Maravi

Chiluba backs Rupiah’s attacks on his critics

Chiluba backs Rupiah’s attacks on his critics
Written by Patson Chilemba
Monday, March 09, 2009 11:12:25 AM

FORMER president Frederick Chiluba on Saturday backed President Rupiah Banda's recent attacks on The Post and other critics, saying that is leadership. Addressing people during the ceremony held in his honour for the 10 years he served as Republican president at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Chiluba justified President Banda's outbursts against his critics on grounds that he [the President] had the power to do so.

Chiluba urged President Banda to use the power provided for him in the country's Constitution.

"Bulya bushiku balikalipa ati ifi ifilechitika. Ebukateka. [Translated - recently, President Banda got upset at the happenings in the country. That is leadership]. When you are given the Presidency, use it. If you have to strike a blow, yes. That's why you are President," Chiluba said.

Over a week ago, President Banda vowed, before MMD cadres that marched to State House to express their solidarity with him, to ensure that The Post was closed by the debt that it owes various institutions. President Banda also told students from institutions of higher learning that marched to express their solidarity with him on Saturday that The Post owed US$30 million to the Zambian people.

Chiluba said democracy could not be separated from Christianity.
He said democracy entailed that all men were equal and that it was not about insulting each other.
Chiluba said people should be allowed to make their own choices in a democracy.
"If we say 'no', don't begin to fight and call us names," he said.
Chiluba hoped that the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) members would listen by not allowing foreigners to destroy the country's democracy because their interests could be different.

He said foreigners should not be allowed to take a leading role when the country was democratising.
"They [Greek communities] never allowed strangers to participate in decision making, because strangers don't belong to that land. Tomorrow they may wish to go back. Their interest cannot be the same. Children were not allowed, strangers were not allowed," Chiluba said. "Even people from the next village were not allowed. It was a well-structured democracy. If you allow foreigners to lead you at the NCC, you don't know their interests. They may be destroying your democracy. It doesn't matter - a foreigner comes through an NGO [non-governmental organisation]."
Chiluba said both he and his wife Regina were prison graduates.

Chiluba said he was imprisoned when he served in the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) just as Regina served for a few days in Lusaka Central Prison after being convicted by the courts for having received stolen property.
"In 1991, Zambia was politically gone. My brother Chirwa is here. We were in the trade union and he can tell you how we were being hunted. We fought and fought and the only opposition that remained in the country was the ZCTU. And we were able to influence the country because we were convinced things were wrong. Opposition parties were not in existence," Chiluba said. "We had to learn it the hard way and speak for people who were not even part of ZCTU. And eventually I served three months in prison, in detention. So I am a prison graduate and my wife who served for a few days became a prison graduate."

Chiluba said he took pride in being a god.
He said the word of God said those who believed in God and had received His word were gods.
He said even Pharisees and scribes wanted to kill Jesus not because he healed on the Sabbath but because he was equating himself to God

"I want to be a god so that even when balelemba lemba, balelanda ifyabu welewele [even when they write and say useless things], I just say I'm a god. Takwaba umungalato ubomba if you are a son of God [there is no scheme planned against one that works if you are a son of God]," Chiluba said. "How can God fail to subdue the devil? Let us rise now in power because that power has been given to us sons of the Most High God. Remember we are gods. I am now going in the power of the Holy Ghost because I am Frederick FJT Chiluba god."
Chiluba further said he was the founding father of MMD and would be willing to lend a helping hand to President Rupiah Banda's government.

He said he supported the Patriotic Front (PF) because he had quarrels and differences with late president Levy Mwanawasa.
"Why must it be strange if I rise to go and help Rupiah Banda when I'm the founding father of the MMD? Why is it strange? Iyo ninshi tabaleka ama politics? [so does it mean he has not stopped active politics?]. Ebu fontini, kukana ishiba [that is being ignorant]. His Excellency Rupiah Banda has a right to come to me through any machinery to come and say, founding father we have a meeting, we believe your voice can help us. And I must be ready and willing to go," Chiluba said. "I didn't have any differences with the party at all. I am still the founding father. That's why you cannot say there is no father because I am the father of MMD."

Chiluba said even in the United States of America, former Presidents of the Democrats like Bill Clinton campaigned with Barack Obama while Republican George Bush campaigned for John McCain.

"Where do you place me and I'm capable of making good speeches? Why do you want me to sit at home? MMD to MMD. When I supported PF I didn't become a member. I just said I will support PF because that was my protest against the former leadership of MMD, my late brother. And now I have no quarrels with these people. I am still the founding father, surely I can't hang on to a party I didn't found," Chiluba said. "I founded the MMD, not any other party. Now this doesn't mean I hate anybody at all. They are all my brothers. It's just that when I was forming MMD, I had a conviction. And I know that we have not fulfilled yet. We haven't finished what we started to do. We are still a long way to go. And this is not the time for me to abandon the boat, no. This is the time for me to stand up and encourage my party and the leadership."

Chiluba urged Christians to pray for President Banda because his task was more challenging than the other presidents who had served the country because of the global economic crisis.
Chiluba said his declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation had brought many blessings such as the ones the nation of Israel was enjoying.

He said this was the time for born again Christians to take charge of affairs in the nation.
Chiluba said he was tired of empty preaching that lacked the power of God.
"Transformation comes when you are born again. When you hear people insulting even a head of state, it's the devil reigning in them," Chiluba said. "In a nation where you have homosexuals roaming around insulting people, these queer human beings."

Chiluba said he and Regina had decided to serve God and preach His word across the country.
He said God had preserved him from dying because He had a purpose for his life.
"My heart was operating at 12 per cent. I was finished," said Chiluba on his heart problem.
Notables among those who attended the event included Regina, PF 'rebel' members of parliament Elizabeth Chitika-Mulobeka [Kawambwa Constituency], Besa Chimbaka [Bahati], Faustina Sinyangwe [Matero], Peter Machungwa [Luapula] and Jacob Chongo [Mwense]. Others were veteran broadcaster Kenneth Maduma and Sinyangwe and Mulobeka's spouses.
Maduma thanked Chiluba for having brought press freedom in that more radio and television stations had been opened in the country.

Organiser of the event, a pastor Kunda said people could not talk about president Mwanawasa's legacy without talking about Chiluba who identified the potential in the late president.
He said those who were saying that Chiluba had done nothing for the country were liars who needed deliverance.
Pastor Kunda said those speaking against Chiluba were placing a curse upon themselves. Among the churches that honoured Chiluba were Jerusalem House of Prayer. Gospel musicians that sung at the event included Joyce Mwanza from Dunamis Christian Centre among others.

Labels: CHILUBA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 11:13 AM