Maravi

Rupiah, Chiluba friendship worries Nalubamba

Rupiah, Chiluba friendship worries Nalubamba
Written by George Chellah and Zumani Katasefa
Friday, September 11, 2009 5:09:05 PM

SENIOR chief Bright Nalubamba of the Ila people of Southern Province yesterday said President Rupiah Banda must be cautious over his friendship with former president Frederick Chiluba. In an interview, chief Nalubamba said it was a wrong time to promote the friendship between President Banda and Chiluba.

"It has come at a wrong time. If donors are not sure that this man is free and then you keep on promoting such friendship donors will have a problem to fund Zambia, I fear!" chief Nalubamba said.

"I can't break their friendship but I would urge the President to put the interest of the country first. The President must be cautious about his friendship with Chiluba because he is President of a nation and not President of an individual. Otherwise he is free to be friends with anybody."

He advised the government to listen to the masses on the controversy surrounding Chiluba's acquittal.

"Here is an excellent opportunity for the government to show appreciation that they are a government of the people, by the people and for the people," chief Nalubamba said. "They should listen to cries and needs of the people because that's what the people want. It's not a dictatorship, it's a democracy. If the people are wrong let the High Court and perhaps the Supreme Court decide that."

On President Banda's recent statement that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema should not incite donors against the government, chief Nalubamba said donors did not require Hichilema or the opposition to incite them.

"It's not what the opposition is saying that will send away donors, it's what the government does. Donors have eyes to see, donors have ears to hear and they know what is happening with their money here. When they pull out it's not because of Hakainde, it's because of what the government is doing. Let them consider their positions...what are they doing with the Mwanawasa legacy of fighting corruption?" chief Nalubamba asked.

He argued that the government's actions could send donors away.

"If the government is corrupt, donors will go. If they are not corrupt, what are they afraid of? Hakainde was only waking up the government as a citizen of this country. If there is corruption in Zambia it's time for them to start checking themselves," he said.

Chief Nalubamba said the government should restore confidence in donors just like the late president Levy Mwanawasa did.

On High Court judge Phillip Musonda's granting of leave for judicial review to Munali PF member of parliament Mumbi Phiri on the decision by the DPP to withdraw an appeal against Chiluba's acquittal, chief Nalubamba said he wanted to believe that the Judiciary was still an independent body.

"So we are waiting to see what they will do," chief Nalubamba said.

And Nchanga Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Wylbur Simuusa advised Chiluba to humble himself and stop fighting for his innocence.

Simuusa said it was strange that Chiluba was fighting for his innocence.

He said if Chiluba was a true Christian he should leave it to people to tell that he was innocent.

"If he is innocent why is he demanding for the restoration of his immunity? I am advising Chiluba to keep quiet and wait for people to say he is innocent," he said.

Simuusa said as a Christian, Chiluba should learn to be humble instead of bragging over his acquittal.

On Tuesday, Chiluba said he would soon have his immunity restored by Parliament.

Labels: CHIEF NALUBAMBA, CHILUBA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:12 PM