12 July 2007
PRESIDENT Mwanawasa has urged the Patriotic Front (PF) to make meaningful contributions to Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) discussions on the Constitution review process and not cause confusion.
Mr Mwanawasa said that while he welcomed the return of PF to ZCID, he hoped the party would not cause confusion but instead make progressive contributions.
"We welcome them to make meaningful contributions, but if it is just to bring confusion, I will suggest they go back to the Oasis Forum," he said.
Mr Mwanawasa said at Livingstone Airport yesterday that he was happy political parties had agreed on empowering the Constitutional Conference to adopt the Constitution.
He urged people to pray to God to give wisdom to the stakeholders for them to do the right thing.
Mr Mwanawasa said the PF had earlier denounced the Netherlands Movement for Inter-Party Dialogue, but later embraced it to get computers from the institute, which he said demonstrated that the party was just interested in getting benefits from the institute.
On Mr Sata, the President said "after the summit of presidents, we took a group photo. On that picture their leader (Sata) was pictured sitting next to me like God with his son, but he denounced what he had agreed to in the meeting."
On the Civil Society, Mr Mwanawasa said he preferred political parties to discuss the Constitutional review process as opposed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) because their mission was poverty reduction.
The President said NGOs' involvement in political matters was tantamount to a breach of the law because their objectives did not include politics, and advised them to leave the issues to political parties.
"NGO means non-governmental organisation, so why should they be involved in Government issues? They are formed to serve the poor people, not politics. It is a breach of the law for them to do so because their objectives don not include politics," he said.
The President had met many NGOs who accepted his proposals during meetings but thereafter branded him a trickstar and manipulator.
Mr Mwanawasa said some NGOs were masquerading as civic organisations when they were in fact competing to become pseudo political parties.
Mr Mwanawasa was reacting to Sport, Youth and Child Development Minister, Gabriel Namulambe's threats that his ministry would deal with NGOs that were donor-aided to champion the cause of youths but were abusing the children.
Mr Mwanawasa said that most of the NGOs were established for good purposes, but unfortunately they were now competing to become pseudo political parties.
"If they can't perform their duties as NGOs, then we welcome them on the political arena as political parties but those who are set to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people should do exactly that," Mr Mwanawasa said.
Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa yesterday paid tribute to Livingstone member of Parliament (MP), Sakwiba Sikota, for being among scores of people that welcomed him at the airport.
The President said he had reconciled with Mr Sikota and was grateful that the MP was supporting his proposals over the Constitution review process.
He said the important thing was to improve people's living conditions, and added that ignoring Mr Sikota would not be fair to the people of Livingstone who elected him as their representative.
Southern Province Minister, Joseph Mulyata said the party was reconciling and recruiting new members and all Government programmes were on course.
He said the damaged Maamba road was being repaired and that Livingstone road repairs would start next week.
The minister said dams and other infrastructure were also being repaired and restocked with fish.
"As you know your Excellency, Tongas and fish, it's a big problem. We are trying to teach them that even fish is good food for them," Mr Mulyata said as he joked with his traditional cousins.
Acting Southern Province MMD chairman, Solomon Muzyamba said the party was intact and supported the Government's stance to empower the Constitutional Conference to adopt the new Constitution, and urged those who wanted to cause chaos to stop.
Mr Mwanawasa, accompanied by Tourism Minister, Kabinga Pande, is in Livingstone to break the ground for the construction of the SOS Village on the entrance to Livingstone.
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