kachola

Lilanda