3 November 2008
document
MY LORD THE CHIEF JUSTICE, HONOURABLE JUSTICE ERNEST SAKALA,THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, HONOURABLE AMUSAA MWANAMWAMBWA, MP, ESTEEMED HEADS OF STATE AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, THE FIRST AND SECOND PRESIDENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA, MRS JUSTICE FLORENCE MUMBA, HONOURABLE JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT AND THE HIGH COURT, MY COLLEAGUES THE LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS ACCREDITED TO ZAMBIA, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, TRADITIONAL LEADERS,
REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, FELLOW MMD MEMBERS, DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS, FELLOW ZAMBIANS.
EIGHT WEEKS AGO, I LAUNCHED MY CAMPAIGN TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA.
FOR ME TO BE PRESIDENT IS TO BE PRESIDENT OF ALL ZAMBIANS.
IN MY LAUNCH SPEECH I SAID THAT I WANTED TO DELIVER ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR ALL ZAMBIANS.
CAMPAIGN PROMISES
I PROMISED TO BE THE AGENT OF CONTINUITY, DELIVERING THE PLEDGES OF THE 2006 MMD MANIFESTO.
I ALSO PROMISED TO DELIVER GOOD GOVERNANCE; TO CONTINUE THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST CORRUPTION.
UNDERLYING ALL OF THESE WAS MY MAIN GOAL OF FIGHTING POVERTY.
WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY THESE LAST SEVEN YEARS BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH TO DO.
TOO MANY ZAMBIANS HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND; THEY DO NOT SHARE IN THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF THE ZAMBIAN ECONOMY.
MY OPPONENTS ALSO MADE THEIR CASE TO THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE ON THURSDAY 30TH OCTOBER THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE DELIVERED THEIR VERDICT.
A VERDICT WHICH AS WE SAW WAS VERY CLOSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN DEMOCRACY AND TURNED OUT TO VOTE.
YOU HAVE DONE YOUR COUNTRY A SERVICE.
FROM THE RESULT I TAKEN AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.
IT IS TIME WE ALL UNITED AND WORK FOR A BETTER FUTURE.
YOU CHOSE MY VISION AND I WILL NOT FORGET THAT IT IS YOU THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE PLACED YOUR TRUST IN ME.
IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
IT IS THEREFORE WITH GREAT HUMILITY THAT TODAY I AM ABLE TO ADDRESS YOU AS THE FOURTH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA.
WE ARE A PROUD DEMOCRACY AND I WILL NOT FORGET THAT IT IS YOU THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE THE MASTERS.
POLITICIANS COME AND GO IN ELECTORAL CYCLES.
WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT IT IS YOU WHO DECIDE WHETHER WE STAY IN OFFICE OR ARE BANISHED.
I NOW SERVE YOU THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE UNTIL 2011.
TO THE VANQUISHED I HAVE THIS TO SAY.
FOR ZAMBIA'S SAKE I WILL LOOK FORWARD, NOT BACK.
THE CAMPAIGN IS OVER, WHAT IS IN THE PAST MUST REMAIN SO.
WE HAVE HAD A SPIRITED AND ENJOYABLE CAMPAIGN.
THANKS MUST GO TO CERTAIN MEDIA OUTLETS THAT HAVE MADE THE NAME OF RUPIAH A HOUSEHOLD NAME.
I THANK ALL THOSE WHO CAMPAIGNED, THOSE FOR ME AND EVEN THOSE WHO CAMPAIGNED AGAINST ME.
THAT IS DEMOCRACY.
OLIVE BRANCH
TODAY, I OFFER MY FRIENDSHIP TO MICHAEL SATA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA AND GODFREY MIYANDA.
I DO SO BECAUSE IT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO GOVERN A DIVIDED NATION.
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH PARTY YOU VOTED FOR, AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE ALL ZAMBIANS.
IN MY CAMPAIGN LAUNCH SPEECH I SAID THE WORDS "UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL".
THIS ELECTION WILL NOT DIVIDE US, IT WILL UNITE US ALL IN A COMMON GOAL.
WE MAY BE A COUNTRY OF MANY TRIBES, OF MANY LANGUAGES, DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AND OF MANY COLOURS BUT NEVER FORGET WE ARE ONE NATION.
SO TO THE LEADERS OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES I ASK YOU TO WORK WITH ME, FOR ALL ZAMBIANS.
IN PARLIAMENT WE MUST PUT ASIDE PETTY SQUABBLES AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE.
OUR LATE PRESIDENT MWANAWASA WAS ELECTED IN 2006 TO GOVERN ZAMBIA UNTIL 2011.
BY HIS DEATH ZAMBIA WAS CRUELLY ROBBED OF A FINE MAN.
HE WAS A MAN OF VISION; THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE BELIEVED IN HIM AND RETURNED HIM TO OFFICE FOR A SECOND TERM.
HE WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY, NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK THE TRUTH EVEN WHEN OTHERS REMAINED SILENT.
HE WAS A CHAMPION OF DEMOCRACY.
WHEN OTHERS TRIED TO DISTORT OUR CONSTITUTION HE STOOD FIRM.
HIS GOAL WAS TO INCREASE PROSPERITY FOR ALL ZAMBIANS. HE STARTED STAMPING OUT CORRUPTION WHEREVER IT REARED ITS UGLY HEAD.
UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP HE ONCE AGAIN MADE ZAMBIA INTO A BEACON OF DEMOCRACY.
A DEMOCRACY WE HAVE WITNESSED THIS PAST FEW DAYS.
LOSING LEVY MWANAWASA WAS A TRAGEDY, BUT AS A NATION WE MUST NOW MOVE ON.
TODAY, I GIVE UP THE TITLE OF ACTING PRESIDENT AND TAKE UP THE MANTLE OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA.
I WILL SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF ALL ZAMBIANS.
GRATITUDE
I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO MADE THIS ELECTION A SMOOTH AND PEACEFUL PROCESS.
THANKS MUST GO TO ALL THOSE AT THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO MANNED THE POLLING STATIONS.
TO THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS.
THE ZAMBIAN POLICE AND THE ARMED SERVICES.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEDIA FOR COVERING THE CAMPAIGN WITH FAIRNESS AND INTEGRITY.
I WISH TO THANK MY PARTY, THE MMD. TO ALL THOSE COLLEAGUES, MINISTERS AND MPS WHO HAVE CARRIED THE MESSAGE FAR AND WIDE, I SAY THANK YOU.
NOW WE HAVE MUCH WORK TO DO.
MY CABINET MUST BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE VISION AS SET OUT BY ME DURING THIS ELECTION.
MY PRIORITY WILL BE TO FIGHT POVERTY. I MADE THAT CLEAR DURING THE CAMPAIGN.
POVERTY IS DEMEANING AND AN UNNECESSARY EVIL.
I DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO THINK OF ZAMBIA AS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WITH A BEGGING BOW.
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT.
I WANT TO MOVE FROM HAND-OUTS TO HAND-UPS.
I WANT TO EMPOWER ALL ZAMBIANS.
I WANT PEOPLE TO THINK OF ZAMBIA AS A PROSPEROUS AND CONFIDENT NATION.
WE HAVE A GOAL OF MAKING ZAMBIA A MIDDLE INCOME NATION BY 2030.
THE PATH TO 2030 IS THROUGH EDUCATION.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT GOOD EDUCATION IS THE PASSPORT OUT OF POVERTY.
WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEXT GENERATION IS EQUIPPED WITH THE SKILLS TO PROSPER IN THE MODERN WORLD.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT TODAY'S YOUNG ARE TOMORROW'S ADULTS.
THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. WE MUST INVEST IN THEM.
BUT WE MUST PREPARE THE WAY FOR THEM BY HAVING A STRONG ECONOMY.
ON THURSDAY 30TH OCTOBER THE MMD WON BECAUSE OF OUR TRACK RECORD SINCE 2001.
OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS THIS GOVERNMENT HAS WORKED HARD TO GET OUR ECONOMY MOVING AND WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THE ECONOMY HAS GROWN STEADILY OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS; OUR ECONOMIC POLICIES HAVE BEEN PRAISED BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING THE WORLD BANK.
UNDER THIS GOVERNMENT ZAMBIA IS GROWING.
SINCE 2003 OUR GDP GROWTH RATE HAS RISEN FROM 3.3 PER CENT TO 6.2 PER CENT.
THIS IMPRESSIVE GROWTH COVERS ALL SECTORS: MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, TOURISM, TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS AND AGRICULTURE.
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