Rupiah has failed to uphold Levy’s legacy of fighting corruption – Sata

Rupiah has failed to uphold Levy’s legacy of fighting corruption – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba and George Chellah
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:39:06 PM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged that President Rupiah Banda has ordered that the Ministry of Health be sealed so that he can cover stealing.

Addressing a mammoth rally in Lusaka's Chawama compound last Saturday, Sata said there was too much stealing in the country because President Banda had failed to uphold late president Levy Mwanawasa's legacy of fighting corruption. He said even President Banda's order for the Ministry of Health to be sealed was aimed at shielding certain suspects from being prosecuted.

"Rupiah Banda is lying that we sent people to the Ministry of Health [to seal it]. He's simply telling the people [suspects] to run away," Sata said.

He wondered what kind of corruption President Banda was fighting since he had continued to shield people like former communications and transport minister Dora Siliya. Sata said President Banda and Siliya were recently seen "chilling" in Livingstone.

He said people were not scared to steal because President Banda had embraced some top leaders like former president Frederick Chiluba who were victims of president Mwanawasa's crusade against corruption.

"Levy Mwanawasa was following what was in the Bible, nkoma kachema nempanga shikasalangana [I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter]. God is angry, that is why corruption is coming out," Sata said.

"By picking on Chiluba, Levy showed that there is nobody who was not touchable. But this person has reversed what Levy did, that is why people are not scared to steal."

Sata further maintained that the public would want to know who pocketed US$20,000 on each of the 100 hearses that were bought by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. He said Zambians should liberate themselves because no one would liberate them.

Sata said Vice-President George Kunda recently said the government had budgeted K7.3 billion for Central Province but forgot to say that K50 billion had been set aside for a few people at the National Constitutional Conference [NCC].

"K7.3 billion is nothing, how many people are in Central Province? He came up with K15 billion for the indaba, you don't need an indaba to know the problems of Chawama. Rupiah Banda had no programme. I had my programme; lower taxes, more jobs and more money in your pockets," he said.

Sata said since Chawama member of parliament Reverend Violet Sampa-Bredt had failed to resist the temptation of NCC, PF Kanyama member of parliament Colonel Gerry Chanda, Paul Moonga and Lusaka lawyer Edgar Lungu would be the people's representatives.

He also revealed that he had started talks with UPND president Hakainde Hichilema.

"We are just the three of us [real opposition political parties], myself, General [Godfrey] Miyanda, naka akaiche ka Hakainde," Sata said.

On the mobile issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs), Sata said PF would ask home affairs minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa to start with the registration of NRCs in Lusaka since the facilities were already in place.

"If Kalombo Mwansa does not give us what we want, we shall demonstrate with or without police permit and I will be in front. They have been wanting to shoot me, let them come and shoot me," said Sata.

PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said a GRZ bus, registration number GRZ 281 BV yesterday started off for North Western Province for the commencement of the mobile registration of NRCs.

Lubinda said since permanent secretaries were being picked up by police to help in the investigations of the K10 billion corruption scam in the Ministry of Health, ministers should not be spared.

On local government minister Benny Tetamashimba's order for street vendors to vacate the streets by June 10, 2009, Sata asked PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba and Lungu to defend the people.

Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili asked the people of North Western Province not to listen to politicians who wanted to bring hatred among tribes.

"They cheated that I insulted people from North Western Province. What I said was that the 'Kalunda were clever people but among those there is just one who is stupid, like Muchimba'. They want to use that to pounce on us that we are a tribal party. If Rupiah Banda has failed, let him just say he has failed," said Kambwili.

"What happened was that the DC for Luanshya took all the PTA buses to ferry cadres, then I went and took the buses and put the keys in my pocket. Sata has told me that there will be no abuse of authority in the PF government."

Kambwili said the government had promised that by May 30 this year the mine in Luanshya would be operational but there was still nothing tangible up to now.

Lusaka businessman Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba commonly known as GBM said even if thieves in the government wanted to get fat like him, they should not resort to stealing but conduct affairs genuinely.

Party secretary general Kabimba said PF did not want mercenaries any more because it had enough members already. PF vice-president Guy Scott said it was sad that most of the foodstuffs and other products in the country were imported. Scott asked the people to vote for PF so that manufacturing could be enhanced as that would ensure job creation.