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POLITICS
Zambia’s recently elected President Levy Mwanawasa has a number of catchphrases admired by many people, but some observers are not convinced he will live by his pronounced principles
Mwanawasa says his leadership will be that of «continuity with change» and that it will be a «New Deal» administration. By «continuity with change», Mwanawasa says he will build on positive aspects of his predecessors rule. Meanwhile, he says, he will get tough with corrupt leaders and ensure that the country gets rid of the vice which had been rampant in the last ten years of Frederick Chiluba’s rule.
During the Chiluba administration, Mwanawasa had resigned his position as Zambia’s Vice-President, as he was disillusioned with the widespread corruption in government circles. As starters, the new President has instructed his men to transfer the administration of the Presidential Housing Initiative started by Chiluba which, however, only benefited the former President’s closest allies. Under the scheme, posh houses were built at taxpayer’s expense, but only those with money, mainly politicians in government circles, benefited from the scheme.
Now Mwanawasa says the scheme had no legal backing and it should immediately be administered by the National Housing Authority, the longstanding corporate entity that has been building housing stocks for rent or sale to Zambians and Zambian residents. Also, Mwanawasa has insisted that his government must follow strictly the rule of law.
Cabinet appointments
However, it is noted that Mwanawasa has included in his Cabinet, Vernon Mwaanga, who for a long time was linked to drug trafficking. Mwanawasa defends Mwaanga, saying he has repented and since he confessed to peddling in drugs two decades ago, he has never been convicted of the offence. Under Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first president, Mwaanga was detained for drug-related offenses. Now he is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, as well as chief government spokesman (the same portfolios he held under Chiluba).
Also, Mwanawasa has appointed Katele Kalumba as Foreign Affairs Minister, despite that gentleman’s involvement in the now infamous diversion of Kwacha 2 billion meant for development of the roads infrastructure.
Despite the proliferation of political parties, Mwanawasa believes that this in no way could prevent him from working with opposition leaders in his government’s resolve to develop the country’s economy. He said when he was naming his Cabinet, he would have loved to have included in his government, some members of the Opposition, but was prevented from doing so by the fact that some opposition leaders are disputing the results of last October’s elections.
Yet But Mwanawasa has extended the hand of friendship to opposition leaders. He recently invited them to State House to try and thrash out contentious issues, among them, the impending closure of Konkola copper mine in the copper-rich Copperbelt province of northern Zambia. Other issues are the critical shortage of mealie meal, Zambia’s staple food, as well as differences that emerged in Parliament over the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly.
There is an on-going controversy over the validity of Mwanawasa’s election, with petitions being presented to the High Court to declare his election «null and void».
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