Former Finance Deputy Minister Newton Ngúni has responded to UPND campaign manager Dipak Patel’s lay out on why the ruling Patriotic Front should not be voted again.
Patel has tabulated reasons that Ngúni has torn apart and strengthened the PF case for re-election.
Below is Ngúni who has aligned himself to the PF in this election’s full posting:
Dipak Patel and Untruths
My friend Dipak Patel, an experienced former MMD national campaign manager has chosen to descent into policy abyss simply for political expediency by saying things he himself does not believe in. 21 hrs ago he posted on Mwebantu New Media, urging Zambians NOT to allow PF to finish what they started 3 years ago. But what really caught my mind is Dipak’s desire to have UPND reap where they did NOT sow!
How does he do this? (i) he embraces the goods things that PF has done (the good 2015 Budget which he wants UPND to implement! And the infrastructure programme); and (ii) he misrepresents where he thinks there have been challenges (eg paying farmers on time). But the most disheartening thing about his treatise is that he offers no policy alternative which is Superior to that of PF. Such views are simply meant to mislead our people and coming from the likes of Dipak Patel who ought to know better should not be allowed to stand.
So let us respond to him shall we?
(1) Dipak, Dipak, Dipak! You cannot say that you will change some aspects of the Budget which is already law when you do not have MPs to do that?
(2) which management experience and competence are you boasting about which you are going to apply to manage the 2015 Budget? The same competence and experience used in looting Ramcoz money and in Lima Bank liquidation which left the people of Zambia destitute? No thanks Dipak, keep your competence- You will loot our budget. We choose to go with what we have seen under PF, at least we will get a hospital here, a road there and yet a school there!
(3) Since the budget is law now and you do not want to borrow and you cannot amend the Appropriation Act until after 6 months and only with the consent of PF who have majority MPs in Parliament, how are you going to effect any changes? Ooh NO Dipak, please give us a break, will you? You surely know better on this?
(4) Cross-party support? RB + MPs from MMD and experienced hands like Mike Mulongoti supporting EL is not cross-party support? Who has more of this, HH or EL? Ooh come off it Dipak and be real, will you?
(5) In education, schools are being built and more teachers have been employed than ever before and the issue of bursaries is being addressed through the introduction of a student loan scheme can you give us anything NEW and specific in education that UPND will accomplish before the General elections? Hello there Dipak, we are waiting to hear!
(5) Paying farmers? Ooh Dipak! what is this? In 2014 Budget the plan was to buy 500K mts of maize but due to high productivity the Govt was compelled to buy 1, 000K mts because the private failed to rise to the challenge. Are you sure buying extra 500K mts would not have been a challenge for any Govt? Ooh come on now, such an argument cannot come from a person like you, surely!
(6) And the recognition of Chitmukulu? Ooh please, don’t even go there!! There is no political mileage there to gain. Mwinelubemba knows that the issue of his recognition had nothing to do with PF as a party or Govt generally and less with Edgar Lungu as member of PF or PF Presidential candidate. I do not think that Bashilubenba and Mwinelubemba himself will encourage the punishment of PF candidate over the unacceptable withholding of the recognition of the Chitimukulu.
(7) Employment and wage freeze? Again this cannot be from you Dipak! Your experience in Govt cannot allow you to descend into such policy abyss when you fully understand the inner dynamics that informed the policies after a massive wage freeze in 2012. I say so, because I know you have the cue. Again I must say, Dipak, Dipak, Dipak, this cannot be coming from you! Come off it, it does not flow well with your experience! Yes I know that as campagin manager for UPND you know that UPND has no chance in this election.
But try to retain some modicum of your personal dignity by debating truthfully. You are too good to allow yourself to descent into such policy abyss by vainly trying to espouse untruths in your Posting I have referred to. By the way how is your Siavonga Island? Remain good my friend, Always be of good cheer!
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