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The National Restoration Party (NAREP) has predicted an increase in corruption if the MMD government is voted back into power in this year’s elections.
NAREP president Elias Chipimo Junior told QFM that the MMD government has completely failed to curb graft which has led to increased levels of poverty in Zambia.
Mr. Chipimo has also condemned the move by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to drop money laundering charges against former Western Province Permanent secretary Ikanuke Nooyo.
He has described government’s commitment to fighting corruption in the country as a non starter.
The DEC dropped charges of laundering amounting to K46 million, through unretired imprest against Mr. Nooyo adding that the money has been recovered from his gratuity.
The NAREP president says it is unfortunate that government is letting loose those who pay back resources obtained through corrupt practices without prosecution.
He explains that the gesture shown by the commission clearly demonstrates how selective the law is being applied in the country.
Mr. Chipimo has further said once voted into power, his government will ensure that corruption in all systems of governance is eradicated and perpetrators will be brought to book
CENTRAL Province Minister Ackimson Banda has urged Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde to intensify the hunt for fugitive Mailoni brothers who have continued killing people in Luano Valley in Mkushi district.
Mr Banda said in an interview in Kabwe yesterday it is saddening that even after police officers were deployed in the area to hunt the serial killers after they murdered their first victims in December last year, they have to date not been captured.
“The IG should come out and let us know what is happening in Luano Valley. Police were sent there, and it’s worrying that the Mailoni brothers are still at large,” Mr Banda said.
He was reacting to concerns of Chief Chembe of Luano Valley, who on Monday appealed to Government to dispatch a combined team of soldiers and game rangers from the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to hunt down the marauding killers.
Mr Banda said Government is concerned about the plight of Chief Chembe and his people.
He said there are a number of technicalities that need to be considered, which include hearing the position of the police and the Central Provincial Joint Operations Committee on the security situation in Luano Valley before soldiers can be dispatched to the area.
The minister said he is waiting for Mr Kabonde, through the office of the Central Province commanding officer, to update his office on the operations of the police assigned to patrol the valley.
He also echoed the concerns of Chief Chembe and Mkushi district commissioner Musonda Chunga, who said if the elusive serial killers are not arrested soon, the turnout at polling stations during this year’s elections might be negatively affected as the electorate are living in fear of the Mailoni brothers.
Mr Banda said Government is concerned people living in Luano Valley are now living in fear.
“If they are not arrested soon,it’s possible that the turnout during elections will be affected. This happened during the mobile voter registration because the people were fearing the Mailoni brothers,” Mr Banda said.
He appealed to people in the valley to co-operate with the police and give them information on the whereabouts of the brothers.
In their latest attack, the Mailoni brothers murdered Chief Chembe’s advisor, Christopher Nyama Champe of Shimpupula village, and headman Mbalakawe Chipokolo of Shitambeni village last Tuesday, bringing to 11 the number of their victims.
Last year, Government dispatched over 20 police officers to Luano Valley to beef up security and to arrest the murderers, but the villians have continued to elude the security dragnet.
The Mailoni brothers are said to be taking advantage of their good knowledge of the forest to evade the law enforcement officers.
One of their victims is former Zambia Flying Doctors Service chief pilot Dr Modesto Masumba.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
GOVERNMENT has unearthed a scam in which some top Patriotic Front (PF) officials in Chingola’s Mushishima area are allegedly trying to corruptly acquire ZCCM-IH houses following President Banda’s directive that outstanding balances on the units be written off.
This was brought to light when Chingola district commissioner Tobias Maliti addressed over 200 residents at Mushishima Basic School yesterday.
“Government has unearthed a scam in which some top PF officials in Kabungo ward wanted to take advantage of people in the settlement by buying the houses through corrupt means. Some of them started giving the houses to their daughters and other family members at the expense of the deserving sitting tenants,” Mr Maliti said.
He said some PF top officials are scrambling to buy the houses.
Mr Maliti said authorities have grabbed the house that PF Kabungo ward councillor Richard Katebe allocated himself and the property has been given to the sitting tenant
He said it is disappointing that individuals who have been criticising President Banda for empowering the vulnerable with housing are now trying to use corrupt means to acquire the houses.
“We are not saying PF members cannot benefit from the houses because they are also Zambians. What we are against is a situation where PF officials are taking advantage of their positions in certain areas to disadvantage other Zambians.
“These are the same people who condemned President Banda for empowering Zambians with houses, yet they are now in the forefront trying to benefit from the houses,” Mr Maliti said.
He said President Banda will continue implementing prudent policies to eradicate poverty in the communities.
He advised the PF not to politicise development programmes.
Mr Maliti warned that he will firmly deal with individuals who will use corrupt means to acquire houses in Mushishima.
But Mr Katebe said he has not benefited from the houses, and that he does not live in the area.
He said it is unfortunate that some people are trying to tarnish his image through accusations that he is trying to corruptly acquire houses.
Mr Katebe also said it is important for opposition political parties and Government to work together to develop the country.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
MMD Lusaka Province Chief Information and Publicity Secretary Greenock Lupambo has advised first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda son , Panji, to emulate his father’s peace stance.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, yesterday, Mr Lupambo said there was need for Colonel Kaunda to emulate his father’s spirit of creating peace with all.
He said the MMD is saddened by Col. Kaunda’s continued attacks on the MMD party and government in general instead of building peace among Zambians like his father.
Mr Lumpambo said the MMD in general was grateful to Dr Kaunda for appreciating and recognizing the leadership of President Rupiah Banda.
He noted that the media statement attributed to Dr. Kaunda cannot go without comment adding that all statesmen and eminent people should always appreciate their national leaders such as President Banda.
“Dr. Kaunda is a peace loving leader, He abhors wars and he is a peace maker, “ he said.
Mr. Lupambo told ZANIS in Lusaka today that President Banda has managed to deliver development throughout the country due to the peace that is preached by the first Republican President since independence in 1964.
He observed that without peace and unity, no development would ever take place in the country.
“Therefore, we want as many peace loving citizens as possible to follow and emulate Dr. Kaunda’s resolve in maintaining peace and stability through allegiance to government of President Rupiah Banda,” noted Mr. Lupambo.
He said the peace from loving citizens is contributing alot in bringing about national development.
Government says it will ensure that this year’s tripartite elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kabinga Mpande also indicated that election observer missions help government to make up for shortcomings observed from past elections and help add credence to the country’s electoral process.
In a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Mpande stated that government has, in its effort to ensure peaceful polls, also sent invitations to all interested parties in observing the forth coming general and parliamentary elections.
“Zambia has enjoyed peace and wants to maintain the same. There is need for elections to be transparent and to be held in a peaceful atmosphere,” he emphasized.
Mr. Mpande was speaking yesterday when a visiting seven-man delegation from the European Union Elections Observer Team, which is in Zambia at President Banda’s invitation, paid a courtesy call on him.
Mr. Mpande thanked the delegation for responding to President Banda’s request to have an observer mission from the European Union.
“Zambia has enjoyed peace and wants to maintain the same. There is need for elections to be transparent and to be held in a peaceful atmosphere,” he emphasized.
And Delegation Leader Mark Gallagher said his team received the request from President Banda to come and monitor the forth coming elections.
Mr. Gallagher noted that the European Union sends observer missions to concerned countries before the elections to make sure that the missions are welcome and that they are deployed on time.
He said the missions are deployed two months before the election date once it is determined that the reception is positive.
Mr. Gallagher stated that the observer mission would have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zambian government which would be done by mid July this year before observers are deployed.
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata (center)
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday disowned former Works and Supply minister Mike Mulongoti and Zambia’s former ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala saying he found it hard to understand the two.
Mr Sata said in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala are some of the human beings who are very difficult to understand. He was responding to a question from the presenter of Hot FM’s radio’s Hot Seat live phone-in programme on whether his party is willing to accept the two who have declared support for the PF by campaigning for Mr Sata.
“Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala teamed up with former President Chiluba to dissect and shred me when I left the MMD in 2001. They did the same in 2008. They did everything they could do but they failed,” Mr. Sata said.
“We have a big problem in this country. The biggest problem we have is to understand human beings. Among the human beings who are very difficult to understand are people like Mike Mulongoti and to a certain extent people like Mbita Chitala,” he said.
He said even during their campaign for President Mwanawasa, the duo worked against him but still failed to achieve their aim.
And the MMD has described Mr Sata’s statement that Mr Mulongoti and DrChitala are difficult people to understand, as an indication that the opposition leader does not want to work with them in this year’s general elections.
“If I understand that statement correctly, it means Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala are not welcome in the PF,” MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe said yesterday.
He said Mr Sata’s statement on the duo is strong and should serve as a warning to Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala whom he said are trying to advance their hidden political agenda using the PF.
Major Kachingwe said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala will pay a heavy price for being unprincipled political leaders as well as for resigning from the ruling party.
“Mr Sata’s statement is an indication that the opposition leader doesn’t want to work with these people. Mr Mulongoti and DrChitala will pay a heavy price for being opportunistic,” he said.
“It would appear these people wanted to form a faction within the ruling MMD but they failed. My advice to them is to come back and rejoin the party at branch level. The party is open as long as they come back and apologise for what they did before they were expelled,” Maj Kachingwe said.
Government has given a two week ultimatum to the Copperbelt Solid Waste Company (COPWASTE) to remove the waste from Uchi damp site to abate disease out breaks in the surrounding residential areas.
Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima says there is need for the firm to commence the waste removal immediately and clear the two kilometer stretch of waste that the company and others have been using as a damp site.
The minister was speaking in Kitwe when he toured the damp site as a follow up on complaints of fly inversion by residents in Natwange and Ndeke Townships.
ZANIS reports that the minister said there is need for companies that are using Uchi damp site for their waste disposal to protect the environment and the residents from the contaminated air coming from the damp site.
He said it was unacceptable and negligence on the part of solid waste companies to off load waste near the road instead of going inside the site.
‘I do agree with the residents complaints I am giving you two weeks to mobilize resources and move the waste to an alternative place so that the stench and flies can reduce, Mr Mbulakulima said.
Flies from the waste area have invaded the residential areas in Ndeke and Natwange located near the Uchi damp site.
COPWASTE managing director Collins Gwanu said his company has no recycling or compacting machine to use in its operations hence disposing the waste that it collects from residents in Kitwe at the damp site.
Mr Gwanu added that since 2007 when it started operations it has been using Uchi damp site for waste disposal together with other companies dealing in waste management.
‘” The company has only one landfill compactor vehicle that collects waste in the entire province and damps the waste in the same site, the waste is now two kilometers long, ” he stated.
And environment council of Zambia acting manager northern region Cliff Ngwata described the situation as unbearable because it has reduced the size of the road leading to the damp site due to the in discriminatory disposal of waste.
Mr. Ngwata appealed to COPWASTE to remove the waste, compact it, and bury it in an alternative site immediately.
Kitwe City Council acting deputy director of health Tom Kapeshi said the council is exploring other areas in Luangwa stage 2 and Malebeka areas that will be opened as damp sites for the districts.
Mr. Kapeshi admitted that it is an embarrassment and horrible to continue using Uchi damp site which is a few meters from residential areas.
President Banda's Aid D'camp Mr Mayoko helps the President put on a jacket before left for Turkey at Lusaka International airport.
President Rupiah Banda says his administration is not siphoning public funds from Government for the ruling MMD campaigns as alleged by the opposition.
And President Banda has urged Zambians to judge for themselves on who is a mature and upright leader to steer national development between him and opposition PF leader Michael Sata.
In addition, Mr Banda has denied allegations that he is attacking the catholic clergymen.
Speaking to journalists at the Lusaka International Airport, today,shortly before departure for the SADC summit in Windhoek, Namibia, President Banda categorically denied the opposition’s accusations that his administration was abusing public funds to fund ministers’ trips in all provinces for the ruling MMD party campaigns.
Mr. Banda affirmatively refused to be drawn into ‘cheap administration’ by the opposition saying this is because Government and the MMD party are two different entities operating independently.
He added that though 2011 was an election year for Zambia, his administration is going to ensure that development flourishes in all sectors of the economy.
He castigated Mr. Sata for suggesting that the K1 trillion loan meant for roads is meant to hoodwink the Zambians.
Mr. Banda advised the opposition leader that his Government working with other cooperating partners is a creative one with a vision and focus to steer development across the country and that funds meant for projects could be sourced way possible.
“ We have started building the roads and hospital and you cannot run a Government only in the budget you have to be creative and sit with other stakeholders to find cash and build projects.
” We are going to the polls we should remain focused well co-ordinated as we embark on these projects. It is not hoodwinking people as Mr. Sata thinks,” he said.
Mr. Sata accused President Banda of hoodwinking the Zambian electorate on the K1 trillion loan for roads and hospitals suggesting that there is no budget for that.
He challenged scribes in the country to verify their stories before publishing them and desist from getting half baked information.
“….Abuse of public funds… there is no way l can give cash and give it to the party because the party has got programs. l have never collected or given money to ministers and l can’t do that because there are programs of raising money and not in that manner.
” You as Journalists can go to Permanent Secretaries in these provinces or indeed any other authority to verify facts with valid documents because this is what is expected of you and your fellow Journalists in other countries do,” he said.
And President Banda has also denied that he is attacking the catholic clergymen.
Mr. Banda stated that catholic priests and bishops have got the fundamental right who to support or not maintaining that some are in good books with him and Government in particular.
“It is not true that l attack the catholic people but l can tell you that there are those who support us and not,” he said.
On his trip to Windhoek, Namibia where he has gone to attend a two-day Extra Ordinary Summit of the Southern Africa Development Community-SADC, President Banda said the region is concerned about events in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
He assured that a lasting solution would be found as the Heads of State were meeting to discuss the matter and a report would come out on Zimbabwe.
“We have always been concerned about the peace in some in Madagascar and Zimbabwe but we shall discus on Madagascar we will be making a report on Zimbabwe as you know we recently had a summit in Livingstone where we agreed the report was coming…,” he said
President Banda who is Chairman of the SADC Organ on Defence and Security Cooperation expressed optimistic that the SADC region was moving close to the table for attaining peace that would bring about change in the affected countries.
Mr. Banda is tonight expected to brief the SADC Summit on the progress made in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe and the Peace Mediation Process in Madagascar.
The SADC Summit has been called to discuss issues pertaining to regional peace and security following the SADC Troika Organ Summit which Zambia hosted in March.
SADC Chairman and Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba was mandated to call for an Extra Ordinary Summit to discuss issues agreed at the Livingstone Troika Organ meeting.
The SADC Summit will discuss progress towards the implementation of a joint Free Trade Area among the African regional blocs that include COMESA and the East African Community.
President Banda is accompanied to Namibia by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati and other senior government officials.
Mr. Banda was seen off at the Lusaka International Airport by Works and Supply Minister Gabriel Namulambe, Energy Minister Kenneth Konga, Secretary to Cabinet Dr. Joshua Kanganja, Defense Chiefs and senior Government officials.
Striker Collins Mbesuma will know his fate at Golden Arrows this weekend when the South African league season comes to a close.
According to Kickoff.com Golden Arrows boss Mato Madlala will make a decision at the end of their last game of the season on Saturday.
She said the future of coach Ernst Middendorp will also be made clear after the game against Orlando Pirates.
“The future of Middendorp and Mbesuma will only be discussed after our last game. We will release an official statement regarding whether they are staying or leaving after that,” Madlala told Kickoff.com.
Mbesuma joined Golden Arrows in January after a six month period in limbo.
He is 10th placed Golden Arrows’ top scorer with 10 goals in 20 matches.
Mbesuma is part of the Dario Bonetti’s 30-man team picked for Zambia’s 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifier against Mozambique on June 4 at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.
The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) says it has become clear that attacks on the Catholic in the public media are co-ordinated and planned, and that the conclusion is that they are sponsored by the Government.
In a pastoral letter made available to QFM, to all Catholics in Zambia on the constant attacks directed at the Catholics in the public media, to be read in all Catholic churches on Ascension Sunday on 5th June, ZEC President says it a well known fact that the likes of Chanda Chimba III a Catholic himself would never on their own accord have the operational and financial ability to carry on the kind of attacks being waged against Catholics.
Bishop Zulu says whatever the case, this is not the way of winning the Catholic vote in an election year.
Bishop Zulu has also noted the growing but steady stream of individuals, journalists and questionable organisations that are ready to parade themselves before the public media vilifying innocent citizens and the Catholic Church, who are being given what he describes as puzzling and unfettered access to the public media.
He says they are allowed to despise, with such venomous passion and impunity, more than three million Catholics in Zambia, a third of the country’s entire population.
[pullquote]Bishop Zulu has also noted the growing but steady stream of individuals, journalists and questionable organisations that are ready to parade themselves before the public media vilifying innocent citizens and the Catholic Church, who are being given what he describes as puzzling and unfettered access to the public media.[/pullquote]
He questions how this can happen in a country where the Zambian people, as tax payers are supposed to be the owners of the public media.
Bishop Zulu who is also Bishop of Chipata observes that the gist of the attacks, clearly, is meant to discredit and cast aspersions against the leadership and general membership of the Catholic Church in Zambia.
He says in the process, this is meant to create despondency, division and confusion among Catholics,adding that whoever is behind these attacks is working on the principle of divide and rule trying to divide Catholics in Zambia.
He adds that when these attacks distort the Catholic Church’s moral doctrine on celibacy or homosexuality, there is cause for alarm.
Bishop Zulu has re-stated that the Catholic teaching does not promote homosexuality. He explains that the Catholic Church’s constant and firm teaching on homosexual acts is unequivocal, stating that homosexual acts are seriously wrong and sinful,adding that under no circumstances can homosexual acts be approved.
[pullquote]Bishop Zulu has re-stated that the Catholic teaching does not promote homosexuality. He explains that the Catholic Church’s constant and firm teaching on homosexual acts is unequivocal, stating that homosexual acts are seriously wrong and sinful,adding that under no circumstances can homosexual acts be approved.[/pullquote]
On the Catholic church engagement in politics, Bishop Zulu says the church is only motivated by its divine obligation to speak on behalf of the voiceless in the country, stating that they will not be intimidated, cowed into silence or be silenced on national issues that affect the poor.
He adds that the Executive Board of ZEC has since directed the Catholic Secretariat management to monitor the situation and if attacks continue,to consider taking legal action against those who are making a habit of defaming and vilifying the Catholic church including the media houses that enable them to do so.
Patriotic Front leader Micheal Sata has called for the arrest and prosecution of Education Minister Dora Siliya for allegedly distributing pornographic pictures during her recent campaign tour of Northern Province of two males kissing.
Mr Sata said that Police should also arrest the two men in the pictures Ms Siliya was distributing.
He has also maintained that he does not support homosexuality but that it in fact the cabinet of President Rupiah Banda which has Ministers who are homosexual who he did not name.
The PF leader added that some those Ministers are having marital problems in their homes because of the issue of homosexuality.
Mr Sata added that if the PF was cheap as the MMD is they would have gone ahead and named the people practicing homosexuality in the MMD Cabinet.
He was speaking on Hot FM’s the Hot Seat programme.
And Mr Sata has announced that the long awaited PF General conference is likely to be held in June.
He has since called on those that want to challenge him during the General conference to come forward and do so.
PF cadres line up along a red carpet for party leader Michael Sata
LUSAKA lawyer Christopher Mundia has warned the people of Western Province not to be hoodwinked by Catholic clergy and the PatrioticFront (PF) that the opposition would be an alternative government because it is a tribal party.
He also called upon law enforcement agencies to take appropriate action against people who are in the habit of insulting and ridiculing President Rupiah Banda because it was a crime under section 69 of the penal Code.
He said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the Catholic clergy did no trepresent anyone as they had no families to worry about if there was a crisis in the country since they had no children.[pullquote]It is regrettable also that without any iota of truth the Head of State is being insulted, ridiculed and scandalised every day by characters who behave like graduates of mental asylums[/pullquote].
Mr Mundia said it was a betrayal of the people of the Western Province to see a person taking up a position in PF because some leaders in PF had an inherent hatred for the people of the province.
“To the people of Western Province, let me appeal to their conscience that PF cannot be an alternative to MMD because it is a tribal party,”he said.
Mr Mundia said it was totally unacceptable for some people to continually insult the president.
He reminded Zambians that the campaign being mounted against President Banda by the clergy, particularly the Catholic Church was also done against the late president Mwanawasa.
“It is not far fetched to believe that our beloved president died as a result of such campaign against him and the same people want to inflict the same damage on the current president who has done wonders in less than three years he has been in office,” he said.
It was totally unacceptable that the country was being turned into a den of hatred, ridicule and contempt for each other abandoning the moral fabric upon which people have existed for many years as one nation.
“It is regrettable also that without any iota of truth the Head of State is being insulted, ridiculed and scandalised every day by characters who behave like graduates of mental asylums.
Some clergy have also joined the band wagon of pseudo political quislings by portraying a picture that hell has broken loose in Zambia simplybecause the president in office is not someone from their province,”he said.
Mr Mundia said some clergy want their “kith and kin” to take over when infact they know that unless there is unity based on love all that the country had gained would be lost.
IN the next few articles to come, I will break it down as to how our politicians are playing games with us, be it the defectors from MMD to PF or PF to MMD, including the so called Rebel MPs. On the expense of development, they have decided to play games moving from party to another just to secure a position of power for personal gain. Are these the kind of leaders we want? The choice is yours. We will be voting soon.
BEFORE the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) national convention, former party deputy national secretary Mbita Chitala seemingly saw nothing wrong with the ruling party.
Let us put it this way. Mbita Chitala was interested in the position of MMD national secretary, but unfortunately he did not get the backing that he wanted from President Rupiah, despite his pronouncements in a private tabloid that party organs across the country were clamouring for him to take over the position from Katele Kalumba.
The interpretation, at least going by the interest that Dr Chitala had shown in the position of national secretary, which would have made him the chief executive of the party, is that the man still believed in the MMD vision.
Had he won the position of national secretary, Dr Chitala would today have been appearing in the so-called government owned and State-controlled media not only defending the policies of President Banda and the MMD, but also attacking the opposition, particularly Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata, who is the main challenger in this year’s elections.
By the way, Dr Chitala was President Banda’s campaign manager in the 2008 presidential elections and went about his work to ensure that he trounces Mr Sata.
But matters have seemingly changed now.
Dr Chitala, who thinks he has so much influence in Mbala is on a campaign trail trashing RB and the MMD while heaping all sorts of praise on Mr Michael Sata.
Question to ask is at what point did Dr Chitala, who together with Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika are the two founder members of the MMD, come to realise that the PF was the best thing that can happen to Zambia.
Maybe, who is this same Mbita Chintundya Chitala other than the fact that the late Levy Mwanawasa fired him as Ambassador to Libya after failing to play by the rules of international diplomacy?
After spearheading the formation of the MMD, he was elected party deputy national secretary and appointed deputy minister of finance in Frederick Chiluba’s first government. He was later relieved of the post and expelled from the party in 1995.
Together with the late Dean Mung’omba and Chulu Kalima, they formed the Zambia Democratic Congress (ZADECO), which against the advice of other opposition parties unsuccessfully contested the 1996 elections. After that dismal failure, he left ZADECO and active politics only to resurface towards the 2001 elections.
But before that, and just after the formation of the MMD national interim committee, which had the likes of Arthur Wina, Vernon Mwaanga, Chiluba, Ephraim Chibwe, Levy Mwanawasa, Andrew Kashita, Aka and Keli Walubita in it, Mbita Chitala was left disappointed at the fact that he was left out.
With that, he wrote a letter to the chairman Arthur Wina in which he pleaded his case. Thereafter, Arthur Wina was left with no choice but to convince other members of the committee to co-opt Chitala as deputy national secretary.
When Chitala was appointed finance deputy minister, he became one of the biggest defenders of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), which we know left most of our citizens in dire straits.
Responding to two articles that appeared in the Sunday Times (October 30, 19 94) titled “SAP makes Rich Richer, Poor Poorer” by Josias Mbuzi and another by Nason Banda in the Times of Zambia (November 12, 1994) under the headline “Is SAP in the interest of the majority”, Chitala said “the two are some utopian critics of the government’s reform programme that continue to appear in our media”.
“A quick response to these articles is that they were arrant nonsense and the authors would be well-advised to go back to school and catch up with the recent work in development studies,” Chitala wrote in a response letter.
So, with the support of Chitala, under SAP, about 12 companies were wound up and liquidated, 13 handed back to the owners for almost nothing, 59 mostly run-down farms and companies were sold to non-indigenous Zambians, mostly Asians and Greeks while 51 companies, the very best and profitable of the parastatals, were sold to foreign interests. This last batch included Northern Breweries, Zambia Breweries, Zambia Sugar Company, Daily Produce Board, Mpongwe Development Company, Chilanga Cement, BP Zambia, ZAMEFA, ROP Ltd and Pamodzi Hotel among others. As for the nerve centre of Zambia, the mines, the story is well documented.
Later of course, Mbita was fired, for what he terms opposing corruption and drug dealing in government although it is widely believed that those who truly opposed these traits are Dean Mung’omba, Dr Boniface Kawimbe, Dr Matthias Mpande, Katele Kalumba and Aka.
In his book, Not Yet Democracy, Mbita Chitala accuses Michael Sata, Enock Kavindele, Sikota Wina and his wife Nakatindi as well as the late Kangwa Nsuluka of orchestrating his dismissal from the MMD.
When ZADECO lost the elections, and following the shooting of opposition leaders like Dr Kaunda and Roger Chongwe in Kabwe, Mbita Chitala announced his retirement from active politics on September 11, 1997.
A few years later, he rejoined the MMD after being convinced to do so by Michael Sata who argued that with the death of Ronald Penza, he had remained a lone voice from the Northern Province in the party.
But also, it seems the other motivation for rejoining the MMD was the opportunity to allow him sort out his financial positions. In his book, he admits that he suffered immensely including being denied to supply paper and other office equipment to the bank of Zambia and almost getting killed in Angola where he had gone to look for diamonds.
“While all this was happening, my personal economy was also going down. Bills of all manners were accumulating. I could not pay school fees for my children which forced me to re-locate them from private schools to government schools.
“This caused enormous street on them, but I explained my situation to them. My electricity and water bill was regularly disconnected as was my telephone. The rates of the council remained unpaid and I was a victim of harassment by bailiffs.
“At the same time, I had several court cases. My life was real hell, it was because of all these trials that finally, I made a decision to re-enter active party politics.
With respect to what party it was obvious that my former party, the MMD would be the only sanctuary,” he writes.
Clearly, Mbita Chitala has demonstrated that the decisions he makes in politics are driven more by the stomach than any principles. If his personal economy was doing well, he would not have re-joined the MMD.
With that, one would wonder whether the decision to support Michael Chilufya Sata for the Presidency in this year’s election, is driven by genuine reasons or its because he see’s an opportunity to be rewarded with a job which will eventually improve his personal economy.
Michael Sata should be careful with people like Mbita Chintundya Chitala.
Dora Siliya greets MMD cardres before addressing first press briefing as MMD spokesperson in Lusaka
The MMD in Lusaka has uncovered a scam in which they claim the opposition PF is using the slogan ‘don’t kubeba’ to promote homosexuality.
MMD task force spokesperson Chiwele Maimisa says ‘don’t kubeba’ slogan is a message to homosexuals not to speak now but wait until PF leader Michael Sata comes into power.
Mr Maimisa says the calls for change means that once in power the PF will allow laws that support homosexuality.
He says the opposition party is desperate and is using youths most of whom are unaware of the true meaning behind the slogan.
Mr Maimisa has advised youths to refrain from being used as tools of violence.
And MMD Spokesperson Dora Siliya has cautioned Zambians against voting for opposition Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata because he allegedly betrayed freedom fighters during the liberation struggle.
Ms Siliya says Mr Sata allegedly acted as an informer to the colonial masters by exposing all schemes by freedom fighters among them Kenneth Kaunda and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe.
She wonders why a politician who allegedly betrayed the cause of Zambia’s liberation struggle should now rise to aspire to lead the nation.
Addressing scores of people at Chitulika village market in Mpika, Ms Siliya said the PF leader’s fight for the Presidency is misplaced in the light of his questionable political background.
Ms Siliya also accused Mr Sata of having been among political leaders who opposed the provision of subsidised farmer inputs leading to the exploitative cost of fertiliser during his service in government.
At the same meeting MMD national Youth Chairperson, Moses Muteteka said former President Frederick Chiluba could not anoint Mr Sata to succeed him because he knew he lacked leadership qualities befitting a head of state.
Mr Muteteka who is also Local Government Deputy Minister said Mr Sata and the PF can not form government because the opposition party was born out of frustration after Dr Chiluba settled for late President Levy Mwanawasa as his successor.
