[Zambia] 'Nawakwi's Ill-Qualified to Discuss Zambia's poverty'

from All Africa

STATE House Deputy Minister Webby Chipili has said Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi was part of the group that mismanaged the country's meagre resources and cannot claim to be redeemer of Zambians today.

Reacting to Ms Nawakwi's call for Zambians to give President Mwanawasa a protest vote, Mr Chipili said the FDD leader was a Cabinet minister when the Government sold the bulk of Zambia's parastatal companies leading to the retrenchment of several workers.

He said Ms Nawakwi and her colleagues damaged Zambia's credibility internationally and could not blame Mr Mwanawasa for the current poverty situation.

"This Government has not only worked hard but we have results to show. Everywhere you go, you will be told the success stories of this Government in agriculture, mining and many other sectors of the economy," he said.

He said President Mwanawasa had done 'extremely' well and that prompted the donors to cancel a huge part of Zambia's debt, thereby freeing the people from unsustainable debt bondage.

"The people of Zambia are not only benefiting but are seeing clear progress being made by the New Deal administration," he said.

It was, therefore, not a true reflection of the situation on the ground for Ms Nawakwi to paint a bad picture.

Mr Chipili said Ms Nawakwi was now blaming President Mwanawasa for the suffering of the Zambian people when she knew that when the 'New Deal' administration took over office, there was no food, no jobs and mines in Luanshya were closed.

He said Mr Mwanawasa took over at a time when the agricultural sector was in a limbo and those responsible for that were Ms Nawakwi and her colleagues in Government.

He said it was malicious of Ms Nawakwi to say that Mr Mwanawasa and First Lady, Maureen, were spending US$200 per day because there was nothing sinister about that as the President was entitled to per diem when he travelled.

The fact that the President regularly visited Teka Farm should not be an issue because Mr Mwanawasa was merely trying to lead by example in spearheading food production.

"I, therefore, do not understand what the problem is with Ms Nawakwi as regards the President's farm. Her politics revolve around mentioning the President's name. She has no other manifesto or idea on the way forward for Zambia," he said.

Mr Chipili said it was not true that President Mwanawasa was selling land to foreigners because the Commissioner of Lands, and not the head of State, was in charge of land allocation.

He said the MMD was set to win this year's elections as past by-election results had proved, and without any doubt, that all of them put together could not defeat the ruling party.

And the MMD in Kapiri Mposhi has said Ms Nawakwi should concentrate on resolving the numerous problems her party was facing instead of attacking President Mwanawasa in the Press.

Party district chairman John Mwaimba said Ms Nawakwi should not attack the Government that was working hard to improve the economy.