Maravi

Sata accuses UPND of lies against him

Sata accuses UPND of lies against him
By Bright Mukwasa
Sat 12 Nov. 2011, 12:10 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata says he is surprised that the opposition UPND always wants to survive on his blood. And President Sata has dissolved the Zambia National Building Society board with immediate effect and appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate alleged impropriety in the institution.

President Sata made the remarks yesterday at State House when he swore in prominent Lusaka lawyer Mumba Malila as Attorney General and Rosewin Wandi as director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

He directed Malila to scrutinise the mushrooming of various publications which he accused of peddling lies against him and his health.

"Last year when we were coming for these elections up to this year, these unregistered newspapers, unregistered Internet said Mr Sata has collapsed, Mr Sata is very sick, Mr Sata is dying and yesterday the whole Eastern Province and Kamwala Mr Sata was dead. I am not asking for witchhunt but you as Attorney General let's enforce the laws of this country because these Internet they are all orchestrated by UPND. Last year…, the Watchdog is UPND. Who is talking Sata has collapsed, Sata has died, Sata is too sick, it's UPND," President Sata said.

"I am not going to start a witchhunt and as they are saying now, yesterday I was dead, today I am standing here. I think I have got so many lives, even before the elections I was dead, come to the elections I am standing here. And this Mr. Malila reminds you in 2009, our brothers got some fake doctor who told them Mr Sata would die before 2009 so they came into a pact, come 2009 I didn't die, 2010 they pull out of the pact and now they are still peddling. What type of politicians who always want to survive on other people's blood?"

President Sata also said the government would only go to court on various offences when it was certain it had a solid reason to do so to avoid injustice and using the courts for politics.

"How do you send a person on forced leave for more than three years at the same time continue paying that person who is on forced leave, continue paying the permanent secretary salary, he is still getting all the benefits? In my opinion that is corruption. You send a person on forced leave and continue paying them, who is cheating who?" he asked.

"And you remember Mr Malila and Madam Wandi the so-called Task Force for seven years, people were going to court, seven years and the so called prosecutors were getting K100 million a month for three convictions, three convictions for seven years these are things which we have to improve on. Let's go to court only when we are ready to say we have a case to go and present to the courts. Let's not use courts, or use the police for politics but I congratulate you and I know you are going to do well."

President Sata said he did not believe in victimisation and the duo deserved the appointments and he was sure they would do a good job.

And President Sata dissolved the ZNBS board citing corruption.

"Zambia National Building Society is not doing any business. I can't see how the board can appoint a woman and give her K56 million a month. Now K56 million for a month for an organisation which is not making money and that's an organisation where somebody irregularly pumped US$98 million," he said.

"I have with immediate effect dissolved the board of Zambia National Building Society and appointed a commission which will be headed by Mr Mwila Lumbwe. Members will be Mr Nonde of Ernest and Young, Mr Jere, we will have one person from Anti-Corruption Commission and one person from DEC and I want Mr Secretary to the Cabinet to arrange for their swearing in so they can begin their function."

Meanwhile, Attorney General Malila said he was ready for the challenge again.

"I'm getting back to the office already with my sleeves folded. There's work to be done and we are ready to start. It's a big challenge but I think we are equal to the challenge," Malila said.

Malila's contract could not be renewed by former president Rupiah Banda when it expired on December 1, 2009.

"He President Sata spoke very passionately about enforcing the law and so what we can do obviously is review areas where we think the law is being disregarded and take action through appropriate agencies. Of course there's requirement for registration of all publications in whatever form. I think the President's concern is that there are so many of them that are appearing on the market without proper registration," he said.

"What we shall do that's a directive we shall go and sit down and look at the various publications that are on the market and see whether they are complying with the law."

And ACC director general Wandi said she would ensure the commission fought corruption with vigour.

"I feel happy to take up the challenge to effectively fight corruption in Zambia. I will not betray that confidence that has been placed upon me. I will conduct the affairs of the commission within the confines of the law and if we do any investigations, they will be done without fear or favour whoever commits the offence."

Foreign affairs minister Chishimba Kambwili said the appointment of Attorney General Malila and ACC director general Wandi was a manifestation that President Sata was not vindictive as claimed by MMD.

Labels: ATTORNEY GENERAL, MICHAEL SATA, MUMBA MALILA, ROSEWIN WANDI, UPND, ZNBS

posted by MrK @ 6:11 PM