Maravi

Sata refuses to ‘wine and dine'

Sata refuses to ‘wine and dine'
By Joan Chirwa-Ngoma and Mmoniemang Motsamai
Thu 22 Mar. 2012, 13:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata refused to ‘wine and dine' during his stay in Botswana, saying he could not do so when many people world over are hungry and thirsty. And President Sata says there's no government ploy to cripple MMD. Meanwhile, President Sata has donated US$10,000 to an ultra-modern high school which he went to officially open in Gaborone.

According to Botswana media, President Sata ordered some government officials serving him tea during one of his meetings ‘to give even those who were waiting'.

‘President Sata apparently refused to wine and dine during his stay saying he cannot do that when many people are hungry and thirsty here in Botswana and world over and in the process frustrating protocol as her ordered Botswana government officials who were serving him tea during one of his meetings to give even those who were waiting,'' sources said.

And President Sata's US $10,000 donation is also said to have attracted criticism from Zambians resident in Botswana who felt there were more Zambian schools that need financial assistance.

‘As you may be aware, President Sata was in Gaborone for the past two days. He officially opened a school and also donated US $10,000, a thing which attracted criticism from some Zambians here considering the levels of poverty in Zambia and that public schools are actually facing cash flow problems," said a source.

The ultra-modern school, with a capacity of 2,000 high school students, is the first of its kind in Gaborone intended to be a showpiece in the region and a sign of commitment to education in that country.

And speaking on Monday when he met Botsalo Ntuane, Botswana's opposition leader in Parliament, President Sata said the MMD had itself to blame for being deregistered as a political party and there was no political witch-hunting as Ntuane seemed to fear.

Ntuane had inquired of President Sata why MMD was deregistered, and whether the move was a political witch-hunt.

He said as opposition parties, they looked up to countries like Zambia for smooth political transition, but got worried when main opposition parties were obliterated under the cloak of administrative reasons.

President Sata told the opposition leader that the MMD's debt to government in statutory registration fees now stood at K400 million, and had accrued over 20 years.

He refuted allegations that his government deregistered the MMD as a strategy to destroy any possible rivalry.

President Sata said in fact, his government never deregistered the MMD, rather, it was the registrar of societies that did.

"We have got nothing against them (MMD); we just want them to obey the law by paying the registration fees," President Sata said.

"Government wants them to pay and once they have paid, the Registrar will re-register their movement."

President Sata said MMD's deregistration could only be resolved through compliance with the law.

He said that every government had laws that everyone should abide by and that the Societies Act of Zambia clearly stipulated that when an organisation is formed, there are certain prescriptions that need to be followed for it to continue operating.

President Sata said it was very embarrassing for a former ruling party to be in that kind of a problem.

"K400 million is nothing for a party which was in power for so many years; surely they have had more money than that amount," President Sata said.

He said when he took over power in September last year, he made sure that his government fought hard to rid the country of corruption, particularly among politicians.

On other issues, President Sata encouraged the opposition to carry strong messages to the people if they were to win votes. He said his party had no resources, but made it through messages.

"If you have a good message to your fellow Tswanas, you will not go wrong," said President Sata.

Registrar of Societies Clement Andeleki a fortnight ago deregistered the MMD on account of failing to pay over K390 million in statutory fees in form of annual returns and charges for change of office bearers.

Andeleki also said that he would write to the Speaker to nullify all the parliamentary seats held by the party following his deregistration of the former ruling party.

However, the MMD sought judicial review over the action and the court granted them leave and an injunction against the action.

Labels: BOTSWANA, IAN KHAMA, MICHAEL SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:20 PM