Maravi

Rupiah will have last laugh over Mpombo, says Teta

Rupiah will have last laugh over Mpombo, says Teta
Written by George Chellah
Thursday, July 09, 2009 5:36:05 PM

MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba on Thursday said President Rupiah Banda will have the last laugh over George Mpombo’s resignation as defence minister because he will soon reveal whether or not there was corruption at the Ministry of Defence under the leadership of Mpombo.

In an interview, Tetamashimba - who is also local government and housing minister - dismissed the reasons advanced by Mpombo for his resignation. He accused Mpombo of not telling the truth.

"Personally I am disappointed because Mpombo was the third most powerful person in government. Yes, he was not in the meeting when we endorsed President Banda. I expected him to have discussed these issues with the President,” Tetamashimba said. “For him to resign when the Tanzanian President (Jakaya Kikwete) and the President of Zimbabwe (Robert Mugabe) were here, it was very bad timing. When you look at the reasons, I don't think these are the reasons that can make Mr. Mpombo resign. He is trying to twist his tongue. He is not telling the truth. The President should tell the nation the truth, whether Mr. Mpombo is telling the truth or not because he knows a lot about us."

Tetamashimba said President Banda knows the truth about each and every minister and demanded that the President himself must address the issues surrounding Mpombo's resignation.

"I hope he will not address it through a press statement. I hope that the police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should move first when there are some allegations in a ministry. Let’s go into corruption and deal with it so that President Banda's name can be cleared," Tetamashimba said.

He wondered why people blamed and accused him of being malicious when he remarked that the late president Levy Mwanawasa's era must be probed.

"If there are people who were stealing under Mwanawasa and if there are some of us stealing under President Banda, we must be taken to court. Whether it’s under President Banda, Mwanawasa and Chiluba we must do that," he said.

Asked whether he was suggesting that there was corruption at the Ministry of Defence, Tetamashimba responded: "The President is supposed to answer those questions. I cannot confirm or deny but these are issues the President must be bold to answer whether there has been corruption in the Ministry of Defence or not."

However, Tetamashimba warned that President Banda was standing on stronger ground than Mpombo over the matter.

"Mpombo will not be the hero some people think he is. When he (President Banda) reacts, Mpombo won't be on strong ground that some people think he is on. Between Mpombo and the President, the one who is on strong ground must be the President. I expect the President to come out and tell the nation the truth. He must tell the nation whether there has been corruption at the Ministry of Defence under Mr. Mpombo or not. That's the only way Mpombo will be cleared," Tetamashimba said. "But if there are things he has been doing then I think the Zambian people have to know. If there is any corruption, whether it’s on purchase of vehicles or contracts, we will know. The truth will come out but the one who will have the last laugh will be President Banda and not Mpombo. Did you see him having confidence when he was resigning? You are a journalist, did you see? Me, I was seeing that he was hiding something behind that resignation."

And works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti reminded Mpombo that only the truth would set him free.

"All I can say is that the truth will set him free just that...he is an adult he will know," said Mulongoti.

Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, GEORGE MPOMBO, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:38 PM