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Chituwo's statement on Levy alarming - Mpombo

Chituwo's statement on Levy alarming - Mpombo
By Patson Chilemba and Chibaula Silwamba
Tuesday August 12, 2008 [04:00]

Acting Vice-President and defence minister George Mpombo yesterday said health minister Dr Brian Chituwo’s statement to Parliament last Friday concerning President Levy Mwana-wasa’s condition in Paris is slightly misleading and alarming. And United Liberal Party president Sakwiba Sikota said Cabinet has to use a common sense approach to decide the next step to take on President Mwanawasa’s illness and succession process.

Meanwhile, MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga said he saw sense in veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga’s statement over President Mwanawasa’s succession but that the party would not act on probabilities.

Commenting on Mwaanga’s statement urging the nation to consider constitutional options over the succession of President Mwanawasa considering that Dr Chituwo said his recovery from the stroke he suffered a month ago would take long, Mpombo said Mwaanga could not be blamed because he based his comments on Dr Chituwo’s statement which was alarming.

“It’s slightly misleading because you see, he Dr Chituwo left Paris four weeks ago but when I speak to people in Paris, those attending to the President, the people are giving me different views. So as for me, I would rather take what the people on the ground are saying,” Mpombo said.

“In my view as acting Vice-President, I do speak to them every day. I will travel to Paris after Parliament but as for now, I would rather follow what the people on the ground are saying. The condition of the President is actually much better than was reported. It Dr Chituwo’s statement was alarming and too grim. So that’s my stand.”

On Mwaanga’s statement, Mpombo said: “I understand the context in which he made that statement but I want to assure that the situation on the ground does not justify that. You cannot fault Honourable Mwaanga because he based his statement on the minister’s statement which was alarming.”

Asked if Dr Chituwo took the statement to Parliament before Cabinet’s approval, Mpombo responded: “We had one or two issues. But maybe that can be raised when we talk the next time.”

Mpombo said there was no need for government to hide the true condition of President Mwanawasa.

Last Friday, Dr Chituwo told Parliament that President Mwanawasa’s healing process would take long although his condition was stable. He said President Mwanawasa was heavily sedated and his healing process would take long.

“Let us all clearly remember that by the serious nature of our Republican President's illness, the healing process will indeed be long,” said Dr Chituwo.

And Commenting on Mwaanga’s statement that Chituwo’s ministerial statement in Parliament on President Mwanawasa’s recovery was instructive and should enable the government to consider constitutional options over the President’s succession, Sikota said since there was no time-frame as to how long the President should receive medical treatment and when the succession process should start, Cabinet would have to use a common sense approach.

“Cabinet will have to look at all the full information that they would have to arrive at any decision and they will have to do so knowing that they have got a responsibility to the country,” said Sikota, who is also Livingstone Central member of parliament.

“At an appropriate time, Cabinet, I am sure, would arrive at the decision, one way or another, depending on what medical advice will be at the time they are making any kind of decision. One can only make a comment as to whether it’s appropriate or not if one has got the full details.”

Sikota said Dr Chituwo’s ministerial statement did not define what he meant when he said President Mwanawasa would take long to recover.

“It’s going to be a long process but we haven’t been given how long; the word ‘long’ is relative. Minister Chituwo did not say how he defines long. We don’t know what Dr Chituwo means by ‘long’. Is it days? Is it weeks? Is it months? Is it years? That isn’t clear. That still needs to be made clearer,” said Sikota.

Meanwhile, Mabenga said MMD would wait on the advice from the medical personnel attending to President Mwanawasa before embarking on the process of succession.

“I see sense in Mwaanga’s statement but what I am saying is we do not want to work on probabilities. We believe as a party, government is the baby of the party. As far as we are concerned, we are encouraging our colleagues to operate accordingly until we are advised by the medical doctors,” he said.

However, Mabenga said the MMD secretariat which is the engine of the party has continued to function normally in the absence of President Mwanawasa. He said there was no uncertainty both in the party and government.

“There is no need to panic. We understand all that succession and we will cross the bridge when we get there,” said Mabenga.

Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, GEORGE MPOMBO

posted by MrK @ 4:22 AM