Maravi

Sata says Rupiah is a disgrace

Sata says Rupiah is a disgrace
By George Chellah
Mon 25 July 2011, 14:00 CAT

RUPIAH is a disgrace to Zambia’s democracy, says PF leader Michael Sata. And Sata said President Banda prevailed on the police in Eastern Province to cancel his rallies which where scheduled for last weekend.

Reacting to President Banda’s recent attacks during the MMD rally in Kabwe, Sata yesterday said President Banda’s conduct and actions fell short of what was required of a head of state.

“Honestly, I pity this country. How can a head of state take pride and excitement over an unprofessional and hate-filled programme like that of Chanda Chimba? I feel sorry for the public media because Rupiah has single-handedly relegated it to the dustbin,” Sata said.

“Can you imagine Jacob Zuma taking to the podium to praise such mediocrity and unethical conduct? It’s a shame, a great shame for that matter. Rupiah is nothing but a disgrace to Zambia’s democracy.”

He said President Banda could not appreciate democracy because he had never been a democrat.

“This is what happens when you fish out people from oblivion. This man doesn’t even know what the party he leads today fought for and stands for. He is a stranger to the ideals of the very party he claims to lead,” Sata said.

“Just like Dora Siliya, Peter Daka and Shikapwasha who are Heritage Party, Rupiah is also not MMD. They are just impersonators. No wonder they are failing the MMD and the country in general.”

He advised President Banda to leave a positive legacy instead of rewarding gutter journalism.
“Rupiah has destroyed Zambia’s democracy, he has destroyed Zambia’s journalism particularly the public media. What he is doing cannot happen anywhere in the world except Zambia,” Sata said.

“But that is Rupiah for you; those of us who know him well are not surprised. He is synonymous with failure wherever he has served. Nothing Rupiah touches flourishes.”

Sata said President Banda’s destructive conduct had spread to almost all arms of governance.

“Firstly, it was Vice-President George Kunda who justified Chanda Chimba’s folly on the floor of the House. Imagine the Vice-President of a country discussing such madness in Parliament. And now it’s Rupiah who is justifying the same folly,” Sata said.

“We can now see… that’s why the courts of law can’t do anything about Chanda Chimba. It's now four months and the courts have failed to pass a ruling on our matter. It's clear now that Chanda Chimba and other political mercenaries are protected by Rupiah himself. In Bemba, we say ‘ukutangila tekufika’. Rupiah is going in a few months’ time; we shall see what happens.”

He urged President Banda to desist from robbing the Zambian people.

“Personally, I don’t mind what Chanda Chimba does. In fact, he needs to sharpen his filming skills because the quality of his programme is just as pathetic as his handlers,” Sata said.

“They can do whatever they want but let them use their own money to offload such propaganda. They should not use people’s money for such shameful ventures.

“There is no way the Zambian people can continue being taxed TV levy just to watch such. Let them not use taxpayers’ money to propagate hate and divisions amongst our people.”

He said President Banda was ashamed that PF managed to organise a general conference, which was almost three times bigger than the MMD one.

“Zambians saw what happened at our conference so its not our problem if he didn’t,” he said.

Sata said the first task for the new administration would be to overhaul the system.

“You can clearly see the destruction Rupiah has caused to this country in this short period he has been in-charge. Therefore, it will be the duty of the new government to revamp this country,” Sata said.

“We need to take this country out of these problems Rupiah has pushed us into. Zambia is headed nowhere with Rupiah, no wonder he just has to go this year. Let the people, use the ballot to get him out.”

During a public rally in Kabwe recently, President Banda hailed weekly documentaries on state-owned and government-controlled ZNBC television by Chanda Chimba, titled Stand Up for Zambia, which attack individual persons, the Catholic Church and some non-governmental organisations.

President Banda also said he would have wished to hear what his main contender was planning, had the public media not been barred from covering the PF convention.

“Ufisanji ku convention, mambala (What were you hiding at the covention, crook?)” said President Banda.

And Sata said President Banda prevailed on the police in Eastern Province to cancel his rallies, which were scheduled for last weekend.

“He is desperate. For instance, PF was supposed to hold public rallies in Petauke, Chadiza and Vubwi. But he prevailed on the police to cancel my rallies on the pretext that he would be in the province simply because he felt the heat after the Chipata and Luangeni rallies,” Sata said.

“They lied that they will be in Eastern Province when they knew that they are not even going there this weekend. Tell him that there is a limit to provocation and tolerance. He is not going to keep us out of working when he himself is moving.

“Rupiah should know that there is a limit to any provocation or tolerance. We shall not permit or allow this sort of provocation to go unchecked. Zambia is not his farm for him to do as he pleases. Let him take this as a serious warning.”

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, PF, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:05 PM