Maravi

Thandiwe still getting salary as teacher - Sata

Thandiwe still getting salary as teacher - Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba
Thursday, July 30, 2009 5:53:49 PM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata on Thursday released a July 2009 pay slip believed to be for first lady Thandiwe Banda who is still said to be getting paid as a teacher at Chipata's Nyakutwa Basic School. And UPND president Hakainde Hichilema charged that President Rupiah Banda was arguing that Zamtel had no value so that he could give it away to his friends. Addressing a joint press briefing at Pamodzi Hotel, Sata said he had in his possession Thandiwe's pay-slip dated July 9, 2009.

"People are so upset about what is going on in Zambia, and this morning they wanted to embarrass the President more because they think you politicians are not doing enough. They sent me a pay slip for his wife [President Banda's wife, Thandiwe], who is still getting pay as a teacher. This came from Ministry of Education this morning," Sata said.

"This pay slip is dated 9th July 2009, and this is Chipata District, Nyakutwa Middle Basic School, Nyakutuwa. And the beneficiary is madam Thandiwe Chilongo Banda. Now that is how people are frustrated."

Sata said the matter which could not come up when Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa served as education minister had now been revealed during 'smart' Dora Siliya's tenure.

"This has come out when his [President Banda's] best friend Dora is in office. So what is Siliya up to? Probably she wants to undermine Thandiwe," he said.

Some details on the pay slip indicate that Thandiwe was still considered an active full time employee and received a net salary of K1,541,892.74 for July, 2009. The employee number is 11801 while the National Registration Number is 464544/52/1.

Sata charged that President Banda did not have any programme for the nation, saying he came with his private pocket programme. He said countries that had privatized their telecoms companies like the British Telecom had allowed the public to have a huge say in those companies.

"Whoever wants to take Zamtel, the PF and UPND government shall reverse the sale of Zamtel. There will be no compensation. Because if they steal, how can you compensate a thief?" Sata asked.

He said Zambians have been quiet and now was the time for them to speak because they would lose Zamtel just as they lost Zanaco. Sata said Rabo Bank came with so many promises which they had failed to fulfil up to now.

"Tell the Chinese, they should not even be excited because MMD has no leader, and Rupiah Banda, Katele Kalumba is cheating him. He might not even be presidential candidate in 2011," he said.

Sata said Zamtel made about K1 billion per month but wondered where the money went. He asked government to pay back the debt owed to the company rather than privatizing it.

On the beating of journalists by President Rupiah Banda's thugs, Sata said Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde, Lusaka Province police commanding officer Greenwell Ng'uni and other divisional heads were all on contracts and feared that those contracts would be revoked if they enforced the law against the thugs.

He said it was sad that journalists from The Post were being beaten by MMD thugs.

"Stop covering him. After all, what news can you get from Rupiah Banda anyway?" asked Sata.

And Hichilema said the privatization of Zamtel was being mishandled because President Banda had failed to listen to the public to annul the transactions involving the company.

He said telecommunications was one industry where businesses were making money regardless of economic conditions. Hichilema said President Banda predetermined the sale of Zamtel a long time ago because of the family connections involved.

He said to start with, then communications and transport minister Dora Siliya flouted tender procedures. He said the engagement of RP Capital Partners to value Zamtel assets was single sourced and that Siliya failed to follow the Attorney General’s legal advice on the matter.

"The tender process stinks of corruption and totally against public interest," Hichilema said.

He said it followed therefore that if the Memorandum of Understanding was a nullity according to the Attorney General and as established by the judge Dennis Chirwa chaired tribunal, the privatization of Zamtel could not proceed.

"When the tribunal found Dora wanting, she was forced to resign. The President did not appoint anybody [to replace her]. Of course he knew what he was doing. Dora Siliya did not surrender the government house and the vehicle. Look at how they are treating George Mpombo. On Mpombo, it is because the President has no vested interests," Hichilema said.

"Judge Philip Musonda did not argue that Dora did not contravene the Constitution and the Public Procurement Act. If you have an upright President, they will follow the substance of the matter, unless they have other interests."

Hichilema said if President Banda and MMD were arguing that Zamtel had no value, it had no value in their minds. He wondered how one could argue that Zamtel was valueless when it had assets like Cell Z, the optic fibre network, buildings and prime land.

Hichilema wondered why government embarked on the evaluation of Zamtel which would cost huge taxpayers money when the President had already judged that the company was valueless.

He pointed out that the same RP Capital which was allowed value the company's assets would also find a bidder and find the buyer for the company.

"So, you can see the scam. We are insisting that this whole thing should be null and void," said Hichilema. "This 75 percent intended sell, the President is the one announcing it. How did he pick 75 percent?"

He said members of parliament from both PF and UPND should be asked to move a motion in Parliament against the sale of Zamtel.

Hichilema said people should make up a decision to remove the MMD from office. He jokingly said wives should slap their husbands if ever they said "pankoloko" [MMD slogan].

He also said MMD cadres must be stopped from beating Post journalists. Hichilema thanked the Press Freedom Committee of The Post for giving the people a platform to air their views on national matters. He asked PF and UPND cadres not to entertain lies against him and Sata.

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, SATA, THANDIWE BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:53 PM