Maravi

Rupiah owes donors, Zambians an apology - HH

Rupiah owes donors, Zambians an apology - HH
By George Chellah
Wed 30 June 2010, 04:02 CAT

RUPIAH owes donors and Zambians an apology for misbehaving, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has said. And Hichilema said President Banda’s brutal mind and bullying behaviour has gone too far.

Commenting on President Banda’s remarks that nobody asked donors to help Zambia, Hichilema said it was really unfortunate that President Banda has extended his bullying tactics to donors.

“If I were him I would really not be bullying the international community as well as local taxpayers whose intentions are clear and that’s to alleviate the poverty. Rupiah’s brutal mind and bullying behaviour has gone too far,” Hichilema said.

“To liken the calls by donors on accountability to blackmail…I don’t think he understands blackmail. Donors are not blackmailing Zambians. They want their money to be used properly.”

He said President Banda is blurred by his brutal mind and bullying behaviour.

“A person of a President’s level cannot even appreciate the value of the support the country is getting from cooperating partners,” Hichilema said.

“The President is beginning to operate below, even by the minimum he was expected. State House is not a luxury home for Rupiah. State House is a workstation.

“When he was saying that, he was looking to be in a good mood. It really shows that such moods are misplaced.”

He said President Banda’s diplomatic experience is not helping him.

“As a former foreign affairs minister he can’t handle his international colleagues in that manner. It shows you his attitude towards work,” Hichilema said. “He owes donors and Zambians an apology for misbehaving. If this standoff continues it’s the people of Zambia that will suffer.”

He urged donors to ignore President Banda’s tantrums.

“I ask them to remain patient with us as Zambians. Our approach in 13 months from now is to work with donors,” Hichilema said. “In 13 months time we want to ensure that the donor support is aligned to the strategic needs of Zambians. So the donors should not listen to a misplaced President called Rupiah Banda.”

He said Zambians should not expect the corruption fight under President Rupiah Banda to advance.

“He is now encouraging people stealing public funds to continue. They are getting Presidential cover,” Hichilema said. “Is it not true that birds of the same feather flock together? Who are his friends now? Zambians should register so that in 2011 they can deliver change.”

Answering questions from journalists at Lusaka International Airport upon return from Namibia last Friday, President Banda said donors must not blackmail the country.

This was after he was asked to comment on how far the government had gone in dialoguing with donors in the road sector.

“I haven’t had a brief about that, but you know we should not rejoice in things like that. We should not allow donors to feel that they can interfere in our internal affairs. This is a free country, it’s a sovereign country,” said President Banda. “If a diplomat whom I have agreed to represent his country, in my country…in other words he has presented his credentials to the people of Zambia through myself as President of this country, he must know his limits. They have no right whatsoever to be peddling stories and say that ‘they have withdrawn this and that’. Nobody asked anyone to come and help us Zambians.”

The donors have over time expressed concern over the misappropriation, misallocation and abuse of funds in sectors such as health and roads among others.

Labels: DONORS, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:08 AM