Maravi

We're alert and will counter attempts to rig, says Sata

We're alert and will counter attempts to rig, says Sata
By Patson Chilemba in Kapiri Mposhi
Sunday October 19, 2008 [04:00]

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said his party is alert and will counter any attempts by Vice-President Rupiah Banda and MMD to rig the October 30 election.

And a radio programme on Mkushi Community Radio Station, which featured Sata, was on Friday morning prematurely stopped after Mkushi Police station officer-in-charge a Mr Namangolwa ordered Sata to quickly wind up and address a rally, which was scheduled to run from 10:00 hours to 14:00 hours.

In an interview after addressing two huge rallies in Mkushi and Kapiri Mposhi on Friday, Sata said PF was paying particular attention to rigging in order to stop any manoeuvers by MMD and government from stealing people's votes.

He said there was massive rigging in 2006 because PF did not pay much attention to educate its supporters on the vice.

"The chances of Rupiah Banda trying to rig are there, but unfortunately we are very alert in counteracting Rupiah Banda's activities of trying to rig the elections. There is a lot of poverty and MMD is using the same to buy cards. The other form of rigging is where people who are not ministers are allowed to use public transport," Sata said.

He said the lack of confidence in Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) director Dan Kalale by the public was alarming and it would therefore be prudent that he be sent on leave until after the election.

"He's making justice Florence Mumba's job very difficult because his hands are dirty. With Kalale around, any resemblance of fair elections is wishful thinking. He should be sent on leave now, and after elections his fate can be decided," Sata said.

And business came to a standstill in Kapiri Mposhi on Friday afternoon when Sata arrived in town to address a rally. Sata, who landed in town just after 15:00 hours, was accompanied by a huge mob from the landing site to Kapiri town centre where he addressed a massive rally. His arrival in town was characterised by honking and shouts of "pabwato, pabwato on the boat, on the boat."

And addressing the rally, Sata said Zambia was today mourning because it had no President and people should give the nation a credible leader on October 30.

Sata said he wanted to improve railway transportation in the country.
He said although Kapiri Mposhi had grown in population, it had remained underdeveloped.
Sata promised to build a hospital and a secondary school in the district.

He said he would also utilise the vast sand resources in the town.
"You youths who are drinking, drink in advance. And you who smoke dagga, smoke in advance because when I give you jobs, you won't have the strength to engage in those activities," Sata said to loud applause. "You have built a lot of houses and my job is to put electricity there."

Sata said people would be able to access loans from the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund through banks, which had branches in all the districts.

He further challenged MMD to explain their achievements rather than attacking him.

"They have been in power for 17 years. The one who should be talking about them is me and not them talking about me," Sata said.

During the same rally, PF Central Province chairman Davies Chama said PF had accessed a document from MMD, which outlined the MMD's activities to discredit Sata a few days before the election.

"They will spend K10 million to buy air time on community radio stations to use against Sata. They will use another K40 million to send propaganda that Sata wants to create war. They will spend K1.4 billion going door-to-door giving people money, seven days before the elections," read Chama. "On the polling stations to rig elections, they will spend K3.6 billion."

And in Mkushi, a radio programme that featured Sata was prematurely stopped by police.

This was after officer in-charge Namangolwa sent word to officials at Mkushi Community Radio Station urging them to quickly wind down the programme. Namangolwa said Sata was supposed to start his rally at 10:00 hours in order to leave room for UPND president Hakainde Hichilema who was scheduled to address his rally at 14:00 hours.

Officials at the radio station obeyed and agreed to curtail the programme. However, Sata emerged from the studio annoyed and went to Mkushi Police Station to have an audience with Namangolwa.
Sata told Namangolwa to avoid being partisan.

"You came to disturb my programme, this is 10:45 hours. Hichilema's time is 14:00 hours. Ba Namangolwa, please I beg you not to get involved in partisan politics. You came there to disturb my programme. I had to cut short my programme. Please don't interfere, I speak for you," said Sata, as Namangolwa responded: "Don't you think that he Hichilema needs to prepare also?"

However, Sata proceeded to address an enthusiastic crowd that was waiting for him. He promised the people of Mkushi several developmental projects including provision of free fertiliser, which would be distributed through chiefs and headmen.

Labels: ELECTIONS, PF, SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:52 AM