There's nothing to convince me GBM was in Luanshya - M'membe
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sun 02 Feb. 2014, 14:01 CAT
POST editor-in-chief Fred M'membe says there is nothing convincing to show that Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba was in Luanshya. And The Post has apologised to Mwamba over the story it published that he was on the Copperbelt decampaigning the PF.
In a letter dated February 1, 2014 to former defence minister Mwamba's lawyer Makebi Zulu, M'membe stated that after reading Zulu's letter dated January 31, 2014 and the concerned stories, he was not convinced that the editors got their story accurately.
Zulu's letter, referenced as 'Article entitled "Mwamba decampaigns PF on C/Belt saying the party is losing in 2016...PF has failed - GBM" in The Post newspapers issue No.6314 of January 31, 2014, denied that Mwamba had been on the Copperbelt.
Zulu stated that Mwamba had not left Lusaka since his return from Kasama and found the story "less than truthful and altogether malicious".
In response, M'membe stated that he had not heard anything convincing from anyone to make him believe that Mwamba was in Luanshya or indeed on the Copperbelt at the said time and said the things he is reported to have said.
"I have just read your letter of January 31, 2014. I was in Johannesburg from Wednesday morning, January 29, 2014 and I only arrived back in the country on Friday January 31, 2014 after 22:00 hours. After reading your letter and the concerned stories, I discussed the matter with the editors who were in charge of the story. I am not convinced that they fully got their story accurately. The source quoted on record in the story, a Mr Menyani Zulu, did not have direct contact with Mr Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba. He was also merely acting on hearsay," he stated.
"I made a few phone calls to some people I know within the Patriotic Front leadership in Luanshya. They, too, say they heard that Mr Mwamba was on the Copperbelt but no one told them they had actually seen or met him."
M'membe further stated that there were Patriotic Front elections on the Copperbelt right now and as such, all sorts of politicking, alignments and re-alignments were taking place.
"We do not want the newspaper to be caught in this politicking and party electioneering. And above all, it is the policy of our newspaper to publish only that which we can verify. It is against our policy to publish things that are not true about anyone or anything. And whenever we get things wrong, we owe it to our readers and news subjects to correct things and give them the correct position. We have no shame in apologising for that which we have gotten wrong because we are never motivated by malice in our reporting," M'membe stated.
"We are always seeking the truth in every story we publish. And for this reason, if mistakes are found in our work, or we have been misled by news sources, we shall never hesitate to make corrections and apologise for that which we have gotten wrong. This has been the source of our strength throughout the 23 years of our existence as a newspaper."
He stated that The Post had no intention of abandoning that policy.
"And in this case, I have not heard anything from anyone to make me believe that Mr Mwamba was in Luanshya or indeed on the Copperbelt at the said time and said the things he is reported to have said," stated M'membe.
"I therefore apologise, on behalf of the newspaper and indeed on my own behalf, to Mr Mwamba and to our readers, for this story and whatever inconveniences this might have caused. And by copy of this letter, I will ask the managing editor and the news editor of The Post to make the necessary corrections and apologies."
And Post news editor Joan Chirwa-Ngoma has also apologised to Mwamba for any inconvenience the story might have caused him.
"I was in charge of supervising this story. I was misled to believe that Mr Mwamba was on the Copperbelt and said the things reported to have been said by him. For this, I sincerely apologise to Mr Mwamba for any inconvenience the story might have caused," said Chirwa-Ngoma.
Former Copperbelt PF youth chairman Menyani Zulu on Thursday told The Post that Mwamba was in the area to decampaign the Patriotic Front ahead of the 2016 general elections.
Zulu claimed that Mwamba had told the people of Luanshya that the PF would lose the 2016 elections because it had failed to deliver on its campaign promises.
Labels: FRED M'MEMBE, GBM, MMD, PF
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GBM, family get ZNS contracts
By Mwala Kalaluka and Agness Katongo
Tue 14 Jan. 2014, 14:01 CAT
FORMER defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, members of his family and associates had monopolised Zambia National Service (ZNS) business contracts.
And Mwamba's younger brother, George Muma Mwamba, says his brother has no principles and he does not agree with the way he does business.
Twenty one local companies supplying ZNS, a military unit which was under the control and direction of Mwamba as defence minister, are either owned by him, his family or by people connected to him in one way or another.
The companies include Elgrezad (Z) Ltd whose contact director is Mwamba Sefuke but PACRA documents show that Grem Newa and Magret Namwinga are the company directors and shareholders; Thosims Suppliers and Contractors whose contract director is Mwamba's daughter Sibongile, who is also the contract director for New Dawn Processors Limited; Multi Trade Investment; Arizona Marketing and Distributors.
The other companies are Mwalama General Dealers, where Sibongile's ex-husband Mwalama Mwansa is the contact director and Sibongile is a shareholder ; CKM Limited with the contact director being Stella Kanyanta Mwenso, who is related to Mwamba through his wife, Chama; Dakwa General Dealers and Kwange Trading whose respective contact director is Chilekwa Munkonge, a cousin to Mwamba; Chantika Food Suppliers whose director is Mulenga Chikwanda; Destiny General Dealers with Joseph Mercine Mwamba as the contact director.
F.M.M Enterprises is another of the companies with Musonda Sosala as the contact director; Yesk General Dealers with Mr and Mrs Ng'andu as the contact directors and the couple are also the contact directors for Limichi Enterprises and Rather Peasant; O'C Zones Enterprises whose contact director is Ms Chanda G. Kasamanda; Mulyata General Dealers and Suppliers with Mwamba Kasangwa as the contact director and this also the contact director for RINOC Enterprises.
F.O. Bs Scientific Limited with Pike Mwamba as its contact director is also one of the companies; Glimpse General Dealers with Cordella C. Mwamba as its contact director is the last on the list.
But when reached for a comment over the list, Mwamba Sefuke, who was listed as director for Elgrezad Z Limited said it was a fraud because she had no knowledge of such a company and that the only company she was in-charge of was Lone Rock Construction.
Asked how she obtained a tender to have her four companies supply to the ZNS, Sibongile referred queries to another mobile phone number saying the owner of that number would be able to give The Post the information they wanted.
"I am not in court," said Sibongile when pressed to name the owner of the mobile line. "I have given you that number so find out what you want to hear."
The person that answered the call to the other mobile line said Sibongile was in a meeting and she refused to disclose her identity.
Mwalama General Dealers and Suppliers Limited's Mwalama confirmed that he was a supplier to ZNS and that he got the business after participating like any Zambian.
He however, asked to be met personally rather than being interviewed on the phone.
CKM Limited's contact director Stella Kanyanta Mwenso said she hails from Munkonge area in Kasama and that she is Mwamba's relative but that she did not get the supply contract with ZNS because of that relationship.
Mwenso said she started doing business with ZNS a long time ago during president Levy Mwanawasa's reign.
Dakwa General Dealers and Kwange Trading's contact director Chilekwa Munkonge said he had stopped supplying to ZNS but that he could explain the details later because he was not feeling well at the moment.
Efforts to get to the other contact directors failed.
And Mwamba's brother, Muma, who walked to The Post offices to give their side of the story over the indication to Mwamba Sefuke as contact director of Elgrezad (Z) Limited, said their relationship with Mwamba was frosty because they do not agree with the people that surround him and his way of doing business.
Sefuke said her family had kept a distance from the entire family following a small financial understanding that ensued between her and Mwamba in January 2011 such that even during her mother in-law's memorial they could not attend because of the same issue.
"No, my husband was not there. The son to the late mother he was not there. We didn't attend the ceremony. That is how distant away we have been from this family," said Sefuke as Muma said: "We do not agree."
The couple said they even foresaw the differences that have arisen between Mwamba and President Michael Sata because they know their brother very well.
"We had fought for a meeting with the President through Mr Katema Mutale, the nephew to Mr Sata. Many times, we attempted soon after elections. I am the young brother, I follow him behind. So we wanted to advise him on how he can advise our brother. So when he heard that we had sought an audience with the President he proceeded to block all our businesses. We do business with RDA. So through him and Mr Nsanda, they blocked all our businesses," Muma said. "Because we didn't support him in Kasama when there were elections."
Muma said he had not seen Mwamba in the last two years despite being his blood brother from the same mother and father.
"He is surrounded by wrong people and power got to him," he said. "He is my elder brother, how can he tell people not to do business with me? And stopping me from seeing the President...I have suffered anguish and isolation because of GBM."
Muma said he could vouch for his wife that there was no way she could do business with Mwamba and Sefuke also added that she now understood why she was having problems in her businesses since Mwamba resigned from his Cabinet position.
"It is these companies that were made which were aligned to me when I have never dealt with or when I have never supplied ZNS," she said.
Muma said unless Mwamba and his cohorts stop humiliating his family they will drop a bombshell on him because they are privy to a lot of things that he had been up to as defence minister.
"That is why we have come to mention to you that it is not fair to mistreat us like this. We are genuine contractors and we have been successfully winning bids but these bids have been cancelled. One of them was Vubwi, GBM went to Mr Nsanda and instructed that 'please do not give to my sister in-law, meaning her because I don't want her to be successful,'" Muma said.
"That is the reason I never went close to GBM. I was not in agreement to the full licence that he was given. He could direct FRA, 'do this'. I am also a transporter with FRA but I don't do it. You know why? The purchasing manager there said 'if you want to transport here go and see your brother.' I said 'no, but he is an individual.' He said 'no one of my relatives should do business with FRA except myself.'"
Labels: CORRUPTION, GBM, ZNS
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Chikwelete reveals he refused to be used by GBM
By Roy Habaalu
Mon 06 Jan. 2014, 14:30 CAT
ROBERT Chikwelete says he refused to be used by former defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba. And PF Copperbelt youths say Mwamba does not listen to anyone except his ego. Chikwelete, who is PF Chawama Constituency chairman, said the demonstrations he led were out of personal conviction.
"I refused to be used by GBM; all I did was out of personal conviction, it's a fact. Those that worked with him know themselves and some of them have apologised to the secretary general (Wynter Kabimba)," said Chikwelete.
And former Copperbelt provincial chairman Menyani Zulu said President Sata's loyal lieutenants, whom he recruited from the time he was Lusaka governor, minister of state for decentralisation and local government, had stood steadfast and were still in the party.
"GBM does not listen to anybody except his ego and ignores a very wise Bemba saying from Bembaland, where he hails, that says 'Ubumi bwa muntu bwaba mukutwi'. Today Hon Wynter Kabimba is still in good standing with the PF because he has never shown any disrespect to President Sata. There are no principled disciples that have ever rebuked President Sata both in the opposition and in government. GBM can't wear the same shoes of President Sata's loyal lieutenants like Wynter Kabimba, Ali Simwinga or Emmanuel Chenda, among others," he said.
Zulu said the PF was a product of the youth and many other unsung heroes that had continued to make personal, financial and physical sacrifices and remained loyal to the party without getting anything in return.
He said Mwamba should let President Sata deal with the Bemba standoff as head of state. Meanwhile, former Copperbelt Province youth secretary Chanda Kabwe said Mwamba thought he was indispensable. Kabwe said it was unfortunate that Mwamba had embraced MMD leader Nevers Mumba.
"Despite Mr Mwamba's claims that he has done a lot for the PF to be what it is today by financing the party, he should know that President Michael Sata has never gone public saying that without him there would be no Patriotic Front because he is a down-to-earth person and possesses great leadership skills. Let Ba Mwamba concentrate on his businesses in order to leave room for others because he thinks that the money he has can buy the people in Northern Province and in return support his hidden agenda best known to himself and his followers," said Kabwe.
Labels: GBM, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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GBM's loyalty was doubtful - Sampa
By Moses Kuwema and Darious Kapembwa in Kasama
Sat 28 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
MATERO member of parliament Miles Sampa says he has been vindicated for questioning Geoffrey Mwamba's loyalty to the party and President Michael Sata. And Mandevu PF member of parliament Jean Kapata says Mwamba, the former defence minister, should apologise to President Sata, saying no individual was above the party.
Meanwhile, Northern Province PF secretary Everest Chellah says the provincial executive committee wants Mwamba to resign as member of parliament because of the manner in which he resigned his Cabinet position.
Speaking upon arrival at Kasama airport yesterday, Sampa, who is PF chairman for commerce and also commerce deputy minister, said while individuals have a right to resign, it matters how they do it.
He said the disclosure, by Mwamba, of the conversation he had with President Sata was not right.
"We questioned his loyalty a long time ago and now we have been vindicated. Every member needs to behave according to the rules of the party. So if there is anyone in the party who still has divided loyalty, they should resign and follow suit. All of us need to have loyalty to one leader, who is Sata," said Sampa.
And Kapata, who is community development deputy minister and a member of the PF's central committee, said discipline was cardinal in the party.
"What has happened (Mwamba's resignation) is very unfortunate because the appointing authority...even in a home, when a child is whipped, banoko naba wiso nga bakuponona, nishi chapwa waleka (When your mother and father cane you, that is it; you stop). How many times are you going to run from home and say you are not my father or mother? So we need discipline because there is no one who is above the party. An individual is not above the party," she said.
Kapata said the best thing that Mwamba could do was to apologise to President Sata and be in line with what the PF believed in.
"We did not invite anyone to come and join PF, neither did we chase anyone to leave PF; they came on their own accord and they have left on their own accord and we will leave it like that. For now, let us be united in the province. We are waiting for 2016, and if we do not organise ourselves now, the opposition will find their way here in Northern Province," she said.
Kapata said the problem people had with President Sata was that he was very frank.
"He never hides; if he hears anything, he will call me and say 'Jean, you said this' and if you cannot take it, too bad. He will never go behind anyone to talk about anyone, so let's be united and rally behind our President," she said.
Further asked by reporters if she would take time to pay a courtesy call on Mwamba, who is in Kasama, Kapata said Mwamba was too junior to her and Sampa in the party hierarchy.
Meanwhile, Chellah said the executive committee in the province had never worked in harmony with Mwamba because of his divisive leadership as member of parliament.
"His loyalty to the party and to the President has always been questionable. That is why we are asking the President to let him get
out of the party so that we can work in harmony," said Chellah.
The two ministers, who have embarked on a tour of provinces to look at the party structures in the various provinces, later visited Kasama Milling, which is owned by Lupando Munkonge, who is Mwamba's cousin. They also appeared on Radio Mano, where they addressed various issues, among them party organisation and small scale enterprises.
During the programme on Radio Mano, Sampa said some vultures were trying to take advantage of the standoff between the Bemba Royal Establishment and the government to discredit the PF.
Mwamba resigned his ministerial position early this week after President Sata questioned his meetings with the Bashilubemba.
Labels: GBM, MILES SAMPA, PF
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North PF wants GBM disciplined
By Roy Habaalu and Allan Mulenga
Fri 27 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
THE PF in Northern Province has called for disciplinary action against former defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba. But Mwamba says he will not succumb to party members calling for his expulsion and disciplinary action against him.
PF Northern Province treasurer Chomba Chipili said Mwamba's marriage of convenience with the party to suit his business interests must come to an end. He said the provincial executive committee would take disciplinary action against Mwamba for breaching the oath of secrecy and that of the party.
"This warning goes further to warn any members sympathising with him that should they in the process breach our party rules, they shall equally meet the same fate," Chipili said.
"It is sad that as soon as the people started to forget him for his actions of bad taste and faith previously, he now further has started to ridicule the President over the Bemba Royal Establishment, claiming that the President has not done enough to resolve it. We are aware that Mr Mwamba, being one of the most senior members in Cabinet, was party and privy to discussions that formed an opinion on the Bemba Royal Establishment and we realise that it is all out of greed that he has turned around now."
Chipili wondered why Mwamba had only realised that Henry Sosala was his grandfather soon after meeting him.
"We the executive recall how President Michael Sata pleaded with the northerners to vote for GBM and made him kneel down before the people to ask for forgiveness for his wrongs when he was patronising the MMD and took away his milling plant from Kasama because the people had rejected the MMD. He fooled the people of Kasama with fake promises, yet all he wanted was to get himself richer and now that he has made enough money, his true colours are being exposed," he said.
Chipili said Mwamba's greed could not be tolerated and urged him to resign as member of parliament if he was a political giant.
And commenting on calls by some PF members for him to leave the party, Mwamba, who is commonly known as GBM, said only President Sata would decide his fate.
"Is it me who have made them not to have money? Riches come with wisdom. I am not going anywhere. I am imitating my friend Wynter Kabimba. I have not done any wrong in the party, I just resigned. Is resigning a wrongdoing?" he wondered.
Mwamba said he would not succumb to pressure and leave the party.
"I am not leaving the party. Where can I go to? I'm principled. I was hated by Levy Mwanawasa because I invited President Sata to my child's wedding. They said, 'why have you invited him?' I said, 'blood is thicker than water... then I will remain'. Now the President Sata who I defended, should he say I should go? No one will separate me from the family. The way the President has kept Kabimba, that is how he is going to keep me," he said.
Mwamba said he would not be defeated by those calling for his expulsion, claiming that he had many supporters countywide.
"I am enjoying life in Kasama...you will continue ranting. Elyoicawama ca kuti nalikwata ama supporters. Te mukasama mweka ni country yonse. Bani abakanukula. Filya fine bacitile pali Wynter naine ifyo bakacita. It is good that I have a lot of supporters not only in Kasama but countrywide. No one will hound me out of the party. The way the President has handled the Kabimba issue, that is how he will deal with mine," he said.
Mwamba said his political career had not been derailed by the turn of events.
"My political career has not be affected in any manner. Today you are saying that GBM is finished, but if it was God's wish that I will become a president, it will happen. Politics is good when you are doing what your electorate want, but politics are bad if you are doing vice-versa," he said.
And Mwamba said those calling for his expulsion had been hired.
"People calling for my resignation have just been hired. And I even know the person who has hired them. The President is clever; the way he has kept Kabimba, that is how he will keep me. The people have not rejected me, those have just been hired," he said.
Mwamba said he would meet with his enemies on the political battlefield.
"I am a very principled human being and I will continue being that. We will meet in the field. I am real man. I have got people behind me," said Mwamba.
"Bushe ba Davies Mwila ebo twingalalanda nabo whether in my private life, they are not my capacity. They are not my match. I have a lot of supporters. We are meeting in the political battlefield. Just wait."
Labels: GBM, NORTHERN PROVINCE, PF
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GBM, leave PF
By Allan Mulenga and Roy Habaalu
Thu 26 Dec. 2013, 12:30 CAT
PF chairperson for labour and social security Davies Mwila has advised Geoffrey Mwamba to leave the party in peace rather than cause confusion. And Robert Chikwelete says Mwamba is indisciplined and has no place in PF.
Commenting on Mwamba's resignation as defence minister after President Michael Sata admonished him following his visit to Paramount Chief Chitimukulu Henry Sosala, whom government has not recognised, Mwila, who a couple of months ago was Mwamba's deputy but resigned, advised him to leave the party if he wished to do so. Mwila, who is also Chipili PF member or parliament, said the party was above individuals like Mwamba.
"When I resigned as defence deputy minister, I resigned quietly. Even up to now, people don't know why I resigned. As I am speaking, I am in good books with the party and the President because I have to give respect to the President. Even if I am aggrieved, I am not happy, I am not supposed to talk ill against the President," he said.
"If he was not happy about what the President said, he should have just resigned and keep quiet because one day, he will come back, unless he is telling us that he is leaving the party. The institution is above individuals. So, the party is above GBM. So, if he thinks that he has money, let him leave."
Mwila said Mwamba needed to show loyalty to President Sata because he was holding a very important position in the government.
"What he said about the President in public, I don't think that the relationship between him and the President will continue; because there is no loyalty to the President and the party," he said.
"He was once Minister of Defence; if he wants to leave, let him leave quietly, but if he starts making those statements, it shows that there is no loyalty. He was holding a very important position in a very important ministry and he is just supposed to show loyalty.
"He is not supposed to go to the press and talk about the differences he had with the President. He can't do that unless he is leaving the party. If he is leaving the party, he can speak the way he spoke because respect must be given to the head of state, who is our party president."
Mwila recalled a time in 2010, when Mwamba resigned as PF chairperson for elections and Kasama member of parliament following differences with his wife.
Mwila also recalled that Mwamba acted with emotions when he was advised against using State security at his official residence.
"...Honourable Request Muntanga, an MP for Kalomo, raised the issue of security in Parliament. He asked a question on which officials in government were supposed to have State security. His honour the Vice-President answered that: 'His Excellency the President and His Honour the Vice-President'. By that time, honourable Mwamba had security at his house, who were the soldiers. The President decided that security be removed at his home," he recounted.
"You will recall that GBM abandoned GRZ vehicle, he stopped using GRZ vehicle. As his deputy, together with Colonel Lungu, the deputy minister in charge of Zambia National Service, who was my witness by that time, we went to his office and told him that, 'This is wrong' he can't abandon GRZ vehicle. It is like he has abandoned the position of minister. After sometime, he went back and started using the GRZ vehicle."
And Chikwelete, a former PF Chawama Constituency chairman, said it was sad that Mwamba, as a senior party official, showed no respect for the appointing authority.
He said it was unacceptable that a Cabinet minister could discredit the President in the manner Mwamba did.
Chikwelete said Mwamba's replacement was an indication that everyone was replaceable in PF.
He said President Michael Sata had shown that no one could hold him to ransom regardless of their contribution to the party or the position they hold.
"That's insubordination. How do you disagree with the President at a press briefing in your village? The President was trying to find out something from him and he goes to embarrass him! He's got no respect for the head of state, the man who built PF and brought us together. It shows that he's a man with no discipline and should not be allowed in the party," Chikwelete said.
Chikwelete said Mwamba was one of those that joined the party with a hidden agenda.
"These are the people with double standards it shows that even the divisions that rocked the party they were the ones behind its good they are beginning to be exposed for sponsoring confusion," Chikwelete said.
"These are the ones that were mentioned to be fuelling violence and today they are falling out of the party. This tells you such elements are not trust-worthy. In this case we need to get rid of him from the party and replace him with those that care for the party," said Chikwelete.
Chikwelete was in the Mwamba camp during the height of calls for PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba to step down. He later owned up and apologised to Kabimba, saying he would no long accept to be used to get at him.
Meanwhile, PF Northern Provincial committee has urged the party's Central Committee to suspend Mwamba from the party for insubordination.
Northern Province acting PF provincial chairperson, Peter Mwansa, wondered how Mwamba would work with the party hierarchy when he had failed to respect President Sata.
Mwansa said the provincial leadership had resolved to petition the party's Central Committee over Mwamba's conduct towards President Sata.
"We doubt the loyalty of Ba Mwamba or GBM as a member of the party. In the first place, he was a member of the party, and member of parliament for Kasama Central, now he has resigned from his ministerial post and that means that his loyalty will not be 100 per cent to the party," he said.
Mwansa said it was prudent that Mwamba leaves the party because he could not be trusted.
"We would want him to leave the party as well because he will not be loyal to the party. We are asking him to resign from the party because his loyalty will no longer be the same when he was serving as the Minister of Defence," said Mwansa.
During his resignation on Monday in Kasama, Mwamba told his supporters at his house that if the PF also wanted him out of the party, he would consult them on the next move.
Labels: CHIEFS, DAVIES MWILA, GBM, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE
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GBM's exit is good riddance - Luonde
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Wed 25 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
IT is good riddance for Geoffrey Mwamba to leave President Michael Sata's Cabinet, says Fr Richard Luonde. And former PF Copperbelt secretary Chanda Kabwe says the PF is an institution that is above individuals, and Mwamba's resignation was good for him, the people and the government.
Commenting on the decision by Mwamba to resign from his position as Minister of Defence, Fr Luonde said Mwamba's resignation from government was, in fact, long overdue.
"All is well and we must wish him all the best in his future endeavours. It seemed that he had his own issues. He has threatened to resign before and his resignation has not been a huge surprise. Our call to the PF is that life must continue, there are many other people that were more than capable of even performing better than Mwamba and also capable of executing duties diligently to the expectation of Zambians," Fr Luonde said.
He said although there were contradictions on his part, Mwamba had given his own reason for leaving government, and it must be appreciated by Zambians.
"Sincerity in politics is very important. It's good riddance for GBM to leave in the manner that he did. Leaders must always be sincere to themselves, we heard that he had serious frictions with the authority and President Sata cautioned Mwamba over Sosala and the controversy surrounding the Chitimukulu chieftainship. We don't know why the government has not recognised Sosala as Paramount Chief Chitimukulu; that's why we can't speculate. However, if Mwamba does not agree with his superior, who is President Sata, then let him go," Fr Luonde said.
He said there were many other chiefs that had not been recognised by successive governments in the past, adding that the PF had a responsibility to explain the status quo on why Henry Sosala had not been recognised as Chitimukulu so that people could understand.
Meanwhile, Kabwe said Mwamba had every right to resign and leave space for other people in and outside government that had exhibited undoubted sacrifice and commitment to serving Zambians through the PF government.
"Leadership is about respecting your superiors, taking instructions from the authority. If you cannot take instructions, that is a sign of disloyalty. We urge those in leadership to respect President Michael Sata and if one does not agree with the ideals of the party, they are free to leave," Kabwe said.
Mwamba announced his resignation as defence minister to his supporters at his Kasama residence on Monday, shortly after President Sata censured him over his meeting with Sosala.
President Sata said Mwamba failed to show collective responsibility on government's position regarding the installation of Sosala as Chitimukulu.
Labels: CHANDA KABWE, GBM, RICHARD LUONDE
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Mwamba - tambala obvumbwa
By Editor
Fri 01 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
Emmanuel Mwamba deserved to be fired. He is lucky he was retired in national interest. But anyway, it amounts to the same thing - he is out of government employment.
It is true that Mwamba used his position as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information to serve personal ends.
It was not difficult for one to reach the conclusion that Mwamba, abusing the faith placed in him by President Michael Sata, followed a path that departed from the norms of the appointing authority. Mwamba organised things in the Ministry of Information to pursue personal ends.
Mwamba forgot the fact that he was a civil servant and started to operate like he was a politician. We saw more of Mwamba on television than the Minister of Information, who is a politician. Mwamba was more in the state-owned newspapers than any permanent secretary, deputy minister, Cabinet minister in this government. He was more covered by the state-owned media than even the Vice-President of the Republic.
Mwamba had no respect for any senior government official other than those who belonged to the political camp that he had joined. It was very clear that Mwamba had joined the anti-Wynter Kabimba group and treated everyone who he thought was not in his group with no respect. Mwamba could even order journalists working for state-owned media institutions not to cover the Vice-President and other ministers he was opposed to.
What Mwamba forgot is that all these other people in government were also appointees of the same President that appointed him. And most of these people he was fighting were much closer politically to the President than Mwamba himself.
Clearly, Mwamba took on too much and pushed his luck too far. He thought Michael Sata was Frederick Chiluba or Rupiah Banda. Who doesn't know where Mwamba came from? He might have leaked a few things here and there to the Patriotic Front leadership in opposition to earn himself some appointment. But that's not a ticket for one to become insolent and disrespectful of others. Anyway, mercenaries are for hire and once the assignment is completed, they should be paid off and kept away until the next assignment. Mwamba is a mercenary with no loyalty to anyone. We all know that Mwamba got where he got because of not being loyal. If Mwamba was loyal to Rupiah and others he worked with, he wouldn't have gotten the job he got in the Patriotic Front government.
But mercenaries will always remain mercenaries. And Mwamba remains a mercenary and will always be a mercenary. To get their way around things, mercenaries have to be dishonest, have to lie. And Mwamba is such a big liar - he can lie about anything big and small. If you can lie, what else can you not do? If you can lie, you can steal. How can one explain Mwamba's behaviour? How can a person who not very long ago was very close to Rupiah and the MMD, and posted all sorts of things on the Watchdog against the Patriotic Front, try and be more Patriotic Front than anybody else?
The other thing is Mwamba was too excited with his new appointment. And as the President correctly observed, Mwamba started to feel he was more intelligent than anybody else when he was nothing but a simple liar, crook, mercenary. But everything has got a time. We hope Mwamba has learnt something and will behave himself wherever he may go to take up a new job, assignment. We will not be surprised to see all sorts of things about this government and Michael on the Watchdog posted by Mwamba. We shouldn't forget that Mwamba has a criminal case in the High Court pending judgment concerning his activities to malign people on the Watchdog. But as they say, ubuchenjeshi bwa nkoko pungwa tasakamana.
When you are given what you don't deserve, there is need to be grateful to those who may be more deserving than you who have not been given what you have been given. Don't try to belittle or undermine them. There are many deserving citizens much closer to the President, people who played a more valuable role politically and otherwise to enable the Patriotic Front to win the last elections than Mwamba. But they have not been that lucky to be given what Mwamba was given. They are not fools. Mwamba is not much cleverer than them.
In a very short time, Mwamba nearly turned the state-owned media to what it was under Rupiah. Yes, Mwamba was very close to the state media that Rupiah controlled, but we don't think that is the media this government wants for this country and for itself.
Mwamba turned the state-owned media into personal property for promoting and executing his personal political agendas and those of his friends. This is not the way civil servants work or should work. But Mwamba doesn't seem to learn. And because of this, he could not survive in the civil service. The things the President said about him were very strong; those were very strong words from a person who has appointed you, who has given you a job.
Mwamba did not push the state media forward; he actually destabilised it in a very short time. And the decision by the President to remove him from the civil service was timely. Anyway, that's what happens when one is given power he has not worked for and has no sense of gratitude, humility or modesty. Power one has not struggled for easily gets to one's head and can easily be abused. But also, power one has not struggled for can easily be lost, and Mwamba has lost it.
It is very easy for power to get to one's head. And it doesn't need to be a lot of power. Power does corrupt and it doesn't need to be political power. It could be simple posts, functions or responsibilities. We have seen people change immediately they are given some important posts, important functions, important responsibilities, which is usually what is called power. Some people begin to change, to be deformed, as soon as they have a little responsibility - a little, not much, power - and we think that, the more power people have, the greater the risk; that's a fact. We think it requires being aware of the danger and ever alert, ever vigilant against it. Power should never be viewed as something that is personal, that is yours, something that is to be enjoyed.
Rather, we should look at power - or authority, as some people like to call it, as the tool of a legitimate cause. Mwamba should look at the way the President uses the power he holds - the man has not changed in any way. He still speaks the same way he used to speak and still has the same friends he used to have.
He still wears the same old double-breasted suits he used to have before he became President. He has not tried to change himself by completely changing his wardrobe as many people do when their status changes. Power has not changed him. Instead of power changing him, he is actually changing it. He is still the Michael Sata one has known over the years and he still cracks the same old jokes of his - though recently he has added a new one that doesn't seem to be going well with many people, that of mocking people for shaving their heads. We know he has lived his life carrying an Afro hairstyle, but not everyone has his type of hair and of course times change, Afros are out of style and fashion. This is his only new joke - everything else about Michael is still the same.
Power has not gotten to his head, yet this is the man who has struggled so much in his life politically and otherwise to be where he is today. Nobody made Michael President. Michael made himself President. It is not the little assistance that many people extended to him that really count for his being where he is today. It is his own tireless effort, persistence, focus, sense of purpose, tenacity, full utilisation of his God-given talents, personal discipline that made Michael be where he is today. We can all claim credit for having done this or that to make him President. But how many other people have received such similar assistance or even more but never became presidents? And all he does is to give thanks to the Lord for giving him the responsibility He has given him and ensure that he uses it to fulfil His wishes and those of His people, especially the poor and disadvantaged. Instead of having a victory party, Michael had a thanksgiving Mass.
Everyone today is laughing at Mwamba. Those he brutalised are laughing at him. No one sees him as being clever. Anyway, that's how those who are pompous, those who lack humility are humbled. Mwamba today looks like a soaked chicken, tambala obvumbwa. And tambala obvumbwa alibe musika. Again, we should remind ourselves of the fact that the exercise of power must be a constant practice of self-limitation and modesty.
Labels: GBM
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Mwamba got himself retired - Mulongoti
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 31 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PEOPLE'S Party president Mike Mulongoti says Emmanuel Mwamba got himself retired through his attempts to supplant the Minister of Information.
And The Zambian Watchdog has offered to give Mwamba back his former job as the online publication's correspondent now that he has been with immediate effect retired from the civil service in national interest as permanent secretary at Cabinet Office.
But when contacted for a comment, Mwamba who first sounded surprised, remarked: "Oh! Let me get back to you."
Mwamba, however, never got back and several attempts to reach him proved futile as his mobile phone went unanswered.
According to a statement by the President's special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah, President Michael Sata wished Mwamba success in his future endeavours.
"This is to confirm that with immediate effect, you have been retired in national interest. I wish to thank you most sincerely for the services you rendered to the government during your tenure of office," read President Sata's letter to Mwamba in part.
On Monday, President Sata told Mwamba in his capacity then as former information and broadcasting services permanent secretary not to use the ministry to fight his own political battles.
On the same day, President Sata transferred Mwamba to Cabinet Office as permanent secretary.
Speaking at State House before a Cabinet meeting, President Sata told Mwamba to cease being a civil servant if he wanted to engage in political battles.
"Don't use my ministry to fight your own political battles. Go outside, stand on a platform and we can meet you on the ground. Don't use my government. You are supposed to protect the people," he said.
President Sata further castigated Mwamba for issuing nationwide radio licences to privately-owned Radio Phoenix and Qfm.
Early this month, justice minister Wynter Kabimba wrote to Mwamba telling him that he was prepared to destroy the public media in order to please his paymasters and their cronies.
In a letter to Mwamba dated October 3, Kabimba, who is also PF secretary general, said he would not sit back and allow the destruction of the public media to continue unabated to the detriment of national development.
Vice-President Dr Guy Scott also wondered what Mwamba was doing at the Ministry of Information if he was failing to ensure journalistic standards in the public media.
During the same period, veteran politician Simon Zukas who was serving as a board member on the Zambia Daily Mail board, resigned alleging bad corporate governance practices by Mwamba.
After Mwamba's retirement, the Watchdog immediately posted on its website accessible through Facebook, that they had consistently told Mwamba to take it easy as he could crash.
"We are however, willing to give Mwamba his former job as our correspondent if he is willing," read the posting which was however edited after some time.
And commenting on President Sata's statement to Mwamba that he should not use his government to fight political battles, Mulongoti, a former information minister in the MMD government, said Mwamba was supposed to have been an advisor to his minister and should have never tried to supplant him.
"If a minister is attacked, the civil servant must advise the minister on how to react and provide answers. Now if a civil servant is the one that is on top, what happens is that if he is under attack, the minister cannot defend him because the expert is supposed to be a civil servant," he said.
Mulongoti said in as much as civil servants were expected to be robust in their approach to governance, there was need for them to take a back seat so as to provide information to their ministers at a political level.
He said failure to do so on the part of technocrats usually resulted in what had happened to Mwamba.
"We have nothing against the man. He has got this unlimited impatience on wanting to get things done. But in every circumstance, there are certain precautions you must take because in the process you step on other people's toes and sometimes you can injure yourself because of over-exposure. As a politician we are used to these things; they attack you today, you are in the ditch, tomorrow you rise again but you don't expect a technocrat to go through that. A technocrat must be in the background and only speak when they think maybe they want to correct something, with the permission of the minister. You must not supplant the minister and be the person on top," said Mulongoti.
Labels: GBM, GUY SCOTT, MIKE MULONGOTI
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Sata tells Mwamba off
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 29 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata yesterday told former information and broadcasting services permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba not to use the ministry to fight his own political battles. And Mwamba has since been transferred to Cabinet Office in the same capacity and has been replaced by Wamunyima Muwana.
Speaking at State House before a Cabinet meeting, President Sata told Mwamba to cease being a civil servant if he wanted to engage in political battles.
"Don't use my ministry to fight your own political battles. Go outside, stand on a platform and we can meet you on the ground. Don't use my government. You are supposed to protect the people," he said.
President Sata further castigated Mwamba for issuing nationwide radio licences to privately-owned radio Phoenix and Qfm. He asked Mwamba if he knew why the previous governments did not issue nationwide coverage of radio stations apart from ZNBC.
"You thought all of us are very stupid, you thought all the people who died for independence are very stupid. You come, you are Mr Emmanuel Mwamba, you give national coverage to all of them so that Mr HH UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema can now go and stand on Radio Phoenix and Mr Mwamba is just smiling. Mr commerce minister Emmanuel Chenda have you seen? You are sitting here, the people who are killing the young people, they are the young people you bring. Can you tell me the justification, Mr Mwamba?"
And Mwamba responded: "Yes, Your Excellency. I found on my table when you brought me to this ministry, applications that have been pending since 2011. The ministry sought an opinion from the Attorney General and…"
But President Sata interjected him, saying: "Mr Mwamba, you said 2011, this is 2013. The files have been pending and because you are so intelligent, all the previous permanent secretaries are so stupid. You are the only intelligent one."
Mwamba apologised and tried to justify his action, saying that his predecessor Amos Malupenga had approved the first 10 licences.
President Sata told Mwamba that apart from the missionaries, there was need to be careful before giving out nationwide coverage to privately-owned radio stations.
"You have to salute honourable Edgar Lungu. The reason why the previous administration only left ZNBC was to protect the integrity of this nation. And you know it very well since you have been permanent secretary. You know it very well where you are, a person from outside Zambia has bought shares in Radio Phoenix and there you are. Did you consult?" asked President Sata.
The President continued: "Mr Chenda have you seen? The boys came yesterday; they were not there when people were fighting for independence. They come to mess up what people fought for. According to Mr Mwamba, that's the celebration of 49 years of independence. What people died for, Mr Mwamba comes and says 'No! No! Give Radio Phoenix national wide coverage'. And those are the boys you recommend that let's promote them. Mr Mwamba, is that what we fought for?"
And Radio Phoenix proprieter Errol Hickey told his radio station that he was disappointed with President Sata's statement because he had offered equal and balanced coverage to news sources.
And speaking to journalists later before he got wind of his transfer, Mwamba said the directive from the President on the issuance of nationwide licences would be followed to the letter.
He said the licensing committee would convene a meeting and review the directive from President Sata.
"It is clear that the missionaries such as Catholic TV and Radio Christian Voice might be the only one that would remain with ZNBC on national wide. The others, I think concerns have been raised and have been brought to our attention. The clear directive from the President will be followed," he said.
Asked for a comment on President Sata's statement that he should not use the Ministry of Information to fight his own political battles, Mwamba opted to refer to the guidance given to Vice-President Dr Guy Scott and finance minister Alexander Chikwanda on the importation of secondhand motor vehicles and the removal of excise duty on copper concentrates.
"The President gave a lot of guidance in today's Cabinet. The guidance came to His Honour the Vice-President, the Minister of Finance and specifically to myself. This is wise counsel from the President; he is our leader. It is our duty to ensure that we work in the professional space that we have been given to enhance his image and that of government and the country in order to protect the independence of the country. I take the wise counsel sufficiently and will follow as directed by the President," Mwamba said.
Meanwhile, according to a statement by special assistant to the President for press and public relations George Chellah, President Sata has with immediate effect appointed Muwana as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, while Mwamba has been transferred to Cabinet Office in the same capacity.
President Sata wished the duo success and God's blessings as they serve the nation in their assignments.
Prior to his appointment, Muwana was Zambia News Information Services assistant director technical services.
Muwana has served ZANIS for over 22 years, rising through the ranks to the position of assistant director.
Labels: GBM, MICHAEL SATA, POLITICS
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GBM urges Northeners to keep supporting PF
By Francis Lungu in Kasama
Tue 29 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
DEFENCE minister Geoffrey Mwamba has urged the people of Northern Province to continue supporting the PF because they played a pivotal role in the party's formation in 2001 and ushered it into office 10 years later.
Mwamba said people in the province played an influential role in enabling the PF to form government and that it was befitting for them to be resolute in standing with the government as it was working to fulfil its campaign promises.
Mwamba, who is also Kasama Central member of parliament, was speaking on Sunday when he addressed a gathering in Kasama at Chishimba Primary School where he was commissioning the Chishimba/Musa II grid extension power project.
"The Northern Province played an instrumental role in the formation of the PF government and it is important for the people to continue supporting the government they helped to form for continued development. The PF government is now fulfilling most of its campaign promises of ensuring rural areas receive development," Mwamba said.
Meanwhile, Mwamba said it was shameful for rural areas to only be receiving electricity after 49 years of Independence.
He however said the government was transforming people's lives in rural areas by providing them with electricity through the Rural Electrification Programme.
"Is it not a shame that this area is only receiving electricity after 49 years of Independence?" Mwamba asked. "I want to assure you that the Patriotic Front government, which is working so tirelessly, shares with you in the joy and excitement you are experiencing today. It is exciting that the facilities in this area which have never had electricity such as schools and the trading centre are now connected to the national grid for the first time," Mwamba said.
He said access to electricity by rural communities would not only increase economic growth but would help fight poverty and reduce income inequality between the urban rich and the rural poor.
According to REA corporate affairs manager Justin Mukosa, the Chishimba/Musa II grid extension project was also part of the K2.9million funding that included the Mungwi grid extension.
Mukosa said the project was undertaken under lot 14 of the final scopes of work for the 2012 project package involving construction of 840 metres of 11KV overhead lines.
And Zesco regional manager Cephas Lungu thanked the REA for the completion of the project and called on people in the area to apply to the power company for connectivity.
The project was carried out by a local company, M and E Trading and Construction.
Labels: GBM, NORTHERN PROVINCE, PF
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Mwamba's conduct displeases Kabimba
By Moses Kuwema and Tilyenji Mwanza
Fri 04 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba says information and broadcasting services permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba is prepared to destroy the public media in order to please his paymasters and their cronies.
But Mwamba says Kabimba should have written to his superiors and that he had officially complained of harassment.
In his letter to Mwamba obtained by The Post dated October 3, Kabimba, who is PF secretary general and justice minister, said he would not sit back and allow the destruction of the public media to continue unabated to the detriment of national development.
"I have a duty to protect the majority interest in this country against turncoats whose objective is to serve narrow personal interests of their paymasters. Your insidious activities since you assumed your new position come against the background when members of the public were beginning to show some confidence in the renewed professionalism of the public media under the PF government. This trend is now gradually going in reverse again," read Kabimba's letter to Mwamba.
Kabimba explained that about two weeks ago, he phoned Mwamba to express his concern about one of his pronouncements as was reported in the print media, regarding what Mwamba referred to as the practice by some ministers being accompanied by preferred reporters while on government duty outside Lusaka.
He explained that he advised Mwamba to remain professional in his execution of responsibilities as information permanent secretary.
"In the last week, I have seen several headlines against me in the Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia which were so personal in nature and style that they were unexpected from the government media against a sitting minister of government. His Honour the Vice-President Dr Guy Scott alluded to this on Saturday, 29th September, 2013 during his interview with The Post Newspaper. One would have thought that you and your colleagues would have taken a leaf from His Honour the Vice-President's comments over this matter. I have also received reports that you personally ordered the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) to limit coverage of my stories," read the letter.
Recently, Vice-President Scott said it was strange to see government media setting ministers against each other.
Kabimba reminded Mwamba that as secretary general of the ruling PF, he was the custodian of the party's manifesto, which outlines all the social and economic programmes of the government, and that he was also the official spokesperson of the PF.
"In my various contacts and meetings with our party members and general public, I am enjoined with the duty to inform them about the successes of the Patriotic Front through the government's implementation of its programmes. I know that this does not matter to you at all since at the time when we were struggling to build the Patriotic Front, you were busy feeding from Frederick Chiluba and Rupiah Banda's plates. You are therefore, not expected to show any sense of commitment or loyalty to this party. After all in the event of the PF's failure to form government at any time in future, you shall move on to another political party in government," read Kabimba's letter.
Kabimba stated that Mwamba could not in this respect be President Sata's protégé more than him as he would want to project in the manner he intends to politicise the public media.
Kabimba further stated that by copy of the letter to Mwamba, he would like the minister of information and broadcasting services Mwansa Kapeya, to advise him on the steps that his ministry intends to take to save the public media from imminent collapse again.
But Mwamba said Kabimba had been phoning him and threatening to dismiss him as permanent secretary.
He said Kabimba had also been threatening media heads from Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail, ZNBC and individual reporters with dismissal and unknown punishments.
Mwamba said the ministry should be allowed to run its affairs without intimidation.
He said Kabimba should address his grievances to superiors and not in a letter to him.
Mwamba said he had not received the letter which had been circulated to media houses and whose contents had been read out to him.
Labels: GBM, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Why Mwamba is fighting Kabimba
By Editor
Mon 30 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
On Wednesday last week, the editor of this newspaper was called and asked to urgently meet a good friend Sylvia Masebo. And Sylvia told the editor of this newspaper that in her attempts to try and find a solution to the wrangles in the party, she had a meeting with Geoffrey Mwamba at Parliament that same day to try and find out what the main problem was. She asked Mwamba what the problem was between him and Wynter Kabimba, the secretary general of the Patriotic Front.
And Mwamba's response was that he had no problem with Wynter; Wynter had done nothing wrong and he was a good guy. The problem was Wynter's friend, Fred M'membe, who was fighting Mwamba and who had made him lose a Zesco contract - a contract that was worth over US$6 million.
And Sylvia asked Mwamba to explain to her what was the issue with the endorsements of the President. She was told that he was protecting himself from being seen to be challenging the President in 2016. Mwamba said there were allegations that he and Wynter wanted to contest the presidential elections in 2016. And to be seen not to be fighting the President, Mwamba decided to announce his endorsement of the President in Kasama. Instead of Wynter joining him in that scheme, he was surprised that he fell into the trap of opposing the endorsement. And when asked why he allowed his friend to fall into the trap and not save him but finish him off politically, Mwamba said it was not him finishing off Wynter; it was Wynter finishing himself off.
Mwamba told Sylvia that it was not really Wynter he was after but Wynter's friend, who was fighting him. And because Wynter's friend, who is fighting Mwamba is not in politics and he is believed to be financing him, Mwamba decided to go for Wynter as a way of fighting his friend.
After this, Sylvia asked Mwamba if he was willing to meet with the editor of this newspaper and resolve their differences that were causing a lot of problems for the party. Mwamba agreed to such a meeting. And Sylvia promised him that she would talk to the editor of this newspaper and see if he would agree for them to meet and resolve their differences.
When this was presented to the editor of this newspaper, the response was that he had no issues with Mwamba. He said he didn't even know Mwamba; he only sees him from a distance. And as such, he didn't understand how Mwamba thought he was fighting him and hated him. The editor of this newspaper agreed to meeting Mwamba any time and at any place. He asked Sylvia to ask Mwamba to come up with any evidence of any articles that had been published about him by this newspaper that he felt were malicious or not true about him. And if indeed there were any such articles, the editor of this newspaper promised to publicly apologise to Mwamba and offer the necessary corrections or retractions in the newspaper. He told Sylvia that sometimes the newspaper made mistakes and if such mistakes were discovered or pointed out, they had no problem correcting them and offering the necessary apologies. He also told Sylvia that to the best of his knowledge, the paper had never engaged in any malicious or untruthful stories about Mwamba. But if such stories were there, there was no problem apologising and making the necessary corrections and retractions.
But to this day, Mwamba has not come back for the meeting.
We have never asked anyone to be sacrificed, killed or to be disadvantaged in any way for our deeds, transgressions or mistakes. And we do not want Wynter to suffer on account of our relations with him.
When it comes to relations with us, we always tell people to do what suits their interests, political or business. We have been victims of vicious hatred by various regimes that have governed our country. And those who have associated with us, voluntarily or otherwise, have had to pay the price. We do not want anybody to have any difficulties on account of us. We know how to deal with enemies. We have enough experience of dealing with hostile regimes and politicians. We have survived this for almost 23 years. Things have always been difficult for us and they cannot be any more difficult. In fact, many politicians have run out of ways to make things more difficult for us.
People and friends of ours should handle their relations with us in the way that best suits them and the resolution of their most pressing problems. We think that is the best way to show our sincere and selfless attitude towards others.
And moreover, Wynter was introduced to us by Michael himself. We were asked to assist Wynter in his work in any way we could. And we know how to respond positively and generously to men and women of goodwill, to those who are trying to do something good for our country and our people. When we take up a commitment, we honour it and give it everything that we have to ensure a successful outcome. We don't act out of convenience or out of opportunism. We believe in an honest policy and in loyalty to others.
And we mean it when we say that no one here has any personal issues with Mwamba. He is a news subject. And he deserves to be covered by us when he makes news. And it doesn't matter what type of news - positive or negative on his part - we will cover him. We have carried stories of Mwamba denouncing us, calling us all sorts of names and insinuating all sorts of things. If we can carry unpleasant stories about ourselves from him, why shouldn't we be allowed to carry honest and accurate stories about him that may not be pleasant to him? Again, we emphasise that we have no right whatsoever to defame or malign Mwamba. And on this, the editorial management of this newspaper has been very careful. If there is any story in which Mwamba has been defamed or maligned, it can never be deliberate. It can only be a product of oversight. But whatever the reasons for that, if such stories exist, we owe Mwamba a correction and an apology - not privately but publicly by publishing such corrections and apologies in our newspaper. And this is not an act of cowardice or fear. It is our policy to do that to every human being whom we may unjustifiably defame or malign by mistake or by poor quality work by our reporters and our editors.
We have no hatred for Mwamba whatsoever. We do not believe in the law of hate. We may not always be true to our ideals, but we believe in the law of love, and we believe you can do nothing with hatred. We would like to see a time when man loves his fellow man and forgets his colour, creed or tribe.
And when we criticise people, when we call for some people to be punished, it is not out of hatred. What's more, Jesus tells us we must love our enemies - he doesn't say we mustn't have enemies - and there is no greater love for a person who is doing something wrong than to prevent him from continuing to do the wrong thing.
We can only appeal to Mwamba not to take his fight against us to Wynter. We do not represent Wynter and Wynter doesn't represent us. Our relationship with Wynter was and still is a product of Michael's request to us.
If Mwamba has any issues with us, let him make us pay for our crimes and not attack a person he says is a good guy because of us. That is definitely not fair and just. And surely, should the Patriotic Front be decimated on account of our said friendship with Wynter? We leave this for the deep reflection and meditation of Mwamba, the leaders, cadres and members of the Patriotic Front.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FRED M'MEMBE, GBM, PF, SYLVIA MASEBO, WYNTER KABIMBA
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PF cadres march, petition for Kabimba's removal
By Moses Kuwema and Abel Mboozi
Sat 14 Sep. 2013, 14:01 CAT
SOME PF cadres in Lusaka yesterday marched in the central business area, demanding the resignation of secretary general Wynter Kabimba. And defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba says it is not automatic that President Michael Sata will be in office for 10 years and that is why he was championing his endorsement as candidate for the PF in 2016.
The cadres, who were led by former Lusaka City Council mayor Robert Chikwelete, who is also interim Lusaka district PF chairman, marched from the South to the North-end of Cairo road before going to the district offices near Millennium bus station.
"We were told that we have been suspended as constituency chairmen, so this prompted us to organise ourselves. We are not happy with the way the secretary general is running party affairs. So now we are calling for his resignation because he cannot listen to party officials," Chikwelete said.
He said the cadres were not happy with the hand-picking of party officials for positions in the district.
"For instance, the district political secretary had no blessings from the party. These political secretaries were becoming more powerful than district commissioners," he said.
Chikwelete said the petition to have Kabimba removed from the office of secretary general had since been taken to the President and prayed that the head of state would look into the matter and bring to an end the ongoing wrangles in the party.
"Let me also make it clear that it is not true that we are being sponsored by defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba," said Chikwelete.
Kabimba, who is also justice minister, was unavailable for comment by press time as his mobile phone went unanswered.
And Mwamba told journalists after the commissioning of ZNS cadets in Kafue yesterday that from day one just after the PF won the 2011 elections, his team started campaigning for 2016 and the preferred candidate.
"And they are saying that its automatic President Sata will run for ten years. It's not automatic;that is why there is that gap of five years. We have to go to a congress, where we have to go and elect him as our candidate to contest the Republican presidency, so it's not automatic. They should not mislead the nation that it's automatic because if it was automatic, they should have said he will run for 10years continuously," he argued. Mwamba said there was nothing sinister about endorsing a candidate now.
"We are merely expressing our opinion; we are not refusing those with a different view. They are free to express their views but as far as we are concerned, I and my constituency Kasama Central, we are saying that we have endorsed President Sata to contest the party presidency and that of the republic," he said. He challenged those against the endorsement of President Sata as the PF's sole candidate for the2016 elections to come out in the open and state their preferred candidate. "Let them tell us so that we know; that's all we want. Otherwise, what we are doing is not outside the law; our party manifesto and constitution, everything is very clear," said Mwamba.
Labels: CADRES, GBM, PF, ROBERT CHIKWELETE, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Kabimba tells GBM to stop fighting
By Prince Chibawah and Godfrey Chikumbi in Samfya
Wed 11 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba has told Geoffrey Mwamba that they should stop fighting now that Kennedy Sakeni who was reconciling them has died.
Speaking during the burial of information minister and Mansa Central member of parliament Kennedy Sakeni at Mushinka Village in chief Mwansakombe's area yesterday, Kabimba, who is PF secretary general and justice minister said amid cheers that there was no need for him and defence minister Mwamba to continue fighting because they were one.
He said it was not necessary for party leaders to continue bickering.
"Let me say this, though it's not part of my coming; my friend GBM let's stop quarrelling and fighting; we are one. Let's unite and work together for the benefit of our party," Kabimba said.
He said he and Mwamba needed to support each other for them to execute duties as senior party leaders .
"It was Honourable Sakeni who got the two of us at Parliament to reconcile when we were not talking to each other," he said.
While Kabimba was saying this, defence minister Mwamba was heard agreeing with him.
After speaking, Kabimba walked to Mwamba and asked whether he had heard what he said. Mwamba responded, "Naumfwa boi, walanda bwino sana (I have heard my friend, you have spoken well)."
The two leaders also hugged and were seen talking to each other during the funeral procession.
And representing the government, home affairs minister Edgar Lungu said Sakeni advocated for the free flow of information through, among other ways, the issuance of 17 broadcasting licenses to different media institutions countrywide.
He said Sakeni ensured depoliticisation of public media institutions as it was part of the government's agenda.
"Everyone is now benefiting from the public media institutions. This is because they are currently operating without interference from the government," Lungu added.
He said it was therefore painful to lose a leader whom he said was determined to serve the government and the people.
Lungu further thanked the people of Mansa Central Constituency for having confidence in the PF by voting for Sakeni as their area member of parliament during the 2011 parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini said the invaluable contributions of Sakeni to the work of parliament would never be forgotten.
In speech read on his behalf by Mazabuka UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo, Speaker Matibini said Sakeni represented his people in the national assembly with honour and diligence.
"Hon Sakeni was highly committed to his work as an MP and with great enthusiasm brought to the attention of the house the issues affecting his people," he said.
Speaker Matibini added that Sakeni had served in all the governments due to his trustworthiness and hard work.
"Sakeni held ministerial positions under all governments. This shows that he was a hardworking and trustworthy individual who inspired confidence and could be relied upon to serve the country effectively," said Speaker Matibini.
And family representative Obby Mwansa thanked President Michael Sata and his government for the support rendered before and after the death of the late.
"Your government has been there for us since our relative (Sakeni) got sick up to now. We have never witnessed this kind of gesture," said Mwansa.
Labels: GBM, KENNEDY SAKENI, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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GBM dividing PF - Zulu
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 24 Aug. 2013, 14:00 CAT
FORMER Copperbelt youth chairman Menyani Zulu says the Patriotic Front will not allow Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba to divide the party and will have no option but to throw him out.
Reacting to Mwamba's recent categorisation of some PF members as riffraffs, Zulu said the defence minister should be flushed out of the party for insubordination.
Zulu said Mwamba's agenda of dividing the party was no longer a secret.
He said Mwamba had a political history of using money to buy support, a method that had failed.
"GBM should tell us who he's referring to and the people he's fighting. We know what he wants; he wants to divide the party. He's hiding something and those cheating him will be chucked out of the party with him," Zulu said.
"It's too much and we will have no option but throw him out of the party; we won't allow him to divide our members.
If he's man enough and a minister of defence worth his salt, let him mention the riffraffs he's referring to. If he fails, then he is a liar and a coward," he said.
Zulu said Mwamba had no right to claim he loved President Michael Sata more than those that suffered with him when he (Mwamba) was dining with the MMD.
He said Mwamba was desperate now after realising that he had overrated his popularity. Zulu said Mwamba should not think the party leadership was ignorant when it kept quiet on his outbursts.
"This is the man who was dining with a corrupt regime, a regime that had no respect for its people. When we were crossing this country with President Sata, he remained in the comfort of the corrupt and today he should preach to us about love for President Sata! The people that love the President are known and he (President) knows them well. Those people he's calling riffraff are appointed by the President and (Mwamba) calls them riffraffs, where is the love for the President? You call his appointees riffraffs and claim your love for him! It doesn't make sense. Something must be wrong with that man," he said.
Zulu said President Sata was an institution that could not be duped by lip-service.
Labels: GBM, MENYANI ZULU, PF
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UPND's propaganda about Sata's health
By Editor
Sat 24 Aug. 2013, 14:00 CAT
IT is very cheap politics for the UPND leadership to try and twist the provisions of Article 36 of the Constitution of Zambia to cast doubt on President Michael Sata's physical and mental capacity to discharge the functions of his office.
This is taking opportunism to the extreme and dangerous proportions. We know that the UPND has been very opportunistic when it comes to Michael's health.
After the 2008 elections, the UPND were convinced that Michael would not get to the 2011 elections. This was after his treatment in South Africa for a heart condition in 2007. In this belief, they approached the Patriotic Front to form an opposition political pact with them.
This was in the hope that Michael would be dead before the 2011 elections and Hakainde Hichilema would assume overall leadership of the pact and become its presidential candidate.
But to their displeasure, Michael is still here and he was healthy and strong enough to defeat them and their MMD partners in the 2011 elections. But they still can't believe that the man they thought would die before 2011 is still there and probably ready to defeat them again in the 2016 elections.
Their mischief is clear. There is no function of his office that Michael has failed to perform since taking over as President of the Republic of Zambia.
We are not Michael's doctors but it's clear that the man has no problems performing his presidential functions. And moreover, there is no human being who doesn't fall ill. And can Hakainde or his servant Ephraim Belemu say they never fall ill? Who doesn't fall ill? We all get hit by this or that illness and we simply soldier on, recover and continue with our work.
How many of our politicians are either on hypertension or diabetes medication? And how many of our politicians are every day swallowing ARVs? Can they be said not to be fit for public office?
The truth is Michael is enjoying reasonably good health. And he is also living a very careful life when it comes to his health. Don't forget that this is a man who not very long ago was a chain smoker, contaminating his lungs with nicotine every day. But he has shed off that dangerous habit which he was involved in for more than five decades.
Michael leads a very disciplined life. He carries out his duties in an orderly, efficient and effective manner. He knows when to take a rest. And he knows when to go for medical examinations. He doesn't live like most of us who only go to see a doctor when we are not feeling well even when we have the opportunity to have periodic medical examinations.
But as Bishop John Mambo says, those who used to predict his death have left him still walking this planet. Equally, one can say those who think they will outlive Michael, they will leave him here to complete his mission as President of the Republic of Zambia.
They tried to do the same thing in 2011. They went round the country, telling people not to vote for Michael because he was dying. But our people are kind and compassionate human beings and they were not swayed by such propaganda. They gave their votes to Michael and he won.
If the UPND wants to be in government soon, such an approach will not do. They should win, not because Michael is not well healthwise, but because they are understood, supported, trusted. They should win because of their beliefs, what they believe in.
As far as a normal eye can see, Michael is in good health. And he seems to be keeping a good check on his health. These insinuations of him not being well only go to raise the question of just how healthy our leaders must be in order to serve, and, conversely, how much illness and or infirmity we can accept among those who occupy our country's highest posts.
Maybe we can learn something from the Americans. At the age of 65, Dwight Eisenhower had a serious heart attack, at a time when there was nowhere near the arsenal of methods available today to treat heart disease. All the same, he was elected to a second term the following year and lived another 14 years.
Then there is Jack Kennedy. Although he was the youngest person ever elected president of the United States and was the man who put the "vigah" into appearing vigorous, Kennedy was plagued with a number of serious ailments, only a few of which were known to Americans at the time of his election. They included Addison's disease and a back so painful that he always wore a back brace, nearly always used crutches when photographers were not present, and regularly submitted to amphetamines and powerful anesthetics to quell his pain; not to mention stratospheric cholesterol levels, which might be controlled by medication today, stomach disorders, and a history of sexually transmitted diseases. His administration's handling of the Cuban missile crisis likely will be debated for years but the fact remains that both conventional war - with the Soviet Union at least - and nuclear annihilation was averted. Even with a very bad back.
We wonder if we will resolve the matter of the health of presidents and presidential candidates, all while we mostly accept the physical and mental beatings the presidency inflicts upon those who hold the office. We don't have the best solution, but maybe we should mull over something Benjamin Franklin once said: "Nothing is more fatal to health than an over care of it."
Anyway, it is unfortunate that this whole issue has been sparked by members of Michael's own government and party. The UPND is simply a vulture. And vultures are opportunistic by nature and character - they scavenge. And UPND is scavenging on the bad discourse going on in the Patriotic Front and its government.
But this opportunism on the part of UPND will backfire. In politics, it's important to know the feelings, mood and character of one's people. Zambians, like most Africans, don't like this type of talk or propaganda. Look at Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe's health has been an issue for the opposition MDC and its backers for a very long time. But Mugabe, at 89, is still there and has overwhelmingly defeated them in an election.
UPND needs to choose its campaign issues carefully. Opportunism can sometimes be very costly. And it won't be long before UPND starts to pay the price for all this. Mark our words.
Labels: EPHRAIM BELEMU, GBM, MICHAEL SATA, UPND
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UPND wants Sata's health examined
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sat 24 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT
UPND Mbabala member of parliament Ephraim Belemu has demanded that a board of medical officers be constituted to examine President Michael Sata's health to allay fears raised by Geofrey Mwamba that some senior party members believe that he is not fit. And UPND says it will no longer notify police before holding protests and meetings.
Speaking at a briefing held at the UPND party secretariat yesterday, Belemu, who is UPND chairperson for tourism, said there was need for more elaboration on sensitive claims by Mwamba, whom they believed was a senior member of the ruling party.
"PF, from their own argument as confirmed by GBM (Mwamba), has confirmed that there is a clique within PF that believe that the President will not live beyond 2016 and, therefore, they want to find a successor," Belemu said.
"Now to the extent that he (Sata) is Republican President also, as a member of parliament and as a citizen, I have an interest in that and I want to demand as follows; Cabinet must immediately cause a board of medical practitioners to be appointed in accordance with Article 36 of the Constitution of Zambia so that the capacity or lack of capacity of President Sata can be ascertained by medical experts as opposed to Mwamba telling us that the President is fit," he said.
"I know there is a tendency to say we cannot touch the health of an individual but to the extent that someone is the Republican President of the sovereign Republic of Zambia, is a public figure and we have an interest, particularly when Cabinet ministers in the ruling party are fighting over who should succeed him."
Belemu said those discussing President Sata's health, together with Mwamba, were not qualified to state whether the head of state was in good health as they were not medical officers.
During a briefing at the ZNBC premises on Wednesday, Mwamba said no one should think President Sata would die today or tomorrow.
"We know that there is a scheme that certain people have teamed up... they have already said that President Sata... in fact, some of them are saying that he would die before 2016. So, it is about time that they started positioning themselves, which is very unfortunate. You see, every human's life destiny is from God," he said. "No one should think President Sata will die today or tomorrow. Probably even those that think that President Sata will die today, they are the ones who will die..."
Meanwhile, UPND deputy secretary general Kuchunga Simusamba said his party had with immediate effect stopped notifying police when holding public rallies.
He said the UPND would now be policing the rallies with their own field marshals.
"We have reasonable suspicion that the PF does not want UPND to hold meetings and protests because many senior PF members are anticipating a presidential by-election, and this is according to Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba. So because of this anticipated by-election, the PF does not want UPND to have a head-start," Simusamba said.
"As UPND, we have now resolved that UPND will no longer notify the police of their intentions to carry out protests or hold public meetings. We shall hold these protests and public meetings randomly and spontaneously in different locations of our cities without informing the police," said Simusamba.
Labels: EPHRAIM BELEMU, GBM, MICHAEL SATA, UPND
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Sata is healthy - GBM
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 22 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT
NO one should think President Michael Sata will die today or tomorrow, says defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba. And Mwamba yesterday implied that commerce deputy minister Miles Sampa is one of the riffraffs destroying the party by imposing themselves as President Sata's potential successors.
Briefing the press within ZNBC premises in Lusaka, Mwamba, who is also Kasama Central PF member of parliament, said there were people within the PF who wanted President Sata to die so that they could take over the leadership of the party.
"We know that there is a scheme that certain people have teamed up... they have already said that President Sata... in fact, some of them are saying that he would die before 2016. So, it is about time that they started positioning themselves, which is very unfortunate. You see, every human's life destiny is from God," he said. "No one should think President Sata will die today or tomorrow. Probably even those that think that President Sata will die today, they are the ones who will die..."
Mwamba disclosed that there was a scheme by certain party members to create an impression that President Sata was not enjoying good health.
"The issue of saying that President Sata is dying, that is out of question; and the President is very healthy and sound," he said.
Mwamba said President Sata did not want to hear anyone talk about his successor in 2016.
"Literally, every day I am with him and he is very sound and he is always busy because he is trying to develop the country. He wants to put things in place; he promised the people of Zambia development. This is basically what he wants to do. Now, if we are going to start positioning ourselves, we are going to distract him," he said.
"Let us give him a chance. The President should not hear about anyone talking about his successor in 2016."
Mwamba advised party members not to be preoccupied with President Sata's health.
"Why has it brought an uproar? If they are not supporting President Sata to be the presidential candidate in 2016, let them just come out in the open. They should not hide, and if they think they are men and women enough to also run their own party, they are free to leave us in the PF," he said.
"Let them go and form their own parties, and majority of people now who are on board, who want to think that they are champions of the party, they were not even there when we were being victimised by the MMD government. Today, they want to come out and say 'no, we are the champions; we are the ones who want to succeed President Sata'. I think this matter should come to an end."
Mwamba vowed to carry on with his crusade to endorse President Sata for 2016 elections.
"I will continue with my crusade of President Sata for 2016. This is a fact, come 2016, I will continue campaigning for President Sata. To us as PF members, we still feel that President Sata should go for a second term. There is no way you expect President Sata to finish all his promises that he promised the people of Zambia in one term; it is not possible," he said.
"Look at Obama, Obama was given a second term because they knew that within the first term he will not execute all his campaign promises. So, we should also give an opportunity to President Sata to also go for a second term."
And Mwamba said Sampa, who is also Matero member of parliament, was not competent enough like him to talk about presidential endorsements for 2016 elections.
"Basically, in the first place I would like to find out, is honourable Miles Sampa now the party spokesperson? Inasfar as I am concerned, he is not. In any case, in what capacity is he asking me to name these riffraffs?" he asked.
"I think honourable Sampa has also something that I will term as hidden agenda. Probably, he wants us to endorse him for 2016, but unfortunately he is too young. There have been a lot of senior members of the party who are qualified or competent enough than him. I think he should first of all let those people in the party to take their time."
Mwamba wondered why Sampa responded to his earlier statement on endorsement when there was a party spokesperson to do so.
"It is a very disappointing statement and it looks like he is also part of those riffraffs that I mentioned. Why has he opted to respond and yet he knows that some of the people are positioning themselves for 2016 presidency? If I may ask, has President Sata announced to the public or within the party that he will never contest 2016 presidency? The answer is no," he said.
"President Sata has not said anything about that. As far as we are concerned, as members of the Patriotic Front, we feel that he should continue because he has not said he will not contest 2016 presidential elections. Why do people want to put words in his month?"
Mwamba challenged Sampa to prove his popularity in the party.
"In fact, he is lucky that he is a member of parliament. He was elected as a member of parliament because of the popularity of President Sata; not his own popularity. If he wants, let him step down and let him resign in Matero; we will go for him. He will not even get 50 votes. So, I am challenging him to do so," he said.
"Even those PF members who do not want to endorse President Sata, it is entirely up to them. They can do what they want but we the majority of the PF supporters, we feel that President Sata should be endorsed for 2016 presidency. What are we rushing for? So, I think my dear brother Miles Sampa, if he thinks that he is ready to challenge President Sata, because from the way I can read from The Post, he is also saying that he is also popular enough to challenge President Sata."
On Tuesday, Sampa asked Mwamba to name the riffraffs in the party instead of making blanket statements. Sampa said it was premature and irrelevant to talk about endorsing President Michael Sata now.
"I trust all my colleagues in the Central Committee are upright, and that's why they are there. Everybody is dignified and deserves to be members of the party be it at district or constituency. He (Mwamba) needs to come out in the open and state who those riffraffs are and share with some of us. If he convinces us that indeed there are riffraffs, then at that stage we can even help him. At the moment, I have not noticed anyone that would qualify to be called that. He needs to alert all of us in the Central Committee," said Sampa.
"I know my colleague is not in the Central Committee but I think he has adequate channels to convey messages. If he thinks the party or presidency is under threat, we can assist him really because it is the duty of everybody to protect the presidency and the party. In my interactions with everybody in the past for the last couple of years, I have not come across somebody I can call a riffraff."
But on Monday, Mwamba said he wanted to safeguard PF from riffraffs that had come to destroy the ruling party by imposing themselves as President Sata's potential successors.
Labels: GBM, MICHAEL SATA
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GBM, Name the pf riffraffs - Sampa
By Moses Kuwema
Wed 21 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT
COMMERCE deputy minister Miles Sampa has asked defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba to name the riffraffs in the party instead of making blanket statements. And Sampa says it is premature and irrelevant to talk about endorsing President Michael Sata now.
Commenting on Mwamba's statement that he wants to safeguard PF from riffraffs who want to destroy the party by imposing themselves as President Michael Sata's potential successors, Sampa, who is Matero PF member of parliament and also member of the party's central committee, advised Mwamba to name the people he was referring to instead of speaking generally.
Sampa said he did not know of any riffraffs in the party, adding that that was why Mwamba should have been specific in his statement.
"I trust all my colleagues in the Central Committee are upright, and that's why they are there. Everybody is dignified and deserves to be members of the party be it at district or constituency. He Mwamba needs to come out in the open and state who those riffraffs are and share with some of us. If he convinces us that indeed there are riffraffs, then at that stage we can even help him. At the moment, I have not noticed anyone that would qualify to be called that. He needs to alert all of us in the Central Committee," said Sampa.
"I know my colleague is not in the Central Committee but I think he has adequate channels to convey messages. If he thinks the party or presidency is under threat, we can assist him really because it is the duty of everybody to protect the presidency and the party. In my interactions with everybody in the past for the last couple of years, I have not come across somebody I can call a riffraff."
Sampa said while Mwamba had the right to express his views, he should do so through the internal party structures.
"This could be discussed internally. Let us learn to consult each other internally. If GBM knows someone who is a riffraff, first of all he should exercise the option of speaking directly to that person or get other senior members of the party involved, like the Vice-President and the chairperson. That's what I will propagate, probably call for an internal meeting and discuss these issues internally and not through the media," said Sampa.
And Sampa said the timing for endorsing President Sata as sole candidate in 2016 was wrong.
"There has not been any question yet on succession and we are not yet there. There is an incumbent who is fully in control. Our priority now should be to deliver. I am speaking as a member of parliament from Matero which contributed the highest vote to the presidency. If someone wants to challenge President Sata, they should come out but that is then in 2016, they should not be stopped," he said.
Sampa said if those endorsing President Sata had any idea that the President was being challenged internally, they should state so.
He said the talk of endorsements was not something that the people wanted to hear as it was disturbing the programme of development.
"This talk is irrelevant now because it is stating the obvious. If some people want to impress the President, they should do it by concentrating on developmental issues. This talk is ill-timed. This is diverting our attention from the real issues we need to work on. Time to talk about succession will come towards 2016. The President will state himself then," said Sampa.
On Monday Mwamba said he wanted to safeguard PF from riffraffs that had come to destroy the ruling party by imposing themselves as President Sata's potential successors. Explaining his campaign to endorse President Sata as the PF's sole presidential candidate in 2016, Mwamba, popularly known GBM, said in an interview that those that wanted to impose themselves as presidential candidates knew themselves.
"I will go on with my agenda to protect the party from other people that have secret agendas to come and take over the presidency," Mwamba said. "Is anything wrong with us supporting the current President? As PF members, we want to safeguard our party. We don't want riffraffs to come and destroy our party. Tell them this time around they will not succeed. Sata, 2016 again."
Asked to explain what he meant when he told PF cadres in Kalabo to sort out anybody that would come to them with a view contrary to his over the presidency debate, Mwamba said: "I meant what I said."
He explained that the PF members should simply do what was right.
"Yes, this is not the right time that we should talk about the presidency, no. It is too early to say that. We should remain united but we shouldn't have secret agendas," Mwamba said. "We are going to detract the President. So that is my view."
He said although he had triggered the presidential endorsement issue, he was not interested in the PF presidency himself because he had "no crowd".
But Mwamba said his lack of interest in the party presidency was only as along as President Sata remained there.
Labels: GBM, MILES SAMPA, PF
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