Maravi

Sata feels sorry for Rupiah over his intention to close The Post

Sata feels sorry for Rupiah over his intention to close The Post
Written by Patson Chilemba and Mwala Kalaluka
Monday, March 02, 2009 7:44:53 AM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has said he feels sorry for President Rupiah Banda because he is among many who have fruitlessly tried to close The Post.And UPND chairman for livestock and fisheries Captain Lawrence Nyambe advised President Banda to direct the zeal and energy that accompanied his threats to close The Post to solve the nation's problems.

Commenting on President Banda's recent remarks that he would ensure that The Post was closed by the huge debt the newspaper owes various institutions, Sata said the President was instead strengthening The Post with his outbursts.

"Dr Kenneth Kaunda tried to close it when it was in its infancy. [Frederick] Chiluba also tried but didn't succeed," Sata said. "He is just strengthening The Post because with his threats, everybody would like to see The Post."

On President Banda's statement that Sata was a snake and that his relationship with Post editor Fred M'membe was disgracing, Sata said he could only be friends with President Banda if he stopped shortcuts in life.

"I have never seen a snake with two legs," Sata said. "Rupiah Banda thinks he will close The Post but it is The Post which will close him. His marriage is even more disgraceful with ZNBC [Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation], Daily Mail and Times of Zambia who say things, which he is not. Fred M'membe does not exaggerate who Michael Sata is. Richard Nixon was more powerful than Rupiah Banda but he was brought down by The Post [Washington Post]."

And Capt Nyambe said President Banda's behaviour last Thursday when he addressed MMD cadres at State House was a clear confirmation of his incapacity to manage the extraordinary times that had come with the global economic recession.

Capt Nyambe said President Banda's behaviour on the day confirmed the fears of many people that a wrong person was put into State House last year.

"The President showed his true colours," Capt Nyambe said. "RB is not presidential material and he suffers from gross incompetence to lead the nation in this Internet era and age."

He wondered why President Banda harboured so much hatred for former finance minister Ng'andu Magande and yet he challenged him for the MMD presidency four months ago.

"Magande in challenging RB, did not commit any crime but he exercised his birthright but RB does not seem to accept this," Capt Nyambe said. "It was very wrong for him to harangue Magande, who was not even present at that gathering in the manner that he did; that was not leadership but cadreism."

Capt Nyambe further said the expressions exhibited by President Banda in the energetic and zealous manner he threatened to close The Post and follow the dismissed two deputy ministers to their constituencies after expelling them from 'his' party was typical of a UNIP mentality.

He said President Banda should make it his practical responsibility to protect Zambians and their property.

"We did not mandate Rupiah Banda to start hunting down individuals in this country," Capt Nyambe said. "The zeal and energy that he exhibited if that zeal and energy could be used or could also be used in trying to solve some of the problems we are facing in this country, we would have gone a long way in solving some of the problems."

And Mansa Diocese Vicar-General Fr Mambwe Mpasa said President Banda's recent appointment of people inclined to the ruling party to manage affairs at the Luapula Province administration was a baffling.

Fr Mpasa said even though the new provincial leaders would be given a benefit of doubt by some people, he did not understand the criteria President Banda applied to appoint people that campaigned for him last year.

"That is why we were a bit apprehensive when [former acting Permanent Secretary] Clement Siame was taken away from Luapula because he seemed to be a bit interested in tourism and selling this province," he said. "In other words, we are saying that we give the new people time to settle but we have been waiting for too long."

Fr Mpasa said a senior civil servant should have been appointed to take over as provincial permanent secretary.

Fr Mpasa also said the way President Banda behaved at State House last Thursday was miles apart from the calm and fatherly manner that a head of state should always portray.

President Banda last Thursday vowed in front of MMD cadres at State House to ensure that The Post was closed by the huge debt the paper owes various institutions.

President Banda said time had come for MMD members to be vigilant and defend the peace the country enjoyed and face The Post head on.

President Banda also fired science and technology deputy minister Jonas Shakafuswa and his energy counterpart Lameck Chibombamilimo because they had issued negative statements against the President and the MMD and they had also been quoted in The Post newspaper, as being good ministers.

Labels: INFORMATION AGE, LAWRENCE NYAMBE, PRESS FREEDOM, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 7:45 AM