Ongoing issuance of NRCs is discriminatory – Sata

Ongoing issuance of NRCs is discriminatory – Sata
By Florence Bupe
Mon 05 Apr. 2010, 04:01 CAT

SCORES of people who lined up to obtain National Registration Cards (NRCs) at Matero Council Hall yesterday abandoned the queues to get a glimpse of Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata who was in the area.

There was a moment of confusion when Sata arrived at the centre as the crowds shouted “pabwato”. And Sata charged that the ongoing issuance of NRCs was discriminatory. Sata said the MMD was trying to use the exercise as an initial rigging means.

He said PF would not tolerate discriminatory practices in the implementation of the NRC issuance exercise.

“Government should not play with the issue of NRCs otherwise they are inviting big trouble on themselves,” Sata said in an interview after visiting the centre.

“I saw for myself at Matero that the officers are favouring those who belong to the MMD. This exercise should not be based on party affiliation because NRCs are not just meant for the purpose of voting.”

Sata said the MMD was clearly up to something sinister and was trying to use the exercise as a front to promote their agenda.

“Home affairs minister Lameck Mangani and President Rupiah Banda thought this exercise was just going to be for the MMD so that they rig the 2011 elections easily. I want to urge every youth and all those that do not possess NRCs to take this opportunity to register so that together we can institute the change that we need,” Sata.

Sata said the PF was ready to eliminate what he termed as stupid discrimination once voted into power.

“The reason people are demanding for change is because they have seen what is going on. People need change to remove this stupid discrimination which is going on,” Sata said.

“We also need change to restore dignity to the Zambians and get our economy back on its feet. In South Africa you can buy a car with K70,000 rand equivalent but here that amount will only fetch you a bag of mealie-meal.”

Sata disclosed that the PF had assigned some of the party’s members of parliament to monitor the registration exercise in Matero and Chunga.

“In some areas where we do not have our members of parliament, like Matero, we have assigned our member to monitor. We have given Matero Constituency to Willie Nsanda and our Kanyama member of parliament Gerry Chanda will oversee Chunga,” he said

Sata also complained that the period allocated for the NRC issuance was inadequate especially for vast locations like Lusaka.

He said PF would push for an extension of the issuance exercise to allow more people obtain NRCs.

And Sata said UNIP was making a comeback through people like President Banda and Lusaka Province MMD chairman William Banda.

“The MMD are already making changes within the party and are being replaced by UNIP without realising it. William Banda and Rupiah are appointing UNIP people to key positions. So UNIP is slowly coming back in the background,” said Sata.

Meanwhile, a check at Chunga High School revealed that the NRC issuance exercise was progressing smoothly despite long queues.

Some people arrived at the centre as early as 03:00 hours.

A registration officer said more than 500 people had so far obtained NRCs since the commencement of the exercise last Friday.