Maravi

PF MPs riding on Sata's popularity - Kapiji

PF MPs riding on Sata's popularity - Kapiji
Written by Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:31:07 AM

MMD Chairperson for lands Judith Kapijimpanga has observed that 90 percent
of Patriotic Front (PF) parliamentarians have made it to their positions not because of what they can offer but because of people's liking for PF leader Michael Sata.

And Kapijimpanga has said the MMD needs to work extra hard in reconstituting its grassroots in places such as Northern Province because they have lost grip there.

In an interview yesterday, Kapijimpanga who recently lost the Kanchibiya Constituency seat in Mpika district to PF's Davies Mwango said the popularity of most PF parliamentarians had got to do with Sata and not necessarily themselves.

"For example, you will find that there are certain areas where the person who won never even campaigned but he still won because of Sata so it was like I was contesting against Sata and not the parliamentarian," she said.

And Kapijimpanga said the MMD had lost grip in Northern Province and needed to seriously reconstitute its grassroots.

She said the party needed to have sincere members who would honestly represent it.

"My observation was that you would find members in some branches purporting to be MMD but meanwhile they were also supporting PF. We need to revamp the entire grassroots not just in Northern but also on the Copperbelt and Lusaka as well because the voting patterns were not different from 2006," said Kapijimpanga.

Meanwhile Kapijimpanga said it would be nice for Zambia to have a female Vice-President.

Commenting on calls by some sections of society for President Rupiah Banda to appoint a woman as his Vice-President, Kapijimpanga said there were a lot of capable women both within the party hierarchy and other non-active but fully paid up members who could be looked at for the position.

She said there were a lot of intelligent women that could take good ideas and drive the party forward.

On her future plans, Kapijimpanga said she was still actively involved in politics and may consider contesting Kanchibiya Constituency in future but that would depend on people's decision.

Labels: JUDITH KAPIJIMPANGA, MMD, PF

posted by MrK @ 8:32 AM