Maravi

Rupiah is only interested in people’s votes - Fr Tembo

Rupiah is only interested in people’s votes - Fr Tembo
By Misheck Wangwe and Bright Mukwasa
Sat 23 Apr. 2011, 04:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda should not expect priests to keep quiet when he is busy manipulating the poor says, Fr Charles Tembo.

In an interview, Fr Tembo, who is the parish priest at Chingola’s Twelve Apostles Catholic Church, said it had become clear that President Banda was more interested in securing votes for himself and the MMD than addressing the huge challenges facing the majority poor.

He said President Banda’s directive that all outstanding balances for housing units on the Copperbelt must be written off and sitting tenants be given letters of sale was not a genuine offer but a clear political gimmick to win people’s support ahead of the elections.

Fr Tembo said many people on the Copperbelt would not be swayed at the last minute to vote for President Banda because it was apparent that he was only interested in people’s votes and not their welfare.

He said if President Banda was really concerned about the vulnerability of the people in terms of accommodation, he would have started by building decent accommodation for those in shanty compounds in Lusaka and other areas.

“The President wants to be seen that he is working at the last minute.

Unfortunately, it is too late. Zambians have suffered enough at the hands of the MMD. He knows that he doesn’t have support on the Copperbelt and now he wants to start enticing them with offers so that they can vote for them. If he is a true leader, why didn’t he buildhouses first for poor people in Chibolya, Kanyama and many other shanty compounds instead of rushing for the miners? Zambians must be wary of insincere leaders who want to pretend as if they are concerned about the people when in fact not,” he said.

Fr Tembo said it was too late for President Banda to appease Copperbelt residents because the MMD had brought more misery in their lives than good.

He said people had seen that they were not benefiting from the mining sector in any way looking at the high levels of poverty, unemployment and dilapidated infrastructure.

Fr Tembo said people must not vote for leaders who have resurfaced and trying to impress because of the forthcoming elections.

And PF Kantanshi member of parliament Yamfwa Mukanga said President Banda has started rigging.
Mukanga said that President Banda’s move was an act of appeasement but in vain.

“We cannot allow a situation where President Rupiah Banda is openly kicking off rigging now. He did not give that instruction because he loves the people of Copperbelt but he expects to be a trade off,” said Mukanga.

“It’s a scheme that I am sure is being orchestrated by Chiluba, but I tell you come 2011 the people of Mufulira will not vote for him over those houses. People have woken up now.”

Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, CHARLES TEMBO, CORRUPTION, HOUSING, RUPIAH BANDA, YAMFWA MUKANGA

posted by MrK @ 1:24 PM