Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Don’t condemn the Chinese, says Rupiah

Don’t condemn the Chinese, says Rupiah
Thursday, October 21, 2010, 13:58

President Rupiah Banda has urged Zambians not to condemn Chinese nationals following the mine shooting in Sinazongwe district saying many other foreigners were responsible for shooting citizens in the country.

President Banda said this before his departure for Mpulungu where he is going to drum up support for the ruling MMD’s parliamentary candidate Given Mungomba, ahead of the October 25th by-election.

“I think lets be careful that we don’t single out people, everyday people are shot by Zambians, they are shot by whites, they are shot by Americans, they are shot by everybody and you know this business of Chinese… Chinese.. it’s like you want to create a phobia against people, that’s obviously wrong,” President Banda said.

He explained that government was acting on the matter and asked citizens to remain patient while the law took its course.

“Government is taking its position, we have detained these people, we have had discussions with the ambassador and he too agrees with us, and he has advised his people to follow the labour laws of this country.”

“…In this country, I want everybody to feel at home, if they make a mistake, they face the wrath of the law. So I don’t like what happened there and the law is taking its course,” he said.

The President then advised the opposition not to politicize the issue where 12 miners and a passer-by were shot and seriously wounded by management at a Chinese owned Collum Coal Mine when they attempted to present their grievances on conditions of service.

“We too as politicians, let’s not politicize labour issues. There are problems every day, when a country is growing it means that investors are coming from everywhere. On the Copper belt, we have big investments which are coming up. They are employing 10 thousand 15 thousand people… there has to be problems,” He said.

And President Banda said it was wrong for opposition PF leader Michael Sata to continue referring to the late Mpulungu member of parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo in order to gain political mileage.

“It’s also not nice to talk about a brother who is late, and if I hated Chibombamilimo, I would not have taken him to the Hospital in India.”

“The time when his condition deteriorated and we were advised that he needed to be taken to a hospital with better facilities, he was already not in good books with his party, but he is a Zambian,” he said.

The President further claimed that Chibombamilimo was very close to him and the first family.

“For your information, Mr. Chibombamilimo was very close to me, but that does not mean that he cannot be disciplined if he makes a mistake, even my biological children, I discipline them if they make a mistake, that does not mean hatred,” he said.

Labels: LAMECK CHIBOMBAMILIMO, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:17 PM