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Rupiah, Chiluba are licking their shame – Sata

Rupiah, Chiluba are licking their shame – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba in Lusaka and Chibaula Silwamba in Kasama
Saturday, October 17, 2009 12:46:16 AM

RUPIAH Banda and Frederick Chiluba are now licking their shame over the MMD's defeat in the Kasama Central parliamentary by-election, Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata charged yesterday. And newly-elected Kasama Central PF parliamentarian Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba said his victory is just the beginning of the PF-UPND pact success and road to forming government in 2011.

Commenting on the PF's landslide victory in the Kasama Central by-election that was held on Thursday, Sata said President Banda was deceived to think that former president Chiluba was popular.

“Mr Chiluba and Mr Banda, they are licking their shame. They must be licking their shame because Banda thought Chiluba is very popular in Northern Province, but he has now proved that that man is very unpopular in Northern Province. He's [Chiluba] a liability for him, and we would like to encourage President Banda to keep Mr Chiluba nearer him all the time,” Sata said. “We are pleading with the President to keep Mr Chiluba close to him all the time, because it makes our job easier.”

Sata said Chiluba had become sick in South Africa as a result of the MMD defeat and many more were going to be sick.

He said President Banda miscalculated the reality on the ground in Kasama because he was misled by his minions who included Vice-President George Kunda and MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga.

“They thought that if you go and pick rejects from PF such as [former PF secretary general] Edward Mumbi and Guy Mulenga, and they go to Kasama, start talking rubbish, unsubstantiated rubbish, they think that will take them somewhere. And Rupiah Banda was misled by George Kunda and Michael Mabenga to say 'pick Kenneth Kaunda and Frederick Chiluba to Ukusefya Pang'wena'. Because since that ceremony started, none of those two gentlemen have ever been to that function,” Sata said.

“I was with Frederick Chiluba in government for 10 years, he never attended a single Ukusefya Pang'wena. They thought Frederick Chiluba was very influential, but I am glad now they can swallow their pride. And you know they thought Kasama Central was as easy as Chitambo for them to rig, because they did everything, even the 4,000 that they got, that was not genuine.”

Sata said MMD had been taught a lesson and PF would now move to Solwezi-Central to help the pact partner UPND win that seat. He challenged the remaining PF rebel members of parliament to follow Saviour Chishimba's example by resigning from the party so that PF could recover their seats.

On President Banda's statement that he would have been miserable if Chiluba had been convicted and sent to jail, Sata said what President Banda said was an understatement. He said President Banda would continue to be miserable for interfering with natural justice in the nation by supporting Chiluba.

“He is going to be much more miserable. For example, Kasama is making him more miserable, and many more constituencies will make him more miserable. That is why he should keep Frederick nearer. And that is why I am saying, if all those rebels can resign starting from Chawama, Matero, all of them if they resign and then we go there and teach Rupiah Banda a lesson,” Sata said. “We need to teach him a clean lesson. Clean, no violence, no corruption, no intimidation.”

Sata said President Banda was supporting Chiluba because they were birds of a feather, going in the same direction.

“We told the people of Kasama, umutaba weshilu, bakombola elyo lipenene. So we told the people to eat, and they ate and enjoyed. But they never gave them [MMD] a vote. They got the money, they ate the chicken, they drank the kachasu, sugar, and finally they even stoned [tourism minister Catherine] Namugala to say 'you haven't brought enough',” he said.

Sata said because PF knew MMD's rigging tactics, they asked the electorate to sleep outside the polling stations on the eve of voting and they did just that to perfection as some even waited at the stations until the results were announced.

He said even the kneeling of Lusaka Province minister Charles Shawa to plead for the people to vote for MMD could not help their cause. Sata also said he felt sorry for Paramount chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people who had earlier asked the people to vote for MMD losing candidate Burton Mugala

“They said 'why are you kneeling down now because you don't give us basic amenities,'” said Sata. “Now that the election is over, let police arrest Namugala for dangerous driving because she knocked somebody and that person is in hospital.”

Sata said he would travel to Kasama soon to say thank you to the people for retaining the seat to PF.

Former foreign affairs minister Mundia Sikatana said the MMD was wired badly in Kasama because of President Banda's abusive language.

“Abusive language must stop. The leadership of the party is never seen at the party headquarters,” said Sikatana

Sikatana said MMD had lost Mwamba who was a very faithful member and assisted the party a great deal.

The PF overwhelmingly scooped the Kasama-Central when their candidate Mwamba amassed 10,688 votes against MMD's Mugala who got 4,184, leaving a difference of 6, 504 between them.

Kasama residents had been celebrating since 01:50 hours on Friday when Mwamba was declared winner of the hotly contested by-election.

And speaking shortly after returning officer for Kasama Central Constituency Alfred Nsama Muonga declared him dully elected member of parliament, Mwamba popularly known as GBM said he foresaw his victory coming.

“It was expected,” Mwamba said.

Asked if his victory would boost the pact between PF and the UPND, Mwamba responded: “Precisely of course...This is just the beginning of everything.”

“I, Alfred Nsama Muonga, being the returning officer for Kasama Central Constituency, do hereby declare that I have in accordance with the law ascertained the results of the poll in the said constituency and that they have been given to Ng'ona Maggie [APC] 40 votes, Ntalasha Christy [independent] 50 votes, Muhammad Hamir A [independent] 170 votes, Chansa Alexandar A [UNIP] 189 votes, Mugala Burton [MMD] 4,184 votes, Mwamba Geoffrey B [PF] 10,688,” announced Muonga around 01:50 hours on Friday morning. “I further declare that a total of 126 ballot papers have been rejected as invalid. Further I declare that a total of one ballot paper has been disputed. I, therefore, declare that said Mwamba Geoffrey B to be this day dully elected as member of parliament for Kasama Central constituency."

After the declaration of Mwamba as member of parliament, PF supporters including some civil servants and police officers jubilated.

Mwamba's supporters attempted to lift him but failed, instead they just surrounded him in celebratory mood amid cheers as he walked to his vehicle. "MP! GBM! PF!" shouted the supporters. "Mugala walala! Walala! Mugala walala! MMD yalala! Yalala! MMD out! Kuyabebele!"

Mwamba and his supporters drove in a long convoy to his residence.

I am tired. I have to go and sleep now. I need to reflect on a lot of things, said Mwamba as he was being driven out of the Civic Centre amidst tight security provided by Sata’s bodyguards.

The jubilant supporters spent the whole night and yesterday singing, ululating and dancing throughout Kasama town.

Motorists had been hooting in celebration while cyclists, who have joined in the celebrations, rung bells of their bicycles.

Mwamba's victory is the talk of Kasama.

Youths and the old, and all those with energies to sing and dance are being driven around the townships celebrating - like they were rejoicing a political revolution.

PF supporters had camped at various polling stations from 18:00 hours on Thursday when counting of votes started.

MMD members were nowhere to be seen since the election results were announced.

Meanwhile, MMD campaign manager Shawa congratulated Mwamba and the PF for winning the by-election, adding that despite losing, the MMD government would continue with its numerous developmental projects in Kasama Central Constituency.

Shawa, who is also Lusaka Province minister, congratulated Mwamba and the PF.

“They have won and we congratulate them for that, a thing which they don't usually do," Shawa said. "If it was MMD that had won they would have accused us of rigging. But I am very happy and I want to thank the people of Kasama we worked well together, we were very peaceful and I thank them for that.”

He said the MMD had made improvements compared to the results of the presidential elections last year.

“We have put up a better fight if you compare with the presidential results,” Shawa said. “There was voter apathy and some people might have stayed away because of fear of violence because our [PF] colleagues were violent.”

He said although the MMD were peaceful, the PF were violent.

“The PF even tear gassed our person. I wonder where they got the tear gas from,” Shawa said. “And we must not cling to tribal politics.”

He assured that government would continue with development projects in Kasama.

“He [Mwamba] will depend on government and the MMD government will continue with its development projects like building schools, clinics, building roads in Kasama,” said Shawa.

The Kasama Central parliamentary seat fell vacate following former PF ‘rebel’ member of parliament Chishimba's resignation from his portfolio and the party.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, CHILUBA, KASAMA, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 11:46 PM