The opposition MMD on the Copperbelt says calls to lift former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity are premature and unnecessary.
MMD Copperbelt Province Information and Publicity Secretary Yotam Mtayachalo said it is immature to call for the lifting of the the immediate past Republican President Banda ‘s immunity because there are no legitimate grounds to warrant such action.
The MMD further charged that former President Banda’s immunity can not be lifted over mere allegations unless a strong evidence was established against him.
Mr. Mtayachalo was saying this at a press briefing held at the Party’s secretariat in Kitwe today.
He has also advised Zambians and the ruling PF Government not to exert unnecessary political pressure on investigative wings of government so that they can do a good job.
However, Mr Mtayachalo said the MMD on the Copperbelt was in support of any well intended measure designed to fight corruption but measures put in place should not be meant to settle political scores in the name of fighting corruption.
He observed that it was clear that the majority of Zambians were against the culture of removing immunity of former presidents, a tendency that leaves them labeled as corrupt leaders which he observed that it was not health for the nation.
And Mr Mtayachalo advised the PF Government the channel the limited national resources which are being spent on commissions of inquiry to strengthen governance institution such as the Police, Drug Enforcement Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and the Auditor General’s Office to help them operate effectively.
He further advised Government to put in place watertight financial controls to prevent public officers from abusing public funds.
Meanwhile, Mr Mtayachalo has cautioned Information and Broadcasting Tourism Minister Given Lubinda against using demeaning and provocative language against former Vice President George Kunda through the Public Media.
He said the former vice president and the MMD mighty have misused the public media but that does not mean that they should not be accorded space in the public the media.
Mean while Mr Mtayachalo has criticized government’s recently announce plans to start importing finished petroleum products from neighbouring Angola saying the move would destroy the business viability of Indeni Oil Refinery and Tazama Pipeline unless government puts in measures to protect the two companies from unfair completion.
He added that importation of finished petroleum products would lead to the closure of the two energy companies and other related companies that depend on these companies there by resulting in massive job loses in the country.
ZANIS
Iwe Yotham, you little tribalist, keep blood quiet. Your chimaman stole and he needs to face the music!
Dangerous politics…
Remember, this is the way Kaunda was treated when he left power in 1991. He was almost deported by Chiluba to a foreign country. Retrospectively, Zambians came to realize that the MMD government was full of bandits, including Chiluba and Sata. Don’t forget that.
The measure that you use to judge your friends is the same measure that will be used to judge you. While I don’t condone corruption, I must say that we need to put an end to this embarrassing cycle of always blaming the previous administration for everything, demonizing them while we lionize ourselves, depicting ourselves as clean and blameless. Chiluba did it to Kaunda, Mwanawasa did it to Chiluba and now Sata is doing it to Banda.
This cycle has to come to an end. Do you see Obama blaming Bush for unnecessarily starting WW3 and destroying three countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, and the US (economically)). No, as president you work with the hand you have been dealt and move forward without crying over spilt milk. The president inherits all the good as well as the bad.
Progress please.
Maikalange, but of course the only reason Obama won was to demonise everything GWB so as to win the elections and he has continued, except people have told him enough is enough fro you have been president for over 3 years. Has he closed guantanamo? Has he fenced the mexican border? Every incoming president has the right to question their predecessors. Mwanawasa who was hand picked by chiluba instituted investigations and lifted his benefector’s immunity, not out of hatred, but what he discovered after being president. How many times do you think Mazoka was probed by the MMD? How can Liato bury K2.1 billion (US$500,000) and not question him? He was just a mere labour leader with nothing until he was appointed minister. Get real and lets help fight corruption.
In all honesty even if we lifted this Buffoon’s immunity I highly doubt it if we can stick anything on him in the face of overwhelming evidence as our justice system and law enforcements are just too outdated and too slow for these crimes. How long we it take? Feeding him to the crocs in Kafue River we save us a great deal… We haven’t even managed to cage chi Dora and Co. only medieval comical crimes like Austin’s where one buries his loot the old fashion way in his backyard are able to face prosecution.
We need to incorporate a more sustainable more modern method of fighting and tackling corruption, if Sata is serious why doesn’t he ask for outside assistance from the West or Interpol to update our police in modern crime fighting methods…this is available free on request.
Jay Jay, you sound full of hate. You live in the civilized world and more than anything else, civility is the most invaluable thing you might want to take home with you.
Indeed we need progress. I agree with Maikalange. These PF kaponyas seem not to have a programme of their own. Please baPF show us the way forward for this country. Lets not dwell too much on the past we may lose direction or sight of the future if we still want to live in the past. I am not saying those who stole should be let free NO but lets put emphasis on the future and what these PF kaponyas have to offer in terms of development. The late president had zero tolerance for corruption but no one gained anything from this except those who were eating with both hands like Nchito and others. Mind you baPF you are in power and we are all waiting for development. But if your development is about digging skeletons then I do not see this party survive the next elections. I end here
Keep quiet ****** we. Why didn’t liberalize media when you were there. Bafikala u enjoyed while there and you didn’t want any person to benefit. Close your ass I beg. Let the *****s face the law
@Deep Throat
“Civility” you say, the selfsame prescription that was offered to ka Chiluba, look what happened there… we don’t even know how much that pygmy was worth before he left us…for all we know his loot is probably stashed in some Swiss Bank at this moment earning a fat health interest for the bank as it will NEVER EVER EVER be claimed like Mobutu’s stash.
In the west they don’t tolerate plundering and they will lock you up and treat you like a leper for misappropriating £1800…if we tolerate this we will be back here in 5 years time when a new gov’t comes into power.
If you stop PF from intimidating the opposition then they would have nothing else to do and thats where the problem is.
What will PF be doing then since they have no other programme?
Iwe Mutayachalo and the other brainless bloggers who are saying there is no need of lifting this Bwezanirubish`s immunity, you are sick in the brains.If Chi Mangwe Rupia did not messup our economy, what was the reason he lost the elections for? And are you telling me that all the people including some of your fellow mad dogs asking for the removal have no brains like you? Why didn`t you say that when Kalumba,Nalumango,Muteteka,Musokotwane said the same? Your name tells everything in the name of Unatayachalo for sure. mulenashako utujilijili:
The bally mesd up zambia. His children enriched themselves because they are crooks. His iminity must be lifted so we can return what belongs to us. Mtayachalo on the other hand abt oil importing from angola must be handled wel to avoid job loses on the two refinery companies in ndola.
Why waste time, remove his imuninty, after all he was just a president of MMD not me.
Yatam, you are right.the bitterness and insults of some bloggers does not amaze me especially that they are all kaponyas and failures. even if you are against Yotams view, debate with civility and and a sense of respect.One day the PF government will be out of power and all these things will follow them for sure.Treat others as you would like to be treated in time of defeat
tell me wether renovating a house is not looking to the future.this is being scared.u cannot compare the levels of democracy in the US and Zambia.they have the systems to curb corruption and no one should keep queit about corruption in Zambia the commissions of enquiries are inevitable as they do not spend too much time on getting infgormation.investigative wings then looks to pin those wanting based onsuch reports. in my view leaders must be honest wen they are in power so that no one follows them up wen they are out. one other thing i would like to see is the follow ups on the auditor report.i have never read an article where one is being investigated based on the auditors report except recently with nevers.pipo are still moving about and it makes me wonder wy that office exist.
Let the truth should be known and so the imunity should be lifted.
@ vaka chinyama u are right on the language issue with some bloggers.but i disagree with u on letting looters scort free. are you telling its normal for pipo to walk away with blood on their hands.are u telling me we should keep on voting for thieves and watch them go freely?i dont surely agree with u.if PF abuses their authority then it should surely fall on their heads.the power is in the pipos hands,we shall still vote and chase them out. no need to use words like kaponyas,a kaponya is better than one who waits for hand outs,like in southern province where food rations are common.
Presidential immunity is not supposed to be abused and protect a former leader from prosecution for corruption, theft, abuse of office etc, it was designed to protect a former leader from prosecution for actions or decisions that were made in the interest of the nation but later proved to be wrong. Why should rupia be protected if he stole? Let him be ‘undressed’ like his ‘damn good president’ friend Kafupi so that we move on properly having sorted out his mess!
:((:((:((:o. Am really mau less, to say say the least. what has become of our nation of retribution and persecution. i wonder, was this agenda, that the PF won the election on? I am wondering, actually, consulting my lawyers, maybe the PF won the election fraudulently. They promised to re-introduce windfall tax, FAIL. minimum wage, FAIL, Street vending, FAIL, end ZESCO load shading, FAIL, put money in the pocket FAIL, develop the nation in 90days FAIL. PF just chasing the wind with no agenda. undoing the good things that the MMD did, Zamtel, at least we can its able to compete favorably. roads, stadium were built, PF please show us the agenda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What exactly are the crimes RB committed apart from the hearsay? If Pf govt.has failed to find the crimes the man did against Zambia just let the old man retire in peace than demonizing him. One is not a thief or criminal just because a friend or neighbour is shouting that he or she is. Pf should stop governing the country by trial and error. We need jobs and improved standard of living as they promised all zambians and not this vindictiveness which so far has only made them unpopular with majority. RB, Musokotwane, Kunda, Nevers Mumba, Dora and other MMD leaders etc are all said to have stolen puplic funds but nobody is saying how much they stole and from which public office. They are being exposed in the media, prosecuted and sentenced as a way of consolidating pf in government..
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