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Most MMD MPs want Rupiah impeached – Sata

Most MMD MPs want Rupiah impeached – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba
Thursday, July 16, 2009 5:12:25 AM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said most MMD MPs want President Rupiah Banda impeached because he is a danger to the nation if allowed to continue in office.

In an interview, Sata said President Banda was very vulnerable because PF and UPND had the support of some MMD members of parliament who were annoyed at the manner he was governing the country.

"Rupiah Banda warrants an impeachment because of the several scandals that he is committing. Allowing Rupiah Banda to continue for three years, there will be nothing left for Zambia. Rupiah

Banda should not rely on the assurance from Vernon Mwaanga. Mr Rupiah Banda at the moment is very vulnerable. Most MMD members won't behave as MMD when the impeachment comes," Sata said. "There are several members who don't want to speak now. There are several who want us to start moving."

Sata said President Banda had created several scandals since assuming office eight months ago.

He said President Banda had breached the Constitution by appointing corrupt people like Dora Siliya and Michael Mabenga as education minister and lands deputy minister respectively.

Sata said President Banda's government wanted to introduce a bill in Parliament to amend the Zambia Tanzania Pipeline Act to provide immunity from execution of judgments against the assets of the Tanzania Mafuta Pipeline Limited as well as provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.

"Rupiah Banda is worrying me. He is going beyond what UNIP used to do. Government contracted debt on behalf of TAZAMA during Frederick Chiluba, and it's criminal for Rupiah Banda to use Parliament to ... US $100 million from ABSA. IMF is looking; World Bank is looking when government is stealing. What happened was when Levy Mwanawasa took over, the country had difficulties with petroleum products, then government successfully negotiated with Trans Sahara Trading who borrowed 100 million United States dollars from ABSA in South Africa to buy oil to fuel Indeni," Sata narrated.

"In 2003, Levy Mwanawasa cancelled relations with TST and brought in Total. So what Rupiah Banda is doing is, instead of pushing the Zambian government to pay because even George Kunda was justice minister then, he wants to run away. Government owes money on behalf of TAZAMA because the principle share holder is government. All we Zambians have chewed that oil and I will not be part of a government that supports plunder."

Sata said the government wanted to introduce two bills to create different salary structures for politicians and those for civil servants.

He said the government would introduce the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Emoluments) (Amendment) Bill, 2009.

Sata said the object of the Bill would be to amend the ministerial and parliamentary offices Act.

The Bill states as follows: "(a) empower the Minister responsible for finance to prescribe, by statutory instrument, the emoluments payable to the holder of the office of Vice-President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Deputy Minister, Deputy Chairperson of Committees and Private Member of the National Assembly; and (b) provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing."

Sata said there was another salary structure aimed at making the minister of finance a paymaster for those in the Judiciary.

He said the practice in the Commonwealth was that salaries for politicians and those for the Judiciary should go through Parliament.

"But Rupiah Banda is changing that because he will decide how much will be given to each person. When it comes to critical issues, he will give ministers and deputy ministers and other politicians more in order to bribe them, so that they don't make noise. With what is going on in the Judiciary, the quarrels, and then their salaries are not subjected to Parliament, we are in for worse leadership," Sata said. "The policies he is bringing are derived from China where the politburo decide the salaries for civil servants, politicians and the Judiciary."

He said Zambia was in for worse dictatorship than what had been seen elsewhere in the world.

Sata said the scandals President Banda was committing justified the move to impeach him from office.

He said President Banda had been in office for eight months but without anything to show for in terms of performance but just scandals.

Sata said President Banda warranted an impeachment because he would be a big danger to the nation if allowed to continue in office.

Labels: IMPEACHMENT, MMD, MPs, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 4:12 AM