MMD must pay Katumbi - KK
MMD must pay Katumbi - KKBy Brighton Phiri
Friday April 20, 2007 [04:00]
THE MMD must pay Moses Katumbi for the maize he supplied them in 2001 for their election campaign, Dr Kenneth Kaunda has said. And Dr Kaunda has declared that he will join forces with the Oasis Forum over the people's demand for a new constitution.
Commenting on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Katanga Province governor Moses Katumbi's statement that he was contracted by the Zambian government in 2001 to supply maize meal to MMD parliamentary candidates at reduced prices for the purpose of campaigns, Dr Kaunda said it was wrong for the MMD to transfer its indebtedness to the Zambian taxpayers.
Dr Kaunda wondered why government should be dragged into a deal, whose sole purpose was to drum up support for MMD candidates.
"I don't understand why anyone can get confused over this matter. It is a straightforward issue...MMD must pay Mr. Katumbi for the maize he supplied them to win the 2001 elections," Dr Kaunda said. "Let us do the right thing...those that engaged Mr. Katumbi to bring in cheap maize must pay him. And we all know that it MMD, so it should not be the tax-payers to carry the debt burden on behalf of the MMD."
Dr Kaunda asked the government to explain how it had been involved in the Katumbi maize saga when the business deal was between MMD and the suppliers of the maize. He said Katumbi should claim his money from MMD and other persons that engaged him because the purpose of the contract was for the benefit of the ruling party.
On the constitution-making process, Dr Kaunda disclosed that he had reached a stage where he could no longer travel extensively at regional level in connection with his Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation activities and that he would now join the Church under the umbrella of the Oasis Forum to join the voices calling for a new constitution.
"I do not want to sound as if I am fighting against President Mwanawasa, but it is my intention to speak to him and hear from him some of the difficulties he was facing over the matter. I do not want President Mwanawasa to feel that I am siding with the Oasis Forum, but it is a matter of siding with the right thing," Dr Kaunda said.
"We have been working on this matter for some time together. Meetings have been held, even at State House and I believe that we must continue with the same spirit. If there are more points which other groups are making, let us say so and if government has any difficulties in meeting the questions that the other side is raising let them tell us."
Dr Kaunda said he was saddened with the deadlock between the two parties.
He said there was no justification for the two parties to reach a stage where they could not discuss the constitution-making process anymore. Dr Kaunda said Zambians should not allow themselves to reach a point where they could not talk to each other.
"I hope to hear from the Oasis Forum and government," he said.
In his letter to Oasis Forum, President Mwanawasa observed that the two parties were not getting anywhere in trying to resolve the stalemate.
"I regret having to advise that any possible meeting between us would serve no useful purpose," read President Mwanawasa's letter in part.
On Zimbabwe's 27th independence anniversary, Dr Kaunda reminded Zimbabweans of the SADC efforts in Tanzania a few weeks ago.
"April 18, is extremely important day for Zimbabweans and indeed all of us its neighbours. It is a day when Zimbabweans should remember the moments they will never forget in their lives...the struggle for their independence. I believe as a genuine neighbour who knows what terrible things they have gone through, we must not only pray for them, but remind them of the heavy duty they have to carry," Dr Kaunda said. "To remember what they must remember to do is one of the duties...the duty to unite the nation. That is why some of us can't forget the work of the SADC."
He asked Zimbabweans to use the SADC intervention to open up a new chapter for their country.
Dr Kaunda said the region's responsibility was to encourage Zimbabweans to follow the SADC guidance.
"We look forward to hearing from them that the new roadmap has been created," he said. "All this is not to ask Zimbabweans to forget the difficulties they have gone through under colonialism and racism. We are not asking them to forget about the wrongs, which the evil forces have done to their country. We ask them to look to the future," said Dr Kaunda.
Labels: KAUNDA, MMD, Moses Katumbi, OASIS FORUM
posted by MrK @ 11:56 AM
1 Comments:
This could bankrupt the MMD. My guess is that this is why they didn't pay Katumbi. My guess they don't have much more than $7mn, if that.
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