Maravi

I'm firmly anchored in UNIP leadership, says Tilyenji

I'm firmly anchored in UNIP leadership, says Tilyenji
By Mutuna Chanda and Agness Changala
Sunday May 04, 2008 [04:00]

UNIP president Tilyenji Kaunda said that he is firmly anchored in the leadership of the party. Meanwhile, UNIP acting Eastern Province chairman Donald Sakala has said the party is in full control of Milanzi Constituency. Dismissing calls for his removal as non-existent, Tilyenji in an interview during the week said he was at peace within the party.

“When I was out of the country, there was an attack on the party headquarters but those who organised that attack are not members of the party. We heard names of former members of the party like Muhabi Lungu and General Malimba Masheke.

We also heard of some FDD (Forum for Democracy and Development) official who went to the police station to try and have some of the people who were locked up by the police for that attack. So those are not members of the party,” Tilyenji said.

Tilyenji said he had not heard any calls from UNIP members for him to step down.
Tilyenji said the processes leading to the party’s congress were underway and that by next year its leadership would have been chosen.

“The call for congress comes from the central committee,” Tilyenji said. “What will happen is that first the sections will have to elect their leadership followed by branches, wards, constituencies, districts and provinces.

When we get to that stage the national youth league will have to be prepared then the women’s league. So those are steps we are taking and only after we have taken those steps will we have congress. By next year we will have had congress.”

There has been growing discontent in UNIP over the Tilyenji Kaunda led executive including complaints that the leadership had stayed beyond their party’s constitutional mandate hence calls for congress to elect new leaders.

And Sakala in an interview on Friday vowed that UNIP would retain the Milanzi seat which fell vacant following the death of area member of parliament Chosani Njobvu.
Sakala said nothing would stop UNIP from retaining the seat.

“Milanzi Constituency has 10 wards and UNIP has nine councillors and the other one is an independent, meaning that we are in control of the constituency,” he said.
Sakala said this time the party would not allow the MMD to distribute relief maize and other items in the constituency like they did in Kapoche.

He charged that the MMD had even started grading roads and buying voters cards because they were facing difficulties to penetrate in the area.

Sakala said members from the ruling party were found giving K60,000 to over 500 people at Dolie Basic School in Eastern Province.

he also said the MMD had continued to use GRZ vehicles for campaigns.
“They are using vehicles for campaigns and they remove the number plates,” he said.
Sakala further said if MMD continued with their dirty tricks, then they would have themselves to blame because the people of Milanzi would not tolerate it anymore.

UNIP has adopted its Eastern Province chairperson, Ahmed Randera, as its candidate for the Milanzi by-election in Katete district.

The ruling MMD has received nine applications from people who want to contest the seat on its ticket but has not announced its candidate for next month’s election.

Other parties that have indicated willingness to participate in the by-election include the Patriotic Front and All People’s Congress Party.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set June 26 as the date for the Milanzi Constituency parliamentary by-elections.

Labels: DONALD SAKALA, ECZ, TILYENJI KAUNDA, UNIP

posted by MrK @ 5:25 AM