Judiciary responds to Moono
Judiciary responds to Moono
By Maluba Jere
Tue 02 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT
THE judiciary has advised politicians to refrain from using it when circumstances suit them as they express their freedom of speech and expression.
In a statement released yesterday, judiciary public relations officer Terry Musonda stated that the judiciary was a public institution open to criticism based on facts, evidence and objectivity.
Musonda stated that it was unfortunate that lately, it had become tradition for politicians and some members of the public to go to the media over the judiciary for wrong reasons.
Musonda’s comments come in the wake of newly-elected Chilanga UPND parliamentarian Captain Cosmas Moono’s statement that the election had vindicated him.
Capt Moono said his election had embarrassed the judiciary, which he said had been under pressure by the MMD government to rule in favour of former Chilanga member of parliament Ng’andu Magande.
Musonda further stated that Capt Moono should note that the judiciary could not be embarrassed because it did not take part in the 2006 parliamentary by-election but merely facilitated the recount, which reflected and confirmed what the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) counted before the petition.
“The judiciary wished the new Chilanga MP had concentrated on his ‘sweet victory’ as opposed to making reference to the court case which was closed by all parties, himself inclusive,” he stated.
Musonda stated that the judiciary remained true to its core values of asserting its independence and autonomy and providing equal access to justice for all people.
Labels: COSMAS MOONO, JUDICIARY, TERRY MUSONDA
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Chilanga has shown MMD a red card - Magande
By Chibaula Silwamba and Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 28 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MMD has been shown a red card in Chilanga and is going into oblivion, former member of parliament for Chilanga Ng’andu Magande said yesterday. And Magande denounced President Rupiah Banda for commissioning developmental projects, which he and late president Levy Mwanawasa initiated without acknowledging the duo’s roles.
Meanwhile, Magande said UPND’s newly-elected Chilanga member of parliament Captain Capt Cosmas Moono’s popularity has declined because he got about 50 per cent of votes compared to those he garnered in 2006 when he lost to him.
Commenting on the MMD’s loss of the Chilanga parliamentary seat on Monday, in a by-election occasioned after the MMD expelled him for championing intra-party democracy, Magande said the electorate had shown the MMD that they were not happy with them.
“I think MMD has now been shown a red card without even Fr Frank Bwalya flashing it to them. In Chilanga, MMD has very slim chance of winning next year, especially when I put my candidate after I form my party. They will have no chance at all,” Magande said.
“What has happened in Chilanga is a sign and message to MMD that the Magande that you want to close the history books is still here and he also did something and for us we don’t appreciate that you want to write a history book without including the contribution of Magande to the development of the country.”
Magande said the MMD did not know the people of Chilanga and Zambia in general and would not retain power in 2011 elections.
“Zambians are beginning to get fade up with being told certain stories. Stories like, ‘now I am handing over 72 houses in Chipata for the police,’ without saying that ‘the previous president Levy Mwanawasa who passed away is the one who started these houses in 2007 and his Minister of Finance and his Minister of Home Affairs who is still with me are the ones who started it’,” Magande said.
“Why do you want to get credit on things that were done with other people? Somehow, MMD is no more there. It is very clear that MMD will go nowhere. They are avoiding mentioning my name that I was one of the people who started the projects.”
Magande attributed the apathy in the Chilanga by-election to the MMD’s intolerance towards him.
“The people are saying, ‘well, if you don’t want this person who has done so much for us, then we don’t accept you, go away.’ What I didn’t realise was the kind of rejection the party would face,” Magande said.
“I knew that the MMD would lose, one of the other parties would win but it would seem the Chilanga people just said: ‘we are fade up with you people for chasing Honourable Magande’.”
Magande said Capt Moono’s popularity had gone down.
“In 2006 we had about 16,000 voters. I don’t understand how people are not analytical. Can you imagine in 2006 he got about 6,000 6, 070 votes but this time around he has about 3, 000 votes 3, 702 votes, 50 per cent less, and he says, ‘I am very popular!” Magande said.
“I keep on saying, ‘I am a mathematician. Even if he is not a mathematician one time he will get 6,000 people saying they want him and within three years you get half of those people and you say, ‘I am still popular’.”
Magande observed that many voters that voted for Capt Moono in 2006 had not voted for him this time around.
“For me, it means he didn’t even get any one of my voters to vote for him, so there was no change. But from what I am getting, there was a lot of apathy. Obviously, most of the MMD people did not participate in the campaign because they were sidelined by Lusaka provincial officials and I suspect they didn’t vote,” Magande said.
“I think the other voters were also not amused that MMD people go there are they say ‘Honourable Magande didn’t do anything’ even when I did over a 100 projects; roads, schools, boreholes.”
Magande said the electorate did not vote for the MMD because they were expressing their displeasure that they were not amusing that the MMD did not even consult them before expelling him as their member of parliament.
He said it was unfortunate that the current MMD leadership under President Rupiah Banda was not acknowledging the role previous MMD leaders played in initiating developmental projects.
“They forget MMD of 1991 when we brought democracy. You have to give people credit that this democracy we are enjoying now was because of the movement that was started in 1991. How do you tell Zambians about development starting in 2008. Can you finish?” Magande said. “How can you say, ‘I have done Chipata-Mchinga railway within the last 12 months or built this and that school within the last 12 months?’ Unfortunately, because of that, the MMD as an organisation is going into oblivion.”
Magande said Zambians had now started to speak out against the wrongs going on in the country.
“Zambians are saying, ‘we don’t want to be ruled by individuals, we want to be ruled by individuals using teams of people’,” Magande said. “Since I and Mpombo were removed, it would seem nobody is talking about the convention in MMD. How are they going to select the candidate if they don’t go to the convention? If you don’t have an executive committee, how do you run an institution and how do you prepare for succession.”
Magande said he was consulting widely in order to form a formidable political party ahead of the 2011 tripartite elections.
“I am consulting and by the time I announce my party it be before elections and it will be a credible team, anti corruption people and some people that maybe you have never heard of but Zambians who have a vision and passion to develop this country,” Magande said. “I am very happy that I am going back to my officials in Chilanga and they are saying, ‘for us we know what you have done in Chilanga, we want you to aim high and we are waiting for you to come and campaign for the presidential position’. That is encouraging.”
He said he was sure of getting the votes in 2011.
“I am just working out my programme, contacting people in Mwinilunga, Lundazi and other places, finding out what is happening there, finding out what is happening to the bumper harvest that is now going to be a bumper disaster,” Magande said. “So, I am going to see clearly, what this country can be and who could manage it better. So for me a party is not necessary because people know me already. I think they know me from what I did as a civil servant and minister of finance. I am in a hurry to look for a party but what I am in a hurry to do is to have a firm ground on what I intend to do for the country.”
UPND’s Capt Moono polled 3,702 votes beating MMD’s Keith Mukata who got 2,339 votes while UNIP and NAREP candidates got only 131 and 50 votes respectively.
The MMD had expelled Magande from the party for alleged indiscipline after he repeatedly questioned the undemocratic practices in the party.
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Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, COSMAS MOONO, MMD, NG'ANDU MAGANDE
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Chilanga has shown MMD a red card - Magande
By Chibaula Silwamba and Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 28 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MMD has been shown a red card in Chilanga and is going into oblivion, former member of parliament for Chilanga Ng’andu Magande said yesterday. And Magande denounced President Rupiah Banda for commissioning developmental projects, which he and late president Levy Mwanawasa initiated without acknowledging the duo’s roles.
Meanwhile, Magande said UPND’s newly-elected Chilanga member of parliament Captain Capt Cosmas Moono’s popularity has declined because he got about 50 per cent of votes compared to those he garnered in 2006 when he lost to him.
Commenting on the MMD’s loss of the Chilanga parliamentary seat on Monday, in a by-election occasioned after the MMD expelled him for championing intra-party democracy, Magande said the electorate had shown the MMD that they were not happy with them.
“I think MMD has now been shown a red card without even Fr Frank Bwalya flashing it to them. In Chilanga, MMD has very slim chance of winning next year, especially when I put my candidate after I form my party. They will have no chance at all,” Magande said.
“What has happened in Chilanga is a sign and message to MMD that the Magande that you want to close the history books is still here and he also did something and for us we don’t appreciate that you want to write a history book without including the contribution of Magande to the development of the country.”
Magande said the MMD did not know the people of Chilanga and Zambia in general and would not retain power in 2011 elections.
“Zambians are beginning to get fade up with being told certain stories. Stories like, ‘now I am handing over 72 houses in Chipata for the police,’ without saying that ‘the previous president Levy Mwanawasa who passed away is the one who started these houses in 2007 and his Minister of Finance and his Minister of Home Affairs who is still with me are the ones who started it’,” Magande said.
“Why do you want to get credit on things that were done with other people? Somehow, MMD is no more there. It is very clear that MMD will go nowhere. They are avoiding mentioning my name that I was one of the people who started the projects.”
Magande attributed the apathy in the Chilanga by-election to the MMD’s intolerance towards him.
“The people are saying, ‘well, if you don’t want this person who has done so much for us, then we don’t accept you, go away.’ What I didn’t realise was the kind of rejection the party would face,” Magande said.
“I knew that the MMD would lose, one of the other parties would win but it would seem the Chilanga people just said: ‘we are fade up with you people for chasing Honourable Magande’.”
Magande said Capt Moono’s popularity had gone down.
“In 2006 we had about 16,000 voters. I don’t understand how people are not analytical. Can you imagine in 2006 he got about 6,000 6, 070 votes but this time around he has about 3, 000 votes 3, 702 votes, 50 per cent less, and he says, ‘I am very popular!” Magande said.
“I keep on saying, ‘I am a mathematician. Even if he is not a mathematician one time he will get 6,000 people saying they want him and within three years you get half of those people and you say, ‘I am still popular’.”
Magande observed that many voters that voted for Capt Moono in 2006 had not voted for him this time around.
“For me, it means he didn’t even get any one of my voters to vote for him, so there was no change. But from what I am getting, there was a lot of apathy. Obviously, most of the MMD people did not participate in the campaign because they were sidelined by Lusaka provincial officials and I suspect they didn’t vote,” Magande said.
“I think the other voters were also not amused that MMD people go there are they say ‘Honourable Magande didn’t do anything’ even when I did over a 100 projects; roads, schools, boreholes.”
Magande said the electorate did not vote for the MMD because they were expressing their displeasure that they were not amusing that the MMD did not even consult them before expelling him as their member of parliament.
He said it was unfortunate that the current MMD leadership under President Rupiah Banda was not acknowledging the role previous MMD leaders played in initiating developmental projects.
“They forget MMD of 1991 when we brought democracy. You have to give people credit that this democracy we are enjoying now was because of the movement that was started in 1991. How do you tell Zambians about development starting in 2008. Can you finish?” Magande said. “How can you say, ‘I have done Chipata-Mchinga railway within the last 12 months or built this and that school within the last 12 months?’ Unfortunately, because of that, the MMD as an organisation is going into oblivion.”
Magande said Zambians had now started to speak out against the wrongs going on in the country.
“Zambians are saying, ‘we don’t want to be ruled by individuals, we want to be ruled by individuals using teams of people’,” Magande said. “Since I and Mpombo were removed, it would seem nobody is talking about the convention in MMD. How are they going to select the candidate if they don’t go to the convention? If you don’t have an executive committee, how do you run an institution and how do you prepare for succession.”
Magande said he was consulting widely in order to form a formidable political party ahead of the 2011 tripartite elections.
“I am consulting and by the time I announce my party it be before elections and it will be a credible team, anti corruption people and some people that maybe you have never heard of but Zambians who have a vision and passion to develop this country,” Magande said. “I am very happy that I am going back to my officials in Chilanga and they are saying, ‘for us we know what you have done in Chilanga, we want you to aim high and we are waiting for you to come and campaign for the presidential position’. That is encouraging.”
He said he was sure of getting the votes in 2011.
“I am just working out my programme, contacting people in Mwinilunga, Lundazi and other places, finding out what is happening there, finding out what is happening to the bumper harvest that is now going to be a bumper disaster,” Magande said. “So, I am going to see clearly, what this country can be and who could manage it better. So for me a party is not necessary because people know me already. I think they know me from what I did as a civil servant and minister of finance. I am in a hurry to look for a party but what I am in a hurry to do is to have a firm ground on what I intend to do for the country.”
UPND’s Capt Moono polled 3,702 votes beating MMD’s Keith Mukata who got 2,339 votes while UNIP and NAREP candidates got only 131 and 50 votes respectively.
The MMD had expelled Magande from the party for alleged indiscipline after he repeatedly questioned the undemocratic practices in the party.
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Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, COSMAS MOONO, MMD, NG'ANDU MAGANDE
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UPND gets Chilanga as MMD eyes Mpulungu
Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 4:15
By LusakaTimes
THE opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has won the Chilanga parliamentary by-election through its candidate Captain Cosmas Moono by a landslide victory.
Captain Moono won the election with 3,702 while the ruling party candidate Keith Mukata amassed 2,339. Former ruling party UNIP’s candidate Henry Silumesi only managed 131 votes while NAREP’s Valarie Bwalya got 50. There were 67 rejected ballot papers and 6289 total votes counted.
Retaining officer Alfred Chipoma made the announcement at around 02:00 hours to vigilant UPND supporters who monitored the entire counting and evaluation process.
Songs of jubilation then characterized the scene as UPND officials repeated the ‘good news’ announcement through a Public Address system.
Captain Moono however, did not show himself to the jubilant UPND supporters for apparent safety reasons.
Over hundred police officers blocked the entrance to the designated tallying center, barring journalists from both private and public media from covering the collection and counting of ballot papers in Chilanga
Meanwhile, over hundred police officers blocked the entrance to the designated tallying center, barring journalists from both private and public media from covering the collection and counting of ballot papers in Chilanga.
The riot officers who were armed with tear gas canisters, shot buttons and guns had a tough time preventing the journalists from entering the premises after it was realized that state owned and government controlled ZNBC TV crew was sneaked into the tallying centre ‘secretly’.
After a near crash with the police officers, the helpless journalists complied and waited for over six hours to get the official announcement of results.
In Mpulungu as at 05:00 hours this morning, the ruling party was in the driving seat with 4, 504 votes from 51 of the 60 polling stations.
The officials update of results saw the Patriotic Front which was enjoying a meager lead since the begging of the counting process slipping to second position, trailing MMD with 4,129.
Final results from Mpulungu coming up shortly…
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, COSMAS MOONO, UPND
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UPND picks Capt. Moono for Chilanga
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 06 Oct. 2010, 15:30 CAT
OPPOSITION United Party for National Development (UPND) has adopted party chairperson for defence Captain Cosmas Moono as the Pact candidate for the Chilanga parliamentary by-election.
Making the announcement today at the party secretariat at a press briefing, UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the party was confident that Captain Moono would win the election.
“After consultations the party National Executive Committee (NEC) decided two days ago to adopt former Chilanga member of parliament Captain Cosmas Moono as the candidate for the Chilanga by-election,” he said.
Kakoma said Captain Moono was not new to Zambian politics and that he was popular in Chilanga Constituency.
“Captain Moono was the MP for Chilanga from 2001 to 2006 when the former minister of finance took over. In my opinion, Captain Moono won that election but the MMD stole it from us, so we are taking him back and we are confident that he will win us the seat,” said Kakoma.
And in an interview shortly after his adoption announcement, Captain Moono said he was thankful to the PF-UPND Pact for considering him to contest the Chilanga seat and maintained the seat was ‘stolen’ from him by the MMD in the 2006 polls.
“We will keep our eyes open this time because in 2006, we won the election but the MMD stole it from me. We petitioned but justice was aborted in the court process,” he said.
He said it will be easy for him to get back the Chilanga seat because former finance minister Magande did not deliver.
“For me, my campaign in Chilanga is already done because of Mr. Magande’s failure to perform,” said Captain Moono.
Meanwhile, PF was by press time still expected to announce the party’s candidate for the Mpulungu parliamentary by election.
The Mpulungu seat fell vacant following the death of that constituency’s member of parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo’s death, while the Chilanga seat fell vacant following the expulsion of Magande from the MMD who subsequently decided not to re-contest the seat.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, CHARLES KAKOMA, COSMAS MOONO, UPND
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Moono has loose screws in the head, says Mpombo
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Thursday, May 14, 2009 3:49:16 PM
DEFENCE minister George Mpombo yesterday said he was not poor when he joined UPND as it is being portrayed because he had four hammer mills and a van. And Mpombo said he is a moderate drinker of beer and not in the manner that UPND defence chairperson Captain Cosmas Moono was claiming.
Reacting to Capt Moono's revelations that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema resurrected him [Mpombo] from poverty in the village where he was drinking a local brew, Mpombo said it was not true that Hichilema rescued him from the jaws of poverty.
"Capt Moono is an incorrigible, pathological liar. His statement borders on complete and utter political lunacy. I think he has got a couple of loose screws in the head and his allegations amount to cheap political concoction, which is not built on any foundation," Mpombo charged. "When we were founding UPND all these chaps - Moono and Hichilema - were not there. These chaps just jumped on the political bandwagon. They were not there for them to deceive the nation in the way he [Capt Moono] is trying to say that I had fallen to levels of that kind of social disorder."
He said the late UPND leader, Anderson Mazoka, whom he worked with at Anglo American Boart Longyear, had invited him to join UPND during its formation.
"The first meeting Mr Mazoka addressed on the Copperbelt, he was accompanied by Dante Saunders, it was on my farm in Chiwala. If I was in the state he [Capt Moono] is explaining, how could I have hosted that function? We had people from all over, I had to feed and look after them," Mpombo narrated. "Besides, I was district governor for Ndola rural and after UNIP left and MMD came into power, I had four hammer mills and a van and I was able to look after my family very well. In the same period, I was the only opposition councillor on the Copperbelt on UNIP ticket. How do you expect a councillor to walk bare feet like the way he is saying?"
He said he was also board chairman for Chiwala Secondary School for six years.
"To be a board chairman is not a simple job where you would wear tropicals [flip-flops] and that kind of thing," Mpombo said.
He said due to his influence the UPND managed to 'score' its first councillors in Copperbelt Province's Mpongwe and Masaiti districts.
"If I was in such a situation of social disrepair, how could that happen? So it is actually just political hallucination and arsenals of lies. I want to challenge my colleagues in UPND to stick to facts. It's not true to say that I was given a vehicle by Hichilema. If a leader can sink so low and to generate such kind of falsehoods, it's incredible," Mpombo complained. "The vehicle he is talking about which Mr Mazoka sent to the Copperbelt was the one which was meant for, we had a local government by-election in Mpongwe, which UPND won and that ka small van was meant for that programme. In any case, I was provincial coordinator for UPND on the Copperbelt. After winning the elections the vehicle was withdrawn by the secretariat in Lusaka."
Mpombo said he only knew Hichilema when he went to buy domestic animals from him.
He said it was not true that Hichilema donated money for Mpombo to buy a suit.
"My father was a very prosperous businessman and I learnt to wear suits from the age of 10 and I have always wore suits in my life. If I am not in a suit then it's smart casual. Suits have been part of my life. So how do they say Hichilema bought a suit for me and I was not looking? How do they make such fabrications?" Mpombo asked. "So there is no grain of truth in what he is saying. Moono is just an irresponsible and excited political rabid attack dog. His statements amount to political obscenity. This is just cheap political character assassination."
He said he had been a role model in Ndola rural and never drunk kachasu beer.
"I have never taken any toxic staff and I am a very moderate drinker. I am certainly not in that category. Surely, in Copperbelt if you have no shoes, you are wearing patapata [flip-flops] and drinking kachasu, you have no integrity. How can people follow you?" Mpombo asked. "In fact a lot of people on the Copperbelt will laugh once they read that story [from Capt Moono]."
And former head of security for UPND and the late Mazoka, Ernest Ndilla described Capt Moono's statement on Mpombo as petty, malicious and childish.
He said he was in Mazoka's delegation that went to hold a meeting at Mpombo's farm and the latter organised the campaign meetings in Mpongwe and Masaiti districts.
"I was shocked after I read Moono's lies," said Ndilla. "I wish you also investigate how Capt Moono was fired from Nyamayane farm where he was in charge. How did he leave ZAF? You have to investigate these people before you quote them to determine whether they are credible or not."
Mpombo said, as defence minister, he did not threaten Hichilema contrary to what UPND chairperson for youths Joe Kalusa was claiming.
"They have torn it out of context. What I was saying was that the political shelf life for Hichilema will expire in 2011. All I was saying is that he has no guts to win the 2011 presidential elections and at that time he will become irrelevant both in UPND and nation because he will have led the UPND into maybe fourth [third] presidential defeats," said Mpombo.
Labels: COSMAS MOONO, GEORGE MPOMBO
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HH raised Mpombo from poverty, says Capt Moono
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 3:43:11 PM
HAKAINDE Hichilema raised George Mpombo from shackles of poverty in Masaiti village where he was drinking a local brew, opposition UPND chairperson for defence Captain Cosmas Moono revealed yesterday. And UPND youth national chairperson Joe Kalusa has challenged defence minister Mpombo to explain what he meant when he said UPND leader Hichilema will disappear from the Zambian political scene.
Reacting to Mpombo's reference to Hichilema as a spoiled child because of the latter's questioning of the mobile hospitals deal and his claim that President Rupiah Banda wanted a cut from the US $53 million deal, Capt Moono said UPND and Hichilema had greatly contributed to shape Mpombo's career, hence it was unfair for the Minister of Defence to demean the opposition leader.
"Mpombo should not say anything against HH because it is HH who has made him what he is. Mpombo was languishing in Masaiti village until UPND picked him as a councillor under [the late Anderson] Mazoka's leadership. The man was just wearing a grey suit with tropicals [flip-flops] and drinking local beer in the village. People were even reluctant to share beer with him until HH donated a Nissan Sentra, red in colour, which he was given and unfortunately, he didn't even know how to drive it. We had to teach him to drive that vehicle," Capt Moono explained.
"After that, we had problems to address public meetings with him because the man was not appealing in terms of appearance to the people in comparison with other candidates who were selected as councillors. HH donated money which we used to give Mpombo to buy the first suit. It was after he won these elections at council level that he became clean and MMD noticed him."
Capt Moono said Mpombo defected from the UPND and joined the governing MMD.
"In 2001, he became an MP on MMD ticket. [Therefore,] it is immoral for Mpombo to start insulting people of HH's calibre who he is supposed to kneel down and pray to," he said. "In fact, HH is a god for Mpombo here on earth because he is the one who resurrected him. He has no moral fibre to start talking against HH. These are the same UPND fellows who when they defect to MMD and they are given jobs, they become so big and forget where they came from."
He said Mpombo should realise that his government wanted to rape Zambia of its meagre resources by considering the purchasing of mobile hospitals.
"The mobile hospitals they are talking about are inappropriate technology to our country. It's not suitable. Chinese are not known to make durable equipment, durable vehicles. Therefore, with our roads, these equipment will not last," Capt Moono said. "So when HH is saying no to this idea, actually he is talking on behalf of all Zambians, especially the poor."
He wondered why President Banda was insisting that mobile hospitals were ‘a damn good idea.’
"The MMD government's insistence to push this project into our throat even when we are refusing leaves much to be desired," said Capt Moono. "In any case, why should the President become the chief buyer of the government? Where are the technocrats who have been employed to do these specific jobs? Since when have we got this culture where we have a President who is involved in every purchase?"
Over the weekend, Mpombo said Hichilema behaved liked a spoiled child not befitting a leader.
And Kalusa said the UPND was worried about Hichilema's life following Mpombo's remarks that he would disappear.
"We fear for the life of our president when they mention things like disappearing because people have disappeared before in unexplained circumstances. We don't want the same to happen to HH," Kalusa said. "You know Mpombo is in charge of defence and security. That worries us as UPND."
Kalusa also dared the government through the police to arrest Hichilema if they were convinced that he lied when he said President Banda and the MMD wanted a commission from the US$53 million [about K301 billion] mobile hospitals deal.
"We challenge Mpombo not to backpedal about his threats that HH will be arrested. What HH said is the truth. We are daring them to arrest him," said Kalusa. "The mobile hospital deal is a scandal and it needs to be probed."
Last week, Mpombo said Hichilema was an inconsequential political figure and he would disappear from the Zambian political scene just like a puff of smoke.
Labels: COSMAS MOONO, GEORGE MPOMBO, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, JOE KALUSA
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Banda’s excitement over tribunal on Dora is very suspicious - Capt Moono
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Monday, February 23, 2009 4:44:47 AM
FORMER Chilanga UPND member of parliament Captain Cosmas Moono has said the excitement by President Rupiah Banda following the move by the Acting Chief Justice to set up a tribunal is very suspicious.
Commenting on Acting Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima's decision to set up a tribunal to probe communications and transport minister Dora Siliya for alleged abuse of office, Capt Moono said President Banda should actually be sad and ashamed that his government in 100 days of being in office had come under heavy criticism in the way he handled the governance of the country.
"We expect President Banda to be devoting his efforts to stimulating the economy of Zambia just like his fellow counterparts are doing in their respective countries, but instead the highest score of corruption has been scored in his stay in office," he said.
Capt Moono said one shudders to think what would happen in his three-year tenure of office. He noted that President Banda was on record saying Siliya was smarter than the people criticising her. Capt Moono said Siliya's continued stay in office as minister actually rendered the tribunal's outcome obvious.
He said President Banda and his government through the Vice-President had all defended Siliya and certainly would continue doing so during the tribunal sitting as long as she remained minister.
"If President Banda is now remorseful about the act of the minister, he should immediately suspend her pending investigations. It will not do for President Banda to devise new methods of plundering our economy by denying that there is no corruption in the act of Dora," he said "In fact, President Banda should put his image on strengthening the kwacha which is falling at a fast speed making doing business in Zambia a nightmare."
Capt Moono said he was aware that Bank of Zambia (BoZ) governor Dr Caleb Fundanga and Minister of Finance and National Planning Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane recently met the business community and present at the meeting were the millers who were said to the biggest buyers of foreign exchange.
"One wonders how do millers become major buyers of forex when the government is importing the maize through companies they appointed to bring in maize and other millers will buy this maize which is being imported at a subsidised price," he said
"How then are millers the biggest buyers of foreign exchange and I am sure the government knows which millers are buying forex in bulk. They should not end up with a public relations statement but sit down with the millers and ask them where they are taking the forex otherwise we will have no option but to speculate that the MMD government is involved in money laundering."
He said they wanted to bring the same foreign exchange bulk and resell it when the kwacha depreciates and make huge profits.
Capt Moono also challenged the government to explain how the millers were able to sell their maize to Food Reserve Agency (FRA) at higher prices and later purchase the same maize from the agency at a lower heavily subsidised price.
"We are tired of MMD's acts of corruption. During the third term, we were told the country was a Christian nation and there was a lot of praying and while praying whilst we closed our eyes, they plundered our economy through security wings hence the huge number of security personnel being prosecuted now," he said.
"All President Banda has done now is change the conduits of siphoning our resources. He shouldn't be excited with the power that accompanies State House because one day at the rate he is going he will be trotting to the magistrates’ courts and as an old man that may be detrimental to his health and he will not be able to stand trial."
He said the next government after President Banda's should be prepared to remove his immunity and investigate him with his ministers so that justice could prevail.
Capt Moono said he was aware that impeachment was impossible in a Parliament dominated by the MMD and rebel groups he collaborated with. He urged all Zambians to vote in 2011 based on issues and not material gains.
Capt Moono said Zambia needed an economic manager to make the country move forward because the economic crisis was the major challenge facing the country and the whole world.
"When you have people like President Banda who are already old, the first assignment is to go for a holiday and it is ourselves to blame if we continue in this vicious cycle," said Capt Moono.
Labels: COSMAS MOONO, DORA SILIYA, RUPIAH BANDA, ZAMTEL
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UPND official opposes NCC on war declaration powers
Written by Allan Mulenga
Sunday, February 01, 2009 4:31:03 AM
UPND chairman for defence and security Captain Cosmas Moono has said it is foolish for National Constitutional Conference (NCC) members to adopt a proposal that the Republican president should be given powers to declare war without Parliament’s approval.
In an interview, Capt Moono, who is also former Chilanga MP, observed that since a war involved all the people, there was need for the Republican president to seek approval from the representatives of the people.
“When a war is declared, the majority of the people who die are the civilians and if people are going to sacrifice their lives, they need an explanation from their representatives in Parliament,” he said.
Capt Moono advised NCC members not to formulate a constitution which would suit President Rupiah Banda’s interests.
“The constitution should stand the taste of time. They should bear in mind that with the emerging democracy in the country, we will have different presidents. We should make a constitution which will make even war mongers to govern properly,” he said.
Capt Moono claimed that most of the wars in Africa were fought without any concrete reasons and therefore would have been avoided.
“We should not allow the Republican president to declare war without Parliament’s approval to avoid some of the wars that have been fought,” he said.
Capt Moono urged NCC members not to trivialize a war whenever they were debating on war-related issues.
“Daniel Munkombwe [Southern Province minister] is suffering from old age and ignorance of warfare. There is no way bombs can be dropping when debating the war in Parliament. Our security personnel guard the sovereignty of the country for 24 hours, including water and other creatures,” he said.
Capt Moono claimed that declaration of war could not bypass National Assembly on the basis that there was a long procedure to be followed before debating a Bill, saying Parliament could be called at short notice if there was an interesting issue.
“You cannot bypass Parliament by hiding in foolish words like ‘sensitive issue’ and ‘long procedure’. Parliament can be confined at anytime by the speaker and debate on any issue like they did when removing [former president Frederick] Chiluba’s immunity,” he said.
Capt Moono said in an event that there were military threats from another country, the defence personnel were already covered under the defence Act, where they could apply at an appropriate stage of alert.
“Going for war is not like arranging a boxing tournament for Esther Phiri. When we go for war, it means that we are ready to commit resources that we did not budget for. Essential commodities such as drugs and other social services are greatly affected by war and the quality of life deteriorates for all citizens,” said Capt Moono.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, COSMAS MOONO, NCC, PRESIDENCY, UPND
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Opposition MPs' quality of debate worries Moono
By Mutale Kapekele
Tuesday February 12, 2008 [03:00]
THE low quality of debate by opposition members of parliament is embarrassing, United Party for National Development (UPND) defence and security chairperson captain Cosmas Moono has observed. Capt Moono said it was sad that opposition members of parliament failed to speak intelligently for the people they represented in Parliament.
“As the UPND, we feel nauseated and embarrassed by the low level of debate in our Parliament,” Capt Moono said. “We expect senior members of parliament to deliberate intelligently and to understand the ideals and principles of Parliament.”
He alleged that some of the UPND members of parliament were sponsored by the MMD to attack personalities when there were a lot of important issues they could discuss.
Capt Moono said it was unacceptable for members of parliament to use their “stomachs to think”, when their constituencies had a lot of issues that needed to be tabled in Parliament.
“There are a lot of issues affecting our citizens – blackouts, floods, hunger, homelessness and the K900 billion that government failed to utilise in the last financial year,” Moono said. “These are issues that should be debated in Parliament.”
He said the UPND would not accept any member who did not follow party lines when debating in Parliament.
Capt Moono said the country would make very little progress if members of parliament did not improve their debate and that UPND members would be “plucked out” if they did not learn to control their outbursts in the House.
“The Bible says if an eye is bothering you, you could pluck it out. In the same vein, if these UPND members continue to disrupt progress and our vision, we shall have no choice but to expel them,” Capt Moono said.
“It’s better if we had one MP than to have 1,000 who were retrogressive in thinking.”
Capt Moono said indisciplined members of parliament were putting UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and the party in an embarrassing position.
“As opposition, our role in Parliament is not to glorify the MMD but to act as watchdogs for our people and to ensure that the government was taking developmental issues seriously,” he said.
Capt Moono said Patriotic Front members of parliament were also embarrassing the opposition.
“How can you have MPs disrespecting their party president in Parliament?” asked Capt Moono.
Labels: COSMAS MOONO, MPs, PARLIAMENT, UPND
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I won without bribery - Magande
By Inonge Noyoo
Tuesday July 31, 2007 [04:00]
FINANCE minister Ng’an-du Magande yesterday boasted that he won the Chilanga seat without bribery or corruption. And losing UDA candidate Captain Cosmas Moono said he did not rule out a long wrong judgement. Addressing jubilant MMD cadres after Lusaka High Court judge Marvin Mwanamwambwa dismissed the petition of UDA’s Capt Moono and Patriotic Front’s Priscilla Kamanga against him, Magande - who could not hide his joy at the judgment - said as the High Court had stated, he won the elections without cheating anybody.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank all of you who made time to come up to the High Court to hear the judgment on the petition raised on your decision that you made on 28th September. We have come out of the High Court, one of the highest legal institutions in the land, and it has been declared that your decision, your action on the 28th of September was indeed without bribery, without corruption and that you chose me to be your member of parliament,” he said.
Magande assured the cadres that he would continue doing the job that President Mwanawasa gave him.
“I promised to help you once you elected me. I want to assure you that even while the High Court case was going on, I have been in the constituency working. So now that this is over, I want to go back to the job that President Mwanawasa gave me. My job is to make sure that I bring development to Zambia. All that I want to ask of all MMD members is that we must now work hard so that even those who wasted our time coming to the High Court and wanted us to be their enemies, we show them that they need us and we can look after them,” he said.
Magande said he intended to ask President Mwanawasa to start touring and seeing the projects in the various parts of the country where money had been released.
“I want you to work with me and work with President Mwanawasa so that the next four years we bring development,” he said.
But Capt Moono said he expected the judgment to come out the way it did because it had taken too long.
“I foresaw the ruling. A child is born after nine months but in this case it has taken too long. I did not rule out a long wrong judgement,” he said.
Asked if he would appeal, Capt Moono said he would have to consult with other stakeholders; the lawyers, the party and fellow petitioners. The other petitioner, Kamanga could not be reached for comment as she had left the court while the judgment was being delivered.
And judge Mwanamwambwa warned journalists against inaccurate quotations of his judgment.
Delivering the four-hour judgment, judge Mwanamwambwa said he had found that there was no bribery and corruption as defined by the electoral Act.
He said he had found and held that the proven non-compliances with the Act did not warrant nullifying the election result.
“In my view, Honourable Magande won the parliamentary election because the opposition split the votes among themselves. He did not win the election because of alleged rampant bribery and corruption and anomalies at the polling stations. Evidence on record shows that out of 17,883 valid votes cast, Honourable Magande got 6,478 votes.
This is less than 50 per cent of the total valid votes cast. The opposition candidates shared among themselves 11,405 votes,” he said. “In effect the majority of voters in the constituency voted against him. I think he would have lost if the opposition had not split votes. I hold that the petitioners have not proved their case to the required standard.”
Judge Mwanamwambwa ordered the petitioners to pay costs of the proceedings that would be taxed in default of agreement.
“I wish to add that had this petition succeeded on account of improper or malafide breach of Act by the electoral officers, I would have ordered such officers to pay costs of the proceedings. I would have made such order under section 105(2) of the Act,” he said.
Judge Mwanamwambwa dismissed all the 62 allegations against Magande and said too many allegations were pleaded. He also dismissed allegations that there were excess ballot papers not accounted for and that there were excess ballot papers.
“On a proper consideration of the law and evidence, not all that was pleaded and said ought to have been pleaded. Some of the allegations that were pleaded were not petitionable grounds under the law,” he said.
Judge Mwanamwambwa said some of the allegations made the election petition unnecessarily voluminous.
Capt Moono and Kamanga had petitioned the election of Magande as duly elected member of parliament for Chilanga Constituency. The duo alleged that prior to the elections, Magande engaged in corrupt activities contrary to section 78 and 81 of the electoral Act number 12 of 2001 in a bid to procure an election for himself. The two asked the court to declare Magande’s election null and void and conduct fresh elections for the area in full compliance of the law in an environment devoid of corruption. The candidates who contested the parliamentary elections for the area were John Ziba (Reform Party), Henry Muyoba (independent), Kamanga, Capt Moono and Magande.
Labels: CADRES, COSMAS MOONO, COURTS, MAGANDE, UDA
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