Maravi

Teta is being inconsistent over hearses, charges HH

Teta is being inconsistent over hearses, charges HH
Written by Patson Chilemba
Friday, July 03, 2009 3:24:49 PM

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema on Friday charged that Benny Tetamashimba is being inconsistent in his arguments over the hearses, saying the man is confused. Commenting on the squabbles involving former local government minister Sylvia Masebo and her successor Tetamashimba, Hichilema said those who had followed the debate could tell that Tetamashimba was confused and inconsistent while Masebo backed her arguments with facts.

Hichilema said Tetamashimba initially said he would take responsibility over the hearses but when the public began questioning the transactions, he quickly changed positions.

He wondered what had happened to Tetamashimba's statement that he paid for the hearses in December last year.

Hichilema said he found it difficult to understand Tetamashimba's reasoning over the hearses.

"From what Tetamashimba is saying you can see that Tetamashimba is very inconsistent. Confused Teta, directionless Teta, Masebo is backing her arguments with documents. You can see Tetamashimba is confused and he's confusing himself, and I am asking him not to confuse the nation. He is just a mouthpiece of a failing government. Local government is too important to have a poor quality minister," Hichilema said. "On what President Banda should do, I have stopped advising President Banda because when I do, he accuses me of insulting. The MMD and the poor quality ministers like Tetamashimba can only be taken out by voting in the UPND/PF pact."

Hichilema said Zambia would not go anywhere with poor quality ministers like Tetamashimba.

He said Tetamashimba was a reflection of the MMD government's incompetence.

"Sheer incompetence, you can't even write a decent letter. He can't even write a sensible letter. In fact he must stop embarrassing himself by writing letters. Letters whose English in un-discernible," Hichilema said.

And an official in the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) said ZRA should explain why they allowed Top Motors to bring hearses into the country using government vouchers.

"At the border they used the Code CPC 405 and 405 is a Code which waives duty. The Customs procedure code for goods imported for the government, and duty is waived. So Top Motors used that because they did not want to pay tax, they did not import in their capacity as Top Motors, they imported as government. And it was not for Top Motors to do the correct thing, it was ZRA," the source said. "Top Motors might have hoodwinked ZRA into thinking that it was government which imported. Tetamashimba's argument is based on ZRA papers where they used the code we use for importing government things."

On whether the price for the hearses was US $9,000 or US$29,000, the source said Top Motors could have bought the vehicles at US $29,000 from China, saying that made business sense if issues like insurance and transportation were included.

"Or it could be that Top Motors bought those vehicles at US $9,000 and then they sold government at US $29,000. And what is wrong with Top Motors buying those vehicles at 9,000 and selling them to government at 29,000? This is just a business venture government entered into. If you remember, honorable Masebo said they bought 16 boats from the manufacturer, and that they would have bought only three from Auto World. Unless government is buying from the manufacturer, it would make sense that government bought those hearses at US $9,300. But they were buying from Top Motors," said the source. "Tetamashimba is just being malicious because he is taking it that government bought them at US $9,000, but it is not government that was importing. There is a contract that Top Motors must supply government with hearses. You don't expect Top Motors to import at US $9,000 and sell to the government at the same price. It doesn't make business sense. But people should ask ZRA why Top Motors used the Code for government, which is 405?"

The source said Top Motors should tell the nation if they used a government voucher or their own voucher when the hearses were brought into the country.

Meanwhile, Hichilema said there was no need for government to start firing striking workers.

He said government should instead concentrate on finding a lasting solution to the workers' demands.

Hichilema said President Banda's government should have anticipated what would happen in future when they refused to listen to people's concerns by increasing their salaries.

On the statement by University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) general secretary Dr Fenson Mwape that education minister Dora Siliya should rebuild her tattered image by showing leadership over the lecturers' go-slow, Hichilema said the lecturers were right to reject the five per cent increment.

He said Siliya had no moral right to be minister in the first place and should have a sense of embarrassment. Hichilema said Siliya's clearance by High Court judge Philip Musonda did not take away the fact that she disregarded the Attorney General's legal advice and flouted tender procedure.

"She doesn't carry any respect of any decent Zambian," said Hichilema.

Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, CORRUPTION, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA

posted by MrK @ 2:25 PM