Maravi

Levy turned courts into playing fields like Nkana Stadium - Chiluba

Levy turned courts into playing fields like Nkana Stadium - Chiluba
By Speedwell Mupuchi, Isaac Phiri and Misheck Wangwe
Wed 30 June 2010, 04:01 CAT

FORMER president Frederick Chiluba on Monday charged that late president Levy Mwanawasa had turned the courts into a playing field like Nkana Stadium. Chiluba said this when he addressed ex-miners in Chambishi Township.

"He just mentioned the late president (Mwanawasa) that in the eight years he was in power, he turned the courts like Nkana Stadium. I think it's because he was going to court frequently," said a source.

"Pali ba Sata, he said a lot of bad things, that he worked with him and that he cannot do anything, that he has no leadership qualities and that if given authority there is nathing he (Sata) will do for them. But clearly many of those who attended that meeting were not agreeing with him," said the source.

The sources also said Chiluba refuted rumour among the ex-miners that K87 billion had been released for them saying if that was the case, President Rupiah Banda would have stood on a table to announce it.

"He just mentioned one mine dump that it will be given to the ex-miners so that they can operate it.
He promised to take all the requests to President Banda," said the source.

The sources said people were let down by Chiluba because when he was President he never did anything about the problems he was now attempting to solve.

He said people wanted Kalulushi to be a district and Chiluba told them that he had already discussed the issue with President Banda and that he was merely waiting for a response.

And Chiluba promised Chambishi ex-miners and widows that they will smile next time he returns to the area.

Chiluba was responding to the ex-miners’ demands for money to improve their condition.

Chiluba met the ex-miners and widows at Kalulushi member of parliament Anson Simama’s guesthouse in Chambishi.

Sources said the ex-miners told Chiluba that their current situation (unemployment) was terrible as the Chinese investors in the area were not employing locals.

The sources said Chiluba was told that the Chinese investors only employed people from Kitwe, Kalulushi and Chingola fearing that if locals were employed, they would steal from them.

“They (ex-miners) told him that ‘our situation is deepening; give us money, loans so that we can share among ourselves to improve our situation’ and the former president laughed and told them that ‘that’s not an issue. I can’t do anything now but let me go and sit with the President (Rupiah Banda), next time I come you people will be smiling’,” said the source.

According to the sources Chiluba campaigned for President Banda as the only leader with presidential capabilities.

“He told them that ‘look I was in PF (Patriotic Front) but when I looked at Michael Sata, Michael Sata is not presidential material; he can’t match Rupiah Banda, so I decided to go back to MMD, RB is the right person to vote for’,” disclosed the sources.

The sources said the group of ex-miners just laughed at that opinion.

The sources indicated that Chiluba also talked about the Beggrim Explosives disaster saying government was aware of concerns of the bereaved families.

The bereaved families are demanding to be paid money that well-wishers donated toward funeral arrangements. According to sources, Chiluba told the bereaved families’ committee representatives present at the meeting that they too would be paid their money.

The sources said Chiluba told the bereaved families’ representatives that the money was being kept in “good hands”.

But the government had indicated that all the bereaved families were paid what was due to them.

The sources said it was clear Chiluba was campaigning for President Banda.

“The former president came with a lot of assurances, it (the meeting) was a funny one,” said the source.

According to the sources, the ex-miners also presented their concerns over mine dumps that previously belonged to the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines but which have been taken over by the Chinese.

The sources said the ex-miners told Chiluba that previously ex-miners made use of the dumps but when the Chinese came, they told the locals that they also bought the dumps deployed security personnel.

The ex-miners also demanded that Chambishi be recognised as a district and demanded that another clinic be built in the township to service the peri-urban area.

The sources said Chiluba told them that government was aware of all their concerns and what was remaining was implementation.

“He told them that everything will be in place,” said the source.

Other sources said Chiluba went to Chambishi following a request by ex-miners in Kalulushi district. The sources said Chiluba met the ex-miners among whom were widows and that these complained about the repossession of their houses after they failed to raise balances to completely buy the houses.

According to the sources, many people made part-payments but now the houses were being given to people with money. The sources said a widow complained that after her husband died she could not raise the balance and the house had been repossessed by ZCCM.

The source said Chiluba promised to take the matter to relevant authorities.

On his way back to Kitwe, Chiluba passed through Chimwemwe Market but did not take long after being advised that the situation was not very conducive for him. According to sources, Chiluba only greeted a few people and he left.

Meanwhile, UPND national youth chairperson Joe Kalusa has said it is morally wrong for a church to praise Chiluba that he loves the Zambian people when he brought a lot of misery during his reign as president.

Reacting to Living Water Global Ministries Bishop Bernard Nwaka who said that Chiluba had a heart for the people, hence he ensured that most people were empowered with houses when he was president, Kalusa said it was not in order for the clergyman to shower praises on a man who misappropriated the country’s resources and caused misery to the lives of many Zambians.

He said it was clear that Chiluba looted the country’s coffers and most of the people he acted with have been convicted.

“One would question why a man of God would parade Chiluba and shower him with praises when it was clear that he misappropriated the country’s resources and his key minions have since been convicted for stealing national resources. It is a shame and it is morally wrong for the church to praise Chiluba,” Kalusa said.

He further said if Chiluba thought that he was becoming popular on the Copperbelt, he should tell the MMD to appoint him as campaign manager for the Chifubu by-election so that he could test his popularity.

Kalusa said many Zambians were suffering especially in Kitwe and the entire Copperbelt because of Chiluba’s weird policies during his tenure as Republican president.

He said in Chiluba’s time as President of Zambia, many people lost jobs and failed to support their children in school because the fees in the universities and colleges skyrocketed.

“He is talking about the sale of houses as a means of empowerment. What have we benefited as young people from the sale of houses? He was a selfish man who subjected many to misery. People who worked for ZCBC, UBZ and Zambia Airways many of them have died without getting their benefits because of Chiluba. Why should we treat him as if he was very outstanding during his reign? This is unacceptable in every moral society,” Kalusa said.

Labels: CHILUBA, COURTS, MWANAWASA

posted by MrK @ 11:21 PM