Rupiah was surrounded by opportunists - Mulongoti

Rupiah was surrounded by opportunists - Mulongoti
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 27 Sep. 2011, 12:50 CAT

RUPIAH Banda has not been deserted, because the vultures and opportunists he perceived to be close to him were not with him all along, says Mike Mulongoti. And Mulongoti says greed and lack of regard for divergent views had led to former president Rupiah Banda's failed re-election.

Meanwhile, Mulongoti has urged newly elected President Michael Sata, whose victory he predicted, not to surround himself with vultures and opportunists.

Commenting on the statement by the former president's son Andrew that his father was deserted by those who enjoyed his presidency following his election defeat, Mulongoti said it was unfortunate that former president Banda could not see through the lies of those who surrounded him and fooled him by assuring him that all was okay.

"This is what happens when you choose to ignore divergent views and choose what to hear only what you want to hear. Vultures and opportunists that surrounded Banda began to see through him and say things that he wanted to hear," Mulongoti said.

Mulongoti, the former works and supply minister, said Banda lacked a critical mind like that of the late president Levy Mwanawasa to analyse things on the ground.

"When people realise you are a critical leader like Mwanawasa, who whenever we had gone to file an inquest before him, he ensured facts presented were correct by interrogating every detail. That is a mark of leadership. Of course people saw through him (Banda) and fooled him. So no one has deserted him. What is happening is that, that is the way they thought of him in the first place," Mulongoti said.

"They have not deserted him. They were not with him even during that time. He mistook them for people who supported him when they didn't and this is the reality that is dawning. If a leader falls and everybody scatters, it means they were not with him in the first place. Wherever Banda is, he must be digesting the things I said to him and about him."

And Mulongoti, who has described President Sata's election as timely, said greed and lack of respect for divergent views and advice led to former president Banda's downfall.

"Banda became intolerant, selfish and greedy in his rule. Banda also became disrespectful to colleagues who supported him into office. He even denied that those of us who were close to him had helped and that was part of the backlash," Mulongoti said.

He said that because of Banda's selfishness and greed, he betrayed the trust of Zambians by engaging in glaring acts of corruption through the misuse of public resources and the practice of aiding corrupt elements.

Mulongoti said voting Banda out of power was good riddance because not doing so would have spelt doom to the country's economy.

"Banda and his colleagues became immune to advice. They became arrogant because of the power of incumbency and treated public resources like they were family resources. Those that advised them were perceived to be enemies of the state, such that even their friends in government were threatened that they would be dealt with through interaction with them," Mulongoti said.

He said there was need for the MMD to acknowledge its mistakes, saying that was the most honourable thing to do.

"Before they (MMD) cry foul, they must re-examine their conduct while in government. That is when the healing process can start. You can't ask people to just be remorseful without apologising for what they did that is becoming very greedy, that they didn't want anything for others," Mulongoti said in reference to calls for national reconciliation.

Mulongoti also urged President Sata to avoid surrounding himself with people that were not genuine.

"The current President has been elected in a very popular manner and that popular manner also carries with it expectations. Sata has always been listening to the common person. Let him continue because the minute he is surrounded by vultures, opportunitists and those people who only want to benefit from his presidency, he will be shielding himself from the truth," said Mulongoti.