Maravi

Chiluba is not worth greeting, says Sata

Chiluba is not worth greeting, says Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba and George Chellah
Friday, April 17, 2009 2:33:45 PM

FREDERICK Chiluba is not worth greeting, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said yesterday. Sata narrated that he left late PF national chairman Chitalu Sampa's funeral house on Wednesday evening soon after former president Chiluba arrived.

"There was no arrangement for us to meet. As soon as Chiluba arrived, I left. Some people said 'Chiluba has arrived, go and greet him'. I said Chiluba is not worth greeting. When he came and entered the house, I also left," Sata said in an interview.

Sata said Chiluba had a habit of using other people to speak for him to achieve his personal goals.

He said Chiluba tried to use Sampa to fight the reconciliation between him [Sata] and late president Levy Mwanawasa.

"In 1995, during the MMD convention, he used Chitalu Sampa to stand as national secretary because he didn't want me but he [Sampa] was forced by the convention to quit the following morning. He was using Chitalu Sampa every time he was fighting his imaginary enemies," Sata said. "I think he will now be using Peter Machungwa, only that Machungwa is not as principled as Sampa. Chiluba wanted to use the old man like a catapult but in the last days, he said, 'no, I'm sorry'."

Sata argued that he was not politicising Sampa's funeral because Sampa was national chairman for the largest opposition political party in the country.

He said Sampa had been accorded an official funeral because of his political inclination.

Sata also announced the death of PF administrative secretary Roksina Phiri and that burial was set for today.

On MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba and six others who were put on their defence after being found with a case to answer on corruption charges by magistrate Edward Musona, Sata said people like Professor Benjamin Mweene and Stella Chibanda served as dignified civil servants in Dr Kenneth Kaunda's administration but were now facing corruption charges because of Chiluba's corrupt behaviour.

He said Chiluba condoned corruption in government.

On the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) executive committee's recommendation that the Republican vice-president should take over as president whenever there was a vacancy in the office of Republican president, Sata said the MMD, using Vice-President George Kunda, was trying to push for the agenda.

Sata said Vice-President Kunda had vested interests to be sworn in immediately if anything were to happen to President Rupiah Banda.

And widow of late Sampa, Janet said her husband was a man of reconciliation who never liked quarrels. She said she would miss Sampa's love and affection for the family.

Sampa died on Tuesday night at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) after undergoing several medical reviews to ascertain his illness. Sampa's cousin Ernest Popopo said the late PF national chairman is survived by a wife, 13 children and 20 grandchildren. Funeral is being held at house number 7, Mukonteka Close, Rhodes Park. Sampa served the country as defence, community development and mines minister.

Burial has been set for today.

Labels: CHILUBA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 1:35 PM