Monday, April 26, 2010

Rupiah should fire Kabonde, says Sata

Rupiah should fire Kabonde, says Sata
By Chibaula Silwamba
Mon 26 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata with chief Mbang'ombe (l) at the house of mourning for the chief’s late son Edward Phiri in Katete on Saturday - Picture by Thomas Nsama
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has appealed to President Rupiah Banda to fire Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde for allowing violence in his presence in Mufumbwe

And Sata said Vice-President George Kunda has been evacuated by the government to South Africa

South Africa for treatment while the late Milanzi MMD parliamentarian Reuben Chisanga-Banda was allowed to die in University Teaching Hospital (UTH) where he was hospitalised for two weeks after a road traffic accident.

Addressing a campaign rally at Galu Wawo and Chimbundire Basic School on Saturday to drum up support for PF parliamentary candidate Albert Banda ahead of this Thursday’s by-election, Sata said Kabonde was being soft with violent MMD cadres that are on rampage attacking PF-UPND Pact members because he wants to stand as a parliamentary candidate in Pambashe Constituency in Kawambwa district on the MMD ticket.

“I am appealing to Rupiah Banda to fire Kabonde because he is not fit to be Inspector General of Police. Kabonde allowed violence to take place in his presence. In Mufumbwe people were beaten in the presence of Kabonde,” Sata said.

“I want to praise the Eastern Province police command and district command for maintaining peace here in Milanzi. We have real policemen in Eastern Province. Rupiah Banda has no shortage of policemen, he should fire Kabonde and bring in somebody else.”

Sata said Kabonde had failed to control MMD cadres.

“We are aware as to why he is not arresting MMD cadres; he wants to stand as MP in Pambashe in Kawambwa district. That is why he is not behaving like a policeman,” said Sata.

And Sata wondered why the government was quick to evacuate Vice-President Kunda to South Africa while the late Chisanga-Banda was allowed to die in UTH.

“As we are here some of us will be dying any time and I am very sorry we lost a young man Chisanga-Banda who stayed in hospital in UTH for two weeks.

This week, Vice-President George Kunda fell sick; he has been flown to South Africa. That is Mr Rupiah Banda’s government,” said Sata as people looked surprised at the news.

“Reuben Chisanga-Banda was involved in an accident; he was in UTH for two weeks. George Kunda became sick in Mufumbwe now is in South Africa because the life of George Kunda and the life of Chisanga-Banda are different.”

Sata said President Banda’s government had double standards in the manner it was addressing national issues and the lives of Zambians.

“We are all here made in the image of God and we don’t want these children to be illiterate. If Mr Rupiah Banda’s government says a councillor must be grade 12, how many here are grade 12? Even if they finish grade 12 there are no jobs. Here in Katete is one of the districts where Mr Rupiah Banda comes from.

You have two ministers in Katete but the roads I passed through; you have David Phiri, deputy minister in home affairs, you have Mbewe deputy minister in agriculture. Now, Rupiah Banda doesn’t want to travel by road, he fears breaking his back. It’s better for you to break your backs and not him. Rupiah Banda is coming here by air,” Sata said.

He said there was need to change people’s livelihood in Katete.

“Dole is very important; you need a big hospital, you need a secondary school and you need to change the image of the Dole Cemetery,” said Sata about Dole where the sacred burial shrines of Paramount chief Gawa Undi are located.

He urged Albert Banda to speak out on behalf of the Milanzi people if elected parliamentarian.

“Government is so scared of anybody who speaks loudly. That is why you have seen the President is always outside Zambia because I speak and I will not stop speaking until I die.

When you talk, you are going to attract better local investors who will create employment for these children here,” Sata said.

“Rupiah Banda was very abusive when he was addressing a media briefing in Kitwe. He said the five councils for PF are not properly managed. I wanted my brothers to come and see how an MMD-UNIP council, Katete, is being run. The situation is bad at Katete council.”

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Saturday, July 19, 2008

(LUSAKATIMES) Govt. projects should be monitored, says Chief

Govt. projects should be monitored, says Chief
Posted on July 16th, 2008

Chief Mbang’ombe of the Chewa people in Katete district in Eastern province has bemoaned lack of supervision on government developmental projects done in his chiefdom. Chief Mbang’ombe complained that shoddy works have been identified on Munyamanzi bridge. The chief has since called for the monitoring of Constituency Development Funds (CDF), saying government resources sometime go to waste when there is no provision for appraisal and monitoring of projects.

“The projects are not taken seriously and shoddy works are done, there is need for close supervision if government funds are to be utilized for the intended purpose,” he added.

He was speaking when Mkaika Member of Parliament, David Phiri, who is also Information Deputy Minister, paid a courtesy call on him yesterday.

Mr. Phiri is in a one week visit to his constituency to inspect developmental projects.

The traditional leader expressed sadness that civic leaders, who are supposed to monitor the projects, were reluctant to do their work mostly because of belonging to various political parties.

Chief Mbang’ombe also raised concern that some contractors considered him as an enemy whenever he requested for their explanation and reports concerning projected they were undertaking.

“Munyamanzi bridge is one of the projects on which government spent a lot of money but due to lack of supervision, the work is not satisfying as damages have already started showing such that the structure needs to be redone,” he noted.

Chief Mbang’ombe said time of politicking was over, saying all that was needed now was to work together for the betterment of the constituency.

“All civic leaders are supposed to work together regardless of their political affiliations if the area was to improve structures such as schools, roads and health centres,” he added.

Meanwhile, the chief has complained that his subjects still had to walk long distances to access medical services from Vulamukoko and Chimutende Rural Health Centres.

He stated that there was need to put up a health post at Nthambo village to ease his subjects’ suffering through walking long distances to access the medical services.

And in response, Mr. Phiri said funds for the rehabilitation of Munyamanzi bridge were released under Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in the Vice President’s office thereby making it difficult for councillors to take the responsibility of inspecting the project.

He disclosed that such projects were difficult to monitor as it was the responsibility of the Road Development Agency (RDA) Engineers and Provincial Roads Engineers to do so.

Mr. Phiri said he was also not happy with the works done on the bridge and he had since sought audience with the regional engineer.

Munyamanzi bridge was badly damage during 2006/07 rainy season.

Meanwhile, Chief Mbang’ombe said the illness of President Levy Mwanawasa will slow down many development projects which needed his attention.

Chief Mbang’ombe said people in the area have continued praying for him to get better so that he could come back and foster development.

“When a parent is sick in a home, things do not move at the pace they are supposed to. We shall continue to pray for him so that he quickly comes back to foster development.

He said people still needed boreholes, health facilities and good roads which need his attention to materialise.

ZANIS/DM/KSH/ENDS

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