Rupiah is running a govt of conmen – Sata

Rupiah is running a govt of conmen – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:48:16 AM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday charged that President Rupiah Banda is running a government of conmen who deceived the Zambian people on mealie-meal, fuel and fertiliser prices. In an interview, Sata said PF would organise nationwide demonstrations to protest against President Banda's lies on mealie-meal, fuel and fertiliser. He said President Banda did not prepare people to help him through the economic crisis because he lied to them.

Sata said President Banda, together with MMD cadres and National Milling Corporation managing director Peter Cottan deceived the people by reducing the price of mealie-meal prior to the election.

He also said President Banda deceived the people that the price of fertiliser had been reduced from K250,000 to K50,000. Sata said in view of those lies, Zambia should brace itself for a disastrous farming season because apart from the availability of fertiliser, the price of the commodity had remained high contrary to President Banda's earlier promises.

“We are going to have a shortage of maize. Prices of essential commodities are even going to be higher than they are today. This is because of carelessness, our false promises where we are rigging the truth from people. If you speak the truth, you prepare people to help you to bear the difficulties. But if you don't speak the truth, it becomes difficult for people to help you,” Sata said. “These are things I said, that you are dealing with conmen who wanted to use everything at their disposal to win the elections.”

On the prices of fuel, Sata said the price should reduce further from the over K7,000 to less than K4,500. He said further reductions in the price of fuel would go a long way in mitigating the anticipated economic crisis.

“The price of fuel is supposed to reduce from the current amount by two-thirds because the international pump price has reduced by two-thirds,” Sata said. “When they bought fuel, they claimed that they paid US $95 per barrel, not the US $150 per barrel they are telling people. They are stealing from the people.”

And Sata said Kasama Central PF member of parliament Saviour Chishimba could become a leader to reckon with if he avoided being used by others. He said Chishimba was being used as a sacrificial lamb by people who had various interests.

“The boldness of comrade Chishimba has made him a sacrificial lamb. He was made a sacrificial lamb when he was at school in Chainama. Can Faustina Sinyangwe, Peter Machungwa and Elizabeth Molobeka sacrifice as [Celestino] Chibamba and Chishimba sacrifice?” Sata asked. “If he [Chishimba] learns to stop being used, he is a formidable leader...because at one time when [Frederick] Chiluba thought he was too powerful that he could change the leadership of PF, he embraced Chishimba and when he found it was not possible, he ditched him.”

In a turn of events, Chishimba who has been a vicious critic of Sata, recently showered praises on the PF leader, describing himself as a product of Sata when it came to courage and fearlessness. Chishimba had earlier attempted but failed to block Sata from filing in his nomination to stand as president during the October 30 presidential elections.

On National Constitutional Conference chairman Chifumu Banda's statement that whether he liked it or not, NCC would continue, Sata said Banda wanted the NCC to continue so that he could earn more money.

“The amount of money he is seeing, he has not seen it in his chambers,” said Sata.