Maravi

Mwata rates Rupiah very highly

Mwata rates Rupiah very highly
By Patson Chilemba
Fri 06 Nov. 2009, 03:59 CAT

MWATA Kazembe of the Lunda people of Luapula Province has said he rates President Rupiah Banda's performance very highly because of several developmental projects in the province.

And Mwata Kazembe said some people who were criticising the acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba were themselves acquitted by the courts but no one demanded for their cases to be appealed against.

Asked how he rated President Banda's performance in the last one year he has been in State House, Mwata

Kazembe responded: “Very high, when you look at development issues especially in the Province, I don't know elsewhere.”

Asked to specifically mention President Banda's developmental achievements in the Province, Mwata Kazembe responded: “Ba Chilemba, find time to visit, then I will be pointing at one or two things.”

However, Mwata Kazembe said it was up to the people to tell whether or not President Banda should be voted for in 2011.

“That is up to him if he wants to continue in office. It's not me to tell the people that President Banda has performed. People will be able to tell whether he has performed or not,” he said.

On Chiluba's acquittal on corruption charges by the magistrate's court, Mwata Kazembe said it was just that people were forgetful because late president Levy Mwanawasa mentioned that if the courts were going to acquit Chiluba, he would bury the cases.

On the calls by people for President Banda's government to appeal against Chiluba's acquittal, Mwata Kazembe said Chiluba's acquittal was not the first to have ever happened in the nation.

“In your own knowledge and understanding, is this the first acquittal that government hasn't appealed? You have been asking me but I will be answering by asking you questions,” Mwata Kazembe said. “Is this the first acquittal, and definitely would it be the last acquittal that government won't appeal? Ba Chilemba, you are a Zambia isn't it? As far as I know, treason, a treason case I think is the highest in the land. All the treason cases that we have had, I think from Dr Kaunda, Dr Chiluba, has any trial taken seven years? Why did the case involving theft take seven years?”

Mwata Kazembe said the “system” could only appeal looking at the merits and demerits of the case.

He also, in apparent reference to Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata, said those who were condemning Chiluba were acquitted but no one demanded for an appeal.

On the individual attacks involving Sata and Chiluba, Mwata Kazembe said he had not heard anything from Chiluba.

“The best option is let me find out what it is that is making them differ then I will have a better answer,” he said.

Asked if what he implied having a meeting with Sata and Chiluba to discuss their differences, Mwata Kazembe said: “No, I know how to talk to politicians. It is not just a matter of meeting them.”

Labels: CHILUBA, MWATA KAZAMBE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:35 AM