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Kunda's attack on The Post is unfortunate - Mwanawasa

Kunda's attack on The Post is unfortunate - Mwanawasa
By Amos Malupenga and Brighton Phiri
Tuesday September 18, 2007 [04:00]

President Levy Mwanawasa yesterday regretted justice minister George Kunda’s attack on The Post and its editor Fred M’membe, saying it was unnecessary and unfortunate. And Patriotic Front president Michael Sata said Kunda's attacking statement confirmed his dullness. Commenting on Kunda’s accusation that The Post and M’membe were working with former president Frederick Chiluba and the Oasis Forum against the government on the constitution-making process, President Mwanawasa said he did not agree with Kunda.

He said while he agreed with everything else that Kunda said during his press briefing on Sunday, he was disappointed with Kunda’s remarks about The Post because they did not reflect the correct picture.

“I did not agree with the latter part of his statement where he said that The Post is conniving with Dr Chiluba against the government on this issue of the constitution,” President Mwanawasa said. “His whole statement was all right except that part which I do not agree with and I hereby want to consider it withdrawn.

Yes, many times we do not agree with The Post. But on the issue of anti-corruption and the issue of involving people who had failed to give to Zambia a good constitution, we are in agreement.”

Kunda on Sunday challenged the Oasis Forum to explain their alliance with Chiluba over the constitution-making process.
And Kunda wondered why the Oasis Forum had ganged up with Chiluba, Sata and Heritage Party president Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda when these were the main architects of the constitution crisis Zambia was currently facing.

"The contradictions in the Oasis Forum are amazing. It appears the common thread in this grouping is the hatred for President Mwanawasa and the new deal government. For how do you explain the new alliance between the Oasis Forum and people like president Dr Chiluba, General Godfrey Miyanda and Mr. Sata," Kunda said.

"These are the main architects of the problems we are now facing on the constitution and yet they are being glorified. How do you explain The Post newspaper's glorifying of these people?

Is it not a contradiction that Mr Fred M'membe and the Press Freedom Committee of The Post wittingly or unwittingly should be working with Dr Chiluba? The Post newspaper has a great influence on this process and it would appear The Post charts the Oasis agenda.

Why should the Oasis Forum form an alliance with Dr Chiluba? The Oasis was conceived to fight Dr Chiluba's machinations to go for an unconstitutional third term."

And Sata yesterday said Kunda behaved like a toothless bulldog because of his fear for President Mwanawasa.
"All I say about his statements is that it tells us how dull he is. George Kunda is dull and that is the more reason why he is still in government," Sata said.

"He is shamelessly behaving as if he has never been to a law school. George Kunda is a toothless bulldog that fears President Mwanawasa. He thinks President Mwanawasa can use the similar language on him which he used against Mundia Sikatana.

"George Kunda should know that his boss was in the MMD government as the vice-president and that the people who served in the MMD government before him were more intelligent than him."

Sata said it was wrong for Kunda to accuse Chiluba, himself and Brig Gen Miyanda of having been the architect of the constitution because the document was a product of the British government.

"Dr Kaunda and Dr Chiluba made piecemeal amendments to the document that they inherited from the British government," said Sata.

Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, MWANAWASA, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 6:28 AM