Maravi

Plunderers have risen, says Sata

Plunderers have risen, says Sata
By George Chellah in Kasama
Wed 18 May 2011, 04:02 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata says plunderers have risen. And Sata says the PF-led government will support media freedom in the country. During a special programme on Kasama's Radio Mano on Monday, Sata said plunderers had risen under President Rupiah Banda's government whose focus was to steal from poor Zambians.

“There are a lot of retirees who haven't been paid their benefits. But Mr Banda gets K70 billion and gives his relative Robinson Zulu for land. How can government buy land? Mr Banda again gets US $98 million and gives it to a Kenyan using the same pensioner’s money,” Sata said.

“Ba Banda tabaletontonkanya (President Banda is not thinking). Even on the road contract at Landless Corner he has given ka BY Mwila National Democratic Focus president and Nchelenge member of parliament.”

He said President Banda only cared about himself.

“Rupiah Banda has spent a lot of money. He gave ministers huge sums of money to go round the country because he knows that this year it’s going to be tough for them. Rupiah Banda kuya bebele! (Rupiah Banda is going!).

We have a number of hospitals and clinics here but because Rupiah Banda went to China and brought mobile hospitals,” Sata said. “In this country you don't even have sufficient ambulances so how can the mobile hospital concept work? They got US $53 million for mobile hospitals.”

He said instead of learning from first Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda who did tremendous things for the country, President Banda’s administration was abusing the poor.

“Kaunda put up roads and other infrastructure in the country. Banda has come and he has neglected this infrastructure which Kaunda left in place,” he said.

On his policy of governance once in office, Sata said the PF would bring back the real civil service as opposed to the current one that was littered with MMD cadres.

“All the District Commissioners who are campaigning for MMD will go with MMD,” he said.

He said under the PF government, traditional leaders would be chairpersons of the various development committees in their areas and they would be handsomely remunerated for that task.

When asked whether he would win this year's elections, Sata responded: “God was testing my strength and resilience.

In 2001, we only campaigned for three months, in 2006 we really tried because we increased the number of members of parliament and in 2008, Banda even failed to steal votes in Eastern Province where he hails from. He went and stole in Western Province.

Currently, there are a lot of people that want to see us in a number of places. So we are now meeting our people in distance places.”

And Sata has stressed the need for press freedom in the nation.
“Let Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha shut down radio stations if he wants and we will also come and shut him down.

They closed Radio Lyambai but what have they achieved?” Sata asked. “ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail are all government controlled. So we will encourage you independent media because you are able to reach areas even where ZNBC does not reach.”

Meanwhile, Kasama Central member of parliament Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba popularly known as GBM warned the police against being partisan.

“When people are annoyed you won't even sit in those offices. You watch what is happening on Al Jazeera. Abantu bakali bane!” Mwamba said.

He also advised Northern Province permanent secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe to behave like a civil servant.

He accused the provincial administration of giving contracts to MMD cadres and sharing money.

“When we come into power you will be jailed and we will be coming to watch you in prison,” he said.

Lukashya member of parliament Elfrida Mwamba urged the district commissioner and Simfukwe not to overstep their duties.

Labels: CORRUPTION, MICHAEL SATA, NAPSA, PENSIONERS, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 1:35 PM