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THE POST Says “Zambia Is NOT a Constellation Of BANTUSTANS. The Removal Of CHIRUNDU from S/Province Is WELCOME”
“ZAMBIA is a unitary and indivisible state. This is what our Constitution says in Article 1. Zambia is not a constellation of Bantustans. Our provinces are not states. We are not a federation of states. Ours is an indivisible unitary state. The provinces we have are simply for administrative convenience.
And as such, they can be rearranged whenever the administration sees the need to do so to achieve higher levels of efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness.
But we seem to have some people who see these administrative provinces as countries within a country. They are not – they are simply provinces put up by the government of the day for administrative convenience.
And this is why the number of our provinces and districts has been changing, has been increasing. It is not something cast in stone. There are no sacred provincial boundaries. Those in government can increase the number of provinces at any time. And can come up with new districts at any time. There is no province that is owned by a tribe or a group of tribes.
And moreover, who came up with these provinces? Who gave us the provinces we today feel so much attached to? Who gave us these districts we today want to glorify? Some of them were left for us by the colonialists. Some of them we created on our own. And we will continue to reorganise our country into units that make it easy for us to manage and efficiently deliver services to our people. What Michael Sata’s government is doing is the right thing.
There is need to administratively reorganise our provinces and districts. All the provinces and districts of this country belong to this country. They can be subdivided or consolidated in any way those in government deem fit. And they have the mandate, legally, politically or otherwise to do so.
We know that such realignment of provinces or districts may not always go well with tribalists or regionalists. To them, the reorganisation of any province or district is seen as a regional or tribal political power scheme – either to consolidate one’s hold on power or to weaken that of others.
They have serious difficulties seeing it as a way of trying to improve administrative efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness. When Muchinga Province was created out of Northern and Eastern provinces as a the tenth province of our country, the tribalists or regionalists saw this as a way of attempting to push more resources to one region.
They saw nothing good in it. They could not even acknowledge the bare fact that Northern Province was too big geographically to administer as one unit. They could also not acknowledge the fact that the northern parts of Eastern Province were not receiving adequate attention due to logistical constraints caused by geographical factors.
To them, everything is seen from the angle of tribe, of region and not from how it will benefit the people. They are even forgetting that Lusaka Province, as we know it today, was only created out of Central Province by Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s government in 1976. Again, this was for administrative convenience.
We urge Michael’s government to listen respectfully to every reaction on this issue – including the reactions from diehard tribalists and regionalists. But at the end of the day, the government should go ahead and do that which it deems best for our country and our people. Obligations to the people should always take precedence over the feelings and sentiments of politically powerful tribalists or regionalists.
What is important is to deliver services to the people. And there is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it should be able to deliver services.
Michael has shown a lot of courage in some of the decisions he has taken so far. And we should not forget that the ways in which we will achieve our goals are bound by context, changing with circumstances even while remaining steadfast in our commitment to our vision.
The changes Michael is making will carry away the foliage of tribalism and regionalism which has accumulated in the hearts of some of our people, and to which colonialism gave birth.
Let us now, drawing strength from the national unity that we have so far forged, together grasp the opportunities and realise the vision of Zambia as a unitary and indivisible sovereign state enshrined in our Constitution.
Where there is need to change our structures to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness of our government, let us do so without hesitation. It is said that belief in the possibility of change and renewal is perhaps one of the defining characteristics of politics.
Let us organise our society and get rid of every practice that divided us and weakened us. There are some people who still want to live in colonial Bantustans which brought us nothing but subjugation, poverty, ignorance and disease. And this continues to live with us today in the leaking roofs; in the bulging stomachs of hungry children; in the darkness of homes without electricity; and in the heavy pails of dirty water that rural women carry long distances to cook and quench their thirst.
Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now. And that future is not one of ease or of resting but of incessant striving so that our leaders may fulfil the pledges they have so often taken. The service of Zambia means the service of the millions who suffer.
It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the founders of our Republic was to wipe out poverty, ignorance and disease from the face of our country. That may be beyond us, but as long as there is poverty, ignorance, disease and despair, this work should continue, and will not be over.
We have hard work ahead. We cannot encourage Bantustan politics or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought and in action. We must hold together. This is time for big thinking. This is time to forget the small things, of which we have thought too much. Unless we face this fact, we shall pay the price that must be paid by people who are petty and narrow-minded.
There are some regionalists or tribalists who think that devolution is simply about sharing of the country’s resources, natural or otherwise. When Michael talks about devolution, we don’t think he is in any way talking about the creation of Bantustans; he is talking about increasing efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness in the delivery of government services to the masses of our people; he is talking about bringing government as close as possible to the people.
It’s not about the creation of Bantustans so that people get very worried about where this or that economic activity takes place or is situated. Why should one worry about whether Itezhi-tezhi Dam is in Southern or Central provinces? Why should one worry about whether Chirundu is in Southern Province or Lusaka Province? Are our people restricted in terms of movement, in terms of where they work or reside? Moreover, where do these tribalists or regionalists reside? Most of them reside in Lusaka Province and their investments are here.
Has that ever worried them? What they are worried about is not the welfare of the people of Chirundu or Itezhi-tezhi. They are simply worried about their imaginary loss of political power as a result of this realignment of districts. That’s what they care about.
They are not in any way concerned about the people of Itezhi-tezhi or Chirundu. These are simply selfish elements that care for no one else other than themselves. And they try to use the tribe or origin to make themselves politically relevant. But we can assure them that this approach will make them politically irrelevant and it’s just a matter of time before they disappear from our politics.
And we therefore urge Michael and his government to continue realigning, reorganising our provinces and districts in a manner that will enable government to deliver efficient, effective and orderly services to the great majority of our people, especially the poor.”
The Post
Posted by
Best
February 8, 2012 at 8:47 am
Nonsense!!!!
Tubulu
February 8, 2012 at 8:48 am
Well articulated! Shame on the haters
Pioneer
February 8, 2012 at 8:49 am
They think southern province belongs to UPND. By the way, will HH be allowed to lead the Bantustan party when he looses in 2016?
Segula GiGo
February 8, 2012 at 8:49 am
yakosa zona!!!iliko bad!!!
Pioneer
February 8, 2012 at 8:53 am
They think southern province belongs to UPND. By the way, will HH be allowed to lead the Bantustan party after he looses the 2016 elections?
Zambian
February 8, 2012 at 8:59 am
Mmembe and the post incharge of the country
freedom of speech
February 8, 2012 at 9:00 am
well the post hates tongas and can write anything that will infuriate them.they never see anything good about them. but this will not take them anywahere. where the pipo consulted No! this just came as a surprise….this is taking pipo for granted. where chiefs, councillors, pipo, mp consulted? was this debated in parliament? no!!!!! so we have a right to question. UPND does not own S/P. they an opposition. this is not about UPND but about the Tonga pipo who feel their heritage is being taken away from them. they tongas in the gwembe valley are all united and speak similar dialect, but they are being seperated by this since some will remain in S/P(siavonga,sinanazongwe, maamba) its all one belt.
bantustan
February 8, 2012 at 9:00 am
Awe mwandn chalo chlechnja mwe Mr. Presdo God bless you rchly
zambian
February 8, 2012 at 9:01 am
SENCE!!!
DEVIL
February 8, 2012 at 9:02 am
That’s the way to hammer people who servives on triblism.
freedom of speech
February 8, 2012 at 9:02 am
our power is in the vote…come 2016!!!
Mwila
February 8, 2012 at 9:05 am
A consultative approach is what works…another president will come and reorganize for the same reasons and in the end it will be a very costly exercise. Just do not forget that history keeps records
black man
February 8, 2012 at 9:08 am
This article is typical of Mmembe!!! The post is just an instrument used by government to deceive many. Mmembe is a cadre and we all know this so to hell with his newspaper “the Past”. You do not really understand what influenced the demarcation of boundaries. Among one of the factors was ethinicity alignment…dull chap. You just cannot run away from this fact and by the way, why are only concerned with Bantustans when they complain. I thought people of North-western province are alos not happy with the idea of snatching Solwezi from them. You cannot overlook ethnicity and social alignment in the political boundary demarcation of a nation—–you fool.
feligo
February 8, 2012 at 9:09 am
Well that is want I anticipated every well meaning Zambian to think. Surely, how is this going to effect you if they say you now belong to this province or indeed district. Pls Zambians let us not be petty. There are big issue that we need to focus on? Let’s ask probably what advantanges this new alignment will bring and if the funds are available to begin process of development. Grow up Zambia!
Ayatollah
February 8, 2012 at 9:11 am
It’s not the first time that this has happened. So what’s the problem?
freedom of speech
February 8, 2012 at 9:12 am
@Devil this is not tit for tat, its about governance and not pulling each other. Ba Sata is presido for all zambians including those who didnt vote for him.actually he got abit of votes in S/P compred to HH who got almost zero in Bemba land. so who is more tribal here? as a leader the best he can do is to work with well with tongas so that he earns their support and not antagonise them. he is a leader and is supposed to show maturity. this has annoyed us
amazed
February 8, 2012 at 9:14 am
Ba freedom of speech. Nobody is building a wall to seperate any province from the other,if they want to speak tonga, no1 will stop them because they are now in Lusaka province. If they want, they can use their dialect even on cairo road. The WHOLE zambia is for every Zambian. Its only to improve administration, for the people who live their, nothing else
Whatever
February 8, 2012 at 9:15 am
So he’ll give “Ingombe Ilede” Heritage site a Bemba name? Sata and your Post Newspaper, I know you hate Tongas with a passion, but you’re not God. You won’t move the Tongas from their villages, so what if you call the area by your own name? By the way, when you go to St Ignatious, do you even pray? for your own information, there are Tongas who voted for PF, so whats all this vindictiveness? How come you’re not realigning other provinces. Service delivery is hampered by bad roads, why can’t you consentrate on constructive development? God will judge you!!!
kelvinator
February 8, 2012 at 9:16 am
it is ok .we ll still be zambian,central or southern
Malema
February 8, 2012 at 9:18 am
wynter kabimba could have been right,they UPND think with their tribe not brain.Northerners never complained about Muchinga provine,not even Eastners bothers to let go of Chama distict.Learn u so called bantustans!!
Ba KK
February 8, 2012 at 9:25 am
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooone Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzambia Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooone Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnation
Chalo Cha Bonse Red, Green, White, Black,
Man East, Man West, Man North, Man South
amazed
February 8, 2012 at 9:27 am
Ba whatever, even northern province and eastern province have been affected, where were you when this happened, ask yourself why that didn’t raise noise?
membestan
February 8, 2012 at 9:30 am
in short hh is a threat…u have the backing of western province
Soldier
February 8, 2012 at 9:32 am
Decentralization is what Sata wants and the Germany government is ready to help us with this cause. The ballot box is where decisions are made so whoever is opposing this should wait for 2016. I would be hurt if Chilundu was moved to Zimbabwe but it just Lusaka and within Zambia. Some people despite being educated are so shallow minded and their reasoning is questionable!!! God bless Zambia and Sata.
Nelly
February 8, 2012 at 9:35 am
All this will be reversed when NAREP comes into power. The president is not making an effort to unite the country. He’s really venting his frustration on Southern and Northwestern province dwellers. This is the opposite of what a leader should be. Learn from KK,LP and RB. All these changes have alterio motives.
mussoline
February 8, 2012 at 9:36 am
the homosexual mmembe thinks he will champion his hatrade for tongas for ever.
hiz a number an one day he shll he shall account for his actionsz
Wm
February 8, 2012 at 9:42 am
Who cares if chirundu is in lusaka. It wont change anything
freedom of speech
February 8, 2012 at 9:43 am
ba amazed we never complained wen his excellence move HQ from L/stone. we actaully supported him, let him try and dialogue and find out why we are resisting this. why should this be targeted in areas that didnt vote for him ie western, north wesetrn and southern
Danger
February 8, 2012 at 9:44 am
can you show my msg
JNT...
February 8, 2012 at 9:48 am
opposers mostly r from s/p thnkng they r betrayed in the name of bringing development closer to them thru.creatng n moving….wit them they r looking at
a person doing it not wat he is putting in…shame on u.. iam a bemba in their land we’re only close frnds if he/she hapetitly wants something frm u..
abantu bamo lubalala ulwabola mukanwa umuli ishingi….cowdangz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slap a Bantustan
February 8, 2012 at 9:50 am
Hear!hear!Hear! go ahead your Excellence, dismantle the Bantustan Province next should be Livingstone, infact there are more Lozis in Livingstone than Bantustan so it will be easier move to Western Province.
Soseg
February 8, 2012 at 9:53 am
All these districts still remain in one Zambia en one Nation.what’s the fuss all about.these changes are not inspired by tribe.Southern Province is for all Zambians en not for Tongas alone.Sata does not need to consult you Tongas,he is the president…live with it,all the best with yo HH in 2016.Long live MC Sata and PF…
haks
February 8, 2012 at 10:03 am
No hate will weaken Tongas..be rest assured..these are hard working independ people who do not care about Mmmembe’s hate…..
Chriastianzambia
February 8, 2012 at 10:06 am
These decisions of one man for the rest of the country do not last long cos they do not have public ownership no wonder others feel there are some ulterio motives behind.
Learn to consult…..It is Democracy!!!
Sando
February 8, 2012 at 10:12 am
Ba PF and our presido are doing a good job.
Next is western Province.
Teleshi Kabemba
February 8, 2012 at 10:13 am
Let us wait and see.
Shameless
February 8, 2012 at 10:17 am
@Freedom of speech, that’s where the all problem lies with you people. Who said having tongas in Lusaka province and Southern province is seperating them. Are their houses going to move? No. Are their farms going to move? No. Are their grazing arears for their cattles going to move? No.
So where is the seperation you are talking about? Only in your mind.
Are you suggesting that regions rhould be devided according to tribe? Haven’t heard Zulus in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe? Why aren’t these countries one country?
These regions are devided fnr administrative purposes and not tribal.
chichi
February 8, 2012 at 10:21 am
thats the way to go
BLACKBULLS.
February 8, 2012 at 10:30 am
No value addition….Mr Practical man, what you needed to do is build new roads to connect these new districts to their Administrative centres.
Next time consult others, Zambia is bigger that you.
Big Pipe
February 8, 2012 at 10:33 am
Fred Mmembe is dillusional and is slowly beginning to believe his own hype and bull*hit. Every dog has it’s day so let Fred & the PF enjoy their time.
Sweet Sugar
February 8, 2012 at 10:37 am
Hello!! I for one feel these kind of debates should be stopped as they are just dividing us a nation. I feel for our brothes as they are being labled all sorts of names. One of them had complained that this has not just started in the Mazoka era but that They have been considered to be sleepy and infirior, as a result, I feel this is the fuel of what is now happening. It started small but it is slowly growing like a bush fire. Lets mind our comments towards our fellow country men as we might find it going out of control.REMEMBER HOW THE RWANDA GENOCIDE STARTED. It all started with the same argument of one tribe being superior to another. It’s just the language we speak which is different but we have the same colour and same blood flowing our vains. SAME!!!!!!
Impwitikiti
February 8, 2012 at 10:37 am
Yaba,what a naked truth.HH has got a big problem,he wants to be consulted on how a country shud be run,you damn wrong men.A province is not a state get it now,provinces are just there to help provincial admin,they are not countries within a country.Nkhani yalimba.lol
Think tank
February 8, 2012 at 10:39 am
NONSENSEEE
Sweet Sugar
February 8, 2012 at 10:40 am
My appeal to the government is to intervene in this issue and make anyone talking ill of other tribes pay. Say no to segregation. ABASH! Stop these debates and lets be constructive
mubanga
February 8, 2012 at 10:43 am
THIS IS FOR THOZ WHO THINK WITH THEIR TRIBE!
Livingstone is said to be administrative capital
of Southern province of Zambia.
Livingstone is 472km from Chirundu!
Chirundu is 116km from Lusaka!
PLIZ PUT YOUR EDUCATION INTO REAL LIFE !
IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE POST,THIS COUNTRY
WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THEZ QUAX!
POST,GOD OF ISAAC, BLESS YOU GUY!
PF
February 8, 2012 at 11:05 am
Ba PF busy dividing the country instead of delivering what you promised during compaign time…Shame on you failed Pa Fwaka party!!!
Anjathu
February 8, 2012 at 11:09 am
Bravo the Post,countrymen learn to look on the other side of the coin.HH can make a very good leader but lacks understanding ask chief Mwanachingwala.
swojy
February 8, 2012 at 11:11 am
you should bear in mind that tribalism lies in one’s heart and not the province…..and all these provinces were divided according to tribes in the past…i got no problem with this but i got a problem with any maggot talking bad about Tongas..u kafwida atala a chuulu batinolile kaba selemuka…
Mmembe please concentrate on your work and not on Tongas that is already being tribal……. I thought you are suppose to be uniting people with you media but you still dividing them.. shame on you… one Zambia one Nation One people. Go to hell and hung if you think I am a bantustan.
Cursed shall be any one talking bad about Tongas…
D.S.CHIBS
February 8, 2012 at 11:21 am
I thought Sata’s idea of removing P/HQs from Livingstone to Choma was to make P/Hq to be central to Chirundu Namawla and Itezitezi. Very soon we will here that Livingstone is gone to Western province. The motive behind this not administrative purposes but reducing the political and economic powers of Tongas. Naturally Tongas united. Mind you Chirundu comprises the historic site for Tongas(ingome ilede). Becareful the way PF handles this issue. Things wont be easy as they think for Chirundu. They have managed to sign for that because of this Bemba minister Sampa who doesn’t know the importance of Chirundu to Tongas. We will definitely reverse this move as Sata is revearsing Some of MMD’S actions. PF wont be in power for good, very soon it will wrong the zambians and be voted out.
hanene
February 8, 2012 at 11:27 am
mmembe will surely be happy when waaar breaks out in this country.he is a tribalist and he thinks he will go far….his day is coming.shame on you mmembe.