Hichilema goes for Chipimo, Nawakwi

Hichilema goes for Chipimo, Nawakwi
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe and Selina Nyirenda in Lusaka
Wed 20 June 2012, 13:25 CAT

HAKAINDE Hichilema says opposition political party leaders travelling with President Michael Sata have failed to run their political parties and are now part of the Patriotic Front.

In a telephone interview with Kitwe's Radio Icengelo, the UPND leader said National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo and FDD's Edith Nawakwi's acceptance to travel with President Michael Sata to Brazil for the Earth Summit was a confirmation that there were part of the PF and had joined in sharing taxpayers' money with the President.

He said Chipimo and Nawakwi had decided to associate themselves with President Sata's government because they had realised that being in the opposition was tough.

"Mr Sata and Mr Chipimo especially are beginning to move in a manner that wastes taxpayers' money. Mr Sata is on record of having telling others before him that they are travelling too much. It is now clear that he is the one travelling too much with large delegations including opposition leaders basically wasting taxpayers' money," Hichilema said.

He said it was unacceptable that President Sata was travelling with a large delegation when there were no medicines in hospitals.

Hichilema said the country cannot afford to be paying for presidential trips with large delegations when the country was facing huge problems such as constant power blackouts by Zesco.

"People in the compounds are complaining, three days passes without power. So Chipimo, Nawakwi and others have joined sharing taxpayers' money through huge allowances. I will not do that myself. I will remain opposition. We don't need government favours and handouts such as allowances and air tickets. If we need to travel, we can buy own air tickets. We don't have to spend taxpayers' money," Hichilema said.

And Alliance for Democracy and Development leader Charles Milupi said Chipimo Jr had for some time not been part of the opposition.

Milupi said in an interview that Chipimo was free to join the PF if that was his desire but that that would not compromise the opposition's stance to hold the government to account.

"I think we understand our role as the opposition, it is not to be rewarded by those in government. It is to raise issues that we feel are pertinent. That is what we have done and we shall continue to do so. Mr Sata himself during all the time he was in opposition, I don't remember Mr (Rupiah) Banda (the former Republican president) taking him for a trip outside. But if Mr Chipimo wants to join the PF, he is free to do so," Milupi said.

According to Milupi, the decision by President Sata to invite three members of the same political party who he said did not have vast experience on issues of climate change was questionable.

"There is a lot of money in travelling, so if you have authority during travel and you invite somebody who is not connected to what it is you are going out for, it is probably as a reward but a reward for what? Or what's the payback when they come back? How are they paid back for their gesture? This is a bio-fuels conference, as important as it is, we have many people in government that deal with those matters, now to go to an opposition and get three of their members to accompany you, who do not have the specific expertise!"

Milupi wondered how President Sata who criticised Banda on his frequent trips and the number of people who accompanied him whilst he was in office, had started to do the same thing.

He warned members of the opposition to be sceptical of the invitations from President Sata, saying they would be made answerable once anything went wrong.

"Those that get invited must remember the saying that 'if you dine with the devil, use a spoon with a very long handle so that you are not tarnished'. If you want the role of the opposition it is to hold government accountable," said Milupi.

President Sata invited Chipimo and Nawakwi to accompany him to Brazil.

He said a meaningful and progressive opposition was an essential ingredient to national peace, stability and sustainable development and poverty reduction.

President Sata said matters of national development cut across partisan lines hence his invitation to Nawakwi and Chipimo.