Maravi

Rupiah is using power for dubious deals – Mpombo

Rupiah is using power for dubious deals – Mpombo
Written by George Chellah
Thursday, October 08, 2009 5:04:55 PM

FORMER defence minister George Mpombo yesterday said President Rupiah Banda’s administration is showing a lot of immaturity and is using political power to do dubious deals. And Mpombo said the government is handling the issue of diplomats in a very disorderly manner. In an interview, Mpombo said President Banda's administration was a danger to Zambia.

“…That's a danger to this country because, you see, they will plunder resources of this country through dubious activities. They are trying to use political power, political muscle to do their deals,” Mpombo said.

“Now this is very very dangerous to the survival of the country and they must know. We have had dictators, the Bokassas, the Idi Amins, you can use your political power but at one time or the other you will also be brought back to account for your evils.”

On chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha's remark that he was one of those allegedly holding secret meetings with some diplomats with a view to bringing the government down, Mpombo dismissed Lt Gen Shikapwasha's statement as a lie from a pathological liar.

“Honourable Shikapwasha belongs to a herd of pathological liars who are a serious danger to this country's democracy and to the future of the nation. He is showing advanced symptoms of serious political meningitis. There is no basis in what he is saying and I am not a kind of person he can intimidate with that kind of political concoction,” Mpombo said.

“I don't need to have dark corner meetings. This is a free country. Why should I be in touch with the donors? All what we are asking for is that 'let's have some orderliness in the running of the government'.”

Mpombo cautioned the government against framing people on trampled-up charges.

“What they must remember is that they can throw some people in prison now. But his time will also come. His time will come because it doesn't work. Throwing people into prison on trumped-up charges doesn't help anyone. Each monkey has its own day, so I’m not afraid. I have never at any time met with diplomats,” Mpombo said.

“You know, someone close to the government confronted me recently and told me that there is information in government that I have been meeting a lot of people in my room at National Assembly Motel. He told me that some of the people leave my room at the motel as late as 04:00 in the morning. When I was told that, I simply ignored it because I never thought any sane person can take it seriously but here we are today with Shikapwasha confirming what I was just told recently. But I am not scared of them or of any arrest.”

Mpombo said the portfolio of foreign affairs was an important function everywhere in the world and it is handled with caution.

“That's why you have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But what's happening in the country is that any Jim and Jack can stand up and start proportioning, disparaging donors…this minister stands up… that shows the disorganisation in the governing of the country,” Mpombo said.

He said if the government had problems with diplomats, they should summon and discuss with them.

“But you see, they are showing total immaturity in the running of this country. So to Shikapwasha, my message to him is that the people who are a danger to this country are the ones that are mortgaging the sovereignty of this country by engaging in dubious deals such as RP Capital,” Mpombo said.

“The RP Capital (deal) is a very destructive deal, which will cost Zambia dearly because it's being implemented under the guise of financial problems at Zamtel. So those are the dangerous people we have in this country, people that are trying to destroy the country through dubious business deals.”

Mpombo reiterated that the government had poorly handled the issue of diplomats.

Labels: GEORGE MPOMBO, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:06 PM