Rupiah is a thief, says Nalubamba

Rupiah is a thief, says Nalubamba
By Roy Habaalu, Christopher Miti, Kombe Chimpinde and Ernest C
Tue 27 Dec. 2011, 14:00 CAT

RUPIAH Banda is a thief who should be jailed, says Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba. And Angela Cifire says Banda should face the law. Meanwhile, Dr Katele Kalumba has advised Banda to maintain a low profile.

Commenting on revelations that the corruption of Frederick Chiluba's 10-year rule was a joke when compared with the theft of public resources in just three years of Banda's regime, chief Nalubamba of the Ila people of Namwala said those that had stolen must be jailed in order to deter future presidents from stealing.

"Whether he's my brother, I come from a family that believed that those who stole must be punished for the wrong things they did, I don't see retribution in this. They (Banda and the MMD) were able to earn good money. There is no way they can go scot-free. They stole public funds. It's very, very sad," said chief Nalubamba.

"Immunity and reconciliation should not be the subject. If you are going to allow people to steal at will and then they are going to reconcile with the current leadership, then you must know that you are killing this country because many people will realise that it's not a crime to steal and you will never go into prison for stealing; you won't be prosecuted. And once they know that, then no President that will come into that position will never steal. Everybody will be stealing because they know that there is a precedent left open so they will be stealing at will. We'll be in trouble."

Chief Nalubamba mocked Banda for trying to sell Kamwala Remand Prison land, saying Banda's group of government officials did not want to go to that prison.

"As a matter of fact, did you hear what president Rupiah Banda said? That he would be compelled to build a special prison for Chiluba. How do you do that to a criminal? A special prison for a criminal, how many special prisons are you going to build for these people? Just because they held positions, which they abused, how do you do that? You can't do that!" chief Nalubamba said.

"If you have abused office and you have stolen, you must go in so that others will learn. Otherwise you'll allow those in leadership to steal money at will. Then what will Zambia be 10 years from today?"

Chief Nalubamba said the Patriotic Front (PF) government should set a precedent that would save the country from plunderers.

He said there was need to plant fear in the minds of people that stealing was a criminal offence.

Chief Nalubamba said something must be done against those who had stolen and if facts were there, they must be jailed for it so that future presidents would refrain.

"Otherwise, they will say ‘how can you prosecute or arrest me when you didn't prosecute others?' They will be using these excuses for them not to be prosecuted," he said.

"This country will go to the dogs, I can tell you that. Don't set a precedent that will destroy this country. Set a precedent that will save this country from thieves."

And Cifire, who is former information deputy minister and once one of Banda's allies, said it was embarrassing for Banda to cry out to a chief and as a case study of an incumbent president who loses an election, he should face the law since he was just a cadre now.

Banda had expressed his fears of possible imprisonment to chief Mwanachingwala.

However, the PF government has advised Banda against trying to marshal public sympathy and disclosed that the corruption in his administration was massive.

Home affairs minister Kennedy Sakeni said the corruption of Frederick Chiluba's 10-year-rule was a joke when compared with the theft of public resources in Banda's government.

Several leaders in Banda's regime, himself included, are being investigated for various corruption-related offences.

Cifire said if Banda conducted himself in a befitting manner, the PF government would not harass him.

In reaction to revelations by chief Mwanachingwala that Banda was crying for protection from him, Cifire said the PF would only harass him over the wrong things that he did.

"In any case because you see he has indicated that he is going to be a political cadre, then he has to face the consequences of what cadres face when they do not do what the law states that they should be doing. It's embarrassing that he can reach a situation where he is crying out to a chief and for that matter he is crying out to a chief from Southern Province," she said.

Cifire said after his electoral defeat, Banda declared that he had retired from active politics but it was embarrassing that he was getting back into active politics.

Cifire said Banda should avoid engaging in cadre-like politics but play an advisory role as former head of state.

"A few weeks ago, he (Banda) was called to go to Congo (DR) to assist with the elections there. This is a kind of thing he should be doing now and not to be getting into these everyday cadre relationships where he is going to be parading with the women in the papers. Surely, we need to see better examples of what our leaders have got to do after retiring. The most stressful thing that a Zambian faces is retirement because it spells doom for most Zambians," she said.

Cifire said the Zambian constitution did not allow former presidents to go into destitution and this was the reason why they were given everything that they needed.

"Let him leave the cadre politics to the cadres and let the others carry on. He is out of politics. Let him enjoy his terminal benefits and pension where people can call him and consult and say ‘how can we do this act right'," she said.

"And not to be going up and down; tomorrow you want this and the other day you want something else."

Cifire poured scorn on Banda, saying his political behaviour was embarrassing and lacked consistency.

"After issuing that (retirement) statement, then again he should go back on his work, entice NEC (National Executive Committee) to have him back as president of the party. What we are seeing right now of the many candidates that are trying to stand for MMD presidency means that there are enough people that can carry on with the party," she said.

However, Cifire in April this year praised Banda for his development success and for adding a lot of value to the Zambian economy in the few years he had been in power.

Cifire said at Chipata's St Anne's Cathedral parish that Zambians should massively vote for Banda so that he could complete his development projects in this country.

In subsequent months before elections, Cifire praised Banda and vilified other opposition candidates then.

In September, Cifire resigned from the MMD because she felt unappreciated by the MMD despite having done much for the party.

And Dr Kalumba advised Banda to maintain a low profile.

"If your song is playing and you have been dancing that song when the song is over, you have to leave the stage. If you mean well and have good intentions, it's better to take a low profile. Former presidents are important national assets. Former presidents must use the networks created while in office to help the country. This is what former president Dr Kaunda is doing," he said.

And commenting on the government's announcement last week that since Banda remained MMD president he was considered to be in active politics and his benefits would be suspended, Dr Kalumba agreed with the move.

"The law is very clear about the benefits of a former president. There has been a considerable amount of discretion by presidents in the past, but there's need to ensure that, that law is adhered to. It is the law saying that and it the suspension is not done in bad faith," he said.

"I have myself been very emphatic in calling upon our former Republican president Mr Banda, who I consider to be a parent, to desist from inner pressures from those who want to live in politics of hangers-on; even when your time is up, they want to ensure that you hang on so that they have to live off you. What is important is for you to do the right thing by stepping aside."

Dr Kalumba said it would be wise for Banda to quit active politics and give advice to other leaders.

He said those who benefited from his stay in politics were pushing Banda.

"I think what the government is trying to do is to really encourage him to say ‘look let's look after you like we are looking after the old man KK'. It was sad to see how the old man suffered when he involved himself in active politics. Chiluba suffered the same because of his political involvement," said Dr Kalumba.

"I know that he may have a fear that if he quits politics, he will be troubled by the government. These are fears created by those who want to live off him. And these are 15-minute friendships, which do not stay. So my advice is, without any bad intentions, please heed the call by those who are trying to see you retire with dignity."

Recently, chief government spokesperson Given Lubinda announced the freezing of Banda's benefits because it was in breach of the benefits of former president's Act.

And Dr Kalumba said he did not support Banda as an individual in the 2011 elections but because of his loyalty to the MMD.

Explaining his sudden change from supporting Banda, Dr Kalumba, the former MMD national secretary, said he and Banda did not find common ground on many issues.

He said his support for Banda during the 2008 presidential election was meant to unite the party after the sudden death of Levy Mwanawasa.

"As far as I'm concerned, my loyalty was to my party. As party national secretary then, I made statements in support of the president but that didn't mean things were right. My role was to ensure that against all the resistance, to allow an open process, the only thing I could do was to make sure the race was open," Dr Kalumba said.

"But many of my colleagues were of the view that since president Banda was vice-president of the (MMD) government, they would benefit from the benefits of incumbency that he was enjoying. It is a situation where someone is not necessarily the best candidate, but most members feel that he is right under the circumstance. That is the way politics is. Politics is being able to hear the voices of the members. It was because of the same reason that MMD lost. It could have won, but they did not capitalise on the voices of the members because there was too much over-confidence and arrogance."

Asked if he thought Banda had a preferred successor, Dr Kalumba said it was not clear whom the former president wanted to take over from him.

And Dr Kalumba said it was clear that Banda resented him because he felt that he Kalumba) had no respect for him.