Maravi

Mumba a liar - Sata
By Bivan Saluseki and Abel Mboozi
Sun 22 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata says MMD leader Nevers Mumba is a liar. Earlier yesterday, Mumba told journalists that President Sata wanted him jailed at all costs and that he was ready for that. And Mumba has demanded that President Sata immediately calls for a general election in order to resolve the expensive venture of unbudgeted-for by-elections.

Mumba said he was ready to face any verdict in his contempt case tomorrow.

"When I go to court on Monday, I am going there knowing fully well that God is a God of justice, and God is the One who is going to make sure that what needs to happen, happens. But we also know that there are probably those that would like to continue to impress some kind of force on the Judiciary," he said.

"I had to react briefly when I was out of the country three weeks ago, when I amazingly received a surprise phone call from the President Sata and he told me that he had heard that when I become president I would put him in jail, and he warned me that he had power to put me in jail now and the phone cut. Now of course I called my colleagues to ask what that meant, and you know some of the reports we receive as to what is happening or what was happening at State House, concerning some cases, one would start to wonder whether he President Sata was saying that in a position of trying to do something. But we are ready."

Mumba said the job he was involved in was a hazardous one but he was ready to pay the price that came with his role.

"And so we will face this situation. On Monday I am going there. I know that there has been a lot of pressure that I have heard that the President really wants me arrested and jailed, even going by that telephone call, he really wants that. But I believe there are people there in the Judiciary, I believe myself that there are men and women in the Judiciary that are there because God has sent them there and they are going to continue what is right not just for my case, but for the cases of many Zambians that have gone to those highest court for justice," he said.

"I have faith and confidence that there are men and women there that are continuing and will continue to do the right thing."
Mumba said there were allegations that the President had met some people from the Judiciary trying to impress them to enter certain judgments against certain people.

"We hope that's not true but we have that information and we had it as late as last night (Friday), that these things are manoeuvres that are happening," claimed Mumba.

But President Sata, who spoke through his press aide George Chellah, said it was irresponsible for an opposition leader from a former ruling party to launch an unwarranted attack on the Judiciary.

"It is also highly reckless for a man who has a contempt case to commit further contempt," he said.

President Sata said the Judiciary and not the Executive had summoned Mumba.

He said Mumba should advance his innocence in a court of law and not the court of public opinion.

"He is engaging in anarchy," President Sata said.

On Mumba's allegations of threats, President Sata said he was saddened with Mumba's twisting of the truth.

"It saddens me that we have to be debating the truth with the so-called man of God. It seems Dr Mumba is allergic to the truth. He seems to have a problem narrating events in the manner they happen," he said.
President Sata said Mumba had exaggerated the phone conversation they had.

He said Mumba had asked him that he had been trying to reach out and he even gave the MMD leader his private line.

President Sata said he had wanted to promote the spirit of dialogue and he responded well by telling Mumba that he was free to call him any time.

"It's a pity that he has twisted the conversation which he initiated," he said.

President Sata said Mumba should strive to tell the truth.
"Matters of lies and truths should never be part of any conversation involving pastors," he said.

President Sata said Mumba should handle his case in court with respect instead of politicising the matter.

"He has a very fictional mind, a very imaginative one.I think he fits to be doing Hollywood scripts because his ability to narrate events that never took place is shocking," he said.

President Sata said Mumba should not drag the presidency in his contempt case because he had nothing to do with it.

President Sata said at a time when the festive season is about giving, reconciliation, love and compassion, Mumba had decided to give Zambians a gift of lies and deceit.

Last month, Mumba told the Supreme Court that sending him to prison in a case he was cited for contempt of court would be like sending the entire MMD membership to jail.

The Supreme Court is tomorrow expected to deliver judgment in a matter where Mumba is cited for contempt of court in connection with remarks he made on the nullification of Dora Siliya's Petauke Central seat.
On the need to hold a general election, Mumba told journalists in Lusaka yesterday that the MMD would do whatever was within its power to force the PF to call an early poll.

"There is an insatiable appetite for by-elections by the PF government to the extent that the President is willing to miss international events like the funeral of late Nelson Mandela and go on a campaign trail in Vubwi," he said.

Mumba said in the ongoing fight to deplete the opposition numbers in Parliament, the PF had induced six resignations from the MMD.
"Our assumption is that they are also expected to suffer the same fate. This brings the total number of targeted MPs by PF to 33 from the MMD. This development is the first of its kind since independence, where the government recklessly destroys democratic institutions and spends money we don't have to support a programme that destroys democracy and reduces the effectiveness of the government in power. This attack on the Legislature must be resisted and stopped by all of us," he said.
On MMD bouncing back to power, Mumba said it would be mischievous for its opponents to state that it would not manage to get back to power.

"They are being mischievous for three reasons; firstly, our two years out of government have helped us to do a soul search why Zambians set us aside for a while. We have brutally analysed the perceptions we had created, which enraged the Zambian people and have learnt our lesson, never to repeat those mistakes. Secondly, we have also learnt from the glaring mistakes of the PF and have resolved never ever to take Zambians for granted," he said.

Mumba also demanded that mealie-meal prices be slashed, subsidies on agriculture and fuel be reinstated, the constitution-making process be completed and a referendum be held.

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA

posted by MrK @ 5:20 PM