Is This Zambia's International Airport?

Visiting Zambia after eight years of absence left me unspired about the prospects of future infrastructure development in the country. I had been hearing about some interesting developments in the country and in my mind thought that the much-talked about development projects in Lusaka had been extended to the re-development of Lusaka International Airport. I sat on the left side of the plane by the window. As the British Airways plane was almost touching the runway to land, the airport came into full view. The view was depressing to realize that nothing significant had been done to uplift the image of the airport all the eight years I had been out of the country. However, some cosmetic developments have been done at the airport's main parkinglot. The parkinglot now has a ticket booth where every motorist must to stop to be robbed of their money because there is nothing worth paying for. It's almost laughable to see another rather  silly addition in which the sides of the walkway are covered with shoulder-high blue hard plastic paneling and with a roof of a similar colour. This arrangement runs the full stretch to the edge of the right of way separating the beginning of the walkway from the front of the airport terminal.

The main airport terminal remains the same. If there had been no aeroplane parked, one wouldn't even think this was an airport. The arrival walkway as you enter airport terminal is less inspiring too. You can see it was added as an afterthought that was not rendered any serious thinking. One wonders whatever is wrong with this picture. Zambian leaders are extensively travelled but they have no inclimnation to learn how other countries in the region and other developed ones have managed to put up quality airports. The Zambian airport looks no more than a train station or simply half of a shopping mall. How long will it take for Zambia to modernize the airport? It is long overdue!

Do They Care about Lusaka Floods and the people Affected

Flooding in many parts of the country has been commonplace for decades. It has become a yearly ritual that the poor have to go through whether they like it or not. The mostly poor areas find themselves at the receiving end every time the country experiences heavy rains. This problem does not affect the leadership and if they are not affected at all, why should they care? Of course, they must be seen to care not only by exhibiting their usual lipservice but also through deeds. It is very long overdue and government has to come up with ways of addressing floods for good. It is such a mockery to see the councils put up drainage that is easily filled by a "teaspoonful of water".

Politicians must care and they must be made to care inasmuchas they were put in there current positions by the same people affected by the floods year-after-year. The relationship between leaders and the electrorate must be mutually beneficial. While the leaders benefit financially through their positions, the electrorate must also see benefits by way of developmental projects in their areas. Flood mitigation projects such as adequate drainage infrastructure will in a sense make them feel that their area MPs and other leaders care for their lot.

Luapula don't be fooled by promise of a Vice President

You will all recall that the people of Western Province were promised by RB that he would appoint a North Westerner as Vice President if they voted for him. We all know that he never honoured his promise and it's all history. His promise was essentially empty and designed to get votes. The problem in Zambia is that we either don't care about politicians taking us for rides or we simply have very short memory. We hope that the people in Luapula province learnt something from the empty promises made to hoodwink their Western Province counterparts. Zambians must not waste their time listening to politicians who have failed to deliver on their promises and their mandate to develop the country. It is sad and unfortunate to have politicians continue to run for office for personal aggrandizement and ease of access to public funds.

Cabinet to table NCC allowances

What will tabling the allowances of NCC members achieve? The majority of the NCC members are government officials with vested interest in the approval of allowances. What this manoeuvrings is is that it amounts to a mockery of the Zambian people especially those living way below the poverty datum line. When will this insatiable desire to rob public funds stop? It is all too clear that the current crop of leadership lacks developmental focus and complete inability to priorities the development of the country. The leadership seems to be racing against time considering that 2011 is just around the corner and therefore sees the urgency to amass wealth now under current corrupt system. Zambia's roads in many residential areas in Zambia are far from being acceptable and it is a wonder how area MPs even have the audacity to crave for their gratuity. At the rate the country's public funds are being misused or let's say misappropriated, there is no hope that residential infrastructure, especially roads, will ever be repaired to the level that was common during the First Republic. A recent of photo of a road linking Lumumba road with Luanshya road is a perfect example of how roads have deteriorated in Lusaka.The ZMK5 billion that NCC members are hankering for can be used to repair roads to benefit the masses as opposed to funneling the money into the pockets of the undeserving few.

Zambia accepts Altimo's Zamtel bid

The Zambia Privatization Agency (ZDA) has accepted a new and fourth bid from Russian telecommunications operator Altimo for pre-qualification in the process to privatise Zambia Telecommunication Limited (Zamtel). The first three bids were received from India's BSNL, Lap Green Networks of Libya and Unitel of Angola on 23 December 2009. The fourth bid from Altimo was received five minutes after the submission deadline of 15:00hrs. Because it was received after the deadline, the ZDA did not open the submission, and indicated that it would call a board meeting to decide whether or not to accept the submission from Altimo. Altimo had sent its submission on time but it arrived at the ZDA five minutes after the submission deadline due to logistical reasons. The ZDA Board at a special meeting held on 30 December 2009 resolved to accept the submission from Altimo on grounds that it was received before the other bids were opened and that no evaluation of the other three bids had been undertaken. He added that the Altimo bid would be included in the assessment of bids because this round of bid was only indicative and not binding and that consequently ZDA would open the Altimo bid. Shortlisted companies and consortia will be invited to the next stage of the privatisation of Zamtel. They will be invited to conduct further due diligence on Zamtel, and will be asked to submit a binding bid for a majority equity stake in the company. The next phase of Zamtel privatisation and details on the indicative bids received will be announced on 11 January.