Press Statements

Message to the Zambian Electorate

As we approach the day of the Presidential elections, Caritas Zambia would like to call upon all Zambians to cast their vote in order to determine the destiny of this nation. We have listened to the promises that the Presidential hopefuls have been making during the campaign period. During this time, values and vices about these candidates have been exposed and it is therefore, our responsibility that we all in our individual capacity scrutinise all the candidates based on the information we have received before making our choice on who to vote for.

Voters should freely use their vote and should not be coerced to vote for someone just because they have offered them material benefits (such as chitenge, mealie-meal, beer etc), which are not sustainable and will not add any value to their lives in the years to come.

We believe that the fight against corruption should continue. Receiving bribes during campaigns is corruption in itself and voters should avoid this vice. We will not be justified as a nation to call upon our legal systems to punish leaders who are corrupt when we have also been compromised in our individual capacities.

The vote you shall cast will not only determine how your life will be in the next three years but it will also have an impact in the years to come and will even affect future generations. Time and again we have been exposed to leaders who have failed to address the social welfare of the majority of Zambians. This is the opportunity for Zambians to usher in a government that will translate the economic growth that we have been talking about into provision of social services.

Zambians should vote for a leader who will not only continue promoting economic growth but who will also be able to translate this growth into development of the nation. It is sad that after 44 years of independence, a large percentage of our people do not have among other necessities clean water, proper housing, nutritional meals, quality education and drugs in hospitals.

Even though education has been made free, we still do not have enough schools and this has led to serious congestion in schools and has ultimately compromised the quality of education offered in most of our schools.

Our health system also leaves much to be desired. Most clinics and hospitals do not have drugs and prescriptions in most places have become the order of the day. While we are trying to promote agriculture as a means of livelihood and income, the road network in the country is still a challenge. This has discouraged most of our farmers in remote areas because they cannot sell their produce due to the bad roads and lack of ready market. As we vote, we should remember that power belongs to us the people and not the person we are appointing. They are therefore, answerable to the people and should be able to implement whatever they have committed to during the campaigns.

The right to vote is yours and you should use it freely and wisely. No one has the right to take it from you or influence you on whom you should vote for. Zambians should embrace love and peace before, during and after the elections so that we may continue living in harmony. May God Bless Zambia!!!!

October 2008

 

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