Maravi

Sata lost petition because of lies, charges Rupiah

Sata lost petition because of lies, charges Rupiah
Written by Chibaula Silwamba in Mkushi
Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:34:41 AM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday said Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata lost his electoral petition because he lied to the Supreme Court. And President Banda said people who are saying that he has not done any developmental project should realise that even a magician cannot build a school in four months.

Meanwhile, President Banda said he appointed George Kunda, who hails from Central Province, because the people in this province voted for him.

Addressing a mini-rally at Damust Farm on his arrival to tour farms in the Mkushi Farm Bloc, President Banda said there was no way people could elect Sata, who is fond of insulting and lying about other people.

"I am sure that all of you everyday you find my name being vilified and calling all kinds of names; 'why hasn't he done this? Why hasn't he done that?' I am quiet; I don't answer them because I'm afraid that if I start opening my mouth I will make them unnecessarily important," President Banda said. "There is no way the Zambian people can elect a leader who is publicly insulting other people. Even the children are surprised that what kind of a father is he who wakes up every morning insulting everybody he sees. What will that child be like when he grows up if their father specialises in insults? If he is not insulting others then he is lying about others.

"This country is a country for everybody. I am very proud to be President of a Zambia whose motto is: One Zambia One Nation. I am very proud! I want to ask you, don't listen to them, they are lying. And they are lying, they tried, they went to court to prove that the people of Mkushi didn't vote for me and the court said: 'You are lying!' That is why Mr Sata lost a petition recently."

And President Banda said the appointment of Vice-President Kunda was a very serious gift to the people of Central Province.

"The whole of Central Province gave me an overwhelming vote to be President. Among other reasons why I selected the Vice-President who comes from here was the votes that you people promised me and gave to me," President Banda said. "It is a very serious decision to make a decision to appoint someone to be the one next to you. [The Vice-President should be] someone who is trustworthy, someone who cares about the people of Zambia, someone who is qualified sufficiently to be able to run this country in case the President is not there or the President is departed like what happened to us [when president Levy Mwanawasa died], may his soul rest in peace."

He advised Zambians to ignore his critics.

President Banda said although people were saying he had done nothing, his administration budget was already being debated in Parliament.

"I am saying the first budget because there are other people who are going round saying, 'what has Mr Banda done since we elected him President?' In four months time, even a magician cannot build a school," President Banda said.

He said the government had prioritised the improvement of the education sector.

"We are going to build six high schools in Central Province and two hospitals - one in Mumbwa and the other in Mkushi. We are going to spend US$30 million to build primary schools throughout the country," he said. "We will continue with Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) and possibly increase it so that many people can benefit."

President Banda said he was happy that the people of Mkushi had grown a lot of crops and lived in harmony with commercial farmers from other areas who settled here.

"I am very proud of the people of Mkushi. Here where I am standing is Mr [Joseph] Daka's farm; I asked Mr Daka that are you from here? He said 'I am from where you come from.' So I said how are you here?" President Banda said.

He said that Daka told him that the people of Mkushi were caring.

"I am proud of you people of Mkushi. Most farmers here are from various places. [But] I have not received any report of conflict here between yourselves and the farmers," said President Banda.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 7:34 AM