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Zambians have been cheated on ‘Christian Nation’ declaration - Sata

Zambians have been cheated on ‘Christian Nation’ declaration - Sata
By George Chellah in Chongwe
Tue 08 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata has accused President Rupiah Banda and the MMD of hypocrisy following the exclusion of the Christian nation declaration in the preamble to the Constitution.

Addressing a public rally in Chongwe on Sunday, Sata said President Banda had removed the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation in the preamble to the constitution. He wondered why President Banda and the MMD were maligning him over the issue when they knew that they would scrap the declaration from the Constitution.

“Rupiah Banda and the MMD, when they were campaigning in 2008 they told you that ‘when Sata comes he will remove the Christian nation declaration.’ But now I have a paper here, which has been prepared by his Attorney General Abyudi Shonga... Frederick Chiluba is his friend and Chiluba introduced the Christian nation declaration,” said Sata as some people in the crowd shouted ulula disclose.

“But Rupiah Banda has removed the Christian nation declaration. The only reason why they have removed the Christian nation declaration is that the people that are giving them MMD money are not Christians. Even the people we call rebel MPs went to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) to remove the Christian nation declaration.”

Sata said President Banda only cared about his pocket.

“When Mwanawasa died, Rupiah Banda said he was not going to sign the wage increment for government leaders. As soon as they stole the votes, that was the first document Rupiah Banda signed in State House,” Sata said.

“Rupiah Banda comes from Gwanda in Zimbabwe. Today Rupiah Banda has no respect for you and he doesn’t fear and he is not ashamed. In N.A.B Bill number 53 Rupiah Banda says the minister may sell schools.”

Sata said the country was supposed to improve the existing schools and not sell them.

“Rupiah Banda wants to look after his pocket. He is telling us that they are going to build 150,000 houses per year. He has been President for two years when we can’t even see a toilet he has built in Chongwe. Where are the 150,000 houses? “Sata asked.

He cautioned the people against voting for the MMD in the forthcoming general elections.

“If we go back the same route of voting for MMD tizafa we will die. But if you want to continue suffering go back in the same route, vote for MMD. Even in agriculture, they tell you to rotate your crops,” he said.

Sata said there had been no substantial development in Chongwe ever since it was elevated to a district status.

“Rupiah Banda is saying he is building you a hospital but where are the doctors? He is saying he is building you schools, where are the teachers? Forty seven years after independence there is no water and people are still jumping on trucks for transportation, the choice is yours,” Sata said. “They say when Sata comes he will insult you. Whom have I insulted here? The truth is painful, the truth is like light.”

Sata encouraged people who had not registered as voters to do so quickly.

“Don’t be scared of rigging because they use you to steal votes. They use you to buy voters cards but look at the way you are suffering. These days to find people who are as old as I am, it’s a miracle,” he said.

Sata praised senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya II as a traditional leader who had always believed in development for her people.

Labels: CHRISTIANITY, CONSTITUTION, MICHAEL SATA, NCC

posted by MrK @ 5:51 AM