Maravi

Levy benefited from Chiluba's thefts - Sata

Levy benefited from Chiluba's thefts - Sata
By George Chellah and Noel Sichalwe
Monday May 07, 2007 [04:00]

MWANAWASA is a beneficiary of the money Chiluba stole, opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged. And Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has said that there is no difference in the corruption levels between President Mwanawasa's government and Chiluba's regime. Addressing a public rally in Lusaka's Linda compound on Saturday, Sata said President Mwanawasa was a beneficiary of the money Chiluba stole from the state's treasury. He said President Mwanawasa would not have been President if it were not for the stolen funds.

"Judge ulya alisha ukulanda ati shilya indalama Chiluba aibile Mwanawasa alilileko That judge (London High Court judge Peter Smith) left out the details that President Mwanawasa benefited from the money Chiluba stole," Sata said.

Sata warned that President Mwanawasa risked ending up like Chiluba in terms of corruption. "Local government and housing minister Sylvia Masebo and Mwanawasa are busy beating and chasing people from the streets in town. They are even laughing," Sata said. "Nomunabo Chiluba aleseka nomba lelo alikwi (Even Chiluba used to laugh that time but where is he today?) Who knew that we will be reading what we are reading today about Chiluba? Levy will also leave soon."

Sata said although he was ugly, he was not a thief. "And I am the only one who will come and effectively fight corruption, and not those corrupt people you have in government today," he said.

And Sata assured the people that nobody would remove them from Lilanda compound. "Even those people they have chased from the streets, just wait. Don't worry, your eviction from the streets is temporary. No one should even cheat you by suggesting that go to the village. Which village?" Sata asked.

"Since you have already come to the city. You will never go back because there is too much witchcraft in the village. So who would like to go there?"

Sata warned business houses that were still funding MMD to be mindful of the reality that President Mwanawasa was in his final term. "You can give Levy and MMD money today but he is going soon. What will you do? You should look to the incoming government," he said.

He said foreigners were benefiting from the nation more than the indigenous people. "I came to encourage you for the problems we are facing today but don't worry. They are going soon," Sata said.

"They are saying that why are they campaigning because the elections are over? Yes they want us to stop campaigning because they are eating as you sleep hungry. But we have to continue because for us it hasn't dawned yet."

Sata said once in government, the PF would build better houses, schools and hospitals for the people.

And Bishop Mususu said there was no difference in the corruption levels between the Chiluba regime and the Mwanawasa government. "I don't see any difference in the levels corruption between Chiluba and Mwanawasa," Bishop Mususu said.

He said the revelations of billions of money being stolen from the government by civil servants were appalling and that it questioned President Mwanawasa's genuineness in the fight against corruption. Bishop Mususu said there was need to give credit to The Post in the Chiluba case and not necessarily President Mwanawasa.
He said The Post single-handedly pushed the "Chiluba is a thief" case until now that the London judge has confirmed it. He said the only credit that could be given to President Mwanawasa was for setting a precedent, which might also be repeated on him.

Bishop Mususu said President Mwanawasa could be enjoying immunity now but that it could also be revoked after retiring like what had happened to Chiluba. "President Mwanawasa should be worried that what has happened will happen to him, even worse," he said.

"What is happening today as compared to the days of KK, one would see that there is more corruption now than ten years ago. The Task Force mandate is unfortunately limited to the ten years of former president Chiluba. Zambians are reluctant to thank President Mwanawasa because of what is happening now."

Bishop Mususu said there have been attempts of entering nolle prosequi like in the case of former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Kashiwa Bulaya, lack of transparency in former acting Director of Public Prosecution Caroline Sokoni's letter on Bulaya and the issue of MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga's abuse of constituency development funds.

"The fight against corruption is not fought by people in power but by the common man on the street," Bishop Mususu said.

He said there was selective justice as far as the fight against corruption was concerned. "Some are going to court while others are holding top positions in President Mwanawasa's government. If we were to nail it, these are the gaps that people wonder as to the genuineness of the fight against corruption. Chiluba didn't steal alone. Even President Mwanawasa when he came into power, how much was spent on him and what has happened to him?" Bishop Mususu asked.

He further said judge Smith should not have determined what Chiluba and his colleagues were to pay the Zambian people and that the amount to be paid should have been determined by Zambia.

Bishop Mususu said it was not for judge Smith to say Chiluba should pay 85 per cent of what he stole because Zambians wanted the entire 100 per cent repayment. "The judgment betrayed us on the issue that 85 per cent of what was stolen should be reimbursed now," Bishop Mususu said.

"We have always said that all we want is money, not to jail anybody.

Labels: CORRUPTION, EFZ, MWANAWASA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 4:57 AM