Govt will start gold, copper explorations in Mambwe - Banda

Govt will start gold, copper explorations in Mambwe - Banda
By Chibaula Silwamba in Mfuwe
Wednesday October 22, 2008 [04:01]

MMD presidential candidate Rupiah Banda yesterday said the government will start explorations for gold and copper in Mambwe district, in Eastern Province. And MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamshimba described The Post journalists as ‘vicious people’.

Meanwhile, the crowd that Vice-President Banda addressed in Mambwe district said they did not know FDD president Edith Nawakwi and UNIP president Tilyenji Kaunda. Nawakwi and Tilyenji are using government transport and facilities.

Drumming up support for his candidature in next week's presidential elections at a rally at Masumba Village, Vice-President Banda said under his leadership, the government would explore mineral resources in Mambwe district which he said was very rich in minerals.

“We have copper, we have nickel, and we have gold in this area. Under my leadership, we are going to make sure that these minerals are exploited. Investors are attracted to come to this area as quickly as possible so that we can exploit these mineral resources," Vice-President Banda said. "With mining of those minerals, our children can get jobs, they can learn new mining skills and we can get tax money from this in order to do all these other developmental things we have been talking about."
He said also promised that the government under his leadership would tar the Chipata-Mfuwe Road, which he described as being in a terrible situation.

Vice-President Banda was responding to Nawakwi who warned him that if he did not perform well between this year and 2011, she would challenge him for the presidency.

"I know that if this road is not built between now and 2011, the FDD under her leadership will come here in 2011 to denounce me to say that I have not done what I promised you. In 2009, I will start to tar the Chipata-Mfuwe road," Vice-President Banda said.

And Vice-President Banda charged that PF president Michael Sata had no respect for the Constitution.

"I am sure if some of those that are opposing my presidency and those who want to be president were in power, they would have tried to find a way not to have these elections so that they can continue without having to get a mandate from you in accordance with the Constitution," he said.
"You remember, I think it was two days ago when the leader of the Patriotic Front Sata said, 'when you elect me on the 30th of October, I will continue until 2013.' Mr Sata said if you elect him, there will be no elections in 2011, contrary to the Constitution of Zambia."

He wondered how Sata would do that when Parliament was predominately MMD.

Vice-President Banda also said his priority when elected president would be to improve the education and health sectors.

"An ignorant child in future becomes a liability even to the parents and later on to the country. Therefore, education is priority number,"
Vice-President Banda said. "Number two is the health of the people."
Vice-President Banda said Mfuwe was one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Zambia. He said he was putting in place measures to attract more tourists to Mfuwe.
"I have reduced visa fees to attract more tourists," he said. "So you will see more and more tourists coming back to Mfuwe."

Vice-President Banda also pledged to give relief food to hungry people.
"I have received the message from your member of parliament and deputy minister for mines Maxwell Mwale and my friends in the party here that the problems of hunger continue to afflict the people of Mambwe district; I am responsible for that, I will ensure that you get your supplies of relief food as quickly as possible," Vice-President Banda said.

And in his preamble before Vice-President Banda's speech,
Tetamashimba advised elderly people at the rally not to let children sit in front, lest The Post photographed them.

"I have seen a lot of old people sitting in your seats behind, I can assure you that if there are cameramen for The Post, they will snap your children here; they will not even snap you because The Post and Sata, they want to show that president Rupiah Banda's rallies are only being attended by children," Tetamashimba said. "So your staying behind there, don't complain when these vicious people send a picture showing only your children. I thought I should say that."

Tetamashimba appealed to the people of Eastern Province to vote for Vice-President Banda, warning that if they did not do so, other provinces would not give the presidential candidacy to Eastern Province.
"We want to appeal to you and we want to thank you for producing somebody who has been accepted by the rest of the provinces and we want your vote, not because the Acting President comes from here, but because he is the best person for this job from this year up to 2011," Tetamashimba said. "If you don't give him a vote, I want to tell you that the other provinces will never give you the chance because this is the only chance you have and it is the chance that you have been given by God."
Tetamashimba urged the people to vote wisely like they did in 2006 when they voted for the late president Levy Mwanawasa and the MMD.
And Nawakwi told the people not to vote for Sata because he would change the Constitution to become a life president.
But earlier, when she was introducing herself, the people said they did not know her.

"Do you know me?" asked Nawakwi as the people responded: "Awe! No!
Nawakwi went on to re-introduce herself: "I am Edith Nawakwi, president of FDD."

She further asked: "Do you know Tilyenji Kaunda?"
The crowd responded: "Awe!"
Nawakwi said: "I thought I am the only visitor here. Tilyenji ndiye wamene anibwelesa kuni. Tilyenje is the one who has brought me here."
Nawakwi urged the people to vote for Vice-President Banda.
And Tilyenji said Sata was a violent person and would divide the country if he were elected Republican president.
"Don't vote for Sata. I heard some youths saying, 'Pa bwato!'
We don't want confusion," said Tilyenji. "We have to agree on the issue of Rupiah Banda."

Livingstone Central member of parliament Sakwiba Sikota said there was no doubt that Vice-President Banda would win in Mambwe district.
MMD Eastern Province chairperson Kennedy Zulu told Vice-President Banda that the campaigns were going on well although there were some differences.

Zulu appealed to Vice-President Banda to help the people in Mambwe district with relief food because the crops were washed away by floods.
Nawakwi, Sikota, Tilyenji and Zulu are using government vehicles and aircraft on the campaign trail.

Nawakwi and Sikota came aboard a presidential helicopter and were transported to the rally site using a Ministry of Health vehicle registration number GRZ 391 CA belonging to Mambwe District Health Office.
Soon after their addresses, Tetamashimba and Zulu boarded the same vehicle from the Ministry of Health which took them to the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) aircraft which is transporting Vice-President Banda's advance team.