Maravi

Sata is a political suicide bomber, says Mpombo

Sata is a political suicide bomber, says Mpombo
By Lambwe Kachali, Masuzyo Chakwe and Namakau Nalumango
Monday March 10, 2008 [03:00]

DEFENCE minister George Mpombo yesterday described PF president Michael Sata as a 'political suicide bomber' who is bent on destroying the reputation of the womenfolk. Commenting on Sata’s assertion that Matero PF member of parliament Faustina Sinyangwe unfairly mentioned him during one of her recent debates in Parliament, Mpombo said at no time did Sinyangwe mention Sata during the debate on the President’s speech to the House.

“What Sata is engaging in is an unacceptable assault on Parliamentary procedures and privileges that members of parliament enjoy,” Mpombo said in an interview. He charged that Sata was proving to be a danger to the country’s political climate.


“Sinyangwe should treat Sata’s utterances with great contempt,” he said. “In fact, it is only in Zambia where a former colonial constable can aspire for Republican presidency. This is the same man who engineered to expel 22 MPs during (former president Frederick) Chiluba’s administration and now he wants to do the same in his party.”

Mpombo said it had become clear that Sata had nothing more to offer to the country’s democratic dispensation.

“If he can’t take the heat in his own kitchen, then he should get out of politics. What can a colonial constable offer or contribute to the growth of democracy in modern politics? The man has nothing to offer at all,” he said.

“He should not paint women with the same brush because women are the same people from whom he will be seeking votes from in 2011.” Mpombo said a leader must promote unity and not dwell on building “brimstone hatred” against the citizenry.

“Let him look into his view mirror and see his political decline,” said Mpombo.
Sinyangwe has since dragged Sata to Parliament for allegedly threatening her over her budget debate in the House.

And Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) executive director Engwase Mwale has advised Sata to re-organise his party and be open to dialogue.

Reacting to Sata's statement that it was difficult to trust women, Mwale said dialogue should be a norm in his party so that people could see the progressive opposition role they were playing in the country.

She said it was not only the women in PF that had defied the party to go to the National Constitution Conference (NCC) but the men as well.

"So why is he not referring to them? In a democratic country everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion. As NGOCC, we did stay away from the NCC for a number of reasons, not to say we do not respect people who were attending," she said.

She said if Sata was nominating women in various party positions to be his 'yes people', then the whole spirit of nominations was wrong.

Mwale said there were many women who were in decision-making positions that were progressive. She said Sata's complaints also indicated that he did not embrace dialogue within his system.


"Denouncing women going into decision-making is wrong because not all women are hungry for money. We have women on record in decision-making that have done quite well. Let us try to avoid generalising reasons for women," she said.

Commenting on the International Women's Day on Saturday, Sata said PF was very disappointed with women because many of them defied the party to go to the NCC. He said the women were disappointing because they defied the women movement, the church and their families to go to the NCC.

Meanwhile, church leaders from the Council of Churches in Zambia have stated that violation of women's rights was a violation of God's plan of co-existence.

In a declaration signed by 18 churches from various churches affiliated to CCZ, the leaders stated that women were an important aspect of humanity.

"We therefore call upon the government to expedite the process of coming up with legislation on gender-based violence and urge all men and women to evaluate their relationships with one another and ensure that these relationships are a reflection of God's plan," read the declaration.

The church leaders, citing scripture stated that relationships in which humans dominated one another were wrong.

"Not only do the scriptures show the unity between men and women, but also that Jesus was involved in overcoming barriers that divided people. We stand together as church leaders and declare that we shall never keep quiet in the wake of gender based violence that has affected our nation," they stated.

The church leaders further declared that they would use their prophetic voice to condemn gender-based violence in all its forms, including the defilement of minors.

Labels: GEORGE MPOMBO, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:39 AM