The Patriotic Front has announced plans to restructure the Ministry of Communications and Transport after it forms government.
Party member, Bob Sichinga says the respective ministry will be split into 2 agencies.
Mr Sichinga was speaking last evening in Lusaka during the on-going political parties debates organised by the economics association of Zambia.
The parties were debating the transport and communications sector.
And UPND Munali parliamentary candidate, Steve Nawa said his party has plans of re-introducing a national airline while an MMD representative said plans are underway to re-introduce the Njanji Commuter train service in Lusaka.
MUVI TV
GOOD PLANS BY ALL THE 3 MAJOR PARTIES.LETS US WAIT AND SEE WHICH PARTY FORMS THE NEXT GOVVERMENT AND SEE IF THEY ALL KEEP THEIR PROMISES.
Pamberi na Rupiya! Pamberi na Mugabe! Pamberi na MMD
Zambia does not need such plans of increasing ministries but creating lean functional Government institutions that are efficient and responsive to national needs in development.
Steven Nawa is best Candidate for Munali
……….while an MMD representative said…….
NAMES FOR ALL PLEASE!
great plans from pf…. This ministry needs to be checked and dived too much corruption… Big for nothing….. Over all they all hv good plans bt pf will cary the day
goooooo pf gooooo pf viva sichinga. We kno and believe pf will clean this country once voted into office. We are voting for you… Viva the cobra viva sichinga and viva all donchi kubeba team….. We pray peace prevail in zambia
We do not need to expand Government in a small nation like Zambia. What we need is a lean and efficient Government. Aitaya Sichinga apa. I thought, of the three ideas, UPND’s Nawa Stephen had the best followed by MMD.
It wont be split into two ministries but agencies. This will mean that it will have two Permanent Secretaries. One for transport and one for communications.
The next government need to strimeline government portfolios we need a small government inorder to save zambian economy eg currently in ministry of finance we have minister,deputy minister,PS and assistance PS under one ministry its too much, goverment waste alot of money its pays in salaries, allowance etc. Besides next government should decentralise decision making structures to district levels coz pipo at grassroot really know wants is better for them. At this time zambia needs participation by locals in decision making  and good governance.
MMD has been there for 20yrs & they still makin promises. Wht Njanji are th tlking about today? Wake up 7ambia. The ministry can be split for th better of th nation. Who told you tht we are power? Mismanagment aint poverty.
Oweee ba Bob what the h*** did you say? Another ministry? u must be joking. Already we hv a bunch of deputy ministers doing absolutely nothing. I would hv agreed with you if mentioned adding a PS not a minister. Teh UPND’s plan is the best coz we do need a national airline. Even with the bad economy, Zimbabwe still has a national airline. Why cant we?The commuter train proposed by MMD if managed properly will reduce traffic jams.Though on the other hand that will put the minibus transport out of business.It seems bob is getting contaminated with kaponyasis.
@Ba Senior Citizen, didn’t the MMD split the Ministry of Agriculture into Ministry of Livestock and something else I can’t even recall? And I didn’t hear you fuss about that! Now PF suggests something similar and you are the first one to complain about it! This is the reason why some people on this blog think your cadre-ism has turned you into “ichipuba”, as some Zambians would say.
If the ministry of Transportation has become so big, bureaucratic, cumbersome and inefficient, what is wrong splitting it up into two smaller but robust Ministries? Bigger isn’t always better. Sometimes I feel corruption is rife in these Ministries because they are simply too big such that Ministers running them don’t even know who is in charge of what! So trimming them ain’t a bad idea at all!
DBZ Indebted job seekingBob Sichinga is A failure who cannot Advise anyone.
Muzalila Ba PF Wapya Munzi Chwe Chwe Chwe Chwe!!
Its a very good economic idea to expand government….. thanks Sichinga for your very good ideas. Hahahaha
Engineer you must have a personal issue with Bob!
Splitting the ministry of transport and communications does sound like a bettter idea than splitting ministry of agriculture. Transport should deal with Airlines, Railways, roads and so forth, while communication deals with Comm. authority, Zamtel and all other ISP’s and so forth. Good idea.
PF idea primitive, MMD idea too late and UPND plan progressive. Which one do you take?
It seems Sichinga has support his son’s father in law even if it means giving f.o.o.lish economic ideas….
The report on Muvi TV indicated that Edwin Lifwekelo is standing on FDD ticket in munali. Is this true?
RB is really a force to recon with. If MMD had a weak candidate, the opposition was going to reap it apart, and it is easier to decampaign a sitting government by pointing out all the negative aspects only and without acknowledging success. RB will do much better than he did in the last elections…I don’t see a single factor this time arround why he should do worse.
Man of God said the least expected canditate is winning this year’s election in central southern africa. mark this. by T.B joshua.
That man is a liar!
No 14
You so right. Even the wind fall tax they were jumping up and down about they have failed to articulate it.. Simply put the opposition have no issue to unseat MMD. My prediction also is that RB this time around will give PF a good beating. In 2008 he did not have time to consolidate him self. This time the real game is on.
PF strategy of mass defection from MMD has simply not worked… having been mislead by Mulongoti. In fact indications show MMD has come out of this much stronger. People are sticking with the winning team
Bloggers must understand simple english Bob Sichinga did not say he will expand cabinet but that the ministry of transport and communications will be split into two distinct agences but under one cabinet portifolio. This will enhance efficiency and development in these two fields
#22, thanks for the clarification. I hope it’s clear for all. This fora Bob was speaking at, was tackling transport and communication. Have you heard what the PF’s plan is, concerning the other ministries? Hold your fire! This discussion had nothing to do with windfall tax.
I quote from above:
“The parties were debating the transport and communications sector.” Can we read people?
PF, that idea is nonsense. I however see that Mr. Sichinga is trying to bring issue based debates, the only problem is this proposal is nonsensical.
UPND, why have a national airline when there is Zambezi Airlines? Why not support Zambezi instead of burdening tax payers with a national airline??
MMD, Fantastic proposal. As a landlocked country, rail infrastructure is important to our economy, especially in reducing the cost of business.
Mr. Capitalist,
I respect you, but please don’t ever mention Zambezi airline on this forum again. I have the worst flying experience with this airline. They are really embarrassing Zambia. They are always late… They cancel flights without warning and they never apologize for it. One time I had to spend a night at the Airport in South Africa, because these fools caused me to miss my flight to the USA where I live. This is an honest take.
If my memory serves correctly, it was late FTJ, MHSRIP and one MSC who travelled by chopper all the way to Isoka to de campaign Sichinga until he lost the elections. Sichinga then ran away to contest in Kafue and won on UPND ticket later on. What has changed now for him to work with MCS; This is a true demonstration of what happens when ” Njala ya mu nyokola munthu”
Cichinga has been in parliament several times and has never implemented his economic knowledge on the groung, let alone to his businesses. Watch out Guys
During the Economics Association of Zambia political debate on Transport and Communication, the best Manifesto was from MMD. The MMD Transport and Communications Manifesto is in line with the MMD 7 point re-election strategty as unveiled by RB with reference to point no. 5 – “QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT ALL ZAMBIA.” NJANJI COMMUTER RAILWAY is just one of the projects that will be undertaken by MMD. MMD was the best party at this forum
@ 20
Such predictions/prophecies are common with ng’angas. Anyone that wins these elections can be termed “the least expected canditate”, depending on which direction you are facing!!
Sorry, but Zambia does not need a national airline. As much as this hurts people’s ego to think of this country without a “national carrier”, there are many other more urgent things to spend money on than to sink billions and billions into a potentially loss-making airline without a solid business case behind it. Much better to give Zambezi a chance to grow than for Government to go into direct competition with this emerging local business. I’m surprised UPND and its “business savvy” leader would call for such a thing. This kind of populist rhetoric sounds more like PF.
The opposition is not offering anything better.
I think the question is more on the calibre and character of the people making promisses.
What RB promisses, do you blieve him?
When SATA promisses, do you believe him?
That is where the question lies.
One of the two between RB and SATA is not trustworthy; and all zambians know who is better between the two and who is not worthy trusting.
better work with what you have than create new entities that get abused by nationals who cant even take care of their own front yards
Good plans so why cant these parties come together and make one party then do what each party is promising because one party cant manage doing everything.PF wants to bring UBZ back ,MMD wants NJANJI na MA TRAMS wooow and HH i guess it will be UPND AIRLINES
UPND why why  should the government be getting its hands messy with running businesses; why not encourage the local airlines and businessmen to step up to the platter by making favorable policies for them. While do you think Zambia Airways closed down in the first place. The Airline Business is the least profitable business in Africa or Worldwide, expenditure is high and the regional airport taxes are too high.
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LT learn to write your own stories, not copy and paste everytime.
MMD’S plan is the best. Atleast the njanji commuter train will reduce traffic a bit, that is, if they are not lying.
#24, do you know the meaning of National Airline? Pls, if you cant articulate issues, dont display your ignorance like this in public. National Airline means belonging to the people of zambia, and not to 3 zambian businessmen. We encourage free enterprise, but we need a National Flag Carrier in which taxpayers money is invested.
Hope #24 can stop embarrasing his party and self.
Thanks.
@ #35 Nashala Neka Party
That is some populist crap you have written. Why should we sink tax payers money in a “National Airline” when we already have a local business that we can just strengthen?? I do not see a plausible reason why. What you are advocating for is creating a burden for tax payers. Recently South African Airways needed a R1.6 Billion Rant bail-out. Is that what you want, to be using tax payers money to bail-out a “National Airline”? Just strengthen Zambezi. It is doing a commendable job.
….we dont need more departments in GRZ
What has MMD been doing on the Njanji commuter train all thes years. Its the MMD who deactivated this project. Now they cant tell us they want to revive it. As for PF why restructure an existing ministry and creat two. Is this whats meant to effect drastic changes using SATANOMICS formular within 90days of being in office. This is just a job creating venture for PF cadres. and knowing Robert Sichinga we will see alot of experiments on the economic front. We yet to see how SATANOMICS is going to solve all our national problems if they happen to form the next Govt.
#36,
Actually what you are saying is more crap than one can imagine. Which is better, to invest our money in a national airline or to continue pumping it into the “UPG” scumZ? I can see you are a zealot of MMD, Eliminate your slavish mentality. Captured mentally because your benefactors are eating with them. We need to correct past mistakes my friend. If you think that my money can be invested in a private enterprise, then you are terribly mistaken. Let Zambezi Airlines look for money on the open market and not Tax Payers cash. Dont even waste your precious time making such ill timed and politically skewed arguments, you are dull.
The PF manifesto talks of a smaller cabinet and government, so how does dividing 1 into 2 make fewer ministers?
National airline? There are fewer and fewer national airlines in the progressive world. Even Aeroflot is in private hands! UPND, I thought you were progressive but NO, you don’t represent real change. As for MMD, bring electric tramways or electric buses into the major cities and that is far better than the silly commuter njanji. Vancouver (BC) city may help you in this.
it is embarrasing for u opposition chaps..here u sau UPG is corrupt and ballot papers have been delivered to zambia..kulya ur pipo are being interviewed and they are saying that ALL is well and the company is doing well..these are people that are on the ground in SA..seeing the equipment that this company has and its capacity..shame on u for insighting the nation..
better to comment after watching the debate. when are we going to have motorways? we should have a ten year plan to network the country in rail, road and airline, regardless of the party in rule some projects should move on.Â
@ #39 Nashala Neka Party
Strengthening a private airline does not mean pumping money into it. Your reasoning lacks innovation. Strengthening a private airline could involve providing more incentives or loosening regulations to even lowering the cost of business. You should be innovative instead of spouting the same populist crap we have heard for years.
I have shown you evidence that having a national airline is ineffective. Look at SAA which needed billions of rands in bail-outs. What you are spouting is rhetoric. The money to invest in a national airline can be used elsewhere like upgrading airport infrastructure. Why invest in a potential loss making venture? You lack innovation.
viva MMD we will vote for RB come 20th september chwe chwe chwe chwe chwe chwe chwe
VOTE PABWATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
MWAMUKOLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
you dont need to oppose everything your political opponent says. we should NOT rush to comment on subjects before understanding them. BOB did not say they will increase ministries go and listen to the whole story. UPND have promised a national airline and this is what they plan to do. we can only put them to task when they form government. MMD have promised as well. thank you
Yes, there is need to split some gov’t depts., yes high GRZ expenditure BUT high returns will be achieved as some core sectors are currently ignored that need dedicated attention eg. Â Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Tourism; fragment this Department into two /three departments to get the very best out of the lucrative billion dollar tourism market, same as Environment and Natural Resources as there is high activity in the Mining Sector which needs to checked meticulously.
(Cont’D)Ministry of Communications & Transport, also two very big sectors there; Communication today is not what it was 10 years ago when you had only landlines & fax. It’s a highly profitable industry that needs dedicated focus & would create thousands of jobs for our youth in the Telephone Customer Service sector for English speaking countries like Britain or USA ie. banking sector provided we’re connected by a stable, affordable broadband & 3G networks. We speak better English than the Indians &  less GMT time difference so the only setback is Communication Technology; improve that and they will come knocking. Transport is also paramount to us given our landlocked centrality if we are truly going to prosper; Road, Rail, Air need dedicated attention and organized forward planning.
pf forget you chaps..u will not get there..!
“The Patriotic Front has announced plans to restructure the Ministry of Communications and Transport after it forms government.”
Someone educate me on what “TO RESTRUCTURE” entails. Is it synonymous with creating more government ministries, bloating the work force, expansion of terms of reference, creating more managerial positions or what? I need help to understand the PF announcement.
I am however aware of PF’s intentions to streamline some agencies/departments and reduction on the number of ministries!Â
The MMD plan is *****ic and medicore. It has to take an election to work on a simple project like that one? shame on all you MMD .
Nashala Neka #24 and #39, I will forgive you if you were born post 1994. However, the demonising trauma that Zambia Airways and its associates went through is not worth debating another airline. Even when the majority of employees had never tasted an airplane seat we were all accused of “riding for free” just to get sympathy from the population for liquidation. Remember your parents (assuming, still you are post 1994) went on air to shout us down for wasting taxpayer’s money. Look at airlines everywhere – it is not just a matter taxpayer’s money, it is a very, very expensive venture that needs an enlightened populace, not the sort we have in Zambia that is ridden to the hilt with emotion and rumour mongering…
On “And UPND Munali parliamentary candidate, Steve Nawa said his party has plans of re-introducing a national airline while an MMD representative said plans are underway to re-introduce the Njanji Commuter train service in Lusaka” I m glad that UPND and MMD are offering better plans that have a potential to uplift Zambians’ lives. I wish these two parties all the best in their efforts to effect the above mentioned should they form government this September 2011 monthend.
B blest.
_
Matt 6:33
Keeping the promise
It is important that whoever gets into office they don’t waste time on undoing the way ministies are structured but focus on issues of job creation and alleviating levels of poverty. For this to happen there is need to come up with viable initiatives in form of public policy aimed at job creation. If government does not come up with effective policies to encourage job creation in the SMEs then these jobs will not come by chance! There are a lot of people with small businesses who should be targetted and given support to employ more people. For example government contracts should only be given to companies prepared to employ and train Zambians, bank guarantees for those with plans to expand and employ more people.
PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE!!!! SICHINGA DIDNT SAY HE WILL CREATE ANOTHER MINISTRY, HE SAID HE WILL SPLIT THE ALREADY EXISTING MINISTRY INTO TWO AGENCIES. SO YOU WILL STILL HAVE THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION BUT WITH TWO DISTINCT DEPARTMENTS. AS OF THE WORK FORCE THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE WORRIED OF, WELL LETS TAKE A SIMPLE EXAMPLE; YOU WILL STILL HAVE THE MINISTER AND HIS PS (WE ALREADY KNOW PF IS DOING AWAY WITH DEPUTY MINISTERS) AND IF THE MINISTRY HAS 10 WORKERS, DIVIDE THEM INTO TWO GROWS EACH COMPRISING OF 5 PEOPLE. ONE GROUP WILL CONCENTRATE ON DIGITAL COMMUNICATION SUCH HAS PHONE AND RADIOS AND TELEVISION WHILE THE OTHER GROUP WILL CONCENTRATE ON PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION SUCH PLANES, BOATS, BUSES AND TRAINS. THAT WAY THE MINISTRY WILL WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY. HOW IS THIS A BAD IDEA?
It sounds great to talk about a national airline but our current crop of politicians UNDP inclusive are incapable letting the airline operate independently. They would run it down no matter how much is pumped in it to capitalise it because of lack of intergrity in the management of national resources . They would quickly turn it into a partisan tool to use for meaningless trips locally and overseas while tax payers would be left to pick the bill. So for me any party prioritising re-establishing a national airline lacks forsight, so not worth of my vote.
# 54 please think before your post and kindly stop shouting at us because if you did not know writing in upper cases means shouting!
You liquidated the national air line and pocketed the money. Just shut up. Who do tink you could Full around you greedy chap.
The Njanji commuter is not new, we still have tracks between Matero and Chilenje, why did it fail and what lessons have been learnt, if any?
PF leader Michael Sata yesterday received a thunderous welcome in North Western Province’s Mwinilunga district where he later addressed a mammoth rally in the afternoon.
Now you tell me who is sick?
funny from reading other treads how people wished him death more especially the Demon possesed Kizito
ZIMBABWEAN BORN GO BACK TO THE DESTROYED COUNTRY HWAT DO YOU WANT IN ZAMBIA. MUGABE AND BANDA ARE MURDERESRS
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