FORMER President Dr Frederick Chiluba has said he has the right to back President Banda and that this cannot disqualify him from receiving his pension and benefits as reportedly stated by former Minister of Finance Ng’andu Magande.
Dr Chiluba’s spokesman Emmanuel Mwamba said in a statement released yesterday that contrary to some assertions, the former President is still popular.
He said that Mr Magande should know that Dr Chiluba has not broken any provisions for his retirement from politics and cannot, therefore, lose his benefits.
Mr Mwamba explained that Dr Chiluba and any other former President that wishes to comment on matters of public affairs and supports a candidate and political party of his choice does not in any way break the law nor are his benefits threatened in any way.
He said the former President would only lose his benefits if he ceases to hold office on the ground of wilful violation of the constitution or of misconduct.
The other provisions are that a former President could lose his benefits if he is convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or engaged in active politics.
Mr Mwamba noted that the law states that active politics means doing any act indicating a person’s intention to hold elective or appointive office, holding of elective or appointive office or by a resolution of two thirds of the majority of members of the National Assembly.
“Dr Chiluba does not hold or does not intend to hold any political office. The law defines clearly what the framers intended to mean by `active politics’ and Dr Chiluba does not in any way fall in that category,” Mr Mwamba said.
He said that the Benefits of Former Presidents Act Cap 16 of Zambia is comprehensive, and so calls for Dr Chiluba’s withdrawal of benefits are malicious and intended to prevent the former President from meaningfully contributing to Zambia’s national development.
He said this law has been applied equitably in the past.
Mr Mwamba said that when Dr Chiluba remained MMD party president for three months, his pensions and benefits were taken away in compliance with the law.
He said the benefits were only restored when he resigned his position.
“We, therefore, wish to reprimand such persons as Ng’andu Magande who know the provisions of the law but chose to mislead the nation by alleging that Dr Chiluba is breaking the law by merely rendering political support to President Rupiah Banda,” he said.
Mr Mwamba said Dr Chiluba is only exercising his fundamental right of freedom of choice, expression, association and freedom of movement as guaranteed by the national constitution.
He said it is people like Mr Magande who are breaking the law by insisting on taking away Dr Chiluba’s fundamental rights.[quote]
“The bliss ignorance so far displayed by Mr Magande, in our view, amounts to irresponsible behaviour and having held a senior position such as a Finance Minister, his conduct should be beyond petty,” he said.
Mr Mwamba also said that Chiluba’s right to support President Banda must be respected without any question. He also dismissed assertions that Dr Chiluba’s trip to the Copperbelt is funded by State House.
“Since 2002, Dr Chiluba as former President has had his trips, local and foreign, funded by Government as a matter of entitlements.
Therefore, the assertion that the funds released for this Copperbelt trip to meet the welfare of his accommodation, food and that of his accompanying staff came from State House is only designed to embarrass President Rupiah Banda,” Mr Mwamba said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
This man is so shameless
I wish he could shut up and do some charity work and show the pipo of Zambia that he is sorry for what he did
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Frederick Titus Jacob Zharare Nkonde Kafupi Chimasule Chiluba apparently once told the late Dean Namulya Mung’omba that Zambians were such a docile lot he could easily rule them for 50 years. Is it that this prophecy is coming true? Is he ruling through Rupiah Bwezani Kwenda Banda?
This is what you get when you keep feeling sorry for offenders. This man thinks he can walk on water! spent even more of tax payers money pretending to be ill and now look at him…he thinks Zambians are toothless and believes he is the Messiah!!
I hope that one day Chiluba will come to his senses and realise how much pain he continues to inflict on Zambians. Why can’t his relatives and friends advise him to be humble and civil?
this kafupi is behind Nyama soya so dat he can get his immunity back, it seems Chilubas shortness has a side effect on his brain… Get a life Kafupi b4 PF makes you tall wen they come in power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
not man’s law,not gods law and not law of nature i.e. you scratch my back and i will scratch yours.this man belongs in jail for abusing the trust people laid in him by wearing $1000.00 suits and shoes while ordinary zambians were earning less than a dollar a day.rupiah keeps him out of jail for he may be like minded too.who knows what his motivations are?
one day God will judge u hypocrite..take back the wife of Mr.Mwanza..regina doesnt belong to you..and u are going to lose ur benfits come 2011 coz mmd is gone…
I wish this man can go back to where he belongs. To hell.
Indeed Chiluba is a shameless man…>:/>:/
Chiluba has not broken any law as alleged by Magande. The pact is just scared stiff of FTJ because if he was a lightweight and a non issue as they want the gullible pact members to believe, then they wouldn’t be panicking like this. FTJ is an ordinary citizen now and can support any candidate of his choice just like he supported Sata in 2006 and Mwanawasa did not complain. FTJ is such an engineer and soon after his sojourn to the Copperbelt, Itawa flats and Chinese complex have been offered to sitting tenants.
I just can’t wait for the time decency and justice will prevail in Zambia and place the bubbly little man in jail for having unashamedly looted Zambia’s much needed forex. Can’t he learn to shut up for once?
Imwe baba tu ma master’s degree twamene mubelengela mu State House (in taxpayer’s time) tuma mifuntisa. An ex president doesn’t openly support anyone because he is retired. When he starts supporting and campaigning for people he is returning to active politics. Therefore he hasn’t retired and as such his pension and retirement benefits should be stopped. the Zambian people should not be taken for a ride. If Nyamasoya decides to hand you our $8.5 million he is in terrible s.hit! We will make sure he and you spend the rest of your lives in Mukobeko!
#13 Kamba Timvere – Is that what the law says or that is your thinking?
Delusion in the nation..fear not for my generation is coming..a generation of quality, efficient, able and entreprising Zambian men and women- every dog has its day.
ka chiluba needs to be visited by gangbangers!
Adviser the law says he should not return to active politics