Maravi

Mpezeni has endorsed Rupiah's tribalism - Sata

Mpezeni has endorsed Rupiah's tribalism - Sata
By Patson Chilemba in Mpika
Tuesday October 14, 2008 [04:00]

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said it is sad that paramount chief Mpezeni has endorsed Vice-President Rupiah Banda's tribalism. And Sata charged that Vice-President Banda has failed to win the sympathy he anticipated by taking late president Levy Mwanawasa's body around the country.

Meanwhile, the mother of late Kanchibiya PF member of parliament Albert Kanyanyamina, Samflonsa, made an emotional appeal to people in the area to vote for PF parliamentary candidate Davies Mwango in today's parliamentary by-election and Sata in the October 30 presidential election.

Reacting to a statement by chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province that his subjects should vote for Vice-President Banda because he was an easterner, Sata said irresponsible utterances such as those coming from Mpezeni had created instability in countries like Rwanda and Burundi.

“It is sad for Paramount chief Mpezeni to come out and endorse the tribalism of Rupiah Banda,” Sata said. “And it is not the nose that people are going to vote for.”

Sata challenged chief Mpezeni to point out Vice-President Banda's achievements in the several government positions he served.

“We know the Paramount chief is not sincere and he should not use tribalism because when he says I was governor, Rupiah Banda was governor after me. Can Paramount chief Mpezeni show what Rupiah Banda did in Lusaka?” Sata asked. “Paramount chief Mpezeni is talking of fertiliser support...Rupiah Banda destroyed Namboard.”

Sata said it was sad that a chief of Mpezeni's standing was encouraging tribalism and regionalism.

He said Zambia was not Eastern Province.


“We don't want umozi ku mawa, we want umozi ku Zambia,” Sata said. “Mpezeni has endorsed the language of Rupiah Banda in Katete because Rupiah Banda must have met Mpezeni first and it is Mpezeni who told him to say what he said.”

Sata said the 1996 Republican Constitution does not allow chiefs to get into partisan politics because they were bound to be attacked by politicians.

He urged Mpezeni to tread his path carefully.

“If he doesn't, he's just going to invite unwarranted attacks on himself. That is not saying we have no respect for the chiefs, but Mpezeni himself has invited us,” Sata said. “And we know Mpezeni as he is, he is saying that with some inducement.”

Sata also alleged that one of the chiefs in Southern Province had directed headmen to collect national registration cards from their subjects. He urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to investigate the allegations.

And in an interview after addressing two rallies in Kanchibiya Constituency on Sunday, Sata said Vice-President Banda's attempt to sway people's minds by taking president Mwanawasa's body to the nine provinces had lamentably failed.

He said it was surprising that wherever president Mwanawasa's body went, it was accompanied by the endorsement of Vice-President Banda to become MMD presidential candidate.

Sata said the people have now come to know the viciousness of Vice-President Banda's character.

“It taking president Mwanawasa's body round the county has not achieved its intended purpose. It has boomeranged and it has exhibited how vicious and inhuman Rupiah Banda is, who used a dead body as a cover for his replacement,” Sata said.

“If they would have picked Maureen Mwanawasa or Magande, there should have been some sympathy votes, but Rupiah Banda broke away. The wife (Maureen) said he (Mwanawasa) wanted Magande. The wife is the one who was nearest to Levy Mwanawasa.”

Sata said it was sad that Vice-President Banda and those around him used president Mwanawasa's innocent body in a corrupt manner. He said president Mwanawasa must be angry wherever he was on Vice-President Banda's conduct.

“Now, he Vice-President Banda has distanced himself from Magande, he has distanced himself from Maureen. What type of human being is he?” Sata asked.

And addressing a rally earlier at Chalabesa, Sata urged people to vote for him because he was experienced and would not make emotional decisions. He urged people not to make a mistake of electing other candidates, especially Vice-President Banda because he was filled with self interests as opposed to serving the people.

Sata further told Mpika residents that God had raised someone from within their midst to cry for the suffering of the majority of Zambians.

He promised to improve the road network in the area so that people could easily access farm produce and markets for fish sales.

“Here, you don't even have phone network, not even a radio message. How would you communicate with Mpika boma if you were attacked?” asked Sata.

And Samflonsa gave a passionate appeal for people of Kanchibiya to mourn her late son by voting for Mwango in the Kanchibiya by-election and Sata for president. She said only PF could guarantee the nation a better future.

As she addressed the gathering, some people could not hold their emotions as they showed their approval to her speech by nodding their heads and tried to restrain their tears.

Earlier on Sunday, Sata attended a church service and visited patients at Chilonga Mission Hospital.

Labels: CHIEF MPEZENI, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 8:18 AM