Maravi

Chiluba is going mad, declares Sata

Chiluba is going mad, declares Sata
By Patson Chilemba
Sun 21 Feb. 2010, 19:10 CAT

FREDERICK Chiluba is going mad, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata declared yesterday. And Chiluba yesterday launched scathing personal attacks on Sata and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.

Commenting on former president Chiluba's attacks on him Sata during the press briefing yesterday, Sata questioned Chiluba's sanity over the several hallucinations about him at the press briefing.

He said Chiluba was failing to reason properly because he was extremely under pressure as he did not command any respect from reasonable Zambians.

Sata said Chiluba should be ashamed for calling for a press conference to discuss individuals.

“He is already mad, because if you call for a press conference, he should allow the media to clarify certain lies he has made, but he didn't. Wamene Mulungu afuna kuononga ayambisa amufuntisa he who God wants to destroy, He first makes them mad. He is going very mad. The whole press conference was to campaign for Rupiah Banda,” Sata said.

“He is extremely under pressure, and if he is not careful, it might become worse than that.”

He said Chiluba should not compare himself with other former heads of state such as former US presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and former South African president Nelson Mandela who were noble, respectable and relevant to their nations' development.

He said noble leaders like Clinton could not reduce themselves to holding dark-corner meetings or distributing one thousand kwachas like Chiluba did recently on the Copperbelt.

Sata said the only thing Zambians remembered when they heard Chiluba's name was his involvement in corruption.

“Frederick Chiluba should not compare himself to noble world leaders, because here we have Nelson Mandela and Dr Kenneth Kaunda. You have seen how their crusade against AIDS has been gaining world recognition. He is so disgraced that he cannot compare himself to those world leaders. Have you ever heard Bill Clinton call for a press briefing to talk about John Mc Cain's morality, which morality cannot be substantiated?” Sata asked.

“Look at the work Bill Clinton was doing in North Korea? Can you compare that with those clandestine meetings Chiluba was having on the Copperbelt?”

On Chiluba's attacks on PF-controlled councils that they had hiked rates, Sata said everything Chiluba said showed that President Rupiah Banda's government was doing nothing to improve the people's welfare.

He said in fact those houses on the Copperbelt were sold in 2001, way before the PF took control of any council in the nation.

“I don't know what he called that press conference for. Who comes up with laws about the rates? Is it not the ministry of local government? So he is just contradicting his brother. And if at all his works are not politically motivated, why is he telling them to the nation, and not Rupiah Banda? He is speaking publicly in order to undermine Rupiah Banda,” Sata said. “That man is a dribbler. He is a trickster, so Rupiah Banda should be careful with him.”

On Chiluba's assertions that there was a traditional marriage between Sata and Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu's sister, Petronella, which bore two children, Sata agreed that he has children with Petronella but there was no marriage involved.

“I am not a polygamist. He grabbed a woman from Mwanza,” Sata said. “I will be meeting Chiluba in court in less than two weeks over his allegations that I was dismissed from the police service, and that I had a marriage with Petronella.”

Sata challenged Chiluba to explain the circumstances under which he came to know his wife, Regina.
On Chiluba's assertions that he was fired from the police service, Sata said he resigned from the police service in 1958.

“I joined politics. When I joined politics I was arrested in Luanshya, I was not in Zambia Police. In 1960, I was with great people like Justine Chimbaka, Mazimba from Ndola and Dingiswayo Banda. So tell Chiluba to go and get more information,” he said.

On Chiluba's assertions that he saved him when the MMD national executive committee (NEC) tried to pass a vote of no confidence against him, Sata said it was Chiluba who in fact instigated people like MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga and others to pass a vote of no confidence in him.

“Moreover, a vote of no confidence in MMD is not an offence,” he said.

Sata said he was disappointed that Chiluba forgot to produce a dossier he claimed to have in possession over Sata's thieving.

On Chiluba's assertions that Luapula Province was now a no-go-area for PF, Sata asked Chiluba to tell 'rebel' PF members of parliament to resign so that people could see who had more muscle.

“Let him tell that Peter Machungwa he is sitting with to resign, so that we can go to Luapula with him, and see who is more popular,” said Sata.

During a press briefing at his Kabulonga residence, Chiluba dared people who always attacked with the hope to silence him.

“Awe mwacepa bane you are not my match! They even talk about my person and my marriage to my wife! I will today try to respond in some way to their accusations after some long silence, you know how I reply always; it takes long.

Mr Sata has been on rampage trying to discredit me, pouring out a lot of insults against me. He has kept saying that I stole public funds, but what he doesn't know is that he made a statement which is on tape and I will produce that tape at a certain time, give a copy to William Banda and to everybody in which he said 'no Chiluba did not steal, those allegations are false'.

That was said by Mr Sata himself so what is the truth? Is the truth what he said or what he is saying now?" Chiluba asked. "Mr Sata always pontificates about democracy yet he is the one who grows cold feet to hold elections.

Mr Sata has never been a democrat because he hasn't been a politician for too long. He in fact fought against our freedom fighters. Let me ask Mr Sata to tell the country the truth. Ba Chilufya Sata can you tell the country the truth, were you a police constable in the colonial government which was oppressing our people or were you a freedom fighter?

Were you imprisoned for your participation in the fight for independence? Or can you say why you were jailed and dismissed from the police force?

"Remember Mr Sata I was in office for ten years as president and I had records on everyone of my ministers. As the appointing authority I also appointed the prisons and police services commission and I came to know the truth about you sir! Were you a colonial police constable or a freedom fighter?

Did you resign from the colonial police force or you were dismissed? And if so for what reason were you dismissed? It is not for me to tell, you tell the nation yourself because we want to know you, you seem to be the perfect gentleman but let us know the background. Let the Zambian people know the truth about you so that they are not in any doubt about the leader of PF."

He said Sata had projected himself as a moralist.

"On 19 September I think last year Mr Sata condemned me for pretending I am a born again Christian yet I am going with a woman I took away from a certain man. But my marriage to Regina was consummated in accordance with the law and custom.

It was conducted above board fulfilling all the requirements by first sending elders from my side to her people who agreed together to allow us to marry as she was a divorcee already.

This was almost two years after my divorce. So our marriage was and still is a very clean affair. But you the moralist Mr Sata can you tell me, are you a man of one wife or you are a polygamist? I am just asking questions. It's for you to answer.

Sir, can you tell me who is Petronella Mpundu, a biological sister to Bishop Mpundu of the Catholic Church, who is she to you? Do you have any relationship with her, can you tell the country, not me?" Chiluba asked. "Are the two children Mukupa and Chilufya your children? Are you the biological father of Mukupa and Chilufya? Did you by any chance consummate your marriage with her in a Bemba customary arrangement known as ichombela ng’anda traditional marriage or not?

Mr Sata is a moralist he will come out to tell us. If you are a man of sound morals tell us who this young woman who was working for the Ministry of Finance in Lusaka but now working at the Bank of Zambia in Ndola is, who is she to you - Petronella Mpundu.

Tell us if you are not the father of her two children. And finally, with this murky picture I don't know why you line up for the eucharist at your church, I will leave that to the church. Mr Sata I know you more than you think.

"When you were national secretary of our party don't forget; sometimes we must learn to be thankful I saved you three times when the NEC wanted to pass a vote of no confidence in you because of failure to write minutes properly.

Your English sounded more Taiwanese than English and the NEC said we don't want him. They suggested that young Paul Tembo, the late Paul Tembo, a graduate should be the one writing minutes because Mr Sata was only capable of putting a comma or full stop where he stopped, when he stopped breathing that is where the full stop went.

I saved him in all these things. I know his capabilities he can't fool me, he can't fool me and I don't want to discuss matter of abuse of office...I told Mr Sata I have a dossier, a thick one on him but I will not go into that. For now let him answer those two questions.”

On Hichilema, Chiluba said he had fears about the leaders in the UPND-PF pact.

“As for my neighbour Mr Hakainde Hichilema I have my one big concern about him because he chose to conceal the truth when it mattered most, to save my name. I have always believed that it is a character and mark of true leadership to one to rise to the occasion and reject injustice when others are being subjected to it.

You remember that on 11th July 2002 when late president Levy Mwanawasa addressed a special session of Parliament and made serious but false allegations against me he mentioned that I was responsible for the loss of US $35 million for the sale of Luanshya mine to RAMCOZ and he said that there was another US $12 million which was spent for the maintenance of the mine which I also concealed,” Chiluba said.

“But the day the President was making that statement he had actually been informed already by the ministry of finance and the ministry of mines that the US $35 million was actually received by ZCCM and the US $12 million was received by Grant Thornton who were receivers, who were appointed receivers and Mr Hichilema was part of Grant Thornton.

Yet he was not able to rise and say no president Mwanawasa as for that amount we received it, no he kept quiet in order not to allow the nation to get the truth. So my question is how can I trust such a leader who runs away from me in times of need?

"How can I trust that he would stand for me or for Zambians? And at one time you heard he called me a thief.

My challenge to Mr Hichilema...can he tell the nation, can he admit now that Grant Thornton actually received the US $12 million?

Because that's exactly what happened. I never saw a thing about that, why would a leader choose to keep quiet when he was both aware and accountable for the money in question? How could I be sure that if he became president he would be impartial and fair to all including me? Can he tell the country now that he knew about the matter?”

He said both leaders of the pact did not impress him as serious contenders for the highest political office in the land.

“My unqualified support for President Rupiah Banda is based on my personal judgment and assessment of the man.

I am impressed that he is capable of re-uniting our nation, bring development to all parts of Zambia, give every Zambian equal opportunity and of course promote equality of treatment.

I am convinced that given a fresh mandate of his own as our MMD party president and president of the Republic, President Rupiah Bwezani Banda will bring sanity to our nation,” Chiluba said. “We are also happy that God gave him great wisdom to appoint Honourable George Kunda his Vice-President.

Honourable George Kunda is loyal, very loyal man to the President, a decent professional who is efficient, articulate and capable of providing sound support to our President. Nobody in Luapula would go ask, such appointment and thinking of George Kunda, as the President did we support that 100 per cent."

He said he was petrified by the reactions over his recent visit to the Copperbelt Province.

“I cannot understand the sense or the thinking behind their vehement opposition to my visit to the Copperbelt which has been my home for many years as a young man, a worker, a trade unionist and a father until I became president in 1991. Does it really matter whether I go there for a funeral or just to meet with anyone I want to visit? Why does it become necessary for them to know where I go and who I meet? I am a free man and citizen and one of the principle architects of our modern democracy," he said.

Chiluba bragged that he boldly and bravely stood up and challenged the status quo during the period of the one-party state.

“It is worth noting that at that time in 1989 both Mr Sata and his nephew, secretary general of PF Wynter Kabimba were enjoying the fruits of the one party state as governor and town clerk respectively without a thought for the future,” Chiluba said.

“How in light of that information, does Mr Sata or Mr Kabimba expect to scare me now in this day and age with their threats? How do they expect me to cower in these circumstances? That is sheer wishful thinking.

“No amount of thuggery or political intimidation can ever succeed to trample down or rob me of my hard-won freedoms and liberties; No. No. No. These are my inalienable rights and anybody dreaming of tampering with them would be committing too ineffable a crime to contemplate.”

He said some people were simply politically and democratically ineducable.

“But somehow they are sensing that their relevance is wearing thin as people no longer accept their conduct. They are thus behaving like defeated soldiers on the retreat violently destroying anything in their path.

Violence, intimidation and thuggery are part of their political culture and such people not only seek to tyrannise the country at large but keep their own unregistered members in perennial fear,” Chiluba said. “At every opportunity or election, they get inebriated with the distant smell of political power.

Balakolwa nga baumfwafye ati kuli election batampa no kukolwa ati nomba twabamo, kulibe kwamene muzayenda... They get drunk at the thought of an election thinking that they are in for it. But you are not going anywhere and begin to frighten people.

One shudders to think what would happen if such people crawled like children closer to the feet of power. I shudder to think what would happen, I can't imagine the mayhem and anarchy."

He urged people not to allow leaders of political vandals to come back on the political scene.

"I want to state that yes, yes Mr Sata, yes Mr Kabimba, yes those others who care and matter I went to the Copperbelt in broad daylight and I will go back there and elsewhere again and again as and when need arises.

I do not need permission from opposition parties or the media to travel or do what I want done. This is not therefore an exculpatory statement that I am making but one of affirmation that yes I freely exercised and enjoyed my right to move freely,” Chiluba said.

“I am not seeking political office. Can you imagine how can I seek political office today? That's madness you already know second Republican president. It is in the history of Zambia and the history of the world, what other office do I look for?

My card number of MMD is 002, number one belongs to Arthur Wina, I am number two, number three is VJ Mwaanga.

The Almighty God ordained that I, Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba be the second president of the Republic of Zambia and it was so. That is already in the annals of Zambia and world political history.

“I am not fighting anybody but simply doing that which is not unlawful to the country or harmful to our people. Ex-miners invited me to interact with them because they know me having worked with them very well during my tenure of office.

They and their good families were beneficiaries of my government empowerment policy whose legacy still stands out bearing testimony to the era of political and socio economic emancipation.

"It is a legacy no amount of cheap political and media propaganda can destroy or erase, because any legacy must comprise both tangible and practical landmarks.

Pafwile ukuba ifintu efyo balemona elegacy not ifyakumfwa fye iyo There must be something tangible, that is what we call a legacy and not hearsay. I addressed meetings in Chingola, Mufulira, Kalulushi, Kitwe and Luanshya because the miners expressed confidence that I could help them convey their problems and challenges to President Rupiah Bwezani Banda.

I obliged and went because that is my role to link people with our President. I want to report to our party that in fact I have already presented a report to his Excellency for his perusal and eventual action on all my meetings with ex-miners. And the President was kind enough to call me back yesterday and said Mr President this is a good report.”

He also highlighted what he said were the points of interest miners raised and asked him to convey to President Banda.

“Ex-miners are petitioning his Excellency the President to instruct councils and the Ministry of Lands to expedite the issue of title deeds to people who bought houses under the empowerment policy.

They argue that this procrastination is a deliberate political ploy by PF to create areas of dissent in ex-miners against the government of President Banda whom they falsely accuse of neglecting the poor.

This procrastination has robbed house owners of any opportunity to borrow money from established financial institutions due to lack of collateral which is held in the frozen title deeds,” Chiluba said.

“PF-run councils have turned land rates into rentals which they have used to threaten continued ownership of houses bought under the empowerment policy.

There are stories on the Copperbelt of house owners whose furniture was confiscated by councils for failure to pay rates. PF run councils must be held fully responsible for the plight of the people.”

He said roads had become a hindrance to development.

“There is no excuse whatsoever for PF councillors to turn local authorities into chambers of conspiracies to wage political war against our central government. PF councillors have forgotten the role of local government in developing our country and have instead concentrated on criticizing the President and MMD government,” he said.

He said President Banda was right in calling for the auditing of councils especially those with huge budgets such as in Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe and all over the Copperbelt.

"Where is this money? What is it used for?" he asked.
He said rentals imposed on houses owned by PF-run councils were outrageous.

“PF-run councils have already proved to be too callous to be expected to do anything for people. They are simply incapable of running councils.

They are not focused. They know how to charge excessive rentals on houses, which they do not maintain. PF councillors take turns with their MPs to criticize the President or government while doing more damage to the lives of the people, they purport to represent and care for,” he said.

Chiluba vowed to continue talking.

"Although there are no hard and fast rules about the role of a retired president it is common knowledge and practices that on retirement the president is not disconnected from the incumbent.

How can I be disconnected? Unless the one in office disconnects me," Chiluba said. "A retired president is essentially a goodwill ambassador whom the President can send on any assignment or any mission. That is my role, that is the role of umukalamba wandi my elder brother Dr Kaunda. We are not in opposition and we shall not be in opposition.

"Let me give you examples, US President Barack Obama has sent Bill Clinton to go and free American journalists in North Korea... Jimmy Carter, has been used many times to settle political feuds in the world and recently Bill Clinton was also in Haiti.

I admire president Mandela even at an old age when President Jacob Zuma says come to this meeting he goes to help Zuma. I am available to render my free services to the President Rupiah Bwezani Banda, our party and government and the people of Zambia," he said.

He said people must not allow MMD to become a closed shop.

"Because we cannot afford in this competitive political arena to have a closed shop. Our president of the party and of the Republic rightly said at Ndola Airport recently politics is a game of numbers and indeed democratic politics especially require even greater numbers," he said.

Chiluba praised Lusaka Province MMD chairman William Banda whom he said had recruited a lot of members some of whom may form part of the future party leadership.

"And Luapula Province has gone in the same way as Lusaka attracting a lot of people in the party and the political landscape in both Lusaka and Luapula has changed.

Our duty is to replicate this in every province so that the party can be 100 per cent sure of victory. We need to rekindle the 1991 party spirit to ensure that our party president is re-elected both as president of the party and president of the Republic of Zambia.

Now is the time for the re-election of his Excellency Rupiah B. Banda as president of the party and the Republic. Let us go out and look for more votes, because our party is popular and is sure of winning the 2011 elections," said Chiluba.

Labels: CHILUBA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:11 PM