Maravi

Prof Chirwa to contest MMD presidency

Prof Chirwa to contest MMD presidency
By Patson Chilemba
Friday November 23, 2007 [03:00]

Professor Clive Chirwa yesterday declared his intention to contest the MMD presidency and later the 2011 Republican presidential election. In an interview in Lusaka, Prof Chirwa – who is Britain’s Bolton University Professor of Crashworthiness - said Zambia needed to have a president like him. He said he would prepare adequately to ensure that he scooped the presidency both at party and national levels.

“I am not saying that I will be the one that will be adopted. But the thing is that I have declared interest and that interest will have…like in any other democracy, there are votes which will be cast and hence I’ll prepare myself, present my portfolio, present my case, present my vision, present my capabilities and present my solutions to the problems.

And then if somebody feels I am the person to be chosen in a democracy, then I will be grateful indeed,” Prof Chirwa said. “I want to contest the 2011 presidential elections on the MMD ticket. No problem at all, I will win.”

Prof Chirwa said Zambia needed a person like him to get out of poverty and underdevelopment. He said his international exposure gave him the edge above others, both in the MMD and outside.

“I have been exposed to a lot of problems which I’ve participated in their solutions. And the 21st century is all about Zambia moving a step further, so much further than where we are now. Why should we be poor when we are one of the richest countries in the world?” Prof Chirwa asked. “Those are the issues which I think people do not see in Zambia.

But they can see that when you are looking from the outside, you can see much better. So that is why I believe that I am not the single one person but I believe that when the contest begins, people will understand that there is only one person who can deliver these developments and take us out of poverty, and that will be me.” Prof Chirwa said he was serious about his intentions and that in 2009, he would permanently come back to stay in Zambia.

“I’m currently out but in 2009, I will be back for good. At the moment, I will be coming back every three months like I am doing now,” he said.

Prof Chirwa said he would love to contest the presidency on the MMD ticket because its policies were being implemented and could easily be polished up.

“The FNDP (Fifth National Development Plan) is a platform but we want to move further from there in order to produce perhaps a development document which will involve every single person in Zambia, not just for those in the offices,” Prof Chirwa said. “I want every talent that we have in Zambia to participate in the development of this country.”

Prof Chirwa said he would be meeting chief Nalubamba of the Ila people to discuss how he could be helped to achieve his goals of becoming Republican president.

“I will be traveling to Choma to meet chief Bright Nalubamba who has invited me, thankfully even to stay at his palace on the 25th on November, and within that, I will be discussing how they can help us try to achieve my goals in 2011. From there, I am moving to Solwezi to meet chief Mumena,” said Prof Chirwa who joined the MMD in September, 2007.

Prof Chirwa is also chairman of Automotive and Aerospace Structures at University of Bolton.

Labels: CLIVE CHIRWA, MMD, PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 12:23 PM