Maravi

Rupiah has a record of bribery, reveals the times

Rupiah has a record of bribery, reveals the times
By Florence Bupe
Thursday October 02, 2008 [04:00]

VICE-President Rupiah Banda has a record of bribery, a Times of Zambia edition has revealed. According to the lead story of the Times of Zambia published on Wednesday, October 23, 1991, Vice-President Banda, who was at the time UNIP's parliamentary candidate in Lusaka's Munali Constituency, had bribed the then MMD chairman for Mtendere Claudius Sakala with K20,000 for him to defect to UNIP. Below is the full story as carried by the Times of Zambia on October 23, 1991:

"By Times Reporter
A campaign ploy by UNIP's parliamentary candidate for Munali Mr Rupiah Banda ended scandalously when the man he was to parade to the press as a defector from MMD suddenly claimed he had been bribed by Mr Banda with K20,000.

MMD chairman for Mtendere Mr Claudius Sakala jolted the unsuspecting Mr Banda when he made a turn-about at a press conference called by the aspirant to announce his resignation from MMD to join UNIP.

The supposed defector changed his mind at the last minute and confessed to journalists Mr Banda had given him K20,000 cash as they drove to Hotel Intercontinental where the conference took place.

Police confirmed that money had been surrendered to them and investigations had been launched.

Mr Banda had brought 15 other MMD members, whom he apparently expected to cross over to UNIP. They all reversed their decisions.

Mr Banda handed back the MMD party cards to Mr Sakala and his wife.
Mr Banda began his press conference by alleging that his rival Mr Ronald Penza's camp was in disarray "as the defection of Mr Sakala would show."

He called Mr Sakala to address the press conference to justify his decision to join UNIP.
In the middle of what sounded like pro-UNIP stance, Mr Sakala attacked Police for failing to control UNIP vigilantes whom he later said were the perpetrators of the violence in Mtendere last weekend.

Earlier, Mr Sakala had said he was joining UNIP because he was upset with the violence that characterised the Mtendere rally.

"I'm a sacrificial lamb who has been vetoed three times by UNIP and Mr Banda fired the last shot in my vetoes. The violence was started by UNIP vigilantes. So I have refused to rejoin UNIP."

He further said the "token" given to him would not benefit him and 15 other MMD members who had gone with him to the conference...”

Last Thursday, The Post carried a story quoting National Revolution Party (NRP) former secretary general James Lukuku revealing that NRP under the leadership of Cozmo Mumba received K15 million cash from Vice-President Banda in order for them to endorse him as their candidate in the forthcoming presidential election.

However, Vice-President Banda refuted this revelation by Lukuku, saying those writing about it in the media were merely practising politics and meant to scandalise him.

But a few hours after Vice-President Banda's dismissal of Lukuku's revelation, information minister Mike Mulongoti - who is also the Vice-President’s campaign manager - confirmed that K15 million was given to NRP saying it was just a 'donation' from the 'big brother party'.

Labels: CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:48 AM