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UPND
president Hakainde Hichilema.— The
Post |
Vice-President George Kunda on Sunday
charged that UPND
president Hakainde Hichilema is a greedy person who loves dollars very
much.
But Hichilema yesterday said Vice-President Kunda is an
embarrassment to the nation and to the legal profession and should not be
jealousy of his business enterprise.
Addressing MMD members at Mufulira
Municipal Council on Sunday, Vice-President Kunda charged that PF-UPND pact
leaders Michael Sata and Hichilema were desperate politicians who would plunder
the country's economy if given chance to hold government
power.
Vice-President Kunda said Zambians had refused to vote for the two
opposition leaders over the past years because they had taken notice of their
"criminal tendencies" in their blood.
He charged that Hichilema was a
greedy person who contributed to the sufferings of the people through
privatisation of various companies.
Vice-President Kunda said Hichilema
had no moral right to talk about the sale of Zambia
Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel) because he contributed to the
collapse of companies such as RAMCOZ (Roan Antelope Mining Corporation of
Zambia) of Luanshya where he got away with a lot of money.
"Although
Hichilema is criticising the
sale of Zamtel, he was behind the suffering of many people because of the
privatisation programme of many companies especially here on the Copperbelt and
government has records in the Ministry of Finance to show this.
He went
away with a lot of money from RAMCOZ and people were left in poverty because of
Hichilema. Even the former president Fredrick Chiluba has disclosed that he
(Hichilema) went away with $12 million from Binani who was running the company
then. He is a greedy person who loves dollars very much," Kunda
said.
Kunda said Sata and Hichilema were thirsty politicians who wanted
to get into power at all costs.
He said it was regrettable that dishonest
politicians were able to convince innocent people that they were able to deliver
when they had noting to offer.
"I came here in Mufulira to explain what
government is doing for the people. The PF and the UPND are out there lying to
people and giving them unrealistic promises. God forbid they will never form
government, maybe hundred years from now," Vice-President Kunda
said.
When contacted for comment, Hichilema wondered who was in charge of
government.
"Who is in government? Is it Hakainde or George Kunda and
Rupiah Banda? Who is failing to deliver medicines in hospitals? Is it Hakainde
or it is George Kunda and Rupiah Banda? Who has been running government since
1991 is it 1991? Is it Hakainde or the MMD where George Kunda and Rupiah Banda
belong?
Who was responsible for privatisation, is it Hakainde or the MMD?
Unless they are admitting that Hakainde was so strong. Only a foolish team will
think like that; a foolish team of George Kunda," he said.
Hichilema said
people know that the MMD government privatised RAMCOZ under Chiluba's
reign.
He said records were there to show who was in charge of
privatisation programme and that only a "a fool like Kunda" could not read
records.
"I think his brain has gotten impaired a bit," he
said.
He can't call me greedy. I am businessman working for myself. I am
not like them who live off government. I employ more people than them, George
Kunda and Rupiah Banga put together."
Hichilema said President Banda and
George Kunda were the ones that had sold Zamtel corruptly.
"Our
contention is not the sale of Zamtel but that they picked RP Capitals without
tender, corruptly with Rupiah Banda. I don't know what sort of lawyer George
Kunda is. If a lawyer can fail to advice government, as justice minister,
against breaking the Public Procurement Act and they want to blame Hakainde,
that's why they should step aside so that Hakainde and his team can take
over.
Zamtel was under-valued, the appointment of RP Capital over a cup of tea
with Dora (Siliya), am sure they are sharing commissions now. Zamtel was
under-valued, the fibre optic network... . That George Kunda is an
embarrassment, he is a disgrace to the legal profession and he must not be
jealous of Hakainde's business enterprise," he said.
Hichilema warned
that the Zamtel sale would be revisited because of the corruption of President
Banda, Vice-President Kunda and Siliya.
"George Kunda is a fake lawyer,
no young lawyer must emulate George Kunda. He must prepare to exit government
house," he said.
Hichilema said the MMD leaders were desperate because
the UPND was uprooting MMD in the rural areas where they steal
votes.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Kunda asked MMD members in Mufulira and
other parts of the Copperbelt to explain government policies.
He said the
MMD government had achieved great success by making sure that the country had a
stable economy.
He said the MMD was the only realistic party because of
efficient service delivery it had demonstrated to people adding that it had
managed the nation's resources progressively well particularly in infrastructure
development.
"We have done well in road construction in Ndola and Kitwe
in partnership with the Japanese government under JICA programme. The situation
is the same in Luanshya and Chingola, we are working hard to improve the road
network," Kunda stated.
He said government was aware about the bad state
of the Mufulira - Sabina road and promised that all dilapidated main roads in
the district would be worked on.
Vice-President Kunda said there was need
for people to appreciate that the MMD government was managing the limited
national resources effectively and in a transparent manner.
"We
acknowledge that we have limited resources in the national coffers, about K17
trillion and every citizen of this country is looking up to that money. That's
why as government we are working hard to invest in the social sector in order to
empower every citizen of this country," he said.
And speaking when he
attended mass at St Patrick's Parish in Mufulira, Vice-President Kunda said
government greatly valued the Catholic Church's efforts in promotion of peace
and tranquility in the country.
He said the Catholic Church had been a
partner in development looking at the tremendous work it was executing in
various parts of the country.
He said the homily that was shared by the
parish priest Fr Steve Katebe was inspiring and critical in the governance of
the nation.
During his homily Fr Katebe said God had called everyone to
serve His Kingdom in various ways hence the need for every individual to answer
the Lord's call with humility and sacrifice for the betterment of
mankind.
The
Post
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