Maravi

Mike warns Rupiah over abuse of funds

Mike warns Rupiah over abuse of funds
By Patson Chilemba
Wed 13 July 2011, 12:00 CAT

RUPIAH Banda and his ministers will be held accountable over the abuse of state resources and funds necessitated by the President’s delay to announce the election date, says Mike Mulongoti.

Commenting on the ministers’ sanctioned campaigns by President Rupiah Banda using public resources and the delay by him to announce the date for this year’s elections, Mulongoti, a former works and supply minister, said those in government should not think that Zambians were stupid and could not see their corrupt deeds.

He said President Banda and his government colleagues had gone to all lengths in abusing public resources and the state-owned media for their campaigns.
“Just tell them that in North Africa, former presidents and ministers are facing the law because of abuse of resources and the public media.

They must know there is a limit and they will begin to account one day. They should not think Zambians who are the rightful owners are dormant,” Mulongoti said.

“Those benefiting from corrupt proceedings will also be accountable. He President Banda is delaying to announce the election date in order to perpetuate the abuse of resources.”

Mulongoti said President Banda was not an upright man like his predecessor late president Levy Mwanawasa.

“Did Levy delay it this long? In President Mwanawasa you could see an upright leader. He served the public resources by immediately doing what was right. And that shows the difference between the two leaders,” Mulongoti said.

“Those civil servants participating in this, we know them…the time of reckoning is coming for them.”

Mulongoti said the MMD were celebrating the revocation of a council vehicle from Kitwe mayor Elias Kamanga over allegations that it was being used for PF activities, but they had paid a blind eye to their own ministers who were using government vehicles for party campaigns.

He said they should not forget that they would be out of office one day, saying the action against Kamanga would also follow them one day.

Education minister Dora Siliya was in yesterday’s edition of the state-owned and government-controlled Daily Mail captured on the front page wearing MMD regalia addressing a campaign rally in Kitwe.

Mulongoti also dispelled Ronnie Shikapwasha’s statement that those in government were not forcing the state-owned and government-controlled Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail to throw away their mandate by only covering the MMD favourably.

“Shikapwasha is a fake Reverend… He’s ordained for the devil, not Christ. He is corrupt and if he insists we will take him on,” Mulongoti said. “To put it more crudely, he is a corrupt minister. That is why he can’t stop the rubbish that is taking place. Corruption is a crime. If he insists, let him challenge me.

They fabricate lies in the state-owned media and begin to believe in those lies. That is how a corrupt mind works because there is no honour among thieves.”

Several stakeholders in the civil society, the Church, media and political parties have called on President Banda to dissolve Parliament since Parliament had adjourned sine die.

But President Banda has so far failed to respond to the concerns of the people while his ministers have continued to use state resources to campaign for the MMD.

Labels: MIKE MULONGOTI, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:45 PM