Maravi

Rupiah denies soliciting funds from diplomats

Rupiah denies soliciting funds from diplomats
By Chibaula Silwamba in Lusaka and Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 18 Apr. 2011, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has denied ever soliciting campaign funds from Zambian diplomats accredited to other countries. But a recording of President Banda’s address to the diplomats on Thursday, April 14, 2011, at Protea Hotel in Chisamba confirms that the head of state asked for money thrice.

“Of course, we still need your support as we go forward because of the elections which are there this year, and we are going to need MONEY for fuel to move, we are going to need MONEY to feed our cadres, we are going to need MONEY for materials for the campaign; we are going to need a lot of help. So whatever organisation you can make outside in order to support us, we will really appreciate,” President Banda begged diplomats.

But addressing the press in Kitwe on Saturday, April 16, 2011, President Banda accused The Post editors of twisting what he said in Chisamba in order to make him look bad in the eyes of the public. He said he only thanked the diplomats for the little financial assistance they voluntarily rendered to the just-ended MMD convention, but The Post editors deliberately twisted the story to read that he was soliciting campaign funds from the diplomats. He said this deliberate distortion by The Post editors even angered his wife Thandiwe.

President Banda said he was aware that Post reporters always correctly capture the data whenever they are covering him but it is the top editors who are always twisting facts to make him look bad.
“But I also know there at your headquarters, I have a lot of enemies. I don’t know what I did to them. I don’t know what I did to M’membe. I don’t know what I did to his number two, number three. Everyday, if he doesn’t twist something… like all of you have heard the question and my answers but tomorrow you will see something else. Then you will say ‘ni wamene Kabanda uyu analemba (it’s Kabanda who wrote this)’. But me I believe sincerely the young people doing this are professionals reporting what I have said,” President Banda said.

Below is part of what President Banda said in soliciting campaign money from diplomats in Chisamba last Thursday and his denial of the same in Kitwe a day after. (To listen to President Banda’s voice soliciting campaign funds from diplomats in Chisamba, go to HYPERLINK "http://www.postzambia.com" www.postzambia.com (external link)).

Part of President Banda’s address in Chisamba: “… Support to the party finances. I just want to take this opportunity to thank many of you who have sent whatever little assistance you have to the party. You were just saying that, I don't know who was saying to me that the conference was so, I think it was our Ambassador to Belgium, yes, our ambassador to the EU Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika was telling me that the convention was wonderful. It was wonderful because of those little monies that you sent to us. We spent all this money in order to ensure that our party has an open convention that is beautiful, it’s enjoyable, disciplined. I think you saw for yourselves. There was no problem whatsoever. We had our elections. It was because of these little sums of money. I am saying little only as a description but we are so appreciative as the party that you sent us this support. Together with your support and that of our supporters in the country, we were able to have the convention, some people were saying, ‘aah, you MMD can’t have a convention' but bezionela beka amambala They saw for themselves, these crooks. We had a wonderful convention. (Diplomats at this point clapped).
And it came out very well, people chose their leaders. So we go forward. Of course, we still need your support as we go forward because of the elections which are there this year and we are going to NEED MONEY for fuel to move, we are going to NEED MONEY to feed our cadres, we are going to NEED MONEY for materials for the campaign; we are going to need a lot of help, so whatever organisation you can make outside in order to support us we will really appreciate. Thank you very much for the support that you have given us so far.”

Below is part of President Banda’s press briefing in Kitwe:

Question by Post reporter Kabanda Chulu: “On police shootings, is government going to compensate the victims and what is the way forward on the NCC or constitution process after the failure of the Bill in Parliament?”

President Banda: “I will start with the last one, NCC. The way forward is that we have to follow our laws, which state that when a Bill does not go through then we wait for six months to be brought again. We are very sorry that it didn’t go through because the Bill had a lot of revolutionary changes such as 30 additional women in Parliament, whichever women are elected, the disabled, youths. But that is democracy, people refused and decided. But if it is us who will be re-elected in the next six months, we shall bring it back and hopefully by then, we would have mastered enough MPs in order to pass the Bill.

On compensation… I don’t know how this matter is being handled since I don’t interfere with the running of specialised institutions. But what I know is that the police did arrest the culprits… . Once again let me appeal to Zambians, let’s be proud of our country and let us do everything to ensure that something bad does not happen rather than rejoice when something like this happens and hoping that it would hurt the MMD. But it is not MMD, but all of us since our country… we are on the move, we are matching and we need to work together …particularly the press. I have a lot of sympathy for pressmen. That’s why I have never quarrelled with any pressman. For example, Kabanda is from The Post and I know they will say something from what I have said. But I know it is not from you because you will report what I have said. But they will put a twist to it to make you look like you are a bad man just trying to implicate the President and so on. Like yesterday, I visited our diplomats and ambassadors from around the world who are in the country and some of them on their own volition decided to give us some money, some small cheque, and how can we refuse? And I thank everybody for doing something good. But today what do I see in the paper? That I was soliciting funds, which is a little bit unfair to me. But you young people and I know how patriotic you are about Zambia and how you like your country and you will not hurt it deliberately. But I also know there at your headquarters, I have a lot of enemies. I don’t know what I did to them. I don’t know what I did to M’membe. I don’t know what I did to his number two, number three. Everyday, if he doesn’t twist something… like all of you have heard the question and my answers but tomorrow you will see something else. Then you will say ‘ni wamene Kabanda uyu analemba (it’s Kabanda who wrote this)’. But me I believe sincerely the young people doing this are professionals reporting what I have said. But when you want to do something hoping that it will hurt me. Unfortunately from what we are seeing, it is not hurting me but developing sympathy for me. Wherever we go, I travel with all journalists including The Post. In rural areas my first question to my colleagues is ‘are journalists okay and have they found rooms, are they feeding well?’ Because it is good for me, good for MMD and for the country when journalists report and if you don’t report what I have said, then people out there will not know what I have said. So you deserve special congratulations for these. And sorry for being caught up in the middle of fights of two elephants and you get hurt sometimes…but I will not hurt you.”

Labels: CORRUPTION, EMBASSIES, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:18 PM