Rupiah predicts narrow win for Sata in Lusaka

Rupiah predicts narrow win for Sata in Lusaka
By Noel Sichalwe
Tuesday October 21, 2008 [04:00]

VICE-President Rupiah Banda has said Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata might only win the election in Lusaka by a narrow margin. Addressing a rally in Chongwe on Sunday, Vice-President Banda said Lusaka had turned against Sata and it would be difficult for him to win. He said if Sata manages to win, it would be by a narrow margin.

"So we don't want to hear any more nonsense from him," Vice-President Banda said. "We will give him a good fight and if possible split Copperbelt into two or defeat him."

He said he was the only candidate that had the endorsement of opposition political parties that had representation in Parliament and that he was also supported by chiefs around the country. He said after being Vice-President for two years and his experience in Zambian politics, he was qualified to be elected president of Zambia.

He said after winning the October 30 election, Zambia would remain united and peaceful. He said Zambia could not remain united and peaceful if people decided to elect an opposition party leader for presidency.

Vice-President Banda said the construction of 88 high schools would continue if he was elected president and that the government intended to build 300 boreholes in Chongwe district and later the rest of the country. He said the government was committed to providing clean water in the country.

He said the government wanted to mitigate the effects of the high food prices by subsidising the agriculture sector in various ways.

Vice-President Banda also promised to work on the Great East Road up to Chama district in Eastern Province to Malawi.

Agriculture minister Ben Kapita said the next government had a programme to develop the sector. He said Vice-President Banda was a consistent person who wanted to serve Zambians unlike some opposition leaders that changed to suit any situation in order to be elected.

Kapita also explained the government's decision to subsidise the price of fertiliser in order to boost the agriculture sector.

United Liberal Party president Sakwiba Sikota said he would deliver Livingstone to MMD and that PF had no support in Western Province.

Chongwe MMD member of parliament Sylvia Masebo said there was looming hunger in her constituency and asked the government to send them relief food after the elections.