RB ‘victim of malicious, hate campaign’

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:47:33 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has been cautioned to desist from dragging former republican president Rupiah Banda and his family into politics.

And the office of Mr. Banda has warned the UPND leader Mr. Hakainde Hichilema that as a man aspiring to lead this country as President, he should learn to check his facts before uttering anything in public.

Mr. Banda’s office has expressed concern that the recent malicious and hate-based campaign waged against him and his family involved the stories carried in the Mast Newspaper on March 20 and 21, 2017.

Mr. Banda’s office has categorically denied the lies that have been ascribed to the United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema on his score.

Mr Banda’s deputy administrative assistant Chibeza Mfuni has said the interactive Saharawi issue was not started by Mr. Banda, adding that when Mr. Banda became Foreign Affairs minister in the Kenneth Kaunda government the problems was already there.

“It is, therefore, very difficult to see how he would ensure that Saharawi is isolated. Mr Banda was a diplomat and cannot be the one to involve himself in divisive activities in matters that have nothing to do with him as a person and as a retired president.

“From the outset, I would like to make it clear that Mr. Nenani Banda is not in Morocco nor has he been in Morocco ever with his father as purported by Mr. Hichilema,” he said.

He said Mr. Banda and the business delegation were in Morocco at the invitation of the president of Crans Montana, Mr. Pierre Emmanuel Quirin.

Mr. Mfuni said Mr. Banda was awarded the highest award by Crans Montana in 2012 after he left office and was being unjustly persecuted.

The Crans Montana Forum is a summit of world leaders, covering important issues in business, civil and human rights, world peace, climate change, arts, gender, youth and governance issues.

Mr. Mfuni has advised Mr. Hichilema not to drag Mr. Banda, his family and the office of the former republican president into his ‘‘undignified political exchanges simply because of his desire to get to State House’’.

“Mr. Hichilema is enjoined in earnest not to continue with his divisive and toxic brand of politics if he is to ever get to lead the wonderful people of Zambia as President.

“It is time Mr. Hichilema leant to respect and appreciate one another and try to live in unity and harmony,” Mr. Mfuni said.

Meanwhile Present Banda has just returned from Morrocco where he  officiated at the 2017 Crans Montana Forum on Africa and South-South Cooperation from March 16 to March 21.

The event organized under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco was held in Dakhla, Morocco.

The former president who was invited at the, Crans Montana Forum by Forums president Pierre Emmanuel Quirin, attended the event for the second time having attended the event back in 2012 where he was awarded the highest award by Crans Montana.

The Crans Montana Forum brings together Heads of States and governments, ministers, international organizations, MPs and international businessmen from Africa, the South-South and the whole world and has been a unique platform for meeting for top decision makers from all over the world.

The Forum covers important issues in business, civil and human rights, world peace, climate change, arts, gender, youth and governance issues among others.