UNIP is a villain in UDA - Charles Banda

UNIP is a villain in UDA - Charles Banda
By Chibaula Silwamba in Kapoche and Nomusa Michelo in Lusaka
Thursday May 17, 2007 [04:01]

UNIP is a villain in UDA, Kapoche FDD parliamentary candidate Charles Banda has declared. And UNIP parliamentary candidate Levison Mumba said he is not part of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). Meanwhile, UDA spokesperson Newton Ng'uni has said the alliance is disappointed with UNIP for fielding a parliamentary candidate for the Kapoche despite agreeing on a single candidate.

Reacting to UNIP's decision to sponsor a candidate instead of supporting one candidate under the UDA, Banda said UNIP was in the forefront breaking the alliance. "They should not hide in (FDD president Edith) Nawakwi or anyone, they (UNIP) are villains. They are the ones breaking the alliance," said Banda after filing his nomination for the Kapoche by-elections set for June 5.

"I have filed my nomination on FDD ticket because UNIP refused to sign on my UDA adoption certificate."

He charged that UNIP had brought confusion in the UDA. "UNIP is the one that brought confusion. But this will spell the end of UNIP," said Banda.

But Mumba said he did not know why UNIP picked him as its candidate. "They (UNIP) probably know what they are doing. No comment, all comments must be referred to UNIP Freedom House. I can't speak for UNIP, I have no mandate," said Mumba who once served as minister of health and Msanzala member of parliament. "I'm not part of the UDA because I have no position."

Asked if he had relinquished his membership in UPND, Mumba responded: "No comment."

Ng'uni who is also Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) national secretary said that FDD decided to field the UDA candidate Charles Banda under the FDD ticket after it became aware that UNIP would field its own candidate.

"We had decided as UDA to field one candidate, but UNIP decided to field their own candidate. If we have to field a candidate under the UDA, there would be two similar symbols," he said. "We don't know why our friends decided to field their own candidate. It is very disappointing."

UNIP on Tuesday fielded former health minister Levison Mumba who was before the day of filing in nominations a member of the UPND. Other contenders for the Kapoche seat are the FDD's Charles Banda, the MMD's Professor Fashion Phiri, the Patriotic Front's Mike Tembo and Sara Zulu from the All People's Congress Party.

Ng'uni expressed confidence that Banda would scoop the seat.
"We will do better than them, we'll do better than all these people hanging around here," he said.

And UPND president Hakainde Hichilema said it was unfortunate that UNIP decided to field their parliamentary candidate when the alliance had already agreed to field a single candidate.

And FDD national youth chairman Levy Ngoma, who is also Sinda member of parliament, said UNIP's decision to adopt a candidate was shameful.

"We want to appeal to the UNIP leadership to realise that the party has been infiltrated by the MMD. UNIP leadership should wake up because the situation on the ground is bad," Ngoma said. "UNIP had agreed to support Charles Banda under the UDA alliance but what has happened today is shameful."

Ngoma also warned the MMD to desist from engaging in malpractices during the campaigns.

"They should not blame our youths for what they will do if they don't stop," said Ngoma.

Meanwhile, Nicholas Banda whose elections as Kapoche member of parliament was nullified by the Lusaka High Court, protested at the district commissioner's office on Tuesday over the MMD's last minute decision to drop him as its candidate in preference to professor Fashion Phiri.

Banda had even started campaigns for re-election. However, Banda and science minister Peter Daka ushered Prof Phiri to file nomination just before the closing time.

Banda later said, "I definitely accept the decision of the party and I will support the party until we get the seat. I don't feel bad, it's ok."
He said the MMD still had other people to stand other than him and expressed optimism that Prof Phiri would be of service to the people of Kapoche.

Asked if he had gotten a motor vehicle loan from Parliament which he could be asked to repay through his eight-month benefits, Banda responded: "I didn't get the loan for a vehicle from Parliament. I was in the process of preparing the papers but I didn't finish."

And Prof Phiri dismissed as rumours the divisions in MMD over his candidate.

"As a party we are one," Prof Phiri said. "As you saw when we were coming, we are very close to each other."

He said if there were serious divisions in the party, Banda would not have accompanied him to the nomination centre.