Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) President Michael Sata reacts to RB’s apology letter to George Bush

COMMENT - This has the fingerprints of the MMD/UPND's new advisor Robert Amsterdam all over it. They have no clue what to do in or out of power, what their economic policies are (other than 'whatever the World Bank says')or how to market them, but all of a sudden they have an 'international media strategy' that includes letters to donors, and they embroidering on familiar 'regime change' themes, like singing the 'black racism' song like the chancers in Zimbabwe did. Time to switch to the offensive. This is not left vs right, it is the people vs the foreign mine owners.

President Michael Sata reacts to RB’s apology letter to George Bush
TIME PUBLISHED - Friday, July 6, 2012, 7:03 pm

President Michael Sata has said that he is deeply embarrassed with immediate-past President Mr. Rupiah Bwezani Banda’s hyperbole over his lighted-hearted conversation with former United States president George W. Bush. This is contained in a press statement released to the media his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah

“It is very unfortunate that Mr. Banda has chosen to play very cheap politics on a matter that does not concern him. Mr. Banda is remotely connected if not totally disconnected to the matter at hand, as he does not understand the nature of the personal relationship that I have cultivated with former president Bush,” President Sata said in the statement.

“Therefore, my light-hearted conversation with former president Bush should not be an occasion for cheap political scoring by Mr. Banda. As a matter of fact, this is not the first time that I was hosting former president and Mrs. Bush. And I am very grateful that they chose to pay us two visits in a space of six months, which clearly indicates the cordial relations between the two countries and former president Bush’s personal commitment to our country.”

President Sata encouraged Mr. Banda to behave in a manner befitting a former Head of State.

“Mr. Banda spent his presidency doing wrong things for himself and his children. I therefore, understand his desperation and attempts to seek relevance, though in wrong places this time around. I would encourage my dear brother to come to terms with what has happened and subsequently behave as a mature adult, and leave the running of Government to the duly elected officers,” President Sata said.

“Let Mr. Banda prepare to answer for his own misdeeds. Trying to turn a light-hearted exchange between former president Bush and myself, which we normally do, will not help him to sort out his numerous problems.”

“Let Mr. Banda prepare to answer for his own misdeeds. Trying to turn a light-hearted exchange between former president Bush and myself, which we normally do, will not help him to sort out his numerous problems.”

The President described Mr. Banda’s conduct as unbecoming and unprecedented for a self-respecting former Head of State.

“Notwithstanding the many wrongs that Mr. Banda committed against our people and us, we have restrained ourselves and tried to accord him full respect. Obviously, Mr. Banda is mistaking this for a weakness. We warn him not to push his luck too far. In fact, he is the least person that should cross paths with this administration,” President Sata said.

“Today, Mr. Banda can pretend to be a friend of the international community because he wants their support to defend the wrong things that he did during his tenure. But we have not forgotten that it is during his administration that he told donors to ‘pack and go’ when they questioned the corruption in his Government.”

The Head of State said that the Zambian Government continue to express its unreserved gratitude to former president and Mrs Bush’s works in the country.

Labels: GW BUSH, MICHAEL SATA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 11:47 PM