Maravi

Sata shouldn't fear his own poison, says Teta

Sata shouldn't fear his own poison, says Teta
By Patson Chilemba
Tuesday February 19, 2008 [03:00]

Michael Sata should not fear the same poison he inflicted on Dr Kenneth Kaunda in 1996, local government deputy minister Benny Tetamshimba has said. And Tetamashimba has said President Levy Mwanawasa and Post editor Fred M’membe should be credited for the corruption fight against former president Frederick Chiluba.

Commenting on Sata’s claims that the National Constitution Conference (NCC) wants to block him from standing as a presidential candidate in 2011 on account of his age, Temashimba said Sata should not be afraid of being barred because he participated in the barring of Dr Kaunda from contesting the 1996 general elections.

“Why is he fearing to be barred when he himself debated to bar Dr Kunda in Parliament? Dr Kaunda was not even that age which he’s going to be as at 2011.

So he is now fearing the poison that he created in 1996 of barring somebody. So what is wrong with barring him if he had to bar Dr Kaunda?” Tetamashimba asked. “So if Dr Kaunda who had clean hands was barred by Mr. Sata, what about him who has been getting money from Taiwan?”

Tetamashimba said if it was good for Sata to bar Dr Kaunda then it must be good for him also to be barred.

“Who is he? Is he a god?” Tetamshimba asked.

Asked if he was confirming that the MMD wants to use the NCC to bar Sata from contesting the Republican presidency, Tetamashimba replied: “Ask the scientists if somebody who is 100 years can manage to do the functions of State House. They will tell you no. And why should somebody think that ‘even if I’m old I should be the president?’”

Tetamashimba said the NCC would decide on the age limit for a presidential candidate.
“Yes, the NCC will make their own decision and he must send his members of parliament, but if he doesn’t send them, who is going to speak for them?” Tetamashimba asked.

And commenting on the ruling by Ndola High Court Deputy Registrar Jones Chinyama sitting as magistrate in Lusaka who found Chiluba with a case to answer on all the six counts of theft by public servant after a prima facie case was established against him, Tetamashimba said M’membe has sacrificed a lot in the corruption fight against Chiluba.
“President Mwanawasa cannot alone be said to be a person who had brought all this.

I think you need to remember that what President Mwanawasa did was first and foremost to come out and let justice prevail by stating that Fred M’membe, Dipak Patel, Edith Nawakwi who were going to court...you are aware when president Chiluba was in government those people were taken to court for saying that president Chiluba was a thief,” Tetamashimba said.

“People like M’membe stood up against all odds. They were even willing to have the newspaper burnt or banned to operate in this country.”

Tetamashimba said the ruling proved that President Mwanawasa had a case when he removed Chiluba’s immunity to pave way for investigations into his alleged corruption.

Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 7:31 AM