Sata explains why he stayed away from SADC summit
Sata explains why he stayed away from SADC summitBy Brighton Phiri
Monday August 20, 2007 [04:00]
OPPOSITION Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said he declined to attend the just-ended Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit because he had information that the ruling MMD had allegedly planned to humiliate opposition political party leaders.
And Sata has called on Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Qiangmin “to stop insulting Zambians’ intelligence.” Sata, who confirmed being invited to attend the SADC summit by President Mwanawasa, said he had information that MMD had intentions of using the summit to humiliate some opposition party leaders.
"I was invited to attend the SADC summit, which I was grateful, but I declined because I realised that MMD intended to humiliate some people. MMD must realise that the SADC chairmanship is not for President Mwanawasa alone but for the Zambian people and country," Sata said.
But MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba dismissed the claims, saying Sata could not be compared to former presidents Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Frederick Chiluba who attended the summit.
"Who is Sata to make people worried about his absence at the summit? Who is Sata when Dr Kaunda and Dr Chuliba attended?" he asked.
"Otherwise it was our intention and the ruling party to receive all the political party leaders at the summit. We received Dr Kaunda who campaigned for Hakainde Hichilema and Dr Chiluba who did not campaign for MMD."
He urged Sata to calm down and make himself relevant on matters of national interest.
On Ambassador Li's statement that some politicians' attacks against Chinese investors were unjustified, Sata said the envoy should stop being provocative and insulting the intelligence of the Zambian people.
"He must be ashamed of what he said about Chinese investment in Zambia. Is he proud that the Chinese investors have employed 20,000 dehumanised Zambian workers, whose salaries are equivalent to that of 5,000 employees?" Sata asked. "Why is he making false propaganda? Is he not aware that Mulungushi Textiles closed?"
Sata challenged Ambassador Li to visit Lilongwe and see for himself the difference between the Chinese investment in Zambia and the Taiwanese investment in Malawi.
"If you go to Lilongwe, you will not see the Chinese selling tomatoes, eggs and salaula (second-hand) clothes at the markets but his countrymen are pushing wheelbarrows here in Zambia," he said.
Sata wondered why Ambassador Li used the media to attack the local politicians when he had invited him on many occasions to discuss Chinese investment in Zambia, but he declined to meet him.
He said Ambassador Li should be ashamed to brag about Mulungushi Textiles because the Chinese investors had failed to run the factory.
Ambassador Li last week said allegations by some politicians against Chinese investors were not true.
He said China was a fast-developing country and a very important country to the world and that no one could neglect its friendship.
"The Zambian government and most Zambian people are friendly to China, and that only few politicians tried to do something to attract public attention, win the support of the people and pursue their own personal interests," Ambassador Li said. "I want to use this opportunity to tell our Zambian friends that don't be misled. Any irresponsible remarks against China are short-sighted."
He said most Zambians appreciated Chinese investment except for a few.
And Ambassador Li said Chinese investors had brought a lot of benefits to Zambia.
"So far, China's direct investment to Zambia is more than US$500 million. We employ more than 20,000 Zambians. Also we have a lot of exchange programmes in the cultural, public health, educational and military fields," Ambassador Li said.
posted by MrK @ 3:44 AM
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