Maravi

There’s no pornography in pictures Rupiah talked about – Miyanda

There’s no pornography in pictures Rupiah talked about – Miyanda
Written by George Chellah
Saturday, July 11, 2009 3:28:52 PM

HERITAGE Party (HP) president Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda yesterday said there is no pornography in the pictures President Rupiah Banda talked about two weeks ago. Brig Gen Miyanda said if those pictures constituted pornography then President Banda must be arrested for being in possession of the same pictures.

Commenting on the warn and caution statement, which was recently recorded by police from Post news editor Chansa Kabwela, Brig Gen Miyanda said his party abhored pornography and any other evils that may tend to corrupt morals in society.

"But we also strongly oppose accusations that are politically motivated or are meant to settle invisible scores. From the repetitious statements by the President it seems he has a particular hatred for somebody at The Post and is using state institutions to settle private scores or to use all means available to remain in State House," Brig Gen Miyanda said. "This is abhorrent and must stop because many innocent people will be injured in the process. If it is true that there is no personal vendetta against somebody at The Post and he is sure of his facts, let him disclose his facts publicly, maybe those of us doubting him may support him. As the President knows or ought to know, the whole matter of the law of defamation is that it's against telling or spreading untruth about other persons. Can he disclose to the people of Zambia who are these queer and morbid persons at The Post whom he hates so much that he keeps regurgitating this statement whenever he has a chance? A leader must not encourage speculation and hatred of others through calculated innuendo. He exploited this when he used so-called pornographic pictures to order the police to arrest. Police must not be ordered to arrest anyone; instead they must themselves investigate and then make a decision either to arrest or not to arrest. An arresting officer must believe that his or her decision to arrest is backed by evidence and the law, not because the Commander-in-Chief had so ordered."

Brig Gen Miyanda said a close scrutiny of President Banda's allegation shows that there was no pornography in the documents that the President referred to.

"If it is pornography then the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary to the Cabinet and the women movement that has compromised itself must all be arrested for being in possession of the same pictures, by their own confession and admission. But that is not the meaning of pornography unless the President wants to force the police to accept his version and interpretation. That is why I strongly urge the President to desist from initiating prosecutions and leave this to the established institutions," Brig Gen Miyanda said. "Remember how the former DPP [Director of Public Prosecution] was hounded out of office; the charges were prepared at State House and even the tribunal that was set up was just a cover-up for State House misconduct. On the basis of the continuous disregard of the Constitution and other laws. I reiterate that the NCC [National Constitution Conference] is a waste of time and money because the most important and strategic person in the land chooses to violate the Constitution and laws of the land."

Brig Gen Miyanda said Kabwela was a sacrificial lamb for a calculated vote-catching escapade by President Banda.

"It is not too late for him to admit publicly that he was emotionally charged when he made the mistake of not answering the issue of our failed health system that led to the family of the mother in question to take that picture. President Banda, I say to you as the supposed Fountain of Justice, withdraw the charges against Ms Kabwela but instead treat the communication from The Post as a petition to you to attend to the serious problems that were exposed by the pictures, which you had in your possession but you have not been arrested," Brig Gen Miyanda said. "I advise the President that if he wants to win any battle against The Post he must be factual in his responses; any other tantrums merely make The Post come back ferociously with more facts to win an argument. Just answer the question, which is still waiting for you: why are mothers giving birth in public and in wheelbarrows? If you can answer this truthfully without thinking about 2011 you will win your battle against The Post."

On the newly-formed Zambia Empowerment for Development (ZED) Party, which is led by former HP senior official Dr Frederick Mutesa, Brig Gen Miyanda advised Dr Mutesa and his new team to stop destabilising the Heritage Party forthwith.

"Since the resignation of Dr Mutesa from the Heritage Party I have refrained from commenting on it, mainly because Dr Mutesa personally requested me to treat the matter discreetly, to use his own words. But I did not realise that this was a ploy to enable him to secretly reach our members and structures and to recruit them. Unfortunately for him, our members have been reporting his activities, even before he announced the formation of his party," Brig Gen Miyanda said. "What has happened to his revelation that he has heard from God that God does not want new wine in old skins? Why is he going after the Heritage Party and its members, presumably the old wineskin? I am aware that he has spent the Heroes and Unity weekend destabilising the Heritage Party, especially on the Copperbelt. He knows that this tactic was used extensively by the MMD to entice our MPs and councillors and other party leaders. But Dr Mutesa should make new wineskins and put his new wine there."

He said he had no quarrel if members chose to go on their own, as the party did not own members.

"But I do not expect our own brethren to use underhand methods that are used by these other parties. If they do this, then there is nothing new that ZED is bringing on the table. I advise Dr Mutesa to prepare his own new vineyard as per the word he has heard from the Lord unless he has realised that he did not hear the correct message or voice or that he has made a mistake. With these tactics how does he hope to form a government that will be different from the ones we are complaining about? I advise him to stop drinking from our old vineyard but instead enjoy his new wine in his new vineyard," he said.

Brig Gen Miyanda said Dr Mutesa was still his brother and that they must avoid stepping on each other's toes deliberately.

"I want him to continue to be my brother even if politically we may hold different views now. But such a relationship may not exist if he actively and aggressively harvests in our vineyard as he is doing with his new team of my brothers," said Brig Gen Miyanda.

"We shall soon issue a statement regarding the Heritage Party but I can confidently dispel the rumour that Heritage Party has given up or stopped; we are in this battle to the end. Those who put their hand to the plough must not look back!"

Labels: GODFREY MIYANDA, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 2:31 PM