Maravi

Rupiah is not my enemy, says Panji

Rupiah is not my enemy, says Panji
By Christopher Miti in Nyimba
Sun 19 June 2011, 04:02 CAT

I DON’T hate Rupiah but I hate the way he is running the affairs of the country, says Col Panji Kaunda. Addressing a meeting at Kacholola Market on Friday, Col Panji said President Rupiah Banda was his friend.

“Rupiah is not my enemy, I used to come from my farm in Sindamisale coming to Chipata and sleep at Rupiah Banda’s house even lunch I used to go to his house for lunch. We only differ on how he is running the national affairs,” Col Panji said.

He said politics was not about hatred but to look after people well. Col Panji said the MMD had put the country in reverse in the past 20 years they had been in power.

“The MMD is tired, 20 years is a long time, so the time has come to remove them. If they win this year, they would have clocked 25 years only two years to match (Dr Kenneth) Kaunda’s 27 years. But can you compare what UNIP did to what the MMD have done so far?” Col Panji asked.

At Nyalugwe headquarters, Col Panji said going by the 20 radio programmes and one TV programme that the forum has had, PF leader Michael Sata was widely accepted countrywide. Col Panji said during the programmes, there was good response from the people that they wanted change. He said Zambia needed an experienced person for president and not young ones like Hakainde Hichilema.

“You can’t tell a young lady to counsel another young lady before going to the marriage. You get elders because they give good advice. We say it loudly that Sata is experienced because he was in UNIP, MMD and he started his party from zero but it has now grown. HH is a child; he knows nothing, he has never been even a councillor.

This year because of the problems the country is facing, we need somebody who has experience, not young ones who would destroy the country,” Col Panji said. He said things have soured for MMD in Luapula because the government had arrested Katele Kalumba. Col Panji said the MMD would bring chitenge material, t-shirts and a lot of things but that those items would not bring medicine in hospitals. He said the decision that the people would make in three months would determine the future of the children.

Col Panji explained in detail why the Peoples Pact Forum was created. District vice-chairperson George Phiri who described MMD as Mabvuto Mwaayambila Dala told the people to ignore the MMD propaganda and to remain focused. Provincial youth treasurer Gardson Tembo said he was in MMD but he left because MMD was not a serious party.

He said the MMD was capitalising on people’s ignorance. Two aspiring parliamentary candidates for Nyimba Phillip Chivungula Tembo and Jackson Mwenda were also in Col Panji’s entourage.

Labels: PANJI KAUNDA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:31 PM