Maravi

I’m not seeking a job from Levy, says Sata

I’m not seeking a job from Levy, says Sata
By Bivan Saluseki and Brighton Phiri
Sunday May 25, 2008 [03:50]

PATRIOTIC Front president Michael Sata has said he cannot accept any appointment from President Levy Mwanawasa because he is the incoming Republican president. Commenting on rumours that President Mwanawasa will soon nominate him as member of parliament and later appoint him as leader of the opposition in Parliament, Sata said he was beyond such a position.

“I will not accept anything because I am the incoming President. I will not accept any nomination. I am beyond that,” Sata said. “I will have made myself MP a long time ago. I am too proud. No, I am too proud to be nominated

Asked if he had been approached over the nomination, Sata responded: “No.”

Sata said even if he was appointed Vice-President or minister, he would not accept. He said at the moment, PF did not qualify to be the official opposition because such a party has to have one third of the members for it to be recognised.

“If we were 53 members, then we would qualify to be official opposition. But if they decide, it will not be strange,” Sata said.

He said even in 1992, former president Frederick Chiluba recognised UNIP as official opposition despite being very few in the National Assembly.

On reports that he was making manoeuvres to have some of his members of parliament appointed ministers in President Mwanawasa’s government, Sata denied such moves. He said PF was the alternative government.

“We have not even started negotiating,” he said.

Sata said he had other issues to negotiate with President Mwanawasa such as poverty, the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), the Task Force on Corruption, the misuse of powers by ministers as regards allocation of land because there was need to avoid what is going on in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“Those speculations are out of question. I am not looking for a job. I am too comfortable to be looking for a job as member of parliament. If I wanted to be a member of parliament, I could have stood in any of the constituencies like Mr Ngondo, Sakwiba Sikota and Mr BY Mwila but that is not Michael Sata. It will not mean anything for Mr Sata to go to parliament as leader of opposition because I am already leader of opposition. That is not my intention. Levy has enough MPs in parliament and does need a coalition government.

“The burning issue at the moment are those 26 ‘rebels’ The PF members of parliament attending NCC without the party’s approval. The issue of ministerial posts, those are gonga. It’s only coming from MMD themselves who are scared of their jobs. Nothing has changed me. I am still the same,” said Sata.

Sata said the 26 members were occupying PF seats illegally and National Assembly speaker Amusaa Mwanamwambwa must declare those seats vacant so that the people could have their own genuine representatives.

But PF sources said if Sata was to be appointed leader of the opposition in Parliament, he will have the same conditions as Cabinet ministers.

“This is where the difference lies compared to the fact that he is already a leader of the biggest opposition party in the country,” the source said. “If he were to be appointed leader of opposition in Parliament, Mr Sata will live in a government house, will have government transport, his utility bills will be taken care of, will have 24-hour state police and all the conditions that Cabinet ministers enjoy.”

The source said they were eagerly waiting to see how events will unfold after Sata’s reconciliation with President Mwanawasa.

Labels: MWANAWASA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:14 AM