Africa-Press – Zambia. Caritas Zambia – Executive Director Gabriel Mapulanga has said the New Dawn Government has a lot to do for the Zambian people one year after coming into power.
Reviewing the first year in office of the UPND Government, Fr. Mapulanga pointed out some positives and negatives Caritas observed in the way the government under UPND has been functioning.
The Catholic Priest cited re-introduction of free education, recruitment of teachers, legal reforms, the rebirth of fundamental freedoms and restating the country back to its socio-economic development trajectory for prosperity as some positives the government has scored.
“Over the last year of the UPND government, we have observed some progress in key sectors, as follows: Restating the country back to its socio-economic development trajectory for prosperity: During the past one year, Government has kept its promise and assurance that it was in the process of restating the country back to its socio-economic development trajectory. This effort has been seen in the way the government has handled the debt crisis. The heightened debate on debt and the opening of pathways towards its dismantling are positive economic signs. The previous government did not accept the fact that Zambia was experiencing a debt crisis and so they committed themselves to downplaying this fact. As a result, there was never an honest dialogue,” Fr. Mapulanga said.
“The UPND government has made a lot of progress in opening up dialogue and moving towards the dismantling of both the domestic and international debt. By bringing together Zambia’s debtors and making them realise the crisis so as to establish the best way of helping Zambia to make its debt sustainable, is a huge achievement. Caritas Zambia is also happy that a Public debt management bill is being considered by Parliament and will soon be enacted into law. In addition, the government has been sharing information on the status of the debt and have also come up with a debt dismantling strategy. This is commendable because Zambia needs order, transparency and accountability in the manner debt is contracted and used in the country. Parliament should have a significant role in this respect,” Fr. Mapulanga said.
On the fight against corruption, Fr. Mapulanga said the New Dawn government should ensure that the fight against corruption is not used as a tool to oppress and fight political opponents.
Fr. Mapulanga further urged the government to quickly resolve the impasse in the mining sector, accountability of the Mukula exports and the pending access to information bill.
“Issues that need Urgent Attention: We ask the UPND government to urgently attend to the following issues: Sanity in the mining sector: bring back sanity and order in the mining sector, develop a country mining vision urgently and revise the mines policy and also the mines and minerals act. These should provide for the benefit of local communities and Zambia while encouraging Lack of natural resource account – let’s learn from past Governments, let’s create a resource fund whose main aim will be to cushion any price reduction in metal prices and also to provide for reserves for future generations. We cannot continue consuming revenues from natural resources like there is no tomorrow or future generations; let’s not be selfish; let’s keep some resources for the future generation. Other parts of Zambia should not be mined now but in the future.”
He concluded:”In collaboration with other Civil Society organisations, Churches, and other non-state actors, we are carefully monitoring your promises to the people and the ones made during the campaigns. We will hold you to them with fearless honesty. That is the least we can offer as patriots.”
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