Maravi

Sata to pursue sugar corruption

Sata to pursue sugar corruption
By Patson Chilemba and Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday September 16, 2008 [04:00]

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said his party will lodge an official complaint to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) over Vice-President Rupiah Banda's distribution of mealie-meal and sugar to women in Katete. And the women movement yesterday urged Vice-President Banda not to take advantage of women's vulnerability by giving them foodstuffs in the hope of winning their votes.

Featuring on a QFM Radio programme yesterday, Sata said it was difficult for a freelance politician like Vice-President Banda to uphold democracy because he had no mission. Sata likened Vice-President Banda's distribution of foodstuffs to the UNIP days when essential goods were made readily available in shops whenever there was an election.

He wondered why Vice-President Banda went about distributing mealie-meal and sugar when Katete had a district commissioner, chiefs and headmen. He said it were village headmen who knew where the vulnerable were and not Vice-President Banda.

And commenting on a front-page picture in the Sunday Post showing Vice-President Banda - who is also MMD presidential candidate in the October 30 presidential election - distributing sugar and mealie-meal to women at Vulamukolo village in Katete district, Non-Governmental Co-ordinating Committee vice board chairperson Joyce MacMillan said Vice- President Banda should not take advantage of women.

"We are concerned that Vice-President Banda can take advantage of the vulnerability of women by giving them foodstuffs in the hope that they will vote for him. What we would have loved to see is instead of him distributing mealie meal and sugar that will not last them the whole year, we would have loved to see him unveil the strategy of women empowerment in the country," she said.

MacMillan said the women movement was also saddened that as a country that was moving forward in the fight against corruption, Vice-President Banda who was supposed to be moving forward the vision of the late president Levy Mwanawasa was openly practicing electoral corruption.

She urged all political parties participating in the presidential election to clearly state what they would do for women instead of taking advantage of their vulnerability.

And Sata further said PF had information that MMD officials on Sunday distributed money to some residents in Lusaka's Mtendere compound.

"The new chairman of the Electoral Commission, we have seen them because we have people in Office of the President. What is she going there for? When she was judge, she was not going to the Office of the President, now she has become chairman of ECZ, she has been often going to the Office of the President. That is not fair," Sata said.

Sata further charged that Vice-President Banda had a xenophobic mind. He said Vice-President Banda should explain his policies to the people of Eastern Province and the country instead of coercing them to vote for him because he hailed from that region.

"What is going to happen if people from Mpika want to chase people from Chipata?"
Sata asked.

On Vice-President Banda's statement that he would soon announce a reduction in fuel prices, Sata said the Vice-President should avoid taking credit for things he never worked for.

"In March this year, people from the energy ministry went to meet President Mwanawasa about the high cost of fuel prices. Peter Magande was called in, he said as we are just starting the budget, it will distort the budget if we reduce the prices. Now we can come and review. He didn't say reduce the price of oil on 15th September," Sata said. "Rupiah Banda jumped on that and said he had directed ministers to meet."

On the same topic, PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott said the price of fuel was expected to come down even without Vice-President Banda's announcement because the price of the commodity had come down from US $160 per barrel to less than a US $100 per barrel.

On investment in the country and creation of employment, Sata said reducing taxes was essential to the nation's development but that those taxes should not be given to a selected few. He said infrastructure development such as creation of another modern oil refinery would go a long way in creating employment.

"When you reduce tax, any investor will invest because they want to maximise profits," Sata said.

He also said PF would divorce itself from the running of public media and offer incentives to private media institutions.

"For example, today, it's only The Post which goes all over the country. But when we give concessions like taxation or newsprint and a number of few other things, you find the situation will be completely different," said Sata.

He also said PF in government would strengthen the Task Force on Corruption and Anti-Corruption Commission. Sata said people such as MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba would have to explain how he acquired Mansa Milling while Vice-President Banda will have to explain how his office spent the K16 billion meant for drainages in Kanyama and Kabwata.

Labels: CORRUPTION, ECZ, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:02 AM