Maravi

MoH money funded Rupiah's campaign, says Sata

MoH money funded Rupiah's campaign, says Sata
Written by George Chellah
Tuesday, June 02, 2009 4:03:31 PM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata on Monday said it is now clear that money from the Ministry of Health (MoH) was used to fund President Rupiah Banda's presidential by-election campaigns last year.

In an interview, Sata challenged President Banda to deny if Ministry of Health vehicles were not used to ferry his image builders during the campaigns. He said President Banda's administration wanted to cover up the financial scandals at the ministry of health because he benefited from the plunder.

"In fact, it’s not even part of the money mentioned in that K27 billion scam at the Ministry of Health that went to the campaigns but all of it was used for Rupiah's campaigns last year. All the money they are talking about was used for the election of Rupiah," Sata said. "Have you forgotten that the image builders where moving in Ministry of Health vehicles? There was even a picture showing those image builders in the Ministry of Health vehicles."

Sata dared the MMD to refute that they never used Henry Kapoko’s Best Home Lodge during the campaigns.

"That was an MMD campaign venue. Henry Kapoko (former human resource manager in the Ministry of Health) should come out in the open and disclose. I am challenging Rupiah Banda, Jeff Kaande (MMD deputy national secretary) and Katele Kalumba (MMD national secretary) to deny that they didn't use Kapoko's lodge for the campaigns," Sata said.

"How much money did they pay him for the lodging? We want them to tell us if they didn't use that facility for campaigns, if they used it who paid the bills and who paid the image builders and under what provision of the Constitution? They wanted to keep quiet but they are now catching themselves."

Sata said President Banda's government was using former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Simon Miti and Kapoko as scapegoats in the ongoing investigations.

"The government knows what happened in the last presidential by-election. That's why am urging Kapoko to disclose what happened," Sata said.

He said Ministry of Health funds are always abused by the ruling MMD because they know that it's the only government ministry with a stable inflow of cash.

"They know that the Ministry of Health has money at every point. That's why it is always abused through activities like political campaigns. Since I left, the Ministry of Health has always been used as a corrupt conduit for the MMD campaigns. Remember in 2001, there was evidence tendered in the Supreme Court when my late brother Anderson Mazoka petitioned the election of the late president Levy Mwanawasa where Levison Mumba, the former health minister submitted during the petition how he gave medical kits and vehicles from the ministry to the late Mwanawasa and how former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Kashiwa Bulaya was also used in all these things. So Dr Miti will not be the first permanent secretary to be used like this," Sata said.

He said he would only meet President Banda on condition that he shows seriousness with the crusade against corruption.

"Why should I meet and consult Rupiah now? When he shows seriousness in the fighting of corruption I will be the first person to go and meet him," he said.

Sata also wondered why Vice-President George Kunda and some ministers could travel to Central Province claiming that they were marketing the farming bloc.

"They have already received money from the people they want to give that land. Why are they even going to Serenje now? Is it because of the by-election? Anyway, this is a second time Serenje is under such attacks," Sata said. "When UNIP was in power they wanted to make a 'heaven on earth' there and now Rupiah also wants to make it a province of China. The Chinese have asked government for several hectares of land."

Sata also urged President Banda to find another person to serve as Minister of Justice.

"George Kunda is not fit to be Vice-President, he is also not fit to be justice minister. The President should get an aggressive lawyer to become Minister of Justice. George Kunda is a sadist. No wonder the prisons are congested with people on trial instead of prisoners," Sata said.

And Sata complained of the numerous adjournments in his case against former works and supply minister Dr Ludwig Sondashi.

"It is now seven years since we started this matter. Are they saying that the Attorney General's chambers only has one lawyer?" asked Sata.

Labels: MINISTRY OF HEALTH, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:06 PM