Maravi

HH condemns Rupiah’s attack on Sata

HH condemns Rupiah’s attack on Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema yesterday said it is sad that President Rupiah Banda wasted valuable time at the Kuomboka talking about Michael Sata, saying people walked away as he spoke.

Commenting on the squabbles involving President Banda and Sata, Hichilema said the President’s attacks on Patriotic Front president Sata at the Kuomboka were aimed at diverting attention from real developmental issues that he had failed to address.

“When he started talking in Mongu, people started walking away. I am afraid he didn’t mention our name, otherwise people would have arisen. He took valuable time to talk about the other man and he [Patriotic Front president Michael Sata] responded in the same manner,” Hichilema said.

“What else would he [President Banda] do other than divert attention from real issues of development? That is his area, more like running away from issues of development. The people have now realised that this country will not go anywhere because there is no vision.”

And Hichilema said President Banda failed to recognise him at the Kuomboka because he feared the reaction from the people.

Hichilema said if he were in power, he would not have acted as petty as President Banda did.

“If you can’t recognise Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema, whom are you going to recognise in a democratic dispensation? But I’m sure he heard, when he was walking out people were saying ‘HH for 2011’,” he said.

Hichilema said he was glad that some MMD members were pushing for President Banda to be adopted as presidential candidate in 2011.

He said this would make UPND’s work easier because by that time people would have realised how visionless President Banda’s government was.

“He was complaining to the World Bank that money was going towards salaries of a few individuals in the national budget. But who is in leadership? He’s supposed to make decisive decisions. The first bill he signed when he came to power was to increase salaries for ministers,” Hichilema said.

On Sata’s statement that President Banda did not qualify to talk about morality and normality, Hichilema said he was not surprised by Sata’s statement because both the PF leader and President Banda did not understand the new economic order, saying the culture of old leaders was squabbling.

He said he had constantly pointed out that the country needed new leaders but this was being ignored by the people.

He said President Banda and Sata should take a rest from politics.

Hichilema urged the two leaders to concentrate on talking about real issues of development.

Officiating at the Kuomboka ceremony at the Litunga’s Limulunga palace in Mongu on Saturday, President Banda described Sata as a person who is not normal and is insufficiently educated to rule Zambia. President Banda said Sata had no morals and was just good at insulting old people.

But Sata said the wrongs that President Banda committed in the last presidential election were now haunting him. Sata said President Banda was confused and jumping like a grasshopper because he has no programme for Zambia.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 2:34 AM