Maravi

Watch it over mealie-meal prices, Luchembe warns Rupiah’s govt

Watch it over mealie-meal prices, Luchembe warns Rupiah’s govt
Written by Katwishi Bwalya
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:15:34 PM

THE continued high prices of mealie-meal in the country might see the MMD out of power in 2011, Captain Mwamba Luchembe, the 1990 foiled coup mastermind has said. Featuring on a Muvi TV programme Matter at Hand on Monday night, Capt Luchembe said there was need for the government to intervene in the escalating prices of mealie-meal."Basically, what I can tell you is that when Dr [Kenneth] Kaunda increased the price of mealie-meal, I believe it was from K13 to about K16, there was a difference of about K3.

There were food riots and the Police lamentably failed to stop that, I was with 5th Battalion of the Zambian Regiment at that time in the Western Province of Zambia. When they failed we were called in to come and stop this," Capt Luchembe recalled. "You see a military man is not born out of a fellow military man. You could be born from one military man but, basically we are all born from civilians. What necessitated that [coup] was an increase in mealie-meal prices. A military man is also a son of a civilian, it also affected my parents, it affected other soldiers' parents so we were not happy and everything was not okay and what happened, happened.
"The same mealie-meal prices brought MMD into power. Of course it was mealie-meal which was a catalyst to that action and the same mealie-meal prices as at now though it is now a democracy may see MMD out of power in 2011 or otherwise."

Capt Luchembe advised President Banda to be careful with people that surrounded him because it was possible for them to abandon him at some point.

"I am not a threat to anybody. They should just realise that the people who have been enumerated are political hijackers. When we formed MMD, this time when you count amongst the most prominent people, there are probably two or three people who are remaining and those are the ones who at one time left the party and came back at one time or another. You will find that politicians are not predictable, Mr Rupiah Banda must be very careful with such characters. You see the same characters who were embracing Michael Sata when he was in MMD, dancing for him, and they are now insulting him now that they are in MMD or now they are in UPND," Capt Luchembe said. "The same characters when Dr Chiluba was in government they were there singing for him today they are calling him a thief, the same characters. So Mr Rupiah Banda should be very careful the moment he leaves that office they will be calling him names."

He said some ministers in President Banda's government were the most indiscipline and that cadres had now turned State House into a party ground.

"In military governments there is some elements of discipline not the way I am looking at things now where cadres have now made State House as if it is their headquarters. If there is any protest against anybody in the ruling party they have the MMD secretariat. [Patriotic Front] PF has a got their secretariat at Farmers House, MMD at Lusaka House, even [United Party for National Development] UPND in Rhodes Park. They should be marching there and not State House. That House is a very serious House. It is for government business, it is for the nation and not for cadres and our leaders should not be entertaining that," Capt Luchembe said. "And the Police, I don't think they are being sincere. When MMD cadres march, they march at will without any notice without anything and they are even given protection and escort. When it is the opposition you hear arrests and I don't know where we are heading to."

Capt Luchembe said there was need to emulate the good things about former president Dr Kaunda's government.

"In Dr Kaunda's government there was discipline not everything was wrong with Dr Kaunda but he overstayed and when you overstay you tend to become a dictator," he said. "The only advice I can give him [Rupiah Banda] is that because of this economic crunch we are facing... In Zambia, we have been facing this crunch even before the US one because of indiscipline among leaders especially the ministers. You see we have got 150 members of parliament and the government buys vehicles for them for use when going to their constituencies. They buy those vehicles on duty free when Parliament goes into recess they are given constituency money for them to go to their constituencies, for fuel, accommodation.

"Now you will find that they [ministers] will get that money, they will keep it in their banks or their pockets they will not use those parliamentary vehicles. They will use GRZ vehicles with flags going to do a job which is not related to their ministerial duties. That is actually abuse in the mean time, the same minister is going to draw imprest from his ministry, he is going to draw fuel from his ministry, he is going to take his official driver from the ministry."

And Capt Luchembe said it was sad that African leaders were now insulating themselves from legal advice.

"The problem with African leaders is that they insulate their ears from legal advice and constructive criticism. This is what actually leads to all these problems like the issue at hand. Like my coup in 1991. Once you insulate your ears, it creates anxiety and causes unrest," Capt Luchembe said. "Leaders when you advise them they should not insulate their ears from advice because there is an adage in Bemba which says he who does not heed advice went with human excreta to the in- laws [munshumfwa aile na mafi kubuko] but as long as they continue insulating their ears I don't know."

Capt Luchembe also said he should be recognised as the former president Frederick Chiluba recognized him.

"If anything, Dr Chiluba should be driving GRZ TP [third president]. I am the second president whether you like it or not. In some countries I have been recognised. Laurent Kabila [DRC late president] went through a coup after Mobutu [Seseseko]. You recognised him here. Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi he overthrew someone else and you have recognised him as President. So who am I not to be recognised as President and I think let's be serious. Let's call a spade a spade," said Capt Luchembe.

Labels: INFLATION, MEALIE-MEAL, MWAMBA LUCHEMBE

posted by MrK @ 5:17 PM