By Bennie Mundando
THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is a party created to serve the people of Zambia and to bring prosperity to the people through the people themselves, interim party president Felix Mutati has said.
Speaking during the launch of the party at Mika Convention Centre in Lusaka today, Mr. Mutati said MDC will eliminate corruption, tribalism, and political violence cancer spreading across our country caused by politics of fear and division and by the economic exploitation of the country’s resources for the benefit of the few, not the many.
He believes unity of purpose is key to turn the fortunes of the nation around.
Read the full speech here:
ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH-ACTING PARTY PRESIDENT
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE
PARTY SECRETARIAT
INDEPENDENCE AVENUE
LUSAKA
MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2020
FELLOW CITIZENS, IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE, A NEW FORCE ON THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF ZAMBIA.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE EMBARKED ON A NATIONWIDE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT CONCERN THEM MOST IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. SOME OF THESE CONCERNS NEED NO REPETITION AS THEY WERE EXPRESSED IN THE RECENT WAVE OF PROTESTS BY OUR YOUTHS.
OTHERS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO SURVIVE IN A SHRINKING ECONOMY AND AT THE WEAKENING OF OUR SOCIAL FABRIC. STILL OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO BE LED BY A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS CREDIBILITY AT HOME AND ABROAD. IN PARTICULAR, ZAMBIANS WOULD LIKE TO PUT A STOP TO CORRUPTION IN OUR HIGHEST OFFICES AND IN CORPORATE BOARDROOMS.
ZAMBIANS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE CORRUPTION IN THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH CIVIL SERVANTS THAT INCREASES THE COST OF ACCESS TO JUSTICE, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH AND EVEN EDUCATION. ALL ZAMBIANS WANT TO RESOLVE THE HELPLESSNESS AMONG OUR ELDERS AND THE DESPAIR AMONG MANY OF OUR YOUTH WHO LONG FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK; TO GET AN EDUCATION; OR SIMPLY TO OBTAIN BASIC SERVICES THAT MIGHT BETTER THEIR LIFE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PEOPLE THAT WE CONSULTED EMPHASISED THAT THEY ARE FED UP WITH THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE WHERE THE CHOICE OF PARTIES PRESENTS A DILEMMA OF CHOOSING NOT THE BEST BUT THE LESSER OF TWO DISAPPOINTING OPTION.
ZAMBIANS RECOGNISED THAT WE ARE NOW AT A CROSSROADS IN OUR POLITICAL HISTORY: AT A MOMENT WHERE WE DECIDE WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE ALONG THIS DIVISIVE PATH RIDDLED WITH CORRUPTION, TRIBALISM, VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION OR WHETHER WE WILL RENEW OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO RESTORE OUR LAND OF WORK AND JOY IN UNITY.
AS MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE, OUR RAISON D’ETRE IS TO CHART THE COURSE BACK TO OUR SHARED VALUES. THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, WE PROSPERED AS A NATION WHEN WE HAVE LIVED AND LOVED ACROSS, TRIBE, COLOUR AND RELIGION.
AS MDC, WE WILL ELIMITATE THE CANCER SPREADING ACROSS OUR COUNTRY CAUSED BY POLITICS OF FEAR AND DIVISION AND BY THE ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION OF OUR RESOURCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FEW NOT THE MANY. TOGETHER, WE CAN TURN THE FORTUNES OF OUR NATION AROUND.
THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IS A PARTY CREATED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA AND TO BRING PROSPERITY TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES.
WITH THE COMING OF MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE, YOUR VOTE WILL NOT BE LOST OR WASTED TO A LACK OF CHOICES. IN 2021, WE DON’T WANT ANY ZAMBIAN TO VOTE FOR THE LESSER OF TWO BAD OPTIONS, THEREBY ESSENTIALLY VOTING THE SAME PROBLEM IN.
INSTEAD WE WANT TO ENABLE EVERY ZAMBIAN TO VOTE FOR THE GREATEST GOOD AND FOR A RIGHTEOUS RESULT. THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE GIVES ZAMBIAN VOTERS A POSITIVE CHOICE. WITH THE FORMATION OF THE MDC, THE ‘LESSER OF THE WORST’ IS NO LONGER A REALITY FOR THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE.
WE WILL PUT A STOP TO THE CULTURE OF PROSPERITY THROUGH CORRUPTION AND INNSTEAD PROMOTE PROSPERITY THROUGH HARD WORK, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN A PROSPEROUS ZAMBIA BASED ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND ZERO CORRUPTION IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
IN REGARD TO FOREIGN RELATIONS, THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE BELIEVES IN A ZAMBIA THAT IS GLOBALLY RESPECTED AND WHERE PEOPLE BELONGING TO DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES, RACES AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS CO-EXIST WITH UTMOST COURTESY, DIGNITY AND CO-OPERATION.
WE BELIEVE IN A ZAMBIA THAT ADDS GREATER VALUE TO THE WORLD AND ALL OF HUMANITY THROUGH ITS DIVERSITY; A ZAMBIA WHERE EVERYONE IS FREE TO EXPRESS AND PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL LIFE, ASSURED OF SECURITY OF LIFE, LIMB AND PROPERTY NO MATTER HIS OR HER BACKGROUND OR AFFILIATION.
AS THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE WE RECOGNIZE THE NEW NORMAL, AND WILL FOCUS ON REINVENTING OURSELVES IN A POST-COVID ECONOMY AND SOCIETY. WE MUST RADICALLY OVERHAUL THE WAY WE BUDGET, ALLOCATE AND MANAGE OUR SHARED WEALTH, OR WE SHALL BE IN DANGER OF SLEEPWALKING INTO AN EVEN GREATER SOCIO-ECONOMIC CRISIS AND THEREBY RISK RELEGATING MILLIONS OF ZAMBIANS TO THE ECONOMIC SLOW LANE.
WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS BY EMPOWERING THE PEOPLE TO UNLEASH THEIR POTENTIAL BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO MONETISE THEIR TALENTS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME RECOGNISING THAT OUR FELLOW CITIZENS THAT ARE UNABLE TO WORK REQUIRE OUR SUPPORT. OUR NATION’S PROSPERITY CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY AND THROUGH ITS PEOPLE.
THE MDC BELIEVES IN A DECENTRIALISED APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES STEMMING FROM OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS. WE BELIEVE THAT LOCALITIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITIES ARE BEST PLACED TO BALANCE LOCAL INTERESTS, PROPOSE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND DELIVER PUBLIC GOODS.
A LOCALISED APPROACH WOULD ENSURE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. OUR GOAL IS THEREFORE TO BUILD OUR LOCAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES ACROSS ALL PROVINCES, DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITIES TO ENABLE A LOCALLY LED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPROACH.
WE WILL CREATE THE BEST FISCAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POLICIES AND LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENTS TAILORED TO SUPPORT LOCAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS WHICH RECOGNISE THAT YOU CANNOT BORROW BEYOND YOUR CAPACITY TO REPAY, NOR CAN YOU SPEND WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE.
WE WILL ESTABLISH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR INFRASTRUCTION FUND TO PUT A BRAKE ON DEBT ACCUMULATION AND INVEST MORE SUSTAINABLY TO CREATE JOBS AND WEALTH.
WE WILL AMEND ACCOUNTING AND TAX RULES TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES TO INVEST AND PARTICPATE IN LOCAL AND RURAL ECONOMIES.
WE WILL EMPOWER AND REWARD ZAMBIANS TO RESEARCH, INNOVATE AND TO EXCEL IN INVENTING SOLUTIONS IN AREAS OF TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SERVICES. WE WILL RECOGNISE INNOVATIVE LEADERS IN BUSINESS AND IN COMMUNITIES AND PRIORITISE HOMEGROWN SOLUTIONS WHEN ALLOCATING RESOURCES.
WE WILL HELP CREATE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATIVE CORPORATIONS IN MORE INDUSTRIALIZED AND TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED ECONOMIES SO THAT ZAMBIAN BUSINESSES CAN LEAP-FROG OUR INDUSTRIES INTO THE 21ST CENTURY GLOBAL MARKET.
UNDERPINNING THE WHEELS OF OUR ECONOMY IS OUR ENERGY SECTOR. LADIES AND GENETLEMEN, THE CURRENT NATIONAL GRID IS AN OBSOLETE STRUCTURE WEIGHED DOWN BY GRAFT AND PROVIDING ENERGY AT RATES INACCESSIBLE TO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY.
IN ORDER TO STIMULATE GROWTH THAT WILL YIELD THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC GAINS FOR EVERY ZAMBIAN, WE MUST URGENTLY INCREASE ENERGY PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND ACCESSIBILITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY BY EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY OPTIONS.
WE CAN LOWER TARRIFS AND MAKE ENERGY AFFORDABLE TO OUR PEOPLE BY MAKING USE OF GREEN AND CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND DEMOCRATIZING ENERGY PRODUCTION TO DISMANTLE THE DE FACTO MONOPOLY HELD BY ZESCO.
FOR EACH AND EVERY ZAMBIAN TO FAIRLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS NEW ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE, WE WILL BE STEADFAST IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION AND CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY BY IMPROVING OUR ADMINISTRATION AND MAXIMIZING FISCAL OVERSIGHT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT TO ACHIEVE ALL THE THINGS I HAVE OUTLINED WE WILL NEED TO TRANSFORM OURSELVES. WE WILL DEVELOP A WORLD LEADING ACADEMIC CURRICULUM FROM PRIMARY TO TERTIARY THAT WILL BE TARGETTED AT BUILDING A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF OUR GREAT HISTORY, INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THIS COUNTRY IN MANAGING OUR PERSONAL, FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL RESOURCES AND IN BEING PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY.
WE WILL ALSO BOLSTER TECHNICAL TRAINING AND INCENTIVISE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO OFFER APPRENTICESHIPS TO EQUIP ZAMBIANS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO EXCEL FOR THEIR FAMILIES, COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY.
TO THIS END, WE WILL REALIGN AND UPGRADE EDUCATION AND TRAINING AT EVERY LEVEL TO ADDRESS THE MISMATCH BETWEEN THE SKILLS CURRENTLY BEING TAUGHT AND THE SKILLS NEEDED IN THE POST-COVID 21ST CENTURY FUTURE.
IN THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE WE BELIEVE THAT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IS CRITICAL FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY. THE MEDIAN AGE OF THIS COUNTRY IS 17.6 YEARS, THERE ARE 4.8 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 15-35 THAT IS 36.7% OF ZAMBIA’S POPULATION.
THIS IS A YOUNG COUNTRY. THE RAISED VOICES WE HEAR EVERY DAY, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON RADIO, AND TELEVISION ARE SIGNALING THE RISING POLITICAL AWARENESS AND POWER OF A YOUNG AND DIVERSE ZAMBIA.
IN MANY WAYS, OUR YOUTH ARE FLEXING THEIR POLITICAL MUSCLE AND FIGHTING TO RAISE NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON A VARIETY OF PROGRESSIVE ISSUES SUCH AS: SOCIAL JUSTICE; POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION; FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY; EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP; EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
FOR THESE REASONS, IN THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WITHOUT THE YOUTH IN LEADERSHIP, OUR FAILURE TO CRAFT OUR COLLECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WILL PERSIST, LEAVING OUR NATION AND ITS ECONOMY STATIC AND BACKWARD LOOKING.
WE MUST NOT CONTINUE TO SHACKLE THE FUTURE OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO OUR CURRENT IRRESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC POLICIES. IN THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE, WE KNOW THAT CREATING NATIONAL WEALTH AND DEVELOPING AN EMPOWERED RISING GENERATION GO HAND IN HAND AND ARE INSEPARABLE FROM ANY CONSIDERATION IN THE SERIOUS PLANNING OF A NATION’S FUTURE.
THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE WILL WORK WITH THE YOUTH IN FINDING, PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT POSITIVELY IMPACT THEM.
IF YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON WITH A VISION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND FOR ZAMBIA, I AM TALKING TO YOU DIRECTLY WHEN I SAY: MAKE THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE YOUR MICROPHONE AND PLATFORM. JOIN OUR PARTY.
THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE WANTS TO ENGAGE YOUTH PARTICIPATION ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM AS A NECESSARY STRATEGY FOR THE NATION TO FACE THE NEW DECADE THAT BEGINS IN 2021.
LET ME REMIND OUR YOUTH THAT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE SHOULDERED THE HARD RESPONSIBILITY OF CHANGE AND MARCHED IN ITS FURTHERANCE, TIME AFTER TIME. IN THE 1940’S GODWIN MBIKUSITA LEWANIKA, NELSON NALUMANGO, PASCAL SIKOTA, DAUTI YAMBA CREATED THE FOUNDATION FOR POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND ORGANIZATION.
IN THE 1950S, THEY PASSED THE TORCH TO HARRY MWANGA NKUMBULA, KENNETH KAUNDA, SIMON KAPWEPWE, JULIA CHIKAMONEKA, PRINCESS NAKATINDI AND OTHERS,WHO IN TURN IN THE 1960’S PASSED THE TORCH TO HUMPHREY MULEMBA, 1970’S AND 1980’S KEBBY MUSONKOTWANES, 1990’S SAW YOUNG FIREBRANDS LIKE BALDWIN NKUMBULA, BENNIE MWINGA, BEN TETAMASHIMBA.
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE FEARLESS YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE VISION CHANGED THE DESTINY OF THIS COUNTRY FOREVER. AS A PARTY THEREFORE WE ARE COMMITTED TO A GENERATIONAL CHANGE OF GUARD, WE WILL PASS THE TORCH TO THE NEXT GENERATION TO LEAD THIS NATION.
TO THIS END, IF ELECTED, I AM COMMITTED TO SERVING AS A MENTOR PRESIDENT, AND TO MAKING MY PRESIDENCY A MENTORSHIP PRESIDENCY THAT WILL EMPOWER AS MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE INTO LEADERSHIP. IN SHORT, THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE STANDS READY AS A PLATFORM TO HAND THAT TIMELESS TORCH TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS.
THE CHALLENGES THAT FACE OUR COUNTRY ARE FAR TOO GREAT FOR ONLY ONE MAN TO FIX. A GREAT AFRICAN PROVERB TELLS US THAT A MAN CANNOT SIT DOWN ALONE TO PLAN FOR PROSPERITY. THIS PROVERB UNDERPINS THE REALITY THAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT A GAME OF ONE; IF WE ARE TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING FOR THIS COUNTRY, WE MUST DEPEND ON ONE ANOTHER’S CAPACITIES AND ABILITIES. IN THE STORY OF OUR COUNTRY, ALL OF US HAVE POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN BUILDING THE NATIONAL LIFE OF THIS COUNTRY.
ONCE WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF ELECTING OUR LEADERSHIP, I AM CONFIDENT WE SHALL BUILD AN OUTSTANDING TEAM WITH THE ENTHUSIASM AND WORK ETHIC TO DESERVE VICTORY IN 2021.
IF YOU ARE A YOUTH WITH POLITICAL AMBITIONS, JOIN US AND WORK WITH US. MAY I REMIND YOU THAT LESS THAN 12% OF THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ARE YOUTHS? WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR VOICES IN PARLIAMENT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU FORM THE MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION. I IMPLORE YOU TO TAKE THIS INVITATION SERIOUSLY: YOUR FUTURE IS AT STAKE. LET US WRITE A NEW NARRATIVE OF A PEACEFUL, CORRUPTION-FREE PROSPEROUS ZAMBIA.
TO OUR WOMEN, GENDER DIVERSITY IS A CORE PRINCIPLE OF THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE. MAY I REMIND YOU THAT OUT OF THE 166 MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, ONLY 31 ARE FEMALE. THIS MEANS THE FEMALE GENDER REPRESENTATION IN OUR PARLIAMENT IS ONLY A DISAPPOINTING 19%. PLEASE JOIN OUR PARTY AND WE WILL CHANGE THIS TOGETHER.
IF YOUR PASSION IS THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE OR THE FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, POVERTY REDUCTION, FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY, MORAL LEADERSHIP, HUMAN RIGHTS AND A CORRUPT-FREE AND PEACEFUL UNITED ZAMBIA, JOIN US.
YOU HAVE A PLATFORM IN THE MDC TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. WE AIM TO BE A PARTY FOR PEOPLE WITH ORIGINAL IDEAS AND INDEPENDENT THOUGHT WHICH YIELD SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COUNTRY.
TO MY FRIENDS ACROSS THE POLITICAL AISLE, IF YOU FEEL IN YOUR HEART THAT YOUR CHOSEN PARTY HAS LEFT YOU BEHIND, THAT YOUR VISION, GOALS AND ETHICS FOR A DIVERSE, CORRUPT-FREE AND PEACEFUL ZAMBIA NO LONGER MATCH WITH THOSE OF YOUR PARTY LEADERS, JOIN THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE.
IF THERE ARE ANY POLITICAL PARTIES THAT ARE READY TO WORK WITH THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE AS PARTNERS IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, IN BUILDING PEACE AND UNITY, WE WELCOME YOUR CO-OPERATION AND COLLABORATION. LET US COME TOGETHER IN A COALITION OF CONSCIENCE TO WORK FOR A PEACEFUL ZAMBIA.
ALLOW ME TO END BY REMINDING OUR COUNTRYMEN THAT WHEN PEOPLE VOTED IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS OF NORTHERN RHODESIA ON 20TH AND 21ST JANUARY 1964, THEY WERE ABOVE ALL VOTING FOR A VISION OF THE KIND OF COUNTRY THEY WANTED. THAT VISION WAS AND IS STILL ENSHRINED IN OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.
WE HAVE NOW COME FULL CIRCLE. THE ELECTION IN 2021 IS ABOUT CHOOSING THE ZAMBIA THAT WE WANT FOR OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES – THE ZAMBIA THAT WE SING ABOUT IN OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM. WE ARE CALLING ON EVERY ZAMBIAN TO MAKE THE 2021 ELECTION ABOUT REJECTING THIS EMERGING POLITICAL SYSTEM OF LAWLESS CADERISM, OF CORRUPT PATRONAGE, OF INTER-PARTY VIOLENCE, OF VOTING ON TRIBAL LINES AND REGIONALISM SO THAT A NEW ZAMBIA CAN BE CREATED.
LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN, THE ONLY SOLUTION TO BAD POLITICS IS BETTER POLITICS. THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE EMBODIES BETTER POLITICS AND INVITES ALL PERSONS OF GOOD FAITH TO JOIN US TO CREATE A PEACEFUL, CORRUPT-FREE AND LAWFUL ZAMBIA. TO THIS END, WE WILL BE EMBARKING ON A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE AND VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE URGE ALL ZAMBIANS TO PARTAKE IN THE DESTINY OF THIS NATION.
THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMORCATIC CHANGE IS PREPARED TO UNDERTAKE THE HARD WORK REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE OUR SHARED DESTINY. WORKING TOGETHER WITH A COMMON FAITH IN GOD, IN EACH OTHER AND IN OUR BELOVED COUNTRY, WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS. GOD BLESS OUR GREAT NATION.
I THANK YOU.
