Maravi

Rupiah is panicking, charges Sata

Rupiah is panicking, charges Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba and Mulimbi Mulaliki in Solwezi

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged that Vice-President Rupiah Banda is panicking and getting confused.

And Sata has promised not to nationalise the mining industry but would enact laws to ensure that investors looked after their workers well. In an interview on Thursday, Sata said he had outsmarted people like MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba, ULP president Sakwiba Sikota and Dr Ludwig Sondashi who claimed that North Western and Western provinces were no go areas for the PF leader. He said Tetamashimba, Sikota and Dr Sondashi were prophets of doom who were cheating Vice-President Banda that he was popular.

Sata said he had proved critics wrong because of the overwhelming support he received in places like North Western and Western provinces which MMD claimed were ‘no go areas’. “He’s [Vice-President Banda] always panicking because he told me that even Eastern Province is a no go area, so he’s getting confused and he has been going backwards and forward. The problem is he wants to follow me. When I was in Northern Province, he followed me. We are teaching him politics,” Sata said. “Now that he has heard what has happened in Western Province, he wants to go back there.”



Sata said people’s minds were already made up and Vice-President Banda’s desperate last minute attempts would not help matters. “Probably he’s taking money for Mongu-Kalabo road. Probably he’s taking money they stole for electricity. Probably he’s taking money they stole from Kalabo Ilibonda,” he said. And addressing a campaign rally in Chavuma on Wednesday, Sata said he would not cut women’s breasts as alleged by MMD and UPND. He further dispelled assertions that he would chase people from North-Western and Western provinces to Angola. Sata said it was sad that instead of explaining their development achievements, MMD were busy manufacturing lies about him.



Lies about Sata chasing people had Angola featured prominently during his campaign trail of Western and North Western Province. Sata further charged that most members of parliament who came from North Western Province were ‘Judas Iscariots’ who had betrayed the people to serve their pockets. On the same issue, PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said Kenneth Konga and Vice-President Banda had a lot in common because they both liked dozing when important national issues were being discussed. “When Kenneth Konga is in Parliament, his duty is to sleep...how can he represent you?” asked Lubinda. In Zambezi and Mwinilunga, Sata promised to revive the pineapple carnery in the area in order to create employment for the locals.



He further asked police Inspector General Ephraim Mateyo to postpone the intended refresher courses for police officers until after the elections. Earlier during his visit to Mwinilunga Hospital, Sata came across a nurse who could not communicate in both English and Lunda. And addressing a massive rally in Solwezi on Thursday, Sata said he was glad the people did not beat him as Dr Ludwig Sondashi had earlier threatened. He said the people of North Western Province were not backwards as Tetamashimba had always claimed. “When I was campaigning in Mufumbwe years back, we went to see a chief and I told him that if you don’t bring good and honest leaders to represent North Western Province, this Province will remain backwards,” Sata said. “We gave Ludwig Sondashi the Ministry of Works and Supply but instead of developing roads, he started building his own lodges.”



Sata said PF in government would develop hydro-power stations as opposed to the current system were most districts depended on diesel engines to generate electricity. He promised to turn Solwezi and Zambezi airports into international airports. “And we shall search for diamond. If there is diamond in Angola and Congo, then there must be diamonds here,” Sata said. Sata said although he would not nationalise the mines, investors should respect Zambians by offering them decent conditions of service. He said it was the people who created a peaceful environment for investors. Sata said PF would provide attractive rural hardship allowances in order to attract most civil servants to work in rural areas.

“If you want me to reduce the bag of maize from K75, 000 to less than K25, 000, work up early in the morning on October 30 and vote for me,” he said. Sata said PF in government would tar the Mumbwa-Kasempa and Kasempa-Kaoma roads. He also charged that UPND president Hakainde Hichilema was too inexperienced to be elected President. Sata said even the little votes Hichilema got in 2006 were because of people’s sympathy for late UPND president Anderson Mazoka. Those who attended the Solwezi rally included former members of parliament Bert Mushala, Kambilombilo and Shangamo.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:04 PM