Maravi

UPND, MMD officials in S/Province join PF

UPND, MMD officials in S/Province join PF
By Chibaula Silwamba
Monday September 29, 2008 [04:00]

UPND Southern Province publicity secretary Opper Hamiyanze has defected to the Patriotic Front (PF), citing party leader Hakainde Hichilema's rejection of his followers' demand that they form an electoral pact with PF.

And MMD Kalomo constituency treasurer Darius Hamusambo also defected to PF, saying he did not understand why MMD was funding other political parties ahead of the October 30 presidential elections when its own members were struggling to look for campaign funds.

In a walk-in interview yesterday, Hamiyanze said several UPND members would resign to join the Michael Sata-led PF at a meeting tomorrow in Choma.

“I have decided to resign from this party UPND because of the greediness, selfishness and uncontrollable appetite for presidency by the leader of this party Mr. Hakainde Hichilema,” said Hamiyanze who joined the UPND at inception in 1998. “From the word go when HH came into office, you are very much aware that even his coming to the party was controversial in the sense that the way he came, he was associated with a number of things and this is why it was very difficult to build up the party from where it was.”

He said UPND had over 40 members of parliament under the leadership of its late leader Anderson Mazoka but the number reduced to 22 under the leadership of Hichilema.
“The reason why the party is going down is because of lack of consulting the grassroots,” he said. “As if that was not enough, the president of the country, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa died, we have a by-election on October 30. The general membership said we have to work together as the opposition, because when you are in politics, you have to serve the people. We are in politics to deliver to the people…”
Hamiyanze said about 21 chiefs in Southern Province had told him to meet with Hichilema over the matter but that Hichilema said he could not form a pact with Sata because he had spent a lot of money on his party.

He said some UPND members found it difficult to work with a man who had an uncontrollable appetite for presidency.

“My resignation is just the beginning of a massive exodus and if not careful, this might be the end of the political career of HH. As leaders, we have the duty to listen to the people that we lead. The chiefs have spoken, ordinary people have spoken. Hichilema is surrounded by people who have ill-intentions about him,” said Hamiyanze. “As I am speaking now, on Tuesday we shall have a meeting in Choma where we are expecting thousands of people and several senior members of the UPND who are coming to resign and join PF.”
And Hamusambo, who also resigned from the MMD to join PF, said MMD members were struggling to raise funds for the campaigns but were surprised that Vice-President Rupiah Banda and his campaign manager Mike Mulongoti were giving money to some political parties like National Revolution Party (NRP).

He also said he was disappointed that the MMD did not have confidence in its own members and opted to pick Vice-President Banda as its candidate. Hamusambo further observed that most people surrounding Vice-President Banda had been rejected by the late Mwanawasa because of corruption allegations.

“I have seen corruption coming back,” said Hamusambo. “I am not going to support a party that is corrupt.”

Labels: MMD, SOUTHERN PROVINCE, UPND

posted by MrK @ 4:24 AM