Former President Frederick Chiluba says he cannot celebrate the conviction of MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba and three others because they are his friends.
And Dr Chiluba has questioned why former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Simon Miti chartered a faulty plane when he (Dr Chiluba) was evacuated to South Africa for treatment.
Dr Chiluba said he is saddened about the conviction of Dr Kalumba and others because they were his right-hand officials during his tenure of office.
He said it is immoral for some people, who include Kafulafuta member of Parliament George Mpombo and Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata, to mock him over the matter by asking him to celebrate the conviction of Dr Kalumba.
Dr Chiluba said this in an interview with journalists after attending a church service at the Bible Gospel Church in Africa (BIGOCA) in Matero yesterday.
He said contrary to the insinuations, he is not happy or celebrating over the conviction of Dr Kalumba and others because they are his comrades.
“Whether Mr Mpombo or other people commented or not over this matter, I cannot be happy, neither can I smile or dance over the conviction because those were my friends.
“They were not my key advisors but were my comrades and right-hand men and we worked together,” he said.
Dr Chiluba, however, said as a democrat, he is not in the habit of interfering with the work of the courts of law.
[pullquote]“Whether Mr Mpombo or other people commented or not over this matter, I cannot be happy, neither can I smile or dance over the conviction because those were my friends.”[/pullquote]
He said he cannot argue the case because of security reasons.
“Dr Kalumba and others are my friends and we worked together but now that they have been found in this situation, I do not want to argue the case for security reasons,” he said.
Last week, Mr Sata challenged Dr Chiluba to celebrate the conviction of Dr Kalumba just as he celebrated his acquittal.
Dr Kalumba, who is former Minister of Finance, and three others were last week jailed five years with hard labour for corrupt practices.
Those jailed are former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda and former defunct Access Financial Services Limited directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu.
Dr Kalumba and the three others have, however, been released from prison after the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court granted them K500 million bail each in their own recognisance.
Meanwhile, Dr Chiluba has questioned why Dr Miti chartered a faulty plane when he was evacuated to South Africa for treatment.
Dr Chiluba asked the question during a church service when he gave a testimony of his life and heart problem.
He alleged that Dr Miti hired a plane used for pest control.
He said the plane, which Dr Miti claimed was a medical airbus, had no toilet or bed.
Dr Chiluba said he does not understand the logic by Dr Miti to have hired an old plane for an emergency, adding that the flight took four hours as opposed to the usual two hours from Lusaka to South Africa.
“Thank God that my wife and I are still alive…it does not make sense to hire an old plane for a person whose heart is running at 12 percent instead of the normal 70-100 percent.
“The little old plane hired by Dr Miti was faulty because barely 30 minutes after departure, one engine blew off and everyone on the plane, including the pilots, started panicking but I was calm because I prayed to God,” Dr Chiluba said.
He said after the plane developed a fault, the nurse on board panicked and confessed that the plane was not a medical airbus.
“I wondered why the plane, which looked like a wheelbarrow was chartered for me but I think this was another attempt by the devil to weaken me. I thank God we arrived safely,” he said.
Dr Chiluba said he is not accusing anyone of attempting to take his life but was questioning the logic of hiring a ‘finished plane’ to evacuate him to South Africa.
He said he has experienced God’s love and goodness as He has seen him through his heart problem.
“It is now five years when the doctors told me I had a heart problem which is incurable and that I was going to die.
“My heart condition was deterioting everyday and I spent sleepless nights because I had to be in a sitting position because if I had to sleep on the bed, I would have died. But my wife and I prayed even without faith sometimes because we wanted God to hear and he did. That’s why I am still alive,” he said.
Dr Chiluba thanked the church and other members of the public who prayed for his healing.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
Kwashala iwe Kafupi, just wait you trun will come:-w:-w:-w:-w:-w then your chiefs will crying but getting more envelops from your friends
On ‘Dr. Kalumba and others were my friends and we worked toogether’ – has it occured to the nincompoop that these chaps have been convicted of corruption in cases somehow connected to his? The more he keeps yapping in the media, the more hatred he breeds for himself.
I have a feeling his heart problems will resurface very soon,sounds like a dog that has been cornered with nowhere to run,bawling for simpathy aint we!!!!
why complain about the plane now? he could have easily asked the pilot to turn back since the plane was faulty. but since he was in a hurry to run away from court cases he took a risk with a defective plane. in any case why question now and not when it happened
The faulty plane issue in over and has got no platform now and it is not an issue anymore. FTJ has the habit of convincing people to feel sorry for him. He now understand that the conviction of Kaka and others is really serious and may backfire back to him as the pressure is growing to appeal against his dubious acquittal. He even has the audacity to say they are his friends and were his right people, he and the them are just the same and he must just shut up as he deserves to be behind bars just like them.
It seems Chiluba wants attention and from his comments, he’s insinuating that someone wanted to take his life? Lately Chiluba has been everywhere and saying anything. That’s why Mr Kavindele was saying Chiluba shouldn’t be antagonistic.
Ka Chiluba kali no mwenso nomba, walaingila kafupi nombaline na kamutima ka kashima mu prison. swine!
He is scared that the appeal cases before the courts for him and his wife will go the Katele way and about the faulty plane we did not want you to come back to Zambia. I pitty the people who to church and listen to this crap of a person talk nonsense .
This Thief simply does not repent. There would have been no need for his evacuation to RSA if his comrades had bought hospital equipment and not steal the money in the first place. I declare here and now that MMD should be voted out next year. They have no shame what so ever.
This ka***** keeps mocking zambians day and night! does he know how many zabians wished that he dies? He is lucky that he got sent to RSA, If I was Levy I would have sent his shortASS to Chingwere clinic, We do not need anybody to be sent to RSA using taxpayers money, use that money to train our own MD and build more hospitals> Where are the medical doctors in Zambia, they need to rise up to their creed of saving lives and challenge the govt on this issue. People in zambia need to rise against this govt because what they are doing is criminal!!
the bleeped stuff I meant to say Kapuba and his short Panyo!!
Titus ulishilu iwe. Walipena! if no one has ever told you that, that’s the fact and you know and that’s what is hurting you. Now you want some sympathy after you realize that nkhani yalula. ati heart problem again, atase! nensoni tawakwata. Waba amono ubwipi ngaiwewine! swine! 😮
chilu is mad, how can your juniors b jailed and still claim u ar innocent…we ar a joke of a country…that acquital was rubbish. it was pure engineering guys…mmd should go we need sanity.
S.t.u.p.i.d midget has he forgotten he sent our national team to their graves in a finished plane, whats the problem with this man. Gabon crash victims’ families have been suffering for almost 20yrs yrs now because of him, so what is he whinging about when he’s still eating with us. Wish the ka plane crashed his big head twalabako.
Mr Chiluba, you compare the aircraft that took you to SA to a wheelbarrow, really? I am sure if you are a Zambian you must be aware that today in Zambia there are many poor people being transported to those hospital structures on real wheelbarrows. What did you do as president to correct the situation?
And now you are suddenly beginning to yap yap about your ‘heart condition’ because you realise after Katele’s conviction that things look like turning sour for you. You have been campaigning for MMD day and night without any problems. You are so crafty and dangerous! You can’t fool anyone.
Miti chartered the right plane for this pest that infested our country with corruption.
chiluba jus wait for next year, HH and SATA will sort u out ! u,a such a useless chap!!
ka chikala aka atase, what does he take us for, “i wonder why they chartered a plane that looked like a wheelbarrow” mother****er atase!!!
Okay, let’s say the plane you were taken to RSA in was faulty. Now tell us about the ZAF buffalo plane(s) you as commander-in-chief allowed the national soccer team to travel in to firstly, Madagascar and then Gabon (enroute to Senegal). Was it faulty or not?
Ndafwaya ukukaluka akamuntu aka. Mambala sha ! :-&
where are all mmd sympathizers who have been singing praises for this ka shetani,since katele’s conviction,i’ve only been seeing senior citizen/veteran.they were here praising him for that sham developmental meeting,now they seem to have crawed back from whence they came
dont worry,we will welcome you back if and when you master some courage,,ngamwakola umwela
twamiwina,m******me mukabwele mu mainsa,,,,blah blah blah nalaba kulasti guys njafweniko
Truth snd reconcillation thus all we need.Just like the South Africans did.We shall continue going round and round in circles.
Iwe ka Gary Coleman Snr.
Ule bepa fye.
These four footers are really hazardous.
If you had been in a developed counrty they would have solved the height issue earlier and taken care of your heart.Gary Jnr lived longer than many expected.
Viva!!
I am getting different views on our president’s death. Please inform us if you have any information on our beloved president’s death in Paris. Is it true that RB has died?
#24 Mwata, Where do you get this information from?
Chiluba is gotta be kidding! The man is toying with our patience!It’s quite evident that the court erred in finding him “innocent”.His friends have been fpund quilty in cases that link to him as incumbent president then.As for Miti chartering a defective plane,he was probably working within the Budget provided and besides Kafupi had the choice of telling the Pilot to flyback to Lusaka! I mean 4 hours is equivalent to a Bus ride to Ndola his Home town!So what’s the fuss.
techi wesha nokwesha! THERE IS NO JUSTICE AT ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! NAISHIBA ICILENGELE! NOCHI GUILTY?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE CONSCIENCE IS A STRONG FORCE:o
Chiluba?what is this wena nja ya mutu, you compare a plane to a wheelbarrow.The best you could have done is to thank Zedians for your free medicals and air transport you get.
Ron shikapwasha is very ignorant and un educated. How can he say that traffic jams is asymbol of booming economy when the country is jammed with cheap Japanees car. This actually a symbol of avery weak economy. Compare with economies like RSA and Botswana. You see cities jammed with big cars like Jeeps, BMWs x1, x3, x5 x6 ,Dodges, Audis Q5 ,Q7 , Crysers Range Rovers, Land Rovers discs.,Ford Exploreres , etc.
/:) sorry bashi castro im sure you would have done the same ?????
“My heart condition was deterioting everyday and I spent sleepless nights because I had to be in a sitting position because if I had to sleep on the bed, I would have died. If I were you, would first weigh the head to see whats cooking MUCITWE.
Why bother? you have two HEARTS the other one is located MUCITWE. Bring back the money you stole or UTUPELELEMO ICITWE, period.
Katele’s issues are being dealt with within our own MMD ranks! This is a PF-UPDN issue period! We as MMD are behind our beloved servant in the name of Dr. Kalumba. This is an internal issue and should not be taken as ridicule for all malicious and short sighted outsiders who are just on here for the primary reason of just blogging. Dr. Katele my brother be assuredly encouraged that the whole nation is behind you!
THEY ARE YOUR PARTNERS IN CRIME HOW CAN YOU MAKE MERRY. YOUR TIME IS COMING FASTER THAN YOU CAN THINK OR IMAGINE.
The midget`s heart was operating at 12%? Ka chi colour aka ubufi. Just wait another 18 months, you will be back in court. There will be no Bwezani ka shetani iwe. Miti must be a very stu pid person to even send you in that wheelbarrow. You needed to go on the bus you fo ol!
And, who does this midget think he is fooling? What heart problem is he on about when the world knows kaliba H I V positive?