Maravi

Kambwili, Bwalya go for each other
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 14 May 2013, 14:01 CAT

SPORTS minister Chishimba Kambwili yesterday accused Frank Bwalya of being a con man who was forming a political party to serve as a conduit for receiving money from unsuspecting well-wishers. But Bwalya described Kambwili's claims as cheap propaganda, accusing him of plotting to finish him politically.

"He who comes in the political arena must have clean hands. Ask Bwalya if he is a clean man. Ask him how clean he is. You and I know that priests are kept by the church and Bwalya does not…even when he was at Zesco, he was earning an allowance. Now go and see the house he lives in in Roma," Kambwili said.

"He lives in a house which is three times the size of the house of the Catholic bishops of most churches. Rentals for houses in Roma range from US$5,600 per month. Go and ask him who is paying for that house he is living in."

Kambwili maintained that Bwalya was a materialistic person that was pretending to be poor.

"Why live in such a house when you don't work? Why hasn't he gone to live in Kalingalinga or Mtendere?" asked Kambwili.

But Bwalya said unlike the PF whom he said had received lots of money from well wishers and only used less, sharing it among themselves PF, he was only receiving small amounts from well-wishers to sustain him.

"That is how all these statements by him Kambwili should be understood because since the PF government is looking for an opportunity to arrest me and scandalise me, they would not even publicly talk about the information they have which can incriminate me. They would have just swiftly moved to arrest me. It is very sad that PF wants to use the same things Mr Sata was accused of to accuse me," Bwalya said.

"Now when you look at Mr Sata's record and my record, I think it can be easier for certain things to hold on Mr Sata than on me."

Bwalya said he had been fending for himself following the Catholic Church's' decision to withdraw his sustenance allowance which he was legally entitled to since 2009.

Bwalya said he had made money through a lot of hard work and that his life was simple and different from that of some people in government, who he said were now thriving on illegal deals and connections.

"I live here and go into Kabanana (compound) and have a meeting, the impact it will create, without money is more than the impact they would create with the money that they have. I don't believe in money myself. That is why before I die, I want to ensure that I make a contribution to the politics of this country," said Bwalya, who took this reporter around his apartment in Roma.

Bwalya said the reign of thieves had ended because people of integrity were coming.

"When John the Baptist told his disciples to follow Jesus and Jesus turned round and saw the following, he asked 'what do you want?' Then the disciples said 'master where do you live?' Jesus responded saying 'come and see'. For me to make people my disciples, I tell them come and see how I leave. They look at opportunities I have been given to make money and then I decide to leave like this, then they say 'maybe this man means something'."

Bwalya said he would move to a house in Kalingalinga should he fail to sustain the rentals for the house.

"This furniture (sofa) you see with me, I got it from the Copperbelt. The printer was given to me two years ago by a close relative of Mr Sata. That water dispenser I got it on credit from a shop in Kitwe from someone who was supporting Mr Sata. That TV you see there, was given to me by somebody who is a staunch supporter of the PF here in Lusaka.
When I came to Zesco, I just had a bed. That stove and fridge, I bought it on hire purchase," Bwalya explained.

"I don't need a lot of money just like I didn't need it when I campaigned for PF."

Bwalya is currently living in a two-bedroom semi-detached flat in Roma, one of which he is using to print badges for his party bearing initials ABZ, with inscriptions 'Fr Frank Bwalya For President ABZ'.

Bwalya has stuck President Michael Sata's portrait in his living room.
He explained this as a form of recognition that President Sata was reigning although he did not agree with some of the things he was doing.

Labels: CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, FRANK BWALYA

posted by MrK @ 2:36 PM