Sata rubbishes tribal letter

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:30:15 +0000

President Michael Sata has charged that the purported letter by a group of people calling themselves ’Tonga on Oath’ did not originate from Southern Province but from within Lusaka.

Speaking when he swore in newly appointed Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba at State house yesterday, Mr Sata said the letter was meant to propagate hatred within the ethnical groupings in the country.

He said theTongaspeaking people were good and kind people and only selfish individuals with other motives would want to destabilise the ethnic peace being enjoyed in the country.

Acting inspector of Police Peter Chingaipe has said the police service, working with various security wings have instituted investigations to establish the people behind the suspected clandestine group.

The group is alleged to have authored a letter indicating thatTongashave vowed to kill Bembas.

Meanwhile, Mr Sata has ordered Justice Minister Kabimba to examine the Freight and Passenger Concession Agreement signed between the Government, Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) and New Limpopo Bridge Projects Investment Private Limited.

He said “in March 2000, the MMD Government decided to concession the freight and passenger services of Zambia Railways to the private sector”.

After a process of competitive bidding, the then Zambia Privatization Agency (ZPA) awarded the concession to Railway Systems of Zambia.

On February 14, 2003, the MMD Government signed a Freight Concession Agreement with RSZ and on August 18, 2003 signed the Passenger Concession Agreement.

RSZ took over operations of Zambia Railways Limited on December 3, 2003”.

The concession covered the whole inter-mine railway network on the Copperbelt as well as the long haul railway network from the Copperbelt to Livingstone.

The Head of State emphasized the need for Government to look into the Concession Agreement with RSZ in order to preserve the national railway infrastructure from further deterioration given that RSZ has failed to invest in the railway assets and improve operations, and to allow Government to reposition itself in improving the railway sector which is critical to the country’s economic development.