Maravi

Sata calls for early polls

Sata calls for early polls
By George Chellah
Thu 31 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata yesterday challenged President Rupiah Banda to dissolve parliament and call for general elections following his government's humiliating defeat over the Constitution of Zambia Bill.

And Sata says PF, the Church mother bodies and the Civil Society Organisations have been vindicated over the failed National Constitution Conference (NCC), which has gobbled over K135 billion.

Meanwhile, PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott said after voting with the MMD initially, the UPND realised that they would look foolish if they sided with the MMD again over the Constitution Bill so they finally opted to abstain from voting.

Addressing the press at the PF secretariat when he welcomed the UPND Western province leadership that recently defected to PF, Sata blamed Vice-President George Kunda for the failed constitution-making process.

“We have met today to reflect on what has transpired. Levy Mwanawasa appointed the Constitution Review Commission (CRC). George Kunda wanted to make money out of the constitution-making process so he recommended to Mwanawasa to have the NCC,” he said.

He said PF was among the establishments that refused to be part of the NCC right from the beginning.

“When we looked at the terms of reference, the Oasis Forum, Christian Council of Zambia (CCZ), Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), civil society and PF… because some other political parties retreated when they saw attractive allowances and went to NCC,” Sata said.

“George Kunda recommended through parliament that they should get more allowances, they got the money. I would like to commend the pact outside parliament and the pact inside parliament. We PF have been vindicated.”

He said it was the first time in Zambia's history since independence when the minority has defeated a Constitution Bill.

“If it was in the civilised world, Rupiah Banda's government would have resigned today because they have been successfully defeated in parliament,” Sata said. “Rupiah Banda was boasting that ‘you can’t impeach me’ but he was impeached yesterday Tuesday. He was saying ‘PF has no numbers’ but how can the people with no numbers defeat him?”

He urged Zambians to get the money the MMD would bring during the campaigns but deny them a vote.

“They are bringing a lot of money especially in Matero. Rupiah Banda the writing is on the wall, the defeat you suffered last night is just a warning and if you want to see it, dissolve parliament today we go for elections,” Sata said. “You President Banda will be lucky if you will have 20 people in that parliament. I will not mention their names but I thank the MMD people, who voted with us directly or indirectly.”

He said the NCC had gobbled over K135 billion.

“PF in power will bring you a constitution which will protect you and protect everything. We want a document, which will protect us not a constitution which will protect criminals,” Sata said. “PF in power…George Kunda and company are going to account for the K135 billion.”

He once again condemned the government over the Mongu and Mazabuka killings.

“The people you have seen here, many more have remained behind, are the people who are telling us the leaders that we don't own organisations, organisations are owned by the people. The only people who can liberate Barotseland it’s you people. It's not Michael Sata,” said Sata when welcoming the new members from Western Province. “What type of a government is this? The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has killed a boy. Where are we going to go, in Mongu it’s killing, in Mazabuka it's killing, everywhere it’s killing?”

And former UPND Western Province publicity secretary Teddy Chimbinde said he was happy that the Constitution Bill had been defeated.

David Munzinda, who is former UPND vice provincial chairman, said he had been with UPND since 1998.

“This time I have changed colours,” he said.

He said they resolved to join PF after sitting amongst themselves.

“What we are facing now is total war. We now think that MMD and its government is another Hitler for Zambia, so the only Winston Churchill who can rescue this country is Mr Michael Sata,” he said.

And leader of the delegation, Induna Imbwae, who is former UPND provincial trustee - special duties as well as Hakainde Hichilema’s campaign manager for 2008, pledged the group’s support and commitment to PF.

“My duty was to advise the president of Up and Down UPND HH. We have joined PF because of maladministration that have erupted in UPND and we felt we can’t condone that. Single-handedly with UPND we can’t get this country anywhere,” Induna Imbwae said. “UPND had a following in North-Western, Western and Southern but that has gone now. This can be evidenced by the number of cards we have collected. We haven’t yet moved in the districts. These cards were just posted to us by the people who are listening to the radio and other publications.”

Induna Imbwae said because his card was signed by Hichilema when he joined UPND, he had decided to hand it over to Sata.

“We have joined PF for a noble cause. These are not tale-tale stories they are factual. In Western Province we have issues. I headed a delegation to State House during the time of UNIP, eight months before the 1991 elections. Nobody was arrested, nobody was shot at,” Induna Imbwae said.

“We did the same during the time of Chiluba, we were never shot at. Now today we were saying ‘let us discuss this matter’ but people have been just slaughtered like that. They are being charged for treason over an agreement. Can you trust such a government?”

He said people felt that Sata was a better person to deal with over the Barotse Agreement since he was a witness to their efforts with both the Kaunda and Chiluba administrations.

“We have heard that, the president Sata has said something openly, not in the dark corners. He said ‘you can never gross over Barotse Agreement.’ Today, he has portrayed himself but others are hiding so we feel a witness is a better person to deal with on Barotse Agreement,” he said.

He said they were determined to sell PF in Western Province at all cost.

He said they would invite Sata to visit Western Province after they had been to all the districts.

The other former UPND leaders present at the press briefing were former Sikongo UPND member of parliament and member of the National Management Committee Colonel Best Makumba and former provincial chairperson Candy Mundia.

And PF national chairperson Inonge Wina said the group from Western Province had demonstrated that Zambians needed to forge ahead together.

And PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba said the MMD's exit was just around the corner.

“It’s a cancer that is affecting everybody. 2011 is a year of redemption,” he said.

He thanked Wina for the strong movement she has started in Western Province.

Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA, NCC

posted by MrK @ 6:58 AM