Maravi

Name purported emissary, Sata challenges Mumba

Name purported emissary, Sata challenges Mumba
By Allan Mulenga
Wed 01 Aug. 2012, 10:40 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata has advised Nevers Mumba to always strive to tell the truth because Zambians are judging him through his utterances and general conduct.

Reacting to Mumba's claims during a press briefing at Blue Lagoon Guest House in Chawama on Monday that he was being harassed by President Sata following investigations instituted against him for alleged abuse office when he was Zambia's High Commissioner to Canada, the head of state said the government would allow the due process of the law to take its course.

"Let's allow the due process of the law to take its full course and not claim harassment or persecution where there is none. As Head of State, I have all the confidence that the law enforcement agencies involved will handle these matters with utmost professionalism," he said in a statement issued by his press aide George Chellah.

Mumba, during his briefing on Monday, accused President Sata of harassing him over investigations instituted against him for alleged abuse of office when he was Zambia's High Commissioner to Canada.

He said the allegations against him were mischievous because the investigative wings were aware that the funds under discussion were not for the public.
"This is nothing but a political harassment. The President is aware that because he was informed by the Home Affairs in January that what they are referring to was private money and not public money. It was sponsorship given to the Amayenge to come and perform in Canada.

The reason why the money was not in the Zambian account is because it was not Zambian money," said Mumba on Monday. "It did not come from the Treasury and the reason why we asked the Diaspora to form a committee to host the Amayenge is because we didn't want the High Commission to be involved in the running of that programme because we couldn't mix the monies.

And so the action by the government to send an envoy from State House to tell me that this issue was misplaced and that the President had been misled, they wanted me to sit with the President and discuss this matter. I thought it was important for the President to help me by clearing the air publicly that he wasn't involved in what they claimed he was involved in."

But President Sata said he found Mumba's claims that an emissary was sent to discuss his alleged involvement in some criminal conduct fictitious and preposterous.

"Clearly, Pastor Mumba has a very exceptional ability to describe events or incidents that never took place. It's a very rare quality he possesses in this field I must admit," he said. "However, my advice to him is that as a leader of the so-called largest opposition political party in the country, he must always strive to say the truth because the Zambians are judging him through his utterances and general conduct."

President Sata urged Mumba to name the person he met and on whose authority that individual was acting.

"It's in the interest of Pastor Mumba's personal character and career that he reveals to the nation the emissary he alleges was sent by State House. Let him name the person he met and on whose authority that individual was acting," said President Sata.

"As far as my office is concerned, at no time or period since assuming the presidency have I ever sent anyone to confer with Pastor Mumba or any other person who is alleged to have committed some criminality in their conduct. I therefore, challenge my young brother to name the purported emissary."

Labels: CORRUPTION, MICHAEL SATA, NEVERS MUMBA

posted by MrK @ 2:23 PM