Friday, October 17, 2008

Hichilema lashes Rupiah over use of govt aircraft

Hichilema lashes Rupiah over use of govt aircraft
By Mwala Kalaluka in Isoka
Friday October 17, 2008 [04:00]

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has urged Isoka residents not to vote for Vice-President Banda in the forthcoming presidential poll because he has exhibited insensitivity to their hunger situation through his continued use of government aircraft for his campaigns countrywide.

Addressing scores of Isoka residents at a public rally held in town, Hichilema said it was immoral that Vice-President Banda, who is the MMD's candidate in the October 30 presidential contest, had continued to fly excessively at public taxpayers' expense when hundreds of Zambians were hungry.

"When you vote for us into office, we will work for you. These ministers...Rupiah Banda and his team think that you are their servants. I want to assure you that when you vote for us, I will be your servant. I do not need a salary. How much does a president get? It is too little for me. I want to commit that money to the youths," Hichilema said. "Rupiah Banda is using your money to fly around. Four planes of your money! That is your money. Me, I am flying in my own plane."

Hichilema said the people of Zambia should, through their vote on October 30, tell Vice-President Banda to get out.

"When I say Rupiah Banda, say Zwa, zwa get out, get out," he told the crowd which in turn chorused his request. "We need to change. We need fresh thinking. We need a different approach to development in our country. Under Dr Kenneth Kaunda you had food but who took away your food? MMD. When MMD came to power they took food from your tables. They have no love for the people."
He noted that it was disappointing that a town like Isoka existed without adequate water supply.

"If you love yourselves, if you love your children, on the day of voting, vote for this akaiche akalelanda pano vote for this young man who is speaking right here," Hichilema said.

As he was speaking, four women in the crowd agreed that Hichilema was indeed a young man compared to the MMD's Banda and the PF's Michael Sata.

Hichilema said Banda and Sata were in a wrong contest because they were just supposed to retire from politics so that the UPND could take care of them through the effective pension scheme it hopes to bring with it into government. Hichilema said he defied instructions from government agents that he could not land at Kasama Airport last Monday because Vice-President Banda's planes and choppers had taken up space at the facility.

Hichilema apologised to the people of Isoka for not having held a public rally in the town as stipulated in his campaign schedule.

"I want to apologise that we were unable to come to this meeting earlier because three times Rupiah Banda and his people refused us to land at Mansa Airport. I do not understand why an acting President should behave like that," he said. "I landed at Kasama Aiport yesterday. They tried to block us from landing at Kasama but I said HH is not a criminal and I landed at Kasama Airport."

Earlier in the day, Hichilema, who flew to Kasama via Ndola before undertaking a night drive to Nakonde, toured markets in the border town and managed to draw a sizeable crowd around him. However, some die-hard PF and MMD cadres continued to wave their party symbols in his direction.

Before addressing the rally in Isoka, Hichilema and his entourage had a brief discussion with some police officers at Nakonde Police Station apart from holding some impromptu meetings at Chilolwa outside Nakonde Boma and Kalungu Basic School in Isoka district along the Great North Road.

In his door-to-door campaign strategy, Hichilema took some time to show the people that he was not disabled as Sata usually claims and the onlookers would usually burst into laughter and cheers.

Hichilema later addressed another public rally in Nakonde, which however commenced three hours late going by the 14:00 hours time that was indicated on the police permit.

Meanwhile, Hichilema on Tuesday night impounded a Nissan Hardbody belonging to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Nakonde, which was announcing Vice-President Banda's rally.

Hichilema ordered the driver of the vehicle out and took him to Nakonde police post where he reported the case of abuse of government property by using it for campaigns, which he said, was against the electoral Act.

Hichilema, who was with his security personnel, pounced on the driver Daniel Mukuka who was driving the government vehicle registration No. GRZ 944 BP around 21:00 hours.

The driver was in the company of an unidentified man and was urging people to attend Vice-President Banda's rally which was held on Wednesday.

Hichilema's team managed to persuade Mukuka to accompany them to the new Nakonde police post before it was referred to Nakonde police station.

Hichilema said the MMD government was using taxpayers' money to ensure it won the presidential elections, which was tantamount to rigging.

Hichilema said UPND was not going to tolerate the abuse of property by Vice-President Banda's team.
Detective inspector Mukwaya recorded Hichilema's complaint in the occurrence book and later impounded the vehicle.

And Mukuka admitted that he had made an offence and that he was working under instruction from his superior.

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posted by MrK @ 3:55 AM

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