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Catholics won’t stop speaking for the poor, says Fr Mulenga

Catholics won’t stop speaking for the poor, says Fr Mulenga
Written by Patson Chilemba in Mansa and Chibaula Silwamba in Lusaka
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 3:54:00 PM

THE Catholic Church will not stop speaking for the poor regardless of the criticism, Mansa's St James Parish priest Fr Don Mulenga has said. And Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged that there is nothing envious about President Rupiah Banda that would warrant him being insulted. During a church service at St James Parish last Sunday,

Fr Mulenga said Christians should not shun speaking for the people because poverty would never end if they did so.

Fr Mulenga said some leaders had closed their ears to positive criticism.

"Every year, we are always celebrating independence, but you look at the people who say they are independent, it's those who are always begging," said Fr Mulenga while holding a magazine bearing the picture of former Radio Icengelo station manager Fr Frank Bwalya.

He urged the nation to change the attitude of begging, saying beggars never received full independence.

"Let's work for ourselves before we ask for others to help us. God doesn't want people who always beg. You become a slave to the one you beg from," said Fr Mulenga.

And addressing a mammoth rally at Senama compound in Mansa last Sunday, Sata said President Banda always complained that he was being insulted.

Sata said he was merely being a patriotic citizen by pointing out the pitfalls of President Banda in his five months of being office.

"Ati Sata watuka ba Banda. Finshi akwete Banda ifya kumutukila [they are saying that Sata is insulting Banda. What is it that President Banda has which would warrant him getting insulted]?" he asked.

Sata said he would not stop speaking for the voiceless majority, saying it was only death that could stand in his way.

He said President Banda and his government were using the excuse of the "global crisis" in order to hoodwink the people while they enriched themselves on the other hand.

Sata urged Mansa residents to vigorously oppose President Banda's plans to procure mobile hospitals.

"The global crisis is meant for their pockets. If we are not careful, you will find that ba kaboke have overtaken us because now, our policemen are the ones looking like ba kaboke. Pamilomo yaba police palemonekafye bulanda bulanda [policemen are wallowing in poverty]," Sata said. "And some are even saying Sata is dead, Sata is sick but I am here."

Sata charged that most current members of parliament from Luapula Province were bewitched.

He said the only parliamentarians who stood out and spoke for the people were those that represented Mwansabombwe and Chipili, Samuel Chitonge and Davies Mwila, respectively.

"If the former members of parliament here were as greedy as these [most parliamentarians in Luapula Province], would you have developed? If you are not careful, you will discover that [Peter] Machungwa and Ernest Mwansa have sold Bangweulu and BY [Ben Mwila] has bought Mweru Wantipa," Sata said. "The rivers we have here could bring us money but the MPs we have here..."

Sata said some parliamentarians like Chrispine Musosha of Mansa Central had nothing to show for the contracts they received from the government to work on the roads.

He said Luapula Province had huge potential to develop but it lacked selfless leaders who could passionately spearhead development.

Sata said while policemen and teachers were getting peanuts, the people's servants like Machungwa and Bahati PF 'rebel' member of parliament Besa Chimbaka were receiving millions of kwacha.

And Chimwemwe PF member of parliament Willie Nsanda said several budgets had been passed during his time in Parliament but the money did not achieve what it was budgeted for.

Nsanda also said simple jobs such as mending of roads, which could be done by several unemployed Zambians, were now being contracted to Chinese companies like China-Henan.

Meanwhile, MMD Luapula Province former coordinator Samuel Chewe urged Sata not to use abusive language against his opponents and PF ‘rebel’ members of parliament in the province.

"We are advising Mr Sata to stop using such language and attacking our President. As the MMD, we will not allow him to be insulting our President [Banda] during the rallies," Chewe said. "How can Mr Sata organise his cadres to make mock coffins of [PF ‘rebel’ member of parliament for Kawambwa Central Elizabeth] Chitika and [Bangweulu member of parliament Joseph] Kasongo? Those are his members of parliament. For God's sake, how can he do that? He is an old man; he knows that you can't be making a coffin for someone who is alive? It's a taboo."

Chewe advised Sata to be telling people attending his rallies what he would do if he were elected President of Zambia.

"Politics of name calling is not good. We want messages of hope and messages that will unite us," said Chewe. "Mr Sata should concentrate on telling us what he can do, not just insulting his opponents who are not even there to defend themselves."

Labels: CATHOLIC CHURCH, DON MULENGA

posted by MrK @ 2:56 PM