Maravi

Sata is finished, says Levy

Sata is finished, says Levy
By Joan Chirwa, Mutale Kapekele and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Tuesday July 24, 2007 [04:00]

SATA is finished and will not be a relevant factor during the 2011 general elections, President Levy Mwanawasa has said. And President Mwanawasa described demands for salary increments from institutions that are performing badly as ‘a celebration with a dead person’. Speaking upon arrival at Livingstone International Airport yesterday, President Mwanawasa said Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata was finished before he left the MMD in 2001.

“I will have pleasure to leave the government having defeated him (Sata). I defeated him at NEC in 2001 without even lifting a blow and even during the general elections in 2001... I also defeated him in 2006 and I have defeated him several times during by-elections,” President Mwanawasa boasted. “Even in the last by-elections in Kapoche, this chap…he came last, not even number two. And on the same time, he starts shouting as if he is a widow. Sata is finished. He got finished before he even left MMD and he won’t even be a relevant factor in 2011.”

President Mwanawasa blamed the people of Zambia for giving the PF leader Sata an audience.

“It worries me sometimes when tourists admire the country and commend us for the job we have performed. They tell us that Zambia has completely changed but our own people cannot see this. They would rather create conditions in the country which makes it difficult for ministers to travel and supervise development,” President Mwanawasa said.

“You people are to blame. You give these people audience especially when Sata goes to allege that government has taken money from the markets and that this money is brought to State House and this excites and you cannot even question him.”
President Mwanawasa questioned Sata’s contributions to the country when he held different government positions, among them minister of local government and housing as well as minister without portfolio.

“I refuse to be judged by his standards. What was he doing when he was minister of local government and when he was also minister without portfolio? He not only beat people but ran the markets. He even says I give money to the councillors when they come to State House to make them leave their small parties. I have no time for that,” President Mwanawasa said. “If he bothers to ask my ministers, they will tell him how difficult it is to meet me. And who should work to induce the majority? Me or Sata?”
But Sata wondered why President Mwanawasa bothered himself to talk about him being finished if he did not feel his political pressure.

Sata said President Mwanawasa's comments on him confirmed that he was being haunted by his (Sata’s) political popularity wherever he went.
"Why talk about a finished politician? For that matter in Livingstone?" Sata asked. "Who is finished between the two of us?"
Sata advised President Mwanawasa to buy an Oxford dictionary to get the correct description of a finished person.

Sata, however, said he was not surprised with President Mwanawasa's statements because he was ignorant of many current happenings in the country.
"I feel sorry for Levy... I am very disappointed that an eminent lawyer can fail to express himself correctly,” said Sata.
And commenting on Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba’s remarks that people should not be rushing for improved conditions of service, President Mwanawasa said strike action by some workers were mainly organised for political purposes and meant to create tension in the country.

“There are some companies which are collapsing and people are busy asking to be paid what they know the company cannot afford to pay…this is like celebrating with a dead person. People should instead work hard to improve the operations of that company,” President Mwanawasa said.

“It is encouraging to see that I am not alone in this crusade to develop the country. Those who are inciting people to strike want to forcefully remove the current government so that they come in power. So I now tell you that this is irresponsibility of the highest order. We must continue to be peaceful as a country.

And you even go to UNZA and tell students to stone vehicles and damage infrastructure, which has cost a taxpayer a lot of money. It is important that every one of us should know that we are a developing country. We do not have resources to waste; we should use these resources optimally so that sooner or later, we can become a developed country.”

Labels: MMD, MWANAWASA, PF, SATA, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 3:22 AM