PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said Government cannot constitute an independent enquiry to probe the violence that led to loss of life and property in Mufumbwe as demanded by a consortium of non-governmental organisations.
Speaking to journalists on arrival at the Lusaka International Airport from Tanzania yesterday, President Banda said it would be contradictory to set up an enquiry when the matter had already gone to court.
“We have gone to court. It’s better to leave the matter with the court. We do not need an enquiry we will be contradicting ourselves,” he said.
The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP), Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and Caritas Zambia on Wednesday demanded that President Banda should immediately set up a commission of enquiry to probe the violence in Mufumbwe.
The NGOs said the enquiry should exclude the police because they were part of the violence.
On the just ended World Economic Forum, President Banda said the meeting discussed issues affecting Africa as a continent.
He said the meeting discussed how the continent could be brought together to speak with one voice.
President Banda said problems facing the continent could only be resolved through unity.
“I was so proud for Tanzania to host such a big, big conference, they did it so well,” he said.
He said he had learnt a lot by talking to other delegates and by listening to specialised speeches from people with a lot of experience in agriculture and education.
He explained that Education Minister Dora Siliya accompanied him to Tanzania because the conference had a lot to do with education.
President Banda was responding to Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata who questioned why Ms Siliya accompanied the head of State to Tanzania.
The president was welcomed at Lusaka International Airport by acting Vice-President and Defence Minister Kalombo Mwansa, senior Government and party officials.
Meanwhile, President Banda held consultative talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region.
President Banda is the current chairperson of the Great Lakes Region.
Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere said this to Zambian journalists in Dar-es Salaam shortly before Mr Banda left for Lusaka.
“In his capacity as the Great Lakes Region chairperson, President Banda held consultative talks on the security situation in the region,” Mr Jere said.
The president also held discussions with TAZAMA Pipelines regional manager Abraham Sawanyama and Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) manager for special duties Pascal Mulenga.
:(( only one day, mulimu abe ni mina
Independent enquiry will investigate violence,find the causes that lead to the violence and who was behind the violence and make recommendations so that this violence does not happen again,the commission will or is not interested in who won the elections and whether they rigged or not
Thats for ECZ and the Courts
whats important here is to stop this violence by getting rid of the perpetrators,with all due respect to the President,sometimes his reasoning is beyond comprehension
BA MMD, YOU SEE RB IS SCARED TO PROBE VIOLENCE IN MUFUMBWE…WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP IS THIS? FAILURE TO PROBE VIOLENCE…ANOTHER LOSS FOR MMD!!
#3: You got that one right. Clearly, Rupiah Banda is afraid of what might come out of an independent enquiry into the violence in Mufumbwe. Sure enough I believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty. But when a head of state refuses to institute an investigation that will bring out the truth, it leaves cause for speculation. And sadly, my speculation is that the MMD knows that an independent enquiry will pin the blame on MMD and the toothless police service.
What a disgusting creature! Justice will be done one day.
“I was so proud for Tanzania to host such a big, big conference, they did it so well,” he said.
For some reason that sounds like a statement you would hear from a Grade 2 retard not a President. RB must have very low expectations of himself and country.
The best is to have indepent inquiry in the mfumbwe by election violence and not to find out who won the election we already know that it is UPND but who caused the violence?
Lelo, lelo, ilyashi lya mubipila Lupiya…. this Mufumbwe issue followed him all the way to Tanzania. Journalists know how to smell a rat and follow it’s trail.
“Meanwhile, President Banda held consultative talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe”
Is Banda forming a Pact of violence with Mugabe? What is there to discuss or consult with Mugabe? This is a very dangerous thing to hear about. I do remember how Mugabe’s people beat up Tshangarai. Is Banda planning the same to Sata and HH? Banda is asking Mugabe how to intimidate and kill opponents from the world known killer and dictator. I do not remember Mwanawasa taking that stance at all. In fact he asked Mugabe to step down. Has Banda done so yet? Why not? Is this the confirmation that “Birds of same feathers fly together”?
Mr. Banda, consulting with Mugabe is like consulting with Hitler of Mlosovic. What sane person can seat and consult with such people? You should be ashamed of yourself.
Useless decision by the state because MMD has killed three people through they losing candidate’ s son. Paying for the burnt churches showed admission of guilty by whoever did that. IG should be the best to tell the nation on this incidence because he was there. Boma ni Boma but it expires. We need to help the deceased family on this court issue in Mufumbwe. Imagine in a village town doing this, what will happen in cities and urban areas next year. Soldiers should be ready not these political police cadres who allow ordinary citizen impersonating as State Police. If not Kenya and Zimbabwe chaos awaits 2011 general election in Zambia.
IF YOU DON,T SET UP AN INQUIRY INTO THE VIOLENCE THAT LEFT US WOUNDED, DON,T EVEN CRY OVER THE RESULTS. WE SHALL SET UP OUR OWN INQUIRY. REMEMBER WE DON,T NEED YOU TO FUND US. LET GO N.G.Os THIS MAN IS NOT INTERESTED IN OUR LIVES BUT JUST TO POLITIC AND ****ING DORA IN CONFERENCES.
Case is in court? Well it`s easy to manipulate the courts isn`t it? And, it means the truth will never be told. Pathetic.
You guys just like inquaries and seminars. they cost money. The president has said the issues is in the courts, lets see the outcome. His exellency says Siliya was taken to the economic forum because foundamentally ,especially as regards Africa, the right edcucation will enhance the economic thinking of students. were are all those who were vomiting after Sata as usual speaks without thinking. You see addressing kaponyas all the time ,you end up not researching what you say and your perifery audiance become kaponyas in their thinking. Sata is so thick, as president, Zambia will lose 10 yrs in his first 5 yrs.
# 14 you are a retard we not talking about SATA HERE Sata was not even their were people died. Kuti watukana
Right on RB, those NGOs are just scared what the petition will reveal about their political allies. How are you going to set up an inquiry anyway? Who will be the members? Will those NGOs accept the members? Who will appoint them? With such a useless and argumentative civil society, it will take us twenty years of senseless arguments and blogging before you even start the inquiry. Petition and courts is the way to go, we do not have twenty years before 2011.
By the way, the Rt Hon George Kunda, Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, has arrived back home. He looked strong and fit as ever if not stronger, a huge contrast to the stories spread by all the sadists and satanists, including that one who takes Holy Communion whenever he has time to confess his sadistic sins. Welcome home, VP!
# 15 Red Card Walyako
But you are backward. Let me give you a clue. “RB did not need to take siliya to dar…”. It was Sata who said that you retard, that is what i was talking about. RB was countering sata, You are a one track mind retard.
The MMD know they lost Mufumbe and resorted to Violence even before the polls openned. They are scared to have a commission of enquiry cause they will be faulted. They want to use the compromised courts to pettition the elections. It wont work, the MMD fielded a fossil Mulondwe Muzungu whose son hasnt been yet arrested for killing two children that were cerebrating UPND win.
The MMD know they lost Mufumbwe and resorted to Violence even before the polls openned. They are scared to have a commission of enquiry cause they will be faulted. They want to use the compromised courts to pettition the elections. It wont work, the MMD fielded a fossil Mulondwe Muzungu whose son hasnt been yet arrested for killing two children that were cerebrating UPND win.
There is need to separate the party from the govt. The MMD has gone to court, not govt.Therefore, a commission is in order. And is RB saying Dora’s understanding of the economy is better than musokotwane’s understanding of education?This was an economic forum, and education was only part of the discussion, not the main discussion
Seems presido forgot which forum he had gone to attend, EDUCATION?? I thought it was the ECONOMIC FORUM ON AFRICA!!! #15 you are even supporting him – yes by stretching ones imagination, it will indeed boil down to improving education in Africa, however not by the current GRZ’s formula as evidenced & petitioned by UNZASU!!
sorry #15, I meant #14 kc !