PRESIDENT Banda has exonerated Vice-President George Kunda from allegations of impropriety raised by Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata that Government paid Mr Kunda legal costs when there was no court order.
Mr Sata wrote to the President asking him to investigate Mr Kunda on allegations that the latter received payment through his legal firm Messrs George Kunda and Company from Government for legal costs when there was no order by the court.
This is contained in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere.
Mr Jere said in replying to Mr Sata’s letter, the President said he had conducted a thorough review and investigation of the various allegations made against the Vice-President.
“He said his investigations have revealed that the court did grant an order for costs. The determination of the actual quantum of the costs was the subject of verification by the court through the taxing master by way of legal procedure known as taxation of costs,” Mr Jere said.
He said the President informed Mr Sata that the records of the court proceeding relating to taxation of the costs are public and are available for scrutiny.
Mr Banda said his findings are in contrast to Mr Sata’s allegations that there was no order by the court to grant costs.
“The correct position is that there have in fact been subsequent subsidiary orders as to costs by the court,” he said.
The President also revealed that the court case on which Mr Sata based his allegations of payment of costs arose 15 years ago when the PF leader himself was in Government.[quote]
Mr Banda said it is unfortunate that Mr Sata could raise the issue now to deliberately give a false impression to the people that it is a matter which has come up for the first time during his tenure of office.
President Banda said he is concerned that it has become a norm for Mr Sata and other political leaders in the country to associate his Government with all the wrong things which happened before he assumed office.
The President said he has found this state of affairs to be unfair and regrettable.
“In the interest of fairness, President Banda said he would request Mr Sata and other leaders in the nation to hold his Government accountable for issues that have occurred or arisen during his tenure as President,” Mr Jere said.
President Banda said for Mr Sata’s record, the Vice-President ceased practising in Messrs George Kunda and Company in 2002 when he was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General by late President Mwanawasa.
He said this was in compliance with the provisions of the Legal Practitioners Practice Rules of 2002 made pursuant to the provisions of the Legal Practitioners Act Chapter 30 of the Laws of Zambia.
Meanwhile, President Banda has thanked Mr Sata for having thought it prudent to write to him to seek clarification on the matter and urged all leaders to always engage in constant dialogue to resolve various challenges affecting the country.
The President urged Mr Sata and other political leaders to feel free to seek clarification from him on any matter which they think should be clarified.
Mr Banda, however, said he is concerned about the manner in which the PF leader writes letters to him.
He said Mr Sata has the tendency of leaking letters, including the recent one, to the press before they reach State House.
Mr Banda said the recent letter Mr Sata wrote to him received wide publicity in the media before it even reached his office.
President Banda said Mr Sata’s actions are not only regrettable but are also calculated to embarrass his administration because the PF leader’s last letter was not written to seek genuine clarification.
He said Zambians deserve a lot more from leaders than cheap political rhetoric.
In view of Mr Sata’s conduct regarding the manner in which he publicly circulated his letter, President Banda said he found it unavoidable to equally respond to the PF leader’s letter publicly.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
good response from ba Banda to ba Sata
thats how things should be
bringing this matter in public wasn’t wrong imwe ba Banda, the public need to see that the two of you can also communicate on paper, not only through media argument.
Good Afternoon
The truth is hidden somewhere between the lines but I just can’t find it… :-??
Its unfortunate if the request for clarification by Sata was deliberate and mere rhetoric as you put it RB…with a tit for tat response. not for the calibre i knw of great leaders. Grow up RB. as a leader learn to tolerate stupid questions and requests. your response to such tell how wise you are, I thought you knew that at your age???
I think this is the way we should be treating each other in a democracy. Instead of always insulting each other, we should dialogue with a civil tongue. However, I find it unacceptable that a firm associated with a minister (in this case vice president) should be making so much money from the tax payer.
Mr Sata is all talk and no substance. I knew from the onset of his publicised letter that he was trying to get political capital out of a matter that is pretty straight forward. PF UNPD’s nauseating appetite for State House is making them hallucinate on any matter.
how useless sata can be. we told you it was a non-story thats why Post did not cover it. sata is a fool and an ill educated buffoon
hello
hey guys!!!!! i was banned for over 5 months now! am back!!!! hey!!! ya it filz good to be back!but awe too many new people! i cant even recognise any one! ahh
We need to know whats happening to public resources and matters of a public nature.
So, Sata was right to make the letter public just like you are right to respond in public and in this way there will be no misimformation.
Now we await Sata’s response as he has been called a lier. Over to you PF.
Yes there will always be conflicts between the ruling party and the opposition but it takes a genuine leaders to address those differences candidly and consistently. I like HH’s views in The Post today about the NCC issue of a degree clause for presidency. He calls for a magnanimous leadership; a leader must think bigger, think broader and think wider than his own ambitions. The man is right. The world is scared of people that will always reach beyond what the world expects them to be.
Zambians are awakening to a new dawn of visionary leadership. Leaders that will stand and work for real freedom, true democracy, no more lies… and a future for Zambia where we can all look forward to settle in. These are the type of leaders we must choose in the coming Presidential Elections 2011!
Nine Chale, good point there ! This thing will bring confusion esp if it is being used TODAY to target someone. It will stick around like the ‘non-bailable’ car theft charge that was targeted at Archie.
thats right nine chale. 2011 will see a new generation
Since when did Rupiah Banda become the investigator and defence attorney for George Kunda? George a big boy who can answer for himself!!
RB doesn’t even know what’s in the response. That letter should have been written by George Kunda and given to Jere just to read. Do you honestly think RB can do anything. That’s been over ambitious.
” Mukabe” no.14,I agree with you.There is no way Mr. Banda can think and say like that. The true is that ,it is Kunda who told or wrote that message fullstop
Has RB become Kunda’s defence lawyer and spokesman?
iam not a lawyer but i read somewhere-there was subsequent orders.meaning what?that after the court ruling the court can stil issue others orders.somebody explain
For the first time since RB became ZEDian prezdo, he has not insulted his rival. This should be the order of things. Imwe bantu babili pliz talema navo vindewo vanu. Osatukwana please…just respond to each other this way. Bravo RB!
Let us wait and see. When Sata wrote to Rupiah Banda he had information about this payment from the insiders from the ministry of Finance who are not happy with the way RB and minions are misusing public funds. Some of you are happy for someone to be paid K3billion for the jobs not done. 2011 will be the defening moment for RB and minions. The civil service is completely held by MMD cadres to intimidate others but 2011 will be time for reflection and misery for those involved in corrupt acts.
RB does not defend anything for nothing! Must be a done deal already guys!! I dont know what will be left for Zambia when these guys exit next year.:((:((
Sata is an uncouth GOON!!! and will never step foot inside State House. Abash PF thuggery…viva HH and the UPND!
No comment on Sata.Tired of him already.He is too cheap for the Presidency.
:(( Sata is a clown and a big one for that matter. He is a demagogue tittering on the lumpenic fringe. Yes #22 Sharp Shooter, Sata is too cheap for the presidency. He will make us a mockery to the rest of the civilised world. Come 2011, he will be defeated for the 4th and last time and he will go into political oblivion to nurse his life-long withdrawal symptons of whatever he used to smoke.
The ONLY president of Zambia has spoken well. Thank you sir for being so cool and level headed. We appreciate that. We also commend Mr Sata for partly resorting to dialogue but next time write discretely and only leak when you have been answered.
These leaders mud slinging each other. That is rean why leaders should be talking to each other on matters of national interest before than running to the media first. Its good we get the news but such news ia always biased. Now that RB has clarified what has got King Cobra to say?
These pipo are just playing with us. The gave the money to GK so that they can fund the convention. I think Zambians need someone to give them hope and assurance that all will be fine. imagine they way duft these guys re. Africa leaders never learn. they always think it will be rose and sun shine. Chiluba if he was wise he could ve continued with the preaching of the word of God unlike start going around reducing himself. Zambia shall be save.
LOL. Good and respectful response one would observe. Neutrals will learn something. Come 2011.
Wonder why Sata did not report this to the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Let Sata tell the Nation when he got that degree,he can fool some pipo sometime but he cant fool all the pipo all the time, now you see the light at the end of sata’a tunnel…..:)>-