Maravi

Sata hits at critics

Sata hits at critics
By Staff reporters
Sat 18 Feb. 2012, 12:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata says grave bitterness and negativity will be left to those with sectional interests to protect. And Vice-President Dr Guy Scott says PF's victory in Msanzala shows that people in Eastern Province are willing to work with the government.

Celebrating PF victories in Msanzala Constituency, two wards in Petauke and another one in Zambezi and in apparent reference to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, President Sata said the Msanzala and Zambezi victories sent a clear message to the MMD-UPND alliance that the time for misplaced bitterness and unjustified criticism was long gone because Zambians were more interested in messages of hope and assurance such as those enabling the PF to win elections.

"As a broad-based party with a proven national appeal, we will therefore continue to work even harder to gain new ground. We are determined to break all tribal and ethnic barriers just to ensure that our people receive the desired development in their respective regions," President Sata said.

"We are more confident in the collective wisdom, understanding and judgment of the Zambian people now than ever before because they are able to distinguish genuine criticism from sour grapes and mere media stunts by those who do not mean well for this country."

President Sata has since appointed newly-elected Msanzala PF member of parliament Colonel Joseph Lungu as Deputy Minister of Defence in charge of Rural Development and Zambia National Service.

President Sata said the Msanzala victory signified the ruling party's grand entry into Eastern Province and further affirms the people's resolve to endorse and support PF's efforts to deliver the change they voted for on September 20, 2011.

"Indeed, this is a momentous achievement for our party as it has demonstrated to all doubting minds that in fact, our historic victory last September was understated due to the widespread electoral malpractices by the previous regime," President Sata said in a statement released by his special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah.

"With sincerity of heart, I take this opportunity to express my utmost appreciation to our secretariat and the rank and file of our party for this well-deserved victory. You are further encouraged to work harder to mobilise and explain our party programmes across the entire length and breadth of the country."

President Sata commended the PF for decisively winning a ward seat in Zambezi West Constituency in North-Western Province and another two wards in Petauke district.

The President assured that PF will never take the goodwill and support it is enjoying from the Zambian people for granted.

"As custodians of the Zambian people's interests, we will continue to listen, uphold the rule of law and deliver to the best of our abilities to move this country forward. Grave bitterness and negativity will be left to those with sectional interests to protect," said President Sata.

And in an interview yesterday, Vice-President Dr Scott said the victory was a clear testimony that Zambians were displeased with the leadership of MMD.

"I would attribute it the victory to the fact that PF has shown that it is serious and the people also want to work with the government because they know who they are working with. I mean, MMD don't even have an accepted leader at the moment. I mean, who is the president? Who is going to be the leader of MMD? Nobody knows," he said.

Vice-President Dr Scott, however dispelled reports that there was violence in the run-up to the by-election.

"They can say what they want. I was there. I didn't see very much violence and why should there be violence? We don't need violence. Did it help William Banda when he rampaged through Bauleni? It didn't help him, so why should we be following in his footsteps?" asked Vice-President Dr Scott.

The PF resoundingly won its maiden parliamentary seat with cadres bursting into jubilations at the civic centre.

And acting Eastern Province chairperson Ezekiel Mtonga said his party had conceded defeat and congratulated the PF for winning the Msanzala by-election.

Colonel Joseph Lungu polled 7,172, MMD's Peter Daka got 4,065, UNIP's Shadreck Banda got 201 and Usuman Maumba an independent candidate polled 355.

Msanzala has about 29,000 registered voters but only 12,014 cast their ballot.

William Banda won the Lusangazi ward by-election and Col Lungu's young brother James Lungu scooped the Nyakawese local government election on the PF ticket.

Returning officer Madgalene Mutinta declared Lungu winner at 09:52 hours.

In a brief interview after he was declared winner, Col Lungu thanked the
people of Msanzala for voting for him.

Col Lungu pledged to work for the people of the constituency.

"I knew I was going to carry the day because I knew my opponents very well.
Peter Daka is a soft gadget for me. I know how to handle him," Col Lungu said.

When contacted after the official results were declared, Daka cut the line before responding to the question.

Mtonga said the people of Msanzala have selected a leader that they want to preside over their affairs.

He said the democratic rights of the people must always be respected in any election.

"My advice to the member of parliament is that he has to make sure that he serves the people of Msanzala after promising them a lot. You know, people are misled by these promises and I hope he will not serve his pocket but the people of Msanzala. For us in the MMD we always accept defeat and will forge ahead. We will go back to our drawing board and see what exactly could have gone wrong," Mtonga said.

"People went to vote freely yesterday (Thursday) so whether there was intimidation or not people decided to vote for the ruling PF but what is more important is that in future I would like to advise all political parties that this idea of importing cadres should be discouraged."

Meanwhile, Copperbelt PF information and publicity secretary Kabwe Chanda thanked the people of Msanzala for using the ‘Don't Kubeba' method.

He said Peter Daka dishing out huge amounts of money, he had been taught a bitter lesson.

"Msanzala has opened the floodgates in Eastern Province and the new MP should establish how CDF was used in the constituency because there is nothing to show for from the time MMD was in power," said Chanda.

Just before the announcement of the official results, the PF members led by the women started singing solemn songs portraying that the MMD had died in Petauke.

A PF member only described as Mrs Nakayula said the PF was not popular on the ground and that it was ready for any by-election in the province.

All the losing candidates were not at the civic centre when the official results were being announced.

Last year slightly over 15,000 people voted out of over 29,000 registered voters.

And the PF has scooped the Mapachi-Chinyingi ward by-election in Zambezi West Constituency.

PF candidate Peter Mwiila polled 748 votes, beating MMD's Chilila Chinyama who got 230 votes in last Thursday's local government by-election.

PF area campaign manager Christabel Ngimbu said the convincing manner in which the PF beat MMD was a sign that the party was getting established in North Western Province.

"We have won convincingly. This is an indication that people have changed; they are tired of being in the opposition which has not developed the area. They feel that they should belong to the ruling party so that they can have development," said Ngimbu who stood in the same area as PF parliamentary candidate in last year's election but lost to UPND's Charles Kakoma.

Ngimbu said UPND led by Kakoma, who heavily campaigned for the MMD candidate Chinyama, was waning in Zambezi West.

She said Kakoma's impact as area member of parliament yielded little on the ground as the PF had overwhelming support from the local people.

She said PF was anticipating more defections of opposition councillors in Zambezi West that would further dent the UPND's stronghold in the area.

And Timothy Mulusa, North Western PF mobilisation committee chairperson, said PF in the region would not relent in its efforts to marshal support for the ruling party in upcoming elections after spearheading a three-day ground work exercise in the ward ahead of the poll.

Labels: GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA, MMD, PETAUKE, PF

posted by MrK @ 5:54 PM