Maravi

Mwata seeks to reconcile with Levy

Mwata seeks to reconcile with Levy
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tuesday June 10, 2008 [04:00]

MWATA Kazembe has requested to meet President Levy Mwanawasa in the spirit of reconciliation to assure the President that he is not against him and his government. Presidential affairs minister Cecil Holmes yesterday confirmed that he last week went to meet Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people of Luapula Province at his palace following the chief’s request to meet President Mwanawasa.

According to sources in Mwansabombwe, the Lunda chief’s royal area, Mwata Kazembe wants to meet President Mwanawasa to assure him that he is not against him and his government as perceived.

“Mwata Kazembe and chief Puta requested to have an audience with President Mwanawasa to assure him that they are not what they are thought to be that they are against him and his government,” the sources said.

“Following Mwata Kazembe’s request, Holmes wanted to hear what the Mwata had in mind to arrange for a meeting with President Mwanawasa. During the meeting, Holmes told the Mwata that he will convey the message to the President.”

The sources said Mwata Kazembe also complained to Holmes that Luapula Province minister Chrispin Musosha was arrogant and he should be removed.

“As you know the Mwata chased Musosha from his palace during that day of the meeting and he told Holmes that he did not want Musosha because he was arrogant and he had taken so many contracts. He requested that Musosha should be removed from the province,” the sources said. “But Holmes told him that, ‘you are a chief and a father of the people and you should call them and talk to them in privacy’.”

The sources said Mwata Kazembe, who supports Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata, wanted to realign himself with President Mwanawasa because the two leaders had reconciled.

“Sata’s reconciliation with President Mwanawasa has forced the Mwata to want to come closer to President Mwanawasa,” the sources said.

When contacted yesterday, Mwata Kazembe indicated that there would be nothing wrong with him meeting President Mwanawasa because he was his President.

“Aah! Well he is my President,” Mwata Kazembe said.

Asked if he had initiated the proposal to meet President Mwanawasa, Mwata Kazembe declined to comment and could not disclose why and what he discussed with Holmes.

“Unfortunately, anything bordering on politics I don’t comment. I am a traditional ruler and I don’t think I should be commenting on political matters,” Mwata Kazembe said. “He is my minister; he just came to see me. It’s important once in a while you interact with the people in the system.”

Asked whether he wants to meet President Mwanawasa to clear the perception that he was against the government, Mwata Kazembe said people were entitled to their own opinions.

And Holmes said Mwata Kazembe had requested to meet President Mwanawasa. He said he had travelled to Luapula Province to hear what the chief wanted to discuss with the President.

“Myself, I just went to meet him. I had a message from the President. I am just a messenger, I am just a carrier, the message was private, I can’t tell you,” Holmes said. “There is nothing much, it’s just that once in a while we have to visit our traditional leaders.

He had a request to meet the President but you know as the President was out of the country I thought that it was important you don’t keep a chief waiting to hear. So I went to sit with him and just hear why he wanted to see the boss.”

Holmes declined to give details why Mwata Kazembe requested to meet President Mwanawasa.
“I can’t say that. I have to report back to the boss who sent me there,” Holmes said.

He said there was no need for the government to fear that somebody Mwata Kazembe in Luapula Province was against President Mwanawasa and his government because ordinary people would be the ones that would suffer.

“I don’t believe in rumours, he Mwata Kazembe is not against the President and the government. I believe that the best thing is to sit down and talk to each other because we are all stakeholders because we need to take development to Luapula Province and if we start fearing that somebody doesn’t want us there then there is a problem, it’s the people who suffer. So it’s important that as we hear these things, we move …I think for me I want to tell you that I had a very successful meeting with His Royal Highness,” Holmes said.

Asked if he would arrange for a meeting between Mwata Kazembe and President Mwanawasa, Holmes said it was not always that the President would meet every person who requests to meet him.

“Certain things the chief or any other person wants sometimes I can do them before they meet the President. If I can resolve it the better.

You know the President is a busy person, you can’t find that everybody who wants to meet him can meet him but we need to facilitate. If it is possible, let’s meet those who want to meet the President and discuss issues and if we can resolve them then there is no need for them to meet the President,” said Holmes.

Mwata Kazembe has frequently criticised President Mwanawasa’s government. In September 2006, he said MMD would leave his chiefdom for failing to develop it. In the run-up to the tripartite elections, Mwata Kazembe whipped some MMD cadres who chanted slogans in support of President Mwanawasa and MMD candidate Maybin Mubanga.

He said the cadres who had gone to his Guest House were foolish and had no respect for his thrown.

Labels: MWANAWASA, Mwata Kazembe

posted by MrK @ 4:18 AM