Lusaka pastors insist Chiluba is not corrupt

Lusaka pastors insist Chiluba is not corrupt
Written by Ernest Chanda
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 11:11:24 AM

SOME Lusaka pastors yesterday insisted that former president Frederick Chiluba is not corrupt and that those accusing him of being so were just frustrated. And the pastors called on Zambians to honour Chiluba for the good things he has done for the nation.

But most callers on the programme asked the pastors to tell Chiluba to ask for forgiveness from Zambians for the wrong things he did.

Featuring on Radio Phoenix’s Let the people talk programme under the theme ‘Reflections on the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation’, Tabernacle of Testimonies Ministries Reverend Gibson Nyirenda said Chiluba should not be portrayed as though he never did anything good for the country.

The programme also featured Glory of God Life church Pastor Christopher Kunda, Global Evangelistic Association Evangelist Elisha Musoma and Victory Ministries Pastor Isaac Mumba.

"Corruption was there during Dr [Levy] Mwanawasa's reign, corruption was there during Dr Kaunda's reign. Now the problem I have in Zambia to look at it critically is that there are a few individuals who are against Dr Chiluba. Maybe because they were not appointed to be his press secretary at State House. Others maybe it's because they wanted to be his successors," Rev Nyirenda said. "But you see, State House can only accommodate one person and at the end of the day Dr Chiluba can appoint one person to be his successor, if God doesn't permit it, he can't."

Rev Nyirenda said it was not true that Chiluba perpetuated corruption during his tenure of office.

"What I am trying to say is that corruption was there. I think... you and I will recall that during Dr Kaunda's reign no one could walk along the street without being airlifted by the so-called by-air [vigilantes], thieving was the order of the day. What about smuggling, whoever thought smuggling would come to an end in Zambia, such that when he brought this vice to an end when he went to Congo the whole Congo came to see the man who had brought smuggling to an end," Rev Nyirenda said. "Then even in government, wasn't it the opposition including some newspapers which was accusing our current President of having corrupted some man in Munali Constituency, something like that? It shows that corruption was there, it was a continuation, in fact it even reduced. And then they want to portray to the country as if Dr Chiluba never fought that vice. Who fired the late Dr Remmy Mushota, for argument's sake? Wasn't he fired by Dr Chiluba when he was proved guilty that he was corrupt?"

Rev Nyirenda charged that the fight against corruption that has existed in the last seven years was targeted at Chiluba.

"Now the corruption fight that we are seeing now, especially which we saw in the seven years of Dr Levy Mwanawasa's reign it wasn't the fight against corruption, it was not. To me it was a fight against Chiluba, you see. Let's distinguish that was not a fight against corruption. If it wasn't a fight against corruption, why did Dr Mwanawasa try to protect Kashiwa Bulaya? Don't we have cases which are in court, the same ZAF commander who was fired was he appointed by Dr Chiluba? Was it not Mwanawasa who appointed him?" he asked

Rev Nyirenda called on Zambians to remember the good things Chiluba did during his tenure of office.

"...Please Zambians, don't be cheated by just a few individuals who are anti-Dr Chiluba and let not the few things just overshadow the good things that he has done. This man brought sanity in this nation, he has performed. Who can deny that Chiluba didn't change the face of Zambia? No one, I stand to be challenged if they are faithful let them even give me the column in their paper where I seek to challenge them and counter-attack the lies that they are perpetrating in this nation about Dr Chiluba," he said. "They are even talking about suits when themselves have got more than twenty suits, they are driving Hummers, the Hummers of this world worth billions. If they were in State House, what would prevent them from flying jumbo jets, you know, if they are driving Hummers? Let's be honest, can you compare yourself to the President? I am wearing Pierre Cardin suits now, if I go into State House will I buy a Pierre Cardin along Lusaka? I'll buy them from overseas of course! But that shouldn't make me a plunderer."

And Rev Nyirenda called on Zambians to honour Chiluba for the good things he has done for the nation.

"So what we are saying to fellow Zambians, we are showing them the good works that the former president did for this country. That's why we are coming even to this station, that we are saying to them Dr Chiluba worked for this nation and he deserves to be honoured, that's why it's our campaign, it's our programme we will continue actually telling the nation to honour Dr Chiluba, that's all," Rev Nyirenda said.

And Victory Ministries Pastor Isaac Mumba said it was not fair to portray Chiluba as a guilty person when his cases were still active in court.

Pastor Mumba echoed Rev Nyirenda's call to honour Chiluba.

"You know in our African tradition we have a tendency of honouring people when they die. It's like it's only good people who die. I think for once, let's acknowledge the good that a person does even before they die. Who believed that the things that were said about Mwanawasa would be said? You remember the time that he was alive so many evil and ill things were said against him. But when he died, it's like everything was buried and people only remembered the good things that he did. I think let's not treat Chiluba the same, let's acknowledge him for the things that he has done and honour him for that than to wait until he has died," said Pastor Mumba.

But a caller, Sievu Nyungwe of Lusaka, called on Zambians to take Chiluba to Mundawanga where they could cage him for tourists.

"I disagree with what the pastors are saying about Chiluba. Just look at the people who worked under him including the generals. Where are they? They are all trooping to court on a daily basis. The declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation was a camouflage to cover up corruption. In fact, I am suggesting that Zambians should take Chiluba to Mundawanga where he can be caged because he is a thief," Nyungwe said. "Let tourists look at the thief who had looted Zambia's wealth."

A Mr Edmond from Lusaka said he was a born-again Christian who believed in repentance before forgiveness.

"I believe that whenever you are wrong according to the Bible you have to repent and ask for forgiveness. Chiluba has done Zambians a lot of wrong things. Let him say sorry to Zambians and they are ready to forgive him," Edmund said. "These pastors should not be speaking for Chiluba. They should let the law take its course."

Another caller, who identified himself as Mr X, said Chiluba should first confess before Zambians could forgive him.

"The Bible says not everyone who says Father, Father will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Chiluba robbed this nation in the name of Christianity. Let those pastors be opened and tell their brother Chiluba to apologise to Zambians," said the caller.