Maravi

Squabbles rock Rupiah's campaign team

Squabbles rock Rupiah's campaign team
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone and Lambwe Kachali in Lusaka
Wednesday October 08, 2008 [04:00]

CONFUSION has rocked the MMD campaign team with conflicting statements between the party national secretary Katele Kalumba and spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba over positions in the group.

But Vice-President Rupiah Banda's chief executive campaign officer Mbita Chitala yesterday expressed ignorance over the changes made by Tetamashimba and Kalumba.
According to a statement released to the press in Livingstone on Monday signed by Tetamashimba on the MMD campaign changes announced by Kalumba on Sunday, information minister Mike Mulongoti was still chairman of the MMD national campaign committee while Jazzman Chikwakwa would still remain in charge of the Copperbelt Province.

"Following the statement made by the national secretary of the party and after consultations with both the acting party president, Honourable Michael Mabenga and MMD aspiring candidate, His Excellency the Acting President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, it is necessary to explain what seems to be the changes at the MMD campaign centre," Tetamashimba stated.

He stated that Mulongoti would be on the Copperbelt to support the team and leave with Vice-President Banda soon after touring the area. He also stated that MMD deputy national secretary Jeff Kaande would deputise Mulongoti so as to unite the party with the campaign centre while Chitala was still chairman for administration.

Tetamashimba indicated that foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande would be the National Executive Committee (NEC) member that would deliver North-Western Province to Vice-President Banda.
"Meanwhile, the party will not allow suspensions of party leaders and members during this campaign. All suspensions not endorsed by NEC will not stand," Tetamashimba stated.

But to the contrary, Kalumba on Sunday announced that the MMD had made changes to the campaign team. According to Kalumba, Pande was the new campaign manager, taking over from Mulongoti and that Kande would be his deputy apart from his responsibility to oversee Southern Province.
"Mulongoti has been assigned to Copperbelt as new coordinator, where he would work with George Mpombo and former Mwansabombwe MP Maybin Mubanga," Kalumba announced.

Kalumba also announced that Jazzman Chikwakwa had been redeployed to Luapula Province as the new coordinator. Kalumba further stated that he would, together with Mabenga, be assigned as oversight representatives for campaign teams in North-Western, Southern, Lusaka, Eastern, Luapula, Northern , Copperbelt and Central provinces.
But in an interview following conflicting statements over who should be in the campaign team, Chitala - who is the overall boss for Vice-President Banda's campaign committee - said he was never briefed or consulted over the changes.
Chitala said he was surprised that Kalumba and Tetamashimba were issuing conflicting statements in the press without his knowledge.

"I have never been briefed over their statements. I only read them in the newspapers and to me, they are hearsay. I don't know anything," Chitala said.
He said he was doing his best to ensure that all MMD campaign organs at district, provincial and national levels operated normally.

Reliable sources revealed that there was disorganisation in MMD following the hiring of image-building consultants from the United States and United Kingdom.
Sources said some MMD officials were uncomfortable with image builders because they did not want to be controlled by foreign consultants, whom they said were not part of the party. The source said this confusion is also as a result of a clique that seems to have a firm hand on Vice-President Banda although it is not directly connected to the party.
Sources said a meeting was held, which was attended by Vice-President Banda, Tetamashimba and Mabenga, among others. Sources said a number of issues were discussed among them, Mulongoti's careless media statements, especially bordering on money as well as the use of government vehicles during campaigns.

Sources said although some members wanted Mulongoti to be completely sidelined from the campaign team, it was later resolved that he be reinstated for the sake of unity.
Sources said immediately after the meeting, Tetamashimba issued a statement, contradicting the one Kalumba issued on Sunday. In other words, Tetamashimba's statement reinstated Mulongoti in his earlier position of Vice-President Banda's campaign manager.

But when contacted, Tetamashimba declined to comment.
"I already issued a statement, that's all," said Tetamashimba before cutting the line.
Kaande refused to talk to The Post.
"I am tired of you. I don't want to talk to you, get stories from other people," said Kaande who also hung up immediately.
Pande - who replaced Mulongoti but was dropped by Tetamashimba, referred all questions to Kalumba.

"I have no comment; all I can tell you is that I am still an elected vice-national chairman of the party. For other issues, ask Mr Kalumba or Mr Tetamashimba," said Pande.
The MMD is said to have hired five image builders from a United Kingdom-based public relations firm - Bell Pottinger Group - to enhance Vice-President Banda's public image and the outlook of his national campaign following a number of problems in the campaign. Two of the consultants are said to be from the United States while three are from United Kingdom.

According to available information on the internet, Bell Pottinger Group is a collection of 25 companies made up of public relations, corporate responsibility and design agencies, each with their own character and passion designed to collaborate. They have just one objective - to make their clients better known, better regarded and more successful.
"So the hiring of these foreign consultants or image builders means that Rupiah Banda is at the moment not better known, he is not better regarded and is less successful," said the source.

Labels: ELECTIONS, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 11:38 AM