Maravi

Mabenga loses temper on live phone-in programme

Mabenga loses temper on live phone-in programme
By Agness Changala
Sun 07 Feb. 2010, 06:50 CAT

MMD chairman Michael Mabenga on Thursday lost his temper and labeled one of the caller’s contributions “stupid” and “foolish” when he featured on Q FM. During a live phone-in programme dubbed Public’s Last Say, the caller identified as Muchindu opted to call Mabenga Mr Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

In response to Muchindu, Mabenga, who is also lands deputy minister, angrily asked Muchindu to explain what he meant by calling him Mr CDF. “What do you mean Mr CDF?” Mabenga asked.

“You ate the money for Mulobezi,” replied Muchindu.

Mabenga said it was very foolish of Muchindu because he did not even know what he was talking about.

“If I am able to get you there, I am going to get you and you will get arrested for that. That’s very silly of you, I must say,” he said.

Mabenga said when people attacked him in a stupid and foolish manner, he would defend himself from such attacks.

“You see when you have people speaking stupid like this; I must be able to defend myself because he has no evidence at all. He has no evidence,” he said.

Mabenga threatened to take Muchindu to court if he talked about corruption allegations without evidence and asked him not to open what he called new routes.

“I was not found guilty. I should have gone to prison, which prison did I go to? Nothing like that happened, and that’s why I am saying don’t talk about empty things,” he said.

Mabenga told the caller to just complain about the drainage like he earlier started.

He urged Muchindu to be objective and talk about things that were meaningful.

“You see, we know you are the same people who call almost all radio stations and people understand you. We know you but let us speak things that are objective, then we will be able to answer you,” Mabenga said.

And a sympathiser of the MMD advised Mabenga to appreciate what people were saying about his party.

He said the government must attend to people’s needs because that was what people needed at the moment.

“What people need at this moment is food, mealie meal prices are rising by the day so as a government, what are you going to do about it? Try and sit down on the table, what are we doing?” the sympathiser said.

Earlier, Mabenga said the MMD government was trying hard to ensure that employment was created for the people of Zambia.

He said the government was also encouraging more investors to come to Zambia.

“Each time you see the President going out, he tries as much as possible to woo investors to come to our country, to come and work together with us in Zambia here,” he said.

Mabenga said it may take a bit of time but the government was convinced that it was there and the employment opportunities were being provided.

He said the mines would be opened in some provinces and employment would come forth.

On concerns that the government had failed to address drainage problems in Lusaka, Mabenga said the government should not be blamed because there were members of parliament and councillors in charge.

Mabenga advised the public to go to Lusaka Province minister Charles Shawa to get a yellow book and see what had been allocated to the province for such works.

Mabenga said the government had responded by giving provinces resources that should cater for their needs.

Labels: CDF, MICHAEL MABENGA, QFM

posted by MrK @ 3:08 PM