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Chiluba isn’t a factor in politics – Sata

Chiluba isn’t a factor in politics – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba, George Chellah in Lusaka and Bivan Saluseki in Kasama
Monday, September 21, 2009 4:55:28 PM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said that he can never panic over Frederick Chiluba because he is not a factor anymore in Zambian politics. But Chiluba yesterday warned that he will take on Sata because he knows his corrupt and thieving ways.

Reacting to MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga's assertions that he [Sata] was scared of former president Chiluba, Sata said he understood Mabenga's support of Chiluba because they both had questionable credibility in public service.

"Tell Mabenga that I have just met Chiluba [Chiluba's motorcade] going to Kasama [last Thursday]. I can't panic over Chiluba. He is not a factor. I understand Chiluba better than Michael Mabenga will ever understand him. I understand his weaknesses and strengths. Chiluba has never been a factor in Kasama, Northern Province and anywhere," Sata said. "I am inviting Rupiah Banda and Chiluba to a joint rally. I will bring my people and let them bring their people, so that I can tell them in their faces how wicked they are."

Sata mockingly said he felt sorry for President Rupiah Banda because he had surrounded himself with people who had no credibility.

"When I was accused, I went to court and won the case. But Mabenga pleaded with Levy Mwanawasa not to prosecute him over the abuse of CDF [Constituency Development Fund) in Mulobezi," Sata said. "If Rupiah Banda and Mabenga think they will survive on Chiluba, they are wasting their time. They will sink together with him."

Sata said he was ready for an open match with Chiluba because the two had engaged in shadow boxing for a long time.

"In 1995, Chiluba didn't want me to be national secretary, he preferred Vernon Mwaanga. In 2001 he preferred Vernon Mwaanga than me. He reported me to the Anti-Corruption Commission [ACC] when he connived with Jumbe to say Medical Stores has paid money for my housing. It's me who in 2006 wanted to support him out of ignorance," Sata said. "I am glad it is not Emmanuel Mwamba talking. I am ready for him [Chiluba]. And he should take my offer, we go to Kasama at Freedom Square for a public debate. He wanted to go and launch the MMD campaign. He should tell Rupiah Banda how he failed his deceitful campaign."

Sata asked Chiluba not to even accuse him of having incited Kasama people to boo him because Zambians were aware of his [Chiluba's] thieving.

"Does Frederick Chiluba think Zambians are stupid that he has US $8.5 million without the source? They have been reading. He paid to his relatives, Katebe Katoto US $20 million, people have been reading. It is not me organising them. Is it me who organised the London Court? It is George Kunda and Michael Mabenga," he said.

Sata also said it was hypocrisy for Vice-President Kunda to tell the people of Kasama that they should not vote for PF candidate Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.

"George Kunda is member of parliament for Chitambo, does he stay in Chitambo? He stays in Lusaka. Michael Mabenga is MP for Mulobezi but he stays in Lusaka. So what are they talking about?" Sata asked.

Mabenga was quoted in last Friday's edition of the Times of Zambia as having wondered why Sata had made an issue of Chiluba attending Ukusefwa Pang'wena traditional ceremony.

He said Sata was just scared of Chiluba.

But Chiluba said he knows Sata's corrupt and thieving ways.

"We'll take Sata on. If there is anyone who knows his corrupt and thieving ways, it's us. Sata knows what we did to build that boat he calls the PF and we will use similar methods to leave it the shell we found it. We will not allow him to hire thugs to cause embarrassment to us. He hired thugs and want to show that Kasama residents have not received us when in fact not," Chiluba said. "We know why he doesn't attend traditional ceremonies! We were given a hero's welcome at the ceremony. A clear testimony that our people do not harbour the feelings portrayed by The Post and Mr Sata. We came for the ceremony and Mr Sata's fears that we are here to campaign are misplaced."

Meanwhile, Sata said President Banda wanted to rubber stamp the sale of Zamtel through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA).

He wondered why President Banda had insisted on the involvement of RP Capital as the financial advisor over the sale of the company despite public outcry against RP Capital.

Sata said government had even failed to avail to the public results of the evaluation process conducted by RP Capital Partners.

"They are just rubber-stamping. They have already sold Zamtel. They are only covering it up like Water Gate. Where is the feasibility study? What are the constraints of running Zamtel? In 1991, there was a feasibility study to show that we were unable to run Zambia Airways and other parastatals because we didn't have foreign exchange," Sata said. "If they [government] want, it is simple, give these people a licence to start a cell phone company. Why insist on Zamtel? They [President Banda's government] are defending what they have already paid."

ZDA last week announced that they would be the main privatisation agent for Zamtel with RP Capital Limited as the financial advisor.

On the statement by Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Stephen Lungu that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chalwe Mchenga should have appealed Chiluba's acquittal because there are enough grounds for the appeal, Sata said Mchenga was a man of double standards who had failed the office of DPP.

"The same DPP has appealed against the acquittal of PF cadres alleged to have assaulted Faustina Sinyangwe. If he has appealed against simple cadres, why has he failed to appeal on behalf of the public against Chiluba?" Sata asked.

And addressing a rally at Freedom Square in Kasama last Thursday, Sata said it was impossible for Chiluba to finish him.

Sata said Chiluba had nothing to show to the people in terms of developmental projects he did.

Sata, with a barrage of riddles, said GBM should listen to the people if he were to become a member of parliament for Kasama Central.

Sata said despite GBM and MMD's Burton Mugala filing in their nominations within the stipulated time, President Banda had to co-opt an independent candidate and one from UPC through minister Charles Shawa.

"Ulya [Shawa] uwumoneka nge mfubu. Baya sokota, ba sanga umwina Kasama munenu, ati iminina pa UNIP [that Shawa who looks like a hippo, they went and scrounged for your fellow Kasama resident and told him to stand on the UNIP ticket]," Sata said.

But the UNIP candidate was the first to file in his nominations.

Sata said despite the closing time of 15:00 hours, the Electoral Commision of Zambia allowed UPC to file.

He blamed the ECZ for flouting its own rules.

Sata said Kasama police and Buseko have had no toilets and GBM should work towards resolving those problems if he were elected member of parliament.

He said for 45 years, Kasama roads and the hospital had remained dilapidated.

Sata boasted that Mpika had better roads than Kasama.

He said even the minister's house in Kasama had been taken over by National Heritage, signifying the economic decay in the provincial town.

Sata said the government had instructed officers from the security wings, through their supervisors to vote for the MMD.

However, he advised them against obeying such orders because they too were suffering like ordinary people.

Sata said the government had gone further to bring hearses because they knew that people were dying because of lack of hospitals and food.

And PF candidate GBM said he took his milling plant out of Kasama because of Chiluba.

GBM explained in Bemba to a hushed rally the reasons for moving his milling plant out of Kasama: "The president [Sata] has mentioned something about a milling plant because that is what people are talking about here. That, I moved the milling plant from Kasama. Yes, I moved it. This is the third time I have stood before you. I came with Mwanawasa, I came with president Sata recently and today. But I will repeat myself and tell you reasons why I moved the milling plant to Lusaka. What happened was that when Chiluba was in power, he sold the plant, it was privatised. And I was one of the bidders. We were 10 of us even the owner of House of Kasama was one of the bidders. But it was me who won the tender because I was the highest bidder at that time in September, 1995. The government gave me 180 days in which to pay or they would repossess it. Within 180 days, I went to the bank. I had some money with me but I wanted the bank to help me top up. I was given, paid everything and the milling plant became mine. From there I went to the former minister [Daniel] Kapapa, who is dead and told him that the plant I have bought is very big. It's so big that the whole Northern Province is small because it was milling a lot. Please help me so that I can be able to supply to schools, ZNS and police," he explained.

He said Kapapa was agreeable.

GBM said despite assurances, nothing happened and the mealie-meal started rotting.

GBM said Finance Bank also started querying him over the loan.

He said he sought Chiluba's intervention over the plant and the proposal to supply government institutions.

He said the other option was to move the plant out.

GBM said Chiluba wrote him a letter, which he still has telling him to do whatever he wanted.

GBM said he was scared that the bank would grab the milling plant from him and he decided to move it.

He said despite moving the plant, he still had buses - Germins - which were servicing the people in Kasama.

GBM said at times the buses were empty but still serviced Kasama.

Labels: CHILUBA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:55 PM