Rupiah will cry - Sata

Rupiah will cry - Sata
By George Chellah in Mansa
Mon 14 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda will cry like Kaunda did in 1991 after his defeat, says PF leader Michael Sata. Sata, who has been on a campaign trail with PF chairman for finance Emmanuel Chenda, Lucas Phiri, Willie Nsanda, Geofrey Bwalya Mwamba and other officials, concluded his Luapula Province tour with a huge rally at Senama market in Bahati Constituency.

During the rally, Sata advised the crowd not to be hoodwinked by the MMD ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

“Chembe Nyangu acting MMD national secretary is saying that even if you PF members are many, they will defeat you, you are nothing. What does he mean? Your children don’t have a future under the MMD. The MMD is coming to buy your voter's cards. They will give you soap and get your NRCs and voter's cards so that you don’t vote,” Sata said. “The Bible says you have ears but you don’t hear, you have eyes but you don’t see. When your ears begin to hear and your eyes also begin to see, Mr Banda will cry like Kaunda did in 1991. Kaunda cried after the defeat that ‘where were the women?’”

He urged the people to get the gifts the MMD would be showering them with during the election campaigns.

“When they bring chitenge materials, just get as many as you can so that you can even use some as mopping cloths but the secret on where you will cast your vote lies in your heart,” he said.

He reiterated his challenge to former president Frederick Chiluba to show the country what he had done for Luapula Province.

“Chiluba hails from Luapula, just here at Musangu village in Mwense. Whilst Kaunda and Mwanawasa can show the development, which they brought to Luapula, Chiluba only boasts of bringing cell phones,” said Sata mockingly as the crowd burst into laughter.

Sata said he managed to visit the Mwata against certain people’s wishes.

“Some four or five months ago, our former president and a few people came here and met at Mansa Hotel and they said that I have insulted Chitimukulu so the chiefs in Luapula Province should not see me,” Sata said. “But when I came, I first reported to Mwata Kazembe, chief Mumporokoso, chieftainess Kalaba and chief Munkanta.”

Sata apologised to the people of Luapula for not listening to their concerns over the PF ‘rebel’ parliamentarians during the 2006 adoption process.

“I would like to say sorry to the people of Luapula because our friends in MMD rejected Besa Chimbaka but one chief pleaded with me and I imposed him on you. I would also like to say sorry because the people of Samfya rejected Ernest Mwansa, Peter Machungwa and Joseph Kasongo. The people of Kawambwa rejected Chitika-Mulobeka… please forgive me. Even Dr Bernard Chisha and Jacob Chongo, the people of Pambashe and Mwense rejected them,” he said.

He wondered why the MMD wanted PF ‘rebel’ parliamentarians to re-contest their seats on an MMD ticket at the expense of loyal members that had laboured for the party in the past.

He said the untraditional succession of the late Mwanawasa by President Banda had caused problems for the country.

“As usual when you have not worked for anything you don’t care for it. Rupiah Banda became nasangwapo, fintu nshimona. Rupiah has even started dismantling MMD now,” he said.
He said President Banda was selectively handling plunderers.

“When you are in prison, it doesn’t matter your height, a prisoner is a prisoner. Why should Mr Banda choose between a good prisoner and a bad prisoner? The same people who committed the offence of plunder but others are angels,” he said.

Sata told the crowd that President Banda had increased the price of fuel.

“Yesterday Friday, Rupiah Banda increased the price of diesel and petrol so very shortly when you find the bus fare to Mufulira has changed, don’t cry for me, cry for yourselves,” he said.

At the same rally, former Mansa Central MMD member of parliament Kelvin Mwitwa defected to PF.