Maravi

Magande is a frustrated man, says Rupiah

Magande is a frustrated man, says Rupiah
By Sandra Lombe in Livingstone
Sun 07 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has charged that Ng’andu Magande is a frustrated man who thought Zambia would collapse after leaving as finance minister. But Magande said President Banda is a wrong person to assess him because he never worked under him.

President Banda on Friday before departure for Lusaka at Livingstone International Airport said Magande has no issues to raise anymore. He was commenting on Magande’s statement that he had clearly exhibited stubbornness in dealing with public issues. Magande said Zambia’s current economic gains were as a result of the sound policies that had been initiated by late president Levy Mwanawasa.

But President Banda said: “He Magande has no issues to raise anymore. He lost his job as Minister of Finance and now he wants to take us back to Zamtel. He is like his brother whom I won’t mention. I don’t want to listen to him, that is why he is calling me stubborn.”

President Banda said Magande thought he would fail to find someone to take over as Minister of Finance and that the country would collapse after he (Magande) left.

“I don’t listen to frustrated people. That is why he is calling me stubborn. He thought that since he is not Minister of Finance, this country was going to collapse but I have found someone that is ten times better,” said President Banda.

But Magande, in an interview yesterday, said he had issues which had been raised in the story carried on Friday.

“Who is telling the truth? I even said that I was so positive that even when we change government, the country had a strong economy, which would not collapse. Where did he hear that the country would collapse? I am surprised. The issues were in the article. I talked about issues,” Magande said.

“I never worked under President Banda for one day, not even a minute, so where is he assessing me from? Let me tell you now that the road (Zimba-Livingstone) was started under late president Mwanawasa. EU didn’t have enough money to do the 72 kilometres road so the 30 kilometre was done by the Zambian government and the 42 kilometres under the EU money. That is how we started. For the 30 kilometres I had to convince works and supply workers who were adamant, so the 30 kilometres was done under government budget. I convinced the EU to do the 42 kilometres. All this information shows that before President Banda I was working with president Mwanawasa.”

Magande said he worked with late president Mwanawasa to get the contract to quickly work and finish the Zimba-Livingstone Road.

“He is praising his Minister of Finance (Situmbeko Musokotwane) because what he has done is fulfillment of his (President Banda’s) instructions. He (President Banda) is instructing someone. Me, who was issuing instructions? It is late Mwanawasa. Unfortunately, I don’t have my supervisor to talk for me, to speak on my behalf and assess me,” Magande said.

“He President Banda will not assess me because I didn’t work under him. He is completing late president Mwanawasa’s works. He has to remember that the chief planner was Magande, who is alive. If he forgets Magande who is alive, how can he remember Levy’s works?”

Magande said he did not want President Banda to bring him into comparison on who was better between him and Dr Musokotwane.

“Let Zambians judge my service. I intend to put myself to the ballot,” he said.
Magande said he would form a political party next year before the elections.

“Yes I am standing. I am forming one (political party) before the elections. I want the people of Zambia to judge for themselves.”

Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, NG'ANDU MAGANDE, RUPIAH BANDA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE

posted by MrK @ 4:36 PM