
Government has refuted opposition Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata’s allegations that President Rupiah Banda is fighting to restore former President Frederick Chiluba’s immunity.
Chief Government Spokesperson Lt. Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha says Mr. Sata’s statement in today’s edition of The Post, is a total fabrication founded on his propensity to tell lies and mislead the nation.
He has since challenged Mr. Sata to provide evidence that President Banda is fighting to restore Dr. Chiluba’s immunity. In a statement released in Lusaka this evening and made available to ZANIS Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said the statement is false because President Banda is not a member of the National Constitution Conference (NCC) and cannot, therefore, use the NCC to fight for the restoration of Dr. Chiluba’s immunity.
He explained that the NCC works independent of the President and has representation of people from all walks of life, most of whom, he said, have no common forum with President Banda where he can instruct them on what clauses to put in the constitution.
Gen. Shikapwasha said the NCC has people from the opposition political parties, non-governmental organisations, the church and many other sections of society. He said there is no way such a representative body could be manipulated to engage into addressing personal issues.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said Mr. Sata’s statement is an insult to the men and women of integrity sitting on the NCC, as he is insinuating that they are not thinking but only acting on someone’s instructions.
He said as far as the government is concerned President Banda has nothing to benefit from the restoration of Dr. Chiluba’s immunity. Mr. Sata is quoted in today’s edition of The Post as having said President Rupiah Banda is fighting hard to restore former President Dr. Frederick Chiluba’s immunity.
ZANIS