Maravi

Luapula is decided on Sata, says Dan Pule

Luapula is decided on Sata, says Dan Pule
By Ernest Chanda
Mon 04 July 2011, 04:04 CAT

A Lusaka clergyman says the government should not politicise Frederick Chiluba's funeral by parading chiefs from Luapula to gain political mileage. Commenting on some chiefs from Luapula who were paraded in Lusaka last Wednesday to endorse President Rupiah Banda's candidature, Dunamis Church overseer, Apostle Dan Pule, who also served as finance deputy minister in the Chiluba administration, said it was shameful that chiefs could be paraded in that manner.

“Our chiefs came for a good cause, to come and mourn our brother and second Republican president. But for them to be paraded in a manner that they were so that they can come and campaign for President Banda is not right,” Pule said.

“I respect their royal highnesses, and as a man from Luapula, I am disappointed that some of our brothers could do such a thing as to parade our royal highnesses to campaign for President Banda,” Apostle Pule said. “On the other hand, in as much as it's good to give gratitude where it is due, it should also be put in the right context that Dr Chiluba as former head of state was entitled to the burial and funeral that he was given by the government.

So it's not as if it was a favour done to him and the family and to all of us from Luapula. It was expected and an entitlement.

And all future heads of state will expect the same because it's their entitlement. It should not be used for political gain as if President Banda or the government were not supposed to do it on our second Republican president.”

And commenting on deliberate attacks on PF leader Michael Sata that he did not mourn Chiluba, Apostle Pule said that would not win the MMD a vote in Luapula. He said the people from Luapula were already resolved on voting for the opposition Patriotic Front.

“The fact is that all of us were mourning. President Sata actually went to Mulungushi to give the last respects to the second Republican president, his brother. This is why I'm disappointed that our royal highnesses from Luapula were used to come and attack president Sata. It is not right and that will not win them the vote,” Apostle Pule said.

“I want to say to the people of Luapula Province and indeed the whole nation that they should ignore what their royal highnesses were made to say about Mr Sata. The people of Luapula have made up their minds, they are not going to vote for MMD this year; they are going to vote for PF. Whatever political gimmick the MMD government will try and do is not going to change their minds.”

And Apostle Pule has challenged President Banda to allow the parallel vote tabulation (PVT) system if he is truly a strong candidate. He said with PVT, everyone would have confidence in the credibility of elections when the winner is announced.

“I believe that also the Electoral Commission should listen to the views of the people. And President Banda, if he wants to fight on a level ground, he should simply say like Dr Kaunda said ‘let's open it up; let's go for the PVT’, which is now what people want. Obviously, we do know that in rural areas results delayed because they were being manipulated so that the ruling candidate could win the election,” said Apostle Pule.

On Wednesday, confusion characterised the endorsement of President Banda's candidature by some Luapula chiefs in this year's election.

Some of the chiefs who were led by chief Nsamba of the Unga people from the Bangweulu swamps in Samfya district to announce the endorsement openly expressed ignorance about the event held at Lusaka's Longacres Lodge.

Labels: CHIEFS, DAN PULE, LUAPULA PROVINCE, MICHAEL SATA, PF

posted by MrK @ 3:39 PM