Rational thinker of the Week

Banda’s instruction to Undi amounts to corruption - Wina
By Patson Chilemba
The Post. Sun 05 Sep. 2010, 04:28 CAT


INONGE Wina yesterday said President Rupiah Banda’s instruction to newly-appointed Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Anthony Undi to implement the government projects in time for the 2011 elections amounts to corruption of the highest order.

Commenting on President Banda’s instruction to Undi, Wina, who is opposition Patriotic Front (PF) national chairperson, said the directive by the President amounted to corruption because the government had no genuine desire to develop the country until they realized that the elections were near.

He said the directive was a reactionary move to an impending election.
“I mean any leader should not be in a position to blackmail his or her people into submission. The people are free to choose.

They do not need to be blackmailed into voting for Mr Rupiah Banda because he has brought development to their area. I mean he has the responsibility as head of state to see that development is delivered,” Wina said. “I hope the people won’t be blackmailed. I hope Zambians will see through this and be able to distinguish between genuine development and some sort of induced development.”

Wina observed that President Banda did not have the capacity to plan for the nation’s development as evidenced by the last minute instructions to implement the government projects.

She said it was sad that development was being attached to the elections.
“They only react when it is time for elections, and this is retarding progress because instead of planning for the whole country, government will be planning projects to where elections are taking place,” Wina said.

“That way you can’t have a balanced development of the whole nation. And this is definitely corruption at its highest because people are being bribed. People are being told that ‘if you don’t vote we will not bring development to you’.”

Wina said professionalism in the civil service was being undermined by the ruling party because people were no longer appointed on the basis of their expertise but on their political affiliations to the MMD.

She also expressed concern that women were not being appointed to senior government positions as if there were no qualified women in the country
“It is a great pity, and it’s very, very regrettable,” said Wina.

During the swearing-in of Undi and new Commissioner of Prisons Percy Chato at State House last Friday, President Banda instructed Undi to implement government projects in time for the 2011 general elections.

All statements made by Wina are consistent with the areas of disagreement she had with Banda's directives. Wina did not attack Banda, surgically criticized what Banda said. It shows that she has no problem with the person of Banda but what the person uttered. This also can mean that Wina can be civil with Banda. There is a possibility that if Banda said or did something good, Wina would praise him. I would not put it past Wina that she would say a kind word or two if Banda announced that he would stop flying around in that presidential jet and attend to issues aching the nation. I know I would, even though I don't like Banda. Haa!

An Important Lesson People Choose not To Learn

This is an extract from Wonder Wall - 9/5/2010

Brad Pitt is so hot, it's illegal -- seriously! When Toyota featured the sexy star in an ad for the Altis in 2002, the Malaysian government ordered that the ads be pulled. Apparently, the sight of non-Asian faces plants "a sense of inferiority among Asians" -- at least that's what the country's deputy information minister, Zainuddin Maidin, explained at the time. My only question is: Does that mean the Jolie-Pitts won't be adopting any Malaysian babies?

But What Does The Image of A White Christ Does to Black African Babies?