Maravi

Rupiah is a lair, Sata tells Mpulungu residents

Rupiah is a lair, Sata tells Mpulungu residents
By George Chellah in Mpulungu
Mon 25 Oct. 2010, 04:50 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata has described President Rupiah Banda as a liar and cheat who does not respect Zambians. Addressing a mammoth rally at Muzabwera grounds on Saturday ahead of today’s Mpulungu parliamentary by-election, Sata said he was different from President Banda because he was honest.

“During the campaigns, we went to Isoko and met chief Tafuna. Rupiah Banda went there also and met the chief and when he came back, he told the state media to write a story that chief Tafuna spoke to him. That chief is sick, and he can’t even speak. I went there and I saw him. Let’s be merciful,” said Sata in an apparent reference to a story that appeared in a state newspaper where chief Tafuna was quoted.

“I am younger to Rupiah Banda by only six months but I am honest.

I am not a liar. Rupiah Banda came here to lay a foundation stone for the hospital. He didn’t even go to the current hospital where there is no water and where mothers are giving birth on the floor. “Why didn’t he improve the conditions at the current hospital before building another one? Is Rupiah Banda telling us that we should all stop getting sick until he builds another hospital Mpulungu?” Sata told the crowd that President Banda was just cheating them.

“If the departed freedom fighters who hail from this region like Mr John Mwanakatwe, Mr Mazimba and Mr Wilombe came back today and saw what is currently happening, can they spare you? This place needs leadership,” he said. “They have been cheating you that Sata is segregative.

Have I brought someone from Mpika to come and stand as a member of parliament in Mpulungu?” Sata said poor leadership had contributed to the spread of HIV/AIDS. “If I give these young men and women here jobs, they will not even have time to engage in irresponsible behaviour,” he said. Sata urged the people to forgive President Banda. “Rupiah Banda is not MMD; he is UNIP because he has never told us when he resigned from UNIP. Rupiah Banda is a cheat,” he said.

Sata said President Banda’s actions showed that he did not respect Zambians. He said during the campaigns, PF had been subjected to insults and violence by the MMD. Sata said President Banda and the MMD candidate Given Mung’omba were both dishonest.

“After you made Given a councillor, he went into the market here and collected money, promising that it was for your empowerment but the money went just like that. Given is only looked after by the wife. A person who is looked after by the wife is the one you want to make member of parliament?” he asked.

Sata expressed confidence that PF candidate Freedom Sikazwe will carry the day today. “They are electing you on Monday. They will give you a sample and after they have elected you, they will be waiting for the finale in 2011,” he said.

“If you want to finish poverty, you know what to do on Monday. On Monday, you will liberate yourselves.” And Change Life Zambia executive director Fr Frank Bwalya told the crowd not to refuse gifts from the MMD.

“When they bring things, just get but don’t kubeba don’t tell them how you are going to vote. I came here after I heard that one of the candidates is a thief. So I came because I hate thieves,” he said.

Fr Bwalya advised the people not to be cheated by the MMD.

“They are telling you that if you vote for the opposition, there will be no development. But is the money Rupiah Banda is using his mother’s money? Is that money he uses to come here with a helicopter his father’s money? Is that money from his pocket? Whose money is it?” asked Fr Bwalya as the crowd responded.

“Shesu! It’s ours.” And PF parliamentarians Given Lubinda and Geofrey Bwalya Mwamba, popularly known as GBM sent the crowd into wild laughter after they recollected the events of the 2006 elections.

“I am a giant killer. I defeat even giants such as GBM,” joked Lubinda.

As GBM swiftly rose from his seat and grabbed the microphone: “I lost that election because I stood on a ticket of fools. But when I stood on Mr Sata’s ticket, I won in Kasama. It’s only PF that managed to take me to Parliament.” AM/FM

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, FRANK BWALYA, MICHAEL SATA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 10:17 PM