Maravi

Patriots don't do what Rupiah, HH are doing

Patriots don't do what Rupiah, HH are doing
By The Post
Thu 14 Feb. 2013, 15:20 CAT

On February 8, 2009, Hakainde Hichilema, as president of the UPND, accused Rupiah Banda's government of corruption over its partial privatisation of Zamtel shares. Hakainde accused Rupiah's government of ignoring legal procedures because of corruption. These comments of Hakainde were published in our newspaper on February 9, 2009 (Issue No. 4498).

And on May 15, 2009, Hakainde said that he misses the late Levy Mwanawasa because corruption had worsened in Rupiah's government. He accused Rupiah's MMD government of being inherently and endemically corrupt. And the story of this was published in our newspaper on the 16th of May, 2009.

Again, on June 15, 2010, Hakainde charged that Rupiah, his children, Dora Siliya and the team were guilty of corruption the sale of Zamtel and they would never wash themselves clean. He accused Rupiah and his children and Dora of benefitting from the dirty transaction. "We are all aware that the children are travelling all over now. Somebody was caught with some cash. And they are covering it. What other reason would be motivating Dora? And look at the defence, it's like bees just stinging around when people complain. Kavindele is called names; I am called all sorts of names," Hakainde remarked in reference to Rupiah. But today, they are together. Hakainde is defending Rupiah's corruption. He doesn't want him to account in any way for any of these things. Why?

And Hakainde is doing all this in the company of Sakwiba Sikota. But let's recollect what Sakwiba used to say about Hakainde in 2006. "UPND is corrupt and tribal. We want to be part of something that is not corrupt and tribal, we want to be part of something that is for all," said Sakwiba in reference to Hakainde and UPND on July 18, 2006 and the story was published in our newspaper on July 19, 2006.

And on July 20, 2006, Sakwiba added: "… We will isolate UPND tribalism. They will find themselves to be the only ones who stand for tribalism, intimidation, corruption and violence." This was published in our newspaper on July 21, 2006.

The late Henry Mtonga, who was then Kanyama UPND member of parliament, when leaving Hakainde's UPND said: "It is worthless to stay in UPND. We are praying that such people should not come anywhere near forming government. I am a very sad man, politics of no principle, money without work can lead people to destroy good things."

Today, Rupiah, Hakainde and Sakwiba, joined by Nevers Mumba, are all together in one camp. Why? What has happened?

All seem to have forgotten their mutual scores, they are weeping into each other's arms, and are raising the banner of slander, malice, propaganda, calumny against the Zambian government of Michael Sata. They are all trying to vent their spleen by trying to mobilise international support against their own country and their own people.

There are certain things a patriot can do and cannot do. Whatever their grievances against Michael and his government, there is nothing that warrants them to campaign for sanctions against their own country and their own people.

And unfortunately for them, their campaign will not yield the results they are looking for because they have no serious issue against the Zambian government. They are simply wasting their time and making a fool of themselves.

We know that Rupiah has stolen a lot of money and can pay all sorts of well-connected international agents to place stories in all sorts of publications to launder him. But where will it take him? No one has taken Rupiah's rights away. And when his immunity will be removed, it will be done in accordance with the requirements of the law. The law provides for the removal of presidential immunity through Parliament. This will be done because Rupiah stole public funds.

And even his friend Hakainde knows this. Hakainde is defending Rupiah today not because he thinks Rupiah is clean but simply because there are some benefits he sees in doing so. Opportunists have no principles. They live by expedience.

There is nothing that stops law enforcement agencies from arresting Hakainde and prosecuting him if he commits a crime. Being an opposition politician does not provide Hakainde with immunity from prosecution if law enforcement officers believe he has committed a crime. Why is Hakainde trying to place himself above the law?

Hakainde is legitimately facing criminal charges in the courts of law. If indeed the charges against him are frivolous or baseless, they will be thrown out or he will be acquitted.

There is no country in the Commonwealth where politician are placed above the law. Even those who have immunity from prosecution, that immunity is conditional. When certain conditions required by the law are fulfilled, that immunity can be removed and open them to prosecution.

And Rupiah shouldn't cheat himself that he has got the protection, the support of all these elements. They will be there for him as long as the money he has stolen lasts. As soon as he cannot meet his bills to them, he will be deserted.

And as for Hakainde, he shouldn't cheat himself that defending Rupiah and his corruption will get him into State House. Defending corruption has never taken anyone to State House or kept anyone in State House. Before him, those who tried to defend Frederick Chiluba and his corruption failed to go to State House on that account. And Rupiah himself tried to keep himself in power by defending Chiluba and his corruption. Did he succeed? No, he failed miserably. How can a man who has failed to keep himself in power put another man in power? If Hakainde is looking to Rupiah for political survival, then his political instincts are very poor. Anyway, Hakainde's political instincts have generally been poor. In the 2011 elections, Hakainde thought by aligning himself with Rupiah, he would be able to stop Michael and the PF from winning. He failed and miserably so. The only thing Hakainde won for himself is bitterness, envy. Today Hakainde has swallowed that humiliating defeat and it's bitter because he has swallowed it. Defeat is not bitter if one doesn't swallow it. Today Hakainde is choking with envy because what he thought was not possible has become possible; what he thought was not tenable has become tenable.

Our advice to Rupiah is not to waste his time hiding behind Hakainde, Nevers and Sakwiba. We all know that it's Rupiah behind all this. Hakainde, Nevers and Sakwiba are simply Rupiah's minions trying to benefit from his misery, desperation and fear.

But are these the type of leaders Zambia wants? One who can do what Hakainde, Nevers, Sakwiba and Rupiah are trying to do to Zambia is not fit to lead a country. If one can try to destroy one's country in this way, what can stop them from selling it when it's beneficial to do so?

Again, this is where Michael beats them. For all his weaknesses, Michael is a patriot. And a patriot never works against his country, his people. Mercenaries easily get hired and can easily be deployed against their own country, their own people. They have no homeland; their homeland is where their pockets are filled.

We have continually advised against the attempt to win power on the back of national failure. Patriots will always want to see their country succeed with or without them in power. Mercenaries only want themselves to be at the centre of glory, of things. If they are not there, nothing should work, nothing should succeed. Probably Henry was right when he prayed that "such people should not anywhere near forming government". And the good Lord seems to have answered Henry's prayer, 'such people are nowhere near forming government'.

We made a clarion call to all patriots and Zambians of goodwill to denounce the campaign these mercenaries have launched abroad against our homeland. This is not about Michael; it is not about PF. It is about Zambia and the plight of its people. We saw how some misguided elements were used, or had allowed themselves to be used, to destroy their country simply because they wanted to be in power at any cost. You all know the country we are talking about and we don't need to mention its name. Is that the route we want Zambia to go simply because some power-hungry element wants to be president at any cost?

We have repeatedly advised that it will still be possible for one to defeat Michael and the PF at the next elections if they work hard and in an honest way without resorting to methods that will destroy the economy of our country and our people's livelihoods. There will still be enough room to defeat Michael and the PF even if they had to achieve 99 per cent good performance. That one percent failure can be enough to get them out of office if those in the opposition are more honest, hardworking, strategically and tactically shrewd. It is not necessary to malign one's country, one's people just to become president.

Rupiah is fearing prosecution because he knows what he has done. Even Hakainde has told you that Rupiah was corrupt. So what is wrong in working to remove Rupiah's immunity so that he could be legitimately prosecuted for his corruption, the corruption which even his friend Hakainde acknowledges?

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 5:49 PM