Indaba is a wastage of taxpayers’ money – Sata

Indaba is a wastage of taxpayers’ money – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba
Sunday, April 05, 2009 7:43:08 PM

RUPIAH Banda's indaba is a waste of taxpayers money, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said yesterday. Commenting on the ongoing national indaba at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Sata said millions of taxpayers' money was being spent for over 500 people that had gathered for the event.

He said Zambia had now become a sangwapo where national leaders could loot public money that was not budgeted for.

Sata said President Banda could have recalled Parliament, which approved the budget, if he wanted to find solutions to the problems facing the nation.

He challenged President Banda's government to tell the public on the unbudgeted for millions they were spending at the indaba.

"The 500 delegates going to the indaba are getting the same as those going to NCC [National Constitutional Conference]. If those delegates are not receiving the money, then those in government are stealing," Sata said.

"In the last five months, we have spent more money than in the last one year of Levy Mwanawasa."

When asked to comment on Sata's allegations on the allowances for delegates to the indaba, chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said no delegate at the indaba was being paid any money. Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Sata was a liar.

Asked to disclose the amount budgeted for the indaba, Lt Gen Shikapwasha referred the query to acting Secretary to the Cabinet Robert Mataka.

However, Mataka also declined to disclose the figure saying the details were at the office and the nation would be informed in due time.

On Catholic Diocese of Ndola treasurer general Fr Augustine Mwewa's statement that President Banda was a liar and had totally failed to manage the affairs of the country because of his lies, Lt Gen Shikapwasha accused The Post of having published the story in order to embarrass the President especially that some international delegates were attending the indaba.

He said it was sad that The Post did not even attempt to get a reaction from him before publishing the story.

"You can't put a headline to insult the President when there is an indaba. You can't insult my President like that," said Lt Gen Shikapwasha in the presence of other people just after the indaba adjourned for the first break.

On Saturday, Fr Mwewa said he was ready to go to court for telling the truth about President Banda's failures. He cited President Banda's lies against Zambian Airways and Post editor Fred M'membe.

Fr Mwewa said President Banda and his government had a grudge against M'membe and The Post because they criticised him and were not afraid of him.