Sikwela under death threats from UPND
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Mon 07 Jan. 2013, 14:00 CAT
FORMER Livingstone UPND member of parliament Howard Sikwela says he faced death threats from some members of the opposition party's national management committee.
Reacting to demands by some UPND members for him to pay back money they donated for his election campaign, Reverend Sikwela said in a statement in Livingstone yesterday that, "Much as I apologise to the people of Livingstone over my resignation as MP, people must be made aware that I had faced death threats.
There is even a suspect from the national management committee of the UPND."
He said those threats were discussed in Parliament and even a police docket regarding the same threats was opened.
Rev Sikwela stated that at no time did he ever apply for a loan from UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa and he urged him to stop making malicious statements.
Rev Sikwela stated that Mweetwa should provide proof of such an agreement for financial assistance during the last Livingstone by-election.
"The ignorant young politician Mweetwa needs to be told to avoid making malicious statements such as those to The Post and Muvi TV because at no time did I apply for a loan from Cornelius Mweetwa.
If I did, proof of such must be produced in court. I further demand from Cornelius Mweetwa a well signed payment voucher on which I signed for the securing of the loan from him," Rev Sikwela stated.
He reminded Mweetwa that donations are never paid back.
Rev Sikwela wondered why the claim for monies was coming with insults after he had resigned from the UPND.
He said the UPND had exhibited hostility against him and the PF government, which forced him to resign.
"I did not handle any cash since I was a candidate. Let Mweetwa claim for whatever money from the office he paid such amounts," he stated.
Rev Sikwela added that other people who donated money to the UPND had not demanded repayment such as a K2.5 million donated by Bernard Muleya, who was chairman for election operations last year as he knew that he was donating and did not expect repayment.
Mweetwa on Saturday claimed that Sikwela's campaign cost K500 million (KR500,000) which was all contributions from the party and individual members.
He said he, in particular contributed K15 million (KR15,000) and wanted it back.
"But take this very seriously. I am demanding that Rev Sikwela gives me back not less than K15 million. I am looking for Sikwela but his phones are off and he is playing hide and seek. I am here (Livingstone) just to ask him nicely 'please the money I spent give it back to me'..." Mweetwa said.
And Rev Sikwela said his resignation would help other UPND members of parliament to reflect on working with the PF government for developmental purposes instead of just sitting and getting allowances in Parliament while the electorate had no access clean drinking water.
He recounted how he was violently treated by UPND cadres on the morning of September 26, 2012 at National Assembly Motel.
"They can call my resignation baseless but it would help reflect on the need for development in constituencies," Rev Sikwela said. "They say I have caused an unnecessary by-election but of what use is an MP who just sits in Parliament and gets a salary and yet the people who voted for him don't get clean drinking water and can't pay for school fees. It is raining now and the only clean water some people are able to get is from the roof top."
Rev Sikwela said the UPND should not think of 2016 but work closely with the PF government to develop even areas which were under the opposition.
"There is a time for politicking but when elections and by-elections are over, it is better to look at development," he said. "It's not good to just condemn the PF. Yes, the government has its mistakes but we should not condemn the good things being done just for the sake of politicking."
Rev Sikwela said he was new in the parliamentary circle of the UPND and did not know much about the underhand dealings by Hakainde Hichilema towards members of parliament.
He said the party seemed not to have been ready to support his close links with the PF on developmental issues.
Rev Sikwela said the UPND cadres who abducted him out of National Assembly Motel last September had seemingly been cleared by some UPND members of parliament.
"One cannot just walk into Parliament Motel and start hurling insults without clearance by security," he said. "The youths must have been cleared by some UPND MPs. They abducted me from Parliament Motel and whisked me to the party secretariat in a Jeep, where I was forced to denounce my presence at President Michael Sata's Link Zambia 8,000 road project and later received death threats on my mobile phone, which I reported to the police."
On the other hand, Mweetwa says Livingstone should always be in opposition hands as the UPND and MMD differ over which party should contest the seat vacated by Rev Sikwela.
But MMD vice-president Michael Kaingu asked the UPND to give the former ruling party a chance to contest the seat it had won in the 2011 general elections. The MMD lost the seat after an electoral petition.
Kaingu said the MMD met on Saturday at Victoria Hall to discuss the vacant seat.
He said the MMD was requesting UPND to give a chance to an MMD candidate.
"We discussed with my party officials over the forthcoming by-election and we have resolved that we field a candidate and our party officials are asking the UPND to help us this time around. What is important is that the seat was an MMD seat after the general elections… and their UPND member of parliament has let them down," Kaingu said.
He said if the UPND decided to contest, it was their fundamental right to participate in elections.
"Fundamentally, all political parties are supposed to participate in elections," Kaingu said. "Winning is a bonus. That is the beauty of democracy but at the end of the day, it is only one party that will win."
But Mweetwa said his party was poised to reclaim the seat.
"We stand very ready to reclaim the seat and we are poised to win. We want Livingstone to be always in the hands of the opposition," Mweetwa said.
He said it would be shocking to enter into discourse with the MMD over Livingstone.
Mweetwa asked Kaingu to be sincere over the matter.
"Ask him Kaingu because he waved at me yesterday and I know he is here in Livingstone… ask him about the mood of the people if he is sincere and I know him to be one. Ask him if he is for the preservation of the opposition. The mood of the people of Livingstone is that of anger," he said.
"We as UPND are more than ready to contest the seat even if the elections were held tomorrow because we started preparing a long time ago and we already have a candidate."
He also challenged the PF to field Rev Sikwela in the forthcoming by-election if he had a political muscle to flex.
"We dare the PF to field Sikwela," Mweetwa said.
However, he said the UPND had not yet met to discuss the vacant seat.
Mweetwa said the MMD should make its own internal decisions and not drag the UPND into their internal matters.
Labels: CORNELIUS MWEETWA, DEATH THREATS, HOWARD SIKWELA, MICHAEL KAINGU, UPND
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Malema hints on plot to kill him
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 00:00
Johannesburg — Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has vowed not to allow police to investigate threats against his life. “ . . . that would be like inviting killers into our home,” he told reporters in Johannesburg yesterday. Malema claimed government, particularly the security cluster, were planning to kill or illegally arrest him.
He said he had it “on good authority” that there were instructions “to get rid of some of us”. “The defence minister signed our death warrants.”
An outspoken and defiant Malema said he would not be silenced.
He promised to continue fighting for the poor, especially miners who worked in dangerous conditions and were treated like slaves.
“I have nothing to hide . . . I only have my convictions. Nothing will stop me from fighting for economic freedom, not even my death . . . I am unshaken,” Malema said.
“Since my expulsion from the ANC, I have been on the ground . . . “
Malema said his lawyers were planning legal action against police for preventing him from entering the Wonderkop stadium in Marikana on Monday to address workers.
Workers were at the stadium to receive feedback on wage negotiations.
Malema claimed police threatened to kill him when he tried to enter.
“Police threatened to isolate us and kill us . . . They pushed us out against our will . . . even though we were invited there to speak.”
Malema said his car was in a convoy of four at the stadium.
The first two cars entered, after which Malema’s car was stopped and searched.
Malema left his car and tried to walk to the meeting, but was prevented from doing so.
He said he was chased out and police threatened to shoot him. He then left.
“What was even more disturbing was that the chopper followed me all the way to Pretoria.
“It was on top of my vehicle . . . That is taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Malema criticised the National Prosecuting Authority, several ministers and some unions for steps that were not taken in the aftermath of the shooting.
He said police and civilians should have been disarmed, and police should have been arrested for shooting the miners.
He questioned why 1 000 soldiers had been deployed to Marikana when it was not necessary.
Wearing an ANC t-shirt, Malema wanted to know what an “illegal gathering” was, and said rural villages and ANC branches often held meetings in open fields without permits.
Malema believed people had the wrong idea about him.
“We are not dangerous people. We are peace-loving people. We are not a threat to anyone . . . Sometimes we just engage . . . robustly.
“We are not a rebellious group . . . We will never lead violence. We will lead a political onslaught against political thugs.”
Malema said he did not want to lead a violent coup, but rather “through political means”.
— Sapa
Labels: ASSASSINATION, DEATH THREATS, JULIUS MALEMA
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UPND's declining political fortunes
By The Post
Thu 21 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
TO begin with, we would like to refer to a saying of Lenin, that the attitude - that is to say, the seriousness of purpose - of a political party is measured, basically, by the attitude it takes toward its own weaknesses, errors, problems.
And in the same way, the seriousness of purpose of our political parties and their leaders should be measured by the attitude they take toward their weaknesses, errors, problems. It is easier to correct weaknesses that have been acknowledged or accepted as such.
It is not easy to correct weaknesses, errors that have not been accepted or acknowledged. That's why it is very important for all our politicians and their political parties to take a forthright and serious attitude toward their weaknesses, errors, problems.
In this regard, we have been analysing the performance of our political parties and their key leaders over the last 10 years or so. We have gone as far back as the 2001 elections. In the 2001 general elections, Levy Mwanawasa of the MMD won the election with 28.69 per cent and behind him was Anderson Mazoka of UPND with 26.76 per cent (a difference of 1.93 per cent).
UPND and Andy were new to Zambian politics and had only been campaigning for three years. Levy and the MMD were not new, they had been in power since 1991. And Levy was a former vice-president of the Republic and the MMD itself. But he only managed to defeat Andy by only 1.93 per cent. Levy had polled 506,694 votes while Andy had 472,697.
In this election Michael Sata, who had registered his political party less than six months before the elections, got 3.35 per cent of the votes cast.
In the 2006 general elections, Levy won with 42.98 per cent with Michael now in the second place with 29.37 per cent. In third position was Hakainde Hichilema representing UDA, an alliance of UNIP, FDD and the UPND itself.
In the 2008 presidential by-election that followed the death of Levy, Rupiah Banda of the MMD won with 40.09 per cent, with Michael obtaining 38.13 per cent (a difference of 1.96 per cent). In third place was Hakainde, now under the exclusive ticket of UPND, with 19.70 per cent (a drop of 5.62 per cent from his 2006 performance). And in the 2011 general elections, Michael won with 41.98 per cent, with Rupiah scoring 35.42 per cent while Hakainde dropped further to 18.17 per cent.
It is clear from these results that Hakainde and the UPND have been experiencing declining political fortunes over the last 10 years. Hakainde's performance in general elections has not been improving, it has been going down. While Andy took UPND to higher heights in a very short time, Hakainde has taken it down in an equally short time. Hakainde's share of the votes has been continually dropping (25.32 per cent in 2006; 19.70 per cent in 2008 and 18.17 per cent in 2011).
This decline in Hakainde's electoral performance calls for sober, honest and deep analysis. The members and leaders of UPND, if they are serious, need to meditate deeply over these results. But this is not the only area where the performance of UPND has been going down.
In 2001, UPND had 49 members of parliament which has since dropped to 22 (in 2006) and 29 (in 2011). And there are no prospects for UPND returning to not less than 49 seats they won in 2001. This is a serious quantitative decline in the party's electoral performance. But there is also a qualitative decline of the party.
In 2001, UPND could boast of having the most educated, the highest calibre of members of parliament. But this is no longer the case. Under Hakainde, the quality of UPND's members of parliament has gone down. Today, 17 per cent of UPND's members of parliament have not gone beyond form five or grade 12. And only 28 per cent have university degrees.
Contrast this with MMD that has only 11 per cent of its members of parliament with not more than form five or grade 12, and 48 per cent university graduates. The PF also has only 10 per cent of its members of parliament who have not gone beyond form five or grade 12 and has 44 per cent university graduates.
Today, UPND cannot truthfully boast of having the most educated politicians. But they still want to believe that they are the best in everything! How?
The data we have used in these analyses is obtained from the Electoral Commission of Zambia election results and the information submitted to Parliament by the members of parliament themselves. We have not directly generated any of this data.
And the question is, where does UPND's superiority lie? We are making this analysis not to bring down the standing of UPND and not to undermine anyone. What spirit moves us to make this analysis? Do we do this to bring about a change of opinion, to create an unfavourable opinion in regard to UPND and its leaders? No, never.
On the contrary, we do not want to expose anyone to scorn to which dishonest, incorrect assumptions will expose them.
We make this analysis simply to try and help UPND and Hakainde overcome their weaknesses by proceeding from correct premises so that they can eventually free themselves from their weaknesses, errors and problems.
We believe this may help strengthen UPND as a political party which values itself at its correct worth. Correcting their weaknesses, errors will give them some prestige. It will give them all the strength which organisations have when they know how to purify themselves of weaknesses, when they know how to correct their errors, when they know how to overcome their difficulties.
This is not a product of hatred for UPND and Hakainde. These are irrefutable facts that exist independent of our opinions or views about UPND and Hakainde. A comprehensive approach is required to reverse UPND's continued declining political fortunes.
The trends which serve as the basis for the sombre immediate outlook for UPND and its leaders are the most obvious expressions of the weaknesses that prevail in this political party and its leadership today. But they are not necessarily inexorable. The leadership and membership of UPND can, if they really want, act to change this unpleasant performance for one that is bright and desirable. The choice is theirs.
But as long as these weaknesses, these errors, these problems are not seriously attended to; as long as the leadership of UPND is in constant denial, in wanting to be what it is not, little will be achieved in improving their party's political performance. It is clear that for some, their aspirations clash with lack of understanding, arrogance and selfishness.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, DOUGLAS SYAKALIMA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, THE POST, UPND
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HH insinuates that The Post was out to kill him
By Mukosha Funga in Lusaka and Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Thu 21 June 2012, 13:25 CAT
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema yesterday insinuated that The Post and its editor-in-chief Fred M'membe were out to kill him. And Hichilema says Sudan is a war-torn and rouge state where no political party can send decent cadres to go and train.
In a call in to an interview featuring his advisor Douglas Syakalima on Lusaka's UNZA Radio yesterday morning, Hichilema said The Post had never supported the UPND from as far as the days of the late Anderson Mazoka.
The programme was discussing whether the UPND was losing direction through the political course it had taken since the PF government took over the reins of power.
"It is an issue and please let us stop having double standards. There is no bitterness. That Post has never supported UPND. They used to call Mazoka names and used to write dialysis machine in their newspaper. Today they can praise Mazoka because he is dead," Hichilema said.
"Remember M'membe said my days are numbered. I am not afraid. If he wants to kill me, he knows my house. I am not afraid but we will talk for the people of Zambia."
Hichilema said The Post were just President Michael Sata's praise singers, while people will remember the UPND for standing for the good of the public.
Sources told The Post last week that the UPND leadership were scheming on radio programmes to scandalise M'membe.
"There is no bitterness. If Mr Sata takes the opposition leaders to Brazil with a large delegation, when Rupiah did that, we complained because he was wasting taxpayers' money," Hichilema said.
"When we complain, somebody says something. If Banda or Mbewe said something, it is a problem. If someone in The Post says something, it is okay. You can't have a country like that, no way. The issue is there is no bitterness. It is a question of if Mr Sata takes the opposition leaders to Brazil with a large delegation… someone complains that no, HH is jealous of Chipimo. Do you understand who HH is? ...Chipimo is receiving allowances which should have gone to pay retirees. That is all we are saying."
When reminded by the presenter of the programme that the major issue involving the UPND was the language it was using and its assertions that the PF government had sent its cadres to go and train as militia in Sudan, Hichilema said the sending of fuel to Malawi when the country had none was lack of planning.
"We have answered. Honourable Syakalima has answered ably on the issue of chimbwi no plan. We said that don't send fuel to Malawi when you don't have fuel. You give your neighbour's daughter or child food when your children have slept hungry. That is absence of planning," Hichilema said.
"That is all we said. We used it as an idiom, as an expression. Secondly, the Patriotic Front has signed an agreement with the National Congress Party of Sudan, which is the ruling party of Sudan. That is there. It is in the media. Yesterday the Daily Nation reproduced that article. We expect people to read before they comment."
Reminded further that the Sudanese government had denied that there was nothing of that nature, Hichilema said with a bit of difficulty that the issue was not an argument between him and the Sudanese government.
"It is a fact that an agreement has been signed. That is a fact. It is there," he said. "Sudan is a war-torn country, there is no doubt about it. Sudan is basically a rogue state, everybody knows that. Why would you send your decent people to train in a war-torn country?"
Hichilema said the role of a decent opposition was to make sure that people were made aware of the transgressions of the party in office.
"When an Executive member, the President for that matter, abuses his powers to protect friends such as M'membe and Mutembo Nchito from paying taxpayers' money which could be used to pay retirees and to improve the situation at UNZA, when the President removes the judges, Kajimanga, Musonda, and Mutuna to protect Fred M'membe and Nchito from paying taxpayers money, our job is to protect the public; to make them aware that the President is using his powers to protect friends and denying the farmer a good price for their maize," Hichilema said.
Hichilema said the people of Zambia must follow a logical sense of reasoning because removing judges to protect friends was corruption.
Meanwhile, the People's Pact Forum says Zambians expect Hichilema to rise above petty politics and transform his party to become a valuable opposition.
Commenting on Hichilema's remarks that Edith Nawakwi and Elias Chipimo accepted to travel with President Sata to Brazil because they had failed to run their political parties and were now part of the PF, forum national secretary Peter Sinkamba said the comments that were coming from the UPND leader left much to be desired.
Sinkamba said the decision by President Sata to extend an olive branch to the opposition on matters of national interest was commendable and added a lot of value to the country's democratic governance.
He said the opposition must rise above partisan politics and offer constructive criticism to the PF government as there was nothing sinister with the President inviting leaders of the opposition on presidential trips.
Sinkamba said Zambia would only develop if there was a strong link between the opposition and the ruling party in discussing matters of national development.
"The agenda at the Earth Summit in Brazil is very important. They are talking about how the international community will assist us to achieve sustainable development, get people out of poverty through the Green economy issues and improve international coordination of activities that can bring about development. Hichilema's remarks are appalling because every meaningful Zambian must support the spirit of dialogue President Sata is trying to promote," Sinkamba said.
Sinkamba said Hichilema must get rid of his bitterness and begin to differentiate between issues of politicking and issues of development.
Meanwhile NGOCC board chairperson Beatrice Grillo said President Sata's invitation to Nawakwi and Chipimo to the Rio summit was an indication of his political will to promote dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition.
Grillo said President Sata's decision to invite the two opposition leaders was a sign of maturity and an indication that he was willing to work with anyone to foster development.
"To be in the opposition does not necessarily mean you must always disagree. We need an opposition that will provide checks and balances but at the same time work with government to offer solution to many problems facing the country," Grillo said
And Caritas Zambia head of Justice and Peace unit Milimo Mwiba said there was nothing wrong with President Sata's decision to invite political leaders for the summit.
Mwiba said the gesture by President Sata was for the benefit of the country as every opposition political party was expected to contribute to national development in different ways.
"The PF the time it was in opposition it also condemned such gestures, but we are all requested to be above partisan lines and work towards developing the country as one people," Mwiba said.
And former Chingola mayor Mcdonald Mulongoti said it was good that President Sata was even being gender sensitive in his promotion of active participation from the opposition on matters of governance.
Mulongoti said Hichilema must work towards coming to terms with the fact that President Sata won the elections and find ways of making his party become a meaningful opposition.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, DOUGLAS SYAKALIMA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, THE POST, UPND
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Police making headway in ‘Sata death' rumours probe - Malama
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tue 14 Feb. 2012, 13:01 CAT
INSPECTOR General of Police Dr Martin Malama says law enforcement agencies have made great headway in probing the source of the rumour posted online recently that President Michael Sata was dead.
And former Petauke district MMD youth chairman Martin Tembo says he is going to 'deal' with PF cadres that allegedly assaulted him at Petauke's Olga Nightclub recently.
Dr Malama told The Post in an interview that it was very unwise for the person who posted the rumour online.
"It's an operational issue, which I would not want to divulge at this stage. Of course I know where we are, but I wouldn't want to divulge. But yes, we have made great headways," said Dr Malama when asked for an update on the investigation.
The IP for the online item that was traced to the free online encyclopaedia Wikipedia was traced to Europe and the Zambia Communication and Technology Authority ZICTA indicated that investigative wings were dealing with the issue.
And in an interview, Tembo, who claims to be a farmer from senior chief Kalindawalo's area in Petauke, said he was assaulted by two male PF cadres following an argument from a Lusaka-based female PF cadre.
"I went to Olga with my children. I wanted to have some meal. I was putting on an MMD T-shirt. When I arrived at Olga, I went straight to the counter and when I asked for the food which I wanted to eat, the cashier told me to wait so that they can go and check," Tembo said.
He said as he was waiting, two male PF cadres wearing party T-shirts approached him, and one stood on his right and the other on his left.
Tembo said after asking him if he had watched the match between Chelsea and Liverpool and upon his response that he was not aware of the game, he heard a female voice asking why MMD cadres were being allowed to go to Olga.
"She was shouting to say, 'you can allow MMD cadres come here with a T-shirt for the MMD but when they were in power they were beating us too much. So this is our time to revenge'," Tembo said.
"Then the one who was on my left side got hold of my hand and twisted it and the one who was on the right side started hitting me in the ribs."
Tembo said he was slapped when he queried what he had done to receive a beating from the duo and that they dragged him to where his car was parked and that upon seeing him being roughed up, his children started crying.
He said he reported the matter to Petauke Police Station, but that the police told him they could only open a docket in the matter once they had received a signed medical report.
Tembo said he had already been to the hospital but that the medical report was yet to be signed by the doctor.
As Tembo was recounting his ordeal, some local residents were heard saying that when the MMD was in power, he used to harass people in the same manner he was harassed at Olga.
Olga Nightclub is the point where most of the PF cadres and officials involved in the forthcoming Msanzala by-election campaign are camped.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, MICHAEL SATA
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No one can intimidate Mpezeni, says MMD official
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Mon 30 Jan. 2012, 14:01 CAT
THE MMD in Eastern Province says it is against the idea of parading traditional leaders for purposes of achieving political objectives. And the MMD says there is no one in the Ngoniland and beyond who can intimidate Paramount chief Mpezeni.
Reacting to President Michael Sata's sentiments that senior chief Nzamane and chief Madzimawe were intimidating the paramount chief after he supported calls for the removal of former president Rupiah Banda's immunity, MMD provincial information and publicity secretary Joseph Banda said it was not possible for anyone to intimidate Mpezeni going by his enormous powers.
"As MMD, we are very disappointed with the statements attributed to His Excellency the President. He was talking about some chiefs in the province as intimidating Inkosi ya Mankosi but at the same time when he was condemning the alleged intimidation of Inkosi ya Mankosi, he himself is now intimidating the other two chiefs. We expect the Republican President to be the peacemaker. He is not President of PF alone but for all Zambians," Banda said.
Banda also condemned what he called the politicisation of the Ngoni traditional leadership.
He said politicians must keep away from traditional issues.
"It would appear to us that the PF has an agenda of pushing a divide-and-rule process in the Ngoni kingdom and that is not good. It is immoral for any politician to try and divide our amakosis (chiefs) for political expediency," Banda said.
He said the MMD was against the idea of parading traditional leaders for the purpose of achieving political objectives.
"We know that traditional leaders are supposed to render support to the government of the day but that does not mean that our traditional leaders must be paraded to champion the cause of PF. We condemn the idea of parading our traditional leaders to champion political objectives. We condemn the idea of intimidating traditional leaders for political expediency by anybody," Banda said.
He said traditional leaders had powers handed down from their ancestors.
"Politicians must keep away from traditional leaders or maybe I must say, hands off the descendants of Zwangendaba, hands the descendants of ka Hlatshayo, hands of the descendants of ka Lonyanda, hands the descendants of ka Luvuno. The Zambian government has just been established and the authority of our traditional leaders comes from a long way," Banda said.
He said the Ngoniland had enough wisdom to resolve its own problems.
"What is it that makes the PF government think that Eastern Province is a cheap place? Can President Sata say the same about chiefs in Northern Province? Can he talk of dethroning them? Is it possible? Can he talk of dethroning Paramount Chief Chitimukulu or even the Mwata? Our traditional leaders are not cheap and they must be respected," Banda said.
Following President Sata's statement, police officers have been deployed at Mpezeni's palace to protect him.
Labels: CHIEF MPEZENI, CHIEF NZAMANE, DEATH THREATS, MICHAEL SATA, MMD
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President Michael Sata directs Zambia Police to provide maximum security to Paramount Chief Mpezeni
TIME PUBLISHED - Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 4:13 pm
President Michael Sata has directed the Zambia Police to provide maximum security to Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people in Eastern province. This follows alleged threats of violence against chief Mpezeni from Chiefs Madzimawe and Zamane after he openly called for the lifting of former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity to allow him to clear himself against the corruption allegations.
The President said that Paramount Chief Mpezeni just like any other citizen has a right to speak out on issues affecting the Zambians. President Sata said that he may consider revoking the recognition of Chiefs Madzimawe and Zamane should they continue threatening violence against Paramount Chief Mpezeni.
President Sata has since asked the minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu to write to the two subordinate chiefs warning them against their unlawful activities.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni has described as malicious the Internet story that alleged that President Michael Sata had died.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni said politicians should learn to practice politics responsibly by discussing real issues that can contribute to the welfare of citizens and development of the nation and not issues that can destabilize and bring anarchy into the country.
ZANIS reports the Paramount chief was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Chipata yesterday.
And Paramount Chief Mpezeni stressed the need for the police to get to the bottom of the issue and ensure that the authors of the story are brought to book.
He wondered why the trend had continued saying this was not the first time that people were spreading such ill rumours about the highest office in the land.
“The police should put an end to such falsehood because it will continue, this rumour was there even before his election when it was alleged that he had collapsed in Mongu,” he said.
The false story appeared on Wikipedia website recently. It alleged that President Micheal Sata had died. However , State House described the story as false and malicious.
Meanwhile, Paramount chief Mpezeni has appealed to government to quickly pay the 150 farmers who are still being owed money by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for the purchase of maize sold to the agency last year.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni expressed worry that farmers may not have enough yields in the 2011/12 farming season because they have not been able to procure farming inputs.
“Some of them have not even been able to send their children to school because they entirely depend of farming and they only get money once in a year after the sale of maize” he said.
And chief Jumbe of the Kunda people in Mambwe district has also complained about lack of payment to farmers by FRA for the purchase of maize in the 2010/11 farming season.
Chief Jumbe said it is sad that some farmers have failed even to cultivate their fields saying they may not produce enough grain in this year.
Chief Jumbe has since appealed to government to quickly address the situation to assis t farmers in the area.
ZANIS
Labels: CHIEF MADZIMAWE, CHIEF MPEZENI, CHIEFS, DEATH THREATS, FRA, MICHAEL SATA
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Liato threatened to kill workers over K2.1bn exposé, says witness
By Maluba Jere and Namatama Mundia
Fri 20 Jan. 2012, 13:58 CAT
A WITNESS yesterday testified that Austin Liato threatened to kill him and two other farm workers because Liato thought they informed police about the K2.1 billion buried at his farm.
And a heavy presence of armed police officers, seemingly fearing a court heist, yesterday brought business at the Magistrates' Court to a standstill when they surrounded the magistrates' complex as the trunks containing the K2.1 billion were hauled to court as exhibit.
Paul Lumano Kayando, a former worker at Liato's Mwembeshi Farm now residing at Lilayi Police College, told principal resident magistrate Aridah Chulu that after a combined team of police officers unearthed money from Liato's farm, the former labour minister accused his workers of being crooks and said that they would die.
He said when Liato threatened to kill him as well as his co-workers, they told him to go and kill President Michael Sata first because he was the one who sent the police officers to unearth money from his farm.
This is in a matter where Liato is charged with possession of property suspected of being proceeds of crime contrary to Section 71(1) of the forfeiture of proceeds of crime Act number 19 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia.
It is alleged that Liato on November 24, 2011 in Lusaka, possessed and concealed money at his farm number L/Mpamba/44 Mwembeshi amounting to K2.1 billion reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.
During examination in chief led by Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito, Kayando said he started working at Liato's farm on January 27, 2011 and that there was one big house, another house for the workers, a garage, a bathroom, a toilet and a small house.
He, however, said other structures at the farm were built just after the last general elections but that he could not recall the exact date.
Kayando said he was not at the farm when the structures in question were built as he had travelled to Kaoma for a bereavement.
He said when he returned from Kaoma, he found a new structure, which he said was not opened.
Kayando testified that the chalet in issue was round with big windows and that it had a lock with an alarm system.
"When I asked Liato what the house was for, he told me he wanted to be using it for roasting meat and when I peeped inside I saw nothing," he said.
Kayando narrated that on November 24 around 13:00 hours, police officers went to the farm and ordered the workers to be in one place and not move around.
He said when he and the other workers asked who the men were, they were told that they were police officers who were looking for something at the farm as they had been sent by the President.
"They said they would conduct searches starting with our houses but before searching us, they asked us to search them. They put their phones down and we searched them," Kayando said.
"After we searched them, they also searched us. They told us that among them there was a group from Drug Enforcement Commission and that if they found anyone of us with dagga, they would arrest us."
He added that the police asked the workers if there were any new houses built and whether we were around when the same were built.
Kayando said the police officers told the workers to go and show them the new house and that he and his co-workers told the officers that they knew nothing about the new house.
"They went and checked what was in the garage and then they took us to the chalet where they started taking pictures of the chalet. We phoned Mr. Liato that he should come because police had entered his land and he told us that we should leave them to do whatever they wanted," said Kayando.
"They took pictures of the house outside and one of the police officers went back to their car and got a shovel and a pick."
He said the locks to the chalet had an alarm which would go off when touched saying he and the other workers used to hear the alarm go off most of the time because goats usually go near the house.
"It was a grill door and small goats would go in then the alarm on the door would go off," Kayando said.
"We never discussed this with Liato. He told us the keys were with the younger brother. Things changed when they made a chalet and the garage. Before I went to Kaoma, I am the one who used to keep the keys but when I was going to Kaoma, Liato got the keys. So, when we told the police we did not have the keys to the chalet, the police broke the gate."
He further testified that when police entered the chalet, they started knocking the ground and it sounded like there was a hole in the ground.
Kayando told the court that he was not feeling well so the police asked two of his co-workers to dig the ground inside the chalet.
He said after the ground was dug, police officers called him and his friends and asked them what they were seeing.
"They police peeped inside and I also peeped. I saw two trunks, they got two trunks from the hole, Kayando said.
"They were big black metal trunks and they removed them out of the chalet. They told us they were going to open the trunks so we could all see what was inside. They opened one and found a small safe deposit box.
"They opened the trunk by hitting the locks with an iron bar. The safe looked like it had a remote. The police tried to open it but they failed so they got the iron bars and started hitting the safe on the sides and that is when it opened. They found that there was money inside."
Asked what he did when police asked him and his colleagues when the police discovered the money, Kayando caused laughter not only to the people in the packed court room but Liato himself when he said "vinatibaba kumutima maningi kaili ma salary yamene tenze kutenga yenze yangongo." (It pained us a lot because the salaries we were getting were too meagre.)
He said police opened two safe deposit boxes in two trunks and that the safe deposit boxes contained K50,000 and K20,000 notes.
Kayando added that police then put all the money back in the trunks and asked Liato's workers to carry them to the car.
At that point, Nchito applied to have the matter stood down for a few minutes so that the money in question could be brought for identification purposes.
Heavily armed plain-clothed and uniformed police officers sealed off the area from the magistrates' complex car park and passage leading to Court five with no one allowed to pass as the money was being hauled to the court room.
Labels: AUSTIN LIATO, CORRUPTION, DEATH THREATS, MMD
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MMD planning Sata death hoax - Wina
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 14 Sep. 2011, 14:00 CAT
INONGE Wina says the PF is aware of the MMD's scheme to hoodwink people about Michael Sata's health. In an interview, Wina, the Patriotic Front national chairperson, said such campaign tactics on Sata's alleged illness were aimed at manipulating people ahead of the general elections next week. However, Wina assured Zambians that the PF leader was well and campaigning on the Copperbelt.
"We have information that on September 19, we have been informed by very senior inside MMD sources, they want to announce that Mr Sata has died so that the following day when people go voting they will just be confused," said Wina on Monday.
"Secondly, the repeated reports alleging that Mr Sata was sick and that he collapsed in Nalolo when he came for the campaigns and that he was almost lynched by UPND cadres in Mangango... these are false stories based on evil fabrication because Mr Sata is very well and was welcomed well in the Western Province. And there was no indication at all that he is a sick person."
Wina said all these tricks by the MMD were kicks of a dying horse and mere desperation of the highest level.
She said the desperation had permeated the whole structure of the MMD, including the grassroots cadres because they did not know what had hit them.
"They don't know what to do. That's why they have resorted to this character assassination of the lowest levels. That is extremely unbelievable. I think the general public should know, that's why these SMSs are being intensified. I think it's just to prepare us so that on the 19th at night people will be told that Sata has passed away in order to confuse them more on the day of voting," Wina said.
She urged all PF members and supporters to ignore such messages.
Wina also said the international election observers should take note of such false reports because they had the potential to cause violence in the country.
"Actually, it's a very dangerous trend that the MMD and Mr Banda are setting because the people will not accept a manipulated and rigged election," said Wina.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, INONGE WINA, MICHAEL SATA, MMD
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MMD planning to kill me - Sata
By George Chellah in Kaoma
Fri 09 Sep. 2011, 14:03 CAT
PF leader Michael Sata says the MMD is planning to kill him and claim he died out of poor health. And a ZNBC crew interviewed Sata on Wednesday afternoon shortly after the rally in Kaoma but ignored the interview and instead used a false story that he had collapsed on account of ill health as their lead story during the 19:00 hours main news.
Meanwhile, Sata has said President Rupiah Banda's threat to dethrone Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II of the Soli people was similar to the colonialists' style of governance.
In a special interview with Hot FM Radio from Kaoma before addressing a rally in Mangango Constituency yesterday, Sata said people should not expect anything good from Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation because its director general, Eddie Mupeso, was fired on corruption charges.
Responding to false reports in the state-owned but government controlled ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Daily Mail that he had collapsed in Western Province, Sata said it was not the first time the public media were broadcasting and publishing unfounded stories about him.
"I have not collapsed because the day in question I addressed two successful meetings in Nalolo; one in the morning, the other in the afternoon and ZNBC did not say at which point I collapsed," Sata said.
"Was it at the first meeting or before the second meeting?"
Sata said people ought to remember that it was the Zambian Watchdog, owned by sympathisers of the UPND, that initially published terrible rumours that he was very sick about three weeks ago.
"They said ‘he doesn't stand up and he's somehow dead'…I can't see a country where we allow gossip to be circulating like the Watchdog does," Sata said.
"If you remember in 2009 the UPND came into a pact with us because somebody told them that before the end of 2009, Michael Sata was dying and typical of HH (UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema) he thought if Michael Sata dies he could take over PF in the same way he took over UPND. So to answer your question, I am very strong and just going to address another meeting."
On allegations in the Times of Zambia that he had hired a helicopter on credit, Sata said he was creditworthy and trusted, saying that was why it was given to him. He wondered why the Times of Zambia had not told the nation where President Rupiah Banda got the money to buy 500 MMD campaign vehicles.
Sata said politics in Zambia had been reduced to something ridiculous because President Banda didn't understand the art.
"They think they can survive by preparing the minds of the people so that when they kill me people will say Sata has always been sick because if they are always talking about my health. They must be preparing something very sinister against my life," said Sata.
"Rupiah Banda has never been a cadre. He ascended to president of MMD after the death of Mwanawasa. UPND president Hakainde has never been a cadre, he took over UPND through money and you find on that basis you don't have morality in politics."
Earlier at a rally in Kaoma on Wednesday, Sata said those wishing him ill were merely wasting their time. He urged the crowd to expect more lies from the MMD as polling day drew near.
"You have to forgive them because they have nothing to tell you apart from lying. They came here; they told you ‘Sata is too old he can't stand'. Liars forget when they say something. They told you ‘Sata is too sick' and now they are planning to come and lie on 20th September that ‘Sata is dead'. And tomorrow yesterday you will see they will say ‘Mr Sata has collapsed'. Have I collapsed?" asked Sata as the crowd responded in a chorus: "No! No!"
"You have to forgive them because they don't know what they are saying. Today Wednesday, someone I don't know said I collapsed… in his dream. In MMD's dream they would very much wish Mr Sata collapsed. Till I die, I shall continue talking for you. I don't care what they wish but they are wasting their time."
Sata said Barotseland was lacking political leadership to develop the area.
"I feel sorry for the people of Kaoma because you are orphaned. Whatever development you are seeing here is what was left by Golden Mandandi (former parliamentarian in the Chiluba regime). When Simasiku Namakando who was MMD provincial chairman told Rupiah Banda that there is no development in Western Province, Rupiah Banda said ‘excuse me, shut up! I did not beg for your vote,'" he said.
Sata wondered why Kaoma was not benefitting from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
He complained of poor sanitation and lack of water in Kaoma that the people were being subjected to.
"When I was minister of local government, I left you CDF. Today, each MP gets K600 million CDF. Can you tell me if Austin Liato (former labour minister) cares about you. How can you allow those people in markets without toilets?"
Sata asked.
"Here in Kaoma, your MP for Kaoma Central is an opportunist. Liato was minister of labour. Has he seen the way our police live? Kenneth Kaunda cared about us. If Kaunda did not make Kaoma a Garrison town, what would be in Kaoma?"
Sata said the government had also not provided a road to Lukulu, Kasempa and Senanga districts.
"Kaoma is a very big district. But you have Chinese and South Africans coming to take your timber. God gave timber to the people of Kaoma; what benefit do we get?" Sata asked.
"We can make fish farms here and grow rice. But when you have a government, which cannot even buy your maize in September, what do you expect? Liato is using you as plates for him to eat to become fatter."
Sata also promised better conditions of service for civil servants.
Earlier during a public rally in Nalikwanda Constituency, Sata said President Banda was rejected in most parts of the country and was only saved by Western Province.
"But we have seen you are not happy just like the rest of the country. We are all suffering the same way. I have three indunas here…these indunas will remember when Sir Roy Welensky was introducing the federation how they suffered," Sata said.
"The Bemba Paramount Chief was suspended because he refused the federation. Today, we have seen a repeat; Rupiah Banda is threatening Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya that if he steals the votes again, he will chase her."
Sata said former MMD Nalikwanda member of parliament Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa failed to improve the standard of education in his constituency and Barotseland as a whole.
"Has he improved the standard of education? If an educated person like Lungwangwa is carried away by money and forgets the people who educated him, where are we going?" Sata asked.
"Western Province is a very rich province. God gave you fish, God gave you everything but what you have not given yourselves is leadership. When Rupiah Banda ordered the brutal repression which resulted in killings in Mongu, none of your MPs complained."
Sata said Barotseland required fish farming and proper fish marketing and storage.
"We want a university of our own. We have enough basic schools, what we need are secondary schools; each and every constituency must have a secondary school. We shall rule through the traditional leaders. This government has failed to buy maize from the farmers," he said.
After the rally in Kaoma ended around 17:00 hours, a ZNBC crew in a Pajero marked TV2 comprising a cameraman, a reporter from the Lozi section Mutukwa Mooya and another lady only identified as Kalaba sought to see Sata but after they failed, they left and returned after 30 minutes.
They followed Sata to Phiri's Guest House where he was lodged and found him in the car park with former Chimwemwe member of parliament, Willie Nsanda and other PF officials.
Kalaba asked Sata whether it was true that he had collapsed to which he answered: "What do you see yourself?"
Sata told her that he sympathised with her because the problem was with her handlers and not herself. But Kalaba tried to assure Sata that she would get her cameraman and have an interview with him.
However, Sata told her that although she wanted an interview with him, he knew that ZNBC would not show whatever would be recorded. Sata, however, gave the interview talking about how the campaigns were going, including the rumour about him having collapsed. After the interview, Sata, offered Kalaba and her cameraman space on the helicopter if they were interested to cover him as he continued his campaigns as they had indicated.
However, during the 19:00 hours main news on ZNBC, the lead story, quoting the Zambian Watchdog online publication, was that Sata had collapsed.
Labels: CHIEFS, CHIEFTIANESS NKOMESHYA, DEATH THREATS, MICHAEL SATA, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, UPND
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Cops arrest Lusaka woman over Masebo death threats
By Speedwell Mpuchi
Sun 31 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
POLICE in Lusaka have arrested a woman in connection with the death threats on Sylvia Masebo and breaking into her home by suspected MMD cadres. Zambia Police sources disclosed the arrest of the woman of Kanakantapa area whose details have been withheld in order not to jeorpadize investigations.
“Right now she is there (police custody) to help with investigations,” said the sources. Masebo on Friday said she had received death threats and that suspected MMD members broke into her home.
“My home was attacked last Thursday night. I had gone out with my son around 19:30 hours for dinner and when I came back around 22:00hours, I found my electric gate was broken,” said Masebo, the immediate past member of parliament for Chongwe Constituency.
“The gate was pushed off the rail, was damaged and half open but nothing had been taken away from the house. And shortly after I arrived home, I received a call and a man came on the phone and he said ‘hold on’. Then there was a lady’s voice and I was being threatened that I should not go into Chongwe otherwise I would be beaten and killed. When I tried to inquire who was calling, the lady cut the line. I tried to phone back but they had switched off the phone. I know it’s political.”
And Masebo yesterday thanked the police for the seriousness they had attached to the investigations.
“This should be a good warning to all those who want to desperately resort to violence during the campaigns for the tripartite elections,” Masebo said.
Labels: CADRES, DEATH THREATS, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, SYLVIA MASEBO
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Masebo receives death threats
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sat 30 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
SYLVIA Masebo says she has received death threats and that suspected MMD members broke into her home in what she called President Rupiah Banda’s desperate attempts to intimidate her. In an interview yesterday, Masebo said the damage to her property was politically motivated.
“My home was attacked last Thursday night. I had gone out with my son around 19:30 hours for dinner and when I came back around 22:00 hours, I found my electric gate was broken,” said Masebo, the immediate past member of parliament for Chongwe Constituency.
“The gate was pushed off the rail, was damaged and left half open but nothing had been taken away from the house. And shortly after I arrived home, I received a call and a man came on the phone and he said ‘hold on’. Then there was a lady’s voice and I was being threatened that I should not go into Chongwe, otherwise I would be beaten and killed. When I tried to inquire who was calling, the lady cut the line. I tried to phone back but they had switched off the phone. I know it’s political.”
Masebo said she immediately phoned the police but they said they didn’t have transport and that after about 40 minutes, the police arrived at her residence in a taxi. She gave a statement to them and was given protection throughout the night.
“This morning, I was tipped that my life is in danger and I must be very careful on how I move and what I do,” Masebo said.
“Clearly, we are back to the UNIP days when people were disappearing. You can tell that Rupiah Banda knows that his time is up, so what they are doing is to use political violence. These are the same people who claim that I am not a factor in Chongwe but now they are threatening to kill me should I go to Chongwe. The public should not forget that the MMD have openly vowed to do anything, including using juju against me to win back the Chongwe parliamentary seat,” Masebo said.
Masebo said President Banda and the MMD knew their time in power had ended and were now becoming desperate, hence using violence to intimidate political opponents.
“MMD has declared violence in this election. Unless the police are properly equipped, the elections will not be peaceful. The other day it was Mulongoti, now it’s me. Why should people be threatening?” Masebo asked.
She said the MMD had been lying to the Chongwe electorate that she would stand in Munali constituency when in fact she was re-contesting her seat in Chongwe.
“They are also telling people that I have gone back to MMD when they know that I am not MMD. I am PF. They are pumping in a lot of money in their bid to defeat me. But we will see how far they will go,” said Masebo.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, MMD, SYLVIA MASEBO
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'Death sentence' hangs over Kavindele
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola and Speedwell Mupuchi in Kitwe
Thu 14 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MMD Ndola district information and publicity secretary Alex Mubanga has warned former vice-president Enoch Kavindele to choose between his life and attending the party convention saying, “akafwila ku convention”.Mubanga, popularly known as Shimpundu pa Nkoloko, yesterday warned that the
MMD militia of the Copperbelt and the
Jumbo crack squad of Lusaka would
batter Kavindele at the convention.
Kavindele has expressed interest in defending his position as MMD vice-president since he had never been replaced since his election years back.
However, MMD cadres have intimated that the position of MMD vice-president at the convention was reserved for Republican Vice-President George Kunda and have warned Kavindele about going to the MMD convention.
And Mubanga yesterday said Kavindele was a social and political misfit who could not be trusted to run party affairs.
“Kavindele should choose between his life and going to the convention. If he wants to die, let him come to the convention. The idea of provoking the MMD crack squad is not good at all. We are patient but we can be very lethal when dealing with people like Kavindele,” Mubanga said.
“If Kavindele wants, let him go and stand for women affairs in PF, the party he has been sympathising with so much. But one thing is for sure, we are going to deal with any person who wants to bring confusion in our party.”
Mubanga said the MMD party and government had changed and was running smoothly because it was been led by a father of high morals and values.
He said Kavindele had sprung up from nowhere making weird declarations that he wanted to stand as MMD vice-president.
“As MMD in Ndola, we are warning Kavindele to keep away from our politics. We don’t consider him as a member any more. He ceased to be a member in 2006 when he left the party and stood as an independent. As MMD Ndola, we have never welcomed him. He is always bringing confusion in the party whenever there are elections in the country,” Mubanga said.
“I want to tell Kavindele that the MMD party vice-president has been reserved for only one person and that is His Honour the Vice-President himself, George Kunda. And this issue cannot be over emphasized. But if Kavindele wants to dare us, let him ask Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda and Edith Nawakwi, what happened to them.”
Mubanga said that Vice-President Kunda had been loyal to President Banda and that it was time to award him with the MMD party vice-presidency.
He said Vice-President Kunda was insulted by the opposition because of the love he had for President Banda and that the MMD in Ndola wanted him to be party vice-president.
“I dare people like Kavindele, George Mpombo and Jonas Shakafuswa to come near the convention venue. If it is death you are asking for, come. The crack squad is for sure going to deal with you. As one of the generals of the squad, I have given you people a timely warning. If you really want to die, please come for the convention because on that day, no one will contain us,” Mubanga said.
But MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu said beating up people was not a party policy and he dismissed the crack squads as non-existent.
“We are a very peaceful party, it’s not true that we have these groupings (crack squad of the Copperbelt and jumbo crack squad of Lusaka). What we have is a very strong youth wing, just like other parties do have youth wings,” Nyangu said.
Reminded that MMD members had persistently brought up the issue of the crack squads, Nyangu insisted that such groups were not in the party.
On threats on Kavindele’s life, Nyangu said maybe Mubanga was misquoted. But when told that Mubanga actually uttered the words, Nyangu said he would investigate the matter.
However, Nyangu, said MMD members not in good standing with the party would not see the inside of their convention.
“This is a blanket statement, people must be disciplined. All those facing disciplinary action will not be allowed at the convention,” said Nyangu.
Asked whether Kavindele was among members not in good standing and facing disciplinary action, Nyangu responded: “We have no qualms with Mr. Kavindele as far as the top hierarchy is concerned. But this issue of Mr. Kavindele I don’t want to comment on.”
Labels: ALEX MUBANGA, CADRES, DEATH THREATS, ENOCH KAVINDELE, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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MMD ‘militia leader’ Chibale refuses to apologise to Duffy
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 01 Oct. 2010, 04:01 CAT
MMD Copperbelt information secretary Chiko Chibale has said he will never apologize for the threats he issued on Mongu diocese Bishop Paul Duffy’s life. In an interview in Kitwe following wide condemnation of his threats, Chibale said he had no kind words for Bishop Duffy and people like George Mpombo who always insult the ruling MMD and President Rupiah Banda.
Copperbelt police on Wednesday summoned Chibale over his recent statement that he will lead a militia to Western Province to sort out Bishop Paul Duffy. Copperbelt Division Commanding officer Dr Martin Malama told journalists in Chingola that they had called him in.
“In fact, we have called in Chiko and we are investigating the matter quietly and professionally,” said Dr Malama.
But Chibale yesterday said police should pursue those who were busy insulting the President and not him.
He said he had information that the police were looking for his contact numbers after he issued threats on Bishop Duffy’s life Chibale further said it was morally wrong for some clergymen and politicians in the country to embark on a malicious campaign to discredit the President with impunity while ignoring the efforts he was making to develop the country.
“As youths in the party we are ready to die for our beloved President Rupiah Banda and the party MMD. Some people have said I should apologize to Bishop Duffy over the statement I earlier issued that we will travel to Mongu and manhandle him as a crack squad. Unfortunately, I don’t have kind words to replace what I said on that Bishop (Duffy) or anybody who insults the President and the MMD,” Chibale said.
He said Church leaders like Bishop Duffy were expected to show respect to President Banda and his leadership.
Asked whether the crack squad still had intentions to travel to Mongu to go and sort out Bishop Duffy, Chibale said he would not issue any statement over the matter because he had been advised to remain mute by senior members of MMD.
Chibale said some prominent clergymen especially from the Catholic Church who had openly showed their disapproval of President Banda’s government were provoking MMD cadres on the Copperbelt.
He said the culture of insulting the head of state and government needed to be stopped.
Chibale claimed that despite the heavy criticism the MMD was receiving from the church and other organisations, the party was becoming popular on the Copperbelt because of its sound economic policies.
He said under President Banda, the party had become very popular in the province and was confident of scooping more than 10 parliamentary seats.
“…We will make sure that we demolish the pact on the Copperbelt through our intensified campaigns. This alliance between Sata and Hichilema lacks merit and people are able to see that they cannot be entrusted with government power,” said Chibale.
Labels: CADRES, CHIKO CHIBALE, DEATH THREATS, MMD, PAUL DUFFY, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Rupiah denies threats on M’membe’s life
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thu 10 June 2010, 17:20 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said Post editor Fred M’membe should not go and kill himself in a car and accuse him that he has killed him. And President Banda said he felt sorry for health deputy minister Dr Solomon Musonda, who recently shot and wounded a PF cadre Jackson Musaka.
Reacting to
M’membe’s complaint to former President Dr Kenneth Kaunda that his life is in great danger because he President Banda, former president Frederick Chiluba and the latter’s friends were hunting him, President Banda said he could not do that to M’membe.
“Do I look like a man hunter? I think that, I can understand, they say in my language, ‘if somebody is in problems don’t shut his mouth’. So let him say whatever he wants to say but to tell you the truth, I think you know me well enough to know that it is far from the truth,” President Banda said.
“In any case, his current problems are not with me, but between him and the judiciary. I have not jailed him, I don’t jail anybody. He has a problem with the judiciary and the judiciary put him in and he should understand that.
There is nothing personal between me and him. And he shouldn’t go and kill himself in a car because that is the last thing I will do.”
And President Banda declined to discipline Dr Musonda, saying there could be a reason why he shot Musaka.
“I am very sorry also for him Dr Musonda. This matter again as you know it’s in the hands of the police and the DPP Director of Public Prosecution. I have really nothing to say about it. I am of course very sorry for him. He is a professional; it’s a pity that this has happened to him but there must be a reason, we shall know about it soon,” President Banda said.
Asked if he would discipline Dr Musonda, President Banda responded: “No! No! I think you are going too fast, why can’t we wait until everything is clear.”
President Banda also said he was not shaken by the launch of the PF-UPND Pact last weekend.
“They launched it also last year. I thought they are going to tell us who is the leader of the Pact but they re-launched it. They launched it last year. We all knew about the pact all along,” said President Banda.
“No! Do we look like shaken people? And where we have come from you could have seen the people at the airport. I think that’s politics; it’s interesting. Next year it should be very fascinating for the Zambians and those watching the Zambian situation.”
President Banda was speaking to journalists at City Airport on arrival from Mfuwe where he had gone for a three day working holiday.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, FRED M'MEMBE, RUPIAH BANDA
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There is plot to kill Katele Kalumba-Chief Puta
Sunday, May 30, 2010, 12:50
Senior Chief Puta of the Bwile people of Chienge District in Luapula,in action during last year's Bwilile Ceremony at his palace.
SENIOR Chief Puta of the Bwile people has said there is a plot by some senior MMD officials to harm the party’s national secretary Katele Kalumba.
The traditional leader charged yesterday that a clique of anti-Rupiah Banda MMD officials has ganged up and mooted a plan to sideline Dr Kalumba from participating in the forthcoming MMD party convention.
Chief Puta has also appealed to the people of Luapula to remain calm over Dr Kalumba’s five-year jail sentence by a Lusaka Magistrate’s Court for alleged corrupt practices.
Chief Puta said in a statement yesterday that although many hearts are aggrieved by the judgement, they should remain calm and wait for the due process of the courts following the appeal.
Dr Kalumba and three others were on Friday released from prison after the Magistrate Court granted them each K500 million bail in their own recognisance.
He said last month he received a message from a named deputy minister who confirmed that there was a plot in the MMD by some people to ensure that Dr Kalumba is blocked from being available for the 2011 MMD convention because they are afraid of him politically.Chief Puta alleged that some people were keen to see the downfall of Dr Kalumba by politicising his conviction and that they were the same people working against President Banda.
He alleged that the plan was to extinguish all the strong supporters surrounding President Banda so that he remains exposed and weakened.
He said last month he received a message from a named deputy minister who confirmed that there was a plot in the MMD by some people to ensure that Dr Kalumba is blocked from being available for the 2011 MMD convention because they are afraid of him politically.
“The plot started in 2005 before President Banda ascended to the presidency, the plotters had a meeting in Lusaka, even as late as Tuesday last week, they had a meeting in Kabulonga, we are aware about that,” Chief Puta said.
The chief said as a family, they have resolved to support the leadership of President Banda and that they will not change their position now.
Meanwhile MMD Lusaka Province chairperson William Banda has said that it is wrong to politicise Dr Kalumba’s conviction.
And last week, Evangelical Youth Alliance International president Moses Lungu advised the opposition Patriotic Front to respect Dr Kalumba and desist from making wrong impressions about him.
He said Dr Kalumba has demonstrated under difficult circumstances that he is a leader and has the spirit of uniting the country.
Dr Kalumba filed a notice of appeal against his conviction and sentence.
The other three released on bail are former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda and defunct Access Financial Services Limited directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Labels: CHIEF PUTA, DEATH THREATS, KATELE KALUMBA
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Chibanda threatens to unleash C/belt MMD youths on Fr Bwalya
By Mwila Chansa, Abigail Chaponda and Patson Chilemba
Wed 12 May 2010, 04:01 CAT
COPPERBELT Province MMD youth chairman Evans Chibanda has threatened to unleash his “battalion” of youths to sort out Change Life Zambia (CLZ) executive director Fr Frank Bwalya. But MMD chairperson for elections Mike Mulongoti condemned the threats of violence against Fr Bwalya.
Supporting Ndola district vice-youth and publicity secretary Alex Mubanga’s threats on Fr Bwalya, Chibanda yesterday warned that MMD youths would deal with Fr Bwalya the next time he launches his organisation or holds a red card campaign meeting.
Chibanda said he would give Copperbelt police commanding officer Antoneil Mutentwa a “piece of his mind” over the continued issuance of permits to Fr Bwalya to insult President Rupiah Banda.
“As youths on the Copperbelt, I think we have been very passive towards Frank Bwalya. I had a chat with him on a radio programme and I told him the constitutional requirements for change of a government which is to go through a political party but he does not seem to adhere,” he said.
“We’ve had so many insults coming from Frank Bwalya on our president and I think I will be failing in my duties as youth chairman if I don’t take action.”
Chibanda wondered why police had continued issuing permits to Fr Bwalya when his meetings had allegedly been provocative.
“I will have a chat with the commanding officer for the Copperbelt and I will give him a piece of my mind. It is up to police to understand because they are the ones who have continued issuing him with permits when they know very well that his meetings are provocative. He just keeps on insulting,” Chibanda said.
He claimed that the MMD would not have had a problem with Fr Bwalya’s meetings if he were spreading ‘normal’ messages like opposition political party leaders did.
Asked if he were not promoting lawlessness by threatening his youths to sort out Fr Bwalya, Chibanda responded: “What does a child do if its parent is being insulted?”
And Mubanga yesterday disclosed that he reported Fr Bwalya to Ndola Central Police for referring to President Banda as muwelele useless. Mubanga told The Post that he reported Fr Bwalya to the police around 16:00 hours on Monday.
“I have reported that Fr Bwalya to the police because he has insulted the institution. We are not happy with his utterances, he cannot be saying that President Banda is muwelele. That word means useless and President Banda is not useless. We are going to take Fr Bwalya to court and he should be dealt with, he has no manners,” Mubanga said.
“In fact, MMD Luanshya district officials will also report him to the police and that will teach him that a child does not play with fire.”
Copperbelt commanding officer Antoniel Mutentwa could not immediately comment as his phone went unanswered.
But when asked to comment specifically on the threats of violence by Mubanga on Fr Bwalya, Mulongoti condemned the violence.
“I condemn violence from whatever source, whether it’s MMD or anybody because what we want are clean politics. We have been watching the British elections…we saw the elections. That is what we are looking for,” said Mulongoti.
“In the coming year we would like to see those aspiring for the presidency to debate so that we can follow. I think that is my wish and I am anxious about that, so all those who are trying to introduce violence are killing that spirit. We want a spirit where the public can be able to judge for themselves who is better for them.”
Mubanga on Monday threatened to have Fr Bwalya beaten for allegedly insulting President Banda. On Saturday during the launch of CLZ in Luanshya’s Mpatamato Township, Fr Bwalya said President Banda was worthless and should be given a red card. Fr Bwalya said President Banda had brought more suffering among Zambians.
He said President Banda was spending public money on less important things such as funding the district commissioners’ offices when many people were suffering.
He said it was shameful for President Banda to be supporting people like former President Frederick Chiluba and education minister Dora Siliya who he said had committed offences against Zambians.
“She Siliya was called smart when she had committed a crime, Dora is dirty, FTJ stole the money, but he was the one he President Banda called damn good,” Fr Bwalya said.
“Rupiah Banda muwelele useless that is why people like William Banda are saying useless things. William Banda should be careful.”
On Monday, Mubanga warned that Fr Bwalya would receive worse punishment than what happened in Mufumbwe if he continued ‘insulting’ President Banda.
But Fr Bwalya urged all peace-loving Zambians to condemn the culture of anarchy and intimidation being perpetrated by the MMD.
Fr Bwalya said he never insulted President Banda but merely said the truth about him.
Labels: CADRES, DEATH THREATS, EVANS CHIBANDA, FRANK BWALYA, MIKE MULONGOTI, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Fr Bwalya reports threats by William Banda to police
By George Chellah
Fri 07 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
CHANGE Life Zambia executive director Father Frank Bwalya yesterday reported MMD Lusaka Province chairperson William Banda to the police for threatening violence. In an interview, Fr Bwalya said he has reasons to believe that William’s threats on his life are real.
“Today Thursday, around 13:00 hours I have reported Mr William Banda, Lusaka Province MMD chairperson to Lusaka Central police for threatening violence against me,” Fr Bwalya said.
“I reported to the officer-in-charge Assistant Superintendent B. Namangolwa. Mr Namangolwa delegated detective sergeant Nyambe Lubasi to take the statement and I am going back on Monday at 14:00 hours to be briefed on the way forward.”
Fr Bwalya said he was praying that the police would arrest William and allow the due process of the law to take its course.
“It’s not the first time that Mr William Banda and other MMD cadres have threatened to beat me or kill me for commenting on public issues. This time, however, I have decided to report because I have reasons to believe that their threats on my life are real,” Fr Bwalya said.
“After seeing the violence perpetrated by the MMD in Mufumbwe and the knowledge that in fact Mr William Banda and other UNIP cadres nearly killed that great son of Zambia and Africa the late Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, who is also the father to our current finance deputy minister Chileshe Kapwepwe. I am living in fear that these guys, particularly Mr William Banda, mean business.”
Fr Bwalya said he was an innocent citizen who should enjoy constitutional freedoms, among them freedom of expression, assembly and freedom to associate.
“Mr William Banda’s threats are at the same time aimed at stopping me from exercising these my freedoms. I think this amounts to a serious violation of my rights and freedoms and it is therefore my prayer that the courts of law will determine the legality of Mr William Banda’s threats aimed at stopping me from distributing red cards in Lusaka Province,” Fr Bwalya said.
“I also pray that once Mr William Banda is brought to book, other people in Zambia who are in the same way intimidating others and threatening violence will be deterred. Finally, I appeal to President Rupiah Banda to stop the behaviour of propagating hate speeches against me because the action is inciting overzealous cadres like Mr William Banda to engage in extra-judicial activities such as the threats on my life.”
Fr Bwalya vowed to continue with his campaign.
“Despite the threats on my life, I am going to continue playing my role as ‘John the Baptist’ regardless of threats from ‘Herod’ to behead me,” he said.
Fr Bwalya dismissed claims that he wants to join the MMD.
“Regarding the propaganda originated by Mr William Banda that I had sent emissaries seeking to join the MMD, I want the public to know how I look at the MMD. Though knowing that the people of Zambia cannot buy that kind of rubbish, I wish to have it on record that I consider the MMD as a smelling corpse to which only a tick will attach itself,” Fr Bwalya said.
Recently, William Banda warned of stern action against Fr Bwalya if he attempts to extend the Red Card Campaign to Lusaka.
Labels: DEATH THREATS, FRANK BWALYA, WILLIAM BANDA
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Nawakwi ‘congratulates’ Rupiah for making Kabwela a hero
By Patson Chilemba
Fri 07 May 2010, 04:50 CAT
FDD president Edith Nawakwi yesterday mockingly congratulated President Rupiah Banda for making Post news editor Chansa Kabwela a hero. Commenting on Kabwela’s awards by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, Nawakwi said Kabwela’s Most Courageous Journalist award was for women carrying placentas in their buckets.
Nawakwi said what President Banda perceived bad when he ordered the prosecution of Kabwela for highlighting the plight of a woman who delivered outside the hospital due to the strike in the health sector then, had now turned good towards Kabwela, the women and the nation in general.
“You see heroes are not born, heroes are made by politicians. And we thank the President for making one of ours a brave woman. He could have just ignored those pictures, we would never have heard about heroism of one young lady, but thanks to the politicians, they make martyrs and heroes out of my sisters, ladies like Kabwela,” Nawakwi said.
“So for me I want to congratulate the President for making my sister a hero, and we really accept the award and thank UNESCO for the recognition because you are talking of the world over, and we will never have heard about a brave young lady Chansa Kabwela.”
Nawakwi said as a result of President Banda’s conduct, Kabwela was now known world over.
“So if you ask me about how the President should be feeling, I think that he must be proud that he made Chansa Kabwela a hero to the extent that we are now recognised. I am sure that when you google, it will be Zambia, Chansa Kabwela,” she said.
Nawakwi said Kabwela tried to save a woman who needed special attention when the government was not paying any.
“So that award is an award to the Zambian suffering woman in labour, without a bed, an award to a child who is being born on the floor. It is an award to the women of Zambia who are carrying placentas in the buckets,” Nawakwi said. “But more so it is an indictment on the health system of this Republic to the fact that the President did recognise that there is a problem to the extent that he wanted to hide it.”
Kabwela recently scooped the two awards in the national media freedom prize for this year.
And Nawakwi said Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chalwe Mchenga would be to blame if she were killed because of his duplicity and double-standard approach towards ensuring justice in the nation.
Nawakwi condemned Mchenga’s duplicity on the handling of the justice system in the country. She said some cases received express attention while others took long.
Nawakwi said it was surprising that Mchenga usually took long to direct the prosecution of cases involving those in the ruling party while directives were express when it came to those critical of government.
She expressed surprise that MMD Solwezi-Central member of parliament Watson Lumba’s case was now in court but Mchenga was still sitting on her case where the MMD cadres threatened to gang-rape her.
“That is total duplicity and complicity on the part of Mchenga. We have gone to school, we respect certain professionals.
Those who have joined careers we want to give them opportunity to exploit their potential, but he has forgotten that he is a lawyer, and should he be out of that office, where will he work?” Nawakwi asked.
“We are all expressing misgivings. The day I am murdered, Mchenga will be squarely responsible…but say to Kabwela well done, and we should send a congratulatory card to the President for making us known on the map.”
Nawakwi said the MMD were trying desperately to have the seats they lost in North Western Province vacant so that they could go back for by-elections.
“But when you call the ambulance in the night, they say they have no fuel…but people are interested in by-elections more than their own people,” said Nawakwi.
Labels: CHALWE MCHENGA, CHANSA KABWELA, DEATH THREATS, EDITH NAWAKWI, RUPIAH BANDA, WOMEN
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There’s a real threat on my life – Sata
By Patson Chilemba
Fri 02 Apr. 2010, 04:02 CAT
THERE is a real threat on my life, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata (right) charged yesterday. In an interview, Sata said those in government were trying by all means to eliminate him because he was a very big threat to their hold on power.
“As I have said, there is a real threat on my life. I am aware there is a real threat on my life. I have to be extremely careful. They would like to fake an accident, that Michael Sata has died in an accident. So this one I am very much aware, that is why you find everybody can jump up and speak. People are just talking. Anyhow, they are so scared,” he said.
Sata said even yesterday's “fools-day rumour” that he had died was just a tip of an iceberg of the intentions by those in government to eliminate him.
“They are doing everything; they go to the chief in hospital, now they say because 'Sata is quiet, you didn't write what he said in Monze'… I am at home. It is MMD spreading death rumours. Who else? All this because of the Mufumbwe and Milanzi by-elections,” Sata said.
“You remember even in 2008 presidential by-election when I was in Katete, they said 'Michael Sata has died in South Africa'. But then they said 'no, no, no he has not died in South Africa, he has been hospitalised'. Then they said 'no, no, no, he has been evacuated'. Tell them I am not dead. You see they have been trying to use the Constitution, use the law, use everything, and they have failed.”
Labels: DEATH THREATS, SATA
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