11 November 2009
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has complained that the continued attacks on him by some sections of the private media were unfair.
Speaking on a live programme on Radio Chikaya in Lundazi yesterday, Mr Banda said most of the times, he was unfairly covered by some private media and had chosen to remain quiet so that the people of Zambia could decide for themselves who was telling the truth.
When he arrived at Chipata Airport, he said a lot of things, but The Post newspaper only quoted him as having said "Sata ni mwana wa Satana'
The president was responding to a question from the presenter who wanted to know how he felt about the continued media attacks on him.
"I think the continued media attacks on me by the private media are unfair, I am a human being, I feel the continued attacks on me by The Post and other private media are very unfair. I have enough powers to shutdown any media organisation by removing their license but I do not want to do that," he said.
Mr Banda said the continued attacks on him by the private media would not destruct him in anyway because the same media also attacked his predecessor.
He said the late president Mwanawasa was also attacked and at one time he was even called a cabbage.
However, the president commended Radio Chikaya for their noble cause in ensuring that the community was always informed.
He said as long as the radio station was not being used as a political tool, the Government would always support its noble cause.
On the fertiliser support input programme (FSIP), Mr Banda said the Government would continue supporting the programme because it meant well for the Zambian people, especially those in rural areas.
He said the Government would this year engage traditional leaders and the Church in the distribution of the farming inputs under the FSIP programme to ensure there was transparency and accountability.
On the Chipata-Lundazi Road, the president said the Government was still sourcing funds for the completion of the remaining 78-kilometre stretch of the 178-kilometre road.
On the fuel crisis the country has been experiencing, the president said he was happy the fuel crisis had subsided in the country.
He said it was unfortunate the routine maintenance worksat Indeni Refinery in Ndola had caused the fuel shortage in the country.
Mr Banda said the 100 trucks that were marooned in Beira, Mozambique as a result of the presidential elections in that country compounded the fuel shortage in the country.
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