I DID NOT READ THE OTHER PERSONS TEXT BUT WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THE WAY THAT PEOPLE FEEL THAT AFRICAN SHOULD HATE EAH OTHER AND NOT FIND COMMON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS TO BE WARM CORDIAL SINCERE. TO SUGGETS THAT AFRICANS SHOULD HATE MUGABE OR NOT FIND FRIENDSHIP IS ABSURD LUDCRUOUS!!! IT IS AMAZING WHEN THEY WANT TO PURSUE THESE SANCTIONS AGAINST OTHER HUAMNE BEINGS BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY HAVE THE POWER OR THEY JUST OD NOT LIKE THE INDEPENDENCE OF SUCH A PERSON WHICH IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. CERTAIN PEOPLE FROM THE WEST WANT US TO BE SUBSERVIENT WITHOUT SPINE OR BACKBONE. THESE WEAK MEN THEY LIKE TO GRAVITATE TO ARE THOSE WHO CAN BE INFLUINCED EASLIY AND ARE MOST TIMES VENAL AND VERY VERY CORRUPT . WHENEVER I HEAR CRITICAL APPROACH TAKEN OF AFRICANS WHOM ARE BRINGING CHANGE WE MUST TAKE IT WITH A PINCH OF SALT. LOOK AT THE WEST ENDEMIC CORRUPTION GRAFT FRAUDS I MEAN FRAUDS SWINDLES RIGGING " WHO ARE THEY TO TALK, IF THEY DECIDED TO BECOME HONEST BROKERS THIER WHOLE WESTERN ECONOMIES WOULD COME TOPPLING DOWN !!! SO WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIER ENTIRE SYSTEM IT IS DAMMNING. WHAT ONE FAMOUS MAN SAID "PICK THE TIMBER OUT YOUR OWN EYES BEFORE YOU SEE THE STICK IN MINE"!!!!! AS FOR THE CHINESE YOU COULD NOT IN MY OPINION ASK FOR BETTER OUTSIDE PARTNERS THAN THEY. "NO MAN IS PERFECT 'BUT IN COMPARISON TO THE FORMER THEY ARE PERFECTION IN MOTION"

Dear Editor: The article ‘Zambia: King Cobra Disappoints and Confounds’ by Robert Rotberg of Think Africa Press dated 16 July 2012 prompted me to dialogue (see Allafrica.com; Access Date 17 JUL 2012). 1) The China question: answering or avoiding? The writer ought to focus on justiciable hard facts instead of generalizations. Certain specific illegal acts, such as killing an innocent person in cold blood, harassing or molesting identified female and failure to pay wages as contained in labor contracts leveled against Chinese workers and employers remain unsubstantiated. Libelous utterances against individuals, business entities and government officials must be proven in court. Failure to do that amounts to perpetrating a campaign of hatred against innocent and hard working Chinese people. Hard work and success are not a preserve of one racial group. Like African-American relations, the cooperation and partnership between Africa and China dates back to the colonial days. International friendship is not a luxury but a necessity for Africa’s future. In Africa China is involved in various development projects. These include infrastructure building and construction such as bridges, hospitals, hydropower, roads and stadiums. As an old adage says, a friend in need is a friend indeed. 2) Corruption, the kwacha and Mugabe (a) The scourge of corruption in Africa is one of the major causes of low economic growth on the continent. As the sagas at Barclay's Bank and News Corp have clearly demonstrated, the challenge of corruption does not necessarily spare rich countries. Corruption must be treated in the same way across the world. It is unacceptable to exempt certain individuals and organizations from due legal process. In a democracy, a judge must display exemplary professional ethics and personal integrity. That is the reason why the act of instituting lawful investigations against certain former cabinet ministers and certain judges as Michael Sata has also done in Zambia need to be commended. In a democracy all accused individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a lawfully constituted court of law. (b) National identity is universal. It can be symbolic or practical. Ships must carry flags and individuals must carry passports. That is not problematic. Indeed the call for everyone to conduct financial payments and to conduct any financial transactions using the legal tender (Kwacha) can not be regarded as sheer nationalism. Registered commercial banks and bureau de change outlets are commonplace in Zambia. Even Western Union is there. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect foreign currency to be channeled through these avenues in order to guarantee sound financial management and economic stability. Pro forma invoices ought to be prepared in the local currency because that is the legal tender and hence the legal requirement. Mind you, I have traveled to USA, UK, Norway, Germany, France, China, South Africa, you name it and everywhere I go financial transactions obey the same rules. It is arrogant to treat Africa in this way! Michael Sata did not start the Use-Kwacha Campaign and it will not end with him. Raising unnecessary problems will not help. (c) Michael Sata’ s support for existing political icons and institutions and governance in Zimbabwe does not deviate from existing practices the world over. Suffice to say, Zimbabwe is also a member of various international organizations, including UN, AU, COMESA and SADC. Neighboring countries need to be supported in their internal efforts to address their political challenges. If you think that forgiveness is illegal, then you are wrong. It is up to Michael Sata to forgive Robert Mugabe for possible wrong doing. If you look closely, you will find that even some of your heroes were also at one time pardoned by Mugabe. 3) Sata' s single-handedness It is untrue to purport that “Zambians throughout the country expressed criticism of their new president and his policies”. After free and fair elections, the people of Zambia speaking through their respected electorate elected Michael Sata. The country is going through unprecedented prosperity. New industries are mushrooming and old industries are returning to life. The cooperating partners are returning in big way. Consumption is returning with a vengeance. Even Nandos, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Wimpy are doing very well. MacDonald is also expected and welcome. The problem in the country relate to success, such as traffic jams, lack of parking space, making the right choices among available options in shopping and investing. I am one of those Zambians who feel and think that the old State House can indeed be renovated and transformed into a new National Museum and then the existing Lusaka National Museum turned into a provincial Museum as a way of promoting tourism and the arts in the country. Besides that, the construction of a new modern State House (even by a good Chinese or South African construction company!!!) will contribute to job creation and stimulate the economy. Why should the proposal of building of a new state of the art State House in Zambia bother you as if you are one of the major tax payers? I think that sometimes it is better to keep quiet than to complain over petty issues like a nagging wife.

PRIVATE CITIZEN

Never in the history of our country has a president been so much hated by the people to the point of wishing him death. Why is this happening so soon after Mr Sata's election? we have had 4 presidents before him and nothing of this sort happened to any of them