Maravi

Katele wants to succeed Levy - Teta

Katele wants to succeed Levy - Teta
By Patson Chilemba
Wednesday July 16, 2008 [04:00]

MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba yesterday said party national secretary Katele Kalumba has presidential ambitions, and is using President Mwanawasa's illness to achieve cheap political mileage. Reacting to Kalumba, who on Saturday asked him to apologise over his remark that the party should consider choosing President Levy Mwanawasa's successor when he returns, Tetamashimba said people like Kalumba had twisted his remarks to benefit themselves in an attempt to succeed the President.

He urged Zambians to be careful with people who were ‘defending’ President Mwanawasa when they had failed to do so in the past.

Tetamashimba said he would not support Kalumba for the presidency and that many people would find it difficult if the MMD national secretary were elected.
He said although Kalumba had not announced his ambitions to the Zambian people, the party was aware of his activities.

"I challenge Katele Kalumba, when did he ever go to any province to organise the party? Ask him that question. He has never, maybe apart from organising his presidential ambitions," Tetamashimba said. "Who doesn't know that Dr Katele Kalumba has presidential ambitions? God forbid."

Tetamashimba challenged Kalumba to deny assertions that he was eyeing the MMD presidency.

He challenged the media to ask Kalumba on the assertions.
"Let him not give you an answer of saying 'I have no comment'. No, that's not an answer. If someone says 'no, I have no comment', then he has ambitions," Tetamashimba said. "I want, if I am wrong, to be condemned by genuine people who love President Mwanawasa and I will think twice, but if those condemning me are led by Dr Katele Kalumba, I will take their condemnations with a pinch of salt."

Tetamashimba maintained that President Mwanawasa should not be over-worked and that the party should consider discussing his successor when he returns.
He said he was saddened that people who wanted President Mwanawasa to be over-worked were the ones who seemed to love him.

Tetamashimba said the Zambian people were aware that if President Mwanawasa was not over-worked, he could not have suffered a second stroke.
He said President Mwanawasa's health was not for the MMD alone but the Zambian people.

"I am saddened that people who want the President to be over-worked and against his health seem to be the ones that love President Mwanawasa SC. I am very shocked. This has saddened me. It is not a secret that between me and Katele Kalumba, the person who stood for President Mwanawasa when he was attacked is Teta and not Kalumba," he said.
Tetamashimba said recently, he advised Kalumba to ask party national chairman Michael Mabenga to call for a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to brief its members on President Mwanawasa's sickness and release an agreed press statement on the issue.
"Dr Kalumba told me he had no money to have the NEC members come to Lusaka," he said.

Tetamashimba said he then wrote to Mabenga over the same matter but that there has been no response despite promising that he would call for a meeting.
He said Kalumba was opposed to the idea of a meeting.

"But Dr Katele Kalumba has since brought to Lusaka over the last weekend seven women leaders from each province and seven youths from each province, but where did Dr Katele Kalumba get money for these people?" Tetamashimba asked.
However, Tetamashimba apologised to President Mwanawasa's family members if they believed that his statement was incorrect.

"If the family members sincerely believe, through the Spirit of God, that my statement of relieving the President of our party when he comes back should continue with his government job while leaving the party works to another especially after the convention, my apologies," Tetamashimba said. "God be my judge. Posterity will judge me if what I believe is wrong."

When contacted for comment, Kalumba said he had no reaction on the matter.
On Saturday, Kalumba asked Tetamashimba to be bold enough and apologise of his remarks.

This was after Tetamashimba said although he believed that President Mwanawasa would come back to lead the party, the issue of succession should be discussed when the President returns.

Labels: KATELE KALUMBA, MMD, PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 3:55 AM