PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda says the opposition is de-campaigning itself by castigating Government for mobilising funds to develop roads.
He trashed allegations by the opposition that his recent directive to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to mobilise funds for roads development is a political ploy aimed at rigging elections.
“To me, those are non-issues and the opposition are just de-campaigning themselves,” Mr Banda said.
He said this yesterday at City Airport on arrival from Katete where he went to campaign for MMD candidate in the Milanzi Parliamentary by-election, Whiteson Banda.
Mr Banda said he could not give a directive for development programmes because it was impossible for him to foresee the by-elections in Milanzi and Mufumbwe Constituencies.
He said there is no way he could give directives for development programmes based on the by-elections, adding that he pities the opposition, which he said is panicking.
Mr Banda said the Ministry of Finance initiated one of the programmes included in his directive over a year ago.
“In fact, people should be happy with such projects. There are several programmes that are taking place countrywide in areas that are not undergoing by-elections,” he said.
Mr Banda said one of the roads extends beyond Mufumbwe and cited the Chipata-Lundazi and Kasama-Luwingu as some of the roads that are being rehabilitated.
And the President said he is confident that MMD will retain the Milanzi seat which fell vacant following the death of Reuben Banda of the ruling party.
He said his campaign trail in Milanzi was good for the MMD.
Mr Banda said people of Milanzi received him and his delegation well and that big crowds attended the MMD rallies.
He said the people appreciate MMD programmes relating to construction of new roads and schools.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Lieutenant-General Ronnie Shikapwasha and Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja and the defence chiefs received Mr Banda at the airport.
Please have other programmes as well, not just roads, e.g., clean drinking water piped to every household, demolish illegal compounds, let professionals allocate land – not William Banda – education, health, youth employment, skills training, etc, etc
Why not mobilise funds to stop flooding before they happen?Mobilise funds to build universities so our yung people don’t get butchered by russian demons!
Government cannot stop governing just because there are elections 18 months away! I have never heard such a ridiculous statement as this from the opposition! This may be worth some consideration if the statement to repair roads was made within the 90 days after elections are called and parliament is disolved. But to hear this from seasoned politicians such as Sata is gross political indecency and contemptible! Has he forgotten how with Chiluba and Nawakwi they came to Ndola a few weeks before the elections of 1996 to switch on Masala market lights? Perhaps in his mind, that was campaigning and so he expects others to use his same dirty tactics!
Sata, and Chiluba did alot of things together, the only reason why he formed PF was out of disappointment for not being chosen MMD president. he was the chief adviser to Chiluba and the Chief Third Term Campaign Manager
PF cadres cannot see this, they are busy throwing there mass behind sata, what has made sata different between 1996 and 2010