N/Western mining industry must benefit locals - Sata

N/Western mining industry must benefit locals - Sata
By George Chellah in Mufumbwe
Sun 21 Aug. 2011, 12:20 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata says the booming mining industry in North Western Province must benefit the locals. And Sata said President Rupiah Banda is a wrong choice to lead Zambia.

During a public rally on Friday, Sata who first observed a minute of silence for the PF supporters that perished in a road accident on the Solwezi-Mwinilunga road on Thursday said there was need for locals to directly benefit from the mines.

“Late president Levy Mwanawasa brought the mining industry to North Western Province even here Mufumbwe not only in Solwezi. But can you tell me what your benefit is?” Sata asked.

“How are you benefiting from those mines? We don’t have jobs for our youths we have no filling station in Mwinilunga, Kabompo and Zambezi.”

He urged people not be swayed by President Banda’s lies again.

“In 2008, Rupiah Banda cheated you that he was going to bring electricity here instead of diesel generators,” he said.

He bemoaned the lack of development in the area.

“Mufumbwe has no high school and hospital. What we want is to create employment for our boys and for our girls. We want to link North Western Province with Kalulushi,” Sata said. “We want to link Kasempa with Mumbwa. We want a road from Kasempa to Kaoma. And we want a road from Zambezi to Lukulu. We want a local government, which will look after the interests of women.”

And Sata said President Rupiah Banda was a wrong choice to lead the country.

He said the MMD picked a wrong successor for the late Mwanawasa.

“Traditionally, when a husband dies, the relatives of that man who died will look for another person to replace the deceased,” Sata said. “But if a woman is in a hurry she goes to the market or in a bar and brings another man, she brings problems on her shoulders.”

He said President Banda took advantage of the people’s suffering and hijacked the leadership of the MMD and subsequently that of the country.

“I want to ask you my brothers and sisters, what party office did Banda have in the MMD? We know very well Mr Banda is UNIP. When did Mr Banda resign from UNIP to join MMD? What day did he join MMD?” he asked.

He dismissed the MMD propaganda that he would deport people from North Western Province to Angola.

Sata said he sympathised with President Banda because he did not know that historically people from Northwestern, Luapula,

Northern, Central and Copperbelt provinces share the same origins.

“If we become united we are not going to have children suffering like this. Our children will be much happier,” he said.

He said President Banda wanted to get credit on projects he did not initiate.

“When Levy Mwanawasa took over as president he started the Mutanda-Chavuma road, now Rupiah Banda… you find a billboard, not of Levy Mwanawasa but of Rupiah Banda,” he said.

He wondered how President Bnada was going to finish the numerous projects he has initiated before the forthcoming general election.

“How can they build a road in 34 days?” he asked.

He said previously PF did not field candidates in areas like Mufumbwe and Solwezi because they did not want to split the opposition vote.

“There was a by-election here, PF did not want to split the vote, we did not come. We are not impressed with the performance of your representative. We have also brought in our own candidate, the choice is yours,” Sata said. “In Solwezi, I came to campaign when Mr Tetamashimba died. We did not put a candidate. Our friends are not grateful so we have decided this time to put up a candidate.”

He said he brought Bert Mushala to Mufumbwe because he seemed to understand people in the constituency better.

Earlier, Sata made a stopover at Kasempa turn-off and addressed PF supporters that were waiting for him.

“I saw you here and I did not want to pass. I wanted to stop and say ‘how are you?’” he said.

He reminded the people that during the by-election that brought Kabinga Pande, the MMD made a lot of promises.

“MMD promised a road from Kasempa to Kalulushi as well as from Mumbwa to Kasempa. We were told ‘if you vote for Pande’ they will give you a road from Kasempa to Kaoma. When we came here they told us ‘if you vote Pande’ they will bring a salt factory,” Sata said.

“In 2004, MMD came and said they are giving you a secondary school. When I look here I am not seeing a clinic. There is no clinic here and you are looking and smiling at the MMD.”

He said President Banda had reduced the fertiliser allocation that was left by Mwanawasa.

He said it was sad that the people in refugee camps were more comfortable than most Zambians.

“And they are not ashamed because if you had water here, telephones, schools and food for these children... You are suffering more than the refugees,” Sata said.

“…46 years of independence we can’t suffer like this. Can Rupiah Banda put himself in your place? Can Rupiah Banda live here? Can Dora Siliya live here?”