MMD will need UPND to oust PF - Nevers
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 27 Nov. 2012, 12:00 CAT
MMD president Nevers Mumba says the MMD will need UPND to remove PF from power. Mumba said in an interview that it was not a question of 'wanting' to but that the party 'needed' to work with UPND to win in 2016. Recently though, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita declared that his party was no longer interested in a pact with MMD.
And MMD vice-president Michael Kaingu said the party was not reaping any benefits from its working alliance with UPND. But Mumba said MMD needed to combine forces with UPND to match up to PF.
"It's not a question of wanting. You may not see it (benefits) now. The benefit we looking at, is that of the Zambian people. We are being governed by a government that if not well managed can bring this country to its knees in the next few months. They don't seem to care about the direction of the economy," Mumba said.
"We can win this battle faster if we combine forces. It is too early to decide that the pact is not working."
Mumba said his major focus was to push MMD forward and prepare it for elections.
"We don't need to be hostile to any opposition party in order for us to achieve our goal because somewhere along the way, we will need each other," he said.
Mumba said in reference to the just-ended by-election: "My advice to both the parties involved is that we should calm down.
After an election, whether it is a victory or a loss, there are a lot of mixed feelings, emotions for people who didn't think they would lose and they have lost and I think this is what it is."
Mumba said MMD had to stand with UPND on several issues with a common purpose.
"In Chongwe, when there was a by-election, we decided to give it to UPND. UPND lost that election but that didn't mean we would never work with them. There was really no guarantee that we would have won ourselves. In Livingstone we united again and UPND won," he said.
"I know president HH (Hakainde Hichilema) was under pressure when he conceded that we field a candidate (in Mufumbwe) he had to stand in that. He was called names and everything. I was called names that I have never made a harsh statement against the alliance. For those who want me to be ugly, there is no need…if that is called sleeping, I wanna sleep a little longer."
Labels: MICHAEL KAINGU, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA, PF, RICHARD KAPITA, UPND
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COMMENT - The UPND should just disband and merge with the MMD. Doesnt' Richard Kapita understand that by trying to get more Tongas to vote UPND, he is alienating the rest of the country and emphasizing the UPND's regional nature?
All Tongas should be voting for HH - Kapita
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 19 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has advised Tongas to be proud of voting for their tribesman Hakainde Hichilema in every presidential election.
Featuring with Hichilema on Sky FM Radio's Good Governance programme in Monze recently, Kapita said Tongas should not expect Hichilema to win the presidency if they did not give him massive votes.
"The point I want to relate to is this issue of people complaining from Southern Province that 'ba President, what shall we do?' You know what you should do. You people from Southern Province always surprise me; you know what you ought to do. Your friends when they are voting for their own person, and you should not be ashamed, people want to make you believe that for voting for Hakainde you should be ashamed. No! Be proud, you've got a capable leader that can run this country differently," Kapita said.
"And that I can assure you; not those people Patriotic Front who've gone there in government chancing because they cheated people. You should be proud of voting for Hakainde today, tomorrow and the other day and next year and so on. But what do you do you people from Southern Province? You give your own son; your own son you give him maybe 30 per cent of the vote. Ten per cent or 20 per cent is given to other people, how do you expect him to win? I think you should go out there and vote for Hakainde in the next election."
Kapita also accused finance minister Alexander Chikwanda of insulting the Tongas by saying that the UPND had a wrong leader.
"This is why I get surprised, for example one leader in the PF was actually literally insulting the people of Southern Province, and the Tongas. He was quoted, Mr Chikwanda, in The Post newspaper a few days ago saying that the Tongas have a wrong leader," he said as Hichilema agreed with him.
Kapita said no individual had a right to choose a leader for Tongas.
He said Tongas could not rule because they were intimidated.
"A number of them have asked, 'why can't we also rule?' The reason you can't rule is that you are intimidated as Tongas. When others say you are tribalists you agree to that, yet it is only in this land where you'll find people from Eastern Province, Northern Province who can aspire to be councillors and the Tongas have no problem with that. So when people turn around and say you Tongas are tribal, please tell them you are not tribal, and don't be scared," he said.
"Even those that are in buses or minibuses when they hear people talking in their own languages they can't even speak their own language as Tonga. Who is Mr Chikwanda to choose a leader for the people of Southern Province? I think you Tongas must wake up and say we are proud of being Tonga. Don't be shy and tamed when you are told you are Tonga you start hiding under the table. Go and give Hakainde the vote next time and make sure that other leaders get zero votes."
Asked by the moderator if indeed the UPND was a tribal and Bantustan party, Kapita responded: "Well, it depends on what he means. We are all Bantu and we are proud that we get our votes from… there's no body that can't be voted from where he comes from or where she comes from. The reason the people of Luapula, Northern Province voted massively for President Sata was they said he's their own. What you hear is actually just a joke when I hear people say 'Hakainde is only voted for by people from Southern Province', that's not correct."
He claimed that if it were not for rigging in the last general election, the UPND would have won a lot of parliamentary seats.
And despite facts showing that the UPND had more members of parliament in Southern Province than other provinces, Kapita refused to accept.
"How many MPs do we have from other provinces? They are many. In North Western Province we had a massive vote, if it wasn't for the rigging that took place we would have something like eight, nine MPs from North Western Province. In Western Province we have about six MPs," said Kapita.
"Why do you want to restrict Hakainde's MPs only to Southern Province when in actual fact he has MPs in North Western Province, Southern Province, Western Province and Central Province? But here is Mr Chikwanda saying the people of Southern Province unfortunately have a wrong leader."
And Hichilema vowed that he would not listen to what he termed abuse of ethnicity by other tribes so that they continued ruling the country.
"I think the vice-president has spoken sufficiently. I think it's time to remind people that vice-president Kapita comes from a long, long way; comes from Mwinilunga. So I am really grateful that he's here in Monze at this radio station talking to his brothers and sisters in Southern Province.
Vice-president Kapita is from Mwinilunga, Ikelengi, far, far away; he's Lunda," said Hichilema as Kapita retorted that he was proud to be Lunda.
"I'm sure the listeners are listening he's proud to be Lunda. The issue is that this thing is a gimmick. We will not listen to abusing ethnicity so you can continue ruling and suppressing your colleagues, absolutely no," said Hichilema.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RICHARD KAPITA, SOUTHERN PROVINCE, TRIBALISM, UPND
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UPND demands Kabonde’s resignation
By Moses Kuwema and Namatama Mundia
Thu 06 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has demanded for the resignation of Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde. During a briefing yesterday, Kapita said Kabonde had proved to be an MMD cadre hence the need for him to resign from his position.
“Since Kabonde is an MMD cadre, he must resign because if he continues as Inspector General of Police, he will bring chaos to the nation,” Kapita said.
He called on President Rupiah Banda to fire his advisors and have them locked up for having promoted the violence in Mufumbwe. He said even the accident involving two children was premeditated.
“I saw Dora Siliya on TV saying it was an accident but that was not an accident. It was a premeditated act by someone I would call a criminal who went and rammed his car in a crowd of people who were celebrating Elliot Kamondo’s victory and he also reversed his vehicle into another crowd where he injured some people,” Kapita said.
He wondered why the police were saying they were investigating the matter even when there was enough evidence that it was a premeditated act of violence.
“We demand that Kajilo Muzungu be brought to justice because if he is not, we will know that Rupiah Banda is leading a country with two different laws,” he said.
Kapita said the UPND had information that some police officers who were on operation in Mufumbwe were taken to Mufumbwe from Lusaka to go and create falsehood against the UPND.
On the plans by the MMD to petition the election results in Mufumbwe, Kapita said he was deeply shocked that President Banda had passed a vote of no confidence in the leadership of justice Florence Mumba and the entire Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
He said justice Mumba stands fired because as the appointing authority, President Banda was challenging her competence, credibility, integrity and the ECZ by petitioning the Mufumbwe results.
“As UPND we hold a strong view that justice Mumba and ECZ performed their duties in Mufumbwe under extreme difficulty and massive interference by the MMD.
We want to call upon President Banda as the appointing authority of the ECZ chairperson to help in promoting and protecting the integrity and the credibility and professional esteem of ECZ,” said Kapita.
The Mufumbwe by-elections were marred with violence and political hooliganism that left two children dead and several people injured. The MMD have announced that they will petition the results.
Labels: RICHARD KAPITA, UPND
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It doesn’t matter who becomes the Pact’s president – Kapita
By Patson Chilemba
Mon 19 Apr. 2010, 04:40 CAT
IT does not matter who becomes the PF-UPND pact’s presidential candidate between Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita said yesterday.
And Kapita said unlike Patriotic Front (PF) president Sata and UPND leader Hichilema who genuinely asked for votes from the people, President Rupiah Banda cheated his way to the Republican presidency using late president Levy Mwanawasa’s body and legacy.
Reacting to President Banda’s assertion that Hichilema should not cheat himself that he would be the pact’s 2011 presidential candidate because Sata would stand, Kapita wondered why President Banda was so concerned about the Pact if it was not a threat to him and the MMD.
“If for instance we have made a mistake by going into this pact which was requested for by many noble Zambians, they President Banda and MMD should be happy that they are going to win. Why does it bother him if Sata or Hakainde will be the president?
It is not their business. It is our business and we know how we are going about it,” Kapita said. “Whether Sata becomes president or Hakainde becomes president, it doesn’t matter. But the Pact will go into the next election jointly because this is what we anticipated.”
Kapita said attempts by President Banda and his colleagues to try and put a wedge between Hichilema and Sata would not succeed.
“They are trying to create a wedge, but these are things we discussed at length when we were forming that Pact. We knew the MMD will be shaking, they will be trying to throw things. I mean they have employed people on taxpayers’ money just to do the discrediting of either Sata or Hakainde, PF or UPND to try and discourage our members,” Kapita said.
“Unfortunately for them the people are so clever, many have seen through this, and I don’t think the MMD will get a vote in some of these places other than in Eastern Province.”
Kapita said Zambians were already decided, and President Banda’s attempts were very fruitless.
“They even go on to say because ‘Hakainde is campaigning to be president, Sata is campaigning to be president’. It doesn’t surprise us because we agreed we would be different parties working together, and each one of those leaders can be president.
It means therefore they must start campaigning for themselves,” Kapita said.
“Hakainde is campaigning to be the Pact president, totally normal. There is nothing wrong with that. Sata is campaigning to be the Pact president, totally normal. There is nothing wrong. The beauty is that each one of them has agreed that they will remain in the Pact whether the other person becomes the president. So that is what is annoying the MMD.”
Kapita said President Banda was a very fortunate person who was picked from his “so-called” farm to become vice-president.
He said President Banda did not go to State House because he was popular with the Zambian voters. He said President Banda had now thrown the Mwanawasa legacy into the pit because he was now in power. Kapita said Zambians were very clever and would not allow President Banda to cheat them again.
“And he must stop comparing himself to either Hakainde or Sata because these people genuinely go to ask people for a vote which the MMD has been stealing. This time I can assure you that will not happen,” he said.
Recently in Milanzi, President Banda said Hichilema should not cheat himself that he would contest the elections because Sata would do so.
On the Mufumbwe by-election, Kapita said MMD cadres were perpetrating violence by attacking UPND camps but police had failed to do anything.
Kapita said UPND campaigners were recently arrested and taken to the cells that were far away from Mufumbwe in order to disturb the campaigns.
Labels: PF-UPND, RICHARD KAPITA
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Only a mad person can defect from the Pact to join MMD, says Kapita
By Mwala Kalaluka
Mon 15 Mar. 2010, 04:30 CAT
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita yesterday said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)’s declaration of the Milanzi by-election ignoring the Mufumbwe one is an indication the MMD was scared of losing.
And Kapita said only a mad person can defect from the incoming government of the UPND-PF pact to join the sinking Titanic of the MMD. Meanwhile, the UPND has demanded the immediate release of incarcerated Change Life Zambia (CLZ) director Fr Frank Bwalya.
During a press briefing at the party secretariat, Kapita said the UPND was baffled and surprised by the ECZ’s action to only declare Milanzi.
“We feel this is a waste of resources the country does not have,” Kapita said. “That is not prudent and if you are as poor as we are, you must be frugal. We are aware that the MMD are scared. They are sick to their stomachs because they know that they will not win the election and therefore they are calling for one parliamentary by-election and we know they influenced this decision.”
Kapita said the MMD were panicking because they had lost the Kasama and Solwezi by-elections.
“It is a continuing trend and it will not change. We are aware that the MMD are tapping our possible candidates in both Milanzi and Mufumbwe. This is a sign that the MMD is finished,” he said.
“And we know they are panicking because they do not have candidates in these two constituencies,” he said. “For purposes of costs we urge the ECZ to reconsider its position.”
Kapita urged the ECZ and the MMD to stop fearing the inevitable losses in the pending by-elections.
“But we would like them to declare Milanzi as well as Mufumbwe,” he said. “We have so many needs that we can’t allow the ECZ and the MMD to continuously spend our money recklessly with impunity.”
And Kapita said the defections that took place during the MMD’s card renewal in Lusaka were fake.
“I looked and searched I think I only counted four UPND cards,” Kapita said. “They were fake defections. There was no UPND. It can only be a mad person who can decide to leave the incoming government of the UPND-PF and defect to the sinking Titanic of the MMD.”
Meanwhile, Kapita said Fr Bwalya’s arrest was intimidation of the highest order.
“Fr Frank Bwalya launched his Red Card campaign, which was endorsed by a lot of people,” Kapita said.
“I attended that inauguration two weeks ago with our chairman for legal affairs, Honourable Mwiimbu and it was overwhelmingly successful.”
Kapita said the country had gone past those days when people were incarcerated without trial and it was on this basis that the UPND and their colleagues were demanding for his immediate release.
“Mr. Banda should know that. He was put in prison by a man he is protecting from going to prison,” he said. “Mr. Banda is trying to go back to those days of UNIP.”
He said President Banda was busy trying to shut down civil society organisations.
“Only if that NGO is parroting the MMD song they will not allow it to flourish. I think that is backwardness,” Kapita said.
“We should not allow the MMD to run far with such draconian measures as if we are still in the 60s. It is up to us as Zambians to either kick or accept the MMD.”
He asked Zambians to stand up and be counted.
“We should not allow our freedoms to be trumped on by a despotic or desperate government that wants to cling on to power,” said Kapita.
Labels: ECZ, MMD, PF-UPND, RICHARD KAPITA
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Kapita rubbishes Dora’s linking of UPND to degree clause
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe and Ernest Chanda in Lusaka
Fri 29 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has refuted allegations by MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya that members of the UPND vigorously pushed for the presidential qualifications at the NCC.
And Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo challenged Siliya to name the so-called members of the pact who pushed for the inclusion of the degree clause in the constitution as a requirement for one to run for Republican presidency. In an interview on Wednesday, Kapita said Siliya had started on a very bad note as MMD spokesperson.
“As UPND we have always been against that degree as minimum qualification for a presidential candidate,” he said.
Kapita said no attempts by the MMD would destabilise the PF-UPND pact.
He said there were several attempts by the MMD to cause confusion in the pact.
“The pact would remain strong, we had people who were so close to the pact, who have been going to the MMD telling them all our plans as a pact, but that would not work. The pact is strong and will remain strong, that is why the MMD are not sleeping,” he said.
Kapita said it was totally wrong to set a degree as a minimum qualification for a presidential candidate.
“The MMD are now trying to bring politics to the elite, which is not okay. Basically they are trying to fight one individual but they will fail,” he said.
Kapita wondered what made the MMD think that PF leader Michael Sata had no degree.
“It is totally wrong for them to think Mr Sata has no degree and it is wrong to enshrine a degree qualification in the constitution. I can assure you that will not go through,” Kapita said.
UPND Copperbelt Province chairman Elisha Matambo said it was nonsense for Siliya to accuse UPND members of having vigorously pushed for presidential qualification clause.
“Not everyone with a degree can be a good leader and not everyone without a degree can fail to run the country,” he said.
Matambo urged Copperbelt residents not to be scared of former president Chiluba who is currently campaigning for President Banda in the province.
“They should not be scared of Chiluba, Chiluba is like a snake that cannot bite anyone. He is no longer a poisonous snake,” Matambo said.
And Nkombo said Siliya was hallucinating.
“Let me remind her that being a spokesperson doesn’t mean hallucinating. It was so hypocritical for her to lie to the nation that UPND members at the NCC strongly supported the degree clause for a presidential candidate,” Nkombo said.
“We in the UPND ask Honourable Siliya to go a step further by mentioning people in the UPND who pushed for that clause. I for one debated against that clause and the records are there for all to see. And I know that there are many other UPND members who opposed that clause. I also appeal to our colleagues in the PF Patriotic Front not to listen to such spoilers. Let us continue to strengthen our pact.”
According to the verbatim from NCC, which Nkombo brought to The Post, he had described the clause as discriminatory.
“…I do recognise the progressive nature of this clause, save for a few concerns, and in trying to air my concerns I would like to summon the consciences of all the honourable commissioners in this particular activity,” Nkombo debated.
“…This will amount to discrimination, positive or negative, it is up to your consciences to determine that. But there are certain points that I have regarding this matter and some are that this provision would have been very, very ideal in 1964 going on to maybe the early 80s when access to education was free of charge. This particular clause would have made absolute sense…”
And his Siavonga counterpart Douglas Siakalima warned of bruising Siliya politically.
Siakalima asked Siliya to remember how she messed up at the Ministry of Communications and Transport.
"What I’m saying is that MMD and its sponsors should not take advantage over us in the pact. Dora Siliya is trying to purport that it is the UPND who were trying to lobby for a degree clause. Personally when we started hearing about a degree, I said it is not a prerogative to good leadership. Dora was put there to spread propaganda for the MMD," Siakalima said.
"Dora cannot counsel anyone. Who is she? Let me warn her, she is too young; this is politics, she will be bruised. People have not forgotten the way she messed up at the Ministry of Communications and Transport. And for her to become spokesperson of the MMD she has just come in the firing range and she is not going to contain it. We are not her size."
On Tuesday, Siliya charged that UPND members sitting at the NCC vigorously pushed for the degree clause in the qualifications of a Presidential candidate.
Labels: DORA SILIYA, ELISHA MUTAMBO, GARRY NKOMBO, RICHARD KAPITA, UPND
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Kapita warns Konga, Rupiah over LITASCO
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tue 12 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
Energy minister Kenneth Konga and President Rupiah Banda will be brought to book for conniving with LITASCO in the crude oil tender process, UPND vice-president Richard Kapita warned yesterday.
Commenting on The Post expose of the government's attempt to rig the bid for the supply and delivery of 1.4 million metric tonnes of crude oil in favour of Russia's LITASCO, when Konga availed the original tender document to LITASCO official Leon Hayward to make suggestions and changes to it in order to disadvantage competitors, Kapita said professionally that was illegal and culprits were liable to prosecution.
“It's illegal. In business terms that is a no-no. When the other bidders get to know it, they have a right to withdraw. There is no professionalism there, let alone integrity. The whole process is full of scams, deals but we know they are trying to raise some money through procurement of crude oil to Zambia and that should not be allowed by Zambians,” Kapita said.
“It means that you are giving one bidder advantage over others. It means that all that hullabaloo about tendering for so many companies was just a shrug because they already knew who they wanted to give that deal to and probably they already worked out the percentages of their kickbacks.”
Kapita accused President Banda of frequently and deliberately frustrating the tendering for the procurement of oil for his own benefits.
“Zambians must not allow this. Both Konga and Banda and all those involved in these scams will be brought to book when the pact government comes to power next year,” Kapita warned. “I can understand why reputable organisations from other countries withdrew, it's because they knew that there was a preferred bidder who was given all the information so that they can ensure that they can show that it has won. But we know that the process of tender was deliberately frustrated.”
Last week, well-placed government sources revealed to The Post that government, through Konga availed the original tender document to LITASCO through Hayward for the firm to suggest some changes in its favour and disadvantage competitors.
But when contacted for comment, Konga denied any linkage to LITASCO although insiders said he had been working closely with Hayward from June last year when a Zambian businessman introduced LITASCO to President Banda at State House.
Sources revealed that Konga and Hayward met on several occasions in Johannesburg and Lusaka to discuss the oil procurement deal.
A comparison between the original tender document and the revised one showed that the Ministry of Energy and Water Development and the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) made changes on all the points that Hayward disapproved.
When contacted from Dubai, Hayward declined to comment on the revelations.
Responding to a press query, Konga stated that he had no role in the tender process other than giving policy guidance at the Ministry of Energy and Water Development.
“I, therefore, did not give any tender document to LITASCO. The document can be accessed by any third parties (other than the Ministry of Energy and Water Development and Zambia Public Procurement Authority) when they buy it from ZPPA. Given the fact that the document can be sold to anyone who wants it, it is in that sense a public document,” stated Konga.
But a ZPPA source dismissed Konga's explanation.
“Just wait and see, unless something fundamentally changes, this contract is destined for LITASCO and there is enough evidence to show that Mr Konga has been in touch with Leon Hayward of LITASCO,” the source said.
Labels: KENNETH KONGA, LITASCO, RICHARD KAPITA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Regulate investors and not media, Shamenda urges govt
By Mwila Chansa and Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Mon 04 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
FORMER Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Fackson Shamenda has advised the government to shift its energy towards regulating exploitative foreign investors instead of quarrelling about media regulation.
And UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has urged Zambians to stand up and protest against the statutory regulation of the media. In an interview, Shamenda observed that if the government exerted the same type of energy in regulating investors as it was doing to the media, the country could see a very good work environment.
"We could see a very good work environment that is conducive for productivity. So regulating investors that are not abiding by the country’s laws should be more of a priority to government. With this, we could see a clean and safe work environment and not a situation where some people lack protective clothing and look as though they are going to catch caterpillars," he said.
Shamenda added that quarrelling about media regulation was a waste of time in today's age because with internet, people would still access the kind of information they wanted.
“Even if The Post is closed today, things will still come out and they can even be more exaggerated and embarrassing to those that are exposed. Look at Zimbabwe, the regime there tried to stifle media freedom but whatever they tried to hide still came out. It’s not just possible to silence the media,” said Shamenda.
And Kapita, in an interview, said Vice-President George Kunda was pushing for statutory regulation of the media with intention of trying to muzzle the press in the country.
"...what Mr Kunda is trying to do is to muzzle the press. They will not allow Zambians to make informed decisions, they are only trying to intimidate them...now they want to bring to parliament a law that would stop you (journalists) from being independent...,” he said.
Kapita said Vice-President Kunda had resorted to trying to stifle the press in the country because he had failed to address important national issues.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FACKSON SHAMENDA, FDI, MEDIA, REGULATION, RICHARD KAPITA, ZCTU
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MMD cadres disrupt UPND-PF pact rally in Solwezi
By Zumani Katasefa and Speedwell Mupuchi
Fri 06 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT
MMD cadres on Wednesday allegedly disrupted a UPND and PF pact campaign rally at Chisalala Middle Basic School in chief Kapijimpanga’s area in Solwezi.
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita complained yesterday that it was not fair for the MMD to disrupt the meeting when UPND had already obtained a police permit for the venue.
“We had obtained a police permit for that venue and the MMD were very much aware about that. These are some of the things that encourage violence,” he said.
Kapita said the head teacher of Chisalala Middle Basic School where the meeting was supposed to take place told UPND leaders that they were not supposed to hold the meeting at that school because the venue was reserved for MMD.
He said people who had gone to attend the meeting were turned away and that the meeting was only held after MMD left the area.
“But only a few people attended the meeting, most of them turned away because they feared that violence may break out,” he said.
Kapita said the UPND had complained to relevant authorities over the behaviour of the police.
He said UPND was aware that the MMD planned to bribe villagers in Kyabakanga and Kainamfumu with bags of fertiliser so that they could vote for MMD candidate Albert Chifita.
“But we are not going to allow them, we are going to stop that,” Kapita said.
He said UPND cadres were on alert, adding that they would fight any electoral malpractices by the MMD in the Solwezi Central by-election.
Meanwhile, UPND Copperbelt Province youth vice-chairman Kelly Jibinga said UPND and PF youths from the Copperbelt on Tuesday left for Solwezi to beef up their campaigns.
“We sent a group of 60 youths, we are yet to send more on Friday today,” he said.
Four candidates are taking part in the Solwezi Central by-election.
The aspiring candidates are Albert Chifita from MMD, UPND’s Watson Lumba, Muhhamed Kalela of Forum for Democratic Alternatives and an independent candidate Thomas Kafula.
And suspected MMD cadres in Solwezi’s Kyawama Township on Sunday allegedly assaulted two UPND cadres.
Kapita said a medical report had been obtained.
He said the cadres were attacked when they were campaigning for the party’s candidate, Lumba.
“I can confirm that two of our members were attacked and assaulted by MMD thugs, this happened in Kyawama township where they were doing their campaigns. You know Kyawama has 10,000 registered voters, so it is a battle ground,” he said.
Kapita said despite the violence from the MMD, the people of Solwezi were geared for change.
“Mangani home affairs minister issued a wrong statement that the opposition was perpetrating violence in Solwezi, yet it is the MMD thugs who are behind this violence. Mangani should understand that people of Solwezi have decided to bring change in Solwezi,” he said.
He said the move by the government to deploy about 70,000 police officers from Kamfinsa would not intimidate the people of Solwezi who he said would go ahead and vote out the MMD.
“We are reliably informed that the MMD have brought four buses of MMD youths from Lusaka to come and cause violence here in Solwezi. This must not be encouraged. We are going to defend ourselves in the field,” he said.
Kapita further alleged the MMD want to use chiefs from Mwinilunga, Zambezi, Kasempa and Chavuma and district commissioners to help in campaigning for Chifita.
He advised chiefs to stay away from politics adding that they should not allow themselves to be used by politicians.
“We respect our chiefs, they should not allow themselves to be used by politics, so we advise them to stay away,” said Kapita.
North Western Province police commanding officer Fabian Katiba said he was not aware about the assault of the UPND cadres.
MMD campaign manager Kabinga Pande said the MMD campaign was in full swing.
“We have deployed our people in the campaign, nothing like money has not been sent,” Pande said dispelling reports that the MMD campaign had suffered a setback because State House had not sent money for the campaign. “Everything is in full swing. We are happy with the response from the voters who have assured us of votes. We trust the people of Solwezi, they are the same people who have been voting for us, we have been with them.”
Pande said campaigns were going on peacefully and believed such atmosphere would continue into the polling day, on November 29.
Labels: CADRES, MMD, PF-UPND, RICHARD KAPITA, SOLWEZI COUNCIL
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Plough back, UPND urges investors in N/Western
Written by Zumani Katasefa in Solwezi East
Monday, August 10, 2009 2:11:57 AM
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has urged foreign investors operating in North Western Province to plough back part of their profits to the community for the sustained development of the region.
Speaking at a campaign rally to drum up support for UPND candidate Rabson Laishi in preparation for this Thursday's ward by-election, Kapita said it was sad that the province had continued to lag behind in development despite having plenty of natural resources such as copper and cobalt.
He said the road network in the region was in a pathetic state yet the investors were using the same roads to transport copper but no attention was paid to maintain them.
Kapita also said that the MMD government was misusing public funds when some children had no access to proper education and medication care. He said it was sad that the MMD government under President Rupiah Banda did not care about the people of Zambia.
Speaking at the same rally, North Western Province Patriotic Front (PF) chairman Denis Kanyakula said it was sad for the MMD government to rush into procuring mobile hospitals instead of just creating permanent structures for Zambians.
He also said that the PF in the province would tirelessly work together with their counterparts in the UPND and ensure that the MMD government was removed out of power.
And UPND Copperbelt Province chairman Elisha Matambo said the MMD government had been rejected in North Western Province.
Matambo said President Banda's government had failed to provide good governance to Zambians.
Matambo accused the MMD of practicing violence in the run up to this Thursday ward by-election in Kangwena and voting buying.
Labels: ELISHA MUTAMBO, INVESTMENT, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE, RICHARD KAPITA, UPND
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Rupiah is a habitual liar, says Kapita
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Nchima Nchito Jr
Monday, July 20, 2009 7:33:44 AM
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) vice-president Richard Kapita has charged that President Rupiah Banda is a habitual liar. And Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata charged that President Banda is overwhelmed by the position he is occupying.
Commenting on President Banda's lies to King Mswati III of Swaziland that he got 100 per cent votes in North Western Province and that all members of parliament and councillors in the province belong to the MMD, Kapita said it was unfortunate for Zambia to have a liar as Republican President.
"It's a fabrication, it's a lie and it is unfortunate that a head of state can be telling lies instead of telling the truth. We have seen that President Banda lies on several occasions and it's unfortunate that the head of state continues to tell lies to foreign dignitaries," said Kapita in a telephone interview from Mwinilunga in North Western Province. "It's unfortunate for Zambia to have a President like that. We want him to tell the truth. People have no food, people have no medicine in hospitals, children are not going to school but if he concentrates on building an image, which is not there, but we have a President who tells his friends from another country that all is well, that is not correct. It's very bad for Zambia. I hope Zambians are seeing."
He observed that President Banda got less votes in last year's elections compared to what late president Levy Mwanawasa got in 2006.
"It's a total fabrication; it's unfortunate that the head of state can misled a colleague, King Mswati, all those are lies because President Banda did not get 100 per cent votes in North Western Province. In fact if you compare his vote and to Mwanawasa's vote, Mwanawasa got a better vote in 2006," Kapita said. "I am in Mwinilunga right now and I am sitting next to a member of parliament for Mwinilunga East honourable [Stephen] Katuka right now, he belongs to UPND. We have honourable [Charles] Kakoma Zambezi West he belongs to UPND. If you look at results for 2008 presidential by-election and compare the results in 2006, UPND has got back substantive majority in North Western Province and the results are there to show for themselves. I will give you an example of Mwinilunga East, we still won and in Mwinilunga West President Banda won with just 1,000 votes over [UPND president Hakainde] Hichilema."
He said the UPND and PF pact would beat the MMD in next month's local government elections in the province.
"We will see what will happen now in the by-elections that are coming in Mufumbwe, in Kabompo and Solwezi that we are going to win as UPND, as the pact," Kapita said.
Mwinilunga East UPND member of parliament Stephen Katuka said President Banda was embarrassing Zambia to foreign heads of state and their countries.
Katuka expressed displeasure at President Banda's assertion.
"President Banda did not take the votes worth talking about in Mwinilunga East and we have seven councillors in Mwinilunga who belong to the UPND. So where is the 100 per cent coming from?" Katuka asked. "It's a total fabrication; we are just embarrassing ourselves as a country. I don't belong to the MMD and I wouldn't even want to belong to them, I am very proud of the party which I belong to. I am not one of the MPs that belong to the MMD."
And Sata said President Banda was confused.
"When he went to Central Province, he claimed a 100 per cent victory. When he went to Mongu, he claimed a 100 per cent victory. Even in North Western
Province he is claiming a 100 per cent victory. Next he will be claiming a 100 per cent victory in Lusaka," Sata said. "It's not even a question of mathematics but simple arithmetic that he is failing to calculate. He doesn't know which way he is going."
Sata said King Mswati, whom Rupiah was trying to deceive, was not new to Zambia.
"King Mswati has been here before. He used to come to Zambia during [former presidents Frederick] Chiluba and [Kenneth] Kaunda's days. He took Mswati to North Western Province because he had nothing to show him that he had achieved," Sata said. "The deceit of our President, that [mine] is not his project. He was cheating Mswati because he had nothing to show him."
Sata said even President Banda's Vice-President, George Kunda, was an opportunist who was failing his President in advising him despite being a learned lawyer.
In Solwezi on Saturday, President Banda told King Mswati that: "We in the last election, Your Majesty, can claim to have won a 100 per cent of the support vote in the last election here, my opponent got zero. All the councillors you see in blue, all of them they are from my party. All the members of parliament, who are in parliament, there is no one from this province who is not MMD. They are all ours. I think it is a special province."
However, according to the figures from the 2008 presidential election, President Banda got 60 per cent of the votes cast in Chavuma Constituency, Mufumbwe [70 per cent], Kabompo East [50 per cent], Kabompo West [55 per cent], Kasempa [72 per cent], Mwinilunga East [39 per cent], Mwinilunga West [52 per cent], Solwezi Central [65 per cent], Solwezi East [62 per cent], Solwezi West [61 per cent], Zambezi East [59 per cent] and Zambezi West [44 per cent].
Out of the 12 constituencies in the province, 10 are for the MMD while two - Mwinilunga East and Zambezi West - are represented by UPND parliamentarians, Katuka and Charles Kakoma, respectively.
Last Friday night, during a state banquet hosted for King Mswati and his wife, Inkosikati Make La-Magongo, at Hotel Intercontinental, President Banda said King Mswati was a wise leader who has successfully blended traditional and democratic governance.
"While you allow traditions to guide the Swazi Society, you have alongside ensured that the Swazi people benefit from economic development and actively participate in the election of their representatives in the government of your majesty," President Banda said. "We pay tribute to you personally and your people for the successful conduct of the elections last September, which contributed to the democratic rule not only in your kingdom but also the SADC region as a whole."
Meanwhile, Sata, who was in visibly good health throughout the interview, continually answered calls from people who enquired over his health after circulation of a text message on Saturday night that he had collapsed.
Sata said the circulation of the message was the behaviour of people who were panicking.
"Look at me! Do I look like a collapsed person who has collapsed to you?" Sata asked this reporter. "Those people who are sending these messages are panicking; I don't know what's worrying them. I want you to tell the nation in what health you found me."
Sata said this was just an indication of how panic had spread in certain camps over the impeachment calls
On the death of his father-in-law Lackson Kaseba, Sata said it was government's inertia in the health sector that had caused bereavements in his family.
He said the death of Kaseba, who died last Saturday at Care for Business Hospital, could have been avoided.
"We took my father-in-law to [University Teaching Hospital] UTH but because nothing was happening there we decided to bring him back home. Yesterday when he got worse we took him to Care for Business and that's where he left us around 17:00 hours," Sata said.
He said poor people in Zambia were watching their relatives die helplessly because they had no resources to afford costs at private clinics.
"We need as a country to do something and do it now," said Sata.
Labels: KING MASWATI III, RICHARD KAPITA, RUPIAH BANDA, UPND
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UPND threatens to sue Siliya
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Moses Kuwema
UPND vice-president Richard Kapita yesterday warned that his party would sue communications and transport minister Dora Siliya to compel her to stop dubious dealings with RP Capital in the partial privatisation of Zamtel.
And former Lusaka MMD vice-secretary Michael Phiri yesterday advised Siliya to step down and pave way for investigations in the matter in which she awarded a US $2 million contract to RP Capital without following procedures.
Commenting on Siliya's ministerial statement in which she defended her decision to award a US $2 million contract to RP Capital Partners Limited of Cayman Islands to valuate the assets of Zamtel and find an equity partner to buy some of the government's shares in the telecommunications company, Kapita said the UPND legal team had already drafted a legal document to sue Siliya over the transaction which he referred to as a scam.
Kapita warned that President Rupiah Banda's government might not last up to 2011 if it continued engaging in corrupt deals to steal money because Zambians did not give them the mandate to pilfer public resources.
“If they don't take this advice, we as UPND will sue and insist that we stop them. We are now working on this matter and for us it's very serious,” Kapita said. “Our legal team is already drafting something to ensure that we do the right thing but I will not pre-empty what they are doing. What I know is that if Dora does not stop this partnership with RP, we will take the necessary processes to legally compel her to stop and save the Zambian people from the scam.”
He said Siliya's ministerial statement in Parliament last Friday did not address the real issues which several Zambians were querying her about.
“What she said in Parliament was not correct; it's just that Zambians don't take national issues seriously. This does not require any debate. Dora must own up and stop taking Zambians for a ride because they [MMD government] thinks that by giving chitenges and mealie-meal during campaigns, they [Zambians] gave them a mandate. They did not give them a mandate to steal from Zambians,” Kapita charged. “The single sourcing doesn't work like that. How did RP or whatever they are called, know about the tender? It means that the other possible suppliers of the service have been disadvantaged because they didn't know about it. Obviously, someone from within the ministry, possibly herself, told them and that is inside trading. It's not correct.”
Kapita warned that Zambians would not allow Siliya and President Banda to go scot-free over the Zamtel and other scams.
“Zambians should condemn this and ensure that Dora stops in her tracks. If she is being arrogant then we shall say Mr Rupiah Banda is giving her that support. Mr Banda should come out and distance himself from what Dora is doing. If he doesn't, then we know that they are acting together, which should not be permitted,” Kapita said.
“I want to give Mr Banda a benefit of doubt on his statement that Dora is smarter and more intelligent than people condemning her. But if that is what he insists then we know that he is the one giving Dora the support to steal money from the Zambian people.”
Kapita said Siliya and President Banda should listen to the concerns of Zambians over the matter and respond accordingly instead of being arrogant.
“In any case, if the whole country is saying this is wrong, why should Dora and Rupiah Banda be against the Solicitor General's and Attorney General's advice?” Kapita asked. “The scandals on Zamtel, airport radars and TAZARA, it's like someone is in a hurry to make money dubiously because the elections are in the next two years. But I can assure, Zambians will stop them and two years may not even last. Something could happen even before 2011 to stop them from doing what [former president Frederick] Chiluba did.”
And Michael Phiri said failure by Siliya to step down would go against the slogan adopted by the MMD in last year's elections where it was agreed that the party would continue with late president Levy Mwanawasa's legacy on the fight against corruption and abuse of office.
"It's only fair that the perpetrators are asked to step down to allow for investigations to take place because in the 2008 elections, our slogan was continuity from where Mwanawasa left and it meant no corruption. But what continuity will be there if we start entertaining acts like these?" Phiri asked.
He recalled that when late president Mwanawasa was in office, MMD Chisamba member of parliament Moses Muteteka was dropped over some allegations concerning land allocations so as to pave way for investigations.
"This is what the continuity should be about. We have people in courts for having awarded themselves contracts without following proper procedures," said Phiri.
Labels: DORA SILIYA, MICHAEL PHIRI, RICHARD KAPITA, RP CAPITAL PARTNERS, UPND
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Kapita counsels UPND to focus on 2011 elections
Written by Gloria Siwisha and Masuzyo Chakwe
Saturday, December 27, 2008 1:36:30 PM
OPPOSITION UPND vice-president Richard Kapita has advised party members to direct their energies towards strengthening the party organs in readiness for the 2011 general elections as opposed to calling for a pact.
And former Milanzi member of parliament and UPND member Chimwala Phiri has supported calls for a pact between the UPND and PF.
Reacting to UPND Southern Province vice- chairperson John Chidyaka who called on the party’s National Management and Committee (NMC) to revive discussions for a pact with stronger political parties before the 2011 general elections, Kapita said such talks were not a priority at the moment.
He said the party’s top leadership was not afraid to revive talks for a possible pact with Patriotic Front (PF) but that now was a time for organising, mobilising and strengthening party organs in readiness for 2011.
“It is a policy matter and our members are entitled to their own opinion as we are a democratic party. We are not scared to talk to any stronger political party for possibilities of a pact but such talks are not a priority right now,” Kapita said.
He said the party had already started a membership recruitment exercise.
“UPND is a listening party and we will listen to everyone and if a pact is what people want, we will later sit down as National Executive Committee and NMC and table it,” Kapita said.
And Kapita expressed regret that President Rupiah Banda had gone to enjoy himself in Mfuwe while many Zambians had nothing to celebrate about during this festive season.
And supporting calls by Chidyaka, Phiri said the majority of UPND members in Eastern Province were in favour of UPND and PF coming together to form a pact.
Phiri, who was also the UPND candidate in the last Milanzi by election, said they felt Zambia needed a strong opposition to enhance democracy and this could only be done by the party coming with PF to form a strong alliance to strengthen the opposition.
Labels: CHIMWALI PHIRI, RICHARD KAPITA, UPND
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I wanted to embarrass Levy - Sata
By Bivan Saluseki and Webster Malido
Thursday June 28, 2007 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front president Michael Sata yesterday said he wanted to embarrass President Levy Mwanawasa had he been allowed to give a vote of thanks during the launch of the Zambia Centre for Inter-party Dialogue (ZCID) at Mulungushi International Conference Centre on Tuesday.
And United Party for National Development (UPND) acting president Richard Kapita has said that his party would not withdraw from the constitution-making process, which is being spearheaded by ZCID.
And Sata said his withdrawal was temporal and he would follow whatever position the Oasis Forum would come up with on the constitution- making process.
Sata confirmed the fears expressed by the MMD over making him deliver a vote of thanks to President Mwanawasa's speech at the launch of ZCID on Tuesday.
"The MMD are right. I was going to embarrass their President. I had prepared for him. I wanted to cross-examine him. I am ready to meet him. In fact, I am looking forward to meeting him so that I cross-examine him," Sata said in an interview.
Sata said President Mwanawasa was trying to put a black veil over people's faces over the constitution-making process.
"I want to force Levy to give details of the constitution-making process," he said.
Sata said he wanted President Mwanawasa to clarify his proposals over the Constitution. He said PF would work with civil society and the Oasis Forum and would follow any decision made by the Forum.
Sata said Zambia needed a constitution that would address several ills affecting the people because political parties were inadequate.
"All politicians are very selfish. They must be pushed," he said.
Sata said when it suited them, politicians could even be baptised in baby swimming pools just because they needed the support of the Church.
"They would even attend churches they don't even know even when they are atheists," he said.
Sata said PF members of central committee would meet on Saturday to chart the way forward.
"We shall dance to the tune of the Oasis Forum. These people are serious. They are people who mean business. We shall listen to the Oasis Forum. If they want a demonstration at SADC conference, we shall go in full force," he said.
"You can't trust Levy Mwanawasa. We can't listen to Levy Mwanawasa. He is hoodwinking us just because of the SADC meeting. In other countries, he wouldn't even be President."
Sata said PF would go wherever President Mwanawasa would be meeting people if that was the only way he could be accessed.
And Sata said Katele Kalumba still had excess baggage in terms of corruption cases and should therefore not have been made board chairperson of ZCID. He said the same treatment being given to Chiluba should have been extended to Kalumba.
Sata said Kalumba's treatment simply showed that the fight against corruption was selective.
Sata said he had earlier been happy with the presidents' summit but later realised that President Mwanawasa should have given more details and not just a proposal on the constitution-making process.
On FDD secretary general Newton Nguni's statement that those who wanted to remain behind would become irrelevant, Sata said Nguni and other ZCID members were merely interested in allowances.
"They are job seekers. They are looking for employment," he said.
Sata said PF was still relevant.
And at a ZCID launch cocktail party at Hotel Intercontinental in Lusaka on Tuesday, Kapita said it was wrong for outsiders to suggest that the UPND had also pulled out of the ZCID process on constitution-making.
On Tuesday, Sata announced the pull-out of his party from the ZCID, saying that President Mwanawasa and other political parties that had gone with him would achieve disaster over the constitution-making process.
But Kapita said UPND would remain committed to the process that had been started by ZCID.
"We will remain involved and engaged until we finish. It's not correct to state that UPND has withdrawn from the process. We all want a good constitution, let those with other agendas remain outside," Kapita said.
"It's a long process but we are willing to stick it out until Zambians are given a good constitution."
And Ng'uni said the process that had been started by the ZCID would not wait for those who were not ready.
"The train has started. Those who want to remain behind will be left behind and will become irrelevant," said Ng'uni.
And United Liberal Party president Sakwiba Sikota said the launch of the ZCID was successful because it was preceded with the summit of presidents, which he said exceeded many people's expectations.
Sikota said what was now needed was to build on the momentum that was started on Saturday which brought a new sense of cooperation among political players.
But he said it was important that the new process carried along all other players such as civil society and the Church because they were all essential.
Sikota reiterated that the proposed constitution conference would be the one to adopt the new constitution while Parliament would only enact it.
He said the composition of the constitution conference was not agreed upon at last Saturday's meeting and that all stakeholders would be involved in deciding itse composition.
Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy regional representative for East and Southern Africa Renier Nijskens urged political parties to ensure that those who had gone out are brought back.
Nijskens said other stakeholders should be convinced to be supportive of the process.
Labels: RICHARD KAPITA, SATA
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