President Rupiah Banda yesterday launched a personal website, which he intends to use to communicate his personal and official messages to the wider public.
According to a statement issued by the president’s special assistant for Press and public relations Dickson Jere in Lusaka yesterday the website – www.presidentbanda.com – will be financed by a group of his supporters.
He said the site would also contain political messages and samples of his approved campaign regalia, which cannot be posted on his official State House website.
“It is another great way to help me keep in contact with you,” President Banda said in his welcome message to the website.
“It will show many of the things that I am doing for us, the people of Zambia, to make our country better and more prosperous for the future, ensure peace, security and stability for all our children,” the president said.
Mr Jere said the new website will complement the official State House website where his official messages and programmes will continue to be posted.
[pullquote]“It is another great way to help me keep in contact with you,” President Banda said in his welcome message to the website.
“It will show many of the things that I am doing for us, the people of Zambia, to make our country better and more prosperous for the future, ensure peace, security and stability for all our children,” the president said.[/pullquote]
Meanwhile, President Banda arrived in Pretoria South Africa yesterday where he made a stopover before proceeding to Mozambique.
Mr Jere said yesterday that the president left for South Africa and Mozambique for consultations on a number of issues.
First Lady Thandiwe Banda and other senior Government officials have accompanied the president.
[ Times of Zambia ]
just how many zambians have access to the web? and if they have, how reliable is the service? how much does it cost just to browse? i was in zambia recently and i saw all these problems.
Come on,thats a pathetic job,www.presidentbanda.com, i take it one of his great grandson’s did designed it.What a childish disclaimer as well
Even a grade 12 can do that pathetic design
In an environment where media’s appetite for titillating stories is prone, strategy, tactics, and maneuvering to the base is of primacy in national politics. Therefore, the essence of expanding into e-politics is not necessarily for votes mobilization only, but a game of reinforcing people’s existing predispositions rather than change their minds.
E-politics offers the option of mass mailing and raising money from busy sympathizers around the world as proven. It also addresses the issue of media vacillations. As some may know, campaigns shift rapidly from the political parties to individual candidates, largely as a consequence of refinements in techniques of mass persuasions.
To this i say in web design, e-commerce or indeed e-politics, simplicity is the game. If friends of RB come up yet again with such an initiative that has its concept and game-plan, it does not mean that they have to do so at the desecration of every armchair critic.
I think RB is too preoccupied with returning power next year,come what may at the expense of improving the welfare of the majority of Zambians. These tactics will backfire, come 2011.
sata can launch his web site as well this is a global village were information and communication is on your finger tips. well done dickson jere young and top of the range journalist cum lawyer not fake and gutter scribes from the bwijifumu school of journalism
That site is nicely laid out – worth about $500, I wonder at what cost it was “financed by a group of his supporters”…
Congrats, you will hear the truth now from the Zambians. Please do not sensor any postings or comments on your website. why is it national colours? How come the contact person is DJ lets hope you are not just adding to your abuse of national resources .
Hope its gonna be a two-way communication because we’ve got loads to tell you Mr.
> This idea of RB coming up with a website whether his or his supports’ is great and welcome. We needed this to come to be years back.
> The Name for this website is neither correct nor accurate. RB will not be president for ever, hence one wonders if the website name will be changed after he leaves office. Examples of other websites for presidents are there. Why not consider http://www.rupiahbwezanibanda.com?
> The design is way too basic. Lots of web designers can much do better at no cost. I hope RB will consider reshuffles in his website design team.
> Content is great for an official presidential website. I assume RB intends to share his personal life’s experiences with all of us not to share his presidential experiences.
Why cant he just go on Facebook or Twitter. Knowing some of the bloggers on LT, If he introduces a comments section on that website he will close it down within days coz the insults there will be a nightmare. generation y insults…..
The Idea is very good for people to have access to state house at this stage. Others are talking about the design of the website (freedom of expression), the important thing is.. are people able to read what is put their and that is the idea the looks and unlooks of the site is immaterial. Yes there is a problem of how many people have access to internet but that will not remain like that for ever let the few who have internet contribute or uncontribute in one way or the other. We need to come out of the cacoons of being negative even on things that are obvious.
Good idea because we need to tell you who really you are.Hope you will be answering from the ground and not the air .
Brilliant idea. I support it wholeheartdly. If HH, Satan, Mutesa, Milipu, and any citizen of the glogal village did the same, I would still support them
RB the idea is great i hope you will be finding time to post your information considering your touring behavour.
#14 the point is it looks quite nice, the content is without substance
lets open a banda blog on twitter of facebook.it will have no censorship. otherwise banda’s advisors think publicists, image biulders, and personal trainers will help him save face even though he has none.
That is a good gesture His Excellency RB. Congraturations
pathetic site
#16 HH has a far better site than this lubbish
One way to look at this development by the president is simply progressive and modernism. I know that “Napapa Sana” has made comments about how many Zambians have access to the internet. You have no idea how many Zambians in offices browse the internet! Going to Zambia and see a few hints of problems with the internet is not a well informed opinion. Zambians are very computer savvy and they know when they access the internet and from where! I worked in Zambia for many years and that is where I got my computer skills. The president is right to get a personal website going. I know that if he announced he was going to get a blackberry or iPhone for personal use, the same critics will have some unpalatable words for him. Gorw up guys and be modern!
Why should the website be presidentbanda? Why not use rupiahbanda?. President is neither Rupiah’s name nor will he be president for ever. Bu dull.
That web site was designed by a young man who had done studies in typwriters. And he picked old pictures where he was greeting the late Pope and also Mandela, so what if he greeted the pope?? This is very childish, it is like posting an old childhood picture when i ate ice cream for the first time….
Eh! Congrats! Even a myspace, twitter and facebook page. I wana send a friend request.
But internet access is too costly in Zambia k200/min elo its slooooooooow! Unless Lapgreen will be offering excellent internet services and cheaper. So looking forward to chat!
I don’t know why some people are complaining about this idea, i think it is a good idea. I think Zambians just love complaining.
its great,nice and i think we learn more about his exellence and his attributes.
its great,nice and i think we will learn more about his exellence and his personal attributes.
Its a good idea, for those of us who cant talk to you personaly, we can communicate and add to the country development in some way..
pay the internet bills for us if at all you want to be in the office in the on coming elections and muletandala nokutandala not ukulabelenga fye ma mails yesu ba…i salute bingu wamutarika!!!!!!! musatichimwise chifukwa mwatilemesa kudya ndalama zatu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey
congratulation, let everybody even the opposition open up more channels of communications. lets see the positive and the negative in everything than complaining, the net is not ZNBC and it is also not the Post. it is a fair ground lets use it.
Hon’ble President. It is indeed a good idea. Please leave your email ID as well.
You actually make it appear really easy together with your presentation but I in finding this matter to be actually something that I think I might never understand. It sort of feels too complicated and very extensive for me. I am having a look forward on your next submit, I will try to get the hold of it!
You can certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. All the time follow your heart. “There are only two industries that refer to their customers as users.” by Edward Tufte.