Rupiah cuts short Mfuwe holiday outing of his older children and their spouses

Rupiah cuts short Mfuwe holiday outing of his older children and their spouses
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:27:16 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has cut short the holiday outing of his older children that accompanied him to Mfuwe in Eastern Province following public pressure. Government sources said President Banda's older children - James and Nenani - and their spouses and children left Chichele Presidential Lodge on Friday, a day after their Christmas celebrations.

“Yes, it's true that those elderly children left. They left on 26th December, on Friday,” the source said.

Sources said after the older children and their spouses left, President Banda, who took time from game viewing to visit his Chipata farm and some Kunda chiefs during the course of his holiday, only remained with the young children.

“There are about six or seven small children; they should be children and grandchildren. Anyway, I don't know the exact number because they are so many,” the source said.

Several people have rebuked President Banda for taking his older children, Nenani and James with their spouses for a holiday in Mfuwe in the South Luangwa National Park.

Chichele Presidential Lodge is situated on a hilltop overlooking the Luangwa River in the South Luangwa National Park. It was originally built in the early 1970s as a relaxation hideaway for presidents and other public figures.

But MMD national executive committee chairman for agriculture Maybin Mubanga has defended President Banda's decision to take so many family members for holiday.

“That is his entitlement. Even the late president Mwanawasa used to take extended family members including children of the late [Luckson] Mapushi.

People did not complain but why are they complaining now?” Mubanga asked. “That man needs a rest with his family members. He has never rested since the time our late president Mwanawasa fell ill.”

When reminded that members of the public were particularly concerned that President Banda took his older children for a holiday and that their bills would be footed by taxpayers, Mubanga said the President might have wanted to consult them.

“Maybe President Banda went with his elderly children for a holiday because he wanted to consult them about something. You know what, running a country requires one to consult widely even among family members,” argued Mubanga.

President Banda, his wife Thandiwe and other family members went to Chichele Presidential Lodge for a holiday on December 23, 2008 and they are expected to return to Lusaka on January 2, 2009.

MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba has condemned people that have criticised President Banda for taking what he called a 'working' holiday to Mfuwe.

Tetamashimba, who is also local government minister and Solwezi Central member of parliament, was quoted by the state-owned and controlled media as saying that President Banda deserves to go on holiday because he had not rested since he lost his young brother, late president Mwanawasa earlier in the year.

But President Banda told journalists in Lusaka at the start of his 10-day holiday to Mfuwe on December 23, 2008 that he deserved to go on holiday because he had managed to bring down the prices of mealie-meal and fuel, as he pledged during his presidential election campaign.

He said people that were criticising him for taking a holiday amidst the problems that the country was faced with should as well go and work in their fields.

President Banda said he hoped that even the journalist, whose question he was responding to on the day, would also take a holiday during this festive period.