Zambians must kick out MMD, says Sata

Zambians must kick out MMD, says Sata
Written by George Chellah and Patson Chilemba
Thursday, June 04, 2009 11:43:50 PM

ZAMBIANS must wake up and kick out the MMD now, Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata said on Thursday. And Sata said the Central Board of Health (CBoH) was abolished to facilitate the diversion of money meant for the health sector to the ruling MMD. During a Hot FM Radio programme, Sata said currently Zambia had no leadership or direction.

"It is the worst sangwapo we have ever come across. Whilst the rest of the world is taking care of the global economic crisis, here we are taking care of the global economic crisis in our pockets. You have a government that has come here to enjoy themselves," Sata said.

"To them it is honeymoon they must enjoy themselves. You remember I released a letter on [MMD deputy national secretary] Jeff Kaande where he wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs collecting money for people who never supplied anything. That matter has died because it was MMD."

Sata said the current government was only interested in money.

"All they want is to take money, they take money from NCC, they take money from per diem and what we need at the moment...the people of Zambia must kick out MMD now because by the time you get up there will be nothing. We will be worse than one party state," Sata said.

"People of Zambia should stop complaining, kick out MMD. We have had enough of this MMD. The stealing has reduced Zambia to be the poorest and we have reduced ourselves. We were 18 and now we are very high ranking in corruption but I think we as a people must wake up and say enough is enough."

Sata said it was not impossible to remove a sitting government as long as there was truth. On the K27 billion Ministry of Health scam, Sata said CBoH was abolished to facilitate the diversion of money meant for the health sector to MMD.

"I created CBoH as Minister of Health, CBoH survived during the tenure of Levison Mumba as Minister of Health... The reason for dissolving CBoH was for the money to be controlled directly by the permanent secretary so that the money can be going to MMD and now we have seen," Sata said.

"When I was minister of health with CBoH my ministry did not get in touch with so much money as they are doing now. But when they abolished CBoH all the money, which was coming from the donors, for example is it not surprising for a country like Zambia to say we have US$ 53 million to go and buy mobile hospitals?

"Like if that is not enough, Tetamashimba says 'am going to buy hearses'. Last year's elections the Chinese put in lots of money in the MMD pocket, they have to fulfil the undertaking of what they are going to give to the Chinese. That's why Vice-President George Kunda went to Serenje to look for land to give to the Chinese."

He said the whole hearse and mobile hospital deal stinks. Sata insisted that local government minister Benny Tetamashimba must tell the truth on hearses.

"I went to Chirundu and I saw the clearing certificate, on the clearing certificate each manda manda [hearse] was US$ 9000. Tetamashimba is saying no, no, no! It's not me who bought, it was Sylvia Masebo and [late president Levy] Mwanawasa so it's not Banda. But we know he is Benny Tetamaboza," he said.

Sata said there was rampant stealing in all government ministries.

"There is far much bigger corruption in the Ministry of Works and Supply," he said.

He said the MMD was trying to link him to former human resource manager in the Ministry of Health Henry Kapoko to divert attention of the people.

"I blame the so-called opposition because they marketed Rupiah Banda. Today we say thank you for plunging us in this," Sata said.

He said President Banda and the MMD had been caught pants down in their own web of deceit and corruption. He said it was in fact the MMD who engaged in corrupt dealings.

He charged that several MMD cadres and officials were booked at Kapoko's Best Home Lodge and the bills were paid for by several government ministries and the Central Statistical Office (CSO). Sata said MMD would want to shift the blame to PF because they were heavily involved in corruption.

"They have been caught pants down in their corruption," he said.

On Lusaka Province minister Lameck Mangani's statement that MMD had proof that the PF owed Best Home Lodge K11.6 million for beverages and K8.7 million for lodging, Sata said PF paid for their services unlike MMD who used public money.

On Mangani's statement that K8.7 million had been cancelled by Kapoko through his uncle, Robert Kalimi, Sata said MMD were using former PF secretary general Edward Mumbi to peddle lies against the party, saying there was no debt which could be cancelled in less than one year.

"I have never seen a debt, which is written off in less than one year. I am grateful for the contradictions coming from MMD. We have a list where MMD were booked by various ministries and the CSO. It's them and Rupiah Banda who have been caught in their own web of deceit and corruption," said Sata. "The fact is that PF paid for the services, and they [MMD] were paid for by government ministries."

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mangani, who was MMD elections national coordinator in last year's presidential election, said MMD and President Banda did not, at any time, deal with Kapoko.

Mangani said preliminary investigations by the party revealed that it was instead PF that allegedly had dealings with Kapoko.

Mangani said the MMD had overwhelming evidence, including invoices, indicating the PF had accommodated its cadres and other party officials at the infamous Best Home Lodge where it accrued a bill of K11.6 million for beverages.