Contracts have compromised Kavindele, charges Patrick

Contracts have compromised Kavindele, charges Patrick
By Ernest Chanda
Fri 15 July 2011, 14:01 CAT

PATRICK Mwanawasa says former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele has been compromised by Rupiah Banda’s contracts and have successfully turned him into a hypocrite.

Reacting to Kavindele’s statement that he should tone down on his language against President Rupiah Banda, Patrick said yesterday it was sad that the country’s former vice-president had lost his principles.

“I have a lot of respect for Mr Enoch Kavindele, firstly because he was vice-president of this country and secondly because he has a rich business acumen which makes him stand out in this country. But I take great exception to what he said about me on ZNBC Television news last night Wednesday,” Patrick said.

“When we go back into the archives, we will find that this is the same man who not too long ago was appearing in The Post newspaper almost on a daily basis belittling President Banda. But today he has got power to advise me. He is being hypocritical because we all know what he used to say about the same President he is defending now.

He had perhaps even used a language that could be described as worse than what I said. But now that President Banda has given him a contract to construct the North Western railway line he has even lost his principles.

Who is he to be asking me to tone down? Am I also benefiting from his contract that I should abandon my fight for the good of this country?”

Patrick said Kavindele had abandoned the principles he stood on simply because things were now working well for him. He said it was always frustrating to have such politicians in the country who only looked at what they would benefit from the government.

“Kavindele must just concentrate on what he is doing, and let him not enjoy his acquired benefits at my expense. This is very frustrating in Zambian politics because we have politicians who want to show principles only when it suits them. They can say this and that about the government, but once they get some business, they lose all their principles,” said Patrick.

“Remember even Nchelenge member of parliament Benny Mwila BY used to be critical of my father’s administration. But ever since President Banda started giving him some contracts, he has also changed. And these are the kind of politicians who want to be advising us today. What a shame!”

Patrick on Tuesday vowed that President Banda could not bring him down.
This was in reaction to MMD-orchestrated allegations that Kitwe mayor Elias Kamanga gave him fuel for campaign purposes in Kafulafuta Constituency.

Patrick warned that the head of state’s stubbornness would be his downfall and he would be removed from power as did happen to Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo.

“I can’t go down. I don’t see myself going down because I am going to fight to the hilt. Rupiah Banda cannot bring me down; in the end it will be him who is going to bring himself down because he is stubborn,” said Patrick.

And commenting on Patrick’s statement, Kavindele on Wednesday said the late president’s son had resorted to using strong language against elders.

“Patrick has a right to belong to a party of his choice although he should have remained in the MMD. However, the language he has picked on is wrong and Patrick is too raw and junior to say what he said in The Post newspaper,” said Kavindele.