Maravi

Banda feels protected from witchcraft

Banda feels protected from witchcraft
By Lambwe Kachali, Chibaula Silwamba
Wednesday October 15, 2008 [04:00]

NO witchcraft can work on me now, said MMD presidential candidate Rupiah Banda after a private meeting with chief Mpepo on Monday. And United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota said voting for Sata will be like throwing ballot papers into a toilet.

Meanwhile, pastor Nevers Mumba turned himself into Vice-President Banda's interpreter. After an over 15 minutes private discussion with chief Mpepo at his palace in Mpika before addressing a campaign rally at the palace grounds on Monday afternoon, Vice-President Banda - who emerged from a grass thatched hut (chief Mpepo's palace) with a white substance smeared on his forehead - jokingly said that the chief had bless him and that was a sign of strength and wisdom hence no witchcraft could work on him.

"With this sign, no witchcraft can work now," responded Vice-President Banda when one of his campaigners in his entourage asked him about the white spot.

Vice-President Banda was very jovial after his meeting with chief Mpepo.
And addressing a campaign rally at chief Mpepo's palace in Kanchibiya Constituency in Mpika, Vice-President Banda charged that Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata was not a national leader because of his inconsistencies and derogatory language against others.

Vice-President Banda said for the past few years he had served in the late president Levy Mwanawasa's government, he had learnt to work hard, love and unite the country.
Vice-President Banda said he was different from Sata who despite having served in the first and second Republics, his harsh behaviour and attitude towards fellow Zambians had never stopped. He said one thing he had learnt in politics was that even if someone insulted him, he should not insult back.

He said he wanted to follow late president Mwanawasa's dreams to uplift Zambians' lives.
Vice-President Banda urged the people of Kanchibiya not to vote for what people rejected in 2006.

"On 1 November 2008, you will have a new president and that president must be able to work and see that things in Zambia continue the way they are. If this does not happen, what will happen is that that president will become imbecile; the country will be unable to make any laws, even to do anything, even to pass the budget," Vice-President Banda said. "So there will be nothing he will do. The only powers with that president is that he can dissolve Parliament, and if he dissolves Parliament he must dissolve his own vision, and must go back to the election and choose the president, members of parliament and new councillors.

"Now, this election alone will cost the government K256 billion. When the new elections will have to come, it will cost the country K500 billion just for the sake of satisfying the interest of that person. Our country is facing a lot of problems and every amount of money we find, we need to do roads, to build more schools, to provide more health centres and create jobs for our people. So, you do not need to waste your votes on people whom you rejected in 2006."

Vice-President Banda said even if Sata won the October 30 election, he would not form Cabinet because his party did not have the right calibre of people to run the affairs of the country.

"PF is unable to do anything for you other than just criticising government. That is not the type of leaders we need. His Sata's people, a few come from Northern Province, some from Luapula Province and then Copperbelt and Lusaka. The rest of the country totally rejected him. I am sure that the people of Kanchibiya, people of Northern Province do not want a government that is not representative of all the people of this country. This is the same to Mr. Hakainde Hichilema of UPND who has only 22 members of parliament, all of them from Southern Province. Do you accept that you should have a government, a cabinet where all members of parliament come from one province?" Vice-President Banda asked. "I think Zambians need a government that will represent us all."
He said once voted into office, he would ensure that developmental projects in Kanchibiya and Northern-Province as a whole were completed on time.
Vice-President Banda said he was the only candidate who was selfless and determined to serve Zambians diligently.

And Sikota said whatever Sata and Hichilema were promising the people of Northern Province would not be fulfilled because only Vice-President Banda would fulfill Zambians needs as he possessed qualities of national leadership.

He said since PF was formed, it was as if there was civil war in the party.
"A vote for Sata is a wasted vote; it is like throwing your vote into the toilet. There is civil war in this party between MPs and Sata. And if you vote for PF candidate in tomorrow's yesterday's by-election, it's like sending that person to a civil war. The only person to send to Parliament to represent you well is Judith Kapijimpanga," said Sikota.
Meanwhile, pastor Mumba who was Vice-President Banda's interpreter urged people in Northern Province not to vote for Sata, saying Zambia was not ready for a president who spat insults whenever he opened his mouth.

Pastor Mumba said Zambia was a Christian nation and it was important to elect someone who would uphold Christian values and maintain the country's integrity.
"In Bemba we say 'umutima wa mfumu yaba mu mumaka ya kwa lesa.' So God chose RB from Chipata to bring us together for the future of the country. Don't make a mistake to vote for a president who is insulting always; whenever he speaks, he insults other people," said pastor Mumba.

And immediately Vice-President Banda left, some people started chanting PF slogans.
This irritated MMD cadres, particularly women who started insulting them. But PF cadres said although Vice-President Banda was campaigning in Northern Province, it was only for the sake of democracy, otherwise they would not vote for him. The cadres said they had already made up their minds to vote for Sata.

"Mulei posela fye nshita. Ifwe tuka votela pa bwato fye, naba mudala besu ba Sata. You are just wasting your time. We will vote the boat and our old man Sata," they shouted.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, SAKWIBA SIKOTA

posted by MrK @ 5:13 AM