MMD will deal with Teta honestly, says Mabenga

MMD will deal with Teta honestly, says Mabenga
By Patson Chilemba
Thursday July 24, 2008 [04:00]

MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga has said the party will deal with Benny Tetamashimba's disciplinary case honestly. Commenting on assertions that the party was applying double standards by instituting disciplinary action against party spokesperson, Tetamashimba, when national secretary, Katele Kalumba, was also involved in the bickering, Mabenga said the party would follow up the matter objectively.

"We don't want to be labelled as a party with double standards. We are a democratic party. In fact, we are the leaders of democracy in this country and therefore, we want to see that we don't hurt. Neither do we want to please for the sake of pleasing or hurting for the sake of hurting," Mabenga said.

"We will ensure that we look at this matter honestly."
Recently, the MMD instituted disciplinary action against Tetamashimba for bringing the party into ridicule and giving false information.

MMD deputy national secretary, Jeff Kaande said Tetamashimba had brought the party into ridicule by discussing President Levy Mwanawasa's succession in public when he could have done so within the national executive committee (NEC).

He announced that Mabenga would set up a committee to look into the matter.

And asked to comment on assertions that he was eyeing the MMD presidency, Mabenga said he was not prepared to discuss the issue of presidential ambitions now.

Mabenga further said as current leader of the party, he did not want to hear any debate on President Mwanawasa's succession. He said talking about presidential ambitions and succession would only encourage division in the party.

"Already, we have got a party leader who is sick and if people begin talking about contesting elections, where are we going to? We will break the party," he said.

Mabenga said he would soon call a NEC meeting to discuss party matters.

Asked if the party would include President Mwanawasa's illness on the agenda since it had raised speculation, Mabenga said the party felt that updates on the President were reaching the country.

"And so, it may of course, come just to inform the members at a particular time when we will be holding a meeting on the status of the illness of the President at that time," said Mabenga.