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“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives”
(John 12:24, NLT)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
It’s good to be passionate about your dreams, but did you know a dream can become an idol? If that’s all you think about and you’re not going to be happy unless it happens your way, that’s out of balance. The fact is, sometimes you have to put that dream on the altar.
Are you frustrated because you’re trying to force things to happen on your timetable? Sometimes we hold on to things so tightly, but actually, when we let them go, that’s when God can bring them to pass. If you’ll release that frustration and not let it become the center of your attention, but instead use that same time and energy to thank God that He’s directing your steps, you open the door for God to give you the desires of your heart.
We have to remember, God already knows what we want and what we are in need of. He’s the One who put those desires in us. We shouldn’t be consumed by trying to make things happen. Instead, a greater act of faith is to be happy right where you are; to stay open and trust God because He has good plans in store for your future!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, today I release my dreams, my desires, my “wants” like a seed falling to the ground. I know that You have a good plan for my future, and I trust You to bring it to pass in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Pictures are telling the story… a little girl, bandaged up with a swollen face and blood drooping across her splintered cheeks…bloodied bodies of dead little boys and girls…a body of a woman being pulled out of what appears to be a collapsed house…a man being carried on a wheelbarrow with legs amputated by a falling roof.
Calgary Herald reports that several Canadians have been killed in this earthquake and so have several Americans.
CNN reports that Geo-Physicists are comparing this devastation to the damage several atomic bombs would cause!
All this is as a result of the devastation caused by an earthquake which hit the island nation of Haiti.
Where then was a loving God when all this was happening?
First we must begin with victims: who they are, what is their story, and how they themselves have taken their suffering.
I cannot begin a discussion of this devastation from our own personal perspectives. I was not there.
I have only seen the devastation on TV. And so it is just fair that we look at this devastation from the perspective of the victim.
We must listen to their pain, and their sorrow. We must not theologise or find an explanation.
Our primary duty is to listen. To hear them cry, and complain, and lament.
Without speaking our thoughts or pronouncing our judgments, we need to hear them say what they have experienced, and to hear them talk about the meaning they attach to their suffering.
Let us hear an innocent little girl, who just had a small lunch that day, retires to sleep and suddenly the ground begins shaking and her little shack collapses on her, and cuts her little legs…what has she got to say?
Let us hear a woman in labor, who was just about to give birth, and the shudder of her childbirth was laced with an earthquake…let us listen and feel her fear and consider her heartache.
Let us listen to that man who looks at his crushed family and property, point a finger at heaven and complain bitterly…where was God?
Let us feel for all those 100,000 who have silently died at the earth gave way! That victim of the earthquake is as human as I am.
He is created in the image and likeness of God; that victim may in fact, even belong to the household of faith with me and as such I need to listen to their story!
The Bible answers the problem of evil and suffering from the perspective of the victim.
It never hides the pain of those that are suffering. People who suffer in the Bible have a voice.
They speak their minds. They dialogue with their pain. They complain and lament to God.
They complain to God, and God never shuts them up. As a Christian leader, my duty during these difficult moments is to let the victims speak for themselves, to hear their story.
When Job suffered, he cried, he lamented, and God heard him! When David suffered, he cried and lamented, and God listened to him. When Jesus suffered he cried, and he wept.
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet because of the laments he took over the desolation and devastation that his nation faced.
He was very candid in describing the pain he felt about his suffering: I am distressed…I am groaning with pain…there is only death…etc.
He also did not attempt to defend God. He expressed his feelings before the Almighty.
He described how he felt about God honestly. He also expressed trust in God regardless of the challenging situation he had faced.
In Lamentations 3:21—24, he remembers that the LORD’s compassions never fail, even when we are faced with death and devastation. David was also honest with his suffering.
He cries out to God when he is faced with tragedy and death. In Psalm 23 he says the Lord is his shepherd, and he will walk with him even in the valley of the shadow of death.
He latter asks God, why he had been forsaken. He says exactly how he feels.
But where was a loving God? God was still there. He cared for each and every life that is lost.
He cares for each and every child that died that day. But the problem of evil and suffering is a reality of our fallen humanity and an unfortunate part of our universe.
Bad things do happen to good people, and bad things do happen for no good reason at all.
But all these bad things do not negate the presence or the loving nature of God.
At the same time we need to be satisfied that this loving God did permit this calamity to befall us and the people of Haiti. For nothing happens without his permission.
He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. And there must not be a reason for things to happen the way they do.
God may never tell us why he allowed that Earthquake…this is where we balance our perspective of his loving nature and his sovereignty.
God is a sovereign ruler…and so questions we have about why bad things happen will only be answered on the other side of heaven.
But for now we need to listen to the story of pain of His people in Haiti, pray for them and rebuild with them.
We need to do all we could to make their burden lighter. God is still concerned about their welfare and the welfare of all his people.
So whom shall I blame? Most of us would want to find someone to blame for the suffering.
We somehow believe that suffering such as Haiti devastation should have been caused by somebody.
Some blame God, some would blame the devil, and some would blame fate—whatever fate is.
However, as believers we should be satisfied that there are things in this life that we will never adequately know or understand on this side of heaven.
Again, evil is real and it is an unfortunate part of our fallen humanity and our universe.
We should not be on a witch-hunt for the cause of this Haiti catastrophe, but instead we must acknowledge our limitation with total knowledge about its origin.
I will process this pain, by simply acknowledging its reality. I will not try to justify it, or explain it away. It is a real suffering, it is real pain.
As such, I may not know why the earthquake happened, and maybe I do not even need to know.
I am satisfied in my ignorance, but one thing is for sure, I will hurt and mourn and lament with the people of Haiti, and submit my finite mind to God’s infinite wisdom.
In these difficult moments, all I may need to say is “Thank you God for hearing me and for bearing my pain”!
Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba yesterday threatened to use Police to lock up the husband to a woman who participated in the failed microbicide clinical trials.
This was after he used threatening words when he testified against the injustice his wife suffered during the trials.
Mr.Roy Halumba threatened to sort out a named staff from MDP for allegedly disturbing his marriage through the illegal recruitment of his wife to participate in the failed clinical trials.
The irate Halumba who said this during a heated district development coordinating committee meeting saying he has lost 10 kilogrammes of hiw weight since the failed results of the clinical trials came out.
But Mr. Hamaamba warned Mr Halumba to stop issuing threats on MDP officials because he would unleash police officers who were in attendance to arrest him for threatening violence.
Mr Hamaamba said while he appreciated the amount of anger he has on MDP, it was wrong for the aggrieved husband to start issuing threats.
He said using threats on MDP officers would not find a solution to the problem he and his wife are going through.
However, Mr. Halumba had to tone down his language and the DC asked the wife to continue testifying.
Meanwhile, MDP Project Coordinator, Rose Kasonde yesterday revealed that 1,235 women only attained education up to Grade Seven while others did not even enter any classroom.[quote]
Dr Kasonde told a DDCC meeting co- chaired by Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba and Mayor Shadreck Mwiinga that only 88 attained grade 12 and tertiary education.
This was during a meeting in which MDP released the findings of the clinical trials to the district leadership.
During the same meeting, a woman who participated in the failed clinical trials revealed that she was subjected to having sex with male participants after being telephoned by a named MDP official who equally attended the meeting.
Ms. Annety Maluma, 37 of Nakambala township also said MDP gave allowance of K 50,000 that women used to buy lotion and other necessities.
But MDP Project Coordinator, Dr Kasonde dismissed the claims by Ms Maluma.
She however said it was unfortunate if such a thing happened.
Dr Kasonde said the clinical trials were conducted in a transparent environment as the participants were not subjected to any unethical practices.
The Food Reserve Agency ( FRA ) spokesperson Mwamba Siame says the agency has begun conducting Community sales of grain in rural communities in the Country.
Mrs. Siame in an interview with ZANIS, today, said the FRA was selling maize and rice to the general public including millers in the country.
She stated that consumers especially in rural areas will be able to easily access the commodity through their Districts commisioners’ offices.
Mrs Mwamba noted that the DC office will scrutinize requests for approval and dispatching the maize and rice will be done by FRA respectively in the rural Communities.
She said that the FRA management had put the price of the commodities at a market price of K 70,000 and k 85, 000 for a 50 kg bag of maize and 40 Kg bag of Rice, respectively.
Mrs Siame stressed that sales the two commodities are part of the Agency’s Core business aimed at stabilizing Mealie meal prices and meeting local shortfalls, during this period prior to the harvest in May.
She said that FRA has projected that the millers will service the urban Consumers and the agency estimates to sell 50,000 to 80,000 metric Tonnes of maize and 900 metric tonnes of paddy rice.
Education Minister Dora Siliya with Ngombe Open Community School student Rita Nyangu after she launched a children’s rights study report in Lusaka
EDUCATION Minister Dora Siliya says the importance of education cannot be over emphasized because without education, there can never be social economic transformation in the country.
Ms Siliya said only education can make it possible for economic development to take root in the country but noted that in order to achieve this, there must be consistent investment in the education sector.
She said it was because of this reason that government has spent K500 billion on the construction of schools countrywide.
She observed that the Ministry of Education was not a social ministry but a ministry at the centre of economic development because the future of the country squarely lay on it.
Ms Siliya was speaking in Livingstone last night when she officiated at the 6th Annual Conference of the Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) held at Fairmount hotel.
She said investment in education was a direct investment in the economy adding that there was need to grow the economy so that more money could go in investing in the education sector.
Ms Siliya observed that government has been trying hard to reduce the pupil teacher ratio and that it was for this reason that government had employed 23,000 over the last five years.
She noted that the ministry was currently seriously engaged with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the outstanding K20.5 billion is released so that the matter could be brought to rest.
”We want to strive and bring back the motivation in the teaching fraternity,” she said.
Ms Siliya however took a swipe at the District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) offices for failing to handle administrative issues relating to confirmations.
‘What concerns me most is not money but administrative issues such as confirmations. Even transfers is like you want to go to the moon.
” The DEBS office is very important at the district level and so let us not frustrate teachers,” she said.
And BETUZ President Victor Mwanza expressed concern that there was a huge gap between the pupil teacher relationship.
He said one to one relationship between the teacher and the pupil had become a challenge because teachers were teaching like they were addressing rallies.
Mr Mwanza said unions should criticise where criticism is needed and with sense instead of just standing on the pulpit and talking about things without solution.
Luena Independent Member of Parliament, Charles Milupi
Luena Independent Member of Parliament, Charles Milupi has charged that if only some groups and individuals did not boycott the National Constitution Conference NCC, the ruling MMD would not be taking advantage of the people of Zambia in the constitution making process.
Mr. Milupi says while those opposing some of the clauses the MMD selfishly wants to include in the constitution might have a strong voice, it is only backed by a few individuals willing to see the people of Zambia have a constitution that will stand the test of time.
He says there are those in the NCC like himself who are willing and determined to put up a good fight and ensure that the views of the people of Zambia are reflected in the new constitution.
He adds that while it would have been better to have more people fighting for what the people want, the few already in the NCC will ensure that they give the ruling party a good run for their money.
Meanwhile, Mr. Milupi has argued that it is illogical for the MMD to push for a simple majority system when everywhere in the developing world they are using the 50% + 1 vote.
He says the 50% +1 vote clause will protect the country from allowing illegitimate people into power and ensure that democracy remains the cornerstone of the nation.
Club football is slowly roaring back to life ahead of the 2010 league season and for the first time in years with a smile on something to look forward to in the midst of Zambia’s quarterfinal euphoria.
Champions Zanaco are will be the first Zambia club to return to full-time action this year with an official international commitment in a fortnight’s time.
Zanaco will face Uganda Revenue authority (URA) during the weekend of February 13-14 in the CAF Champions League in a preliminary round 1st leg match.
Wedson Nyirenda’s side will be away in the first leg before hosting URA in the return leg a fortnight later.
Zanaco will be hoping to emulate Zesco by also reaching the group stage of the CAF Champions League group stage mid this year and become the second Zambia club to qualify to the lucrative round of Africa’s elite club competition.
Meanwhile, have a tentative 10-day training camp set for South Africa prior to leaving for Kampala.
2009 league runner-up Zesco United, who are having a low profile pre-season training in Ndola with new recruits and former Zambia internationals Billy Mwanza and Clive Hachilensa, only kickoff their continental engagements in March when they enter the CAF Confederations Cup in the 2nd round.
Chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka has asked Microbicide Development Programme (MDP)’s management to stop any further clinical trials on the prevention of HIV/AIDs in the district as they are helping the situation.
The Chief said during a heated District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) co-chaired by District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba and Mayor, Shadreck Mwiinga that MDP should consider conducting the trials elsewhere and not in Mazabuka.
This was after the chief asked MDP officials to tell the meeting whether there is a microbicide that is currently effective to block the transmission of the virus on women.
The Chief said it was wrong for the MDP to continue conducting clinical trials when the drugs are not helping in blocking HIV transmission but increasing its incidence rate as the poor and illiterate women think the drugs would help in blocking the transmission of the virus.
A number of HIV/AIDS negative women volunteer became positive after being the MDP injected them with the microbicide believed to be potent against the virus.
The development has caused an up roar in sections of society with the traditional leader being in the lead against the campaign.
Meanwhile, various stakeholders took MDP to task to explain what mechanism have been put in place to compensate the women that contracted HIV and AIDs during the failed clinical trial.
The stakeholders observed that it would be unfair for the organisation abandon the victims without helping them.
But MDP Project Coordinator, Rose Kasonde said the organisation would not abandon the victims.
Dr Kasonde said all the victims would receive counselling services and would be refered to the government health centres offering Anti Retroviral Therapy.
ZANIS
Chongwe District Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (CDDMMU ) Chairperson Japhen Mwakalombeh has urged government to urgently rehabilitate the Lukoshi and Lwimba Agriculture camps in Chongwe district.
Mr. Mwakalombeh says in his report issued during a council meeting yesterday, that the need for government to repair the two camps follows the CDMMU’s recent visit to the area.
He said the CDDMMU established that a total of 189 households had their fields destroyed by heavy rains which left 39 houses severly damaged.
It was further established that a total of 115 households had their crop affected in lwimba and several trees damaged by the heavy storm.
Mr. Mwakalombeh, who is also the District Commissioner, said the CDDMMU has recommended that there is need for government to interven into the two critical areas and to consider the affected farmers for any agricultural support.
Among other recommendations were the promotion of tree planting and assistancing of Mulalika basic school in the rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure and construction of staff houses through the ministry of education.
Chongwe District is divided into 5 agricultural blocks that are further sub-divided into 28 agricultural camps.
Lukoshi and Lwimba camps are in Nkomeshya block under her Royal Highness Chieftainess mukamambo the 2nd.
On 25th January 2010, the block extension officer informed the CDDMMU secretariat that heavy rains had struck the area on 23rd January 2010 and that extensive damage had been caused to both crop and infrastructure.
THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has agreed that any person wishing to stand as a councillor must have a minimum qualification of a grade 12 certificate of education or its equivalent.
The conference arrived at this decision when considering Article 237 clause one of the Local Government Committee in the Wila Mung’omba Draft Constitution.
The Wila Mung’omba Draft Constitution recommended that a person can only be eligible to stand as a councillor if they have obtained a grade nine certificate of education or its equivalent.
But during debate on Thursday, the NCC commissioners adopted the clause with amendments which recommend a civic candidate to possess at least a minimum of a grade 12 certificate.
Commissioner Ronnie Shikapwasha said when he supported the clause that the raising of educational standards to grade 12 will help attract councillors who can articulate issues and express the views of their electorate in the council chambers.
Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said it is important for councillors to understand the implementation of national programmes.
“It is important that we raise the educational requirements for aspiring councillors to grade 12, this will help councillors to start expressing the views of the people they represent in the chambers. So this clause is important in efforts aimed at enhancing development,” he said.
Commissioner Professor Patrick Mvunga said there is need to raise the educational standards for councillors to enhance development in their respective wards.
Chieftainess Mweenda of Mazabuka said there is need to raise educational standards at civic level to help those aspiring to stand as councillors to understand how to implement development programmes.
“We have produced a lot of educated people in rural areas, so why should we continue having councillors who are ill-educated? This is affecting the implementation of development programmes because the calibre of some councillors is too low. They even fail to understand a budget,” she said.
The NCC also adopted a clause under Article 237 in the Wila Mung’omba Draft Constitution which recommends that a person can only be eligible to stand as a councillor if they have been resident for at least two years in a ward or district prior to an election.
The NCC also adopted a clause which recommends that a person cannot be eligible to stand as a councillor if they are invalidly nominated as a candidate in an election.
Other clauses adopted bar candidates of unsound mind, those who are bankrupt and those in jail or those sentenced to death.
THE MMD has said that aeronautic engineer Clive Chirwa was not a member of the ruling party and therefore claims that he has resigned from the party are baseless.
Speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya said she was taken aback to hear reports that Professor Chirwa had resigned from the party claiming that the MMD leadership had lost direction.
Ms Siliya said the MMD leadership was visionary and, therefore, Prof Chirwa, who was not a member of the party was merely expressing his opinion.
In fact, she said, the visionary leadership of the party was working tirelessly to unite party members at various levels.
“I am shocked to hear Prof Chirwa’s tantrums because the man is not our member. He has never been a member of the MMD and so he does not have the right to talk about the party matters but I will assume he was expressing his opinion,” Ms Siliya said
She said if Prof Chirwa was a bonafide member of the MMD, the party would have expressed concern and worry over his resignation.
Ms Siliya said since Prof Chirwa was not a member of the MMD, the party would not be bothered by his comments and claims that he had resigned from the party.
SOME members of the civil society have challenged Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata to unveil his university degree or degrees so that their validity could be scrutinised.
But Mr Sata has said that his qualification is a private property, which no one could force him to show to anyone.
The Committee of Citizens (CC), Forum for Leadership Search (FLS) and Leadership in Development said separately yesterday that Mr Sata should not keep his degree as a secret if he possessed one and challenged him to show the people.
CC executive director Gregory Chifire said there was nothing secretive about one’s qualifications like a degree and Mr Sata should be proud to show it to the public, instead of hiding it.
Following the adoption by the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) of the clause requiring the Republican president to have a degree as a qualification, Mr Sata has claimed that he already has one.
“We challenge Mr Sata to come out and show his degree if at all he has one so that people could know his qualifications,” Mr Chifire said.
FLS executive director Edwin Lifwekelo doubted whether Mr Sata had any degree and challenged him to disclose which university he attended if it was true he had the academic paper.
Mr Lifwekelo said if Mr Sata had a university degree, he would by now have advertised it in some sections of the media.
“Let him tell us where he did the studies and which people he was with or whether it was online. If he has one what is the fear of releasing it so that this issue is put to rest?” he asked.
Mr Sata on Thursday during a programme on Joy FM radio said he was prompted to study for a degree in 2006 when the late Benny Tetamashimba and George Mpombo started talking about it as a qualification for presidential candidates.
Mr Lifwekelo said the requirement of a university degree, as a presidential candidate was not targeted at Mr Sata as it was being perceived by him and his supporters.
He said the requirement was aimed at adding value to the office of Republican president and was not discriminatory.
He said the world had become highly technical hence the need as a country in future to have a Republican president who was not only wise but also in possession of a university degree.
Mr Lifwekelo said it would, however, be the duty of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to scrutinise the qualifications of the aspiring candidates.
Leadership in Development executive director Moses Kalonde challenged Mr Sata to produce his alleged two degrees.
But when reached for a comment, Mr Sata said his degree was a private property and no one could force him to exhibit it to the public unless he wanted to do so.
Mr Sata said calls by some non-governmnental organisations (NGOs) for him to release his degree were proof enough that the NCC had come up with a degree clause to fix him.
Mr Sata said his degree was not for some NGOs or the NCC but a personal property that should be properly guarded.
Government has procured two generators to end the power blues in Chavuma District in North Western Province.
Chavuma Member of Parliament Kenneth Konga disclosed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka on Friday.
Mr. Konga said the two 400kilowatts (Kw) generators were purchased last month and have since been installed at the local ZESCO Plant.
He said Chavuma now has a total of 800kw electricity and implored the residents to consider exploring ways of utilizing power through commercial but viable ventures now that supply will run for 24 hours.
Mr. Konga commended government for the gesture saying electricity is the driving force of development in the district.
“Government bought us two new generators for Chavuma ZESCO plant. The district has now a capacity of 800kw on a 24 hour basis. I call upon the citizens of Chavuma to venture into economic but viable business since we now have electricity and nothing to complain about as you know electricity is key and a driving force to development,” Mr. Konga said.
Mr. Konga, who is also Energy and Water Development Minister, is optimistic that Chavuma district would in the next five years develop at a faster rate.
Last year, Chavuma district was rocked with constant break-downs of ZESCO generators plunging the district into constant power blackouts.
Meanwhile Mr. Konga has expressed happiness at the pace of the rehabilitation works of the Mutanda/Chavuma road.
He disclosed that his ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Works and Supply to make sure that the road is tarred and reaches Chavuma district before the end of this year.
The Forum for Progressive Politics (FPP) has advised all politicians and Zambians to embrace the adoption of an article by the National Constitution Conference (NCC) that allows only a person with a minimum academic qualification of a first degree from a recognized University to contest the Presidency in an election.
FPP Secretary General Charles Kafumbo says politicians need to learn and understand that the NCC adopted the article in good faith.
Mr. Kafumbo told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that it is unfortunate that some politicians and sectors of society are not for the idea to adopt the article.
He said time would come when politicians and other people will learn and understand the importance of having a President with a degree from a recognized University.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kafumbo has advised those aspiring to contest the Presidency but without degrees to stop issuing statements on the article but instead study for a degree from any recognized University.
And Mr. Kafumbo said the FPP would continue supporting the article and other articles that would be adopted in good faith.
Recently, the NCC adopted an article that allows anyone aspiring to contest the presidency to have a degree from a recognized University.
Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) presidential hopeful Professor Clive Chriwa has resigned from the party with immediate effect, citing a number of reasons including corruption in the ruling party . Below is the full letter of resignation addressed to MMD National Secretary Dr Katele Kalumba.
28th January 2010
Dr Katele Kalumba
MMD National Secretary
Secretariat, Party H/Q
P. O. Box Private Bag E365
Lusaka
Zambia.
Dear Katele,
REF: DECISION TO RESIGN MY MEMBERSHIP OF THE MMD
It is with both gratitude and regret that I write to inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the Movement For Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) with immediate effect.
As you will know, I have been a paid up member of the MMD for over three years. I was one of its original sympathisers and later donors who believed in the ethos of the party as it resolutely promoted democracy, fairness and selfless service to the communities in our beloved country.
During that time I have seen the MMD grow from a small group of enthusiastic activists into a party covering all corners of the country, which made breathtaking achievements by winning five consecutive Presidential elections propped by the hard working men and women who represent the party in The National Assembly. The victories have without a doubt arisen through the hard tirelessly pounding legs of the members up and down the country in Wards and Branches. May I unequivocally say thanks to my former fellow members in Mwamba Luchembe Branch, Mpulungu Ward 23, Mandevu Constituency who entrusted me to be their Vice Treasurer for these years. In particular, I salute the Mwamba Luchembe Branch Chairman Mr Eford Chirwa who also happens to be my dear father, the Chairlady Mrs Ronica Tembo and Youth Chairman Mr Malama Mvula.
But here we are in 2010, just more than twelve months after the last contested Presidential victory, and everything has deteriorated to such an extent that the party is literary paralysed and facing death. The party that was once composed of comrades and best friends unified in the struggle for eradicating poverty, illiteracy and disease, while being the guardian for peace has turned into a promoter of injustice, corruption, visionless and has become too narcissistic for a moderate to swallow.
This is not the party that I was involved in over the years. Nor is it a party that I want to continue to participate in. For these reasons, I am cutting my umbilical cord connected to the party, because I cannot compromise my beliefs of good citizenship that is untarnished, that does not tolerate corruption and cheating, that upholds the rule of law, and above all that which is prepared to work for total liberation of the people of Zambia from the economic malaise. I am an engineer and I will build Zambia in my new family of compassionate Zambians who believe in my cause for building an industrialised Zambia where every child will proudly grow to be a gallant citizen with the best of education the country can offer and ready to honestly contribute to the development of his/her country.
I hope you will bear with my explanation of why I must resign. After so many years of service at Mwamba Luchembe Branch and MMD as a whole, my decision to resign is a huge step and I want to be clear in my reasons why I must do so.
I disagree with the government’s and MMD’s policy on economy that is so backward looking for the 21st Century, it makes our people far much worst off with increased poverty. Appeasing investors, who are contributing very little to our country, while without shame kneeling for aid from donors is tightening the shackles we rightly thought were removed at independence. Promoting agriculture without giving the people the tools to grow more and efficiently is disastrous, especially when you (MMD) do not believe in your own agriculture policy. Disregarding the creation of manufacturing which is the true developmental vehicle that will see job creation in millions is economic incompetence beyond belief. Total dependency on investors to drop out of the sky without pro-actively seeking for those who will genuinely come and develop Zambia is short sighted. Poor planning in the distribution of funding among provinces is just too bias. Poor tourism strategy that is ignoring Livingstone as the true gem that can spin triillions and trillions of Kwachas if properly developed is suicidal. Erratic and catastrophic decision making on infrastructure construction, including the inert approach towards the railway lines which are the blood streams of any landlocked country, is unacceptable because the economic targets will never be realised without the railways and good roads.
I disagree with the government’s and MMD’s lack of policy in resolving education, health and housing. If you ask, you will be told they are being addressed. But the reality is contrary as we continue seeing Grade 7 pupils still being thrown on the rubbish tip of dropouts, the poor are dying as they cannot afford medication and families are now permanently living in dilapidated shanties that are beyond human habitation.
I disagree with the government’s and MMD’s approach to fighting corruption. The perception of many Zambians is that the party is corrupt to the core. The party does not protect human rights and has total disregard of the law. In addition, does not entertain differences in opinion, which is the foundation of democracy. The sacking of very good almost irreplaceable professionals who have different progressive views is so totalitarian that the whole meaning of the MMD slogan is rendered unfit for purpose.
I disagree with the government’s and MMD’s approach in formulating the necessary laws, legislations and all the instruments pertaining to national governance. The tampering of the legislature; the tampering of the NCC who are preparing the constitution, not only for us today, but also for our siblings and the introduction of possessing a university degree as a pre-requisite for Presidential candidate is not right especially when the education system is in turmoil. But minimal attainment is needed and Zambia’s level is Grade twelve until we sort out the education system.
I disagree with the government’s and MMD’s approach to politicise the civil service and other “QUANGOs” (Quasi Non Governmental Organisations) who are suppose to be impartial and ready to serve any government in power. The total control of the civil service has created an impression that is characterised by corrupt activities.
I disagree with the MMD’s NEC running of the party that has developed a suffocating culture of centralism and bureaucracy, thereby creating an atmosphere which stifles individual initiatives. When the NEC is by-passed through media pages and stations that is when members are approached usually with negative consequences that have been concocted through knee jerking. I m a deep thinker and prudent solver of problems who wanted to help, offer change and blow fresh air that injects oxygen into those dead woods. I was not given a chance due to greed. It is hardly surprising that much of the party’s grassroots simply drifting off into passive mode or leaving. The party has become increasingly marginalised and facing death in 2011 and Zambians will make sure it does.
Those who remain in the MMD party face a hard uphill struggle to make the party credible in the eyes of its own supporters, Zambians and relevant to the needs of the 21st century. The MMD was a bold and brave experiment that ultimately failed. At present being a member of MMD is like being in a room with a hungry lion. The atmosphere is so toxic that members have stopped to communicate in a civilised manner.
Politically I am now moving to the next step in my plan that is on schedule. I am leaving with no regret or bitterness towards anyone. I value the many good friends, all those who worked for me within the party. It is with heavy heart that I must end my membership of the MMD and therefore resign due to the many reasons including those stipulated above. You should not cry for me as my new home is extremely warmer and I will let you know its address at an appropriate time.
