Maravi

Rupiah's new limousine puzzles Hichilema

Rupiah's new limousine puzzles Hichilema
By Joseph Mwenda
Mon 30 Nov. 2009, 15:00 CAT

President' Rupiah Banda's newly acquired Mercedes Benz S class armoured pullman state limousine captured from the Presidential motorcade at Lusaka's City Airport on November 28, 2009 after his departure for Kalabo, Western Zambia

OPPOSITION UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has described the purchase of a new presidential Mercedes Benz armoured state limousine as a sign that President Rupiah Banda wants to live a flamboyant life.

Commenting on the revelation that President Banda purchased a new presidential vehicle less than a year in office and in the midst of a persistent fuel crisis, Hichilema said the president had misplaced priorities.

“This Rupaih Banda and his government have no sense of prudence, he wants to live like he is a minister of finance. He wants to live a flamboyant life, he loves flamboyant things. We are told that just in Kalabo where he is, he has four to five planes, why would he need four-five planes on his funny trip to Kalabo where he is seeking traditional image building?” Hichilema wondered.

He said President Banda was excited over material things because he did not have them before assuming the presidency.

“He is excited about cars because he was denied a chance to have these facilities before and now he wants to buy them using public resources.”

“For us, even if we came into power why would we be excited over cars? We already have cars, we drive good cars and our priority when we start governing is to cut down the cabinet, reduce government spendings like building houses for retired heads of state and serve the Zambian people.”

“If a president goes to state house, that person must be able to put his family in a house. Why build a house when that person has a pension? Those houses cost K3 billion each. We can use that money to provide pipe water to our compounds, build roads, hospitals and schools,” said Hichilema.

Labels: CORRUPTION, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:07 PM