Sata dared over ZPC

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:08:20 +0000

President Michael Sata has been challenged to intervene and revoke the deportation orders against the directors of Zambezi Portland Cement (ZPC) in order for them to attend their cases which are before Court.

Civil rights activist Brebner Changala made the challenge yesterday after observing that there was lack of will from Home Affairs minister Edgar Lungu to scrutinise the deportations.

Mr Changala said it was now clear that the deportation of the ZPC directors was engineered by interested parties.

He said there was no shred of truth that the Ventriglias were a threat to the country.

“I challenge Edgar Lungu to make public the crime that the Ventriglias committed for him to effect the deportation orders. Those people have been living in this country for a long period of time and Lungu just knew them recently.

“If anything, it is Lungu who is a danger to peace in this country. He is using his office to settle business scores and if this is not properly handled it has a potential to scare foreign investors and this would be a big blow to the PF dream of job creation and development to the nation,” he said.

He warned that Mr Lungu could equally face a Tribunal from the Chief Justice on these deportations.

“Why it is that only business rivals of Finance Bank Chairman Dr Rajan Mahtani are the victims of these deportations and why is Lungu effecting this list of deportations?

He is abetting illegality and I challenge him to tell the nation the crimes committed by the Italians that he considers a danger to this country.

“Why are they failing to deport foreigners of questionable character that are currently working with the government of the day.

“Mr Sata as we know he is an action man and we appeal to him to look at what is happening at Edgar Lungu’s office before something worse happens. The president should not just keep quiet if unclear decisions are made by his ministers,” Changala said.

Daniele and Valerio Ventriglia, directors of the embattled ZPC were deported in November last year by Mr Lungu on grounds that they were a danger to national security. The Ventriglias have for some years been in business disputes with Dr Rajan Mahtani.