FREDERICK Chiluba is fighting for survival, Katuba MMD member of parliament Jonas Shakafuswa observed yesterday.

And Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said Chiluba has lost his senses and will support anything, no matter how wrong, to secure his temporary freedom.

Reacting to Chiluba’s remarks on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) that those criticizing President Banda’s programmes were liars, Shakafuswa said he struggled to make comments on issues involving Chiluba because they cheapened matters.

He said he did not want to subscribe to debates involving Chiluba because he made those remarks for obvious reasons.

“But you see the problem is he is fighting some battles of survival, so I would not want to enter into that issue,” said Shakafuswa.
And Sata said president Mwanawasa’s programmes were not misplaced as alleged by Chiluba.

Chiluba, in apparent reference to Mwanawasa, said if someone had failed to do something in seven years it was probably because their priorities were misplaced.

But Sata wondered what Chiluba meant by saying the seven years were misplaced.

“You know Chiluba, what do you expect from him anyway? If they were misplaced, what Rupiah Banda is commissioning would not be there today. We have not seen Rupiah Banda doing the foundation of those projects, but we saw Levy Mwanawasa doing the foundations of those projects,” Sata said.

“What Chiluba is doing is he has just seen that we are knocking the hell out of his boss. Well the whole point is Chiluba needs survival, and he needs to show Rupiah Banda that he is working by defending him. So Zambia will be safe the day Chiluba will keep quiet like Kenneth Kaunda.”

Sata said most projects President Banda was commissioning were started or re-activated by president Mwanawasa.

He said it was in fact Chiluba’s priorities which were misplaced because he failed to implement the projects the MMD had planned to embark on when they were elected into office.

“Frederick Chiluba’s priorities were misplaced because Chiluba’s priority was buying shirts and suits. Mwanawasa came to follow what the MMD programme was, the things which we talked about in 1991 of clearing thieves,” Sata said. “He Chiluba focused on his body more than anything else. He focused on his body and his pocket because he could have done a great deal in 10 years if he had continued where Kaunda left.”
Sata said President Banda and Chiluba had conspired to insult president Mwanawasa’s legacy.
He said President Banda was swimming in president Mwanawasa’s legacy but at the same time rejecting it.
On Chiluba’s statement that President Banda was not following anyone’s programme but the MMD’s, Sata said President Banda in 2008 campaigned on the basis of continuing with president Mwanawasa’s programmes.
“Even today’s billboards, they are saying we are following the programme. So what this man Chiluba is saying is ‘abandon the legacy’,” he said.
Sata said president Mwanawasa’s drive to fight Chiluba’s corruption was not misplaced.

He said Chiluba’s desperation had even driven him to support the privatization of Zamtel when he was on record as having said that one could not sale everything including their bedroom.
Sata said Chiluba had even failed to say anything on the renationalizing of Mpulungu Harbour which he himself concessioned.
“Chiluba has lost his senses. He will do anything even if Rupiah Banda wants to auction Zambia, Chiluba will support just to secure temporary freedom. Why didn’t he privatize Zamtel himself? Why did he concession Mpulungu Harbour?” he asked.

Sata said Chiluba fell short of saying that Mwanawasa was committed to fighting the corruption involving him, hence the statement that the seven years were misplaced.

He said Chiluba had a very short memory.
“Mwanawasa, when he was prosecuting him he was together with Rupiah Banda. He Chiluba can’t separate Rupiah Banda. Chiluba is very worried that Rupiah Banda will wake up one day and say ‘I am registering the London judgment out of time’,” said Sata.

Chiluba on Monday evening on ZNBC main news said President Banda was not following up on anyone’s programme but the MMD’s.

Chiluba said those who were criticizing President Banda’s programmes were liars, adding that they were talking because the President was working.

Source: http://www.postzambia.com