Kitwe MMD youths threaten to beat HH

Kitwe MMD youths threaten to beat HH
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
Monday, May 18, 2009 4:09:16 PM

MMD youths in Kitwe have threatened to beat UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema when he visits the city for making what they described as unfounded accusations against President Rupiah Banda. Kitwe District youth chairman Chiko Chibale said it was unjustified for Hichilema to portray a picture as though corruption started under President Banda's rule.

Chibale's threats come in the wake of Hichilema's recent statement that President Banda wanted a cut in the US $53 million mobile hospitals procurement deal.

"As youths in Kitwe we have declared war against Hichilema," Chibale said. "When we hear that he is in Kitwe addressing such and such a meeting, we'll handle him physically. We'll go and beat him; and I am speaking as commander for the youths in Kitwe."

He said the recent revelation of a civil servant suspected to have stolen K10 billion was a crime that was being committed under the late president Levy Mwanawasa's reign.

"We expected Hichilema to behave reasonably because he is educated," he said. "If he is going to play the politics of [Michael] Sata, and for Sata we understand him because he is a grade four, but for Hichilema we expected him to complement government efforts in addressing the global economic crisis instead of making statements that President Banda is perpetuating corruption."

Chibale said President Banda in the short time he was in power worked hard and had even overseen the re-opening of Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM), which would be taken over by China Non Ferrous Metals Corporation.

Hichilema last week said corruption had worsened in President Banda's reign and that he missed president Mwanawasa's leadership in the fight against corruption.