CHIEF Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha says it is unwarranted for former Minister of Defence George Mpombo to allege that President Banda and his administration neglected the health of Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Misheck Bonshe.
Mr Bonshe, who was Mufumbwe MMD member of Parliament, died in Nigeria last Sunday from suspected high blood pressure.
Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mpombo is merely politicking and advancing his political interests at the expense of mourning his departed colleague.
Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said he found it strange for Mr Mpombo to blame Government and President Banda over the untimely death of Mr Bonshe.
He said it is surprising that Mr Mpombo as a delegation leader of the Zambian team which travelled to Mbabane, Swaziland for a Southern African Development Community (SADC) security and politics meeting could not arrange for Mr Bonshe’s evacuation to South Africa for specialised treatment.
“This is so since Mr Mpombo says South Africa was just about 30 minutes away from where the meeting was taking place,” he said.
Gen. Shikapwasha said Mr Mpombo should have alternatively used his initiative to suggest even driving Mr Bonshe to South Africa for advanced treatment.
The minister said it appeared attending the SADC meeting was more important to Mr Mpombo than his friend’s health.
He said since Mr Mpombo said the Zambian delegation included some medical doctors, logistical arrangements could have easily been made in collaboration with the Zambian High Commission in South Africa and the Ministry of Health to have Mr Bonshe evacuated to South Africa.
Gen. Shikapwasha said Government is taken aback by Mr Mpombo’s narration that after the SADC meeting, the Zambian delegation was flown together with Mr Bonshe to Livingstone via Johannesburg for a Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission meeting.
He wondered why Mr Mpombo did not become considerate enough to suggest that Mr Bonshe be hospitalised in Johannesburg where their booked plane landed before proceeding to Livingstone to substantiate the former minister’s claims that the deceased was a very close family friend of his.
“I wish to make it clear that this Government pays meticulous attention to cases of critical sickness such as the one which afflicted the late Deputy Minister of Home Affairs,” he said.
Gen. Shikapwasha said there is no way that there would be negligence on the part of Government to let Mr Bonshe die without being subjected to good medical attention.
He said as far as evacuations of critically ill people are concerned, Government does not segregate.
The minister said Government pays undivided attention to all, including those in the opposition or the ruling party with high level examples being the cases of Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata and the late Mainza Chona.
Gen. Shikapwasha said it is Government’s view that Mr Mpombo is off the mark when he alleges that President Banda and his administration did not care for the health of Mr Bonshe.
He said Mr Mpombo’s utterances should be treated as unfounded verbiage aimed at politicising Mr Bonshe’s death to enhance his political image.
The minister accused Mr Mpombo of seemingly being desperate to mend his dented political career through his unguided and improperly researched statements.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Ronnie you have fully responded to Mpombo’s allegations. He said that he contacted the Zambian govt and hours later the response he got was the govt had no money to evacuate Bonshe to RSA. is that true or not? What sort of initiative did you want Mpombo to take? did you want him to use his own money? In all fairness i think health is a personal matter i wonder why Bonshe never took it upon himself to go to a hospital in South Africa when he was the one feeling pain. was there a reason?
#1 You must be a deluded POST/PAC/PF Cadre addicted to sensationalism and lies. Your flag shows you live here in South Africa and you know better that there is no direct flight from Mbambane to Namibia and for your own information All government officials fly SAA. Can’t you add the two together and extrapolate the truth. If Hon Boshe manage to landed in JHB, why was he not excused from continuing to Namibia and just drive to a clinic here, something we at the embassy would have easily facilitated. We have cars to drive to the airport and pick up People. As Hon LT GEN has put it , Mpombo is just trying lying and trying to use the funeral to score fake points ..how cheap and low can one sink and cadres and the POST like you have fallen for his lies ..Grow up please
This mans reasoning is beyond me! I can’t believe what i’m reading. What initiative should Mpombo have used? Chipuba sana Ronnie!! There is definately a better explanation than the one he is advancing. What sort of leaders do we have kanshi? Bonshe is dead. D-E-A-D!! Chapwa.
Iwe Rev iwe, uzisunge. At the rate at which your collegues are departing…. Lobe!!
Also any medical doctor worth his salt and somebody who indeed spent seven years in med school would not have allowed Bonshe to fly to Namibia to attend the meeting if indeed he was in a state that Mpombo described. If they landed in JHB with Mboshe, why did they not ask for an ambulance. Or perhaps does our colleague Mpombo think that only by airlifting a person in a private jet would cure them of their disease forever? If that is his thinking , sorry we can’t help there. We shall respect his opinion and God bless which ever institution of education where this man went.
And it is very odd that even the POST sat down with him and listened to that story and even passed it through their editorial board and published it! I guess it is Gutter journalism all the way to the top
#2 Useless MMD Bootlicker. The EVIL in you is so clear just like your bishop brother above Shikas. Ever denying anything said against this government without giving proper reasons even in death. YOU CHAPS WILL PAY ONE DAY. YOUR LIVES WILL NEVER BE SAME, MARK MY WORDS! >:)>:)
# 2, You live in Sout Africa but it seems you are oblivious to the situation in South Africa. Even if Bonshe was dropped off at OR for you to pick him up, would Morningside Clinic have admitted him without a guarantee from the Zambian government that they were going to foot the bill? NEVER! It is therefore most s.t.u.p.i.d of you to blame Mpombo who to me did all he could by following the right channels to have his friend attended to. Though I sometimes blame Zambians, why send dying people for strenous meetings overseas? Look at Kunda, the man is clearly self-immolating from the ravages of HIV but “ni kamwendo munjila” campaigning and slandering the opposition everyday. If he dives into a coma while “munjila”, you f.o.o.l.s will pick up the bill for the return of his burnt remains.
# 2 we can argue all we want the bottom line is what stopped Bonshe from excusing himself and go to the hospital? he was not a child he knew better. Secondly Ronnie is saying Mpombo should have used initiative , what initiative can one use apart from chartering an air ambulance? did you want Mpombo to pay from his pocket? Yesterday Mpombo claimed he requsted for money to evacuate Bonshe to RSA, Ronnie has not mentioned that and you Mr Embassy rep you have not denied that. Sick people should not assigned to demanding jobs anyway.
#3 Ba Moze, you sensationalism and lies addict, here is the initiative he could have used. Since he claimed that there was no money for airlifting Bonshe, Bonshe had a ticket to JHB and he did used it indeed. So when they landed in JHB, he could have phoned the embassy to arrange for an ambulance or just an embassy car to take Bonshe to clinic. Did he do that ? NO… I work here and ask anybody or even Mpombo himself if he did that? Is that rocket science. Keep your common sense young man, don’t be sucked into politics of lies.
Lets not blame the Post newspaper, the post merely reported what Mpombo said. They didn’t advance their opinion on this matter. I think its also wrong to accuse #1 of being a PACT cadre as we can tell from his balanced input especially his last sentence. I have also noticed that those who criticize our govt on this blog are deemed as PF Kaponyas etc and likewise those who write anything critical of opposition are regarded as MMD cadres.
what was the point of having medical doctors on the entourage if they could not intervene and have Bonshe sent to a hospital. Clearly the govt was at fault and trying to justify their actions is not the solution here. The solution is retire sick pipo like Kunda they are a foot in the grave character and will definitely die on duty soon
#2,#4 what you should know is you work for the gov and i hope you have steel enough to take care of yourself when you get fired. One day you live to remember as the bemba say; uwaisa kuya aya, thats how it is when you working for the gov. when the gov change you loose your job just pray hard so you can stay beyond 2011 and of which i dout. God bless you MMD ch…f bootliker
iwe chi # 8 you are making us angry with your reasoning, you Mr Bonshe could not reason for himself to Phone the embassy? did he not know the number or was he that sick he could not even think of going to the hospital? secondly there was a medical doctor in the group what was his input? he should have his practice license suspended if he did nothing to help or suggest the sick man goes to the hospital
Tick tok tick tok tick tock,anyone working in the embassy will be recalled back and have their contracts re-examined,you will either be seconded to another mission or stay back hme to be seconded to any ministry,in the unlikely event that mmd wins,there are a lot of mmd caders out there who want the same jobs,the end is nigh
#2 coming to the issue at hand,Mpombo called and was told there was no money,even if the plane landed in SA enroute to namibia,he couldnt just dump Bonshe at Morning Side,they need payment first and you at the embassy dont have such emergency funds and you’ve got no say whatsoever on such matters,not even directing a driver,you are a level 1 officer
I like Ronnie when he is taking a mid and whole day nap…and overnight prayer.. then we don`t hear his :-@ yapping…some one in zed pliz over dose him wit valium… |-)
#9 Mossad-KGB
You are very disappointing also. Is it because it is Friday and you have decided to take leave of your senses or rather suspend you intelligence so that you can enjoy this silly movie the POST is making you watch. How can you say the POST is not to blame for publishing such nonsense from Mpombo. What is the editorial team for if they just publish what anybody says
Do you mean to tell me that I can go to the POST offices and say I have Killed RB and I have his head in my fridge and they would just publish that, without verifying, checking and authenticating whether what I said was true or not?
You have really taken sub standard reporting to a whole new level my friend. Thanks for lowering the bar even further. Now we shall have more gutter journalism from Kulima…
#13 stop peddling lies, you don’t know how the system work here. Nobody goes to hospital with cash first to get treatment. Stop hallucinating ..we have arrangement with these clinics and our accounts have never defaulted. Check the AG report before you yap senselessly.. No body is saying Bonshe should have called, this is the initiative Mpombo as a senior member of the delagtion and senior member of the MMD NEC should have used ..
Anyway am off to work. Enjoy your Friday everybody. It has been nice debating with you and am sure other gallant members of our great party, poised for a landslide in 2011, will take this debate to even a higher level. No hard feelings. we are all Zambians and we love our country. l-) l-) l-) is working
RB and company are quick to send thieves like that lazo to SA, but an honorable man died in Nigeria, out of desperation. It’s medical services for people who do RB favors, not hard workers.
# 16, i live in South Africa, you are talking nonsense. without cash you wont be treated. if it was as easy as you put it The MP would have simply walked in the hospital and got treatment
# 4 Boot licker you are missing the point. Who was going to pay for the ambulance to pick Bonshe up when they landed in Jo berg ? Not Mpombo’s money for a government official!!
My story now. too bad Mr Bonshe died.May his soul rest in peace.
Mr Bonshe’s first born son is my cousin but Ba Bonshe denied him saying that He was not the father but his friend was. The whole incident happened in Kasempa at Mukinge area some years back early 1970s. But my cousin’s mother before she died, she told him (cousin) that your father is Mr Ngenechi Bonshe who works at bank of Zambia. In 1995 my cousin after the death of his mum, went to look for his father who ceremoniously welcomed him that my son. This cousin of mine is now living in Kabwe and looks like somebody who’s father had no money to take care of him. Mr Bonshe knew this but he let his own son to languish in poverty……this man is right there in Kabwe and his name is Jebby Bonshe and that is what is writern on…
i have made 2 observations here. 1 Mr Bonshe never seemed to care about his health, 2 i think he loved travelling. In any situation one’s health is of utmost importance. I wonder why h never took charge of his health and gone to the hospital himself. im sure he had the money and he knew he was sick. he did not need the govt to pay for him. secondly travelling to Nigeria in your late stages of sickness was not gonna help at all. Im sure the preacher he went to see has been around for a long time why didnt he go there earlier? lets face it ARV’s are readily available they could have sorted this at a lower case than what we are going to pay for the funeral
written on his reg. they actually look alike….if Mr Bonshe went and accepted his son or perhaps go for DNA test just to be clear if that he was his son. because this man upto now if he gets drunk Mr bonshe was his song “MY DAD is RICH”
too bad may your soul rest in peace
Bootlicker, your problem is that you want to support all sorts of lies. You chaps at these so called Embassy have been known to be very uncooperative to your own citizens. And dont lie here, most hospitals will not attend to you without cash! For once baba, tell the truth. Mpombos options were limited, if none at all. The man calls State House and is told to wait! Tulebako serious. Let me know what you think when you come back from work. Viva PACT!
# 22. You are talking ama illele. Whats having a son got to do with this topic ?. You sound like you were jelous of him( the son). Move on !!
ASSLICKER # 16 Please spare us the clap. Which hospital would you have taken him without money or medical aid. And you spend a lot of time blogging than serving us at your so called embassy. You are a shushu. Enjoy while it lasts. I somehow know this man. For God’s sake service the people not MMD. You call the embassy, they tell you to call later. Reason-meeting/blogging.
Exactly what did Bonhe die of?
All of you 25 posters above, Let me ask you a question, Why is it that in Africa the death of anybody is blamed on somebody.
Now the Government is being blamed for this death? Did it kill him or the man knew very well that he was a sick man to undertake this trip.
DEATH IS DEATH, It can Happen anytime even when Billion of US$ are spent.
EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY HAS NOW BECOME POLITICAL EVEN DEATH, RAIN, SUNSHINE, DROUGHT, WIND MONKEYS DOGS —– SAAAD STORY
A Tonga (Aisha) farmer goes to town one day and happens to run into his old pal the tractor salesman. “How’s business?” asks the Tonga farmer. “Not very good, I haven’t sold a tractor in months, How are things on the farm?” asked the salesman. “Well– The other day I went out to the Kraal to milk that old cow I have. I started milking and she swatted me with her tail, so I tied her tail to the roof. I started milking again and she kicked me with her left leg so I tied that to the left side of the stall. I started milking again and she kicked me with her right leg so I tied that one to the right side of the stall. About that time my wife walked in the barn, and if you can convince her that I was just trying to milk that damn cow, I ll buy a tractor from you!!”
A businessman was confused about a bill he had received, so he asked his secretary for some mathematical help. “If I were to give you $20,000, minus 14%, how much would you take off?” he asked her. The secretary replied, “Everything but my earrings.”
Well,I think that when the Govt said there was no money, what was meant most kikely is money for Air evacuation hence Mpombo as delegation leader should have asked the Doctor on the Delegation for his own opinion.Thereafter they could have decided to leave him-Bonshe in SA on there way to Namibia. But Nway what do you expect from Mpombo? When he was minister of Defence He almost Drowned at The Royal Zambezi after the Monkey Charged at Him.how then could he have inspired the key Ministry of Defence?The Man can t shave both His beards and his under ********* Iwe us ladies with Our choices when marrying, and the Wife accepts to kiss that Man and letter enjoy him No ways.I am sure his Ampits are like Sh**T awe as leader lets be smart in both life style and work.What does the word Mpombo mean?
Mbombo did what a ritfull person could do inform the president about Bonshe’s health and Govenments reaction was that they did not have money!mbombo is not a rich man to pay for his collegues bills,Ronnie behaves like a Spokes person in German before the collapse of the Berlin wall hez an I.d.o.I.t,these are chaps who are ready to spend bilions of money to discredit SATA an Billions on bYe elections but they can’t spend on Healthy of their own Minister,a child also died in UTH who needed evacuation to south africa coz his kidneys were swallen despite apeals on znbc the child died worse his father even lost a job just to luk after his son in livingstone hospital,Shikapwasha don’t defend wrongs awee mwee wait for 2011,
Come on, firstly my condolences on the death of Bomshe MHSRIP. now Mpombi is just being a clown and cheal opportunistic politician. how long ago did Mpombo resighn ? Now why is he blaming that incident last year for his friends death. Mpombo is not a doctor and such he would not know when it is nessecary to evacuate someone, that is left to the experts. And they were doctors on the trip according to Mpombo, who are ina better position to advise. On initiative in all fairness mpombo as delegation leader could have checked Bonshe in to a hospital and paid from the funds that they are given. As for Bonshe’s actions i dont want to comment much but say he was an adult and therefore responsible for his health
Shamrock, what link do you see between Mpombo’s death and the south african incident? Dont you know that Zambia has an embassy in RSA and that Givernment delegations carry extra money for use in eventualities . this man according to Mpombo was evne able to travel and attend a subsequent meeting. If he was sicj he would have travelled home and been back in Lusaka in a couple of hours. i done think the President should personally intervene whenever A minister is sick. This should be left to the releavant offices. And how long ago was this incident
Imwe banthu! Mpombo called the president, and a govt official told him there was no money!!! end of story,katele kalumba was evacuated to india,then there was money,meanwhile he’s not a govt official,get over it,go drink beer its friday ffs
What a sarcastic fellow this MMD Chief Bootlicker! No wonder some of our embassies are an embarrasment to ourselves. I shudder to imagine facing this kind of vomit when I visit my embassy.
Cant someone tell me, what has happened about the degree clause for presidential candidates? Has it died a natural death after hearing that Sata has 1 or is it 2?
# 32 the moral of the story is sick pipo should not be appointed as ministers.They are depleting our coffers by dying on duty in foreign lands. All ministers should under go medical tests before taking up positions, just like presidents must have degrees.
Bottom line: IF WE TOOK CARE OF OUR HOSPITALS, this subject would not have arisen and Shikapwasha could have tried to spend his time productively and all of us wouldn’t have wasted all these manhours calling each other names.
If I was a member of the Bonshe family, I would be extremely agitated to see that someone is trying to make political capital from his death. Is there nobody from the family in question to speak about the treatment or lack of that Bonshe received from the govt? Why should it be a person who has an axe to grind who should speak on their behalf? Some of you will just jump on any little story that is put out that discredits the govt. You, Mpombo and the Post should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to score political points on the death of a fellow Zambian. I guess you have to clutch at straws given the fact that your cobra is currently licking his wounds.
#27(Better)
You have a very valid point.MHSRIP.Mr Bonshe was 65,had a family and ofcourse had responsibility over his healthy.My question is:Does it mean that since falling sick in Mbabane when Mpombo was still Minister the hon had been bedridden?and if so from what disease? if its BP as reported then Iam sure the hon from time to time used to see doctors(local doctors) untill he decided to seek spiritual help.I find Mpombo’s accusations baseless.Death is death.Teta was in Morning Clinic but still died.
Shikapwasha dn Mpombo :-w. Can yu give us a break, we are trying to concentrate on serious things, like how to win the seat for the PF/UPND.
Honourable Mpombo, this is typical of your species. Get real and give us real issues of bread and butter for we the suffering and marginalised Zambian population. Honourable Bonse MYSRIP and may the kind Lord by his grace and kindness strengthen the family and friends during this moment of great loss and sorrow. Honouable Mpombo may you rot in hell for trying to politicise the demise of a hard working minister and MP
Mpombo is a monkey. For those who are looking for the meaning of the word Mpombo. I end there.No further comment, the definition speaks for itself, I need not explain any further.
May your soul rest in peace Hon Bonshe. Until we meet again.
MMD Chief Bootlicker you indeed shameless Bootlicker. clear your conscience and stop wrriting that sh*t.
Mpombo is so much of a cry baby. No. 40, 42 & 43 are spot on. Hon. Bonshe (MHSRIP) was a minister in the current gov’t, is there any reason of him being mistreated?
#38, right on the mark! If our politicians cared about the welfare of ALL the people, they woud have ensured decent local health services that would cater for everyone, and there would be no need for them to seek segregative treatment in SA.
It pains so much that one’s hard earned cash, taken in taxes, is used to pamper only those in power, including thieves who have stolen from the people! SHAME.
MHSRP.
From Mpombo’s account, This man cud have died out of diabetis (high sugar levels) Doctors on the blog can correct me. I think as Zambians we may be missing an important point. It looks like dieing is Zambia has become dishonourable. Are we saying there is no hospital in Zambia which can manage a disease like this? it appears we are all arguing about Mpombo but what about the state of our health institutions. Are we saying we shud be evacuating any minister who suffers even from a critical form of Malaria? Evacuating people to SA is not an option, can we equip our hospitals and stop the brain drain.
# 37. Firstly they are lot of pipo dying everyday from various diseases/ complications. Some pipo live for decades with heart condiions/ BP / diabetes etc So at stage can one be declared sick or not ? Secondly the President is restricted to appoint members from parliamant (apart from the ten nominated ones, so ) and he is retricted in his appoinment , and I must add that this is a modern age where we dont stigmatise pipo who have health challenges. Done be petty. We all have pipo who we know who have these health problems but are very good pipo and in their unique ways make positive contributions to their employers/ family/ friends etc
Perhaps he was beyond repair. Otherwise how could the accompanying doctors help him? But, as far as I can see, no matter how you look at it, Mr Mpombo is being naughty like a little child misbehaving behind a school toilet. If Zambia had politicians like this one, it explains why we are where we are! What qualities does this man have that he was appointed to the third highest post in the land?
One thing is for sure. Mpombo better pray that he himself does not get ill any time soon because RB wont pay for his treatment in SA and I doubt if anybody in Zambia or abroad would now accept any of his cheques.
Mpombo should learn to keep his mouth shut at times. He blames RB for everything bad that is happening in Zambia. The Post newspaper spends a lot of time on RB, some stories are a waste of time. Please let us talk about developing our mother Land not politics all the time.
#16 Chief Pootlicker..you have today Confessed that you are worknig at the Zambian Mission in South Africa.This gives us the Understanding why you are so Arrogant and hopeless in your contribution and debate in favour of Thieves on this blog.Shame on you!!.The Only reason you defend these thieves is for your own survival,for fear of being recalled back home when there is change of Buteko(Govt)..we are eargerly waiting for Other Confessions from VETERAN,CAPITALIST AND Senior I.d.i.ot.
Mpombo!!!!!! who told u that Ministers can never die or people in high positions can never die?? Just accept death whether a billionair or inchushi, the fact is that we shall all die……..Iwe mpombo uli mututu sana
Mr Shikapwasha is talking clap!. I thought that Mpombo explained that he needed a go ahead from the President so that Bonshe could be flown to South Africa.Mpombo called Rupiah and RB said he was going to get back to Mpombo.Mpombo also informed Lesle Mbula in SA to get help but Lusaka said they didnt have money to pay Hospital bills and the flight charge from Swaziland to SA.Now,what initiative does Shikapwasha wanted Mpombo to do?.I have always thought that Soldiers are inteligent people but not what Im seeing in Shikapwasha,I really dont understand his dullness.
Iwe chi MMD bootlicker you are not supposed be arrogant, we need professional civil servants to work at our embasies not you *****. Come back and adminster ka George Kunda some ARVs
Why wasn’t he admitted in a Swazi hospital?
NO 11: Mpombo means duiker (lamba, bemba) but please don’t ask what it means in Nyanja, Bemba, Kunda, Chewa…..!!!!
What I do not understand is that this evacuation is from last year ! The man came to Zambia and was in Hospitol for months. Is Mpombo saying if that evacution happend this will not hav happened. Nonsense. It is not like he died on the way back from the seminar. It was time to go !! M. H. S. R I P.
#55. Good point
#18 YOU ARE RIGHT BUT DON’T KNOW THAT WHEN THESE PEOPLE ARE TRAVELLING EVERYTHING IS CATTERED FOR? SO BLAIMING RB IS NOT FAIR. THE IMPALA IS JUST BEING CHILDISH. HE HAS BEEN IN GOVT FOR MANY YEARS AND HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS. LET US NOT CONFUSE THE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT KNOW HOW THINGS WORK. THE LATE WAS ON GOVT TICKET LIKE ANY OTHER, SO HE HAD ALL THE ROGHTS TO MEDICATION ANYWHERE. AND THOSE BANA MPOMBO COULD HAVE HELP THE SICK BY DOING WHAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE THE BEST, NOT TO BLAME THE RB WHEN MPOMBO HIMSELF HAS FAILED. MR BONSHE R.I.P.
LT we have had enough nonsense from this political pretender Antelope alias Impala Mpombo, next story please!
I find these political statements really disappointing. I cannot understand how these so calld leaders in our countrycan honestly parade themselves to make statements such as these. Mpombo firstly how can you say such things and why is it that you find time to put blame on Govt every time and Shikapwsha, honestly you can get up to come up with such a comment. Do you check what comes out your mouth every time you speak. It is pathetic that we can call these people our leaders. And I wonder what our tamaga President is going to say now that he has come back, by teh way how long will he be in Zambia this time around?