Rupiah has taken over procurement – HH

Rupiah has taken over procurement – HH
By Zumani Katasefa in Solwezi
Tue 08 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has said President Rupiah Banda has taken over public procurements and payments in the country.

In an interview in Solwezi on Sunday during the victory celebrations for the Solwezi Central by-election, Hichilema said it was sad that President Banda was reported to have directed Ministry of Finance to pay Lusaka lawyer Rodger Chongwe US $5 million as compensation for the injuries he suffered during the 1997 Kabwe shooting incident.

He cautioned the head of state to be careful in the manner he handled national issues.

“The President must learn to follow procedures. If Rodger Chongwe has to be compensated, it is not State House to direct that, let those responsible work out that. President Banda has taken over public procurements and payments, he is in charge of all the obligations,” he observed.

Hichilema said it was unfortunate that State House was involved in many public transactions.

“You cannot have State House that has so many involvements. One would ask ‘why is the President pushing for his Chongwe’s payment’? Maybe he is doing so, so that he President Banda can get a K2 million,” he said.

And Hichilema told Solwezi residents during the victory celebrations held in various wards that the MMD government would be easily kicked out if Zambians continued working together until 2011.

Hichilema said once the PFUPND pact assumed power, it would bring development to all corners of the nation.

“We are the honest people, we want to bring development to Solwezi and the country as a whole. We will do what we can do to bring development to the people of this country,” he said.

Hichilema said Zambians needed basic things such as good food, clean water and education.

Hichilema pledged to donate 20 pockets of cement towards the rehabilitation of St. Francis Middle Basic School in Solwezi.

He commended the people of Solwezi for voting for the UPND candidate Watson Lumba in the Solwezi Central by-election.

And Lumba said he would remain committed to the electorate and ensure he worked together with them to attain development.

Lumba said he was aware of many problems that Solwezi residents were going through.
During the celebrations, many Solwezi residents especially those in the rural parts of the district, ate beef and drunk beer donated by the UPND.

In some wards, people complained that they had not received an equal share of the meat that was donated by the party.

UPND donated 16 heads of cattle to Solwezi Central Constituency for the victory celebrations.