Maravi

No chief's meeting was held to endorse Rupiah - Mukuni

No chief's meeting was held to endorse Rupiah - Mukuni
By Patson Chilemba, Mutuna Chanda, Mwila Chansa and Abigail Cha
Tuesday September 02, 2008 [07:55]

Senior chief Mukuni of the Toka-Leya people of Southern Province yesterday asked chief Mwanachingwala to stop misleading Vice-President Rupiah Banda that chiefs in the province had endorsed his candidature for the MMD presidency.

Reacting to chief Mwanachingwala who on Monday said traditional leaders in the province met in Livingstone on the day of the late President Mwanawasa's body viewing procession and decided to endorse Vice-President Banda for the MMD presidency, chief Mukuni said it was not true that Southern Province chiefs met and endorsed the Vice-President's candidature.

Chief Mukuni said he had spoken to National Royal Foundation of Zambia chairperson senior chief Bright Nalubamba who told him that there was no meeting which discussed Vice-President Banda's endorsement. Chief Mukuni said traditional leaders were supposed to meet on August 29, 2008 but that endorsing Vice-President Banda was not on the agenda.

He said some items on the agenda included thanking late President Mwanawasa for having appointed Daniel Munkombwe as minister for Southern Province and strategising on how to avoid taking sides over the candidates. "We want to apologise to the rest of the institution of chieftainship because by so doing endorsing Vice-President Banda, it's like the chiefs of Southern Province had entered the domain of party cadres. We are not party cadres. We as chiefs we love all our political leaders," chief Mukuni said.

"Now what I am saying is 'let's not mislead the office of the Vice-President by giving him a false impression'." Asked if he was referring to chief Mwanachingwala not to mislead Vice-President Banda, chief Mukuni responded: "Exactly." "Let us report what has been said, not what should have been," he said. Chief Mukuni refused to endorse any of the aspiring MMD candidates because doing so was not a domain for chiefs but political cadres. He said the domain of the chiefs was to work with the government of the day. "But if the government of the day misdirects itself on a constitutional issue, we come in. We take issue with that government," said chief Mukuni.

And senior chief Chikanta of the Tonga people of Kalomo district said it was not correct for chief Mwanachingwala to bring in other chiefs to support his personal stance. "I think you recall that not long ago, chief Mwanachingwala issued an individual statement which was supporting RB and that he was urging Magande to wait until 2011," he said.

Chief Chikanta said it was wrong for chiefs to take sides because all the aspiring candidates were entitled to stand. "Even if we did that, we are not the MMD NEC. Suppose we said we endorse Rupiah and the NEC picks Brian Chituwo Minister of Health, what would happen? We'll look foolish in the eyes of the Zambian public," said chief Chikanta. But former Nchanga MMD member of parliament Richard Kazala urged the MMD national executive committee (NEC) to respect late President Mwanawasa's preference by electing finance minister Ng'andu Magande as party presidential candidate.

Commenting on first lady Maureen Mwanawasa's statement that President Mwanawasa preferred Magande to succeed him, Kazala urged the NEC to honour President Mwanawasa's wish by adopting Magande.

He said electing Magande would be one way of showing love to late President Mwanawasa. Kazala said Maureen had no hidden motive by disclosing that Magande was the preferred candidate because if she wanted, she would have claimed that she was the anointed one. "NEC members should respect that statement. Of course they should also take into account the MMD constitution which says that a member can only apply for a position after serving for three years. It's not good to vote for a person who is nominated because he is not known on the ground," Kazala said.

"They must honour late President Mwanawasa by trusting the comments of the first lady." Kazala said conscience should prevail over Vice-President Banda by withdrawing from the race because at no time did President Mwanawasa indicate that he should be the successor. "I'm sure where President Mwanawasa is, he's not happy that his number two has done that contesting the presidency knowing that his wife has revealed what his intentions are," said Kazala.

But former Zambian ambassador to Switzerland Love Mtesa said MMD risked losing the mandate of ruling until 2011 if it did not adopt Vice-President Banda as its candidate. Mtesa said the MMD risked emerging divided if acting-President Banda was not adopted. "This is an emergency and in an emergency what is required is unity and the only one who can guarantee that is the acting-President," said Mtesa. "...We are not privy to what was discussed in private. We acknowledge that President Mwanawasa could have had a preferred candidate but that was for the year 2011. In this case, the only one who can ensure that the MMD completes its mandate without being divided is the Acting-President."

MMD Kalulushi district youth information and publicity secretary Charles Kabubi said the youths' endorsement of Vice-President Banda to succeed President Mwanawasa would not be a betrayal of the late leader because they were not there to believe Maureen revelation that Magande was the President's preferred candidate. He said leadership was not just about good education but it was also about wisdom and how one related with people.

Meanwhile, a source in Vice-President Banda's campaign team yesterday complained that ministerial jobs have already been allocated without considering some of the more experienced people in the group. "VJ is bouncing back as foreign affairs minister," the source said.

"Mbita Chitala has been promised a top position while Benny Tetamashimba will be the new minister for local government and housing. Bwalya Chiti will be the Republican Vice-President. This is according to the list which they have dubbed as the Dream Ticket."

Labels: CHIEF MUKUNI, CHIEF MWANACHINGWALA, CHIEFS, MMD, PRESIDENCY, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:31 PM