MINISTER of Defence Kalombo Mwansa says President Banda does not owe the nation an explanation over allegations by Kafulafuta member of Parliament George Mpombo that he was involved in an arms procurement deal involving US$100 million.
“The President has nothing to explain because procurement of public goods and services is a function of civil servants. The President has no role whatsoever in the procurement of goods and services, including arms. So there is nothing for him to explain,” Dr Mwansa said.
He said this to journalists at Lusaka International Airport shortly after seeing off President Banda who travelled to Livingstone yesterday.
Recently, Mr Mpombo claimed that he resigned as Minister of Defence because he refused to be part of President Banda’s alleged involvement in the procurement of arms worth US$100 million from South Africa.
And Dr Mwansa said there is no need for Zambians to worry about any possible breakdown of law and order as the country heads towards the 2011 general elections.
He said everyone knows that Zambia is peaceful and citizens have lived in peace since independence.
“So there is nothing that should change that position and I can assure the people of Zambia that they should remain peaceful and go about their lives without worrying about any breakdown of law and order. That will not happen and there is just no basis for that,” Dr Mwansa said.
He was reacting to a story in The Post in which Kabwata member of Parliament Given Lubinda was quoted as saying Zambians are not safe in their own country following recent killings blamed on the police.
Dr Mwansa said defence forces will guarantee peace before, during and after elections, as they have always done in the past.
“We are alert to ensure that we deal with any breakdown in law and order but I don’t think there will be any need for us to be worried and deploy our forces to maintain peace. Zambians are always peaceful. They always maintain their peace and this will continue before, during and after elections,” Dr Mwansa said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
No comments from RB for the first time….i am suprised!
guilty son of a btch. he has nothing to say, he fears to expose himself. who doesnt how this chikala likes to vomit.
A smoking gun, I must say
It is quite sad that the president has nothing to say and I hope the words printed her were Kalombo’s coz there is a tinge of arrogance. When there is a matter the president being a public servant shud step up or step down. Anyway time will tell.
It is quite sad that the president has nothing to say and I hope the words printed here were Kalombo’s coz there is a tinge of arrogance. When there is a matter the president being a public servant shud step up or step down. Anyway time will tell.
mwefipuba whats wrong with an arms deal lekeni tukwate infuti we need arms every country does it ignorant bastards.
MWAPE, YOU UNDERTAND ISSUE IN QUETION. IT’S NOT WRONG TO ACQUIRE GUNS BUT THE HOW DID RB ACQUIRE THE GUNS?
Iwe mwape Augustine No. 6 we mwana wa musula nkashi ya chinyo chinuka. How can you just abuse bloggers from nowhere. Youre guilty also. Just making all of us sin now. Obama has just explained his birth now what more RB and Arms for a poor country. Thats a huge amount of our GDP and his accountable to explain if querried. No says we dont need arms but if he is buying through his sons them its wrong. They must be arrested. I dont care but long afert his dead after his second term I promise to unearth his grave and throw his carcass in the middle of Cairo Rd. After all he wont be gaurded 24 Hrs. Bye
The serious nature of the allegation against the President by Former Minister of Defence warrants that he responds to clear any suspicions. Knowing how Rupiah behaves on small things, he could have not let this one go away just like that. There is undisputed truth to what Mpombo told the public about this arms deal and rupiah does not know how he is going to dispel this hard fact
This time mambala has been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Thank you Mpombo for your patriotism and exposing this corrupt rupiah
Mpombo’s arms allegations are grave. Since they are smelling corruption the President whether he likes it or not owes this nation an explanation. In some countries Presidents even resign over such allegations. The question is “are the allegations true or not?”
Even if it’s civil servants who do the purchasing most tenders are influenced by state house, example Zamtel asset evaluation and subsequent selling of shares to lap green. Principled and honest leaders who are there to serve and not to be served take such issues seriously. If anything we are RB’s boss. We employed him. So he owe us an explanation.
Collectively as Zambians, we are huge failures. Tulifipuba fye.
WELL, THEY SAY SILENCE IS GOLDEN, BUT IT ALSO IMPLIES CONSENT……AS FOR THE PEACEFUL ZAMBIANS, THERE IS ALWAYS A LIMIT TO EVERY THING…..THIS IS WANT IT MEANS TO TAKE PEOPLE FOR GRANTED…….A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE SO GOES THE WISE SAYING…….IF YOU GO TO SLEEP, ASSUMING ZAMBIANS ARE DOCILE, WELL YOU MAY JUST GET A SURPRISE, OR IS A SHOCK OF YOUR LIFE………TAME THE MMD CADRES AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE…..TAKAMBAKO CHABE BABA!!!!!
George Mpombo is just a drunk..he yaps too much..he shud ve given us those reason 48 hours after he resigned form Cabinet!
I don’t think George Mpombo can fabricate a story like this. This is a serious issue and should not be brushed aside. Remember Zuma’s arm’s deal saga? Mpombo has raised a lot of issue some which I found very useless but this … hmmm… I don’t think he can take such a risk if it weren’t true. I smell a dead rat
This is arrogance of the highest order. RB does not owe us any explanation? How absurd, you are busy mishandling the national affairs, contracting debts for campaign oriented substandard constructions, & you are being arrogant like this? Saying Zambians are peaceful, & yet deep down your hearts you mean docility on our part because we can’t react to your misrule & corruption. Damn! May God have mercy, we will definitely see justice one day.
This is arrogance of the highest order on the part of Kalombo Mwansa. What do you mean the President does not owe the nation an explanation on this “allegation”? He needs to defend his integrity and the integrity of the office of the President. Why is Zambia full of ignorant educated govt officials? The allegations are GRAVE. Let the President challenge Mpombo to substantiate his allegations. If not, we will believe Mpombo’s words. Ba Kalombo Mwansa, you also play “sebana njikute kind of politics”? WHAT A SHAME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why should a defense minister comment on such accusations, what kind of Doctor is Kalambo Mwansa? Where is Dora Siliya, she has been away from public from time she was abused at the MMD convention.This why VJ has stopped RB, so much dull people like MMD government.
Kalombo Mwansa should not just open his mouth and spit. When you see an educated person behave tey way he is doing just know there is a smelling rat in the issue. What arrongance, what impunity. Lupiya and his MMD should seek votes from the people they feel they owe accountability. As for me ( and I believe, many other progressive citizens) a president who owes me no an explanation over such a grave allegation does not deserve my vote and confidence.
He learnt a lesson from ”Chiluba is a thief ” case and doesn’t want to incriminate himself in any way.
About Zambians being peaceful, its another way of saying we are a nation of dafts. Over the years evil callous people have mustered a way of making us act stu.pid while they rob the nation. I don’t know how but nice and innocent words like ”peaceful and christian” somehow do the trick for fraudsters in our nation. God help us.
Usual MMD arrogance even from nominated cadres like Kalombo Mwansa. GOD help us if MMD wins this years election. Next five years will be tough as they will not owe the Zambian people anything apart from misery and more arrogance!!
Yesterday I maintained that this was a serious allegation and needed the president’s explanation to the nation but a blogger ‘HH Sata’ claimed no one was interested in the issue.
Clearly the minister of defence is just waffling about and the best he should do is just shut up.
He is confirming that the the allegations are in fact true. There is no way Mpombo would just frame up such a serious story. We want to hear from the president, Mpombo has challnged him to defend himself.
Ba Kalombo?? Wait until RB fires you; we will hear a different story from you just like your Friend. You are all Jokers that will defend unethical behaviors to stay in Power.
Minster of Defence?? With such caliber? Embarrassing!!!!
@19.you so right.another 5 years and zambia will be done for.James Banda will hav superceded the likes of mak o’donnel as zambia’a richest businessman.With Sata the future would be uncertain.under rb it will be clearly bleak.
guilty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The President does not owe anyone an explanation. George Mupombo the aka vuvuzela for the Post named James Banda, the son of the Presido as the one who was pushing for the ‘deal’ to get a commission. He alleged he Mupombo that after recieving a lot of pressure from Presido he then resigned NO? Well, arrest James if anything wrong was done…two since George left or resigned am sure the deal must then have gone through no? Then who is the complainant so that police or ACC can begin investigations…Noti rushing to the press after ‘stealing’ from public through imprest
Yes he has nothing to say… for now, but time will definitely come for him to answer for his actions. Ba Mwansa, you can bet your insignificant pecker on it!
Yes he has nothing to say… for now, but time will definitely come for him to answer for his actions. Ba Mwansa, you can bet your insignificant nelly on it!
He should just answer we want to know the truth , and there are more secrets to be unearthed
N0.7 Chang Zeign – I think No.6 didnt understand that the term “Arms Deal” is associated with corruption as in someone has benefitted from the sale. Forgive him.
Kalombo Mwansa is a full “fo..ol”. These are chaps who were nothing in primary and secondary school because of no brains. How can they now have some grey matter.
Ba Kalombo balemoneka fye chipuba-chipuba, today he is a minister. Signs of a President being a Fo..ol himself. If he can’t see that this chap is there only for one thing his pockets. You cant notice a fo ol if you are a fo ol yourself. Kalombo Mwansa, Mbula kulima, someone told me these chaps wer4e very dull and at St Clements and in form one they constantly went to the dining hall-kitchen looking for scraps from nsima cooking vessels.
Amama newo! I hope that Kalombo Mwansa was misquoted when he said “President Banda does not owe the nation an explanation over allegations by Kafulafuta member of Parliament George Mpombo that he was involved in an arms procurement deal involving US$100 million”, other wise this the MOST FOOLISH remark I have ever heard. Banda is accountable to the nation and only an ***** can make such a remark.
Kalombo Mwansa is a full “fo..ol”. These are chaps who were nothing in primary and secondary school because of no brains. How can they now have some grey matter.
Ba Kalombo balemoneka fye bupuba bupuba, today he is a minister. Signs of a President being a Fo..ol himself. If he can’t see that this chap is there only for one thing his pockets. You cant notice a fo ol if you are a fo ol yourself. Kalombo Mwansa, Mbula kulima, someone told me these chaps were very dull and at St Clements and in form one they constantly went to the dining hall-kitchen looking for scraps from nsima cooking vessels.
He as a sitting Presdo have to have all the guts to answer any questions he may be asked. Unless there is some smoke without fire. who made what from these arms deals anyway?
If he has the guts to fly all over, then why not?
no surprise
Like father, like son
what a beautiful family… :-(
Another ASS HOLE of a minister who think the President is KING and is not accountable to the electorate
Imwe pleace lets wait for time to come everything will be reviewed watch and see! SHAME!
This A-hole shouldn’t have commented in the first place anyway, because he immediately opened the proverbial can of worms. One day you will comment – all of you, before a very different and hostile audience.
Let him be-he and his sons will explain in the courts of law after elections!!
It is the president’s responsibility to answer to anyone on national matters to show leadership. He has defended the mobile hospitals so strongly that you would think he has good point. Lets have the same defensive streaks we have known our Republican president to have.
Well! It is well with Rupuba Banda! Another arrest in the making.
Such arrogance can only happen in Zambia where the citizens are docile at best and sleepy. A president of a reasonable country is responsible to the citizens. Kalombo Mwansa is just waffling. In any case his statement shows that what Mpombo said is true and the GRZ is in a panicky mode to cover up. But Zambians will demand for an explanation after the MMD is out of power. Those responsible will definitely face the music.
This story was circulated to The Post and it refused to publish the article because no foundation was found. They went digging and found nothing. This is the reason why he [Mpombo] said he and no one else should be made accountable or sued. The Post Editorial told him that he was on his own on the issue. There is no thread of evidence on the $100m Arms Deal.
Frankly, Mpombo has completely failed to come up with any tiny evidence and if it was true, they could have nailed RB week after week. This is not the first time Mpombo has told lies through the Post. A number of stories were passed to The Post by Mpombo that have not gotten printed because they did not just add up such as saying RB met this and that on this day on State House when he was not in the country.
Mr. Mmembe my…
Mr. Mmembe my former boss does not trust Mpombo though he lets he him say things in the Post at his own risk. He left because he knew he was about to be fired.
RB has kept his mouth shut, it will bother Mpombo as his intention is to inflict pain in the media.
Good strategy by RB. Mpombo thinks an entire President can waste time r4esponding to him. The Post and their lunatics think by unleashing falsehoods, they can make govt panic… No ways ba ngwele. Your days are numbered. If Mpombo has any shed of truth let him take his case to Transparency International or to Roger Chongwe and then we shall see how far these *****s will go. You can see that Sata your ally has been told off by Dickson Jere and we dont have time to waste on Satanists and Homosexuals…Viva RB Viva MMD – Nafuti Nafuti
Rupiah refuses to say anything as it may incriminate him………….LAW 101
RB should a very proud man to have successful son in business. What is wrong with the son tendering if he has the right papers. If you want to politise anything then you cant lead and giude. He has after acquired other tenders. If you have an opportunity utilise it, the strength use it. I wish I had such a son.. Please RB let your son run his business and support him in and outside the country. This is your time. Be advised however to follow the procedures, you are being monitored. I love you now. You have continued to impress me. I can be your good adviser given the opportunity.
\:d/..Boot licker of the century!