Maravi

Mpombo advises Rupiah on his sons

Mpombo advises Rupiah on his sons
By George Chellah
Tue 27 Oct. 2009, 04:01 CAT

FORMER defence minister George Mpombo has advised President Rupiah Banda to ensure that his sons declare interest when dealing with certain business transactions to avoid problems.

And scores of hired MMD thugs were last Sunday ferried in three buses to the Lusaka Play House to physically attack Mpombo and disrupted the discussion organised by the Press Freedom Committee (PFC) of The Post. Addressing the audience after the disruption, Mpombo blamed the recent fuel crisis in the country on the government.

“This is what happens because we were caught unawares. So you face those problems. But for the recent one, it was a bungling failure on the part of the ministry because they knew. This one… I don't know why they chose a briefcase businessman from Kenya,” said Mpombo in apparent reference to Dalbit Petroleum Limited. “At the airport when the President was going, he talked about his sons.

In terms of good governance, the sons must declare interest so that we promote transparency. It is a serious moral issue. They must say 'we are sons of the President so we declare interest'.

“But to allow them to go there and start doing business, that is not correct; it's unethical. In future, it's important for the President to ensure that his sons go through a normal process like anybody else…or else it will bring problems.”

Mpombo said ministers declared interest whenever they wanted to participate in any business transaction involving the government. He warned that Zambia would go flat on its face economically if the issues surrounding Indeni Oil Refinery were not properly addressed.

And Mpombo said he was popular in Kafulafuta Constituency.
“I must admit that I am not a political sprinter, I am a political marathon runner. And the people are very much behind me. I am very, very strong on the ground. I am game for a boxing fight, I am in the ring and in my corner,” Mpombo said.

Asked what has changed since he was among the people that supported President Banda in the 2008 presidential by-election, Mpombo responded: “Just like men would see a very flamboyant and swanky lady…so you won't know each other until after some time. After the campaigns, things changed.”

Mpombo said home affairs minister Lameck Mangani should be grateful because it was his resignation which resulted into his promotion as a full Cabinet minister. He said it was important for politicians to move away from a culture of insults.

On the forthcoming Solwezi Central parliamentary by-election, Mpombo said the MMD must not put its head in the sand when discussing such issues.

“…Never kill somebody who is committing suicide. In 1991, we (UNIP) never thought we would lose. I want to call on my colleagues not to treat the local government election results in simplicity. If this situation continues up to next year, then people should start writing their political wills,” Mpombo said.

“As leaders, we must be serious in analysing issues. If we want provinces like Western Province, why antangonise the leaders? Let the leadership humble themselves. Those mistreating others they are going to drink their own cup. MMD, unless we work hard, we will continue cheating ourselves.”

Mpombo complained that a lot of democratic opinions in the MMD were being whipped out.

“We are seeing the departure from our manifesto, the departure from the legacy,” he said, adding that a constitution was very sacred and must be valued.

“If we don't respect our constitution we are opening flood gates to political anarchy. Of course, even my own party there are machinations. What we have seen is a sad situation where people are saying we shouldn't go for the convention. Whoever will come out of that will be illegitimate,” Mpombo said.

“If people manage to manipulate and forego the convention, it will mark the beginning of the end of our political party. Those machinations and developments are totally undemocratic. Once people assume power they imagine that they are the most intelligent.”

Mpombo reiterated that the MMD national executive committee (NEC) was under siege.
“My national chairman Mr Mabenga is now a minister and has become completely irrelevant,” he said.
Mpombo also said there was need to encourage press freedom.

On the attack by MMD cadres, Mpombo condemned what he termed as a stage-managed attack to frustrate the discussion.

“We build this kind of brutality, lawlessness by chickening out. These are gutter politics. But I don't think this kind of politics we should encourage them. We must condemn it in the strongest terms,” Mpombo said.

Earlier, scores of hired MMD thugs were ferried in three buses to the Lusaka Play House to physically attack Mpombo and disrupt the discussion.

The thugs arrived at the Lusaka Play House around 14:30 hours just in time for Mpombo's discussion.

The thugs initially wanted to waylay Mpombo right at the entrance but had their plans thwarted after they were forced to enter the auditorium.

Immediately Mpombo arrived, he was ushered inside and the discussion started as planned.

However, barely five minutes into his presentation, Mpombo was forcefully disrupted by uncontrolled shouts by the thugs who were screaming and charging towards the stage as some members of the audience scampered in different directions.
The thugs later managed to get on stage and begun throwing metal and plastic chairs in the direction where Mpombo and PFC secretary general Shiekh Chifuwe were standing.

In the midst of the confusion, Mpombo was whisked away from the stage as Chifuwe wrestled with the thugs who were armed with metal objects.

Upon noticing that Mpombo was no longer on stage, the thugs who had engulfed the podium began chanting PF slogans with the view of hoodwinking a few people that were watching in shock and disbelief at the grand barbarism that was being exhibited right in front of their eyes.

Later, the thugs disappeared from the scene and boarded the three buses that were waiting for them by the roadside.
The MMD thugs went away with about three recorders, cordless microphone and a microphone stand, microphone cable and Mpombo's small bag which contained bank documents and other valuables. Swift action from the police saved the situation as they even managed to arrest a person suspected to be the group's ringleader.

After the fracas, Mpombo emerged amidst jubilation from the audience who insisted that he addresses them. The unshaken Mpombo later on went to address the gathering and condemned the planned act of violence by hired MMD thugs.

The matter was later reported to Lusaka Central police and statements were collected from both the witnesses and the thugs’ victims.

And MISA-Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe expressed concern over the continued unsafe working environment of the media especially during press conferences on controversial political events.

“We learnt with regret the 25th October, 2009 incident where recorders from various media houses were confiscated by organized hooligans during the PFC newsmakers forum addressed by George Mpombo that took place at Lusaka Play House,” Kabwe said.

“This subjected the media houses whose recorders were seized by this unlawful group to run dry stories or merely depend on their notes. This will affect their efficiency. The seizing of the recorders by the unlawful group of people masquerading as cadres of a named party, a day after Independence Day celebrations is very disturbing.”

Labels: CADRES, GEORGE MPOMBO, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 8:20 AM