Maravi

PF stops Chimbaka from donating to Senama Clinic

PF stops Chimbaka from donating to Senama Clinic
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thursday October 02, 2008 [04:00]

MANSA Municipal Council and the PF leadership in Luapula Province on Tuesday stopped Bahati PF member of parliament Besa Chimbaka from donating a generator and blankets to Senama Clinic in view of the ongoing presidential campaigns.

And PF provincial chairman Rasford Mwale has asked Chimbaka to resign from the opposition party following his exhibition of tendencies that were not in tune with the party's campaign policies and also his open declaration of support for Vice-President Rupiah Banda during the run-up to the October 30 presidential poll.

Mansa town clerk Bwanga Kapumpa confirmed in an interview yesterday that he advised Chimbaka to wait until the end of the presidential contest before he could make the donation to the clinic.

Kapumpa said his intervention in the matter followed verbal and formal complaints lodged by the PF leadership in the province and in Chimbaka's constituency, Bahati, on the parliamentarian's intentions to make a donation in the midst of presidential campaigns.

"The people from the PF found us working and they first told my officers of the issue before they went to the police," Kapumpa said. "I decided to call Chimbaka by phone and I explained to him what I believe was the appropriate thing to do and that he waits until after the election. But he told me that since he was not one of the presidential candidates in the election he saw nothing wrong with his action."

Kapumpa said he told Chimbaka that although he was not a presidential candidate, a donation in such a sensitive period would still be viewed with suspicion, especially that Chimbaka was currently embroiled in some misunderstandings with his colleagues in the PF.

He said despite his explanation, Chimbaka decided to call Eectoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) director Dan Kalale to find out if there was anything inappropriate with his donation pledge.

"And Kalale also agreed with what I had said to Chimbaka earlier in our discussion," Kapumpa said. "Chimbaka later called me and then he thanked me for having quickly brought to his attention what the law and regulation say during this period and he agreed not to go ahead with his donation."

Kapumpa said he has since written a formal letter to Chimbaka urging him not to proceed with the donation on the basis of a formal complaint lodged by his colleagues in the PF, who deemed the action as highly inappropriate.

And Mwale, who lodged the complaint against Chimbaka before the district electoral officers, together with Bahati Constituency secretary Jewis Chabi, said Chimbaka was a letdown.

Labels: BESA CHIMBAKA, LUAPULA PROVINCE, PF

posted by MrK @ 4:45 AM