Sata stops dealing with The Post
By Lambwe Kachali
Wednesday August 27, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said he had stopped dealing with The Post but would work with Times of Zambia. Sata asked the author of the story to leave his office at Farmers House, where the latter had gone to conduct an interview, saying he would never give a story to The Post. He accused The Post of supporting the MMD.
"You people have started it again; you are supporting MMD and Maureen Mwanawasa. We know you. Zambians are aware that you are for MMD. So what do you want to get from me? Just get out of this place. I will never deal with The Post again. Just leave my place," a seemingly angry Sata shouted as he got the Times of Zambia newspaper. "Have you read the story in this Times of Zambia paper?"
Sata said his trip to Chipata was not political and that it was basically aimed at mourning President Levy Mwanawasa until the burial.
"You even failed to use my pictures where I knelt before Maureen to greet her, but the Times of Zambia has used it. All I went there Chipata to mourn my brother Levy just like any other mourner across the country," said Sata before going back into his office.
Later, one of Sata's guards angrily asked the author to get out of his office.
"Just leave, the president has vowed already that he will never give The Post interviews any more. He has vowed in our presence and that is an instruction enough for me to get you out of here. Leave immediately; I say now," shouted Sata's guard.
Labels: PF, SATA, THE POST
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'UPND, PF’s liaison doesn't amount to electoral pact'
By Patson Chilemba
Saturday August 23, 2008 [04:00]
OPPOSITION UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma has said his party's cooperation with Patriotic Front (PF) does not amount to an electoral pact. Commenting on the recent statement that PF was pushing for an electoral pact in the event of a presidential by-election, Kakoma stated that his party had made a decision to cooperate with other political parties and progressive civil society organisations to solve common problems affecting the nation such as poverty and the controversial increments of salaries and allowances for Cabinet ministers and others.
He said it was public knowledge that UPND held a public rally with PF, civil society organisations and thousands of other Zambians to express their disagreement with the salary and allowance increments.
"In the past, we have engaged ourselves in similar activities such as the fight against the third term in 2001 and the constitution debate which has been going on for a long time, culminating into the current National Constitutional Conference (NCC)," Kakoma stated.
"Such cooperation and unity with other opposition parties and civil society organisations does not amount to electoral pacts or alliances but rather speaking and acting for the disadvantaged citizens."
Recently, informed PF sources said the party was pushing for an electoral pact with UPND in the event of a presidential by-election.
Labels: CHARLES KAKOMA, PF, UPND
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PF cancels convention
By Patson Chilemba
Friday August 22, 2008 [04:00]
THE Patriotic Front (PF) leadership has cancelled the party's convention that was slated for September this year in order to concentrate on the presidential by-election. But PF presidential aspirant Saviour Chishimba said party leader Michael Sata was a wrong person to assume the Republican presidency and that cancelling the convention will only propel his Sata dictatorship.
PF secretary general Edward Mumbi said the convention had been cancelled in order to focus on the forthcoming presidential by-election.
"I have taken the vacancy of the Republican presidency as priority number one to be addressed by the party," Mumbi said. "We are contesting the Republican presidency. Therefore, the party convention will only come after we have participated in the presidential by-elections."
Mumbi said in the event that Sata became Republican president, he would be allowed to contest the party presidency if he so wished.
He said resources that were supposed to be spent on the convention would now be channelled towards the presidential campaigns.
Asked if party members had been informed of the development, Mumbi responded: "My position is that every Zambian knows that we have lost the Republican President and you cannot be a member of the party if you don't understand the country's Constitution."
Mumbi said Sata already had the people's mandate to contest the presidency.
Mumbi said party members were not ready to challenge Sata because they had not applied to do so.
But Chishimba, who is also Kasama-Central PF member of parliament, said the cancellation pointed to Sata's autocratic rule in the party.
He said there was still enough time to hold the party’s convention.
Chishimba said he would campaign to ensure that PF went for a convention before the presidential by-election because Sata was a wrong person to assume the Republican presidency.
He said Sata should not be allowed to contest the by-election before he faced any challenge within the party.
He said he and some other PF parliamentarians participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) would de-campaign Sata during the presidential by-elections.
"We are getting to the grassroots. Zambia will see a campaign never seen before in this country. The truth will come out," Chishimba said.
He said there was need for a forensic audit into Sata's life to show Zambians the kind of person he was.
Chishimba said he would personally pray against Sata so that he does not assume the presidency
Asked if he only discovered the ills in Sata recently, Chishimba said he realised Sata's dictatorship two weeks before the 2006 general elections.
But Sata said the 'rebel' members of parliament would not de-campaign him because they had no influence on the ground.
He said those intending to de-campaign PF would only confirm their status as 'rebels'.
"We don't want to take 100 per cent votes. We want to get majority votes," he said.
Sata said Zambians know him already unlike the MMD who were yet to decide on the presidential candidate.
He said PF had been vindicated by its continous campaigns.
Asked if his heart problem would not affect his campaigns, Sata said he had finished treatment and was ready for nationwide campaigns.
"I used to smoke which is no longer the case.
My arteries were blocked on account of smoking. And there is no heart attack, which is cured in 20 minutes. I'm walking and fit," said Sata.
Labels: PF, PRESIDENCY, SATA, SAVIOUR CHISHIMBA
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PF, UPND to go for electoral pact
By Patson Chilemba and Lambwe Kachali
Tuesday August 19, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) is pushing for an electoral pact with UPND in the event of a presidential by-election, informed PF sources have revealed. But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said they had just began the process of working together with PF. And UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has said he, and PF leader Michael Sata, would de-campaign the MMD government around the country if salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials were not reversed. According to PF sources, UPND and PF leaders have also agreed to hold public rallies on the Copperbelt and Southern provinces.
“It is actually being dealt with at the top level. We want our co-operation through these meetings to culminate into an alliance or electoral pact because it seems likely that we are headed for a presidential by-election,” said the source.
But when contacted for comment, Kakoma said: “We have not yet reached that stage. But a pact or an alliance takes so many forms. I think we are just beginning the process of working together and we shall cross the bridge when we get there.”
Asked if Sata would be the appropriate person to politically groom Hichilema, Kakoma responded: “As an elderly person, he is a veteran politician. Certainly, there are things we can learn from him. When we agree with him, we shall take his advice. On some other things, we shall disagree with him. But we will value his advice.”
Kakoma said it was important for the opposition to work together and be united on some issues. He said there was a general feeling that the younger generation should take over the leadership of the country.
“And what Sata is saying, I think he supports HH as one of the young leaders in this country,” said Kakoma.
Meanwhile, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita said although there were speculations that Sata would lead the pact as president with Hichilema serving as his vice, they had not yet reached that stage of discussions.
“What we want to do now is first to work together to sustain pressure on this government so that they can withdraw the salary increments,” Kapita said.
“If that is achieved, then that will be the right time to look at the next step forward. After all, even before I became vice-president of this party and Dr Scott as vice-president of PF, first and foremost we are Zambians and we should work for the common good of this country. For now, we want to concentrate on this national issue.”
And when contacted for comment over their imminent alliance with UPND, PF vice-president Dr Guy Scott responded: “I think don't rush it. We rushed the ULP (Sakwiba Sikota's United Liberal Party) pact because the elections caught us wrongly. I don't think we need to rush this one. We want to know each other.”
Dr Scott also said Hichilema was the most appropriate person for Sata to groom because he had a strong standing. He said he was not insecure and was ready to serve in any leadership position.
PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said only politicians who lacked self-confidence would be scared over Sata's statement that he would groom Hichilema before he died. Lubinda said naturally, Sata was already grooming PF leaders through their interactions with him. He said Sata would not sit in a classroom to teach people leadership.
However, PF Kasama Central member of parliament Saviour Chishimba said Sata was not God to groom other people. He said Sata was a man of U-turns who recently said there was no grooming in politics.
“He is just an inconsequential being in the eyes of God and the moment he realises that probably his existence will become more meaningful. If it's grooming, it is grooming to become a political opportunist,” said Chishimba. “If it is grooming in the evil cobra spirit, I'll understand because he believes in the cobra spirit. Not grooming in the name of Jesus.”
And in an interview after the rally at Mpamba Basic School in Chilanga constituency on Sunday, Hichilema said he was ready to do anything to serve the country from MMD's extreme plunder of national resources.
He said the step that Sata and himself had taken over what he called irresponsible increments was irreversible. He said he would, jointly with Sata, embark on countrywide campaigns against the MMD's ills.
"The activities you saw yesterday (Saturday) are only one in many to come. We shall sustain these activities until this irresponsible behaviour by the MMD government is reversed,” Hichilema said.
He said it was nonsensical for MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba to accuse him and Sata of seeking political mileage by holding rallies against ministers' salary increments. Hichilema said ministers were jittery because they knew that their time in government was shrinking.
“In fact, if they are clever, they should act quickly and reverse that decision. They must be interested in the people of Zambia not themselves. For me, if I went into public office, I don't need to steal from the people of Zambia. What I need to do is to give the people of Zambia a better life, better agriculture, health and schools. Doctors and nurses are not being paid, a policeman is underpaid, why should a minister pay himself responsibility allowance?
Personally, I call it irresponsibility allowance,” Hichilema said. “If they gave that money to the people of Zambia, that school pointing at Mpamba Basic would be a good school today. But because it has been denied that, the school is in a bad school state.”
On Sata's statement that he would groom him politically, Hichilema said he would not comment because that would dilute their friendship. Hichilema said Sata was a good and experienced politician whose advice was always required in the country's politics.
And addressing a rally earlier, Hichilema urged people to trust the opposition and vote out the MMD government which had failed them for almost the past two decades.
Hichilema said UPND believed in the servant-type of leadership as opposed to master leadership currently being practised by MMD government.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, PF, SATA, UPND
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Brace for mass action against MMD, Sata tells Zambians
By Mwala Kalaluka
Monday August 18, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said Zambians must brace for more mass action against the MMD leadership which he described as being full of greedy individuals. And United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has said those who thought Zambians could never unite to fight evil leadership should think again.
During a joint public rally held by PF, UPND and some civil society organisations in Lusaka on Saturday in protest against the decision by the government to increase perks for constitutional office bearers and other leaders, Sata said the hour had come for the MMD government to go.
Sata said the current situation was similar to what transpired in 1991 when Zambians joined hands to remove Dr Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP from the corridors of power.
“Comrade Hakainde, Zambians only get united when there is a problem. When there is no problem, Zambians do not get united. Now, I want to tell you something,” Sata said. “A crisis arose in 1991, just like what is happening now. Rupiah Banda was in UNIP; mealie-meal went up, fuel went up, Mwamba Luchembe became mad, my boys at Soweto went beserk, and Mandevu went beserk. What is happening now is what happened in 1991. Kaunda was more arrogant than Rupiah Banda and Mulongoti.”
He said the MMD leadership should count itself lucky, in view of its move to award itself hefty salaries, that he reconciled with President Levy Mwanawasa on May 14, this year.
“This government is very lucky, because I am a Roman Catholic. Once I say something I stick to it. If on May 14, this year, I would have not met Mwanawasa, we would not be holding this meeting,” Sata said amidst applause. “What type of human beings are these? Umunabo nalwalwa (their friend is ill)…Even in a home can you hold a celebration if the husband or wife is ill? If Mwanawasa would not have been in hospital, on Monday (today) I would have declared a general strike.”
Sata said he would wait to get President Mwanawasa’s latest health condition before he and Hichilema can decide the next course of action over the issue of salary increments for constitutional office bearers.
“I am just requesting all of you to be prepared, because I communicate with people in Paris every day. I will inform you. After that we will rise because we are the ones that sleep on an empty stomach and it is us who deliver under trees,” Sata urged.
He said even if government officials decided to further their selfish and greedy ends by hiding in Parliament, people power would stop them from getting a single ngwee of the monies they intend to award themselves at the expense of other pressing social needs.
“We have to be very united. There are wars in most parts of the world; there is a war in Georgia; there is a war in Iraq; there is a war in Afghanistan, there is a war in Zimbabwe and in South Africa there is xenophobia. Now, what the hell do they think they are?” Sata asked. “They have disqualified themselves and there is nobody from MMD who can take over this country, because once they take over this country, they will loot the funds, they will even grab our women. They are all greedy individuals.
Sata dared any government leader to append their signature to transform the three bills into law.
“The fight is not between me and Hakainde; the fight is to fight for you,” he said “Today we have started the journey, even if they say they will go to Parliament and think themselves clever, wait. We want to see the one who will sign.”
Sata urged Hichilema to be strong and avoid being faint-hearted.
“In 1991, the people of Zambia came and said the hour has come and now the hour has come for this gong’a (fake) government,” said Sata.
And Hichilema said he was thankful to Zambians who had demonstrated that they could be united around a theme and purpose.
“I want to say that today is a great day for Zambia, because there are many people who have been thinking that Zambians will never be united to defeat that which is evil,” Hichilema said. “The people of Zambia are one, the MMD have been trying to create differences so that they can continue stealing from you. We are here united under a sense of purpose of national obligation to protect the people of Zambia from those that are using public office to steal from the poor, who are less privileged to award themselves hefty salary increments.”
Hichilema, who kept referring to Sata as bashikulu (grandpa), said the hefty allowances that government leaders had awarded themselves were an irresponsibility of the highest order.
“One minister was heard saying they are underpaid; he is a government minister and he says he is underpaid. So he wants to be paid so much money from you. I say to this minister that if you want more money, you do what we have done, we go in business and make money,” said Hichilema.
Meanwhile, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita said some ministers called on him on Friday to tell him that he was wasting time opposing the issue of the salary increment for constitutional office bearers.
“They told me that ‘Kapita, you are just jealous of us’,” he claimed.
PF vice-president Guy Scott said it was time to change the government, while Kabwata PF member of parliament Given Lubinda, who described the rally as historical, said he was embarrassed to be a parliamentarian.
Zambezi West UPND member of parliament Charles Kakoma said it was disheartening that parliamentarians had been used to rubber-stamp an immoral act.
In a short address, Federation for Free Trade Unions in Zambia (FFTUZ) vice-president Charles Phiri said the people had delivered a clear message to the leadership that wrong acts would not be tolerated.
Some of the speakers called on Zambians to press for the holding of elections in the next 100 days.
Most of the civil society organisations, who had pledged to join in the public protest rally, did not turn up but sent a solidarity message that was read by Lubinda.
They urged the government to emulate their colleagues in the Ivory Coast who recently slashed their salaries and reduced prices of fuel in response to the common man’s cry.
The organisations promised to fight the unjustified salary increments to the bitter end, just as they fought former president Frederick Chiluba’s Third Term bid.
Those that appended their signatures to the statement which was read on their behalf by Lubinda during the rally are Transparency International Zambia, Women for Change, Anti-Voter Apathy, Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes, Caritas Zambia, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council, Foundation for Democratic Process, Council of Churches in Zambia and Zambia Youth Association Against Corruption. These organisations did not attend the rally but sent a solidarity statement.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MMD, OPPOSITION, PF, SATA, UPND
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There's strength in unity
By Editor
Sunday August 17, 2008 [04:00]
It is said that there is strength in unity. And Hakainde Hichilema is right when he says that: “If we have to serve the people, we need to be united.” But as we have always pointed out, unity is not a principle, it is an expediency in the quest for power. However, if the decision by Michael Sata and Hakainde to co-operate, to work together is properly managed, it will definitely propel them collectively to a better performance in their campaigns and elections than they would achieve all by themselves.
Those who are ready to join hands can overcome the greatest challenges.
But no meaningful co-operation can be achieved on the shifting sands of evasions, illusions and opportunism.
And the mark of great leaders is the ability to understand the context in which they are operating and act accordingly.
Experience has shown that a fragmented opposition, an opposition divided into hostile political parties loses its militancy. Protracted fights among opposition political parties inevitably result in them concentrating on weakening each other and collectively lowering their capacity in the political contest with the ruling party.
They also individually and collectively become distracted from their day-to-day political struggles and campaigns against the ruling party. And consequently, they lose their influence among the masses.
We hope that this co-operation between Sata and Hakainde will mean that they will not oppose or criticise each other when things are wrong. Criticising each other in a multi-party political system does not mean personal enmity.
In a multi-party system, opponents are not enemies, they are mere competitors in a competition to serve.
Truly, political competitors in a multi-party political system don’t necessarily have to like each other, but they must tolerate one another and acknowledge that each has a legitimate and important role to play.
They must also agree to co-operate in solving common problems of the society. Those in the opposition should co-operate among themselves with the knowledge that their role is essential – and needs to be strengthened – in any democracy worth the name.
Meaningful co-operation among our opposition political parties should be the fruit of honesty, truth and solidarity and it must be actualised by people thirsting after an ever more perfect reign of justice. To make intra-opposition co-operation meaningful, all are called to maturity, tolerance and responsibility.
And for such co-operation to be meaningful, it is important to maintain and strengthen democratic principles and party structures; it shouldn’t rely totally on the goodwill of two individuals who may not have even properly consulted and involved their parties.
And we hope that this co-operation between Sata and Hakainde does not lead to political insulation and complacency. Therefore, it must be looked at in the context of advancing democracy, strengthening checks and balances in the governance of our country.
Democracy is a much more important human ideal to strive for than political co-operation between two leading opposition politicians of the moment.
Unity is not a human ideal, it is a matter of political expedience in the struggle for political power. Co-operation must never be seen to be more important than democracy because doing so will be tantamount to making a historical conversion that alters the cause and purpose of our multi-party democracy.
Co-operation or accommodation between two leading opposition politicians of the moment is a political phenomenon without inherent virtues.
The substantive meaning of the co-operation Sata and Hakainde should be seen against the background of the quest for democracy. Without this context, it becomes misleading to suggest that there is something inherently sacrosanct about this co-operation between Sata and Hakainde.
Political co-operation and accommodation must be a dialectical result of their competition under common broad-based democratic constitutional rules.
We say this because the political and other interests of the Zambian people are too complex and by far larger than the similar and combined interests of Sata and Hakainde to form the next government or enter State House.
Therefore, the purpose of their co-operation should be underpinned by uplifting the most trodden sections of our population and all-round transformation of our society. But there is always a danger of being easily enticed to read co-operation as meaning no criticism against each other.
If criticism is justified, it must be made. Co-operation that takes away an individual’s right to make just and honest criticism doesn’t seem to be right because it is not in the interest of our people to do so.
Meaningful co-operation also requires that all parties respect each other. If this is the case, then the question of Sata trying to groom Hakainde seems to be a patronising one. Sata has got his own party, with his own leadership and members who need to be groomed. How can he go about claiming to be grooming a leader of another political party? Unless there is a merger of their political parties, this doesn’t seem feasible and it’s merely empty words from Sata. Co-operation should not remain just mere words; it has to be visible in concrete actions.
The coming together of opposition political parties, together with civil society, to challenge Cabinet’s decision to increase the salaries of politicians if implemented well will save as a warning to those in government that gone are the days when public resources were shared without opposition.
We would all like our politicians to earn good salaries. But this should be in line with the general performance of our economy and other things happening in the country.
Looked at in this way, it’s clear that these increased salaries were ill-conceived and ill-timed. And those in government should blame themselves for the embarrassing opposition they are facing over this issue.
It will be impossible for them to marshal public support in their favour. They will give themselves this salary increment at the back of serious national opposition. It may seem too late for them to withdraw the bill. But it will be fatal for Acting President Rupiah Banda to sign the bill.
The best advice we can give them is that they should mull over things and consider the feelings of the people. This will be the wrong time for them to face nation-wide strikes and campaigns against their increased salaries. This is the wrong time for them to be made to appear so greedy and selfish. Timing is important in everything.
Labels: CABINET, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, PF, SATA, UPND
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PF MPs walk out of Parliament
By Lambwe Kachali and Jack Zimba
Thursday August 14, 2008 [04:00]
SOME Patriotic Front (PF) parliamentarians on Tuesday walked out of the Parliament chamber in protest against the second reading of the three Bills that seek to increase the salaries and allowances for constitutional office holders and senior government officials. Before the Bills were presented to the House for second reading, Parliament was debating the report on legal affairs, governance, human rights and gender matters.
In contributing to the debate on the report, Lusaka Central PF member of parliament Guy Scott instead raised the issue of salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials but was curtailed by deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Mutale Nalumango.
"Order, we have a very specific report to debate and therefore the member on the floor should not sneak in his own topic to debate," said Nalumango.
Dr Scott and other PF members except those participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) thereafter walked out of Parliament.
Outside Parliament building, party spokesperson Given Lubinda said they had decided to walk out of the Parliament chamber because their freedom of speech to debate against the hefty salary increments had been curtailed.
"Because it appears in that House we don't have freedom of speech," said Lubinda.
PF secretary general Edward Mumbi, who was also at Parliament building when the members walked out of the chamber called on all stakeholders to stop government ministers from imposing their will on the country by taking advantage of President Levy Mwanawasa's illness.
However, the Bills passed through the second reading and the third and final (committee stage) reading was expected to be concluded yesterday.
Meanwhile, ten civil society organisations and Church mother bodies described the move by the government to take the Bills to Parliament as deceitful and insensitive.
In a letter dated August 11, 2008 and addressed to Vice-President Rupiah Banda, the civil society expressed surprise that the government decided to table the Bills in Parliament when they knew that they would not be debated.
The organisations described the move as callous and selfish.The organisations that wrote the letter include Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), Caritas Zambia, and Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), Women for Change (WfC), Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), NGOCC and Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR).
Labels: CABINET, MPs, PF
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PF leaders to meet 7 'rebel' MPs
By Patson Chilemba
Monday August 11, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said the party leadership is ready to accept the apology of seven of the 26 members of parliament participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC). In an interview, Sata said the party had received appeals from chiefs, party officials and the Church to forgive seven members of parliament namely Anson Simama Kalulushi, Christopher Mulenga Chinsali, Lazarous Chota Lubansenshi, Obius Chisala Chilubi, Dr Bernard Chisha Pambashe, Samuel Chitonge Mwansabombwe and Jacob Chongo Mwense.
"We have received petitions on their behalf and we are to meet them and after that I can recommend to the central committee to forgive them," said Sata.
PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said the party was willing to forgive the seven members of parliament if they availed themselves to the party leadership.
"And those names, you will remember that none of them has even been cited for saying anything inimical against the party. They have gone about their Parliament and NCC work without injuring the party in any way. And you know, we are also aware of the fact that not all people who went to NCC made voluntary conscious decisions," Lubinda said. "Therefore, it will be unfair for us to treat everybody equally. Others might have gone to the NCC blindfolded. Since you have already been given the names, what we are waiting for is for those individuals to come to the party."
When contacted for comment, some members of parliament said they were ready to meet and dialogue with the party leadership.
One of the members of parliament, Chota said he was ready to engage party leaders to resolve matters.
He said the fact that he had not withdrawn the K300,000 monthly contribution to the party was an indication that he was ready for dialogue.
Asked if he would meet the party leadership as suggested by Sata and Lubinda, Chota said: "I personally would engage anyone if we are talking on the enhancement of sustainability in the party. Like I have told you, the party has got structures and those should be followed and anyone fighting the party I urge them to stop."
Chitonge said he had always remained true to PF.
He said even when he went to NCC, he continued visiting the party secretariat and never withdrew the monthly contributions.
"I always visit the party secretariat, in fact I even call the president. In fact, I was supposed to see him even today only that I am doing something," said Chitonge.
Simama refused to comment on the matter because he had not been communicated to by the party leadership.
Chongo said the party should extend forgiveness to all the 26 members of parliament and not just the seven.
Labels: PF, SATA
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PF infighting is recipe for failure, says Chimbaka
By Inonge Noyoo
Saturday August 09, 2008 [04:01]
BAHATI Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Besa Chimbaka has said the current confrontations and infighting in the party are a recipe for failure. And Chimbaka has challenged the Task Force on Corruption to give a satisfactory explanation on the criteria they used to arrive at the decision to sell Mansa Milling Company to MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba.
In an interview, Chimbaka observed that it had become clear to any well-meaning voter who supported the PF and its leadership that the party had lost track of its development agenda.
He said the name-calling, bickering, insults and character assassination in the party were at the expense of the party’s development agenda.
“What is the Patriotic Front as a party and its leadership doing about strikes and go slows at our universities? What about the issues of preventing ignorance and diseases? How about the issues of democratic governance in the nation itself?
How much impact has Patriotic Front and its leadership created in the development of Zambia resulting from its policies and development agenda? These are the issues we need to address as a party, not intra-party bickering,” he said.
And Chimbaka urged the Task Force on Corruption not to simply brush aside people’s complainants about the Mansa Milling Company transaction but to offer satisfactory explanation.
“People have a lot of queries regarding this transaction. They want to know whether the Task Force sold Mansa Milling to Tetamashimba because he was MMD. They are also questioning the effectiveness and transparency of the Task Force,” he said.
Chimbaka said the people of Luapula were not only surprised but unhappy with the sale of Mansa Milling Company to Tetamamshimba and there was need for the Task force to give its position.
“People of Mansa, especially the business community, expected Mansa Milling to be sold to management. The people of Mansa were waiting for Task Force to advertise and for people to openly bid but all they heard was that the milling had been sold to Tetamashimba at a cost of K840 million,” he said.
Chimbaka challenged the Task Force on Corruption to produce a list of people who bid for the sale, the offers received and from whom.
“We also want to know how much publicity the whole sale was given because the people feel sidelined by the secret sale of Mansa Milling by the Task Force to Tetamashimba,” he said.
Chimbaka further dismissed Tetamashimba’s claims that he has since invested K1.3 billion in Mansa Milling as false.
“Let him show us which bank and which project he is working on, because it is very clear to see that nothing is being done and Mansa Milling has been closed,” he said.
Chimbaka revealed that he had since written to President Levy Mwanawasa to inform him about the people’s complaints concerning the sale of the company.
Labels: BESA CHIMBAKA, PF
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PF 'rebel' MPs are soliciting financial aid, charges Lubinda
By Gloria Siwisha
Friday August 08, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda has revealed that some ‘rebel’ parliamentarians participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) are soliciting financial and material support on the pretext of organising the forthcoming party conference.
In a statement, Lubinda who is also PF spokesperson, urged party members to be wary of the unscrupulous people that were allegedly soliciting for funds, as they had no consent from party authority to do so.
Lubinda stated that such a scheme was successfully used during the run-up to the 2006 general elections and many managed to get away with large sums of money from well-wishers under the pretext that the funds were for party mobilisation.
And party leader Michael Sata said the PF was aware that the money being raised by unscrupulous people would go towards the formation of a new party.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GIVEN LUBINDA, MPs, NCC, PF
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Scott warns Chishimba of political bruises if he dares to challenge Sa
By Allan Mulenga
Thursday August 07, 2008 [04:01]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) vice-president Guy Scott has warned Kasama Central member of parliament Saviour Chishimba of severe political bruises if he dares to challenge Michael Sata for the presidency. Commenting on Chishimba's declaration that he will challenge Sata for the PF presidency at the forth-coming party conference, Scott said Chishimba was learning politics the hard way and lacked leadership qualities.
"...Ha! ha! ha! You can quote me like that because Chishimba wants to learn politics in a hard way. He is jumping in a pool when he doesn't even know how to swim. But let him go ahead and he is welcome to the school of hard knocks," he said.
Scott said Chishimba should have consulted widely before declaring interest in vying for the top leadership position of the party.
He said looking at the magnitude of the party presidency, Chishimba should have first weighed himself to see whether he would have the mandate of party members in an event that he decided to contest the position.
Scott said Chishimba was not prepared for the battle he was associating himself with and would therefore come out bruised.
"Chishimba has a lot of things to do before he starts eying for the party presidency. He was supposed to put himself in order and do some ground work before declaring interest," he said.
Scott observed that Chishimba had no support to guarantee him success in the competition.
He claimed that the electorate in his constituency did not vote for Chishimba as an individual but voted for PF and party president Sata.
"People in Kasama did not vote for Chishimba but they voted for PF and Sata. If Chishimba stood on another ticket, he would not have been elected as MP because people in that area know that he lacks leadership qualities and morals," Dr Scott charged.
He said the PF was a democratic party and that they would not bar any member from vying for any top leadership position in the party.
Asked whether the 'rebel members of parliament' participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) will be barred from contesting any party positions during the forth-coming conference, Scott said members of the central committee would soon call for a meeting to decide on the matter.
"Well, they are welcome but as at now, we have to consider it as a special case because the members of the central committee will make a decision. The good part of it is that we are not like MMD who have banned discussions on succession in the party," said Scott.
Labels: GUY SCOTT, PF, SAVIOUR CHISHIMBA
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Party members free to aspire for PF presidency, says Sata
By Patson Chilemba and Lambwe Kachali
Wednesday August 06, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said he is not scared of facing anybody for the PF presidency because he does not own the party. And Sata said once salary and allowance increments are endorsed by Parliament, Cabinet ministers would 'wax' in K2.5 billion while their deputies would be entitled to K2 billion as gratuity.
Commenting on Kasama Central PF member of parliament Saviour Chishimba's statement that he was ready to challenge him for the party presidency at the forthcoming conference, Sata said the 2007 PF central committee resolution was clear that party members were free to aspire for any position including the presidency.
"In fact, it was me who brought up that resolution before the central committee that those who had intentions could aspire. I don't own PF and I am not scared of facing anybody. They should just be ready to face 6,500 people delegates," he said.
However, Sata said it was wishful thinking right now for Chishimba to claim that he would contest the presidency because he had not yet applied to the party secretary general Edward Mumbi.
He said Chishimba had not been to the party secretariat since last November.
"Chishimba is just a publicity seeker and I don't think he has even read that resolution,” Sata said. "So we will know how serious he is when he hands over the letter to the SG secretary general."
On Chishimba's statement that God would prevail over Sata and ensure that party members sitting on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) were allowed to attend the conference, Sata said the central committee resolution did not include God.
On Chishimba's statement that he was ready to mobilise funds for the conference in 30 days, Sata said PF had a lot of well wishers and did not rely on the money from the 'rebels'.
"If Chishimba thinks we don't have money, those are his speculations. This boy Chishimba is sometimes confused because if he can withdraw a mere K300,000 monthly contribution, where is he going to mobilise the money for the conference? We don't need his money," he said. "The problem with this boy is that he always over praises himself."
And Sata said the timing by Cabinet to approve the salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials was wrong.
Sata urged Zambians to campaign for 100 per cent salary and allowance increments for civil servants
"Up to now regarding the President we have not gotten any clear signs from the same government. They seem to have abandoned the President, now they are more concentrating on their salary increments.
They have abandoned the illness of the President, they are no longer talking about stability and anything else. Their pre-occupation right now is their pockets and their handbags," Sata said. "They know that if they implement this, come March next year ministers will be waxing in K2.5 billion gratuity from Parliament. Deputy ministers will be waxing K2 billion and these gong'a ( counterfeit) MPs K1.5 billion.
That's all they are fighting for because they know that if they don't implement this, they are only going to survive with a gratuity of K600 million. That's how greedy they are."
Sata said with the abnormal increments by Cabinet, civil servants should not accept 15 per cent salary increments because this was too little as compared to the same percentage increment for Cabinet ministers.
"What we need right now is for all the public service unions, they should ignore (Leonard) Hikaumba, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president. Hikaumba is waxing in fats at NCC.
They should now also ask for a 100 percent salary increment, housing allowance, all allowances. They must ask now because government has money," said Sata. "By the time the President comes back, Zambia will be as bankrupt as NAMBOARD was when former president Frederick Chiluba took over Zambia."
Labels: PF, SATA
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Chishimba to challenge Sata for PF presidency
By Patson Chilemba
Tuesday August 05, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Kasama Central member of parliament Saviour Chishimba yesterday said he will challenge party president Michael Sata for the presidency at the forthcoming convention. In an interview, Chishimba said he has what it takes to be PF president and that he has prayed to God over his intentions.
"I prayed. Yes, I will challenge him," he said.
When reminded over Sata's recent comment that it was wishful thinking for the 'rebel parliamentarians' to think that they would be allowed to attend the party's general conference slated for next month, Chishimba said God would prevail over Sata and ensure that party members sitting on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) were allowed to attend the conference.
"Mr Sata is not God. No one should interfere with our rights. As members of the Patriotic Front, that injunction order which was granted to us by the court stands," Chishimba said. "In fact, even if they call themselves leaders, these people were not elected by anybody and that mandate which they
have is actually imposed. So we want the leadership in the Patriotic Front to realise that Zambia is a democracy."
Chishimba said Sata should not think that he owned PF. He said such thinking died with the one party dictatorship and should not be entertained in the current democratic dispensation.
Asked about his chances of winning the party presidency, Chishimba said nothing was impossible because he was a believer in God.
He said Sata should allow people to challenge him for the presidency.
"So if he says there is no money, let him then invite me personally to mobilise the money and I will mobilise the resources for the convention. I am not joking about this, I have got capacity and will mobilise the resources in less than 30 days," he said.
When asked if he had commenced campaigns for the presidency, Chishimba said: "You know when you depend on God, I don't need to take one month to campaign, even a day is enough. For me even one hour is enough. Just a mere presentation of a speech is enough to unroll the vision."
Chishimba said he had previously proved Sata wrong over his leadership potential.
He disclosed that in the 2006 general elections, Sata withdrew his Chishimba parliamentary candidature for Lukashya Constituency but proceeded to contest elections in Kasama Central where he won after campaigning for just two weeks.
"You see, with God nothing is impossible and all of us who believe even in the authority of God, we don't tremble when we see what is happening, the so-called mighty men or mighty women," said Chishimba.
Labels: PF, SAVIOUR CHISHIMBA
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PF rebel mps are irrelevant - sata
By Patson Chilemba and Lambwe Kachali
Monday July 28, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday asked the members of parliament sitting on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) to resign because they are irrelevant to the party. And PF national youth chairman Samson Zulu charged that the members of parliament sitting on the NCC are sponsored political ‘prostitutes’ who wanted to bring confusion at the forth-coming party national conference.
Reacting to Chawama PF member of parliament Reverend Violet Sampa-Bredt's statement that the current party leaders do not have the mandate of the people but the appointing authority, Sata said there was no reason for Rev Sampa-Bredt and her colleagues to remain in the party if they had observed that the leadership had no mandate.
"Sampa-Bredt, Ernest Mwansa and 12 others are totally irrelevant to PF. So they are not even worth talking about. If they have found that there is no mandate, why don't they resign? And why cling to something which has no mandate? They are irrelevant to the PF equation," he said.
On Rev Sampa-Bredt's statement that she was still a PF member and that she would attend the conference because the injunction restraining the party from expelling her still stands, Sata said it was wishful thinking for the 'rebels' to think that they would attend the conference.
"The injunction doesn't deal with the conference but the NCC, so that is wishful thinking," said Sata.
And Zulu said the party was aware of the schemes by the 'rebel' members of parliament.
"We have information that they are being sponsored by somebody who is interested in the presidency of PF. The scheme is actually to get the structures of PF such as ward committees, constituency committees, district, provincial and later at national level. These members of parliament are going out in their constituencies telling those structures.
The scheme is to get the electoral college within the party so that when we go to the convention, those people do not vote for Mr Sata and that scheme is being sponsored by somebody that we know very well. He is a very senior member of the PF and very good friend of Mr Sata but now the friendship is sour," Zulu said.
"This schemer wanted to use Mr Sata to fight his battles with the government. And now that he has failed because Mr Sata said he will not succumb to that, because Mr Sata wants to be a voice of the Zambian people and not a voice of one individual.
So because of that, this person is very bitter, extremely bitter and has started to use these people to fight Mr Sata. So, when these people are speaking like this, we know where things are coming from. These people do not believe in PF."
Zulu wondered why Rev Sampa-Bredt said that the top leadership had no mandate when she was also adopted by the same leadership to contest the 2006 general elections on the PF ticket.
He challenged Rev Sampa-Bredt and others participating in the NCC to relinquish their positions if they felt that the current PF top leadership was not genuine.
Zulu said it would be scandalous for the party to allow Rev Sampa-Bredt and others to attend the conference.
"Look at Peter Machungwa, we know why they came to PF. It was for personal survival because in their previous parties they had failed. They have been jumping from one party to the other. Others have even called the president a thug, so why cling to a party of a thug?" he asked.
Zulu said the party deeply regretted having adopted the 'rebel' members of parliament to contest on the PF ticket in the last elections.
He said people were free to challenge Sata at the conference as long as they followed party procedures.
"We don't want to allow a situation which happened in 2006 where every Jim and Jack was allowed to stand. We have learnt a bitter lesson as a party by adopting these 'rebels'. We will never ever adopt people we don't know, people we don't understand their agenda.
These people came with a wrong agenda altogether," said Zulu.
On Saturday, Rev Sampa-Bredt said party members were yearning for a convention where leaders would be voted for democratically.
She said Sata should facilitate the conference and ensure that he allowed people to challenge him.
Rev Sampa-Bredt said there was need to remove the system where only one person appointed leaders.
Chifunabuli member of parliament Ernest Mwansa said Sata was victimising PF members of parliament sitting on the NCC because he was afraid of them.
Luapula member of parliament Peter Machungwa said only God was eternal and that human beings who occupied leadership positions could be replaced.
Labels: NCC, PF, SATA
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Pf leadership has no mandate - sampa-bredt
By Patson Chilemba, Lambwe Kachali and Noel Sichalwe
Sunday July 27, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Chawama member of parliament Reverend Violet Sampa-Bredt yesterday said the current party leaders do not have the mandate of the people but the appointing authority. And Chifunabuli member of parliament Ernest Mwansa said Sata is victimising PF members of parliament sitting on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) because he is afraid of them.
In an interview, Rev Sampa-Bredt said party members were yearning for a convention where leaders would be voted for democratically.
She said the issue of a leadership vacuum would not arise if the party went for a convention.
Rev Sampa-Bredt said Sata should facilitate the conference and ensure that he allowed people to challenge him.
"The structure in MMD is very clear like we read from Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda. Equally, I think if PF should go to a convention and elect leaders, there should be no leadership vacuum. We are yearning to see that a convention is held where true leaders will be elected," she said.
Asked if the current leaders were not true leaders, Rev Sampa-Bredt said the current leaders were true but there was need to remove the system where only one person appointed leaders. She said there should be a system of continuation in the party, saying if old leaders retired, the new ones would take over.
"The party should not disappear in thin air when our leader has gone or retired," said Rev Sampa-Bredt.
On Sata's recent statement that party 'rebels' would not be allowed to attend the conference slated for September, Rev Sampa-Bredt said she was still a PF member and that she would attend the conference.
Rev Sampa-Bredt said the injunction restraining the party from expelling her still stands.
And Mwansa wondered why the PF had continued to accept the money which donors were contributing to the party through Parliament when its members of parliament were being rejected.
Mwansa said even Sata would need a majority vote at the national conference for him to retain the presidency and that it would be difficult to do that if some members, particularly parliamentarians sitting on the NCC were barred.
He said the top party leadership should not continue to fight their members but should instead promote unity and prepare for the next general elections in 2011.
"As far as I am concerned, I chose to be PF and why should I be victimised? And this issue that us sitting on the NCC are not part of PF, I think the matter is still in court and all of us are still PF members until the courts of law dispose of the case," Mwansa said. "I don't think we can be barred from that conference because we chose to be PF and we don't need to be victimised."
Mwansa also said PF was a strong party and would not be hurt by negative skirmishes.
"All I can say is that Mr Sata is our president and PF is a very strong party. It won't be hurt by few skirmishes. I have great hope for the future of our party," said Mwansa.
Luapula member of parliament Peter Machungwa said only God was eternal and that human beings who occupied leadership positions could be replaced any time.
"We have had presidents who have come and gone," said Machungwa. "I am sure if you look at leaders like the Queen of England, she has been in that position since the 1950s but at one time or another, she will be replaced by someone. Change is always inevitable."
Labels: NCC, PF, SATA
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Sata's retirement won't create vacuum - Scott
By Patson Chilemba
Friday July 25, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) vice-president Dr Guy Scott has said there would be no leadership vacuum in the party without Michael Sata. Commenting on PF president Michael Sata's statement that there would be a leadership vacuum in the party without him, Dr Scott said although it would be difficult to replace a political figure like Sata, the party had senior people who could replace him if he went "underground or retired".
Dr Scott said the important thing would be to replace a leader without losing ground.
He said nature always had a way of filling vacuums.
"If you replace him, which other person can you bring who can make such noise and speak deep Bemba, which villagers can understand? So it's very difficult but there wouldn't be a vacuum," Dr Scott said. "There are people in PF, even people we don't know who might become presidents. What he said is just one of those things to make people talk and put chimwela morale in the party."
Asked to name the potential leaders in the party and if he was one of them, Dr Scott said if he were to replace Sata, he would not be eligible to stand as president because his parents were not born in Zambia.
He said it would take a 100 years before a white man could become president in Zambia.
Dr Scott said it was difficult to foresee one's potential for leadership.
"You can't foresee how effective they will be. Maybe somebody can be more successful than Sata. It's not likely but it is possible. But basically there is no vacancy right now, so there is no need to start talking about the presidency," he said.
Recently, Sata said there would be a leadership vacuum in PF without him.
Sata said the illness of President Levy Mwanawasa had exposed the leadership vacuum in MMD and that PF was no exception.
On the observations that political parties in Zambia were personalised by party presidents, Dr Scott said all political parties in the world were individualised.
He said people's minds were also influenced by individual characteristics of party leaders.
Dr Scott said even in the United States of America (USA), the battle for the presidency was not only based on the difference in policies between the Democrats and the Republicans but the individual aspects of Barack Obama and John McCain.
"Remember the Lima Party where me and Ben Kapita were chairmen, the party never went anywhere," said Dr Scott
Labels: GUY SCOTT, PF, PRESIDENCY, SATA
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PF MPs challenge Sata to identify successor
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday July 20, 2008 [04:00]
SOME Patriotic Front (PF) members of parliament have challenged their party president Michael Sata to identify and groom some members to take over from him. Commenting on Sata's statement that there would be a leadership vacuum in PF without him, Bahati member of parliament Besa Edwin Chimbaka yesterday said since Sata had confirmed that the party might experience a leadership vacuum in an event that he retired, he should put in place measures to identify and groom potential leaders that could take over from him.
"If president Sata says there will be a vacuum in PF if he stepped down, then he is confirming to himself that he yet has a very serious assignment to identify and groom people to take over PF leadership because PF is a party that can stay long," said Chimbaka, who is one of the 26 PF 'rebel' members of parliament attending the National Constitutional Conference NCC.
"It's his duty now to take leaf from what is happening in MMD, to begin to groom leaders to take over from him because when he retires there should always be people to take the party on."
Chimbaka cited political parties in the United Kingdom and United States that had been in existence long after the people that formed them retired or died.
"When you look at political parties in the UK; the Liberal Party and Conservative Party, you see that they have been going on for a very long time. Even in the US, the Democratic Party and the Republicans have been going on for a long time because the people that were in leadership earlier on identified people who could take over," Chimbaka said. "So Mr Sata has a duty right now, if he so realises, to ensure that he identifies people who should be able to take over from him and begin to groom them."
Chimbaka said it was not just a matter of party members availing themselves for leadership positions but also for the leaders to identify potential members who could be nurtured into good future leaders.
"At the moment, him having said so, he should be able to initiate the process in order for him to identify people who can run this party when he retires," said Chimbaka.
Nchanga member of parliament Wylbur Simuusa urged Sata to give some of the party members tasks in order to groom them to take over from him when the time comes.
"President Sata is one of the most experienced politicians in the country and I think for us who are not so experienced we have a lot to learn from him," Simuusa said. He said the PF still needed to grow further before the members could start talking about finding alternative leadership to take the party forward.
"We can say yes there will come a time when we can even talk about replacing the top leadership but at the moment we still need that experience for us to be stronger and more established as a party. So his role right now I think it shouldn't be to be holding on to the presidency but I think he should be deliberately bringing up other leaders around him, he should be giving them a bit of training in some tasks."
He said one would only attain experience enganging in various tasks.
"I think he should play the role of the mother 'hen'- for lack of a better word - where a hen is teaching the chicks how to fly or hunt," said Simuusa.
Roan member or parliament Chishimba Kambwili said the PF did not have a shortage of leaders who could take over from Sata. However, Kambwili said Sata was currently the president and had to continue with his duties.
"I think PF has got capable leaders who can take over from him but the most important thing to realise is that this is not the time to take over; he is still the president of the PF," Kambwili said.
He said according to his understanding in politics there was no grooming.
"In politics you don't groom, you introduce people to politics and then people aspire for positions, you must earn your eminence," said Kambwili. "Once you have gotten your experience, anybody else can be president. In my own understanding, God appoints who is going to be leaders of a country or political parties and if you are not anointed by God you will never be."
Kasama Central member of parliament Saviour Chishimba said it was foolish for Sata to think that there would be a vacuum in PF if he was not there because leaders came from God and not human beings like him.
"When someone says without him then there will be a vacuum that is foolishness in the sense that God is in control of every situation. I don't believe in man, I believe in God but I respect human beings because they are God's creation," Chishimba said. "God is in control of the situation. When President Mwanawasa became ill, you have seen the nation rising and praying to God and that ought to continue."
And Sata accused Hakainde Hichilema of using his (Sata’s) and President Levy Mwanawasa's illness to become a national leader. Addressing a media briefing at the PF secretariat in Lusaka yesterday, Sata accused Hichilema of spreading false rumours about President Mwanawasa's illness.
"In PF we are aware and the government is aware that Hakainde has been going round talking about me and President Mwanawasa; he is among the people who are spreading false rumours about President Mwanawasa's illness and about me that I am not fit, I am very sick so it's only him who is fit...we know where he has been, he has been to the Copperbelt and the state is aware," Sata alleged. "Hakainde slow down! What is important and at stake at the moment is national security, national unity and people of Zambia at the moment Levy Mwanawasa is our relative because he is the President of the Republic of Zambia."
Sata dismissed Hichilema's claims that he was an opportunist when he suggested that a medical board be instituted to examine President Mwanawasa's medical condition.
"There is no opportunist, an opportunist of what? Where did he learn English? Did he pass at the university or did somebody write the examination for him?" Sata asked. "Hichilema should not take mileage from my illness and President Mwanawasa's illness thinking he can become a national leader. He is a provincial leader and no more."
Sata bragged that he was much closer to President Mwanawasa and knew a lot about his current medical situation than Hichilema would ever know.
"Hichilema is trying to bring the tension which we have killed, we want people to be united but he wants to bring tension where we should be quarrelling. Who is Hakainde anyway? At the moment we are nursing a President and there is no need for me to quarrel with him. What worth is him for me to quarrel with him?" he asked.
Sata, who had earlier in the week suggested that the Chief Justice assists the nation by appointing a medical board, which should travel to Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France to monitor President Mwanawasa's condition, changed his stance saying he did not mean that a medical team should come from Zambia.
"We are not urging government to send a team of doctors, there are already doctors attending to the President. Under medical ethics, the doctors who are attending to the President cannot reveal the confidentiality between them and their patient," he said.
Sata said Zambia was not an island, hence it should learn from other countries on how they handled the situations when their heads of state were ill.
"In 1973 when president Gamal Abdel Nasser was sick in Egypt, the Egyptian law was invoked where the government appointed a board of medical doctors and out of that board of medical doctors there was a spokesperson who was updating the world on the illness of president Nasser. When Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was assassinated, they knew he had been shot, there was an authorised medical board which was informing the world how president Sadat was doing," recalled Sata. "When Indian Indira Ghandi was assassinated, the government instituted a professional medical team to inform the nation. When (US president] John F Kennedy was assassinated, they knew he had been shot but there was a government medical board who were informing the nation about what was going on."
Labels: LEADERSHIP, MPs, PF, PRESIDENCY, SATA
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There would be a vacuum in PF without me - Sata
By Patson Chilemba
Saturday July 19, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said there would be a leadership vacuum in the party without him. In an interview, Sata said the illness of President Levy Mwanawasa had exposed the leadership vacuum in the MMD and that PF was no exception.
“PF is no exception. Any other organisation is no exception. But it is up to people of Zambia...leaders through these organisations. If today Hichilema Hakainde was not in UPND, Tilyenji Kaunda in UNIP and all other leaders....or if Mr Sata was not in PF. People should not rely on Sata as a voice of the voiceless. People in PF should speak for the voiceless," Sata said.
"Everybody in PF should not be scared of going to prison for speaking the truth and should not look for greener pastures like NCC National Constitutional Conference.
"When asked what he was doing to ensure that there was no leadership vacuum without him in his party, Sata responded: "You can take a horse to a river but you can't force it to drink water."
Sata said the vacuum in the MMD could apply to other organisations. Sata said just like in other organisations, PF members should be aggressive and sacrificial enough to assume higher offices such as the presidency of the party.
Sata said true leaders should mould themselves and not wait to be moulded.
"So you find in every field, anything trusted upon you which you have not worked for becomes very difficult. I have told my colleagues, first of all, they must know why they are leaders whether in the Parliament or outside Parliament," Sata said.
"When I started talking to Levy, people were saying the voice has gone. Where are the other voices? Why can't they fill the vacuum? Let them be aggressive."
Sata said the PF and the nation in general would not be the same if leaders learnt to be selfless and sacrificed enough. He urged party members of parliament to do more for the nation than what they were currently doing. He said if PF parliamentarians were as aggressive as member of parliament for Munali, Mumbi Phiri, checks and balances could be much more effective.
"Some people are more educated than Mumbi Phiri but she is very aggressive. She is always with the people. People of Munali have no shortage of representation," Sata said.
"Because it's not a question of if you are representing a rural constituency to go in a boma and stay in a guest house and say 'I have been to a constituency'. Go and see, what type of water do your people drink?"
On UPND president Hichilema's statement that he was an opportunist following his proposal that President Mwanawasa be subjected to a medical board examination to ascertain his fitness to remain Republican President, Sata said he was honest when he urged government to either allow doctors attending to President Mwanawasa to brief the nation or set up a medical board to ascertain his health.
Sata said people were speculating over the President's condition.
He said Hichilema had misunderstood the whole issue.
Sata said he loved President Mwanawasa more than Hichilema and his wish was for the President to return home safely.
He said the problem with Hichilema was that he was petty and had little understanding of politics.
"When we are trying to teach Hichilema governance, but the boy is twisting the story like as if he is privatising Zambezi Sun," he said.
Sata also said MMD national secretary, Katele Kalumba, should be given a benefit of doubt because he was innocent until proven guilty.
"You can't judge him. He is innocent until proved guilty," said Sata.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, LEADERSHIP, PF, POLITICS, PRESIDENCY, SATA, UPND
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Sata delivers letters on 'contentious issues' to Levy
By Mutuna Chanda
Friday June 20, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata yesterday delivered three letters to President Levy Mwanawasa on what he termed contentious issues that the two leaders need to address. Sata arrived at State House around 11:35 hours to deliver the letters on mining taxes, the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) and what he put as home affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha's abuse of office.
"What I have done on writing to President Mwanawasa is what we had agreed in our reconciliation. Our agreement was anything that we had to talk about, I could put it in writing to allow him to study it and then we deliberate on it," Sata said. "I have written to him one letter on mining taxation, one on NCC and the abuse of office of Ronnie Shikapwasha who is deporting people as he feels like without following the law."
When asked to disclose the full contents of the letters, Sata refused to do so saying that would be against the spirit of reconciliation between him and President Mwanawasa.
"Disclosing what is in the letters is contrary to the spirit of reconciliation," Sata said. "If I am going to go public at this stage then there will be no need for me to write to him."
But when reminded that the public would be interested in knowing what was in the letters, Sata insisted that time for the people to know the details of what he had raised with President Mwanawasa in the letters had not come.
"The public will know when we deliberate on the issues that I have raised," Sata said. "All the public must know for now is that our reconciliation is working to the letter."
He said he delivered the letters to the President's senior private secretary on duty.
"This is the beginning of what we promised the people that we will meet to discuss contentious issues instead of quarrelling in the press," Sata said. "If we agree or disagree, we will disclose that to the public."
And Sata charged that UPND president Hakainde Hichilema had become totally irrelevant to Zambian politics. He said Hichilema had chosen to attack him to save himself from extinction. He said had Hichilema not become irrelevant to Zambian politics, he would not have been begging United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota to rejoin UPND.
"Hakainde has no right to talk about national politics because he has no councillor anywhere else in Zambia apart from Southern Province. He only has 22 MPs in Southern Province. So he is a provincial president and not a national president," said Sata. "Now he is saying Sakwiba should rejoin UPND. What has changed? Has Sakwiba now changed from being Lozi to Tonga?
Because when he was campaigning to succeed Anderson Mazoka late UPND leader there was talk that no one could succeed Mazoka except a Tonga. That is why when people heard that this boy Hakainde had taken over from Mazoka, they deserted him. Mazoka had 49 MPs, from North-Western, Western, Southern, Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces. He was a national leader. But Hakainde only has 22 MPs only from Southern Province."
Sata suggested that Hichilema should instead join ULP.
He said Sikota had more of a party in ULP than Hichilema in UPND who only had members of parliament in Southern Province.
Sata further reiterated his mockery of Hichilema as being a political underweight owing to what he termed as lack of background in politics. He said this in reference to Hichilema's assertions that PF had reconciled with its former party MMD.
Sata, however, charged that even UPND came from MMD after the late Mazoka resigned from the Lusaka Central Constituency secretary position on grounds that his ambition to rise quickly through the party ranks was blocked.
Labels: NCC, PF, SATA
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Compromising Sata
By Editor
Sunday June 15, 2008 [04:00]
Opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata must have been right when he recently observed that he did not know that Zambians like tension. From the time he decided to reconcile with his long-time archenemy, President Levy Mwanawasa, a couple of weeks ago, many people have reacted with mixed feelings. Some have accused President Mwanawasa of having acted with some selfish interest when he ordered that Sata be speedily evacuated to South Africa for specialist treatment following his heart attack in April, claiming he was looking for a way of neutralising his hardest and ardent critic.
And when Sata initiated reconciliation with President Mwanawasa after recovering from his heart attack, some people said either he was compromised by the President or he compromised himself.
But we think that neither President Mwanawasa nor his government has compromised Sata n
