Maravi

MMD has entered its permanent grave – Sata

MMD has entered its permanent grave – Sata
Written by Lambwe Kachali
Monday, March 09, 2009 11:08:26 AM

THE MMD has entered its permanent grave because of political strangers who have hijacked the party, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said yesterday And Sata has accused President Rupiah Banda of using the old UNIP art of intimidation to divert Zambians' attention from the deadly corruption in his government.

Commenting on President Banda's statement in which he accused The Post of stealing US$30 million from the Zambian people and that the newspaper was trying to distract the tribunal that is currently sitting to probe communications and transport minister Dora Siliya, Sata advised President Banda against interfering with the tribunal as well as the investigations on Zambian Airways.

He said it was terrifying that President Banda had continued to accuse The Post of having stolen taxpayers money instead of waiting for the law to take its course. Sata also wondered why President Banda had continued to defend Siliya when he knew that the tribunal was sitting to determine the matter. He said President Banda should learn to behave like a Republican President and not turn himself into a political cadre.

"He is talking about US$30 million which he claims Zambian Airways owes to various institutions, can Rupiah tell the nation how much in unpaid tax does Zesco, Zambia State Insurance Corporation [ZISC], Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation [ZNBC], Zambia Daily Mail, and Times of Zambia owe the government," Sata asked.

"Can the President also tell the nation how much his company Allen West owes the government in unpaid tax before it went bankrupt and for eleven years now, Rupiah Banda has never paid workers their terminal benefits. Can Rupiah also tell us how much tax did the African Commercial Bank pay to this government before it went under."

Sata charged that because of his lack of knowledge in understanding issues, President Banda was rapidly reducing the country's status at continental and world levels.

"Zambia is not a pilot project. We need to be very careful with this man occupying State House. The man is a Tsunami, he will ruin this country. Why is he intimidating and interfering with the tribunal, why is he interfering with the judiciary? Let the tribunal do its work. Because what is happening now is that Rupiah is seeing more problems in Zambia and since The Post is exposing what is happening, he wants to ride on it. The man has completely failed this country," Sata said.

He said it was embarrassing that students could march to State House to express their solidarity with the President instead of talking about problems they faced at their institutions.

"UNZA [University of Zambia], Evelyn Hone College, NIPA [National Institute of Public Administration], Chainama and many other institutions of higher learning face many problems such as erratic water supply, poor sanitation, shortage of lecturers, shortage of accommodation and many more problems. I think these students who marched to Rupiah Banda were just political mercenaries. Genuine students cannot do that. I wonder if they had the blessings of their unions," he said.

And Sata said President Banda had killed the MMD because of his lack of direction.

"Rupiah Banda is not MMD, [Vice-President] George Kunda has never been MMD, [information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie] Shikapwasha was Heritage. So they don't have a policy. MMD had a policy but people who have hijacked the party and the government don't have any policy at all," Sata said.

"[MMD deputy national secretary Jeff] Kaande, [special party advisor to the President] William Banda, when did William Banda become MMD? So, they are doing the same old UNIP way to be intimidating people who are talking."

On Saturday while addressing students from higher institutions of learning who marched to State House to express their solidarity with the President, President Banda accused The Post of stealing US$30 million from the Zambian people. President Banda said The Post had waged war against him but he would not be intimidated. The President also accused The Post of trying to distract the tribunal that is sitting to investigate Siliya over her alleged corruption and abuse of authority of office.

Over a week ago, MMD cadres marched to State House to express their solidarity with the head of state and President Banda promised to ensure that The Post was closed by the debt that it owes various institutions. President Banda also told his cadres that he had fired science and technology deputy minister Jonas Shakafuswa and his energy counterpart Lameck Chibombamilimo for issuing statements against him, adding that he would also ensure that they were removed from the party. Shakafuswa [Katuba member of parliament] and Chibombamilimo [Mpulungu member of parliament] were later expelled from the MMD for alleged indiscipline.

Labels: CORRUPTION, MMD, SATA, UNIP

posted by MrK @ 11:09 AM