Maravi

Rupiah's abuse of parastatals is worrying, says Lubinda

Rupiah's abuse of parastatals is worrying, says Lubinda
By Bright Mukwasa
Thu 08 Sep. 2011, 14:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda's use of heads of parastatals to facilitate political meetings takes away the credibility from the electoral process, says PF Kabwata aspiring candidate Given Lubinda. But Zesco Limited managing director Ernest Mupwaya says he is senior chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II's ‘son' and that was why he went to her palace in the company of President Banda's senior assistant for political affairs Dr Francis Chigunta.

Commenting on Mupwaya, who acted as an MMD emissary to facilitate President Banda's courtesy ahead of a political rally in Chongwe last Saturday, Lubinda said Mupwaya had exposed himself, yet he was expected to operate neutrally as head of a parastatal.

"When we hear that heads of parastatals like the chief executive officer of Zesco acting as though they were managing Rupiah Banda's campaign, that takes away the credibility that's required for electoral process to be respected. Mr Rupiah Banda's rampant abuse of authority is scary," Lubinda said.

"We had Frederick Chiluba, we also had Levy Mwanawasa, and we never saw this level of corruption, bribery, intimidation and violence as we are seeing under Rupiah Banda. While Mr Rupiah Banda is in an elective position, people like Mupwaya are in appointed positions and such people are supposed to perform their functions as neutral people. But for him to expose himself to the extent that he has done means that he's an MMD cadre who does not deserve to hold the office of CEO (chief executive officer) of Zesco."

Lubinda said Zesco was not the ruling MMD's institution but that it belonged to all Zambians to whom Mupwaya owed his job.

"Even to ask for him to step down on moral grounds is asking for too much in this country because the one who should have resigned a long time ago on moral grounds is Rupiah Banda himself and his Vice-President George Kunda. Look at how George Kunda fought in favour of the Task Force when it suited him. And now look at how he somersaulted after Rupiah Banda became President," he said.

When contacted for a comment, Mupwaya said he was free to go to chieftainess Nkomeshya palace at anytime as that was his home.

"The only thing is that you are aware, if you did the investigation, you are aware that I come from there. I am the son of the chief and you did not write that," Mupwaya said.

"That's my home, I can go there anytime, there's no problem."

Asked about being used as an MMD emissary Mupwaya responded: "No, I don't want to comment any further, that's the only comment I can give. I have justified that I come from there because even in that meeting, the chieftainess mentioned that I should have seen her earlier herself. Beyond that I can't give you any comment."

During the same meeting on Friday last week, chieftainess Nkomeshya advised Mupwaya who had earlier on called her to arrange for the meeting, to avoid being used by politicians because he was not a politician.

"Where did I go wrong myself to put all the state machinery on me to use my own son, because he's my own son, to parade him? He Mupwaya also knows that even the electricity that will cross Chongwe to go to Luangwa, he knows it, how many villagers will benefit from here, they are poor," chieftainess Nkomeshya said during the meeting.

"He can't bring electricity in their homes except those who can manage, maybe schools, perhaps clinics. He knows that his organisation is still unfriendly to the poor people. They cannot afford to tap electricity for their consumption, but he can't say anything, he's just doing the job. The system needs to help him to reduce the tariffs even the rural electrification programme for it to be a reality we need to help him. But not use him as a tool for the campaign; it is not good for him."

Mupwaya is not a biological son of chieftainess Nkomeshya. However, culturally, all Zambians consider themselves children of their traditional leaders.

Labels: CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA, GIVEN LUBINDA, PARASTATALS, RUPIAH BANDA, ZESCO

posted by MrK @ 4:16 PM