Maravi

PF-UPND pact is an alliance of snakes with two heads – Banda

PF-UPND pact is an alliance of snakes with two heads – Banda
By Kabanda Chulu and Abigail Chaponda
Sun 14 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said the PF-UPND coalition is a pact of snakes with two heads that will never rule Zambia since the Constitution only allows for one head of state.

And President Banda has accused the opposition led-councils of stealing money from people, saying that PF president Michael Sata should explain what his councillors are doing with the billions of kwacha they collect from rates and levies without providing services.

Meanwhile, a swarm of bees nearly interrupted President Banda’s address as it hovered above and around the Presidential stand.

Addressing MMD cadres on arrival from Luapula Province at Ndola Airport on Friday afternoon, President Banda dismissed assertions that he had promised the Luapula chiefs a Vice-President if gets the necessary votes from that region.

President Banda said he loved people and encouraged everyone to defect to the MMD.

“I love defections because they are good since elections are a game of numbers, the more people you have the higher the chances of winning the elections and Zambians should not preoccupy themselves with the pact because it will not work since it is a pact of snakes with two heads busy fighting to be number one. But our Constitution only provides for one head of state and there is not enough room for everyone at State House, it is one at a time,” President Banda said.

“My pact is with you the people of Zambia and give me support and I will give you more development. People are tired of lies because we never discussed the issue of Vice-President with the chiefs of Luapula and don’t accuse them, they are a wonderful people. Osa banamizila (don’t accuse them), we only discussed developmental issues and they only asked what government can do to help them considering the huge potential in agriculture, mining and tourism. Nothing of that sort of lies were discussed.
Anyway, they started with Sakwiba Sikota, then Konga and now its Chriticles but George Kunda is the Vice-President and I am not an unstable person. Even in personal life I married once until my partner passed on and I am happily married to a young lady and hopefully God will prolong our lives.”

On his visit to Luapula Province, President Banda claimed that huge crowds gathered to welcome him and his delegation.

“They encouraged us to continue with the good policies that we are implementing and we were well-received with many gifts. I got over 50 goats, one cattle, palm oil and honey, the people are incredible and they showed love to us and the reason is simple; they said Dr Chiluba is our son and he has been freed by the courts and they felt happy that I have not followed those who hate him,” President Banda said. “Hatred has a limit and people should move forward to rebuild.

Personally, I don’t hate anybody and I love people since I want more votes and I am happy in Luapula only two MPs are following the pact of snakes with two heads, the rest have left since they want peace and unity and not picking up fights everyday. Now this pact they don’t even have respect for chiefs but who is going to vote for them? They are busy antagonising people.”

President Banda accused PF-UPND-controlled councils of stealing billions of kwacha from property rates and levies without providing services such as roads.

“I have listened to your cries, you tenants of Itawa Flats and the Chinese Housing Complex in Ndola, especially that the council has been stealing billions of kwacha without providing services. Why charge you more when you stay in houses that are cracking thus putting your lives in danger?”

President Banda asked. “But they will not steal anymore since they are not in government and soon we shall be moving to Kitwe because similar incidents are happening and we shall thoroughly audit them to find out how much they collect as rates from the mines without doing roads.

We shall expose them and we shall take them head on so that Zambians know who is stealing from them and I challenge Sata, the other head of the pact of snakes to explain what his councillors are doing with the money collected.”

He said leaders the world over were capable of causing violence.
“The attack on Dr Chiluba at Bank of Zambia Guesthouse is an act of cowardice. How do you take on someone when he is sleeping and arson is a criminal offence and we shall arrest and take them to prison,” said President Banda.

And when the swarm of bees hovered about the presidential stand, President Banda remarked, ‘bani tumila nzimu’ while the MMD cadres responded that ‘Ni Sata.’

Earlier, MMD Copperbelt Province chairman Joseph Chilambwe and some cadres physically removed their provincial publicity secretary Richard Mofya from the airport premises following accusations that he was seen greeting George Mpombo at court last week.

Mofya confirmed the fracas, saying some people were jealousy of his achievements and wanted him out of MMD.

And welcoming President Banda, Chilambwe said the President should focus on the ball to score and deliver since the people were with him.

“We have a nice gift for you and this is the 117 defectors from both the PF and the UPND and soon we shall have more defections in Luanshya and Kitwe,” said Chilambwe.

And Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima urged President Banda to remain resolute and build the nation despite desperate criticism and jealousy.

Labels: PF-UPND, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:47 AM