Muteteka awaits Rupiah’s response on his son’s advice

Muteteka awaits Rupiah’s response on his son’s advice
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 21 Mar. 2010, 04:20 CAT

LOCAL government deputy minister Moses Muteteka has said he is waiting for President Rupiah Banda's response to his son Andrew who advised him to rubbish William Banda's assertion that some ministers and NEC members are undermining the President.

In an interview, Muteteka said he could not say much on William's remarks because Andrew's advice to President Banda was like Jesus advising God.

“If you look at what you have written yourselves The Post: 'Rupiah's son advises his father to rubbish William's statement', then here Angela Cifire has said something. So what more can I say? This is enough, we are reading the papers. We are following the issues. So if Jesus advised God, what more can a disciple say?” Muteteka asked.

“No! No! I don't want to be dragged into things. Me, I am very biblical, if Jesus tells God that 'My Father this person' so we have to wait for Jesus and God to battle it out. As disciples, we will continue working, simple as that. So let Jesus be answered by the Father and then we will come in, as the church we will come in to say, 'maybe they are fighting'. But so far it has been taken on.”

Asked if he were comfortable with the statement by “Jesus”, Muteteka responded: “Aaa! My friend! jesus is as good as god. So what more do you want? Me, I am serving in the kingdom of God where Jesus is the Son. If I was not comfortable I would have resigned. You understand? Now that I am in the office working, what do you think?”

Muteteka said had Andrew and information and broadcasting services deputy minister Angela Cifire not said something, he would have commented on the issue.

“…I was going to tell you something but now that this is the step taken, I am nothing. Let me work,” said Muteteka.

Foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande, who is also MMD deputy national chairman, said he was handling the matter internally.

“I am dealing with it internally in terms of discussing the issue. There are certain things that are being done concerning those remarks that have been made and others,” said Pande. “It's an internal issue.”

Community development deputy minister Friday Malwa referred the queries to party spokesperson Dora Siliya and chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha.

“I am not mentioned. So how do I come in? I am not the only deputy minister. We are quite many and there are Cabinet ministers there,” said Malawi.

Home affairs minister Lameck Mangani declined to comment on William's statement, saying he was not there when William made the remarks, therefore, he did not know in what context the statement was made.

Siliya could not be reached because she was reportedly in a meeting.
President Banda's second born son, Andrew, who is one of the founder members of the MMD, said William's statement in which he blackmailed ministers and deputy ministers through intimidation should be challenged by those in the leadership of the party.

On Saturday, during the MMD annual card renewal exercise for Lusaka Province, William told President Banda that some ministers and MMD NEC members that sit next to him, eat and drink with him are slapping him in the face by clandestinely undermining him and his administration.