Katele asks Teta to apologise

Katele asks Teta to apologise
By Patson Chilemba and Lambwe Kachali
Sunday July 13, 2008 [04:00]

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba yesterday said the matter regarding President Levy Mwanawasa's succession is irrelevant at the moment. And Kalumba asked party spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba to apologise over his statement that the issue of succession should be discussed when President Mwanawasa returns.

In an interview before he addressed MMD women who gathered at the party secretariat to pray for President Mwanawasa as well as express their anger over Tetamashimba's remarks, Kalumba accused Tetamashimba of breeding infighting in the party. Kalumba said it was irrelevant at the moment to raise the issue of succession when President Mwanawasa was sick in hospital.

When asked if he was one of the people Tetamashimba referred to when he threatened to expose people that were working against President Mwanawasa, Kalumba said this was the moment of prayer for the President.

"President Mwanawasa is not standing as a candidate for MMD. It's not an issue. So what are you talking about? That's not an irrelevance, which should have been brought at this time. It's irrelevant to the moment. Our President is currently in Paris and needs to recover," he said.
When asked to comment on Tetamashimba's statement that he would stand by his position over the need to discuss President Mwanawasa's successor at party level in 2010, Kalumba said those were politics of conflict at a solemn moment.

"Why should people breed conflict at a time when we should feel reflective and sober enough to concentrate our energies on praying for the recovery of the President? Why should you be breeding infighting? It's not a necessary thing to do," Kalumba said. "There are people who have declared they want to be presidential candidates from the secretariat. We know that."
Kalumba said the fact that there would be people contending for the presidency was not an issue in MMD.
He also disputed Tetamashimba's statement that the MMD was over-working President Mwanawasa.
Kalumba said President Mwanawasa had appointed presidential affairs minister Cecil Holmes to ensure that the workload was minimised.

And Kalumba later told MMD women not to listen to politicians or politics of division.
"This is not the moment to listen to evil thoughts. This is the moment to pray for our President to recover," he said.
Kalumba urged Tetamashimba to be bold enough and apologise over his remarks.
He said MMD members were angered by Tetamashimba's statement that the party should consider President Mwanawasa's successor when he comes back.
"We are praying even for Tetamashimba to come back, as our party chairlady said, to believe in prayer. To pray faithfully and not half-heartedly. Not to pray as to thinking 'who will succeed him President Mwanawasa?'"No, pray for the recovery of President Mwanawasa," Kalumba said. "If you make a mistake and you are a leader, say sorry. Be bold enough to apologise."
And chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said Tetamashimba had embarrassed the government.

Mulongoti in an interview in Lusaka at his Kabulonga residence said Tetamashimba's position on the issue of succession bordered on arrogance and was devoid of humility.
Mulongoti said it was sad that Tetamashimba who had never issued any statement to wish President Mwanawasa a quick recovery was pretending to be caring for the President.
He said the party and all MMD national executive members expected Tetamashimba to exhibit a sense of humility.

"The issue of succession is nothing new. He himself Tetamashimba is on record, even advocating that President Mwanawasa must stay until 2011. But he wants to pretend now. We object to his optimism where he wants to show that he loves the President more and that he is more sincere," Mulongoti said. "What is most unfortunate is that Tetamashimba was silent all along. He never even said or wished the President quick recovery on behalf of the NEC. We expected him to do that, but he never did that. The next thing we hear is his statement about succession being issued at an inappropriate time. And as government we are very embarrassed."
Mulongoti also challenged Tetamashimba to disclose more people who did not care for President Mwanawasa as he claimed.

"We were hoping that he would correct himself but he hasn't. It's not right for any government official or junior minister to pursue a stance that borders on arrogance. I challenge him to expose more on this. What we don't want is for him to use the President's sickness as an opportunity for him to push whatever agenda he wants to push," said Mulongoti.
Some MMD members also condemned Tetamashimba's succession remarks.
Luapula Province minister Chrispine Musosha said it was inhuman to talk about the succession of President Mwanawasa who is currently admitted in hospital.
He said it was too early to start talking about succession.

Musosha said it was un-African to talk about inheriting someone who was still living.
Chisamba MMD member of parliament Moses Muteteka said it was wrong that the issue of succession had arisen when President Mwanawasa was unwell.
Muteteka said the President's relatives had even cancelled family celebrations such as weddings and parties.

"For instance, my young brother was supposed to have 'matebeto' at my house but we had to cancel that," said Muteteka.
Northern Province minister Lameck Chibombamilimo said Tetamashimba should have raised the issue of succession much earlier and not when President Mwanawasa was in hospital.

"Yes, the timing is wrong. He might have a point but the timing was bad because some of those people are close to the President, dining with the President," Chibombamilimo said. "What I am saying is 'what were they waiting for?' Because when they had ample time they never told him. They should have said 'Your Excellency, I think there is need for a vice-president'."
Chibombamilimo said what Tetamashimba had said was an eye opener as to what some people in the party were thinking.
Former lands minister Judith Kapijimpanga urged party members to learn to discuss important party matters such as the succession of President Mwanawasa through the party and not the press.

Last Wednesday, Tetamashimba said although he believed that President Mwanawasa would come back to lead the party, it was necessary that the issue of succession be discussed.
Tetamashimba said many people feared talking about succession but that it was an issue that should be discussed when the President returns.
Tetamashimba also said the President was being overworked and that there was need to address the issue of his successor at party level in 2010 so that he could concentrate on national duties.

On Thursday, Kalumba said Tetamashimba's statement was an ill-advised personal opinion especially that President Mwanawasa was still admitted to hospital. But on Friday on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation television, Tetamashimba maintained his statement, adding that those that wanted the President to continue working did not like him. Tetamashimba also threatened to disclose the names of people that were working against President Mwanawasa.