Maravi

Rupiah must explain arms deal, says PF’s Mutale

Rupiah must explain arms deal, says PF’s Mutale
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Wed 04 May 2011, 04:00 CAT

YOUTHS and Zambians will not believe that George Mpombo is mad until President
Rupiah Banda adequately clears his name over the arms deal, says a PF youth
leader.

Commenting on President Banda’s angry reaction to revelations by Mpombo, a
former defence minister and current MMD Kafulafuta member of parliament, that he
resigned from Cabinet because of pressure from the President to push through an
arms deal from which his son James would get 10 per cent commission, Martin
Mutale said youths should demand full explanation on the head of state’s
involvement in the deal.

Mutale, who is PF Livingstone Constituency youth publicity secretary, said it
was clear that President Banda was running a dirty government following Mpombo’s
revelations.

“We as youths of Zambia need to seek for a full explanation from President Banda
over the US $100 million arms deal. The expose is a clear manifestation of the
opposition’s stance that President Banda and the MMD don’t deserve another five
years,” Mutale said.

He said the pre-occupation of President Banda and the MMD was to stuff their
tummies while the majority of Zambians were in poverty.

“The man Mpombo raised serious allegations against the head of state and
people like information minister Ronnie Shikapwasha are silent, the Zambian
citizens need answers, and not Mpombo. Let President Banda not direct his
answers to Mpombo but us, especially the youths,” Mutale said.

Mutale said Mpombo raised serious corrupt allegations against the head of state
which needed to be cleared by all state organs.

“When you look at Mpombo’s allegations, the man says Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane
knows about this deal, he has the documents. If President Rupiah Banda insists
that Mpombo is angry and mad, can he tell us what role he played in the deal
because he Mpombo said he travelled to South Africa not alone,” he said.

Mutale said the message from Mpombo’s allegations was clear that Zambia needed
change.

“If we let the MMD have another five years, we will be sentencing ourselves to
poverty, we will be hanging ourselves,” Mutale said.

Mpombo has insisted that President Banda sent him with other army specialists
and Brigadier General Chapewa to South Africa to discuss the arms deal and
challenged him to deny it.

Labels: ARMS, PF, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:34 PM