Maravi

William Banda vows to go for Post, Fr Bwalya

William Banda vows to go for Post, Fr Bwalya
By Salim Dawood
Fri 03 Sep. 2010, 14:00 CAT

MMD Lusaka Provincial Chairman William Banda has vowed to ‘go’ for The Post Newspapers accusing the paper of creating ‘a lot’ of problems in the country. But Post Newspapers managing editor, Amos Malupenga wondered how the paper was causing a lot of problems in the country by reporting truthfully and objectively.

Banda issued the threat when he addressed stage-managed defectors at Matero Community hall on Wednesday.

“We have been talking, talking, talking but since this paper is in Lusaka and am in charge of Lusaka I think I must go for it,” Banda said in an apparent reference to The Post to the applause of the cadres.

“We are not creating problems, they are the ones creating the problems by insulting our President.”

Banda said other people that were insulting second republican President Fredrick Chiluba like Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata should instead thank the former president for exposing him to the world.

“Anso bamene batukana ba president Chiluba (in fact some of those that are insulting Chiluba) like Sata, he was nothing, he must praise President Chiluba for picking him and making him known to the world. He became a national secretary, he became a director in one of the banks, where did he get the money from?” Banda asked.

And in apparent reference to Change Life Zambia (CLZ) director Fr Frank Bwalya, Banda warned that they would go for him for “having joined politics.”
“Even a father now, as a father if you have declared yourself a politician we are going to take you on,” Banda charged.

But Malupenga described as total nonsense Banda’s claim that The Post was causing problems in the country.

“He’s just not happy because The Post is exposing that which they want to be buried and for them that is confusion,” he said.

Malupenga said he was not worried about Banda’s threats but would not take them lightly saying the The Post reserved the right to defend itself.

He said should Banda go ahead and carry out his threats against The Post, the country will have no difficulties in telling who was causing confusion between The Post and Banda.

“We know William Banda is a thug, he can easily carry out his threats but should William Banda and his thugs come near our facilities during the course of our work, we will be more than ready to defend ourselves,” he said.

Malupenga said Banda’s threats had the blessing of his boss, President Rupiah Banda.

“We know that William is doing has the blessing of his boss and when I talk about his boss am talking The President. There has been so many times that he (Banda) has issued threats against President’s Banda’s ministers and the President has been quiet,” he said.

Malupenga said the work of The Post could not be judged by Banda but that he would leave it to the public to judge.

“But over and above, we know that this is just a fundraising venture, for Banda and the thugs that are under his command. For him to issue even those threats that he issued, he has made a bit of something for his living. He will call his sponsors and say have you heard how we are putting them under pressure,” he said.

Apart from just politicking, it’s source of livelihood, the more he seems to be fighting the Post, the more money in his pocket, so we are not worried about those threats it’s not the first time he is saying that but we can assure him that we are ready for him should he decide to demonstrate against us,” he said.

Labels: AMOS MALUPENGA, FRANK BWALYA, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, RUPIAH BANDA, WILLIAM BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:52 AM