Church Rebukes Sata

24 June 2011

The church has condemned Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata for alleging that the Government neglected second president of the Republic of Zambia Frederick Chiluba when he fell ill and died last week.

Bishops Council of Zambia spokesperson Gibson Nyirenda said Mr Sata was preoccupied with attacking the Government even if there was no reason to do so.

Rev Nyirenda wondered how the Government could have neglected Dr Chiluba when it had always facilitated for his medical attention abroad.

He said Mr Sata was the one who had always attacked the second president and wondered why he wanted to shift focus to blame the Government unfairly.

“When Dr Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba announced Dr Chiluba’s death at a Press briefing, he put it plain and clear that Dr Chiluba died unexpectedly, so what did Mr Sata expect the Government to do?

“Such kind of politicking is unnecessary and let us mourn Dr Chiluba in unity and peace,” Rev Nyirenda said.

He said every Zambian knew that Dr Chiluba died as a good friend of President Rupiah Banda.

Independent Churches of Zambia chairperson David Masupa appealed to Mr Sata to stop issuing unwarranted attacks against the Government.

Rev Masupa said the Government should not be accused of having neglected Dr Chiluba because it was there for him and made sure he received medical attention at home and abroad.

He said even during the time when Dr Chiluba was attending court sessions, the courts allowed him to go out of the country for his medication while the Government gave him all his entitlements such as motor vehicles, body guards, chefs and money that was due to him.

Rev Masupa said the people of Zambia were waiting to see Mr Sata at the funeral and urged him to go and mourn instead of seeking unnecessary attention from the people of Zambia.

A clergyman in Lusaka also said it was wrong for Mr Sata to blame the Government for the death of Dr Chiluba and advised Zambians against politicising the funeral.

Pastor Wisdom Gondwe from Winners Chapel said in Lusaka yesterday that it was wrong to blame Dr Chiluba’s death on the Government which he said had done a lot for him.

Pastor Gondwe said President Banda’s administration had always responded on time whenever it came to evacuating Dr Chiluba to South Africa for medical attention and that it was wrong for Mr Sata to suggest otherwise.

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