Sata is an ignorant man, charges Rupiah

Sata is an ignorant man, charges Rupiah
Written by Lambwe Kachali, Kabanda Chulu and Katwishi Bwalya
Monday, January 26, 2009 5:12:05 AM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday said Patriotic Front (PF) leader Micheal Sata is an ignorant man who wants to make the mine problems an issue over which to criticise the government. But Sata said President Banda's statement was childish and coming from a man who is panicking.

Responding to questions from journalists at Lusaka International Airport before departure to South Africa for an extraordinary SADC heads of state summit, President Banda said Sata was critical of government because he was bitter following his loss in last year's presidential election.

President Banda also charged that the entire PF leadership was ignorant of what the government was doing over who should take over the closed Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM).

"...They are ignorant; you know PF is quite ignorant because they were not elected in the last elections. And they don't know what is happening in the government and as far as I am concerned, I forgive Mr Sata, because he is ignorant. He has never been a president, he does not know how a president works, he does not know how government works, so for him for whatever reasons, the mines is a critical issue to criticise the government," President Banda said.

President Banda also disclosed that Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) would soon take over operations at Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) while an investor was being sought.

He said the government had decided that ZCCM-IH would take over LCM until an investor is found.

"We already decided that ZCCM will run the affairs of LCM once we have concluded whatever we are discussing with the management. We don't actually have to report to Mr Sata. We feel that we have to report to the people of Zambia at an appropriate time. But as I said earlier, he [Sata] has never been a president of the country, so I can understand that he is ignorant," President Banda said.

But Sata said President Banda was in fact dull.

"Who is ignorant, me or the President himself?" Sata asked.

Sata said he understood issues to do with the mines and the economy of the country better than President Banda.

"Yes, Rupiah is not answerable to me but the people of Zambia and I happen to be a citizen of this country. So I need answers when I criticise him. I am a taxpayer and when he goes to Libya, I need to know what he went there to do and when he goes to Nigeria I need to know because maybe he went to see Pastor ******. So as a taxpayer I need to know," Sata said.

He said it appeared President Banda only knew how to use short cuts.

Sata said President Banda needed to provide answers to some of the questions being raised on the mines.

Last week, Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili said President Banda was not bold enough to emulate late President Mwanawasa's decision to prevent job losses through continued operations when Anglo American Corporation pulled out of Nchanga and Konkola Copper Mines.

And President Banda also said although he did not mention people with disabilities in his speech to Parliament, it was not an indication that his government did not care for them.

He said already there was a ministry responsible for looking into the plight of persons with disabilities, adding that the government would allocate money to address their problems.

"I can assure you that I will pay special attention to the problems of the disabled," he said.

President Banda also said the party had now officially appointed him as acting MMD president and pledged to work hard with all party members to strengthen the party across the country.

On the SADC summit, President Banda said the issue on the agenda was to find ways to address political problems affecting Zimbabwe.

"First, I want to inform the press that we received an invitation, an emergency invitation for Zambia to attend, together with other heads of state of the SADC, an emergency meeting relating to the problems affecting our brothers next door in Zimbabwe. This meeting will take place in Pretoria. Beginning with private consultations today [yesterday], tomorrow [today] we will meet all of us together," said President Banda. "As you know it's our obligation to participate in these discussions as members of SADC. So this meeting was called as a result of the meeting that took place I think last week between the convenors and coordinators of the Zimbabwean problems, together with the President of South Africa. We do not know what they discussed, we hope to be told that when we meet tomorrow."