Maravi

MMD is headed for a dangerous path - Kavindele

MMD is headed for a dangerous path - Kavindele
By Noel Sichalwe and George Chellah
Monday April 23, 2007 [04:00]

MMD is headed for a dangerous path if they insist that President Mwanawasa should continue leading them after his term expires, former Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele has said. ut MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba, who insisted that President Mwanawasa should continue leading the party, said Kavindele's desire for the MMD presidency was a wild dream, especially that he was not even a member of the party.

Kavindele was commenting on Tetamashimba and the Copperbelt MMD leadership's calls for President Mwanawasa to continue leading the party after the expiry of his term of office.

Kavindele said history had a tendency of repeating itself. He recalled that when former president Frederick Chiluba was confronted by MMD's national executive committee (NEC) as to why he wanted to go for a third term, he said a delegation from Solwezi approached him that he should continue.

He said it was surprising that Tetamashimba, who is also Solwezi member of parliament, was talking about the same desires.

"This is something I am not able to understand. It is of course pleasing to hear the leadership of MMD appreciate what President Mwanawasa is doing and urge him to continue to lead them after the end of his term," Kavindele said.

"In political leadership, it's necessary to be appreciated for this encourages leaders to work even harder. I am aware that most of the current MMD leadership was not with the party at the time of change from Dr Chiluba to the Mwanawasa administration. What is being proposed now, to continue in leadership has been tried before."

Kavindele said President Mwanawasa was committed to reducing the poverty levels among Zambian people and that he has a difficult task of fighting corruption. He said many people acknowledged to stand with President Mwanawasa to fight corruption as a way of fighting poverty but that civil servants were busy stealing.

"To some extent, he is frustrated that the fight is not being won indeed," Kavindele said. "But it is good when people appreciate his endevours. But I doubt very much that he will go a day longer than necessary. What our members should be seeking is that continuity of Levy's policies as regards the economy carries on.

There should be continuity of all economic policies and other policies that have made Levy popular. So they should be seeking someone who understands and appreciate Levy's policies to take over so that there is no reverse in the achievement that the new deal has scored."

Kavindele said views from some members were divisive, as people who wanted to take over had already started campaigning although it was too early.

And Tetamashimba said Kavindele's desire for the MMD presidency was a wild dream especially that he was not even a member of the party.

"Kavindele disqualified himself from the party by standing as an independent candidate during last year's general elections. If he wants let him re-apply for party membership but he will only be able to contest for any party position at any level three years after joining. That's what the constitution says," Tetamashimba said. "So to us Kavindele is not an issue unless he wants to be president of the new party that we are hearing about. Kavindele would have been a strong candidate if he didn't leave the party."

Tetamashimba maintained that President Mwanawwasa should continue leading the party after his term expires.
"You need a person to unite the party and that person is President Mwanawasa. And soon after the 2011 elections, then he will relinquish power of the party and give it to the new President just like it happened with him," Tetamashimba said. "We want him to unite the party after the convention because there could be fallouts after some people have lost. So we want him to unite the party and go after the general elections. Chiluba helped him in 2001 so we should also allow him to help the next President. He needs to be fully involved in the selection of the next President."

Tetamashimba said most people where interested in the Republican presidency and not the party presidency.
"Since The Post published those names of people eyeing the presidency, has any of those people come out to deny apart from the First Lady?

General Shikapwasha even clarified his position meaning that they are all interested in the Republican presidency and not the party presidency," Tetamashimba said. "And the constitution of the party is clear that you can have a party president and President of the nation. But I am also aware that the number of those eyeing the presidency will go up to 15, that I know."

Labels: CONSTITUTION, GOVERNANCE

posted by MrK @ 6:01 AM