Rupiah hell-bent on destroying Zambia - Mpombo

Rupiah hell-bent on destroying Zambia - Mpombo
By Salim Dawood
Mon 30 Aug. 2010, 14:00 CAT

President Rupiah Banda is hell-bent on destroying Zambia, Kafulafuta member of parliament, George Mpombo has charged. And Mpombo has described MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga as a spineless and empty political megaphone without the slightest political influence.

Commenting on President Banda’s latest outbursts against donors and diplomats accredited to Zambia, Mpombo told Post Online that President Banda’s behaviour was testimony of his resolve to destroy the country.

Mpombo charged that just because President Banda did not need donors personally because he could survive with money he has recently acquired, did not mean that the many suffering Zambians did not need the donors’ contribution to the country.

Mpombo said it was disastrous for President Banda to adopt a confrontational stance with donors without properly reflecting on the consequences of his actions.

“Banda has minted millions of money from dubious projects, otherwise how do you explain him coming from a completely dysfunctional farm in Chipata to be the richest man in Zambia? That in itself tells volumes,” Mpombo charged.

“He should feel for the many Zambians who have not got the kind of money he has, who have not got the kind of food that he has, who have not got the kind of medical care that he has.”

Mpombo charged that President Banda’s behaviour was testimony of his resolve to destroy the country and the ruling MMD party.

“Banda is hell-bent on destroying the country and the MMD,” charged the former defence minister.

He said President Banda's insistence on projects that people were opposed to like the mobile hospitals was surprising.

“Mobile hospitals are not the panacea to our health problems. What we need is improving on the already existing structures,” he said.

Mpombo said health minister Kapembwa Simbao should not join the bandwagon of petty politicians that were justifying the mobile clinics.

And on the launch of the Muchiji Railway line, Mpombo said President Banda is not a sincere person by not mentioning that the project was re-launched by late President Levy Mwanawasa.

“When the Muchinji rail line was launched, it collapsed and was resurrected by the late President who included it in the budget but Banda wants the credit for it, what credit is he talking about?”, Mpombo asked.

And reacting to Mabenga’s announcement over the weekend that MMD would expel him and his Chilanga parliamentarian counterpart, Ng’andu Magande, because the duo had violated so many party regulations, Mpombo warned that Mabenga was playing with fire.

“You see number one, Mabenga is a highly confused chap, he has no political substance, he is an empty political megaphone. He must remember that six months after Banda became President, I saved him from a severe beating from the late Tetamashimba and Mulongoti at Parliament for shuffling his seat. They were angry that he called an urgent meeting in which he wanted to declare Banda president of the party,” he said.

Mpombo charged that Mabenga was appointed deputy minister to manipulate the MMD constitution and prolong President Banda’s political survival.

“So for me Mabenga must think twice, he is a spineless political chap, he hasn’t got any influence as he claims,” he said.

“Mabenga with the entire government machinery and government influence was defeated by Milupi (Luena member of parliament) just an individual in his own province, so if he has no influence in his own province, where does he get the audacity and cheekiness to claim he has any influence,” Mpombo asked.

Mpombo cautioned Mabenga to stop fighting him because that amounted to playing with fire.

“Mabenga is nincompoop who should never be taken seriously. But he is playing with fire, if he wants to fight, am not one to be intimidated, so let him go ahead,” he said

Mpombo accused Mabenga and President Rupiah Banda of introducing petty tribal politics in the ruling party.

“Banda must not be allowed to bring cheap tribal politics in the MMD, all critical positions in the party must be shared equally amongst all people from all parts of the country. But (Banda) he is choosing blank dwarf politicians like Chembe Nyangu (acting MMD national secretary), we can’t have this kind of nonsense,” he said.

“Unless Banda stops this kind of reckless behaviour, the MMD is headed for thorough political, deletion, thorough political obliteration. How does he behave so irresponsibly? He is taking the party to total political extinction, total political erasure.”

He said President Banda had destroyed the democratic fiber and national character of the MMD including the party's chances of winning any election.

Mabenga was quoted on QFM radio saying the party will get rid of Mpombo and Magande before it holds its national convention.

Mabenga said the duo do not qualify to contest for any position in the party because they had violated so many party regulations.
He added that Mpombo and Magande have no place in the ruling party following their attacks on President Banda and the MMD national leadership.