Maravi

Nobody can deny that Chiluba did a lot of good things – Rupiah

Nobody can deny that Chiluba did a lot of good things – Rupiah
Written by Patson Chilemba in Kabwe
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 2:58:12 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday said nobody can deny that Frederick Chiluba did a lot of good things for the country. Officiating at the 28th general conference of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) at Mulungushi University, President Banda said he had avoided commenting on Chiluba's cases before yesterday's judgment.

"Today is a very important day for the Zambian community. As we are speaking now, our former president Chiluba is in court and the verdict is being pronounced on him. I have kept quiet at all times because I believe that we need the Judiciary to adjudicate on these matters," President Banda said after 13:00 hours.

"Soon you will know what the Judiciary will decide. I have however been criticised from many quarters saying because I am silent, I am not saying anything against president Chiluba, I am therefore condoning whatever he did. That is judging someone before justice. We know in our country that one is presumed innocent until what? Everyone here knows that, even the children.

"But there are grown-ups in our country who say no, he is guilty even before he is proven guilty. That is not fair to a human being. I have refused to be part of that, it's good I am here today so that no one can say I influenced the verdict. Very soon you will hear what the verdict is, and whatever the verdict is, there is a human being involved who also deserves justice. Today it is him, tomorrow it is me. Tomorrow it is anyone of you."

President Banda said he was happy to have discussed the matter yesterday.

He said as President, he had the responsibility and duty to show respect to everyone and that Chiluba was one of those he had respect for.

President Banda said Chiluba was a former president who deserved respect.

"I didn't even vote for him by the way. I told people in Mansa when they were questioning me, 'why are you so friendly to this man?' I said it is you who voted for him. I didn't even vote for him, I was in UNIP myself. After you voted for him, you have got to accept that he was president," President Banda said. "And by the way, nobody can deny that Mr Chiluba did a lot for the country. We have so many newspapers, some of them are abusive to us. We have so many radio stations, we have so many opinions. We are so proud about our democracy. He was one of those people that led his life to achieve that together with many of you. So you can't say that he did nothing good. Obviously, he did a lot of bad."

President Banda said Chiluba also did a lot of bad things but it was expected for people to make mistakes.

He said it was not human to expect other human beings not to make mistakes.

"I say this because today is a very critical day to Zambians, and I think we must put aside personal hatred for anyone of us and we ask for your prayers, as church leaders, that love must prevail," President Banda said. "Even the people in prison deserve to be treated like human beings...they deserve not to be abused. They deserve to be looked after. Unfortunately, I am one of those who must look after them."

President Banda said justice was the main defender for peace and unity for all people.

On CCZ chairperson Moses Mwale's statement that politicians were now more preoccupied with assassinating each other's characters, and that President Banda and those in government should take a lead in addressing this, President Banda said he wished all political leaders were there to benefit from Reverend Mwale's appeal.

He said it was not necessary for politicians to be fighting in front of children.

"...For me I can only give you this promise which I have kept. I respect that very much and hope that my colleagues will also follow suit. I realise that my colleague Mr Sata does listen to me sometimes. When we were campaigning in Chitambo, I flipped up and said you will see in one of the papers tomorrow, they will say all the people that were at the meeting were children, so I told him that I like children, I am very happy that they come to my meetings, and I am happy that at this particular meeting, I have many children, I also have their mothers, their fathers, all ready to listen to me," President Banda said. "Unfortunately, I left to go to South Africa for medical attention and I hear that, I didn't see it myself. But I heard that the next day he was also carrying a baby to show that 'children don't cry when I hold them'. You know I said it before that he is my cousin and I like to tease him like he likes to tease me."

President Banda also announced that he would seek a second term in office but not a third term.

Labels: CCZ, CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 1:59 PM