Thu, 25 May 2017 12:46:16 +0000
By BENNIE MUNDANDO
ARMCHAIR critics and most opposition political parties have failed to live up to the expectations of Zambians in providing effective checks and balances against Government because they have embarked on baseless criticism which does not offer solutions to challenges the country is facing, Zambian DNA has observed.
Spokesperson Spuki Mulemwa told the Daily Nation yesterday that most political parties in Zambia had abandoned their role of being stakeholders in the development of the country and had embarked on a divisive, non-objective way of politicking which rendered their cause useless.
Mr. Mulemwa called for clean, objective politics adding that those armchair critics who were in the habit of criticising Government without providing solutions to issues they were raising were misguided and needed to take a fresh look at what Zambians expected of them as political parties.
He said it was important for political parties to take advantage of the open-door policy of President Edgar Lungu and his Government by engaging him on a wide range of issues to come up with workable solutions as opposed to mudslinging, name-calling and personal attacks which had no bearing on the development of the country.
“We are urging armchair critics and opposition political parties to be objective in the way they criticize Government as most of their criticism is baseless. President Lungu has demonstrated that he is a true democrat who allows divergent views from both his own party and then opposition and so, we expect them to take advantage of this conducive environment for dialogue to find solutions to the challenges the country is facing.
“Government and opposition political parties are supposed to work together and brainstorming on how best to transform this country. It is most unfair to concentrate on attacking the president all the time,” Mr. Mulemwa said.
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Civil servants disappoint Solwezi DC
By JACKSON MAPAPAYI
SOLWEZI district commissioner Rosemary Kamalonga has expressed disappointment with heads of Government departments in the district for constantly reporting late for work.
Speaking during the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) first quarter meeting, Ms Kamalonga warned civil servants that late reporting amounted to gross indiscipline.
She said Government will not tolerate any Government official who reports for work late, stating that they were delaying developmental projects in the district.
‘’I have noted with disappointment that most of the heads of Government departments have a tendency of reporting late for work. This I will not tolerate because we are robbing the people of the much needed services and at the same time we are stealing from Government,’’ Ms Kamalonga said.
The district commissioner said it was the mandate and responsibility of all district heads of Government departments to ensure that there was effective implementation of projects and programmes in order to help the Government fulfil its mandate to the people of Zambia.
‘’The duty of every civil servant is to implement Government programmes because that is what you are paid for. I therefore expect each one of us to get down to work,’’ she said.
Ms Kamalonga urged all officers to be punctual and report for work on time to avoid disciplinary action being taken against them.
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DC appeals for communication towers
By JACKSON MAPAPAYI
MUFUMBWE district commissioner Masela Sekeseke has appealed to the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) to install communication towers in five wards of the district.
The wards are Kaminze Kenzeke, Kabipupu, Miluji, Musonwezhi and Lalafuta.
Ms Sekeseke told the Daily Nation in an interview that it was difficult to communicate with the people in those wards because the areas were not serviced with communication towers.
She said people were forced to cover long distances for them to communicate with their relatives.
“In those five wards there is totally nothing. You can’t communicate using a mobile phone; people have to walk a long distance for them to deliver a massage,’’ Ms Sekeseke said.
She said apart from the five wards not being serviced, even the other towers which were installed in Munyambala and Mushima areas have limited coverage.
“The coverage is just about 2 kilometres radius. Now the ward is big, so the communication is very limited and it is not useful to us because we can’t communicate,’’ she said.
She said a request was made to have the towers installed in the five wards and also increase the coverage on the already installed ones.
“So, my appeal once again is for ZICTA to urgently service all the chiefdoms with communication towers with a at least a good radius and not the two kilometres like in Mushima and Munyambala,’’ she said.
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Two die in a hit and run in Mushindamo
By JACKSON MAPAPAYI
TWO people have died at Kabisapi area in Mushindamo district in a hit and run road accident.
North Western commissioner of police Auxensio Daka confirmed the incident and identified the victims as George Bukama and Elias Mangowani, aged 53 and 28 respectively.
Mr Daka said the accident occurred on Tuesday around 22 hours at Kabisapi along the Solwezi-Chingola road.
He said the two men were cycling in the same direction as the motor vehicle when the accident occurred.
“It is believed that the driver of the unknown motor vehicle hit into the cyclist while driving at a high speed,’’ Mr Daka said.
He explained that due to the impact, the two victims sustained fractured legs and bruises and died on reaching Solwezi General Hospital.
“So far no arrest has been made but investigations have been instituted,’’ he added.
