Maravi

Rupiah says he resisted pressure to jail Chiluba

Rupiah says he resisted pressure to jail Chiluba
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 22 Aug. 2011, 13:50 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda says he has respect for the Zambian judicial system and this is why he resisted pressure to register the London High Court judgment against the late second Republican president Frederick Chiluba.

During a rally at Chang-anamai grounds in Kitwe’s Kwacha Constituency on Saturday where MMD parliamentary candidates were introduced, President Banda said Chiluba died an innocent man and those people who wanted him to be in jail were ashamed to mourn him.

“I respect our courts and when Chiluba was freed I came under so much pressure from my opponents that I should go to London and see how they arrived at their decision, they were saying take him to London so that Chiluba can be put in jail,” President Banda said.

“But the poor man (Chiluba) passed on and they felt ashamed to mourn him because they said bad things about this poor man but I am very proud that I was a chief mourner at his funeral and this is how we should live and bury each other with honour and not insulting each other.”

He advised people not to listen to people who claimed they would bring development and put money in people’s pockets within 90 days.

“They have nothing else to say hence resorting to chanting that ‘we want change’ what is there to be changed? I have been a leader in MMD for close to four years but those urging you to change have been leaders in government for many years so the change they want is to take this country backwards instead of going forward like what my government is doing through various economic developmental projects,” he said.

President Banda boasted that Zambia had recorded economic success under his regime.

“Consumption of energy has increased due to growth of industries and I am the only President who has ensured that there is in place uniform fuel prices across the country and there has not been any fuel shortage during the last three years and this is the change people would like to see,” he said.

And at the same rally, former vice-president Enoch Kavindele who is part of President Banda’s campaign team, said PF leader Michael Sata was a hard worker but needed closer supervision.

“I know Sata very well and for a long time we served together as ministers but despite being a hard worker he can’t be President because of his temper which can bring chaos in the country so people should vote for RB since he has demonstrated how to bring development in the country such as the tarring of the Mutanda-Chavuma road which some of us failed to do,” he said.

And the MMD directed all parliamentary candidates on the Copperbelt to ferry people in bus and truck loads from various towns to attend the rally because it was anticipated that Kwacha residents would shun the meeting.

President Banda who earlier in the morning on Saturday was in Kitwe to commission road works by Mopani Copper Mines Plc and toilets in Wusakile townships, later held a political rally in the afternoon.

Labels: CORRUPTION, FREDERICK CHILUBA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 9:33 PM