Maravi

Sata is right on EU diplomats - Magande

COMMENT - I think Brigadier General Miyanda needs to reconsider his position. It is borderline treasonous for opposition members to meet with foreign diplomats and members of foreign governments. Especially as he is a former member of the armed forces, and an active politician. I don't like the entangling of members of the Executive becoming members of the Legislature, and the Brigadier General is pushing the envelope by meeting with foreign diplomats on top of that.

Sata is right on EU diplomats - Magande
By Allan Mulenga, Lovely Kayombo and Bright Mukwasa
Mon 14 May 2012, 10:30 CAT

NG'ANDU Magande says European Union Ambassador Gilles Hervio is making himself unpopular by meeting opposition parties. Magande, who is leader of the National Movement for Progress party, said President Michael Sata was right to direct the foreign affairs minister to look into the matter where diplomats were meeting opposition figures in the country.

But Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda says they are not going to be cowed or deterred from meeting and consulting stakeholders and diplomats on any matter. In an interview on Thursday, Magande said the EU Ambassador was not in the country to hold dark corner meetings.

"The opposition people have just made this Ambassador now unpopular, even when we need to go to him some of us because we are technicians… I want to go ask these people for money to help small-scale farmers to grow cotton. Even to buy ginnery because we want to process our cotton here or the miners to start some small companies like, ZAMESA to process our copper the government will already suspect," he said.

Magande wondered why the EU Ambassador and the representatives of some opposition parties were not ready to share with the public what they discussed in a meeting.

"What will happen now when the Ambassador reports to the commissioner in Brussels? Are you going to allow now one of the opposition members who is here to use a Zambian passport just to fly out to Europe to go and talk about Zambia? Why? Where is the Ambassador going to go now? And especially that the Ambassador is saying 'no, I can't disclose what we are discussing'. So now already the Zambian government is suspecting this Ambassador… has he got a hidden agenda in being in Zambia?" he asked.

Magande suspected foul play in the manner representatives of some opposition parties were dealing with the EU.

"We have a lot of organisations. Why did they meet the EU which is European? Why didn't they go to the Commonwealth? Why didn't they go to SADC? Why didn't they go to Comesa? Under SADC we have a lot of organs there even dealing with political issues, why didn't they pick that one? Again now the same thing when other people are complaining to say why pick a Malawian judge? The question now some of us are asking, why did the opposition pick an international organisation - the European Union - to go and report this matter? They better tell us," he said.

Magande urged opposition parties to be accountable and transparent in the manner they handle issues.

"I am a bit surprised that some representatives from opposition parties, without some of us, went to the EU. You know that I was secretary general of the ACP group (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States) when we were negotiating the current Cotonou Agreement which is a partnership between the ACP and the EU. Obviously, I am just wondering that, if any one of my colleagues in the opposition won the elections and was the president, he would even ignore that I am the only Southern African citizen who has been involved with the EU for three and half years."

And Magande said President Sata was right to take strong exception to diplomats who were interfering in the country's internal affairs.

"The President is correct. He should leave his minister of foreign affairs to call the EU Ambassador and advise him that he is not here to sort of hold dark corner meetings. He is here to help every Zambian and we want to know, even myself I want to know, what is he talking to some of leaders of the Zambians," said Magande.

During a joint press conference by opposition political party leaders comprising UPND's Hakainde Hichilema, Charles Milupi of ADD, MMD acting president Michael Mabenga, ULP's Sakwiba Sikota and Edwin Sakala, Brig Gen Miyanda, leader of the Heritage Party, said diplomats were free to access citizens and that they were not working with them to destabilise the government.

He said President Sata should revise his position and allow them to interact with diplomats.

"Our own President has attacked us. What it is implying to citizens is that those who have not met us will be afraid to meet us because the President has spoken. The President is an experienced person, he has been in government before. Apart from normal protocols, there is nothing that stops diplomats and ambassadors from calling on other political parties. There is nothing wrong about it, diplomats are free to access citizens," he said.

"We met ZCTU followed by the European Union and the purpose was to brief them and inform them that is why we are disgusted by our President's reaction to that meeting because it is implying that a mere meeting of opposition political parties and diplomats amounts to interference in internal affairs of the nation."

He said the opposition is not against the fight against corruption but is interested in genuine judicial reforms.

"We believe that the President did not act within the presidential powers when he suspended the judges and appointed a tribunal. We feel that the President acted prematurely. At no time have we said the President has no powers to set up a tribunal as he has done. We have been saying that he has acted without following the due process, that is the matter that has been emphasized. We feel that perhaps the President was misled or misdirected himself. So far those who have condemned us, including those so-called state counsels, have not answered these questions that procedures have not been followed. They are just saying that the President has got powers," Brig Gen Miyanda said.

"…We also feel the timing of the suspension of judges is also suspect because the judges were suspended soon after one of them passed a ruling against the Mutembo Nchito, JNC Holdings Limited and The Post newspapers in a matter involving K14 billion with DBZ."

He accused President Sata and the Executive of interfering with the Judiciary for political and personal gains under the guise of fighting corruption.

Brig Gen Miyanda also disputed allegations that they planned to incite workers to go on a countrywide strike during a meeting with ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba to press President Sata to lift the suspension of the three judges.

ZCTU secretary general Roy Mwaba on Wednesday told the press that opposition party leaders wanted the union to assist in inciting workers countrywide to strike over the suspension of the three judges when they met Hikaumba.

Labels: EU, GODFREY MIYANDA, MICHAEL SATA, NG'ANDU MAGANDE, ROY MWABA

posted by MrK @ 7:18 PM