Maravi

Nevers has no fixed abode, says Shamenda

Nevers has no fixed abode, says Shamenda
By Bright Mukwasa and Fridah Nkonde
Sun 22 Apr. 2012, 13:30 CAT

INFORMATION minister Fackson Shamenda yesterday mocked Pastor Nevers Mumba saying the former vice-president and diplomat was a man with no fixed abode and was living at a lodge despite holding a very senior position in the previous regime. But Pastor Mumba says responding to statements issued by Shamenda would cheapen him.

Shamenda yesterday said government had evidence that the fracas that took place at Friday's requiem mass for former Republican vice-president George Kunda at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus was orchestrated with the knowledge of Pastor Mumba, claims he denied.

He denounced the former High Commissioner to Canada and said in an event where Pastor Mumba committed an offence, it would be difficult to trace him because he would have been moving from lodge to lodge.

He said it was even better for Henry Banda as people had an idea that he was in South Africa.

Shamenda said Mumba was a turncoat who abandoned the pulpit and the flock of God in pursuit of personal glory and ambition.

Shamenda said it was clear from his utterances that Pastor Mumba had hired himself out to those who had issues with President Michael Sata and his government.

"Pastor Mumba is an opportunist who has always thrived on reaping from where he has not sown," Shamenda told journalists during a joint press briefing with foreign affairs minister Given Lubinda yesterday.

"He Pastor Mumba is a failure who abandoned the pulpit and the flock as a man of God in Victory Ministries now "vanquished" ministries in pursuit for personal glory and ambition… now it is very difficult to understand how this turncoat has turned against not mankind but against the covenant he had taken with our God."

Shamenda said ‘Nicodemously', Pastor Mumba betrayed his friends in the opposition in return for an appointment as Republican vice-president in the Mwanawasa government but that did not take long before he Mwanawasa saw his true colours and fired him.

He said Pastor Mumba had been a huge liability to himself and to the nation; who had not touched anything with success and had failed his church, his party and the nation at large when he was unceremoniously fired as vice-president.

Shamenda said contrary to pastor Mumba's assertions, the government was on a serious mission to dismantle the deep rooted corruption, poverty and underdevelopment left behind by the MMD.

"We are surprised that myopic people like Pastor Nevers Mumba want to mislead the public that the PF government was not delivering on its promises.PF made several promises which it started fulfilling soon after getting into power. We promised to reinstate the Abuse of Office clause in the ACC Act which MMD had removed to ring fence their corrupt activities."

He said that had been done but Pastor Mumba did not want to acknowledge that the promise was fulfilled in less than six months of the PF being in power.

Shamenda also cited the "unprecedented" manner in which it successfully negotiated the improved conditions of service for public service workers.

He also said the government would professionalise the public media which MMD had politicised and personalised for partisan interests.

"The public media is now decontrolled, deregulated and depoliticised and more reforms are underway, including the Freedom of Information legislation, to ensure the media operate in a free and conducive environment to the benefit of the nation," he said.

And Lubinda urged Pastor Mumba to refrain from creating unnecessary friction and acrimony in manner he was approaching his politics.

Lubinda said if he were government spokesperson, he would have delegated a ward councillor in his constituency to size-up with Pastor Mumba, saying he should avoid throwing stones before undertaking a self introspection.

But Pastor Mumba said responding on the statements by issued by Shamenda would cheapen him.

"I cannot comment on any of those statements because those are not the type of politics that I want to practice. My prayer is that this could be the last day, the last week, last year of older generation of politics of personalising issues. It is unfortunate that somebody could even go as far as organising a press briefing just to address those matters," said Pastor Mumba.

He said he could not say much because his press department was going to provide additional information concerning the same.

Pastor Mumba said his type of politics were politics that were going improve the welfare of Zambia, adding that he was busy concentrating on reorganising the MMD.

He said he had no idea why anybody would suggest that he ferried thugs to fan confusion at Kunda's funeral. (DBZ).

Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, NEVERS MUMBA

posted by MrK @ 6:21 PM